斯帕克《公众形象》中的身份认同与伦理选择

Ethical Identity and Ethical Selection in Muriel Spark's The Public Image

获得首届布克奖提名的小说《公众形象》彰显出20世纪英国女作家缪里尔·斯帕克试图解决小说女主人公安娜贝尔伦理困境的努力和对人类世界中伦理道德问题的探究。安娜贝尔在影视界的成名为其家庭带来非同寻常的伦理环境和伦理诉求。面对接踵而来的各种伦理悖论,安娜贝尔积极找寻合适而有利的伦理身份,全面解决伦理危机,进而完成对个人理想和独立自由精神的追求。安娜贝尔的伦理抉择为现代社会带来有益和深刻的道德启示,折射出斯帕克的伦理道德观和个人价值观。作家力图以客观的非个性化叙事方式呈现了一个公众人物的婚外情事件,然而,从整个的叙事进程,尤其是从安娜贝尔最终的伦理选择中可以窥见作家的道德观:人类要勇于面对善恶之争,在自由与约束发生冲突时,必须以正确的伦理价值观为基础,进而权衡利弊、大胆取舍。由此,《公众形象》成为英国现代文学史上有关伦理道德的典范之作。

The Public Image, which was on the shortlist of the first Booker Prize in 1969, demonstrates Muriel Spark＇s attempts to deal with the heroine＇s ethical predicament and her exploration into the ethical problems in the world. Annabel, the heroine, achieves great success in the film world, thus bringing about unusual ethical environment for her family. In face of the subsequent ethical paradox and ethical selections, Annabel spares no efforts in the pursuit of a suitable ethical identity as well as her personal ideal and liberal spirit. Annabel＇s selections produce beneficial and wonderful ethical enlightenment, and to some extent reflect Muriel Spark＇s ethical viewpoints and values of life. Though Spark presents an extramarital affair of a public character with her typical impersonal narrative approach, the author＇s ethical viewpoints are revealed through Annabel＇s ethical selections. They are as follows： Human beings should be courageous in face of the collision between evil and goodness.; whenever there exist conflicts between freedom and restriction, people should bravely make their choices on the basis of right and proper ethical values. The Public Image becomes a model work in reference to ethics in contemporary British literary history.