《呼啸山庄》：一部女性哥特小说(1)

[Abstract]WutheringHeightsistheonlynovelbyEmilyBrontë,anEnglishwomanwriterinthe19thcentury.Alsoitisapieceofexquisiteworksoftheworld’sliterature,whichdisplaysaseaofGothiccolors.ThispapertriestomakearesearchontheproductionofWutheringHeights,basingonGothictraditionofEuropeanandAmericanliterature.EmilyBrontëmakesuseofandbreaksthroughGothictraditioninthefacetsoftheportrayalofthecharactersandtheuseofimage.Drawingonherextraordinaryimagination,EmilysucceedsinmergingrealitywithGothictechniqueslikesymbolism,terror,andmystery,inputsthepassionatefeelingsandenergyintotheoldmodes,andperfectlyunitestheGothicformwithpassionatecontents.ThethesisaimsatdiggingoutsomehiddenimplicationsinthenovelfromanewanddifferentperspectivetoprovidethereaderwithmoreenlightenmentandspeculationandtriesatthesametimetohelpthereadersrereadthisnovelfromtheangleofFemaleGothicbydisplayingthesurrealisticdescriptionofthedevilishcharactersandthenightmares.
[KeyWords]WutheringHeights;FemaleGothicnovel;devilishcharacters;nightmares

【摘要】《呼啸山庄》是19世纪英国女作家艾米莉·勃朗特的惟一的一部小说，也是世界文学园地中的一朵奇葩，其中展现了大量的哥特色彩。本文立足于欧美文学中的哥特传统研究《呼啸山庄》的创作，作家艾米莉在人物形象和意象等方面都借鉴了哥特传统并有所突破；她凭借超乎寻常的想象力，将现实与象征、恐怖、神秘等哥特手法完美地结合在一起，给陈旧的形式注入了激烈情感和活力，达到哥特形式与激情内容的完美统一。笔者试图从一个新的角度——女性哥特来挖掘出《呼啸山庄》中尚未被挖掘出的一些新的意蕴和内涵。同时也希望通过展示魔鬼式人物和梦魇的超现实主义描写，使我们能够从女性哥特的角度解读这部小说。
【关键词】《呼啸山庄》；女性哥特小说；魔鬼式人物；梦魇
1.Introduction
EmilyBrontëisanEnglishwomanwriterofsuperbtalentduringtheVictorianAge.SheiswellknownforheronlynovelWutheringHeights,astrangeandpowerfulbook,saidbymanytobethefinestnovelintheEnglishlanguage.Yetshortlyafterthedesolateandshockingmasterpiececomesout,itisattackedandblamedtobefloodedwithmorbidpsychologyandpaganism.“Anyonewhodidreaditwasrepulsedbythebrutalityandviolenceofthecharacters”[1]andbythefactthatitdifferedsomuchfromtheromanticnovelsoftheday.TheydonotwantrealismasEmilydepictsit,andtheydonotwantwild,fierceantiheroeslikeHeathcliff-whoismorelikeavillain-orwillful,passionateheroineslikeCatherineEarnshaw.Andthatisthereasonwhysheiskeptawayfromthemainstreamofthenineteenthcenturyliterature,anddonotreceiveherfairfameuntilthecomingofthetwentiethcentury.BothEmilyandherworksaremysteriousandunique.TherearevariousapproachesappliedbythecriticstostudyWutheringHeightsfromtheaspectsofthetheme,thewritingtechnique,loveandrevenge,andsoon.However,thereishardlyanyattempttoresearchWutheringHeightsbycombiningitsGothiccontextwiththefeministviewpoint.Inviewofthisblank,theauthoristryingtorereadthisworkasaFemaleGothicnovelmainlybasedonthefollowingthreefacets:Firstly,inthehistoryofEnglishliteraturetheearlyGothicnovelsoriginatedinthelatterhalfoftheeighteenthcentury.Itwasopportunethatthewholestoryhappened,developed,andendedintheperiodfrom1771to1802.Atthattime,theEnglishGothicnovelswerecatchingonlikefirethroughoutthecountry.WiththedevelopmentofGothicnovelspeoplegraduallyforgottheearlyGothicnovels.YetfromtheBrontësisters’JaneEyreandWutheringHeightswecanstillfindtheGothicfeaturesevidently.Secondly,sincetheIndustrialRevolutioninthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury,theclassstructureandpeople’swayoflivinginEnglishsocietyhadundergoneradicalchanges.Peoplethenweretiredoftheoldlivingmodeandexpectedsomethingnovelandpleasing,whichformedthesocialbasisfortheproductionofGothicnovels.Finally,therearecountlessculturaltiesbetweenWutheringHeightsanditsauthor.