《尤利西斯》与荷马史诗的对应关系探讨

Homeric Parallels in Ulysses

现代意识流经典作品《尤利西斯》与古希腊荷马史诗《奥德赛》之间存在重要的对应关系,这是公认的。乔伊斯在艺术表现及情节内容上进行背反所有传统的标新立异和大胆试验的同时,为什么要追求与荷马史诗《奥德赛》的对应关系呢?它仅仅是一种借古喻今的手法,还是对荷马史诗开创的“尤利西斯传统”的新发展,这正是本文要探讨的问题。在离家与归家的漂泊框架下,古代英雄在海上的十年漂泊化为现代小市民在都市大街小巷一天的游荡,而这一天的游荡又演化为漫长的内心的旅程,凸现出一个有血有肉、多层面的现代“尤利西斯”。一部是古代史诗,一部是现代意识流小说,它们殊途同归,异曲同工,奏响的都是飘泊者之歌和人之歌。

This paper is devoted to the discussion of the Homeric parallels in James Joyce's Ulysses. The parallels between Ulysses and the Odyssey do provide a sharp difference in significance by contrasting the grand history of the ancient Greeks with the commonplace reality of chaos and futility in contemporary western society. Based on the Homeric frame of wandering, Bloom's one-day wandering about Dublin takes the place of Odysseus' ten-year marine adventures. And this one-day terrestrial wandering turns out to be a long series of inner journey revealing a wholly truthful modern citizen. The Homeric parallels in Ulysses incarnates the continuity of human consciousness. They also provide the aesthetic implication that the frame story of wandering and adventure still remains the important element of the favorite stories of modern readers and that people are more and more concerned with the 'anti-heroes' who are wholly truthful small men of blood and flesh. The Homeric parallels in Ulysses can be regarded as the further development of the 'Ulysses Tradition' of Homer.