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别离辞：节哀 约翰·多恩

正如德高人逝世很安然， 对灵魂轻轻的说一声走， 悲伤的朋友们聚在旁边， 有的说断气了，有的说没有。 让我们化了，一声也不作， 泪浪也不翻，叹风也不兴； 那是亵渎我们的欢乐—— 要是对俗人讲我们的爱情。 地动会带来灾害和惊恐， 人们估计它干什么，要怎样 可是那些天体的震动， 虽然大得多，什么也不伤。 世俗的男女彼此的相好， （他们的灵魂是官能）就最忌 别离，因为那就会取消 组成爱恋的那一套东西。 我们被爱情提炼得纯净， 自己都不知道存什么念头 互相在心灵上得到了保证， 再不愁碰不到眼睛、嘴和手。 两个灵魂打成了一片， 虽说我得走，却并不变成 破裂，而只是向外伸延， 像金子打到薄薄的一层。 就还算两个吧，两个却这样 和一副两脚规情况相同； 你的灵魂是定脚．并不像 移动．另一脚一移，它也动。 虽然它一直是坐在中心， 可是另一个去天涯海角， 它就侧了身．倾听八垠； 那一个一回家，它马上挺腰。 你对我就会这样子，我一生 像另外那一脚，得侧身打转； 你坚定，我的圆圈才会准， 我才会终结在开始的地点。

（本诗译文采自卞芝琳）

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning.

by John Donne As virtuous men pass mildly away, And whisper to their souls to go, Whilst some of their sad friends do say, "Now his breath goes," and some say, "No." So let us melt, and make no noise, No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ; 'Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love. Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears ; Men reckon what it did, and meant ; But trepidation of the spheres, Though greater far, is innocent. Dull sublunary lovers' love —Whose soul is sense—cannot admit Of absence, 'cause it doth remove The thing which elemented it. But we by a love so much refined, That ourselves know not what it is, Inter-assurèd of the mind, Care less, eyes, lips and hands to miss. Our two souls therefore, which are one, Though I must go, endure not yet A breach, but an expansion, Like gold to aery thinness beat. If they be two, they are two so As stiff twin compasses are two ; Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show To move, but doth, if th' other do. And though it in the centre sit, Yet, when the other far doth roam, It leans, and hearkens after it, And grows erect, as that comes home. Such wilt thou be to me, who must, Like th' other foot, obliquely run ;

Thy firmness makes my circle just,

And makes me end where I begun.

本诗第一节很突兀，一开始就描述死亡的场面，但如果我们联系作者当时和爱妻分离的场面不难理解作者用意之所在，“生离”对于恩爱非常的夫妻来说无异于“死别”。但值得我们注意的是约翰·多恩运用短短的四句话便描述出了两种人对于死亡（实指别离）的不同态度。首先是德高的人，他们对于死亡处之泰然，因为他们所注重的是灵魂安定与否。第二类人便是那些悲恸的朋友们，他们之所以惶惶然争论不休，就在于他们所注重的是肉体的存在与否。那么作者的用意就很明显了，他的意思是对待离别就应该像德高的人对待死亡一样，注重精神一体而忽略肉体的分离。

第二节继续关于死亡的描述。“化了”即溶为一体，指精神和肉体所达到的完美的极致，“泪浪”和“叹风”是作者采用意大利诗人彼得拉克的构思，即把简单的词拼在一起，使文字简练，内容浓缩。这一节指当时我们离别的时候，既不要哭泣也不要悲伤，对那些平凡的人们讲述我们的爱情就会是它蒙上世俗的阴影。约翰·多恩是在歌颂他们夫妻爱情的神圣性。

在第三节中，约翰·多恩提到的地动和天体的震动等一些自然现象。地动就是地震，当时人们相信地震是由于上帝震怒而引起，必然带来灾难，所以人们要猜测地震会带来什么样的灾难呢？所以常常出现惊恐情绪。第三句中天体的震动是亚里士多德——托勒密宇宙论影响的结果，这一理论为文艺复兴时期英国诗人提供了众多的意象，这些意象涉及了宇宙的各个方面。根据托勒密天文学说，天体运行的轨道有九圈，最近地球一圈为月球轨道，第八层为众恒星轨道，第九层为水晶圈，全部为水。如果第九重天或第八重天的 运行发生变化，就会影响其它的几重天，发生差错。这一节的意思是说：地震会给人们带来灾难和恐惧，使他们猜测它的危害，而较大的天体的移动却不会带来伤害。那么作者在这一节中讲宇宙天体的变化同离别又有什么联系呢？我们可以这样思考，离别除了给夫妻双方带来思念之苦外是不会造成象地震那样的危害的，而如果夫妻之间有充分的理解，达到精神的统一，那么即使离别，也会象天体的震动一样，“什么也不伤”。所以约翰·多恩把离别比作了天体的震动。这个比喻虽然突兀，但仔细想来，却让人感到一种创造新奇之美。把各种天体泄劲离别诗中的例子，中国诗歌中也有不占少数，如韦应物《调笑令》中“河汉，河汉，晓挂秋城漫漫。愁人起望相思。江南塞北别离，别离，别离，河汉虽同路绝。”柳永《佳人醉》中“正月华如水，金波银汉，潋滟无际”的银河形象。又如张先《相思儿令》中“„„犹有月婵娟，似人人，难进中天，愿教清影常相间，更岂岂去长圆。”咏月最出名的是苏轼《水调歌头》“明月几时有？把酒问青天，„„人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全，但愿人长久，千里共婵娟！”而秦观《鹊桥仙》“纤云弄巧，飞星传恨，