“Strongerthanaman,simplerthanachild.”[2]CharlotteBrontëusesthesewordstodescribeher.Emilyisthetrulyfreespiritofthefamily,onewhocouldnotliveawayfromherbelovedextensivethoughdangerousandbleakmoors-Haworth.HerfatherisofIrishstockandfamousforhisfluentspeechandimagination.HeplaysaveryimportantroleinshapingEmily’scharacterandgenius-“thetemperamentoftheIrish-melancholy,passionate,proud,restless,eloquent,andwitty–andtheMethodistreligiousfervorandenthusiasmshownbythefollowersofJohnWesley.”[3]Besides“environmentalsoplayeditspartincreatingtheuniquenessofEmilyBrontë.ThevillageofHaworthwasveryisolatedandintenselyYorkshireandthepeoplelivingtherewereinstrongcontrasttotheCeltictemperament.Theywereblunt,practical,stubborn,sparingofspeech,vigorous,andharshtothepointofbrutality.”[4]TheproductofthemoorsexaltsthespiritofEmilyandfillshersoulwiththeloveofliberty.AnotherfactorthatinfluencesEmily’scharacterisherbrother,Branwell,theonetowhomEmilyhasalwaysbeenclosest.Branwell’sfallingpreytodrinkanddrugsalmostmakesEmily’sheartbroken.Becauseofhisdeath,Emilyneverleavesthehouseagainandinsistsonkeepingupherregularroundofduties.AfewmonthsafterBranwell’sdeath,Emilydiesattheageofthirty.

Inconclusion,EmilyBrontë“usedthestarkYorkshiresetting,nottocreatesuspenseandhorror,asinthetypicalGothicnovel,butasanaturalpartofherstory.”[5]Ononehand,shecarriesontheGothictraditioninhercreationofthenovel.Ontheotherhand,shehasnotjustemployedthemodebutpromotessomeimprovementsinthisoldtradition.SheusedtheskillofFemaleGothicinherwritingofthenovel.Inthefollowing,theauthoristryingtomakeastudyonWutheringHeightsfromtheaspectsofthedevilishcharactersandtheterrifyingnightmares.
2.FromGothicnoveltoFemaleGothicnovel
InstudyingWutheringHeightsfromtheaspectofaFemaleGothicnovel,noonecanignorethedefinitionofthistermGothic.Todoso,however,oneislikelytofallintothetrapofambiguity,forthereisnodefiniteandcomprehensivewaytoexpoundit.Astimegoesby,theconnotationofthistermgraduallyexpandsfromitsoriginalmeaningintobroadersense.
“ThewordGothicoriginallyreferredtotheGoths,anearlyGermanictribe,thencametosignify‘Germanic’,then‘medieval’.”[6]AndthemembersofthistribewinfamebecauseoftheirvalianceandtruculenceduringthebattlewithRomans.Althoughafteraround7A.D.theGothsvanishesfromhistory,theyhadindirectlyaddednewmeaningtothewordGothicthatisthenusedtodenoteastyleofarchitecturethatoriginatesinFranceandflourishesduringtheMedievalPeriod.ThemajorcharacteristicsofGothicbuildingsareembodiedby“theuseofthehighpointedarchandvault,flyingbuttressesandintricaterecesses,whichspreadthroughWesternEuropebetweenthetwelfthandsixteenthcenturies”.[7]Asaresult,theGothicarchitectureisusuallydeemedtobemysteriousandfrightening,representingtheinhumaneandtheDarkAges.TodayGothiciserroneouslyconsideredcrudeandbarbaric.
