《所罗门之歌》的女性主义解读
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摘要
美国黑人女作家托妮·莫里森把写作视为“一种思考方式”,并极力以这种方式维护和弘扬黑人文化。她的作品始终以书写黑人的历史、命运和精神世界为己任,尤其关注那些处于边缘地位的人群——黑人女性,凸显她们的性别、种族和文化的特征。黑人妇女独特的、传统的文化和美德令莫里森非常着迷,她几乎所有的作品都强调这一主题,《所罗门之歌》也不例外。在这部小说中,虽然男性人物占据着主人公位置,但饱受白人和男性双重压迫的女性才是作者寄予无限关怀和同情的对象。
本文拟从女性主义角度出发,通过分析《所罗门之歌》中的两性关系、文化传统以及叙事策略,来显示莫里森重建黑人传统、发出女性声音的意图和努力。
第一章着力从两性关系出发,描写了麦肯,福斯特医生以及奶人等黑人男性把女性看成没有生命的玩偶和私人财产。处在种族和性别双重压迫下的黑人女性过着压抑的、没有自我的生活,一部分女性在意识到自我的丧失和生命的苍白之后对父权制的家庭和社会做出了反抗。然而两性的关系并不完全是对立的,黑人男性尤其是主人公奶人在成长过程中就离不开对女性的依赖。在这里,莫里森并没有提倡两性间尖锐的政治性对立或者鼓励黑人女性对社区的背离,而是倡导对黑人女性文化美德以及独立性的赞扬。
第二章从文化传统出发,阐释贯穿整个小说的歌谣《所罗门之歌》、黑人飞翔的传统、非洲文化的借用。非洲黑人男性的飞翔是以抛妻弃子为代价的。在男性不负责任的飞翔背后隐藏的是女性的悲伤、抚育孩子的重任以及传承家族的义务。因此,那些长期被忽略、遭到歧视、默默传承文化的黑人女性应该得到关注和赞美。
第三章从女性主义叙述角度出发,聚焦黑人女性作家为争夺话语权而进行的斗争。莫里森通过一系列叙事策略(包括多重视角、共时性叙述以及命名权的争夺和使用),对男性的叙述权威和文本秩序进行了反抗和颠覆。兰瑟曾经评述非裔美国女性作家面临的被贬低、被忽略、被误读的困境,“在这个标榜所有女人都是白种人,所有黑人都是男人的社会里,美国黑人女性写的有关美国黑人女性的小说只能靠边站”,“因为它们是无足轻重的‘女性’和不登大雅的‘黑人’写的”(兰瑟,139)。在这样的逆境下莫里森让饱受压抑而寂然无声的群体发出了声音。
表面上看,小说主要描写了黑人男性主人公的成长历程,但实际上始终令莫里森牵挂的是黑人女性的情感和命运。在这部“以男性作为主人公”的小说中,作家一刻也没有停止自己的女性思考。
African American writer Tony Morrison looks on writing as“a way of thinking”and tries her best to uphold and carry forward African culture. Her novels are always concerned with the history, fate and psychology of African Americans, especially of those marginalized people—African American women, with the aim to highlight their gender, race and culture. The unique and traditional culture and virtues in African American women appeals deeply to Morrison. Song of Solomon is not an exception. Although male characters seem to occupy the central and leading position in this novel, black women, who are under the double oppression of whites and men, are the real subject of the author’s care and sympathy.
This thesis, by employing feminist critique, is to analyze Morrison’s efforts in Song of Solomon to reconstruct African culture and to make women’s voice heard.
Chapter One focuses on the inter-sexual relationship in this novel. The male protagonists such as Macon, Dr. Ruth and Milkman look on women as lifeless dolls and their private possessions. Under the bi-oppression of racism and sexism, black women are leading miserable lives without self-identity. Some of them rise to resist the patriarchal and gender discriminations. However, black women are not always dependent and obedient. Black men, especially Milkman, depend on the women both physically and spiritually for their development and maturation. In spite of her feminist stand, Morrison here does not advocate fierce battles between opposite sexes; instead, she is more concerned with uncovering the cultural values of black women.
