美國(guó)文學(xué)史-知識(shí)點(diǎn)梳理及美國(guó)文學(xué)史復(fù)習(xí)要點(diǎn)整理【手動(dòng)】

PartITheLiteratureofColonialAmericaI．HistoricalIntroduction ThecolonialperiodstretchedroughlyfromthesettlementofAmericaintheearly17thcenturythroughtheendofthe18th.ThefirstpermanentsettlementinAmericawasestablishedbyEnglishin1607.(AgroupofpeoplewassentbytheEnglishKingJamesItohuntforgold.TheyarrivedatVirginiain1607.TheynamedtheJamesRiverandbuildtheJamestown.)II．Thepre-revolutionarywritinginthecolonieswasessentiallyoftwokinds: 1)Practicalmatter-of-factaccountsoffarming,hunting,travel,etc.designedtoinformpeople"athome"whatlifewaslikeinthenewworld,and,often,toinducetheirimmigration 2)Highlytheoretical,generallypolemical,discussionsofreligiousquestions. III．TheFirstAmericanWriter ThefirstwritingsthatwecallAmericanwerethenarrativesandjournalsofthesesettlements.Theywroteabouttheirvoyagetothenewland,theirlivesinthenewland,theirdealingswithIndians. CaptainJohnSmithisthefirstAmericanwriter. ATrueRelationofsuchOccurrencesandAccidentsofNoteasHathHappenedinVirginiaSincetheFirstPlantingofThatColony(1608) AMapofVirginia:ADescriptionoftheCountry(1612) GeneralHistoryofVirginia CaptainJohnSmithwasoneofthefirstearly17th-centuryBritishsettlersinNorthAmerica.HewasoneofthefoundersofthecolonyofJamestown,Virginia.HiswritingsaboutNorthAmericabecamethesourceofinformationaboutthe OneofthethingshewroteaboutthathasbecomeanAmericanlegendwashiscapturebytheIndiansandhisrescuebythefamousIndianPrincess,Pocahontas.IV．EarlyNewEnglandLiterature WilliamBradfordandJohnWinthrop JohnCottonandRogerWilliams AnneBradstreetandEdwardTaylorV．PuritanThoughts1.Theoriginofpuritan InthemediaevalEurope,therewaswidespreadreligiousrevolution.Inthe16thCentury,theEnglishKingHenryVIII(Atthattime,theCatholicswerenotallowedtodivorceunlesstheyhavethePope'spermission.HenryVIIIwantedtodivorcehiswifebecauseshecouldn'tbearhimason.ButthePopedidn'tallowhimtodivorce,sohe)brokeawayfromtheRomanCatholicChurch&establishedtheChurchofEngland.ButtherewasnoradicaldifferencebetweenthedoctrinesoftheChurchofEnglandandtheCatholicChurch.AgroupofpeoplethoughttheChurchofEnglandwastooCatholicandwantedtopurifythechurch.ThencamethenamePuritans.2.Puritanism--basedonCalvinism (1)predestination:God'select Puritansbelievedtheyarepredestinedbeforetheywereborn. Nothingornogoodworkcanchangetheirfate. Theybelievedthesuccessofone'sbusinessisthesigntoshowheistheGod'select.SothePuritansworksveryhard,spendverylittleandinvestmoreforthefuturebusiness.Theylivedaveryfrugallife.Thisistheirethics. (2)Origianlsinandtotaldepravity Manisbornsinful.Thisdeterminessomepuritanspessimisticattitudetowardslife. (3)Limitedatonement(thesalvationofaselectedfew) (4)theocracy Theycombinedstatewithreligion.Theirgovernmentisatleastnotaliberalone. ThePuritansestablishedAmericantradition--intolerantmoralism.Theystrictlypunisheddrunks,adultery&heretics. Puritanschangedgraduallyduetotheseverityoffrontierenvironment3.InfluenceonAmericanLiterature (1)Itsoptimism AmericanliteraturewasfromtheoutsetconditionedbythePuritanheritage.ItcanbesaidAmericanliteratureisbasedontheBiblicalmythoftheGardenofEden.Afterthat,manhaveanillusiontorestoretheparadise.Thepuritans,afterarrivingatAmerica,believingthatGodmusthavesentthemtothisnewlandtorestorethelostparadise,tobuildthewildernessintoanewGardenofEden.Firedwithsuchastrongsenseofmission,theytreatedlifewithatremendousamountofoptimism.TheoptimisticPuritanhasexertedagreatinfluenceonAmericanliterature. (2)Puritan'smetaphoricalmodeofperceptionchangedgraduallyintoaliterarysymbolism. PartIITheLiteratureofReasonAndRevolutionI．HistoricalIntroduction Withthegrowth,especiallyofindustry,thereappearedtheintensestrainwithEngland.TheBritishgovernmentdidnotwantcolonialindustriescompetingwiththoseinEngland.TheBritishwantedthecoloniestoremainpoliticallyandeconomicallydependentonthemothercountry.Theytookaseriesofmeasurestoinsurethisdependence.TheypreventedcolonialeconomybyrequiringAmericanstoshiprawmaterialsabroadandtoimportfinishedgoodsatpriceshigherthanthecostofmakingtheminthiscountry.Politically,theBritishgovernmentforceddependencebyrulingthecoloniesfromoverseasandbytaxingthecolonieswithoutgivingthemrepresentationinParliament. However,bythemid-eighteenthcentury,freedomwaswonasmuchbythefieryrhetoricofThomasPaine'sCommonSenseandtheeloquenceoftheDeclarationofIndependenceasbytheweaponsofWashington.Intheseventiesofthe18thcentury,theEnglishcoloniesinNorthAmericaroseinarmsagainsttheirmothercountry.TheWarforIndependencelastedfor8years(1776-1783)andendedintheformationofafederativebourgeoisdemocraticrepublic--theUnitedStatesofAmerica.II．