论《失乐园》

Paradise Lost:The Making of a Classic

尽管弥尔顿的《失乐园》早已成为英语文学中的经典,但仍有许多论者批评他将《圣经》中有关人类堕落的故事用作史诗的题材,因而缺乏作为史诗要素的英雄业绩和冒险经历。晚近的批评则指责他认可夏娃受诱惑的圣经神话,从而成为父权社会压迫妇女的帮凶。此文试图对这两种批评做出回应,认为《失乐园》的伟大和不凡之处恰恰在于它打破了传统史诗的传奇和冒险格局,使善与恶的问题、知识和自由的困惑、乐园的概念和对乐园的追求等等这些带有深刻意义的哲学和宗教问题成为这部史诗的核心,也正是这些问题使弥尔顿的史诗具有永恒的魅力;另一方面,夏娃在这部史诗中作为第一个忏悔的形象,证明恰好是女人体现出了救世主那为人类赎罪的爱,也从而说明弥尔顿比起大多数他同时代的人,无论在政治方面还是在男女性别方面,他都是一个与当时流行观念格格不入的激进思想家。

Despite its canonical status in English literature, John Milton's Paradise Lost has been criticized for using the biblical story of the fall of man as the subject matter for an epic, thus lacking the generically expected heroic actions and great adventures. In more recent criticism, it has been faulted for its endorsement of the myth of the temptation of Eve, thus consolidating the subjugation of women in patriarchal society. This essay tries to argue that the unique strength and appeal of Paradise Lost resides precisely in abandoning the traditional epic of physical action for probing the philosophical issues of the nature of knowledge and freedom, and that Milton's depiction of Eve as a model of repentance and humility is much more radically positive than any other English poet has ever attempted.bing the phi