The Unbearable Lightness of Being 不能承受的生命之轻

王娟

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is an outstanding existential（存在主义的） novel by Milan Kundera， who is the Czech Republic most recognized writer. He has lived in exile（流放） in France since 1975， having become a naturalized citizen in 1981.

The novel starts with a philosophical discussion of lightness versus heaviness. Milan Kundera wonders if any meaning or weight can be attributed to life for one cannot live twice and there is no way to compare one life with another. The uncertain existence of meaning and the opposition of lightness and heaviness are mainly discussed in this story.

The protagonist（主人公）of the novel，

Tomá[ˇ][s]， is a brilliant Prague surgeon who pursues a philosophy of living a life full of lightness in this story. He hangs out with different women and enjoys following his individual rules for relationship. He would never think of his ex⁃wife and children. During a visit to a town he falls in love with a cafe waitress named Tereza. He breaks his rules and marries her. Although they get married， his attitude to women is still not changed. He claims that his relationship with other women would not decrease his love for Tereza. Tereza， however， unable to accept his behavior， suffers increasingly from nightmares. Tomá[ˇ][s] even introduces  his  long⁃term lover， Sabina to Tereza. Just like Tomá[ˇ][s]， Sabina lives a light life with no burdens.

Tomá[ˇ][s]    is   driven  out   of   Prague  for some reason with Tereza. They go to Switzerland where Tereza finds herself useless and gets back to Prague. Tomá[ˇ][s]  finds a job washing windows and keeps seducing women. Then， Tomá[ˇ][s]  flees back too for he loves Tereza very much. After living peacefully in the country for some time， Tomá[ˇ][s]   and  Tereza  are  killed  one  night  in a driving accident. They die instantly and together.

參考译文

不能承受的生命之轻

《不能承受的生命之轻》是捷克共和国最知名的作家米兰·昆德拉创作的优秀存在主义小说。1975年后，他一直在法国流亡，1981年加入法国国籍。

小说开篇就对轻和重展开了富有哲理的讨论。米兰·昆德拉想知道，生命是否能被加上某种意义或重量，因为生命只有一次，无从把一种人生和另一种人生相互比较。意义的存在与否，以及轻和重的对立在小说中被浓墨重彩地讨论着。

小说的主人公托马斯是布拉格才华出众的外科医生，他追求的生活哲学就是轻松人生。他总是和不同的女人闲荡，享受着自己对于个性化关系原则的遵守。至于前妻和孩子他想都不想。在一次小镇之行中，他爱上了咖啡馆的女服务员特丽莎。于是他放弃了自己的原则，娶她为妻。虽为人夫，但他对女人的态度却丝毫未变。他声称和其他女人的关系根本不会减少他对特丽莎的爱。但特丽莎并不能接受他的行为，夜夜梦魇，苦不堪言。托马斯甚至还把自己的长期姘头萨宾娜介绍给特丽莎。而萨宾娜和托马斯一样，都过着轻浮放纵的生活。

某种原因使托马斯携特丽莎离开了布拉格。他们到了瑞士，在那里，特丽莎发觉自己无事可做，所以她又回到了布拉格。托马斯找了份擦窗户的工作，继续勾搭女人。后来，托马斯因为深爱着特丽莎也回来了。在祖国度过了一段平和的生活之后，某天晚上，托马斯和特丽莎在一起交通事故中身亡，两个人的生命瞬间终结。