1891年,處在寫(xiě)作生涯巔峰期的王爾德遇見(jiàn)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?yàn)檫@段“不敢說(shuō)出名字的愛(ài)”,王爾德 被判“有傷風(fēng)化”罪而入獄。在獄中,王爾德開(kāi)始反思從前的生活,思索痛苦和人生的意義,藝術(shù)和愛(ài)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(xiě)成了這封名為"de profundis"(從深處)的長(zhǎng)信。

作者簡(jiǎn)介:奧斯卡·王爾德(Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900),英國(guó)維多利亞時(shí)代著名作家, “唯美主義運(yùn)動(dòng)”的領(lǐng)軍人物,倡導(dǎo)“為藝術(shù)而藝術(shù)”(Art for art's sake)。他的代表作有 戲劇《莎樂(lè)美》(Salome)《認(rèn)真的重要性》(The Importance of Being Earnest),童話《快樂(lè)王子》(The Happy Prince) 《夜鶯與玫瑰》(The Nightingale and the Rose),小說(shuō)《道連·格雷的畫(huà)像》(The Picture of Dorian Gray), 以及書(shū)信《自深深處》(De Profundis)等。

【原著選段】

I need not go on further with more?instances of the strange Doom you seem to have?brought on me in all things big or little. It makes me?feel sometimes as if you yourself had been merely a?puppet worked by some secret and unseen hand to?bring terrible events to a terrible issue. But puppets?themselves have passions. They will bring a new plot?into what they are presenting, and twist the ordered?issue of vicissitude to suit some whim or appetite?of their own. To be entirely free, and at the same?time entirely dominated by law, is the eternal?paradox of human life that we realise at every?moment; and this, I often think, is the only?explanation possible of your nature, if indeed for?the profound and terrible mysteries of a human?soul there is any explanation at all, except one?that makes the mystery more marvellous still.

【朱純深譯本】

我用不著再舉更多的例子來(lái)說(shuō)明了,不管是大事小事,你好像都給我?guī)?lái)莫名其妙的厄運(yùn)。這使我有時(shí)覺(jué)得你本人似乎不過(guò)是為哪只神秘的、看不見(jiàn)的手所操縱的傀儡,來(lái)把一個(gè)可怕的局面弄得更加不可收拾。但是傀儡們自己也并非無(wú)情無(wú)欲。他們也會(huì)讓要他們表演的東西平添曲折,心血來(lái)潮便把人間炎涼興衰的前因后果扭曲,以遂他們的哪個(gè)心愿。要全然的自由,同時(shí)又要全然地受制于律法,這是我們時(shí)時(shí)感受到的人生永恒的吊詭;而這一點(diǎn),我常常想,只能是你性情的唯一可能的解釋,如果說(shuō)對(duì)人性那深邃可怕的神秘,除了越說(shuō)越神之外,的確能有什么解釋的話。

【讀書(shū)筆記】

1、issue?結(jié)局,后果;問(wèn)題,議題,事件,爭(zhēng)端;發(fā)行,(書(shū)刊的)期號(hào)。
【舉例】There is no chance of a happy issue.?這事不可能有一個(gè)圓滿的結(jié)局。
the burning issues of the day?當(dāng)今燃眉之急的問(wèn)題
the issue at stake?存亡攸關(guān)的大事
settle an issue 解決爭(zhēng)端
the May issue of the magazine 五月號(hào)的雜志

2、twist??使轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng);使扭曲;曲解
【舉例】Twist the handle to the right and the door will open.?將把手向右轉(zhuǎn),門就會(huì)打開(kāi)了。
He fell and twisted his ankle. 他摔了一跤,把腳踝摔傷了。
He twisted my words. 他曲解了我的話。

3、profund?深的,深邃的,深沉的,深?yuàn)W的,根深蒂固的
【舉例】the profound depth of the sea?大海的深處
a profound sigh?長(zhǎng)嘆
a profund theory?深?yuàn)W的理論
a profound disease 痼疾

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