Chapter Two intends to interpret the cultural implications of this novel by analyzing the ballad“Song of Solomon”, the tradition of flying and the use of some African rites. The black men’s flying away rid themselves of slavery and oppression; however, they leave behind their wives and children at the same time. With men’s irresponsible flying away, the women have to take the burden of raising children and, the most important, to pass on the family names and ancestry. Therefore, the women who used to live under the shadow of their father and husband, step onto the foreground and receive due attention.
Chapter Three demonstrates that Morrison has employed diversified narrative techniques, including multi-perspective narration, synchronic description and the power of naming. Due to the adoption of these feminist narrative strategy, Morrison renders her heroines the opportunity to defy bias in terms of both race and gender.
To sum up, Song of Solomon seemingly describes the maturation of a black man, however, what Morrison really cares about is women’s misfortune. In this male-centered novel, the author never stops her thinking as a feminist.
本文拟从女性主义角度出发,通过分析《所罗门之歌》中的两性关系、文化传统以及叙事策略,来显示莫里森重建黑人传统、发出女性声音的意图和努力。
第一章着力从两性关系出发,描写了麦肯,福斯特医生以及奶人等黑人男性把女性看成没有生命的玩偶和私人财产。处在种族和性别双重压迫下的黑人女性过着压抑的、没有自我的生活,一部分女性在意识到自我的丧失和生命的苍白之后对父权制的家庭和社会做出了反抗。然而两性的关系并不完全是对立的,黑人男性尤其是主人公奶人在成长过程中就离不开对女性的依赖。在这里,莫里森并没有提倡两性间尖锐的政治性对立或者鼓励黑人女性对社区的背离,而是倡导对黑人女性文化美德以及独立性的赞扬。
第二章从文化传统出发,阐释贯穿整个小说的歌谣《所罗门之歌》、黑人飞翔的传统、非洲文化的借用。非洲黑人男性的飞翔是以抛妻弃子为代价的。在男性不负责任的飞翔背后隐藏的是女性的悲伤、抚育孩子的重任以及传承家族的义务。因此,那些长期被忽略、遭到歧视、默默传承文化的黑人女性应该得到关注和赞美。
第三章从女性主义叙述角度出发,聚焦黑人女性作家为争夺话语权而进行的斗争。莫里森通过一系列叙事策略(包括多重视角、共时性叙述以及命名权的争夺和使用),对男性的叙述权威和文本秩序进行了反抗和颠覆。兰瑟曾经评述非裔美国女性作家面临的被贬低、被忽略、被误读的困境,“在这个标榜所有女人都是白种人,所有黑人都是男人的社会里,美国黑人女性写的有关美国黑人女性的小说只能靠边站”,“因为它们是无足轻重的‘女性’和不登大雅的‘黑人’写的”(兰瑟,139)。在这样的逆境下莫里森让饱受压抑而寂然无声的群体发出了声音。
表面上看,小说主要描写了黑人男性主人公的成长历程,但实际上始终令莫里森牵挂的是黑人女性的情感和命运。在这部“以男性作为主人公”的小说中,作家一刻也没有停止自己的女性思考。
African American writer Tony Morrison looks on writing as“a way of thinking”and tries her best to uphold and carry forward African culture. Her novels are always concerned with the history, fate and psychology of African Americans, especially of those marginalized people—African American women, with the aim to highlight their gender, race and culture. The unique and traditional culture and virtues in African American women appeals deeply to Morrison. Song of Solomon is not an exception. Although male characters seem to occupy the central and leading position in this novel, black women, who are under the double oppression of whites and men, are the real subject of the author’s care and sympathy.
This thesis, by employing feminist critique, is to analyze Morrison’s efforts in Song of Solomon to reconstruct African culture and to make women’s voice heard.
Chapter One focuses on the inter-sexual relationship in this novel. The male protagonists such as Macon, Dr. Ruth and Milkman look on women as lifeless dolls and their private possessions. Under the bi-oppression of racism and sexism, black women are leading miserable lives without self-identity. Some of them rise to resist the patriarchal and gender discriminations. However, black women are not always dependent and obedient. Black men, especially Milkman, depend on the women both physically and spiritually for their development and maturation. In spite of her feminist stand, Morrison here does not advocate fierce battles between opposite sexes; instead, she is more concerned with uncovering the cultural values of black women.