AmericanEnlightenment Itwassupportedbyallprogressiveforcesofthecountrywhichopposedthemselvestotheoldcolonialorderandreligiousobscurantism. Itdealtadecisiveblowuponthepuritantraditionsandbroughttolifeseculareducationandliterature.Thespirituallifeduringthatperiodwastoagreatdegreemouldedbyit. Therepresentativessetthemselvesthetaskofdisseminatingknowledgeamongthepeopleandadvocatingrevolutionaryideas. ThewritersinjectedaninvigoratingveinintotheEnglishlanguageinAmericaastheyaimedatclarityandprecisionoftheirwritings. AttheinitialperiodthespreadoftheideasoftheEnlightenmentwaslargelyduetojournalism.WritingsofEuropewerewidelyreadinAmerica.ThesecularidealsoftheAmericanEnlightenmentwereexemplifiedinthelifeandcareerofBenjaminFranklin.III．BenjaminFranklin(1706-1790) TheAutobiography PoorRichard’sAlmanac Life BenjaminFranklincamefromaCalvinistbackground. Hewasbornintoapoorcandle-maker’sfamily.Hehadverylittleeducation.Helearnedinschoolonlyfortwoyears,buthewasavoraciousreader. At12,hewasapprenticedtohiselderhalf-brother,aprinter. At16,hebegantopublishessaysunderthepseudonym“SilenceDogood”. At17,heranawaytoPhiladelphiatomakehisownfortune. Hesethimselfupasanindependentprinterandpublisher.In1727hefoundedtheJuntoclub. Multipleidentities: aprinter aleadingauthor apolitician ascientist ainventor adiplomat acivicactivist Franklin’sContributionstoSociety HehelpedfoundthePennsylvania HefoundedanacademywhichledtotheUniversityof AndhehelpedfoundtheAmericanPhilosophicalSociety. Franklin’sContributionstoScience Hewasalsorememberedforvolunteerfiredepartments,effectivestreetlighting,theFranklinstove,bifocalglassesandefficientheatingdevices. Andforhislightning-rod,hewascalled“thenewPrometheuswhohadstolenfirefromheaven.” Franklin’sContributionstotheU.S. HewastheonlyAmericantosignthefourdocumentsthatcreatedtheUnitedStates: TheDeclarationofIndependence, TheTreatyofAlliancewithFrance, TheTreatyofPeacewithEngland, TheConstitution TheAutobiography TheAutobiographyofBenjaminFranklinwasprobablythefirstofitskindinliterature.Itisthesimpleyetimmenselyfascinatingrecordofamanrisingtowealthandfamefromastateofpovertyandobscurityintowhichhewasborn,thefaithfulaccountofthecolorfulcareerofAmerica’sfirstself-mademan. TheAutobiographyis,firstofall,aPuritandocument.ItisPuritanbecauseitisarecordofself-examinationandself-improvement.Themeticulouschartof13virtueshesetforhimselftocultivatetocombatthetemptingvices,thestupendousefforthemadetoimprovehisownperson,thebeliefthatGodhelpsthosewhohelpsthemselvesandthateverycallingisaservicetoGod–alltheseindicatethatFranklinwasintenselyPuritan.Then,thebookisalsoaconvincingillustrationofthePuritanethicthat,inordertogetonintheworld,onehastobeindustrious,frugal,andprudent. TheAutobiographyisalsoaneloquentelucidationofthefactthatFranklinwasspokesmanfortheneworderofeighteenth-centuryenlightenment,andthatherepresentedinAmericaallitsideas,thatmanisbasicallygoodandfreebynature,endowedbyGodwithcertaininalienablerightsoflibertyandthepursuitofhappiness. AlookatthestyleofTheAutobiographywillreadilyrevealthatitisthepatternofPuritansimplicity,directnessandconcision.Theplainnessofitsstyle,thehomelinessofimagery,thesimplicityofdiction,syntaxandexpressionaresomeofthesalientfeatureswecannotmistake.Thelucidityofthenarrative,theabsenceofornamentsinwordingandofcomplex,involvedstructuresinsyntax,andthePuritanabhorrenceofparadoxareallgraphicallydemonstratedinthewholeofthebook.Takenasawhole,itissafetosaythatthebookisanexemplaryillustrationoftheAmericanstyleofwriting.IV．ThomasPaine(1737-1809) CommonSense AmericanCrisisV．ThomasJefferson(1743-1826) TheDeclarationofIndependence VI．PhilipFreneau(1752-1832) “PoetoftheAmericanRevolution” “FatherofAmericanPoetry” “PioneeroftheNewRomanticism” “Agiftedandversatilelyricpoet” Works “TheWildHoneySuckle” “TheIndianBuryingGround” “ToaCaty-Did” FreneauasFatherofAmericanPoetry:Hismajorthemesaredeath,nature,transition,andthehumaninnature.Allofthesethemesbecomeimportantin19thcenturywriting.LifeExperience?HewasborninNewYork.?At16,heenteredtheCollegeofNewJersey(nowPrincetonUniversity?LaterheattendedtheWarofIndependence,andhewascapturedbyBritisharmyin1780.?Afterbeingreleased,hepublished“TheBritishPrisonShip”in1781.?Inthesameyear,hepublished“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”.?Afterwar,hesupportedJefferson,andcontributedgreatlytoAmericangovernment.?Butafter50yearsold,helivedinpoverty.Andatlasthediedinablizzard.MainWorks?“TheRisingGloryofAmerica”(1772)《美洲光輝的興起》?“TheHouseofNight”(1779,1786)《夜之屋》?“TheBritishPrisonShip”(1781)《英國(guó)囚船》?“TotheMemoryoftheBraveAmericans”(1781)《紀(jì)念美國(guó)勇士》?“”TheWildHoneySuckle”(1786)《野忍冬花》?“TheIndianBuryingGround”(1788)《印第安人墓地》野忍冬花