银汉迢迢暗度。金风玉露一相逢，便胜却人间无数。柔情的水，佳期如梦，忍顾鹊桥归路？两情若是久长时。又岂在朝朝暮暮。”更把多种天体综合其中。

当然由于中西诗歌传统所限，约翰·多恩是把离别比作天体的震动，而中国诗歌中多借用这些天体来抒发别离的凄苦之情。

多恩有此一喻也是由于受当时航海发达，科学兴起的影响，虽然新奇而突兀却表现了他的诗歌的独特风格。

在最后的三节中，多恩又采用了“圆规”的比喻。这个圆规的意象是玄学派诗人最著名的比喻，多恩把夫妻双方的作圆规的两脚。女方是定脚，永远在中心，但是当男方开始转动的时候，女方也随之旋转，这表明男女双方互相理解，互相支撑，忠贞于彼此。

多恩在提出“圆规”意象的同时其实也给我们提供了“圆”的意象。“你坚定，我的圆圈也会准。”文艺复兴时期的诗人们似乎习惯于以圆形来思考问题，按照亚里士多德-托勒密宇宙的构成，宇宙的主要特征是圆形，位于中心地位的地球是圆形，而地球以外的各星体和各重天都围绕做圆形运动，圆形是传统宇宙结构中占支配地位的形状。因此，文艺复兴时期英国诗人大多是以圆形对世界上的一切进行观察和思考的，多恩也不例外。中国诗歌也是习惯以“圆”来作为美满的象征的，如“花好月圆”“破镜重圆”等。如词人吕本中有《采桑子》“ 恨君不似江楼月，南北东西，南北东西，只有相随无别离。恨君却似江楼月，暂满还亏，暂满还亏，待得团圆是几时。”这首词以月亮作为比喻，从正反两方面抒写别离的感情。上片写恨外出的人不像月亮一样，照着人从不离开，而是不分东西南北到处乱跑，下片又写恨外出的人像月亮似的，圆满的时候少，亏缺的时候多，几时才能团圆呢？这个比喻摆脱了俗套的模式，正反对比，新颖有趣，和多恩圆规和圆的意象起到了相同的效果。

通过以上的分析，我们可以了解一些关于多恩的诗歌创作特色，作为玄学派诗人的代表，他惯用奇怪的比喻，新颖奇特，发人深思。但他的诗歌在读过之后往往会给人留下深刻的印象，耐人寻味，他的诗歌以其特有的特色影响着后继诗人们。

Literary Analysis: Terms

Many literature students are expected to be familiar with the basic terms listed below (and discussed in more depth in your text). Keep this study guide with your text. At the beginning of each reading assignment, write the elements of literature pertaining to the particular type of literature at the beginning of the short story or poem. After reading, define them in your text for class discussion, quizzes, and test preparation. To understand literature, it is necessary that you ask yourself certain

questions, such as "what is the theme of this story?" or "why does the author use this particular type of imagery?" You are not necessarily reading for pleasure--although it is sincerely hoped you will derive pleasure from your assignments--but for the development of critical analysis skills, so observe the author's style and intent carefully. Short Stories/Novel

Theme - The idea or point of a story formulated as a generalization. In American literature, several themes are evident which reflect and define our society. The dominant ones might be innocence/experience,

life/death, appearance/reality, free will/fate, madness/sanity, love/hate, society/individual, known/unknown. Themes may have a single, instead of a dual nature as well. The theme of a story may be a mid-life crisis, or imagination, or the duality of humankind (contradictions).

Character - Imaginary people created by the writer. Perhaps the most important element of literature.

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∙ Protagonist - Major character at the center of the story. Antagonist - A character or force that opposes the protagonist. Minor character - 0ften provides support and illuminates the

protagonist.

