贝西·黑德与聂华苓的文学艺术思想交流

The Exchange of Literary and Artistic Thoughts between Bessie Head and Hualing Nie Engle

贝西·黑德和聂华苓之间的友谊和文学艺术思想交流持续了10年之久。1977年,贝西·黑德受邀参加了聂华苓主持的爱荷华大学“国际写作计划”,由此开启了走出非洲、接触世界、开阔视野的新人生和创作阶段。两位女作家的人生经历、通信和作品显示出她们的文学艺术思想有很多相似之处。在创作方面,她们影响力最大的作品《桑青与桃红》《权力之问》都描写人物的精神分裂;她们后期的作品都转向历史小说创作,表现出深重的历史使命感,从“小我”走向“大我”。她们的文学艺术思想交流对非洲文学、中国文学、美国文学都产生了重要的影响,推动了世界文学的发展。

The friendship and the exchange of literary and artistic thoughts between Bessie Head and Hualing Nieh Engle lasted 10 years.In 1977,Bessie Head was invited to participate in the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa hosted by Hualing Nieh Engle,thus opening a new life and creative stage of going out of Africa,contacting the world,and broadening horizons.The life experiences,corespondence and works of the two women writers show that they share many literary and artistic ideas.In terms of creation,their most influential works Two Women of China-Mulberry and Peach and A Question of Power both describe the schizophrenia of the characters;their later works have turned to the creation of historical novels,showing a profound sense of historical mission by walking out of their"small self"to the""big world."Their exchanges of literary and artistic thoughts have had an important impact on African literature,Chinese literature,and American literature,and have promoted the development of the world literature.