Перед нами образец ненаучной фантастики или литературы абсурда, датируемый 1784 годом. Заголовок «Остров на Луне» заимствован из начальной фразы этой незавершённой бурлескной фантазии, сохранившейся в неполной рукописи. Текст полон юмора, иронии, гротеска и смеха — часто издевательского. И при этом не вызывает сомнения, что многие детали списаны с натуры, и даже имеют автобиографический характер. Предполагается, что это сатира на общество, которое Блейк встретил в доме преподобного Энтони Стивена Мэтью и его жены Гарриет.
В роли Киника Жвачкинса (Quod the Cynic) Блейк вывел самого себя; в роли Эпикурейца Соскинса (Suction the Epicurean) — своего младшего брата Роберта; Пифагореец Глоткинс (Sipsop the Pithagorean) — возможно, это платоник Томас Тейлор, хотя есть и другие мнения; Газ Пламминг (Inflammable Gass) — доктор Джозеф Пристли; Законодатель Безмен (Steelyard the Lawgiver) — друг Блейка художник Джон Флаксман, Угол Тупинг (Obtuse Angle the Mathematician) — Джеймс Паркер, соученик Блейка в мастерской гравёра Джеймса Бэзайра; Арадобо Декан Марокканский (Aradobo, the Dean of Morocco) — Джозеф Джонсон, первый издатель нанявший Блейка в качестве иллюстратора; и т. д. В последней сцене, после досадной купюры, — несколько страниц каким-то образом исчезнули из рукописи, — Киник рассказывает об изобретённом им способе иллюминированной печати некой милой особе, лицо которой «своим благородством» напоминает ему тигра. Обнаружив, что дама разделяет его интересы, он делает ей предложение и тут же получает согласие. Возможно, имеется в виду Кэтрин Софи Бушер, ставшая женой Блейка в 1782 году.
Проза здесь свободно перетекает в стихи, а стихи в прозу. Нередкая практика публикации этих стихов отдельно без прозы имеет мало смысла, поскольку лишает их контекста. Впервые этот текст Блейка был опубликован в 1907 Эдвином Джоном Эллисом. Подзаголовки глав в оригинале отсутствуют.
Перевод был выполнен в июле 1982 года в Сухуми. Тогда же была сделана серия иллюстраций к тексту. Позднее я неоднократно возвращялся к этому переводу, пытаясь его усовершенствовать. И я благодарен всем, прочитавшим этот перевод и высказавших свои критические замечания: Владимиру Рогову, Григорию Кружкову, Дмитрию Манину, Елене Кистеровой, Юрию Брызгалову и, особенно, Виталине Тхоржевской, потратившей уйму времени и энергии, чтобы помочь мне выправить все обнаруженные ею погрешности в тексте перевода.
Сентябрь 2012, Сент-Олбанс, Англия
Characters
Many of the characters in An Island are parodies of Blake's friends and acquaintances, although there is considerable critical disagreement as to who some of the characters represent. Indeed, some scholars question the usefulness of trying to discover who any of them represent. Northrop Frye, for example, argues "the characters are not so much individuals as representatives of the various types of "reasoning" which are satirised."[1] Peter Ackroyd also suggests that understanding who the characters represent is less important than understanding the satire at the heart of the piece.[2] Similarly, Nick Rawlinson argues that trying to attach the characters to specific people "limits the scope of the work to the eighteenth-century equivalent of a scurrilous email [...] it is reasonable to assume that the various characters stand for something more than just amusing personality sketches [...] It may be more helpful to see the characters as a reflection not just of a real person but also of an attitude Blake wishes to question."[3]
Nevertheless, much critical work has been done on endeavouring to unravel which real life person is behind each of the fictional characters.