（黃杲炘譯）?美好的花呀，你長(zhǎng)得：這么秀麗，

卻藏身在這僻靜沉悶的地方——

甜美的花兒開(kāi)了卻沒(méi)人親昵，

招展的小小枝梢也沒(méi)人觀賞；

沒(méi)游來(lái)蕩去的腳來(lái)把你踩碎，

沒(méi)東攀西摘的手來(lái)催你落淚。?大自然把你打扮得一身潔白，

她叫你避開(kāi)庸俗粗鄙的目光，

她布置下樹(shù)蔭把你護(hù)衛(wèi)起來(lái)，

又讓潺潺的柔波淌過(guò)你身旁；

你的夏天就這樣靜靜地消逝，

這時(shí)候你日見(jiàn)萎蔫終將安息。?那些難免消逝的美使我銷(xiāo)魂，

想起你未來(lái)的結(jié)局我就心疼，

別的那些花兒也不比你幸運(yùn)——

雖開(kāi)放在伊甸園中也已凋零，

無(wú)情的寒霜再加秋風(fēng)的威力，

會(huì)叫這花朵消失得一無(wú)蹤跡。?朝陽(yáng)和晚露當(dāng)初曾把你養(yǎng)育，

讓你這小小的生命來(lái)到世上，

原來(lái)若烏有，就沒(méi)什么可失去，

因?yàn)槟愕乃雷屇阃惹耙粯樱?/p>

這來(lái)去之間不過(guò)是一個(gè)鐘點(diǎn)——

這就是脆弱的花享有的天年。?Thispoemisdividedintofourstanzas.Eachstanzaconsistsofsixlines,rhyming“ababcc”,andsoundsjustlikemusic.?Inthefirsttwostanzas,Freneaudevotedmoreattentiontotheenvironmentoftheflowerinwhichhefounditthantotheappearanceoftheflower.Heconmentedonthesecludednatureoftheplacewherethehoneysucklegrew,drawingaconclusionthatitwasduetonature'sprotectivenessthattheflowerwasabletoleadapeacefullifefreefrommen’sdisturbanceanddestruction.?Butthenextstanzaimmediatelychangedthetonefromsilentadmirationandappreciationtooutrightlamentationoverthe“future’sdoom”oftheflower–evennaturewasunabletosavetheflowerfromitsdeath.?Andthen,Freneausaid,“ifnothingonce,younothinglose.”Itistrueinpeople’sexistence.Thereisfateforthelifeanddeath.Afterone’sdeath,theonlythinghecantakeawayiswhathebroughtwhenhegavebirthtothisworld.PartIII

TheLiteratureofRomanticismI．HistoricalIntroduction

fromearly19thcenturythroughtheoutbreakoftheCivilWar

1.nativefactors

ItisaperiodfollowingAmericanIndependence.Inthisperiod,democracyandpoliticalequalitybecametheidealsofthenewnation.Americawasinaneconomicboom.Thereisatremendoussenseofoptimismandhopeamongthepeople.Thespiritofthetimeis,insomemeasure,responsiblefortheoutburstofromanticfeeling.

