伊夫林·沃《一把尘土》的象征解读
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摘要
阿瑟·伊夫林·圣约翰·沃(1903-1966)是第一次世界大战后英国上层阶级最杰出的小说家、英国文学史上卓越的反讽大师和文体家,被誉为“他那一代最有才能的小说家之一”。
《一把尘土》于1934年完成,是一部典型的以含蓄冷峻为特点的英语讽刺小说,也被评论界公认为沃最优秀的作品。小说自出版以来,评论家们从诸多视角探讨了这部作品,但很少有人提及象征手法在这部作品中的运用。同时,这些研究也没有系统地挖掘沃在小说中蕴含的深层意图。
本文以象征主义手法的运用为切入点,在细读文本的基础上,揭示了作者沃对旧秩序的逝去和新秩序的建立这一社会变化的矛盾心理,同时也揭示了这两种秩序的本质。
一方面,对于已经逝去的旧秩序,沃既怀念又无奈。
所谓旧秩序,指的是在维多利亚女王统治时期所建立起来的,以“维多利亚价值观”为核心的一种统治秩序。它包括精神和物质两个层面,即论文中所提到的维多利亚时期的道德和繁荣。在沃眼里,旧秩序是美好的。因为在旧秩序统治时期,英国国力强盛；人们生活富足并且有真正的信仰；宗教在日常生活中发挥着重要作用。无论是人际关系,还是家庭关系,都强调责任、忠诚和信任。沃从心底希望社会能回归到旧秩序统治的时期,但是他也意识到旧秩序被新秩序所取代是历史发展的趋势。面对现实,沃本人也无可奈何。
另一方面,对于建立的新秩序,沃感到非常失望。
所谓新秩序是指随着资本主义的发展由资产阶级建立起来的一种统治秩序,它同样也包含精神和物质两个层面的内容。并且由于第一次世界大战和战后全球经济危机的摧残,这种新秩序愈发让沃难以接受。在新秩序统治下,人们失去了信仰,精神变得荒芜；去教堂做礼拜也仅流于形式；拜金主义猖獗,物质主义盛行。资产阶级生活腐朽,整日流连于各种交际活动。在人际关系和家庭关系中也到处充斥着自私、背叛和不忠。
本文分析了文本中所出现的大量象征。这些象征既包括具体实物,也包括人的行为和发生的事件,从中读者可以清楚地看到对于沃来说,无论是旧秩序还是新秩序,他们的本质都是一样的,都不过是“一把尘土”。旧秩序因为已经死去而成为了一把尘土；新秩序因为虽生犹死,也无异于一把尘土。
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (1903-1966) was the most distinguished writer of English upper class after the First World War, the excellent master of irony and prose stylist in English literary history, and was called "one of the most talented novelists at his time".
A Handful of Dust was finished in 1934 with the characteristics of implicitness and sternness, is regarded as Waugh's best and typical novel by critics. Since its publication, critics have studied the novel from many views but there are few people who have related to the use of symbolism of the novel. At the same time, these studies didn't pay much attention to the hidden intention which Waugh wanted to convey in the novel.
From the perspective of symbolism and on the basis of careful reading the text, the paper interprets Waugh's ambivalent attitude towards the death of the old order and the birth of the new order, disclosing the essence of the two orders:a handful of dust.
On the one hand, Waugh missed hopelessly the dead old order. The old order, modeled by "Victorian values", refers to the ruling order founded in the Victorian Age. It included the spiritual aspect (Victorian morality) and the material aspect (Victorian prosperity). In Waugh's eyes, the old order was good because during the period of the old order, the U.K was on the top of wealth and its economy was prosperous; people's life was peaceful and rich and they had real belief; the religion played an important role in daily life, especially in maintaining the harmony of family and the stability of matrimonial relationship. Loyalty, trust and responsibility were emphasized wherever among people or in the matrimonial relationship. Waugh hoped that the society could get back to the time of the old order from the bottom of his heart, but the replacement was the trend of historical development. Facing the harsh reality, Waugh was utterly helpless.
On the other hand, Waugh was very disappointed at the birth of the new order. The new order was a kind order built by the bourgeoisie with the development of capitalism. It also included the spiritual and material aspects. Besides, the new order was more and more unacceptable for Waugh because of the destruction of the First World War and the global economic crisis. In the ruling of the new order, people lost their belief and churchgoing was just a matter of form. Mammonism was rampant and materialism prevailed. The bourgeoisie lived a decadent life and lingered in all kinds of parties all day long. Matrimonial relationship was full of betrayal and disloyalty.