- Quid the Cynic – based on Blake;[4][5] represents cynicism and doubt; S. Foster Damon calls him "a lusty caricature of Blake himself [...] a poet who characteristically runs down those he admires most."[6] Rawlinson suggests his name may be derived from the word 'Quidnunc'; a popular term in the eighteenth century for a busybody and know-it-all.[7]
- Suction the Epicurean – based on Blake's brother, Robert;[8][5] hates mathematics and science, and lives instead by his feelings. Damon believes he represents "the philosophy of the senses"[9] and is "an all-absorbing atheist."[10] Rawlinson suggests he may be a composite of Robert Blake and the print seller Jemmy Whittle.[11] Suction is an Epicurean, a philosophical school despised by Blake, because of its rejection of the importance of the spirit, and reliance on materialism, which he associated with Francis Bacon. Circa 1808, Blake would write, "Bacon is only Epicurus over again."[12]
- Sipsop the Pythagorean – Geoffrey Keynes suggests that Sipsop is based on the neoplatonist Thomas Taylor with whose work Blake was familiar. Keynes is supported in this by Alicia Ostriker.[5] However, David V. Erdman, disputes this theory and instead suggests that Sipsop is based on William Henry Mathew, eldest son of Anthony Stephen Mathew. Erdman bases this argument on the fact that William Henry was apprenticed to the surgeon John Hunter, who is represented in An Island by Jack Tearguts, to whom Sipsop is apprenticed. On the other hand, Nancy Bogen believes that Sipsop is based on John Abernethy.[13] Sipsop is often posited as representing the science rejected by Suction, but Damon argues this cannot be so, as such science is represented by Inflammable Gass. To Damon's mind, this leaves Sipsop with something of an undefined role.[14] As a Pythagorean, Sipsop is ideologically the opposite of Suction the Epicurean; Pythagoreanism embraces the mysticism that Epicureanism explicitly rejects.
- Inflammable Gass – Damon suggests he may be based on the scientist and philosopher Joseph Priestley, as Gass' reference to "flogiston" recalls Priestley's experiments with phlogiston, which were quite well known at the time.[4] G.E. Bentley reaches a similar conclusion, citing a demonstration given at the Free Masons Tavern on Great Queen Street during which some phosphorus ignited and destroyed the lamp containing it. Bentley believes that this incident may have formed the basis for the broken glass during an experiment in chapter 10.[16] Erdman however, rejects this identification, arguing that there is no evidence Blake was familiar with either the demonstrations or the writings of Priestley. Instead, Erdman suggests that Gass may simply be a characteristic type representing all science in general. In 1951, Palmer Brown suggested that Gass may be based on the conjurer Gustavus Katterfelto, who was equally as famous as Priestley in London, and who carried out public experiments in Piccadilly. Although Erdman initially rejected Brown's theory, he changed his mind shortly before writing Blake: Prophet Against Empire, and ultimately came to support it.[17] Another possibility, suggested by W.H. Stevenson, is William Nicholson, author of An Introduction to Natural Philosophy, for which Blake engraved the title page vignette in 1781.[18] Other possibilities, suggested by Stanley Gardner, are the physician George Fordyce and the scientist Henry Cavendish. Rawlinson suggests Gass could, at least in part, be based on the botanist Joseph Banks.[11]
Угол Тупинг (Obtuse Angle the Mathematician) — Джеймс Паркер, соученик Блейка в гравировальной мастерской Бэзайра;
- Obtuse Angle – generally agreed to be based on James Parker, Blake’s fellow apprentice during his time with Basire.[19] George Mills Harper, however, believes that Angle is instead based on Thomas Taylor (Harper agrees with Erdman that Sipsop is not based on Taylor but on William Henry Mathew). Harper argues that Angle seems to be an educator, and his relationship with many of the other characters is that of a teacher and student. This is significant because there is evidence that Blake took lessons in Euclid under Taylor, hence Angle's apparent role as teacher.[20] Erdman supports this theory.[21] Rawlinson suggests that Angle may be partially based on Blake's friend George Cumberland, as well as the antiquarian Francis Douce.[22]
- Aradobo – based on either Joseph Johnson, the first publisher to employ Blake as a copy-engraver,[23] or one of the book seller Edward brothers (James, John and Richard). In 1784, James and John had opened a book shop in Pall Mall, with Richard as their apprentice, and Blake would certainly have been familiar with the shop.[24]
Столп Этрускер Антикварий / Etruscan Column
- Etruscan Column – Harper believes that Column is based on the antiquarian John Brand.[25]
- Little Scopprell – Erdman suggests he may represent J.T. Smith, but he acknowledges that this is based on guesswork only.[26]
- Tilly Lally – no known basis for this character, although he is often posited as representing elegance.[27]
- Mrs. Nannicantipot – based on the poet and children's author Anna Laetitia Barbauld.[28]
- Gibble Gabble – because she is married to Gass, she is usually seen as representing Joseph Priestley's real wife, Mary Priestley.[4] However, there is some disagreement about whether or not Gass actually represents Priestley, and if not, then presumably, Gibble Gabble could no longer be posited as representing Mary.