2.foreigninfluence

RomanticismemergedinEnglandfrom1798to1832.ItaddedimpetustothegrowthofRomanticisminAmerica.InEnglandthegeneralfeaturesoftheworksoftheromanticsisadissatisfactionwiththebourgeoissociety.BritishRomanticisminspiredtheAmericanimagination.ThusAmericanRomanticismwasinawayderivative.II．AmericanRomanticism:AmericanRenaissance

Romanticism(appearedinEnglandinthelastyearsofthe18thcenturyandspreadtocontinentalEuropeandthen)cametoAmericaearlyinthe19thcentury.Itwaspluralistic;itsmanifestationswereasvaried,asindividualistic,andasconflictingastheculturesandtheintellectsfromwhichitsprang.Yetromanticsfrequentlysharedcertaingeneralcharacteristics:moralenthusiasm,faithinthevalueofindividualismandintuitiveperception,andapresumptionthatthenaturalworldwasasourceofgoodnessandman'ssocietiesasourceofcorruption.

Itexaltedtheindividual,whichsuitedthenation'srevolutionaryheritageanditsfrontieregalitarianism.Itrevoltedagainsttraditionalartforms,whichgratifiedthosecrampedbythestrictlimitsofneoclassicliterature,painting,andarchitecture.Itrejectedrationalism,whichgladdenedthosewhowereopposedtocool,intellectualreligiouswrappedwiththeremnantsofCalvinism.

Romanticwritersplacedincreasingvalueonthefreeexpressionofemotionanddisplayincreasingattentiontothespiritualstatesoftheircharacters.Heroesandheroinesexhibitedextremesofsensitivityandexcitement.Thenovelofterrorbecametheprofitableliterarystaplethatitremainstoday.Writersofgothicnovelssoughttoarouseintheirreadersaturbulentsenseoftheremote,thesupernatural,andtheterrifyingbydescribingcastlesandlandscapesilluminatedbymoonlightandhauntedbyghosts.ApreoccupationwiththedemonicandthemysteryofevilmarkedbytheworksofPoe,Hawthorne,Melville,andahostoflesserwriters.

EarlyAmericanromanticismwasbestrepresentedbyNewEnglandpoetsWilliamCullenBryant(1794-1878)andHenryWadsworthLongfellow(1807-1882)inpoetry,andJamesFenimoreCooper(1789-1851)andWashingtonIrving(1783-1859)infiction.

Thelater/peakperiodisrepresentedbyRalphWaldoEmerson(1803-1882)andHenryDavidThoreau(1817-1862).III．WashingtonIrving

1.RipVanWinkle

Thestory,writtenwhileIrvingwasstayingwithhissisterSarahandherhusbandHenryvanWartinBirmingham,England,issetintheyearsbeforeandaftertheAmericanRevolutionaryWar.AvillagerofDutchdescentescapeshisnaggingwifebywanderingupKaaterskillClovenearhishometownofPalenville,NewYorkintheCatskillMountains.Aftervariousadventures(inoneversionofthetale,heencountersthespiritsofHenryHudsonandhiscrewplayingninepinsatthetopofKaaterskillFalls),hesettlesdownunderashadytreeandfallsasleep.Hewakesup20yearslaterandreturnstohisvillage.Hefindsoutthathiswifeisdeadandhisclosefriendshavediedinawarorgonesomewhereelse.HeimmediatelygetsintotroublewhenhehailshimselfaloyalsubjectofGeorgeIII,notknowingthatinthemeantimetheAmericanRevolutionhastakenplaceandheisnotsupposedtobealoyalsubjectofanyHanoveriananylonger.

Thestoryhasbecomeapartofculturalmythology:evenforthosewhohaveneverreadtheoriginalstory,"RipVanWinkle"meanseitherapersonwhosleepsforalongperiodoftime,oronewhoisinexplicably(perhapsevenblissfully)unawareofcurrentevents.

RipVanWinklehasbeenseenasasymbolofseveralaspectsofAmerica.Rip,likeAmerica,isimmature,self-centered,careless,anti-intellectual,imaginative,andjollyastheovergrownchild.ThetownitselfsymbolizesAmerica–foreverandrapidlychanging.WashingtonIrvinghasRipsleepthroughhisowncountry’shistory,throughwhatwemightcallthebirthpangsof2.TheLegendofSleepyHollow