Withthepassingoftime,Gothicisendowedwithanewconnotation.Aroundtheearlyeighteenthcentury,Gothicdevelopsintoagenreinliteraryrealm.Inparticular,“thetermGothichasalsobeenextendedtoatypeoffictionwhichlackstheexoticsettingoftheearlierromances,butdevelopsabroodingatmosphereofgloomandterror,representseventsthatareuncannyormacabreormelodramaticallyviolent,andoftendealswithaberrantpsychologicalstates.”[8]TheattempttodefineGothicwritingsusuallyfollowsthemethodnamedbyEugeniaDeLamotteinMonthlypublishedin1801.Insuchkindofworks,“somewriterssettheirstoriesinthemedievalperiod;otherssettheminaCatholiccountry,especiallyItalyorSpain.Thelocalewasoftenagloomycastlefurnishedwithdungeons,subterraneanpassages,andslidingpanels;thetypicalstoryfocusedonthesufferingsimposedonaninnocentghosts,mysteriousdisappearances,andothersensationalandsupernaturaloccurrences.”[9]ThoughtheplotsandthemesofGothicwritingsaredifferentspecifically,theyfocusonthedepictionofaseriesofweirdandsimulativeeventssuchasmurder,revenge,violence,rapeandincest,thusendowingthewholeworkwithanatmosphereofsuspense,mysteryandsenseoffear.Withitsartificialover-ornamentation,itsunbridledimagination,itsnotoriousfameofseducingdegenerationandcorruption,Gothicwritingsareseverelycriticizedandrejectedbymainstreamliterarygenres.“Inthehistoryofwesternliterature,thereareseasofschoolsoffictionhavingmadestrongimpacts.Flourishedduringtheendoftheeighteenthandearlynineteenthcentury,theEnglishGothicnovelisoneoftheschoolsthatexertsatremendousinfluenceandownsconsiderableuniqueness.”[10]

Thetrendofbegettingmoraldegenerationandemotionalover-indulgencebringsGothicnovelsanalternativename“blacknovel”[11]whichhasbeenkeepingGothicnovelsontheborderzoneofthedevelopmenthistoryoftheworldfiction.Receivinggeneraldisapproval,GothicnovelsaretreatedwithindifferenceandleftoutinthecoldinbothwesternandChineseliterarycriticismcircles.PeoplehavebeeninclinedtopayattentiontothenegativefacetofGothicnovelswhilefailtonoticetheirmoralinstructionasthepositiveside.AlthoughinGothicnovelsthethickblackatmospherespreadallovertheplace;andalthough“theprincipalaimofsuchnovelswastoevokechillingterrorbyexploitingmysteryandavarietyofhorrors”,[12]behindtheseeminglydeliberateblackandirrationalcontenttherehidesinsidethesubstantialandprofoundrationalcontent.Gothicnovelsneverceaseportrayingcombatsbetweenthebrightandtheblack,thegoodandthebeautiful.Byadvocatingandseekingtheessenceofhumannatures,Gothicnovelsrightlyshockandawakenpeoplebyitsuniquedescriptionofcomplicatedandeccentricplots,themysteriousatmosphereandthebloodyscenes.
In1764,theEnglishwriterHoraceWalpoleinauguratestheGothicnovelswithhisTheCastleofOtranto:AGothicStoryinhisGothiccastleunderthesettingofMiddleAges.Thenovelisfloodedwithevil,violence,andmurderincoldblood.AnditbecomestheforerunneroftheEnglishandwesternGothicnovels.SetinmedievalItaly,TheCastleofOtrantotellsastoryaboutusurpation,conspiracyandmorality.Thestoryendswiththegoodpromotedwhiletheevilpunished.ThenovelpavesthewayforthedevelopingoftheGothicnovels:therearesecretpassagesandmysteriousabbey,thevillainoususurperandthevirginalheroine,theuprighthero,thedisplayofsadisticandmasochisticemotionsandtheunbridledsexualityandsensuality.Itexhibitsitsrebelliousandexcessivequalities.Theportrayalofunanimatedcharactersandbrashplots,theeerieandhorriblesettingsandscenery,thedepictionoftheinstitutionofcavalier,however,broughtitlong-termcriticism.WiththepublicationofTheCastleofOtrantotherealhistoryofthewordGothicbeginsfromeighteenthcentury.Anditmainlyreferstothefollowingthreemeanings:barbarous,medieval,andsupernatural.

Fromthenon,alargenumberofGothicnovelscomeoutwiththethemestickingtotheexplorationofhumannatureandpassionsinformsofindulgenceandirrationalexcessaround1790s.ExamplesofGothicnovelsareWilliamBeckford’sVathek(1786),AnnRadcliffe’sTheMysteriesofUdolpho(1794),andMatthewGregoryLewis’TheMonk(1796).ThelattertwoworksareconsideredtobethemostoutstandingandinfluentialworksamongthelargenumberoftheGothicnovelsduringGothicdecade.AnnRadcliffeisoneofthemostfamousfemalenovelistswhoseworkstouchuponthetypicalGothictraditions.Byinheritinganddevelopingmajorfeaturesofherpredecessors,sheattachesmuchimportancetofemalefiguresinGothicnovels,endowingherworkswithnewcharacteristicsandpreservingtheirdistinctingredients.Therefore,sheishighlypraisedfortheinitiatoryemphasisonwomenandtheirsituationswithinGothiccontextbesideshergreatcontributiontoGothictraditions.Therearetypicalgothicfeatures,suchasruinedcastlesandabbeys,isolatedpassagewaysanddarkforestsinhernovel,aswellassomeuniquefeatures,whichcannotbefoundinmaleGothicnovels.Tosomeextent,shestartsthetraditionoftheso-calledFemaleGothic.
