民主或独裁:《动物农场》拿破仑斯芬克斯因子解读

Democracy or Dictatorship:An interpretation of the Napoleon’s Sphinx Factor in Animal Farm

《动物农场》不仅采用寓言的叙述方式讽刺了一切形式的极权主义,将“反独裁复归独裁”这一政治现象书写得淋漓尽致,更从伦理道德角度提供了反思历史和理解当下的新典范,体现了奥威尔推崇民主平等的伦理观念。拿破仑作为动物农场的领袖,其选择与农场中每一位动物的命运息息相关:是坚定捍卫民主还是隐晦推崇独裁。人性因子与兽性因子不断交锋,影响着其伦理选择,也决定着农场的管理模式。本文基于文学伦理学批评,探究奥威尔在无政府主义背景下对伦理环境的认识,以及对拿破仑斯芬克斯因子的描述,分析动物性本能怎样导致拿破仑兽性因子爆发,打着民主幌子推行独裁统治,进而揭示其伦理选择背后承载的作者伦理意图以及政治立场,体会奥威尔对民主平等的独特见解以及敢于为时代发声的精神。

Animal Farm not only satirizes all forms of totalitarianism by means of allegorical narration,but also vividly describes the political phenomenon of"anti-dictatorship and return to dictatorship".It also provides a new model for reflecting on history and understanding the present from the perspective of ethics and morality,which embodies Orwell’s ethical concept of advocating democracy and equality.As a leader on the animal farm,Napoleon’s choice was closely related to the fate of each animal on the farm:being a staunch defender of democracy or an implicit advocate of dictatorship.Rational factor and animal factor constantly clash,which not only affects his ethical choice,but also determines the management mode of the farm.Based on theEthical Literary Criticism,this paper explores Orwell’s understanding of the ethical environment in the context of anarchism and his description of Napoleon’s Sphinx factor.It analyzes how the animal instinct led to the outbreak of Napoleon’s animal factor and making him carry out dictatorship under the guise of democracy,and further reveals the author’s ethical intention and political stance behind Napoleon’s ethical choice.We should realize Orwell’s unique views on democracy and equality and his courage to speak for the time.