晚清時期偵探小説的翻譯

On Three Translations of Late Qing Detective Stories

本文通過分析三位譯者林紓、周桂笙以及周作人的譯作,以案例研究的方式對晚清时期偵探小說的翻譯作出探討。分析的譯作包括魏易、林紓譯的《歇洛克奇案开埸》、周桂笙譯的《毒蛇圈》以及周作人譯的《玉蟲緣》。晚清时期的翻譯,無論是林紓和周作人所追求的古文的意境,還是周桂笙、吳趼人等採取的章回小說評點本的形式,都與中國傳統舊小說有著千絲萬縷的關係。同時,由於晚清时期面臨著列强侵略、國力衰退、新舊思想對立,偵探小說在時人當中的理解也體現出了這些時代精神,與原本西方偵探小說中强調的科學性和趣味性有一定區别,例如林紓翻譯的福爾摩斯故事特别認同罪犯的複仇主張,周作人則通過《玉蟲緣》的翻譯聯想到獲取财富手段要正當,周桂笙在《毒蛇圈》翻譯中宣場的父慈子孝的主题等。

This paper discussed the translation of late Qing detective fiction through three case studies:A Study in Scarlet translated by Wei Yi and Lin Shu;In the Serpents’Coils translated by Zhou Guisheng and“the Gold Bug”translated by Zhou Zuoren.Both Lin Shu and Zhou Zuoren’s translations aimed to be fit into the style and aesthetics of guwen,a traditional prose style of used in ancient Chinese texts,while Zhou Guisheng was interested in translating the Western detective story in the format of traditional Chinese novels.Meanwhile,the particular political and social reform context of the late Qing period also influenced the contemporary readers in their understanding of Western detective fiction.In Lin Shu’s translation,he was sympathized with the criminal and his enduring yet vindictive spirit rather than the detective Holmes and his scientific attitude.Zhou Zuoren encouraged his readers to gain their wealth in justified ways and Zhou Guisheng stressed the filial theme in his translation.