Chapter Two intends to interpret the cultural implications of this novel by analyzing the ballad“Song of Solomon”, the tradition of flying and the use of some African rites. The black men’s flying away rid themselves of slavery and oppression; however, they leave behind their wives and children at the same time. With men’s irresponsible flying away, the women have to take the burden of raising children and, the most important, to pass on the family names and ancestry. Therefore, the women who used to live under the shadow of their father and husband, step onto the foreground and receive due attention.
Chapter Three demonstrates that Morrison has employed diversified narrative techniques, including multi-perspective narration, synchronic description and the power of naming. Due to the adoption of these feminist narrative strategy, Morrison renders her heroines the opportunity to defy bias in terms of both race and gender.
To sum up, Song of Solomon seemingly describes the maturation of a black man, however, what Morrison really cares about is women’s misfortune. In this male-centered novel, the author never stops her thinking as a feminist.
引文
Agnes, Michael E. ed. Webster’s New World College Dictionary. New York: Webster’s New World, 1999.
Anne, Koenen.“The One Out of Sequence”. in Conversation with Toni Morrison. ed. Taylor-Guthrie. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 1994.
Angelo, Bonnie.“The Pain of Being Black”. in Conversation with Toni Morrison. ed. Taylor-Guthrie. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1994.
Bakerman, Jane S.“Failures of Love: Female Initiation in the Novels of Toni Morrison”. in American Literature, Vol. 52, 1981.
Bayles, Martha.“Special Effects, Special Pleading”. in The New Criterion, Vol. 5, 1988.
Christian, Barbara.“Community and Nature: The Novels of Toni Morrison”. in Black Feminist Criticism. ed. Elmsford. N.Y.: Pergamon Press, 1985.
Christian, Barbara. Black Women Novelists. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 1980.
Cowart, David.“Falkner and Joyce in Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in American Literature, Vol. 62, 1990.
Cowley, Malcolm and Daniel P. Mannix.“The Middle Passage”. in Atlantic Slave Trade. ed. David Northrup. Lexington: Heath, 1994.
Davis, Cynthia A.“Self, Society, and Myth in Toni Morrison’s Fiction”. in Toni Morrison. ed. Harold Bloom. N.Y.: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990.
Evans, Mari.“Black Women Writers: 1950-1980”. in A Critical Evaluation. N.Y.: Doubleday, 1984.
Hernton, Calvin.“The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers”. Black American Literature Forum, Vol. 18, 1984.
hooks, bell. Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism. Boston: South End Press, 1981.
hooks, bell. Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston: South End Press, 1992.
Katy, Ryna.“Revolutionary Suicide in Toni Morrison’s Fiction”. in African American Review, 2000.
Kubitschek, Missy Dehn. ed. Toni Morrison: A Critical Companion. London: Greenwood Press, 1998.
Lanser, Susan Sniader. Fictions of Authority: Women Writers and Narrative Voice. trans. Huang Bikang. Beijing: Beijing University Publishing House, 2002.
LeClair, Thomas. The Language Must Not Sweat: A Conversation with Toni Morrison. Washington, D.C: New Republic, 1981.
Lee, Catherine Carr.“The South in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon: Initiation, Healing, and Home”. in Studies in the Literary Imagination, Vol. 31, 1998.
Leitch, Vincent B. American Literary Criticism From the 30s to the 80s. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988.
Mckay, Nellie. ed. Critical Essays on Toni Morrison. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1988.
Mendoro, Dana.“Justice and Citizenship in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol. 1, 2002.
Mickelson, Anne Z. Winging Upward, Black Women: Sarah E. Wright, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker. Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1979.
Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Knopf, 1978.
——Sula. New York: Knopf, 1974.
——The Bluest Eye. New York: Knopf, 1970.
Peach, Linden. ed.“‘Romance’Novels: Song of Solomon and Tar Baby”. in Toni Morrison. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
Pocock, Judy.“Through a Glass Darkly: Typology in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol. 3, 2005.