The paper interprets many symbols in the text which included substantial objects, man's behavior and some events. From the interpretation of these symbols, readers can clearly know that in Waugh's eyes, the essence of both the old order and the new order was a handful of dust. The old order had already become a handful of dust because of its death while the new order was nothing less than a handful of dust because of its decay.
《一把尘土》于1934年完成,是一部典型的以含蓄冷峻为特点的英语讽刺小说,也被评论界公认为沃最优秀的作品。小说自出版以来,评论家们从诸多视角探讨了这部作品,但很少有人提及象征手法在这部作品中的运用。同时,这些研究也没有系统地挖掘沃在小说中蕴含的深层意图。
本文以象征主义手法的运用为切入点,在细读文本的基础上,揭示了作者沃对旧秩序的逝去和新秩序的建立这一社会变化的矛盾心理,同时也揭示了这两种秩序的本质。
一方面,对于已经逝去的旧秩序,沃既怀念又无奈。
所谓旧秩序,指的是在维多利亚女王统治时期所建立起来的,以“维多利亚价值观”为核心的一种统治秩序。它包括精神和物质两个层面,即论文中所提到的维多利亚时期的道德和繁荣。在沃眼里,旧秩序是美好的。因为在旧秩序统治时期,英国国力强盛；人们生活富足并且有真正的信仰；宗教在日常生活中发挥着重要作用。无论是人际关系,还是家庭关系,都强调责任、忠诚和信任。沃从心底希望社会能回归到旧秩序统治的时期,但是他也意识到旧秩序被新秩序所取代是历史发展的趋势。面对现实,沃本人也无可奈何。
另一方面,对于建立的新秩序,沃感到非常失望。
所谓新秩序是指随着资本主义的发展由资产阶级建立起来的一种统治秩序,它同样也包含精神和物质两个层面的内容。并且由于第一次世界大战和战后全球经济危机的摧残,这种新秩序愈发让沃难以接受。在新秩序统治下,人们失去了信仰,精神变得荒芜；去教堂做礼拜也仅流于形式；拜金主义猖獗,物质主义盛行。资产阶级生活腐朽,整日流连于各种交际活动。在人际关系和家庭关系中也到处充斥着自私、背叛和不忠。
本文分析了文本中所出现的大量象征。这些象征既包括具体实物,也包括人的行为和发生的事件,从中读者可以清楚地看到对于沃来说,无论是旧秩序还是新秩序,他们的本质都是一样的,都不过是“一把尘土”。旧秩序因为已经死去而成为了一把尘土；新秩序因为虽生犹死,也无异于一把尘土。
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (1903-1966) was the most distinguished writer of English upper class after the First World War, the excellent master of irony and prose stylist in English literary history, and was called "one of the most talented novelists at his time".
A Handful of Dust was finished in 1934 with the characteristics of implicitness and sternness, is regarded as Waugh's best and typical novel by critics. Since its publication, critics have studied the novel from many views but there are few people who have related to the use of symbolism of the novel. At the same time, these studies didn't pay much attention to the hidden intention which Waugh wanted to convey in the novel.
From the perspective of symbolism and on the basis of careful reading the text, the paper interprets Waugh's ambivalent attitude towards the death of the old order and the birth of the new order, disclosing the essence of the two orders:a handful of dust.
On the one hand, Waugh missed hopelessly the dead old order. The old order, modeled by "Victorian values", refers to the ruling order founded in the Victorian Age. It included the spiritual aspect (Victorian morality) and the material aspect (Victorian prosperity). In Waugh's eyes, the old order was good because during the period of the old order, the U.K was on the top of wealth and its economy was prosperous; people's life was peaceful and rich and they had real belief; the religion played an important role in daily life, especially in maintaining the harmony of family and the stability of matrimonial relationship. Loyalty, trust and responsibility were emphasized wherever among people or in the matrimonial relationship. Waugh hoped that the society could get back to the time of the old order from the bottom of his heart, but the replacement was the trend of historical development. Facing the harsh reality, Waugh was utterly helpless.
