罗经国版《新编英国文学简史(上)》第六章3

JohnBunyanBunyan’slifeBunyan’sliterarycreationThePilgrim’sProgressallegoryTextualstudy:ThePilgrim’sProgressBunyan’slifeBornin1628,uneducatedtinker;FromthereformationhereceivedanexcessofthespiritualindependencewhichhadcausedthePuritanstruggleforliberty;ThereligiousfermentoftheagemadeatremendousimpressiononBunyan’ssensitiveimagination;Thedowryofhiswife,twobooksentitledThePlainMan’sPathwaytoHeavenandThePracticeofPiety,gavefiretohisimagination;Becameanopen-airpreacher,imprisonedbecauseofhisrefusaltoobeythelawprohibitingreligiousmeetingswithouttheauthorityoftheEstablishedChurch;Bunyan’slifeWroteThePilgrim’sProgresswhileinprison.Bunyan’sliterarycreationThePilgrim’sProgress:itsstoryThestorytellsofthespiritualpilgrimageofChristianwho,withabookinhishandandaburdenonhisback,fleesfromtheCityofDestructionandmeetstheperilsandtemptationsoftheSloughofDespond,VanityFair,andDoubtingCastle.HefacesandovercomesthedemonAppollyon,journeysthroughtheinterpreter’sHouse,thePalaceBeautiful,theValleyofHumiliation,theValleyoftheShadowofDeath,andtheDelectableMountainsandfinallyreachestheCelestialCity.Bunyan’sliterarycreationThePilgrim’sProgress:anallegoryAtaleinverseorproseinwhichcharacters,actions,orsettingsrepresentabstractideasormoralqualities.Thusanallegoryisastorywithtwomeanings,aliteralmeaningandasymbolicmeaning.ThemostfamousallegoryinEnglishliteratureisJohnBunyan’sThePilgrim’sProgress.Bunyan’shero,Christian,makesajourneytotheCelestialcity,duringwhichhemeetssuchcharactersasHope,Shame,andDespair.Thesymbolicmeaningofthejourneyisthesearchforspiritualsalvation.TextualstudyThePilgrim’sProgress:itsthemeTheallegorydepictsthePuritanstruggleforfreedomofworship,theeternalstruggleofmantofindunitywithGod.1.ItisthemostsuccessfulreligiousallegoryintheEnglishlanguage.ItspurposeistourgepeopletoabidebyChristiandoctrinesandseeksalvationthroughconstantstruggleswiththeirownweaknessesandallkindsofsocialevils.2.Thesatiresinthebookarecenteredupontherulingclass.Bunyanrevealedarealisticpictureofthemoraldepravityoftherulingclass.TextualstudyThePilgrim’sProgress:abriefcommentThePilgrim’sProgressiswrittenintheformofallegoryanddream;Theallegoryiswritteninaneffectivestyle:simple,strong,masculineanddirect;Heusesthelanguageofthecommonpeople;Helinksthereligiousallegorywithrealisticcharactersketches.Heticksoffacharacterbymerelygivinghimaname—Obstinate,Mr.WorldlyWiseman,LordHate-good.Textualstudy:commentonthefairThispartisthedescriptionoftheVanityFairthatChristianandFaithfulpassthroughontheirwaytotheCelestialCity.Vanitymeans“emptiness”or“worthlessness,”andhencethefairisanallegoryofworldlinessandthecorruptionofthereligiouslifethroughtheattractionsoftheworld.Theseriousbusinessofbuyingandsellingwasaccompaniedbyallsortsofdiversions–eating,drinking,andotherfleshlypleasures,aswellasspectaclesofstrangeanimals,acrobats,andotherwonders.Thisselectiongivesthebitterestsatire,whichisinvariablydirectedattherulingclass.InthedescriptionsoftheVanityFair,BunyannotonlygivesusasymbolicpictureofLondonatthetimeoftheRestorationbutofallbourgeoissociety.TextualstudyThePilgrim’sProgress:scenesthataremostsatirical(1)OnesceneisthedescriptionoftheVanityFair,whereallsortsofvanityaresold.Peoplecanbuymerchandiseanddelightsofallsorts,aswhores,bawds,wives,husbands,bodies,soulsandwhatnot.Peoplecanalsoseecheats,foolsandevenadulteriesinthefair.Inthissatire,BunyangivesusasymbolicpictureofLondoninBunyan’stime.TextualstudyThePilgrim’sProgress:scenesthataremostsatirical(2)AnothersceneistheoneinwhichthepersecutionofChristianandhisfriendFaithfularedescribed.ChristianandfaithfulcomeVanityFair.AstheyrefusetobuyanythingbutTruth,theyarebeatenandputinacage,andthentakenoutandledinchainsupanddownthefair,andatlengthbroughtbeforeacourt.JudgeHate-goodsummonsthreewitnesses:Envy,SuperstitionandPickthank,whotestifyagainsthim.Thecaseissubmittedtothejury,composedofMr.Badman,Mr.No-good,Mr.Malice,etc.eachgivesaverdictagainstFaithful,whoispresentlycondemned.HereBunyanintendstosatirizethestatetrialsinthereactionaryreignsofCharlesIIandJamesII.PointofView1.Religiously,BunyanwasadevoutChristian.HeinsistedthatBiblicaldoctrinesbethebestwayoflifeandeveryonebeentitledtounderstandBibleinhisownway.Hebelievedthatman’sfinalsalvationcouldbeachievedonlybyone’sownspiritualstruggle.2.Politically,Bunyanhadadeephatredforthecorruptedandhypocriticalrichwhoaccumulatedtheirwealthbyhookandbycrook(illegalway).Heeulogizedthetruth-seekingChrisitan,whowasasymbolofthevirtuouscommonpeople.LiteratureFeaturesBunyanmakeshisstyleafterthatofEnglishBible.Thushislanguageisconcrete,livingandcolloquial.Headoptstheallegoricalformintellinghistory,buthispresentationistruetolife.