简析《呼啸山庄》中的叙述时间艺术

孟德珩

【摘要】小说《呼啸山庄》以其深刻的主题,诗一般的语言,生动的人物描写,以及令人赞叹的艺术表达形式而闻名。在小说中,艾米丽·勃朗特大胆探寻叙述时间的技巧,并进行了实践。通过分析这部小说的人物,情节及结构,本篇论文旨在解读叙述时间的方法如何帮助展现小说的主题—男女主人公之间超越生死的爱情。

【关键词】呼吸山庄;时间哲学;线性

1.Introduction

Time is a primary part in the structure of a novel. In Wuthering Heights, “one of the most perplexing English novels”, Emily Bronte has artfully arranged the narrative time, which makes the time become an important factor not only in pushing forward the development of the plot in this novel but also in constructing the aesthetic structure of the novel, as well as in presenting emotions of the characters.

2.The Narrative that Breaks Time Order

According to its characteristics, time has three basic types: cosmic (the nature of which is annular), history (the nature of which is linear), and existential ( psychological, the nature of which is vertical). J.H.Roley, in his “English novels and three kinds of time”, has a further description of the differentiation of the three basic types of time history by Berdyayev.

The disorganization of linear time of narrative means a treatment of spatialization and the multiplex nature of time.

In the opening part of Wuthering Heights, the past and the future knock together: 1801—I have just returned from a visit to my landlord—the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with. The relater takes a present angle and, at the same time, leads the narration to the past and the future by “just” and “shall”. Chronological order, flash-back and flash-forward have their manifestation in one sentence, which intensify the consciousness of time. Thus, in such a scanty and close space, the game of time unfolds.

In the middle part of this novel, the authoress mainly adopts the art of flash-back and narrates the moral degeneration of Heathcliff. Hindley, after the death of his father, deprives Heathcliff of the right to get along with Catherine and love her equally, which has fostered the revengeful seed in Heathcliffs heart. But, to Heathcliff, the biggest strike lies in the betrayal of Catherine. Flash-back helps readers understand about Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights appeared in the first narrative time and about the emotions and the life of Heathcliff.

In Wuthering Heights, which mainly adopt the techniques of chronological time order and flash-back, especially the latter method of narrative, flash-forward has also been skillfully used. The flash-forward firstly signifies to readers the news of the death of Heathcliff, releasing part of the intense feeling of readers when they are reading the novel and arousing their reading desire at the same time, that is, how the life of such a character as Heathcliff comes to an end.

Besides, in her representing the past history to Lockwood, Nelly is sometimes forced to cease her narration of the story by “the force of time” or interruptions from other things and thus time converts to the present that Lockwood is in. Time accesses freely between the past and the present, revealing on the one hand the flexibility of time and making readers have a vivid conception of time on the other hand.

Although in the narration of the past by Nelly, there is little clear indication of time. Time, in fact, can be known by means of hints, and the specific date can be inferred by the limit definite time sequence.

3. Roundness of the time conception

In his essay “Time form and time-and-space form of a novel”, Mikhail Bakhtin holds that the form of time in the narration of a novel is a time-and-space form which units the existential space of man into a whole body. The time conception produced by the combination of farming time and the time of natural circulation and the importance of the symbolism of farming events and growth of plants have been emphasized, therefore the circus and regeneration of time consciousness of which surpasses the symbolism of life and death of individuals and becomes the basis of individual existence and the consolation of individual death---this image of time is an ancient ideological foundation of the resurrection and rebirth in myths and religions.

The adjacency of love and death can be found in Wuthering Heights, which has its manifestation in a narrative form of the roundness of time conception.

In the stories of the two Catherine, readers also feel the circulation of life. About twelve oclock that night, was born the Catherine(Cathy, daughter of Catherine Earnshaw) …a punny, seven months child; and two hours after the mother died. Here twelve oclock is a critical point, the turning point of two days, on which the old day comes to an end and a new day begins. Not only is time, but life itself also follows as a circle, as little Catherine is born when Catherine dies. Death is not the terminal of life but another continuation of life, and is a phase in the cosmic circulation. The love of Catherine Earnshaw has been expressed in the name of Catherine Heathcliff but has been chosen to finish in Catherine Linton, whereas her daughter becomes Catherine Heathcliff from Catherine Linton. Love of the two generations of Catherine makes readers feel the wonderful life. Here readers can see not only the themes of love and death of individuals often appearing in modern romantic novels but also the ancient themes of resurrection and circulation, all have manifestations in the roundness of time in this novel.

4. Conclusion

The theme of love and death often appear in modern novels. In Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontes distinct understandings of the world and life, as well as her deep thoughts of time have bestowed a philosophical depth to the novel. In its linear and round movements, the circular pattern of time has been constructed. Although not realized in their existence, their love described in the novel has a continuation after their death, and this love can only be expressed by the distinct time structure of the novel. This is also Emilys remarkable literary talent and her advanced consciousness of time conception.

【Bibliography】

[1]Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights , 青岛出版社

[2]Hilda D. Spear, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Macmillan Master Guides, Macmillan

[3]Darrow, David k. Models of Narrative Theory and Practice, Macmillan Press 2nd, 1997

[4]耿占春,叙事美学,郑州大学出版社

[5]谭君强,叙事理论与审美文化,中国社会科学出版社

[6]张福勇,李小敬,“浅析《呼啸山庄》的时间哲学”,外语与外语教学,2007年第6期