Philip-the-Trapped-Swan-in-Of-Human-Bondage

2472018年27期总第415期文艺研究ENGLISHONCAMPUSPhiliptheTrappedSwaninOfHumanBondage文/王静 孟庆娟【Abstract】Maugham’sOfHumanBondagedevotestothequestofPhilipforthefreedomfromthebondageofphysicaldeformity,emotionalbewildermentandspiritualdisillusion.Strugglinginvain,Philipisaswantrappedinhisinnerworldandhumannature.【Keywords】deformity;freedom;humanbondage【作者简介】王静，孟庆娟，山东理工大学外国语学院。【基金项目】本文受山东省政府公派出国留学项目支持。OfHumanBondageistheautobiographicalwritingofW.SomersetMaughamHailedasoneofthemostrepresentativeworksthatprobesdeeplyintothenatureofhumanbeings,Maugham’sOfHumanBondagedepictsthelifeexperienceoftheheroPhilip,analyzinghowPhiliptriestobreakfromtheshacklesofphysicaldeformity,emotionalbewildermentandspiritualdisillusion,seekingforthefreedomoflife.ThestorybeginswiththedeathofHelenCarey,themuchbelovedmotherofnine-year-oldPhilipCarey.Philiphasaclubfootandhisfatherhaddiedafewmonthsbefore.Noworphaned,heissenttolivewithhisauntanduncle,LouisaandWilliamCarey.Duetothephysicaldeformity,Philipwasbulliedbyhisclassmates,whichcastashadowonhisheart.Whenhegrewolder,thisdeformitypreventedhimfromlovingandbeinglovednormally.AtfirstanoldspinsterMissWilkinsonseducedhim.ThenawomenpainterFannyPricewhowaswretchedlypoor,wantingofcharm,andilltempered“troubled”himwithherpassion.ButPhilipwasn’tawareofherloveuntilshehangedherselfinhungry.Thenanotherwomanappeared.ItwasMildred.Philipfellinlovewithheratthefirstsightandtriedhisbesttodonearlyeverythingforher.Heknewshewasshallow,empty-headedandvain,healsoknew“it[was]notlove,butahungerofthesoul,apainfulyearning,abitteranguish”(chapter57344),buthejustcouldn’thelp,justlikehecouldn’tresisttheseductionfromMissWilkinson.ThisloveaffairwascertainlyafailurebecauseMildredneverlovedhimseriouslyandwhatsheboughttohimwerehurtandhumiliation.Beingfrustratedanddiscouragedbythefailuresinhislife,Philipattributedallhisunhappinesstohisclubfoot.Hecouldneverbearanyonecallhim“cripple”.Inordertoremedythedefect,Philiplearnedmusic,paintingandthentookupmedicine.Hethoughtthesethingscouldhelpfreehimfromhisdeformity.Buthefailed,becausehisbondageisnotfromhisinborndeformityorphysicalweaknessbutfromhisinnerworldandhisnature.Sincehewasayoungboy,hewasclearlyawareofhisdeformityandhadsubconsciouslymadeuseofit.Inchapter13,whenLuardbrokehispen-holder,hemadeupapatheticstorytomakeLuardfeelsosorryforhim.Hedidn’tknowwhybuthefullyKNEWwhathewasdoing.HealsorememberedthatwhenEmmatoldhimofhismother’sdeath,heinsistedonspeakinggood-byetotheladiessothattheymightseehisgriefandpityhim.LaterwhenMildredwastorefusehimcompletely,hetalkedabouthisdeformityhimself!Thoughhefeltdisgustedwithhimself,hiswordsdidwork—Mildredshedtearsandacceptedhim.It’struethatPhilipseemstodeservemuchsympathybecauseofhisdeformity.However,asaboy,heisnotnaïve;asateenager,heisoversensitive,andasayoungman,heisaselfishcoward.Therealbondagethattortureshimandtrappedhimsolongisnothingelsebuthisownmorbidnature.Duetohisclubfoot,hecouldnotwalkfastneithercouldheplaythegamesboysliked.Inordertoavoidbeingsneeredheisolatedhimselfasmuchaspossible.Asaresult,hebecamesosensitiveandhungeroflovethatthecommonfriendshipfromaboy(Rose)weighedtoomuchforhim.Inchapter19,whenRoseforgottheirappointment,Philipwassodisappointed.Hewaitedontheplatformwitheagereyesandasinkingheart.Hethoughthewasboundbyhisdeformitysohetreasuredthetenderfeelingsfromtheouterworldverymuch.Rosedidn’tmindhisclubfootanddevelopedthefriendshipwithhim.ThisfriendshipmightfreePhilipfromhisisolationandbroughthimcompanions.Buthissensitivenessand“adevil”inhisheartpreventedhimfromsayingsomegoodwordstoreconcilewithRoseafteraquarrel.Thatis2482018年27期总第415期文艺研究ENGLISHONCAMPUShispridedeeplyhiddeninthebottomofhisheart.HejustwantedtoguardhisprideforawhilebutRose’s“damncripple”crushedallhishopetobefreedfromlonelinessandhumiliation.Whenhewaslittle,hisclubfootboundhimfromwalkingfastorplayingfreely;whenhewasateenager,over-sensitivenessandpridekepthimfromgettingfriendshipandcompanions;andwhenhegrewolder,hewasboundbythelovewithwomen.Philipislikeaswan.Itsaidthatlong,longago,theswanscouldfly.Theyfliedsowellandsofarthattheyfliedovertheearthfromthisparttotheotherhalfonceayear.Lovingtheirgracefulfigure,thenoblemenofMiddleAgesconsideredtheswansthenoblestamongallthebirds.Theycaughttheswansandkeptthemintheirmanorstoshowoff.Atthattime,therewerethreewaystopreventtheswansfromflying.Onewastocutthefeatherofonewing,onewastobindthetwowingstogether,andthethirdwastoshortenthedistanceinbreadthbecauseswansshouldrunacurtaindistancetohelpthemselvesfly.Theformertwomethodswoulddamagethebeautyoftheswanoreveninjurethemsothenoblemenadoptedthethirdmethodtokeeptheswansinthelakesorponds.Manyyearspassed,theswansgotusedtothecomfortableandpeaceablelife.Theyforgotthattheirancestorscouldhaveflownhighandfar.It’sveryinterestingthatMaughamhadgivenPhilipsomanychancestofreehimfromthebondage.Whenhewasyoungandignorant,hisuncleandauntintroducedhimtobooks;whenhefeltlonelyandisolated,hewasconvertedtoreligionandthenRosecametohimwithfriendship;whenhewantedtobeindependentandfreer,hegottheopportunitiestolearnarts…ButPhilipleta