十九世纪后期爱尔兰典型情感的形象表达——叶芝《约翰·谢尔曼》的文学伦理学解读

Figurative expression of typical Irish emotions in the late 19th century:An interpretation of Yeats' John Sherman from the perspective of ethical literary criticism

《约翰·谢尔曼》是叶芝早期创作的一部中篇小说,然而这部作品在国内外学术界都没有得到足够的重视。从文学伦理学批评的角度来看,谢尔曼作为一个斯芬克斯式的存在,身上有着兽性因子和人性因子的冲突与博弈。面对玛丽·卡尔顿和玛格丽特·利兰两个女人截然不同的爱情,谢尔曼的理性意志占了上风,最终做出了正确的伦理选择。通过塑造谢尔曼这一人物形象,叶芝既表达了自身对于爱尔兰西部乡村生活的渴念,同时又在人物的言行中浸透了世世代代特别是十九世纪后期爱尔兰人的典型情感。这一人物的理性认知、情感态度和行为表现,为爱尔兰民众的国家认同树立了道德的榜样。

John Sherman is a novella written by William Butler Yeats in his early times.However,this novel has not received enough attention in academia at home and abroad.Among his voluminous works,John Sherman paves the way for Yeats to spiritualize Ireland through his writings.From the perspective of ethical literary criticism,John Sherman,as a Sphinx-type person,suffers from the conflict and game between animal factors and human factors.In the face of the distinct love between Mary Carton and Margaret Leland,John Sherman's rationality will prevails and finally leads him to make the right ethical choice.Through the portrayal of John Sherman,William Butler Yeats expresses his longing for rural life in the west of Ireland,and at the same time,Sherman's words and deeds are imbued with the typical Irish emotions that were passed down from generation to generation,especially in the late 19th century.This character's rational cognition,emotional attitude and behavior set a moral model for Irish people's national identity.