超文本创作与网络文学的媒介考古——以斯图尔特·莫斯罗普为起点的考察

Hypertext and Media Archaeology of Electronic Literature:An Investigation Beginning with Stuart Moulthrop

数字媒介带动文学转型,网络文学日新月异。美国网络文学学者莫斯罗普的超文本小说创作、网络文学文献整理与文学理论探索具有媒介考古的效果。他所创作的小说《胜利花园》被视为美国网络小说的标杆。莫斯罗普开展“探路”与“遍历”项目,以技术模拟、屏幕截图、语料库归档等方式对早期网络文学进行文献整理。莫斯罗普进行“文段”与“超文本”的理论辨析,超文本小说以文段为阅读单位,具有非线性、互文性的修辞特征。欧美与中国的网络文学走向不同的发展路径,前者在文本内部进行先锋的形式探索,后者在文本之外展开宏阔的产业运营,但两者共同面对文学性的失落和延展,以及来自后人类的考验与质询。

The rise of digital media has spurred the evolution of literature,with electronic literature advancing each day.Stuart Moulthrop's work in hypertext writing,documenting electronic literature and exploring literary theory contributes significantly to the field of media archaeology.Victory Garden stands as a benchmark in American electronic literature.Moulthrop's “Pathfinder” and “Traversal” projects meticulously document early electronic literature through technical simulations,screenshots and corpus archiving.In the realm of hypertext novels,“lexia” or units form the building blocks,offering a powerful demonstration of nonlinear reading experiences.Borrowing from Roland Barthes,“lexia” exhibits rhetorical characteristics of non-linearity and intertextuality,enriching the reading experience.American electronic literature and Chinese electronic literature follow distinct development paths.While the former explores pioneering narratology within the text,the latter focuses on ambitious industrial operations beyond the text.However,both grapple with the challenges of literature's transformation and extension,as well as the exploration and adaptation in the realm of post-human inquiry.