克罗齐提出“一切历史都是当代史”。文学史也是一种历史。毫无疑问,古典文学与文学史的研究应当具备当代意识。克罗齐的话至少包括两层意思,一是到目前为止的一切历史,都已经是当代人对历史的认识;二是今天乃至今后的人认识历史,也必须以当代意识为价值取向。古典文学研究的现代性与当代意识密切相关。当我们讨论“如何超越古代文学研究的古典形态”时,其实已经在自觉不自觉的有所超越了。作品注释、版本比较、作家生平的考证,这些看起来十分陈旧的形态,背后都蕴藏着研究者的当代意识。除非他不知道自己在作什么。一件似乎微不足道的考证工 Croce put forward “all history is contemporary history.” Literary history is also a history. There is no doubt that the study of classical literature and literary history should have contemporary awareness. Croce’s words include at least two meanings. First, all the history so far has been the contemporary’s understanding of history. Second, today’s and future generations of people must understand history and take contemporary values ​​as their values. The modernity of classical literature research is closely related to contemporary consciousness. When we talk about “how to go beyond the classical forms of the study of ancient literature,” we have in fact unconsciously surpassed ourselves. Works annotation, version comparison, textual criticism of the writer’s life, these looks very old form, behind the researchers are all aware of the contemporary. Unless he does not know what he is doing. A seemingly insignificant testers