Price, Reynolds.“Review of Song of Solomon”. in New York Times Book Review, Vol.11, 1977.
Ruas, Charles.“Toni Morrison”. in Conversation with Toni Morrison. ed. Taylor-Guthrie. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 1994.
Ron, David. Toni Morrison Explained: A Reader’s Road to the Novels. N.Y.: Random House, 2000
Skerrett, Joseph T.“Story Telling and Learning in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. inBlack Women, Fiction, and the Literary Tradition. ed. Majorie Pryse and Hortense Spillers. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1985.
Smith,Valerie. Essays on Song of Solomon. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Showalter, Elaine. New Feminist Criticism. New York: Pantheon Books, 1985.
Steady, Filomina Chioma. ed. The Black Woman Cross-Culturally. Boston: Schenkman, 1981.
Tate, Claudia. ed.“Black Women Writers at Work”. in Toni Morrison. New York: Contiunuum, 1983.
Taylor-Guthrie, Danille. ed. Conversations with Toni Morrison. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1994.
Thomas, H. Nigel. From Folklore to Fiction.Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group,1988.
Walker, Nancy.“Reforms and Young Maidens: Women and Virtue”. in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Fin: Modern Critical Interpretations. ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1986.
Washington, Mary Helen.“Midnight Birds”. in Garden City. N.Y.: Double Day, 1980.
Wilentz, Gay.“Civilization Underneath: African Heritage as Cultural Discourse in Tonni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in African American Review , Vol. 26, 1992.
Watkins, Mel.“Talk with Toni Morrison”. in New York Times Book Review, Vol. 11, 1977.
Yalom, Marilyn. ed. Women Writers of the West Coast. Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1983.
Zhu, Gang. Twentieth Century Western Critical Theories. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001.
董俊峰.所罗门之歌内结构的主题寓意探微[J].兰州大学学报, 2000,(5):162-167
刘灵.所罗门之歌——歌声分裂[J].当代外国文学,2004,(3):91-98
刘向东.所罗门之歌中的名称与主题[J].解放军外国语学报,2000,(6):77-80
苏珊·S·兰瑟.虚构的权威——女性作家与叙述声音[M].北京:北京大学出版社,2002
唐月梅.所罗门之歌的歌谣分析[J].外国文学研究,2004,(4):109-114
王守仁、吴新云.性别·种族·文化[M].北京:北京大学出版社,1999.
徐培文.所罗门之歌中的飞翔传统[J].北方论丛,2003,(4):102-103
Anne, Koenen.“The One Out of Sequence”. in Conversation with Toni Morrison. ed. Taylor-Guthrie. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 1994.
Angelo, Bonnie.“The Pain of Being Black”. in Conversation with Toni Morrison. ed. Taylor-Guthrie. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1994.
Bakerman, Jane S.“Failures of Love: Female Initiation in the Novels of Toni Morrison”. in American Literature, Vol. 52, 1981.
Bayles, Martha.“Special Effects, Special Pleading”. in The New Criterion, Vol. 5, 1988.
Christian, Barbara.“Community and Nature: The Novels of Toni Morrison”. in Black Feminist Criticism. ed. Elmsford. N.Y.: Pergamon Press, 1985.
Christian, Barbara. Black Women Novelists. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 1980.
Cowart, David.“Falkner and Joyce in Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in American Literature, Vol. 62, 1990.
Cowley, Malcolm and Daniel P. Mannix.“The Middle Passage”. in Atlantic Slave Trade. ed. David Northrup. Lexington: Heath, 1994.
Davis, Cynthia A.“Self, Society, and Myth in Toni Morrison’s Fiction”. in Toni Morrison. ed. Harold Bloom. N.Y.: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990.
Evans, Mari.“Black Women Writers: 1950-1980”. in A Critical Evaluation. N.Y.: Doubleday, 1984.
Hernton, Calvin.“The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers”. Black American Literature Forum, Vol. 18, 1984.
hooks, bell. Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism. Boston: South End Press, 1981.
hooks, bell. Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston: South End Press, 1992.
