“都是我的囚徒”—论弗拉迪米尔·纳博科夫的僭越叙事

“All My Galley Slaves”——On Vladimir Nabokov's Metaleptic Approach

纳博科夫在叙事中对"内向本体僭越"情有独钟,其僭越技巧经历了初期作品中的模棱两可到后期作品中的自信张扬,僭越主体也从初期的作品中人物到叙述者代理人再到叙事者,直到后期作品中的作者本人。这一特殊的叙事方式使作品中上层叙事者或人物可以任意入侵内层叙事,而内层人物始终在上层叙事的掌控下处于被动状态。这种技巧方式完美地阐释了纳博科夫的人物塑造理念:"我作品中的人物都是我的囚徒。"

＂All My Galley Slaves＂ Border-crossing is a repeated theme in Nabokov studies. Scholars home and abroad have carried a long list of studies in this field. However, little has been written on the specific bor- der-crossing termed metalepsis in Nabokov＇s works, in spite of the fact that it is frequently used by Nabokov, carried out by various figures. This essay will examine four of Nabokov＇s works （＂La Veneziana＂ [ 1924 ], ＂Recruiting＂ [ 1935 ], Pnin [ 1957 ] and King, Queen, Knave [ 1928 ＆ 1968 ] ）, attempting to delineate the characteristics and evolution of Nabokov＇s metaleptic approach as he built up his unique voice. As the essay shows, in his fictions, Nabokov＇s metaleptic approach evolves from being ambiguous to clear-cut, and intra- metalepsis plays a dominant role throughout. This approach assures the superiority and authority of the higher- level creators, as well as the stability of the hierarchical narrative structure. Framed in such a structure, Nabokov＇s characters remain manipulated and passive most of the time, as what Nabokov had claimed in an in- terview, ＂[ m ] y characters are galley slaves＂.