FemaleGothic,thevariantofmodernGothic,firstcomesoutfromEllenMoers’LiteraryWomen.ShedefinesFemaleGothicas“theworkthatwomenwritershavedoneintheliterarymode”.[13]Gettingflourishedinthelateeighteenthandearlynineteenthcentury,FemaleGothicnovelsusuallyfocusonafemaleprotagonistwhoischasedandtormentedbyvillainousgothicfigureswithunfamiliarsettingsandhorriblelandscapeasthebackground.“NoGothicnoveliswithoutitssufferingheroine,whoisboth‘sexualized’asanobjectofdesireand‘victimized’byapowerfulaggressorwhoisalsoapotentialrapist.ThefirsttaskoffeministcriticismwastoarticulatetheproblemoftheabuseofthefemaleinGothicfictionandtoexplorethewaysinwhichfemalenovelistssubvertedorreinscribedtheculturalnormsoffemalesexualizationandvictimization.”[14]TheFemaleGothicaimstosocializeandeducateitsfemalereadersbycriticizingpatriarchaldominionandservesasanexpressionoffemaleindependence.It“notonlymarkstheintroductionofgenderedperspectiveintoGothicstudies,butalsoopensupanewspaceforfeministliterarystudies.”[15]Inaword,FemaleGothicisaformofliterature,whichexpressestheinnersecretresistance,fantasy,andterrorofthefemale.Womenareundertheoppressionofmenforalongtime,anditishightimethatwomenwritersshouldsubvertmaledominatedliterarydiscourseandestablishtheirownwritingtradition.

ApplyingGothicgenreasaplatform,theFemaleGothicwritersareinclinedtoexpresstheirownunderstandingonwomen’sconditionsandcommunicatewithreaders,especiallythefemale.TheprominentrepresentativesofFemaleGothicnovelsincludeJaneAustin’sNorthangerAbbey(1818),MaryShelley’sFrankenstein(1817),andCharlotteBrontë’sJaneEyre.EmilyBrontë’semployingofFemaleGothic“shouldhaveanairofbeinginfectedbyHoffmanntooisnotsurprisinginacontemporaryofPoe’s;EmilyislikelytohavereadHoffmannwhenstudyingGermanattheBrussels’sboardingschoolandcertainlyreadtheghastlysupernaturalstoriesbyJamesHoggandothersinthemagazinesathome.”[16]Emily“growsupbyreadingMaryShelley,Hoffmann,andJamesHogg’sGothicnovels.”[17]InEmily’sWutheringHeightstherecanbefoundhereandtheretheinfluenceoftheGothictradition.Inthefollowing,thisthesiswillanalyzeWutheringHeightsfromFemaleGothicperspectives,basicallyfocusingonitsdevilishcharactersandterrifyingnightmares.
3.AnalysisontheembodimentofFemaleGothicinWutheringHeights
3.1DevilishcharactersofFemaleGothic
3.1.1Heathcliff:apoorinhumanmonster
3.1.1.1TenantMr.Lockwood’simpressiononHeathcliff
InGothicnovels,theshapingofthecharactersisacommonlyusedvehicleforgivingexpressiontothegothicingredient.ThisisparticularlytrueofEmily’sWutheringHeights.Whenweopenthisbook,wecanseevariousterrifyingcharacters.ThefirstcharacteristheheroHeathcliff.Heseemstobeaninhumanmonster.Beingasonofthestorm,hisbehaviorisfloodedwithGothiccolor:cruel,imperious,andhestoopstoanythingtogetwhathewants.What’smore,thelovebetweenCatherineandhimgoesbeyondthecommonlimitandisquiteabnormalcomparedwithloveinotherworksofherage.Theentireactionofthestorytakesplacewithinthetwohouses-WutheringHeightsandThrushcrossGrangeandonthemoorsliebetween.Theprincipalcharacter,Heathcliff,aroundwhomalltheactionrevolves,emergesasstarklyasWutheringHeights.Hemaybethoughtofasthepersonificationofthehouse.ThereisananalogybetweenhisappearanceandhischaracterandthatoftheHeightsitself.
