从《情变》看吴趼人情爱观的悖论

A Study of Wu Jianren’s Paradoxical View on Sexual Love

《情变》是吴趼人的绝笔之作。从小说的人物形象和故事情节来看,蕴含着前所未见的新内涵、新意识;从作者的情爱观来看,却是回归传统和趋向保守的。吴趼人既受到西方自由观念的认知冲击,又坚持以恢复旧道德来救国,这种悖论使得作品充满了文学的张力和魅力。作为一个现代读者,我们只能对女主人公独立叛逆的勇气,希图主宰个人婚姻的自主意识充满敬意,对其不幸遭遇给予深切的怜悯;对于作者寄寓同情的男主人公,他知书达礼却逆来顺受,缺少的恰恰是对自己、他人的担当与责任,显现出一个自我缺失者对爱的无知和自私。这种对比使得作者力图通过作品进行的道德谴责和训诫显得苍白无力,反而突显出自由之于人的权利、人之存在的重要价值和意义。

Qingbian was Wu Yanren＇ s last writing. There are in it new ideas in the characterization and plotting, but in the aspect of love, the author adapts an old and conservative view. The tension and charm is his writing derives from his acceptance of western ideas and his insistence in saving the country by keeping out-of-date morality. As a modern reader, we can only hold respect to the heroin＇s courage for independence, and her hope for controlling her own marriage. As for the hero, he is sensible but too obedient. What he lacks is the possession of self and life＇ s responsibility. The mixture of values in the writing only resulted in the weakness of his criticism of the moral defects, and shows the significance of freedom to people＇s rights and existence.