语音模式的全应效果——试析狄伦·托马斯一诗的语音模式

The Global Effect of Sound Patterns——A phonological study of Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

威尔士诗人狄伦·托马斯(Dylan Thomas,1914—1953)在他自己精选的《1934—1952诗选》中收录了一首十九行诗“不要温顺地走进那美好的夜晚”,情调悲怆,形式古雅,音韵优美,堪称一绝。这首诗的全文如下:

This paper attempts to elaborate several points which are not thoroughly studied by MichaelCummings and Robert Simmons, whose recent analysis on the sound patterns of Dylan Thomas' vil-haelle 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night' is most enlightening and meaningful, but by nomeans exhaustive. The paper begins with a reinterpretation of the rhythmic structure of the poem by pointing outits close affinity to the classic 'Alexandrine' if one holds the modern notion of 'measure' rather thanthe conventional 'foot' in poetics. Apart from the rhyming effect of /ait/ and /ei/, assonance helpsimpart an onomatopoeic devour to the lines as shown by the frequent occurrences of diphthongs andlong vowels in geheral and /ai/ and /ei/ in particular. This is further stmpthened by the poet'smanipulation of alliteration and consonance dominated by the consonantal sounds /t/, /n/ and /d/ inthe two key words 'for' and 'night', the latter themselves being a manifestation of the discoursaltheme 'life' and 'death' at the lexical level. Thus, sound patterns and their global effect account forthe poet's efforts and success in assthning esthetic value to his adapted villanelle, which brings aboutperfect Unity between form and matter.