困惑的读者:《失乐园》中读者的道德困境

Confused Readers:a Tentative Study on the Readers′ Moral Dilemmawith Paradise Lost

文章拟通过以新批评理论的若干原则,分析长久以来饱受争议的史诗《失乐园》中读者的道德困境及原因,通过逐一解决不同的分歧,得出这一道德困境的由来源于作者创作时设下的伏笔,以此向读者揭示一个道理,即诱惑无处不在,无时不有,唯有提升自己道德修养,自觉地抵制各种诱惑并通过自由意志决定自己的行为,才能达到上帝造人时预想的至真至善。

For centuries,readers of Paradise Lost often find themselves trapped in a dilemma as they read into John Milton＇s masterpiece Paradise Lost.The ambiguity lies in the fact that at points,the reader of ＂Paradise Lost＂ may find himself or herself sympathizing with the Devil,pitying him,admiring his tenacity,and even rooting for him.This paper first explores several controversial issues as regards the ambiguities as evidenced in Paradise Lost;It then elaborates on the temptations the reader might encounter while they delve into the poem as well as the temptations brimmed over in the poem itself;It finally offers a new,though not official or authoritative,perspective to interpret the poem,that is,John Milton set the trap to test the readers′moral code and to warn people that temptations are everywhere;the only free person is he who could act according to his own free will,and to shun evil even though it looks so ＂delicious＂,because it is ＂delicious and dangerous＂.