- Mrs Gimblet – possibly based on Harriet Mathew.[29] Rawlinson suggests she could be based on Charlotte Lennox.[30]
- Mrs Gittipin - possibly based on Nancy Flaxman, John Flaxman's wife.[31]
- Ms. Sigtagatist – Nancy Bogen suggests she is based on Harriet Mathew, but Erdman believes this is doubtful.[26] The name "Sigtagatist" was first written "Sistagatist" in most places, but changed.[32] Twice during the piece, she is sarcastically referred to as Mrs Sinagain; once by Tily Lally in Chapter 3d ("Ill tell you what Mrs Sinagain I dont think theres any harm in it"), and once by the narrator in Chapter 4 ("Ah," said Mrs Sinagain. "I'm sure you ought to hold your tongue, for you never say any thing about the scriptures, & you hinder your husband from going to church").
- Jack Tearguts – mentioned only; based on the surgeon and lecturer John Hunter, whose name Blake wrote in the manuscript before replacing it with Jack Tearguts.[4]
- Mr. Jacko – mentioned only; possibly based on portrait painter Richard Cosway;[33] probably named after a famous performing monkey well known in London at the time.[34]
- Mrs. Nann – mentioned only; Nancy Bogen believes she is based on Blake's wife, Catherine, but Erdman believes this is guesswork.[26]
Links — Ссылки
Примечание
- ↑ Ошибка цитирования Неверный тег
<ref>; для сносокFrye (1947: 191)не указан текст - ↑ Ошибка цитирования Неверный тег
<ref>; для сносокAckroyd (1995: 90)не указан текст - ↑ Rawlinson: 104-105)
- ↑ Перейти обратно: 4,0 4,1 4,2 4,3 Damon (1988: 199)
- ↑ Перейти обратно: 5,0 5,1 5,2 5,3 Ошибка цитирования Неверный тег
<ref>; для сносокOstriker (1977: 876)не указан текст - ↑ Damon (1988: 337)
- ↑ Rawlinson (2003: 105)
- ↑ Ostriker (1977: 876)
- ↑ Damon (1988: 200)
- ↑ Damon (1988: 374)
- ↑ Перейти обратно: 11,0 11,1 Rawlinson (2003: 107)
- ↑ Erdman (1982: 645); from 'Annotations to Joshua Reynolds' (c.1808)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 97n17)
- ↑ Damon (1988: 374)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 100)
- ↑ Bentley (2001: 83)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 93-94n13)
- ↑ Stevenson (2007: 44)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 89)
- ↑ Harper (1961: 32)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 506)
- ↑ Rawlinson (2003: 106)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 96)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 507)
- ↑ Harper (1961: 40)
- ↑ Перейти обратно: 26,0 26,1 26,2 Erdman (1977: 98n17)
- ↑ England (1974: 493)
- ↑ Erdman (1977: 99)
- ↑ Bentley (2001: 82)
- ↑ Rawlinson (2003: 104)
- ↑ Joseph Viscomi, 'Introduction', An Island in the Moon: A Satire by William Blake, 1983
- ↑ Ошибка цитирования Неверный тег
<ref>; для сносокErdman (1982: 849)не указан текст - ↑ Erdman (1977: 96)
- ↑ Ackroyd (1995: 91)
