清末民初翻譯小說中的女性形象：以《八十日環遊記》、《三千年豔尸記》、《福爾摩斯偵探案全集》為例

Abstract

清末列強叩關，中國有識之士為學習先進國家的技術、制度與文化，除了譯介實用學說，也引進各類通俗小說。在當時的小說譯作中，歸化譯法是一大特色，因此小說中的女性形象常受到明顯更動。本文先回顧中西文學中固有的女性角色類型，接著檢視《八十日環遊記》（Around the World in Eighty Days）、《三千年豔尸記》（She）、《福爾摩斯偵探案全集》（the Sherlock Holmes stories）這三部清末民初的翻譯小說，發現原著與譯本中的女性形象存在差異：《八十日環遊記》的譯者從自身女性觀點出發，揣摩角色思想，豐富角色血肉，保留故事梗概的同時添增傳統元素，緩解文化衝擊；《三千年豔尸記》中的亞爾莎女王既是西方文學中致命女性（femme fatale）的典型，譯者也強化了某些特質，使之更符合中國傳統觀念中的負面女性形象；《福爾摩斯偵探案全集》的譯者美化女性角色容貌、降低其能動性，並依照對女性的刻板印象譯寫出驚慌柔弱、沒有主見的角色。最後，本文套用胡纓的「新女性」（new woman）形象，分析這三部小說中的女性在新女性的光譜上佔據什麼位置：《八十日環遊記》中的阿黛勇敢主動，有時又傳統保守，位於光譜的中間地帶；亞爾莎雖然未褪去所有傳統特質，但她豐富的學識與對政治的企圖讓她偏向新穎、激進的一端；《福爾摩斯偵探案全集》中的女性角色在外貌方面一致歸化成中國傳統審美觀中的美女，性格方面也都變得柔弱溫婉，見識普通，往傳統的一端靠攏。In the Late Qing Dynasty, facing the invasion of foreign powers, Chinese intellects felt the urge to learn the technology and ideas of advanced countries. As a result, they introduced not only practical studies but popular novels. At that time, domestication was a very common technique while translating novels, in which female images were often altered. This thesis first reviews some existing categories of female characters in both Chinese and English literature, and, after examining three translated novels in the Late Qing and Early Republic—Around the World in Eighty Days, She, and the Sherlock Holmes stories, concludes that almost all the female characters are somewhat different after translation: Xue, the translator of Around, tried to clarified the character’s inner thoughts from her female point of view, bringing the character to life. Xue also added a few traditional touch without altering the plot of the story. Ayesha in She is without doubt an archetype of femme fatale and the translator strengthened some of her traits to better fit her into the bad woman category in Chinese values. Based on their stereotypes of woman, the translators of Sherlock beautified the outward appearance of the female characters, reduced their agency, and produced timid and meek characters. In the final part, the thesis employs the “new woman” image proposed by Hu Ying to analyze what positions the characters in question are assigned on the new woman spectrum: Auoda in Around is brave but also traditional sometimes, taking up the middle position on the spectrum while almost all the female characters in Sherlock conform to traditional Chinese aesthetic standards, approaching the docile and passive side of the spectrum. Ayesha, though remains somewhat traditional, has comprehensive knowledge and ambition to rule. Thus, the image of Ayesha is portrayed toward the new and radical end of the spectrum.