自然语境下拜厄特《孩子们的书》中的艺术“制造”书写

“Manufacture” Art of A. S. Byatt’s The Children’s Book in the Context of Nature

在《孩子们的书》中,拜厄特以批评家理性的方式讨论艺术“制造”性的本体意义,在自然语境中挖掘艺术与死亡的关联,以及艺术与生命的交织。小说围绕“制造”的两方面含义——机器制造与虚构捏造——的隐喻展开,除了延续早期创作中虚构侵蚀现实的主题以及由此造成的身份困境,拜厄特还描述了新艺术设计与陶艺创作的自然语境与生命主题。小说中的自然既是拜厄特故事书写的语境,也为读者提供解读人物命运、思考艺术与死亡伦理问题的新视角。

In The Children’s Book, A. S. Byatt explores the ontological meaning of the “manufacture” of art work and its relationship with death, as well as the interweaving of art and life from a literary-critical perspective. The novel revolves around the conception of “manufacture”, namely, machine manufacturing and fictional fabrication. In addition to the theme that fiction erodes reality which results in identity dilemma in her early writings, Byatt describes the theme of life of L’Art Nouveau style and pottery creation in the context of nature. Thus, nature in the novel is not only the context of Byatt’s story, but also a perspective for readers to reflect the life of the characters and the ethical issue of art and death.