Thestoryissetcirca1790intheDutchsettlementofTarryTown,inasecludedglencalledSleepyHollow.IttellsthestoryofIchabodCrane,asycophantic,lean,lanky,andextremelysuperstitiousschoolmasterfromConnecticut,whocompeteswithAbraham"BromBones"VanBrunt,thetownrowdy,forthehandof18-year-oldKatrinaVanTassel,thedaughterandsolechildofawealthyfarmer,BaltusVanTassel.AsCraneleavesapartyheattendedattheVanTasselhomeonanautumnnight,heispursuedbytheHeadlessHorseman,whoissupposedlytheghostofaHessiantrooperwhohadhisheadshotoffbyastraycannonballduring"somenamelessbattle"oftheAmericanRevolutionaryWar,andwho"ridesforthtothesceneofbattleinnightlyquestofhishead".Ichabodmysteriouslydisappearsfromtown,leavingKatrinatomarryBromBones,whowas"tolookexceedinglyknowingwheneverthestoryofIchabodwasrelated".AlthoughthenatureoftheHeadlessHorsemanisleftopentointerpretation,thestoryimpliesthattheHorsemanwasreallyBromBonesindisguise.

ThecreationofarchetypesisaparticularlysubtlefeatofIrving’sconsummatecraftsmanship.WemayseeinIchabodCraneaprecocious,effectNewEnglander,shrewd,commercial,acity-slicker,whoisratheraninterloper,asomewhatdestructiveforce,andwhocomesalongtoswindlethevillagers.Hisbooklearningturnsonhim,andheisdrivenawayfromwherehedoesnotbelong,sothattheserenevillageremainspermanentlygoodandhappy.

BromBones,ontheotherhand,isofaHuckFinn-typeofcountrybumpkin,rough,vigorous,boisterousbutinwardlyverygood,afrontiertypeputouttheretoshiftforhimself.

Thus,therivalryinlovebetweenIchabodandBrom,viewedinthisway,suddenlyassumesthedimensionsoftwoethicalgroupslockedinakindofhistoriccontest.Astothestyleofthepiece,itrepresentsIrvingathisbest.Theassociationbetweenacertainlocalandtheinwardmovementofacharacter,theemotionalloadingofalmosteverylineofthestory,theireffectonthefivesenseofthereaderwhoseattentionissofullyengagedandwhofeelssomuchinvolvedinwhatishappening–allthesehaveplacedthisandotherIrvingstoriesamongthebestofAmericanshortstories.

3.Irving’sStyle

(1)Irvingavoidsmoralizingasmuchaspossible.Hewritessimplytoentertainrathertoenlighten.

(2)Heisgoodatsettinghisstoriesinamagicandfantasticatmosphere.Therichnessoftheatmospherecompensatesfortheslimnessofhisplot.

(3)Hischaractersarevividandtruetolife.Theytendtolingerinthemindofthereader.

(4)Hiswritingisfullofhumorandsatire.

(5)twoimportantthemes,i.e.thethemesofchangeandsearchforidentify.ThesethemescapturethespiritofIV.JamesFenimoreCooper詹姆斯費(fèi)尼莫爾庫(kù)珀(1789--1851)--launchedtwokindsofimmenselypopularstories→theseaadventuretaleandthefrontiersaga

TheLeatherstockingTales《皮襪子故事集》，regardas“thenearestapproachyettoanAmericanepic.”（開(kāi)創(chuàng)了美國(guó)文學(xué)的一個(gè)重要主題—文明的發(fā)展對(duì)大自然和它代表的崇高品德的摧殘與破壞）Itscentralfigureinthenovels,NattyBumppo(美國(guó)文學(xué)的一個(gè)重要的原型人物—獨(dú)立不羈、逃避社會(huì)、在大自然中需求完美精神世界的班波).

Cooper’sWorks

(1)Precaution(1820,hisfirstnovel,imitatingAusten’sPrideandPrejudice)

(2)TheSpy(hissecondnovelandgreatsuccess)

(3)LeatherstockingTales(hismasterpiece,aseriesoffivenovels)

TheDeerslayer,TheLastoftheMohicans,ThePathfinder,ThePioneer,ThePrairie

Cooper’sStyle

(1)highlyimaginative

(2)goodatinventingtales

(3)goodatlandscapedescription

(4)conservative

(5)characterizationwoodenandlackinginprobability

(6)languageanduseofdialectnotauthentic

LiteraryAchievements

HecreatedamythabouttheformativeperiodoftheAmericannation.IfthehistoryoftheUnitedStatesis,inasense,theprocessoftheAmericansettlersexploringandpushingtheAmericanfrontierforeverwestward,thenCooper’sLeatherstockingTaleseffectivelyapproximatestheAmericannationalexperienceofadventureintotheWest.HeturnedthewestandfrontierasauseablepastandhehelpedtointroducewesterntraditiontoAmericanliterature.V.WilliamCullenBryant威廉卡倫布賴(lài)恩特(1794-1878)--thefirstAmericantogainthestatureofamajorpoet.

ToaWaterfowl《致水鳥(niǎo)》

TheYellowViolet《黃色的堇香花》

VI.EdgarAllenPoe(1809-1849)

Americanwriter,knownasapoetandcriticbutmostfamousasthefirstmasteroftheshort-storyform,especiallytalesofthemysteriousandmacabre.TheliterarymeritsofPoe'swritingshavebeendebatedsincehisdeath,buthisworkshaveremainedpopularandmanymajorAmericanandEuropeanwritershaveprofessedtheirartisticdebttohim.

