索福克勒斯《厄勒克特拉》中的时间与灵魂

Time and Soul in Sophocles'Electra

索福克勒斯的《厄勒克特拉》没有直接提及弑母行为可能带来的任何可怕后果,相反,剧作家借助特定的语词结构表现了强烈的反讽性。两种不同概念的“时间”成为反讽的线索:时间(chronos)的隐喻表现了厄勒克特拉灵魂的困顿状态,阿伽门农之死的一系列后果令她渴求实践正义的实现而无法解脱;奥瑞斯忒斯强调行动的“时机”(kairos),然而在他对这一概念的依赖和窄化中,复仇可能引发的一切代价都未曾考量。奥瑞斯忒斯非但没有缓解,反倒助长了厄勒克特拉的狂热。最终,当复仇残酷地完成时,奥瑞斯忒斯建立起的全新正义标准是可疑的,厄勒克特拉的灵魂也依旧未从过度强烈的情感循环中解脱,因而无力面对神义与人义之间的鸿沟。这可能是《厄勒克特拉》最复杂的悲剧性之所在。

Sophocles'Electra does not directly mention any possible dire consequencesof matricide.On the contrary,the playwright employs specific linguistic structures to express a strong sense of irony.Two different concepts of time are clues to irony.The metaphor of“time”(chronos)shows the troubled state of Electra's soul,when a series of consequences of Agamemnon's death makes her long for the realization of practical justice.Orestes places great emphasis on the“right opportunity”(kairos)of actions,yet in his reliance and narrowing of that concept,all possible costs of this revenge are not a consideration.Thus,Orestes fuels Electra's frenzy instead of alleviating it.Ultimately,when revenge is accomplished in a brutal way,the new standard of justice established by Orestes is dubious,and Electra's soul does not free itself from the cycle of excessively intense emotions,and remains incapable of facing the gulf between divine and human righteousness,which is perhaps one of the most intricate tragic aspects of Electra.