论希尼与民族性建构

Seamus Heaney and Irish Identity

当代爱尔兰诗人谢默斯·希尼对当代爱尔兰民族性的建构具有极为重要的影响。希尼在多年的创作生涯中,通过诗歌创作、诗学评论和经典翻译来深入勾画当代爱尔兰民族的精神世界,呈现出与英格兰主流文化截然不同的爱尔兰文化,塑造了自成一体的当代爱尔兰民族传统。希尼通过自己的诗歌创作来书写当代爱尔兰民族文化的精神家园,以诗学评论来解构英格兰诗歌的霸权,并运用对英语经典诗歌的翻译来彻底颠覆英格兰在英语文学中的中心地位,从而成功地建构了独立的当代爱尔兰民族性。

As the most influential contemporary Irish poet, Seamus Heaney plays a significant role in constructing Irish national identity in the 20 th and 21 st centuries. Considered the most important Irish poet since W. B. Yeats, Heaney follows his predecessor’s path in challenging the traditionally dominant role of British poetry through his poetry, literary criticism and translation. Speaking for Northern Ireland, Heaney finds a poetic voice that demonstrates Irishness and separates itself from the dominant English discourse through reconstructing Irish national mythology. By analyzing the landscape in the works of mainstream English poets, Heaney points out the diminished influence of Britain and deconstructs its imperial power over Ireland. Heaney’s translation of Beowulf has become the authoritative modern English version of the classic poem in Old English and its Irish component subverts England’s dominant role in English literature. Through his poetic works, literary criticism and translation, Heaney constructs a contemporary Irish national identity that divorces itself from English influence.