ForalongtimeafterhisdeathPoeremainedprobablythemostcontroversialandmostmisunderstoodliteraryfigureinthehistoryofAmericanliterature.

Emersondismissedhiminthreewords,“thejingleman.”

MarkTwaindeclaredhisprosetobeunreadable.

HenryJamesmadetheruthlessstatementthat“anenthusiasmforPoeisthemarkofadecidedlyprimitivestateofdevelopment.”

Whitman,whowastheonlyfamousliteraryfigurepresentatthePoeMemorialCeremonyinBaltimorein1875,hadmixedfeelingsabouthim:hedidadmitPoe’sgenius,butitwas“itsnarrowrangeandunhealthy,luridquality”thatmostimpressedhim.

T.S.Eliotproclaimedhimacriticofthefirstrank,butchargedhimwith“slipshodwriting.”

Poe’sWorks

Poetry:TheRaven《烏鴉》

HorrorFiction:TheFalloftheHouseofUsher《厄舍大廈的倒塌》

Whodunit:MurdersintheRueMorgue《莫格街謀殺案》

致海倫

海倫，你的美在我的眼里，

有如往日尼西亞的三桅船

船行在飄香的海上，悠悠地

把已倦于漂泊的困乏船員

送回他故鄉(xiāng)的海岸。

早已習(xí)慣于在怒海上飄蕩，

你典雅的臉龐，你的鬈發(fā)，

你水神般的風(fēng)姿帶我返航，

返回那往時(shí)的希臘和羅馬，

返回那往時(shí)的壯麗和輝煌。

看哪！壁龕似的明亮窗戶(hù)里，

我看見(jiàn)你站著，多像尊雕像，

一盞瑪瑙的燈你拿在手上！

塞姬女神哪，神圣的土地

才是你家鄉(xiāng)！

Inthefirststanza,Helen’sbeautyissoothing.Itprovidessecurityandsafety.PerhapsthereaderisexpectedtoassociateMarlowe’sfamousline:“Wasthisthefacethatlaunchedathousandships”toHelen’sbeauty,forherbeautyisashypnoticforthespeakerasweretheshipsthattransportedanotherwanderer–Ulysses-homefromTroy.

Throughoutthepoem,Poeusesallusionstoclassicalnamesandplaces,aswellascertainkindsofimagestocreatetheimpressionofafar-offidealized,unrealwoman,likeaGreekstatue.Wordsthatsupporttheimageofanidealwomanare“hyacinth”and“classic”(line7),“Naiadairs”(line8),and“statue-like”(line12).Helenstands,notlikearealwoman,butlikeasaintina“window-niche”(line11).Shebecomesasymbolbothofbeautyandoffrustration,aromanticallyidealized,yetinaccessibleimageoftheheart’sdesire.

烏鴉

從前一個(gè)陰郁的子夜，我獨(dú)自沉思，慵懶疲竭，

沉思許多古怪而離奇、早已被人遺忘的傳聞——

當(dāng)我開(kāi)始打盹，幾乎入睡，突然傳來(lái)一陣輕擂，

仿佛有人在輕輕叩擊，輕輕叩擊我的房門(mén)。

“有人來(lái)了，”我輕聲嘟喃，“正在叩擊我的房門(mén)——

唯此而已，別無(wú)他般。”

哦，我清楚地記得那是在蕭瑟的十二月；

每一團(tuán)奄奄一息的余燼都形成陰影伏在地板。

我當(dāng)時(shí)真盼望翌日；——因?yàn)槲乙呀?jīng)枉費(fèi)心機(jī)