On the other hand, Waugh was very disappointed at the birth of the new order. The new order was a kind order built by the bourgeoisie with the development of capitalism. It also included the spiritual and material aspects. Besides, the new order was more and more unacceptable for Waugh because of the destruction of the First World War and the global economic crisis. In the ruling of the new order, people lost their belief and churchgoing was just a matter of form. Mammonism was rampant and materialism prevailed. The bourgeoisie lived a decadent life and lingered in all kinds of parties all day long. Matrimonial relationship was full of betrayal and disloyalty.
The paper interprets many symbols in the text which included substantial objects, man's behavior and some events. From the interpretation of these symbols, readers can clearly know that in Waugh's eyes, the essence of both the old order and the new order was a handful of dust. The old order had already become a handful of dust because of its death while the new order was nothing less than a handful of dust because of its decay.
引文
Bradshaw, David and Dettmar, Kevin J. H. A Companion to Modernist Literature and Culture. Cornwall:Black Publishing Ltd,2006.
Frederic, R. Karl. A Reader s Guide to the Contemporary English Novel.北京：外语教学与研究出版社,2005.
Kermode, Frank. Puzzles and Epiphanies. Chilmark,1962.
Linklater, Eric. The Art of Adventure. Macmillan,1948.
McDonnell, Jacqueline. Evelyn Waugh. New York:St. Martin's Press,1988.
Richetti, John. The Columbia History of the British Novel.北京：外语教学与研究出版社,2005.
Sykes, Christopher. Evelyn Waugh:A Biography. Little Brown,1975.
Waugh, Evelyn. A Handful of Dust. London:Penguin Group,2000.
艾弗·埃文斯.英国文学简史.蔡文显译.北京：人民文学出版社,1984.
高继海.伊夫林·沃的反讽艺术.外国文学评论,1996(2).
高继海.伊夫林·沃小说艺术.开封：河南大学出版社,1997.
侯维瑞.当代英国小说导读.上海：上海外语教育出版社,1985.
侯维瑞.现代英国小说史.上海：上海外语教育出版社,1985.
钱乘旦,许洁明.英国通史.上海：上海社会科学院出版社,2007.
宋鹏鹏.肆虐在现实中的荒诞.陕西理工学院学报(社会科学版),2005(6).
托·艾略特.四个四重奏.裘小龙译.广西：漓江出版社,1985.
王佐良,周钰良.英国二十世纪文学史.北京：外语教学与研究出版社,1994.
姚君伟.伊夫林·沃早期讽刺小说中的现代主义倾向初探.镇江师专学报(社会科学版),1998(4).
伊夫林·沃.一把尘土.彭萍,李小良译.武汉：湖北人民出版社,2000.
Frederic, R. Karl. A Reader s Guide to the Contemporary English Novel.北京：外语教学与研究出版社,2005.
Kermode, Frank. Puzzles and Epiphanies. Chilmark,1962.
Linklater, Eric. The Art of Adventure. Macmillan,1948.
McDonnell, Jacqueline. Evelyn Waugh. New York:St. Martin's Press,1988.
Richetti, John. The Columbia History of the British Novel.北京：外语教学与研究出版社,2005.
Sykes, Christopher. Evelyn Waugh:A Biography. Little Brown,1975.
Waugh, Evelyn. A Handful of Dust. London:Penguin Group,2000.
艾弗·埃文斯.英国文学简史.蔡文显译.北京：人民文学出版社,1984.
高继海.伊夫林·沃的反讽艺术.外国文学评论,1996(2).
高继海.伊夫林·沃小说艺术.开封：河南大学出版社,1997.
侯维瑞.当代英国小说导读.上海：上海外语教育出版社,1985.
侯维瑞.现代英国小说史.上海：上海外语教育出版社,1985.
钱乘旦,许洁明.英国通史.上海：上海社会科学院出版社,2007.
宋鹏鹏.肆虐在现实中的荒诞.陕西理工学院学报(社会科学版),2005(6).
托·艾略特.四个四重奏.裘小龙译.广西：漓江出版社,1985.
王佐良,周钰良.英国二十世纪文学史.北京：外语教学与研究出版社,1994.
姚君伟.伊夫林·沃早期讽刺小说中的现代主义倾向初探.镇江师专学报(社会科学版),1998(4).
伊夫林·沃.一把尘土.彭萍,李小良译.武汉：湖北人民出版社,2000.