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——

甜美的花兒開了卻沒人親昵，

招展的小小枝梢也沒人觀賞；

沒游來(lái)蕩去的腳來(lái)把你踩碎，

沒東攀西摘的手來(lái)催你落淚。?大自然把你打扮得一身潔白，

她叫你避開庸俗粗鄙的目光，

她布置下樹蔭把你護(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)候你日見萎蔫終將安息。?那些難免消逝的美使我銷魂，

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威廉卡倫布賴恩特(1794-1878)--thefirstAmericantogainthestatureofamajorpoet.

ToaWaterfowl《致水鳥》

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！壁龕似的明亮窗戶里，

我看見你站著，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。

“有人來(lái)了，”我輕聲嘟喃，“正在叩擊我的房門——

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——。

更深夜半有人想進(jìn)屋，在叩我的房門；——

唯此而已，別無(wú)他般。”

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)敲門又那么輕，

你來(lái)敲門又那么輕，輕輕叩擊我的房門，

我差點(diǎn)以為沒聽見你”——說(shuō)著我拉開門扇；——

唯有黑夜，別無(wú)他般。

凝視著夜色幽幽，我站在門邊驚懼良久，

疑惑中似乎夢(mèng)見從前沒人敢夢(mèng)見的夢(mèng)幻；

可那未被打破的寂靜，沒顯示任何跡象。

“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，

很快我又聽到叩擊聲，比剛才聽起來(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！”

我猛然推開窗戶，。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；

它既沒向我致意問(wèn)候；也沒有片刻的停留；

而以紳士淑女的風(fēng)度，棲在我房門的上面——

棲在我房門上方一尊帕拉斯半身雕像上面——

棲坐在那兒，僅如此這般。

于是這只黑鳥把我悲傷的幻覺哄騙成微笑，

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。”

聽見如此直率的回答，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)沒有活著的世人

曾如此有幸地看見一只鳥棲在他房門的面——

鳥或獸棲在他房間門上方的半身雕像上面，

有這種名字“永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

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，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)那鳥說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還。”

驚異于那死寂漠漠被如此恰當(dāng)?shù)幕卦挻蚱疲?/p>

“肯定，”我說(shuō)，“這句話是它唯一的本錢，

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)憂傷的字眼

‘永不復(fù)還，永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

但那只烏鴉仍然把我悲傷的幻覺哄騙成微笑，

我即刻拖了張軟椅到門旁雕像下那只鳥跟前；

然后坐在天鵝絨椅墊上，我開始冥思苦想，

浮想連著浮想，猜度這不祥的古鳥何出此言——

這只猙獰丑陋可怕不吉不祥的古鳥何出此言，

為何聒噪‘永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

我坐著猜想那意見但沒對(duì)那鳥說(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?！?/p>

“先知！”我說(shuō)“兇兆！——仍是先知，不管是鳥還是魔！

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，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>

“讓這話做我們的道別之辭，鳥或魔！”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)！——快從我門上的雕像滾蛋！

從我心中帶走你的嘴；從我房門帶走你的外觀！”

烏鴉說(shuō)“永不復(fù)還?！?/p>

那烏鴉并沒飛去，它仍然棲息，仍然棲息

在房門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；

可我們的愛超越一切，無(wú)人能及——

我和我的安娜貝爾.李；

我們愛得那樣深，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

我親愛的——我親愛的——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