想用書(shū)來(lái)消除悲哀——消除因失去麗諾爾的悲嘆——

因那被天使叫作麗諾爾的少女，她美麗嬌艷——

在這兒卻默默無(wú)聞，直至永遠(yuǎn)。

那柔軟、暗淡、颯颯飄動(dòng)的每一塊紫色窗布

使我心中充滿(mǎn)前所未有的恐怖——我毛骨驚然；

為平息我心兒停跳．我站起身反復(fù)叨念

“這是有人想進(jìn)屋，在叩我的房門(mén)——。

更深夜半有人想進(jìn)屋，在叩我的房門(mén)；——

唯此而已，別無(wú)他般?！?/p>

很快我的心變得堅(jiān)強(qiáng)；不再猶疑，不再彷徨，

“先生，”我說(shuō)，“或夫人，我求你多多包涵；

剛才我正睡意昏昏，而你來(lái)敲門(mén)又那么輕，

你來(lái)敲門(mén)又那么輕，輕輕叩擊我的房門(mén)，

我差點(diǎn)以為沒(méi)聽(tīng)見(jiàn)你”——說(shuō)著我拉開(kāi)門(mén)扇；——

唯有黑夜，別無(wú)他般。

凝視著夜色幽幽，我站在門(mén)邊驚懼良久，

疑惑中似乎夢(mèng)見(jiàn)從前沒(méi)人敢夢(mèng)見(jiàn)的夢(mèng)幻；

可那未被打破的寂靜，沒(méi)顯示任何跡象。

“麗諾爾？”便是我囁嚅念叨的唯一字眼，

我念叨“麗諾爾！”，回聲把這名字輕輕送還，

唯此而已，別無(wú)他般。

我轉(zhuǎn)身回到房中，我的整個(gè)心燒灼般疼痛，

很快我又聽(tīng)到叩擊聲，比剛才聽(tīng)起來(lái)明顯。

“肯定，”我說(shuō)，“肯定有什么在我的窗欞；

讓我瞧瞧是什么在那里，去把那秘密發(fā)現(xiàn)——

讓我的心先鎮(zhèn)靜一會(huì)兒，去把那秘密發(fā)現(xiàn)；——

那不過(guò)是風(fēng)，別無(wú)他般！”

我猛然推開(kāi)窗戶(hù)，。心兒撲撲直跳就像打鼓，

一只神圣往昔的健壯烏鴉慢慢走進(jìn)我房間；

它既沒(méi)向我致意問(wèn)候；也沒(méi)有片刻的停留；

而以紳士淑女的風(fēng)度，棲在我房門(mén)的上面——

棲在我房門(mén)上方一尊帕拉斯半身雕像上面——

棲坐在那兒，僅如此這般。

于是這只黑鳥(niǎo)把我悲傷的幻覺(jué)哄騙成微笑，

以它那老成持重一本正經(jīng)溫文爾雅的容顏，

“雖然冠毛被剪除，”我說(shuō)，“但你肯定不是懦夫，

你這幽靈般可怕的古鴉，漂泊夜的彼岸——

請(qǐng)告訴我你尊姓大名，在黑沉沉的冥府陰間！”

烏鴉答日“永不復(fù)述?！?/p>

聽(tīng)見(jiàn)如此直率的回答，我驚嘆這丑陋的烏鴉，

雖說(shuō)它的回答不著邊際——與提問(wèn)幾乎無(wú)關(guān)；

因?yàn)槲覀儾坏貌怀姓J(rèn)，從來(lái)沒(méi)有活著的世人

曾如此有幸地看見(jiàn)一只鳥(niǎo)棲在他房門(mén)的面——

鳥(niǎo)或獸棲在他房間門(mén)上方的半身雕像上面，

有這種名字“永不復(fù)還。”

但那只獨(dú)棲于肅穆的半身雕像上的烏鴉只說(shuō)了

這一句話(huà)，仿佛它傾瀉靈魂就用那一個(gè)字眼。

然后它便一聲不吭——也不把它的羽毛拍動(dòng)——

直到我?guī)缀跏遣覆缸哉Z(yǔ)“其他朋友早已消散——

明晨它也將離我而去——如同我的希望已消散?！?/p>

這時(shí)那鳥(niǎo)說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

驚異于那死寂漠漠被如此恰當(dāng)?shù)幕卦?huà)打破，

“肯定，”我說(shuō)，“這句話(huà)是它唯一的本錢(qián)，

從它不幸動(dòng)主人那兒學(xué)未。一連串無(wú)情飛災(zāi)

曾接踵而至，直到它主人的歌中有了這字眼——

直到他希望的挽歌中有了這個(gè)憂(yōu)傷的字眼

‘永不復(fù)還，永不復(fù)還。’”

但那只烏鴉仍然把我悲傷的幻覺(jué)哄騙成微笑，

我即刻拖了張軟椅到門(mén)旁雕像下那只鳥(niǎo)跟前；

然后坐在天鵝絨椅墊上，我開(kāi)始冥思苦想，

浮想連著浮想，猜度這不祥的古鳥(niǎo)何出此言——

這只猙獰丑陋可怕不吉不祥的古鳥(niǎo)何出此言，

為何聒噪‘永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

我坐著猜想那意見(jiàn)但沒(méi)對(duì)那鳥(niǎo)說(shuō)片語(yǔ)只言。

此時(shí)，它炯炯發(fā)光的眼睛已燃燒進(jìn)我的心坎；

我依然坐在那兒猜度，把我的頭靠得很舒服，

舒舒服服地靠在那被燈光凝視的天鵝絨襯墊，

但被燈光愛(ài)慕地凝視著的紫色的天鵝絨襯墊，

她將顯出，啊，永不復(fù)還！

接著我想，空氣變得稠密，被無(wú)形香爐熏香，

提香爐的撒拉弗的腳步聲響在有簇飾的地板。

“可憐的人，”我呼叫，“是上帝派天使為你送藥，

這忘憂(yōu)藥能中止你對(duì)失去的麗諾爾的思念；

喝吧如吧，忘掉對(duì)失去的麗諾爾的思念！”