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∙ Static character - A character who remains the same. Dynamic character - A character who changes in some

important way.

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∙ Characterization - The means by which writers reveal character. Explicit Judgment - Narrator gives facts and interpretive

comment.

∙ Implied Judgment - Narrator gives description; reader make the

judgment.

Look for: Connections, links, and clues between and about characters. Ask yourself what the function and significance of each character is. Make this determination based upon the character's history, what the reader is told (and not told), and what other characters say about themselves and others.

Plot - The arrangement of ideas and/or incidents that make up a story.

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∙ Causality - One event occurs because of another event. Foreshadowing - A suggestion of what is going to happen. Suspense - A sense of worry established by the author. Conflict - Struggle between opposing forces. Exposition - Background information regarding the setting,

characters, plot.

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∙ Complication or Rising Action - Intensification of conflict. Crisis - Turning point; moment of great tension that fixes the

action.

∙ Resolution/Denouement - The way the story turns out.

Structure - The design or form of the completed action. Often provides clues to character and action. Can even philosophically mirror the author's intentions, especially if it is unusual.

Look for: Repeated elements in action, gesture, dialogue, description, as well as shifts in direction, focus, time, place, etc.

Setting - The place or location of the action, the setting provides the historical and cultural context for characters. It often can symbolize the emotional state of characters.

Point of View - Again, the point of view can sometimes indirectly

establish the author's intentions. Point of view pertains to who tells the story and how it is told.

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∙ Narrator - The person telling the story. First-person - Narrator participates in action but sometimes has

limited knowledge/vision.

∙ Objective - Narrator is unnamed/unidentified (a detached

observer). Does not assume character's perspective and is not a character in the story. The narrator reports on events and lets the reader supply the meaning.

∙ Omniscient - All-knowing narrator (multiple perspectives). The

narrator takes us into the character and can evaluate a character for the reader (editorial omniscience). When a narrator allows the reader to make his or her own judgments from the action of the characters themselves, it is called neutral omniscience. ∙ Limited omniscient - All-knowing narrator about one or two

characters, but not all.

Language and Style - Style is the verbal identity of a writer, oftentimes based on the author's use of diction (word choice) and syntax (the order

of words in a sentence). A writer's use of language reveals his or her tone , or the attitude toward the subject matter.

Irony - A contrast or discrepancy between one thing and another.

∙ Verbal irony - We understand the opposite of what the speaker

says.

∙ Irony of Circumstance or Situational Irony - When one event

is expected to occur but the opposite happens. A discrepancy

between what seems to be and what is.

∙ Dramatic Irony - Discrepancy between what characters know

and what readers know.

∙ Ironic Vision - An overall tone of irony that pervades a work,

suggesting how the writer views the characters.

Poetry

Allegory - A form of narrative in which people, places, and events seem to have hidden meanings. Often a retelling of an older story.

Connotation - The implied meaning of a word.

Denotation - The dictionary definition of a word.

Diction - Word choice and usage (for example, formal vs. informal), as determined by considerations of audience and purpose.

Figurative Language - The use of words to suggest meanings beyond the literal. There are a number of figures of speech. Some of the more common ones are:

∙ Metaphor - Making a comparison between unlike things without

the use of a verbal clue (such as "like" or "as").

∙ Simile - Making a comparison between unlike things, using "like"

or "as".

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∙ Hyperbole - Exaggeration Personification - Endowing inanimate objects with human

characteristics

Imagery - A concrete representation of a sense impression, a feeling, or an idea which appeals to one or more of our senses. Look for a pattern of imagery.

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∙ Tactile imagery - sense of touch. Aural imagery - sense of hearing. Olfactory imagery - sense of smell. Visual imagery - sense of sight. Gustatory imagery - sense of taste.

Rhythm and Meter - Rhythm is the pulse or beat in a line of poetry, the regular recurrence of an accent or stress. Meter is the measure or patterned count of a poetry line (a count of the stresses we feel in a poem's rhythm). The unit of poetic meter in English is called a "foot," a unit of measure consisting of stressed and unstressed syllables. Ask yourself how the rhythm and meter affects the tone and meaning. Sound - Do the words rhyme? Is there alliteration (repetition of

consonants) or assonance (repetition of vowels)? How does this affect the tone?

Structure - The pattern of organization of a poem. For example, a

sonnet is a 14-line poem usually written in iambic pentameter. Because the sonnet is strictly constrained, it is considered a closed or fixed form.

An open or free form is a poem in which the author uses a looser form, or perhaps one of his or her own invention. It is not necessarily formless. Symbolism - When objects or actions mean more than themselves. Syntax - Sentence structure and word order.

Voice: Speaker and Tone - The voice that conveys the poem's tone; its implied attitude toward its subject.