WhenMr.Lockwood,thetenantofThrushcrossGrange,payshisvisittoWutheringHeights,curiousaboutthebroodingqualityandcrumbing,menacingappearanceoftheHeightsandtheinscriptionoverthedoor-thedate‘1500’andthename‘HaretonEarnshaw’,Mr.Lockwoodwouldliketoaskhislandlordaboutthis,butHeathcliffprovestobeunsociable,inhospitable,andbrusque.

“The‘walkin’wasutteredwithclosedteeth,andexpressedthesentiment,‘Gotothedeuce’:eventhegateoverwhichheleantmanifestednosympathizingmovementtothewords;andIthinkthatcircumstancedeterminedmetoaccepttheinvitation:Ifeltinterestedinamanwhoseemedmoreexaggeratedlyreservedthanmyself.”[18]
ThisisthefirstappearancethatEmilydisplayedtous.AndthefirstimpressionoftheheroHeathcliffaddsthecolorofmysteryandimpliestothereadersthatthemanisboundtohavealongstory.Bythebriefportrayalofthehero,shecreatessuspenseforthewholestory,whichembodiestheGothictradition.
DuringMr.Lockwood’sstayingattheHeights,hefoundadiary.TheentryregardingthedegradinglifeHeathcliffwasforcedtoleadbyHindleythrowssomelightonthecharacterofHeathcliffasMr.Lockwoodnowfindshim.ForthefirsttimewesympathizewithHeathcliffinhisanguish,althoughwearestillignorantastoitscause.Heathcliffhasbeenrevealedasamancapableofgreatemotion,aswellascruelty.ThescenestillisintheHeights.Declaringthattheroomishaunted,Mr.Lockwooddecidestospendtherestofthenightelsewhere.Asheisabouttoleavetheroom,theoddandhorriblethinghappens:
“Iobeyed,sofarastoquitthechamber;whenignorantwherethenarrowlobbiesled,Istoodstill,andwaswitness,involuntarily,toapieceofsuperstitiononthepartofmylandlordwhichbelied,oddly,hisapparentsense.Hegotontothebedandwrenchedopenthelattice,bursting,ashepulledatit,intoanuncontrollablepassionoftears.‘Comein!Comein!’hesobbed.‘Cathy,docome.Oh,do-oncemore!Oh!Myheart’sdarling!Hearmethistime,Catherine,atlast!’Thespectershowedaspecter’sordinarycaprice:itgavenosignofbeing;butthesnowandwindwhirledwildingthrough,evenreachingmystation,andblowingoutthelight.”[19]HeathcliffisalarmedwhenhehearsthatCatherinehasappearedtoMr.Lockwood;obviously,hebelievesthatherspirithauntsWutheringHeightsandistryingtocometohimfrombeyondthegrave.ThiselementarousestheinterestandcuriosityofthereaderandembodiesGothiccolorastepforward.
3.1.1.2Crazyrevengeonhisenemies
WiththebirthofhissonHaretonandthedeathofhiswifeFrancesHindley’sfinaldisintegrationcommerces.Thisisconsistentwiththemoralweaknesshehasshownpreviously.HeconcentrateshisvenomonHeathcliff,whomhebrutalizesandinwhomhetriestostampoutthefeelingofworthinessthatoldMr.Earnshawhadengendered.Heathcliff,inturn,delightsinseeinghisenemydestroyhimself.ItisconsistentwithHeathcliff’snaturethatheencourageshisenemiestodestroythemselvesbytheirwoninnerflaws.Andreadersanticipateconflictsandtroubleinthefuture.Fromthispointofview,hebehavesquitecruelandrevengeful.TofulfillhisrevengeonHindley,heturnslittleHaretonintoabrutewithnoloveorrespectforhisfather,andhehasendedhiseducation–justasHindleydidtohim.WhenHeathcliffreappearsafterCatherine’smarriage,thinkingshemightshowhimwherehisevilwaysareleadinghim,NellypaysavisittotheHeights.SeeinglittleHaretonoutsidethegates,sheidentifiesherselfandsaysshehascalledtoseehisfather,Hindley.Haretondoesnotrecognizeherashisformernurseandgreetsherwithahailofstonesandcurses.Nellyaskshimwhotaughthimsuchthingsandheanswers“Devildaddy.”[20]Hesayshisfathercannotabidehimbecauseheswearsathim.HesaysthecuratenolongercomestoteachhimanditisHeathcliff,whomheloves,whohastaughthimtoswear.Furthermore,heisdeterminedtobrutalizeHaretonashimselfwasbrutalized.ThisisevidentedbytheincidentofHareton’shangingthepuppies.Sofar,HeathcliffhassucceededinrevengingHindley’sinsultonthenextgeneration.Hiscrueltyiseasytofeel.