烏鴉說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還。”

“先知！”我說(shuō)“兇兆！——仍是先知，不管是鳥(niǎo)還是魔！

是不是魔鬼送你，或是暴風(fēng)雨拋你來(lái)到此岸，

孤獨(dú)但毫不氣餒，在這片妖惑鬼崇的荒原——

在這恐怖縈繞之家——告訴我真話(huà)，求你可憐——

基列有香膏嗎？——告訴我——告訴我，求你可憐！”

烏鴉說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

“先知！”我說(shuō)，“兇兆！——仍是先知、不管是鳥(niǎo)是魔！

憑我們頭頂?shù)纳n天起誓——憑我們都崇拜的上帝起誓——

告訴這充滿(mǎn)悲傷的靈魂。它能否在遙遠(yuǎn)的仙境

擁抱被天使叫作麗諾爾的少女，她纖塵不染——

擁抱被天使叫作麗諾爾的少女，她美麗嬌艷?！?/p>

烏鴉說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

“讓這話(huà)做我們的道別之辭，鳥(niǎo)或魔！”我突然叫道——

“回你的暴風(fēng)雨中去吧，回你黑沉沉的冥府陰間！

別留下黑色羽毛作為你的靈魂謊言的象征！

留給我完整的孤獨(dú)！——快從我門(mén)上的雕像滾蛋！

從我心中帶走你的嘴；從我房門(mén)帶走你的外觀！”

烏鴉說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

那烏鴉并沒(méi)飛去，它仍然棲息，仍然棲息

在房門(mén)上方那蒼白的帕拉斯半身雕像上面；

而它的眼光與正在做夢(mèng)的魔鬼眼光一模一樣，

照在它身上的燈光把它的陰影投射在地板；

而我的靈魂，會(huì)從那團(tuán)在地板上漂浮的陰暗

被擢升么——永不復(fù)還！

TheRavenisanarrativepoembyAmericanwriterEdgarAllanPoe,firstpublishedinJanuary1845.Itisoftennotedforitsmusicality,stylizedlanguage,andsupernaturalatmosphere.Ittellsofatalkingraven'smysteriousvisittoadistraughtlover,tracingtheman'sslowdescentintomadness.Thelover,oftenidentifiedasbeingastudent,islamentingthelossofhislove,Lenore.Theravenseemstofurtherinstigatehisdistresswithitsconstantrepetitionoftheword"Nevermore".Thepoemmakesuseofanumberoffolkandclassicalreferences.

安娜貝爾.李

很久很久以前，

在一個(gè)濱海的國(guó)度里，

住著一位少女你或許認(rèn)得，

她的芳名叫安娜貝爾.李；

這少女活著沒(méi)有別的愿望，

只為和我倆情相許。

那會(huì)兒我還是個(gè)孩子，她也未脫稚氣，

在這個(gè)濱海的國(guó)度里；

可我們的愛(ài)超越一切，無(wú)人能及——

我和我的安娜貝爾.李；

我們愛(ài)得那樣深，連天上的六翼天使

也把我和她妒嫉。

這就是那不幸的根源，很久以前

在這個(gè)濱海的國(guó)度里，

夜里一陣寒風(fēng)從白云端吹起，凍僵了

我的安娜貝爾.李；

于是她那些高貴的親戚來(lái)到凡間

把她從我的身邊奪去，

將她關(guān)進(jìn)一座墳?zāi)?/p>

在這個(gè)濱海的國(guó)度里。

這些天使們?cè)谔焐?，不及我們一半快活?/p>

于是他們把我和她妒嫉——

對(duì)——就是這個(gè)緣故（誰(shuí)不曉得呢，在這個(gè)濱海的國(guó)度里）

云端刮起了寒風(fēng)，

凍僵并帶走了我的安娜貝爾.李。

可我們的愛(ài)情遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)地勝利

那些年紀(jì)長(zhǎng)于我們的人——

那些智慧勝于我們的人——

無(wú)論是天上的天使，

還是海底的惡魔，

都不能將我們的靈魂分離，

我和我美麗的安娜貝爾.李。

因?yàn)樵铝恋拿恳唤z清輝都勾起我的回憶

夢(mèng)里那美麗的安娜貝爾.李

群星的每一次升空都令我覺(jué)得秋波在閃動(dòng)

那是我美麗的安娜貝爾.李

就這樣，伴著潮水，我整夜躺在她身旁

我親愛(ài)的——我親愛(ài)的——我的生命，我的新娘，

在海邊那座墳塋里，

在大海邊她的墓穴里。

"AnnabelLee"isthelastcompletepoemcomposedbyEdgarAllanPoe.LikemanyofPoe'spoems,itexploresthethemeofthedeathofabeautifulwoman.Thenarrator,whofellinlovewithAnnabelLeewhentheywereyoung,hasaloveforhersostrong