1891年,處在寫作生涯巔峰期的王爾德遇見了阿爾弗雷德·“波西”·道格拉斯(Alfred "Bosie" Douglas),兩人很快成為了同性戀人。四年后,因為這段“不敢說出名字的愛”,王爾德被判“有傷風化”罪而入獄。在獄中,王爾德開始反思從前的生活,思索痛苦和人生的意義,藝術和愛的真諦,最終將那些痛苦的淚水都化作優(yōu)美而深沉的文字,寫成了這封名為"de profundis"(從深處)的長信。

作者簡介:奧斯卡·王爾德(Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900),英國維多利亞時代著名作家,“唯美主義運動”的領軍人物,倡導“為藝術而藝術”(Art for art's sake)。他的代表作有戲劇《莎樂美》(Salome)《認真的重要性》(The Importance of Being Earnest),童話《快樂王子》(The Happy Prince) 《夜鶯與玫瑰》(The Nightingale and the Rose),小說《道連·格雷的畫像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray),以及書信《自深深處》(De Profundis)等。

【原著選段】

All homage is delightful to?an artist, and doubly sweet when youth brings it.?Laurel and bay leaf wither when aged hands pluck?them. Only youth has a right to crown an artist. That?is the real privilege of being young, if youth only?knew it. But the days of abasement and infamy are?different from those of greatness and of fame. You?have yet to learn that Prosperity, Pleasure and?Success may be rough of grain and common in?fibre, but that Sorrow is the most sensitive of all?created things. There is nothing that stirs in the?whole world of thought or motion to which Sorrow?does not vibrate in terrible if exquisite pulsation. The?thin beaten-out leaf of tremulous gold that chronicles?the direction of forces that the eye cannot see is in?comparison coarse. It is a wound that bleeds?when any hand but that of Love touches it and even then must bleed again, though not for pain.

【朱純深譯本】

對藝術家來說,一切敬意都是令人愉快的,而來自青年的敬意又一倍增其愉快。月桂之花、月桂之葉,一讓蒼老的手采摘,便枯萎了。只有青年有權(quán)為一位藝術家戴上桂冠。那是年輕人真正的特權(quán),但愿他們明白這個道理。但是蒙羞含辱的日子同名揚天下、飛黃騰達的時候是不一樣的。你還得弄明白,發(fā)財、享樂、出人頭地,這些可以是大路貨, 但悲愴卻是所創(chuàng)造的一切中最敏感的。在整個的思想和運動的空間內(nèi),只要稍有動靜,它便會以既精妙又可怕的律動,與之共振。那敲得薄薄的金箔,能用來檢測肉眼看不見的力的方向,可再敏感,相比之下也顯得粗糙了。悲愴是一道傷口,除了愛的手,別的手一碰就會流血,甚至愛的手碰了,也必定會流血的, 雖然不是因為疼。

【讀書筆記】

1、homage?n.敬意;殷勤;(中世紀封臣對君主的)宣誓效忠
【舉例】pay/offer/render homage to 向……表示敬意
bow in homage?鞠躬致敬

2、crown?v.為……加冕/戴上桂冠;正式承認;授以榮譽;占據(jù)頂端;使達到頂峰
【舉例】crown sb. king?立某人為王
crown sb. with glory?給某人以榮譽
Mist crowned the mountain.?霧靄籠罩了山頂。
The Nobel Prize crowned his career as an author.??獲得諾貝爾獎是他寫作生涯的頂峰。

3、rough of?grain?and common in?fibre?直譯為“紋理粗糙,質(zhì)地平?!保隇椤盁o價值的東西,大路貨”。

4、bleed v.流血;(在戰(zhàn)爭中)受傷,戰(zhàn)死;(為事業(yè)等)流血犧牲;悲傷,同情;花血本,出高價
【舉例】bleed to death 流血過多而死
bleed for one's country 為祖國拋頭顱灑熱血
Her heart bled at her friend's death. 她為友人的逝世而心碎。
bleed for an antique 出高價買了一件古董

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