Katy, Ryna.“Revolutionary Suicide in Toni Morrison’s Fiction”. in African American Review, 2000.
Kubitschek, Missy Dehn. ed. Toni Morrison: A Critical Companion. London: Greenwood Press, 1998.
Lanser, Susan Sniader. Fictions of Authority: Women Writers and Narrative Voice. trans. Huang Bikang. Beijing: Beijing University Publishing House, 2002.
LeClair, Thomas. The Language Must Not Sweat: A Conversation with Toni Morrison. Washington, D.C: New Republic, 1981.
Lee, Catherine Carr.“The South in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon: Initiation, Healing, and Home”. in Studies in the Literary Imagination, Vol. 31, 1998.
Leitch, Vincent B. American Literary Criticism From the 30s to the 80s. New York: Columbia University Press, 1988.
Mckay, Nellie. ed. Critical Essays on Toni Morrison. Boston: G. K. Hall, 1988.
Mendoro, Dana.“Justice and Citizenship in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol. 1, 2002.
Mickelson, Anne Z. Winging Upward, Black Women: Sarah E. Wright, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker. Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1979.
Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon. New York: Knopf, 1978.
——Sula. New York: Knopf, 1974.
——The Bluest Eye. New York: Knopf, 1970.
Peach, Linden. ed.“‘Romance’Novels: Song of Solomon and Tar Baby”. in Toni Morrison. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
Pocock, Judy.“Through a Glass Darkly: Typology in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in Canadian Review of American Studies, Vol. 3, 2005.
Price, Reynolds.“Review of Song of Solomon”. in New York Times Book Review, Vol.11, 1977.
Ruas, Charles.“Toni Morrison”. in Conversation with Toni Morrison. ed. Taylor-Guthrie. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press, 1994.
Ron, David. Toni Morrison Explained: A Reader’s Road to the Novels. N.Y.: Random House, 2000
Skerrett, Joseph T.“Story Telling and Learning in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. inBlack Women, Fiction, and the Literary Tradition. ed. Majorie Pryse and Hortense Spillers. Indiana: Indiana University Press, 1985.
Smith,Valerie. Essays on Song of Solomon. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Showalter, Elaine. New Feminist Criticism. New York: Pantheon Books, 1985.
Steady, Filomina Chioma. ed. The Black Woman Cross-Culturally. Boston: Schenkman, 1981.
Tate, Claudia. ed.“Black Women Writers at Work”. in Toni Morrison. New York: Contiunuum, 1983.
Taylor-Guthrie, Danille. ed. Conversations with Toni Morrison. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1994.
Thomas, H. Nigel. From Folklore to Fiction.Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group,1988.
Walker, Nancy.“Reforms and Young Maidens: Women and Virtue”. in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Fin: Modern Critical Interpretations. ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1986.
Washington, Mary Helen.“Midnight Birds”. in Garden City. N.Y.: Double Day, 1980.
Wilentz, Gay.“Civilization Underneath: African Heritage as Cultural Discourse in Tonni Morrison’s Song of Solomon”. in African American Review , Vol. 26, 1992.
Watkins, Mel.“Talk with Toni Morrison”. in New York Times Book Review, Vol. 11, 1977.
Yalom, Marilyn. ed. Women Writers of the West Coast. Santa Barbara: Capra Press, 1983.
Zhu, Gang. Twentieth Century Western Critical Theories. Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001.
董俊峰.所罗门之歌内结构的主题寓意探微[J].兰州大学学报, 2000,(5):162-167
刘灵.所罗门之歌——歌声分裂[J].当代外国文学,2004,(3):91-98
刘向东.所罗门之歌中的名称与主题[J].解放军外国语学报,2000,(6):77-80
苏珊·S·兰瑟.虚构的权威——女性作家与叙述声音[M].北京:北京大学出版社,2002
唐月梅.所罗门之歌的歌谣分析[J].外国文学研究,2004,(4):109-114
王守仁、吴新云.性别·种族·文化[M].北京:北京大学出版社,1999.
徐培文.所罗门之歌中的飞翔传统[J].北方论丛,2003,(4):102-103