At first read, this pseudo-classical poem is confusing on purpose.
Its comic gifts and exaggerated exchanges can distract us from what Lu Xun is really doing.
Surface Layer: Psychological Defense
The speaker is rejected but refuses direct vulnerability.
Instead, he reframes rejection as “incompatibility of values.”
That move is familiar: when pride is hurt, people convert pain into superiority.
So yes, the voice feels theatrical and self-conscious.
Deeper Layer: Literary Prank as Critique
Lu Xun himself stated that this piece satirized the fashionable “heartbreak poetry” of his time.
Against decorative romanticism, he stages a counter-gift logic:
- butterfly scarf -> owl,
- swallow painting -> candied haw,
- gold watch chain -> sweating medicine,
- rose -> red snake.
Each return gift punctures sentimental fantasy with rough reality, irony, or danger.
This is not random absurdity. It is targeted demystification.
Why It Works
The poem does two things at once:
- It captures a real human defense mechanism (pride masking injury).
- It ridicules a broader literary culture of performative sensitivity.
The result is comedy with teeth.
Lu Xun strips the mask off self-dramatizing romance and shows the awkward, conflicted ego beneath.