自然文学先驱及其精神价值——论爱默生及其精神追随者的自然文学创作

The Pioneer of Nature Writing and His Spiritual Value:On the Nature Writing of Emerson and His Spiritual Followers

自然文学最典型的表达方式是以第一人称为主,以写实的方式来描述作者由文明世界走进自然环境那种身体和精神的体验。19世纪末20世纪初美国自然文学先驱爱默生及其精神追随者梭罗、约翰·巴勒斯和约翰·缪尔的创作,强调人与自然进行亲身接触与沟通的重要性,并试图从中寻求一种文化与精神的出路,为后来独特的自然文学发展奠定了基础。其中,爱默生是率先在美国自然中寻求精神财富的领袖人物;梭罗不仅将爱默生的理论付诸实践,而且比爱默生超前一步看到荒野的价值,他的精神被视为美国文化的遗产;约翰·巴勒斯与约翰·缪尔作为跨世纪自然文学作家,他们承前启后,提示了自然与人类的关系,使得爱默生和梭罗等人关于自然的观点在20世纪有了新的发展,同时也影响了20世纪自然文学作家的写作方式。

The most typical way of expression in nature writing is to use the first person as master and the realistic way to describe the physical and spiritual experience of the author when he walks from the civilized world into the natural environment.The works of Emerson,the pioneer of American nature writing,and those of his spiritual followers Thoreau,John Burroughs,and John Muir in the late 19th and early 20th centuries emphasize the importance of personal contact and communication with nature,and try to seek a cultural and spiritual way out,and thus lay a foundation for later development of unique nature writing.Among them,Emerson is the first leader to seek spiritual wealth in American nature.Thoreau not only puts Emerson’s theory into practice,but also finds the value of wilderness one step ahead of Emerson,and his spirit is regarded as the heritage of American culture.As trans-century writers of nature writing,John Burroughs and John Muir link the past and the future and remind us of the relationship between nature and human beings,further developing Emerson,Thoreau and other people’s views on nature and also influencing the writing style of nature writers in the 20th century.