Ralph Waldo Emerson 简介、超验理论、一首诗(日子)的分析

RalphWaldoEmerson

〔1803——1882〕

Americanlecturer,poet,essayistandphilosopherBestrememberedforleadingtheTranscendentalistmovementofthemid-19thcentury.Emerson’sEarlyLifeIn1803inBoston,MA.BornonElectionDayBornonthesamestreetasthebirthhomeofBenjaminFranklin.FatherwasafamousministerwhoencouragedyoungRalphtopursuephilosophyatayoungage.EarlyTrialsIn1811,whenhewas8hisfatherpassedawayandEmersonislefttosupporthisfourotherbrothers.In1817,whenhewas14,hewenttoHarvard.Despitethehardships,alltheEmersonboys,exceptone,graduatedfromHarvardUniversity.Ralphwasaskedtoshareacoatwithhisbrothertosavefinances.HiscareerIn1821,afterHarvard,Emersonassistedhisbrotherinaschoolforyoungwomenestablishedintheirmother’shouse.In1829,hewasappointedasajuniorpastor(青年牧师)byBoston’sSecondChurch.FirstMarriage1829,married,EllenLouisaTucker(diedofTBtwoyearslater)SecondMarriage1835,marriedLydiaJackson.Theyhadfourchildren.EmersonandLydiawith

childrenandgrandchildrenLateLifeandDeathUpsetinthe1860sbythecomingCivilWar,helivedaquietlifewithhisfamily.Hishouseburnttothegroundin1872.DiedonApril27th,1882.RalphWaldoEmerson(1803-1882)TheBritishcriticMatthewArnoldsaidthemostimportantwritingsinEnglishinthe19thcenturyhadbeenWordsworth'spoemsandEmerson'sessays.majorworksNature?论自然?1836TheAmericanScholar?论美国学者?1837Selfreliance?论自立?1841TheOver-soul?论超灵?1841RepresentativeMen?代表人物?1850EnglishTraits?英国人的特性?1856CommentsFormerU.S.PresentLincolncalledhim:“theAmericanConfucius(美国的孔子)〞，“thefatherofAmericancivilizations〞.WhatisTranscendentalism?

“WhatispopularlycalledTranscendentalismamongusisidealism〞.-----EmersonTranscendentalismTranscendentalismistheviewthatthebasictruthsoftheuniverseliebeyondtheknowledgeoneobtainsfromhissenses;人能超越感觉和理性而直接认识真理.超验就是指超越人的现实世界〔包括宗教现实〕走入人的心灵世界，它预示着灵魂的存在，生活的意义就在于这种精神的超越和提升。Toarriveatthetruth,manmustgobeyondortranscendwhathiseyesandearstellhimorwhathecanlearnfrombooks.Hemustlistentohisinnersoul.AmericanTranscendentalism

emphasisonintuition,thespiritortheOversoul;thestressontheimportanceofindividualism;beliefinself-trustandself-reliance;praiseofnatureasasymboloftheSpiritorGod;IdeasIndividualismnotthecrowdarethemostimportantall,buttheman“Trustthyself〞“Makethyself〞IdeasNatureisemblematicofGod.Natureisthevehicleofthought.Natureisthesymbolofspirit.Returntonature.

超验主义的主要思想观点有三：首先，超验主义者强调精神，或超灵，认为这是宇宙至为重要的存在因素。超灵是一种无所不容、无所不在、扬善抑恶的力量，是万物之本、万物之所属，它存在于人和自然界内。其二，超验主义者强调个人的重要性。他们认为个人是社会的最重要的组成局部，社会的革新只能通过个人的修养和完善才能实现。因此人的首要责任就是自我完善，而不是刻意追求金玉富贵。理想的人是依靠自己的人。其三，超验主义者以全新的目光看待自然，认为自然界是超灵或上帝的象征。在他们看来，自然界不只是物质而已。它有生命，上帝的精神充溢其中，它是超灵的外衣。超验主义主张回归自然,这种观点的自然内涵是，自然界万物具象征意义，外部世界是精神世界的表达。我们来欣赏一首爱默生的诗作吧~Days

DaughtersofTime,thehypocriticDays,

Muffledanddumblikebarefootdervishes,

Andmarchingsingleinanendlessfile,

Bringdiademsandfagotsintheirhands.

Toeachtheyoffergiftsafterhiswill,

Bread,kingdoms,stars,andskythatholdsthemall.

I,inmypleachedgarden,watchedthepomp,

Forgotmymorningwishes,hastily

Tookafewherbsandapples,andtheDaysturnedanddepartedsilent.I,toolate,underhersolemnfilletsawthescorn.Days日子

日子时光的女儿们，伪善的日子，

声音黯哑如赤足的托钵僧，她们单列行进，看不到尽头，

手里拿着皇冠和成捆的薪柴。

礼物按照每个人的心愿分赠，

面包、王国、星辰，甚至天穹。

整枝盘蔓的花园里我瞩目这场壮丽，忘记了清晨想要的东西匆忙采了些香料和苹果，日子却转身悄然离去。待我在肃穆的发带下,看见她轻蔑的嘲笑，已经太迟。

Muffledanddumblikebarefootdervishes,

声音黯哑如赤足的托钵僧

dervishes:Muslimfriarswhotookvowsofpovertyandwereknownfortheirceremonialwhirlingdances.

Bringdiademsandfagotsintheirhands.手里拿着皇冠和成捆的薪柴。diadems:crowns.fagots:bunchesofsticksorbranches(forburning).

I,inmypleachedgarden,watchedthepomp,枝叶盘蔓的花园里我瞩目这场壮丽pleachedgarden:"Formedbythepleachingofboughsandfenced,bordered,oroverarchedwithpleachedboughs

I,toolate,underhersolemnfilletsawthescorn.待我在肃穆的发带下,看见她轻蔑的嘲笑，已经太迟。fillet:hairribbon.

〔选自GreatShortPoems?短诗精萃?〕?日子?发表于1851年。评论家和读者均认为这是他写的最好的一首。就连他自己也认为是这首最好。

它是一首关于时间问题的一那么寓言。他用“伪善〞(hypocritic)来表现时日的外表性的公允和慷慨，又用“喑哑无语〞(muffledanddumb)来表现时日的狡黠与沉默。她们的慷慨和忙碌吸引了“我〞的注意，以至于使“我〞忘掉了“早晨的愿望〞。“我〞得到的只是香草和苹果，而它们作为最简单的物质欲望的隐喻，意味着“我〞的精神追求的缺失。

人与时间之间的紧张关系只是这首诗的外表张力，而内在的轴心却是诗人