《败仗秘史》与马克·吐温的反战诉求

The Private History of a Campaign That Failed and Mark Twain's Anti-War Stance

马克·吐温历来以幽默作家著称。很多人不知道他曾在内战中加入邦联军队,并以自己的战争经历创作了短篇小说《败仗秘史》,表达自己的反战诉求。小说发表后引起评论界的种种猜测与攻击,认为吐温在作品中虚构误杀陌生人的情节是为自己在内战中当逃兵开脱。但通过分析发现,《败仗秘史》自始至终贯穿着作者的反战诉求。作品中轻松幽默的故事情节实际暗讽了战争的愚昧,并为最后枪杀陌生人的情节进行铺垫;枪杀陌生人的情节旨在揭露所有战争的真实本质。纵观吐温的创作,反战是一贯的主题,"人道情怀"是其作品的本质特征。

Mark Twain has been known as a humorist. Not many people know about his experience in the Confederate army dur- ing the Civil War. Basing upon that experience, he wrote the short story The Private History of a Campaign That Failed, ex- pressing his criticism of war. Since its publication, the story has become the target of speculations and attacks. The fictionalized plot of killing a stranger is believed to be Mark Twain＇s alibi for his desertion from the Confederate army during the Civil War. But a close reading reveals the work as an expression of the author＇s anti-war stance from the beginning to the end. The bur- lesque descriptions and plots for most part of the story are in fact satires of the follies of war. They also prepare for the killing of the stranger, which reveals the true nature of all wars. Twain has been consistent in opposing wars, whatever they may be. The identity of a ＂humorist＂ most of the American politicians and critics have managed to impose on Twain has been an effort to cover or neutralize his more important identity as a ＂humanist＂.