易卜生戏剧(Ghosts)
Posted: 2020-04-26 10:36
玩偶之家
前几天读了 Hedda Gabler 被震撼到了之后,决定去读一下 A Doll's House,虽然此剧大名鼎鼎,剧情早就听别人复述过很多遍,但是跟一句一句地读原著能一样吗?我预料一定跟二手经验不同,然而我完全没想到有多么不同。才看了几页就分分钟有喘不过气的感觉,触及灵魂。不,其实并不是批判父权社会压迫女性那么简单,当然确实那也是成分之一,但更重要的是这出戏跟所有的我喜欢的文学作品一样,展现的是 The way we live, the way we are. The truth. 我们已经习惯到无知无觉地生活,它忽然竖起一面镜子,让我们突然看出了自己的本质,并在这真相之下裂成千百个碎片。
Ibsen 触及的很多议题都是我看见、觉察、想过、而不得要领的问题,被他这样直白地捅出来,常常会感到喘不过气的惊骇,或者仿佛胸口被大锤重击的震撼。先不提女主角 Nora Helmer,开场不久她的多年不见的女友 Kristine (Mrs. Linde) 忽然来家里拜访她。三言两句中就交代了她的历史,三年前丈夫去世了,日子过得颇为艰难。下面这段短短的对话精彩地要死,我来回看了好几遍,大师啊 I love it so much ---
我们都知道这点小算盘很快就要完蛋了,借钱给 Nora 的人名叫 Krogstad,他就在银行里工作,过了年就要成为 Torvald 的下属。然而这个人的名声不太好,因为过去曾经做过什么不体面的事情。Torvald 表示等他一上台就会把 Krogstad 辞退,因为 Torvald 是个道德洁癖,容不下有历史污点的下属。正好遇上 Mrs. Linde 在找工作,这空出的职位就顺手留给太太的好友了。可是 Krogstad 不会乖乖地消失,他单独来找 Nora 谈判,要求她说服 Torvald 收回成命让自己留在银行。因为,他手上捏了一张王牌。
这张王牌并不是三年前 Nora 瞒着丈夫向别人借钱那么简单,而是(gasp)她在借钱时伪造了她父亲(担保人)的签名,当时她父亲病危快死了,她不想让父亲知道而病情加剧,并且,女人不能单独借钱,必须有男人担保。伪造父亲的签名是犯罪,一旦揭露出来她夫妻俩都会身败名裂。
(赞叹一下这层层剥开的曲折情节,一只一只掉的包袱。)
“我只是想保护临终的父亲,救治我的丈夫,这也违法?” Nora 惊骇地问。可是法不容情。这时 Krogstad 顺口漏了一句(剧本里到处都是看似顺口漏了一句的台词,但是几乎每一句最后都会 pay off,所以每一句都需要细细研读),"But let me tell you, my own offence was no more and no worse than that, and it ruined my entire reputation." 一失足便永世不得翻身,也许 Torvald 的道德洁癖并不是偶然的。
等 Torvald 回家后,Nora 勉力执行 Krogstad 的要求,跟 Torvald 提出不要辞退他。Torvald 立刻滔滔不绝地对这个臭名昭著的人进行道德批判。
在下一场戏里,Nora 旧话重提,请求 Torvald 不要开除 Krogstad,这次 Torvald 终于说漏了嘴,坦白了他讨厌 Krogstad 的真正原因:
Nora 害怕得要死,但是又不敢坦白为什么如此害怕 Krogstad,难道丈夫看不出她的失态吗?这里作者特狡猾地插了一段关于过去的对话,暗示 Nora 的父亲曾经干过不太体面的事情,也许也是受贿或道德败坏之类的丑闻,政府派一个下级公务员去调查他,这个调查员就是 Torvald Helmer。他去调查了,眼开眼闭地放过了老头子,然后娶了他的漂亮女儿做老婆。所以呢,剧中出场加没出场的四个男性角色里,三个都是各有各的污点,包括满口仁义道德的 Torvald,只有 Dr. Rank 似乎没啥黑历史 ... 关于这个人物我会在后面讨论。
Torvald 以为 Nora 害怕 Krogstad 是因为她联想到了她父亲的污点历史(也许正因为如此才急着开除老熟人?),他想不到自己的小鸟太太能干出什么大件事来。“你别怕,”他对太太拍胸脯保证,出了什么事我会保护你的,"When it comes to the point, I've enough strength and enough courage, believe me, for whatever happens. You'll find I'm man enough to take everything on myself." 就是这一句吹牛,给后面 Nora 的思路和行为留下了伏笔。因为她真信他了。
作为他的长期好友,连医生也相信了 Torvald 的道德洁癖的性质,评价道,"Helmer is a sensitive soul; he loathes anything that's ugly." 这时他得了绝症,快要死了,对 Nora 说,等我不行了,就给你留个信号,你们都别来看我最后丑陋的临终面目。但是这话他只能对 Nora 说,却对老友 Torvald 绝口不提。(这个绝症是 congenital syphilis,是从他父亲那里继承来的。Ibsen 不太懂医学,或许那个时候还没搞清梅毒的病原体,总之他对梅毒的描述不太科学,但的确父亲可以通过感染母亲而祸害后代。)
不出所料,Krogstad 收到了解雇信后大怒,跑来对 Nora 说,我要跟你们拼个鱼死网破,我完了你也别想平安无事。Nora 说你不会得逞的,我会承担全部责任并自杀,你最后也拿不回银行工作,对你没有任何好处。Krogstad 说你自杀也没用,我把你的借条公诸于众,Torvald 一样会沾上污水。他写了一封给 Torvald 的敲诈信,历数他太太的丑闻,然后塞进 Helmer 家门口的信箱里就走了,Nora 快要疯了,因为她没有自家信箱的钥匙,只有丈夫才能打开信箱。
剧情达到 frantic 高潮!Nora 和女友 Mrs. Linde 为了抢在 Torvald 之前拿到这封信,进行了一系列错综复杂的疯狂活动。这时才掉出一只大包袱,原来 Kristine 年轻时跟 Krogstad 恋爱,因为那时他没钱没前途,才选中了别人,实际上他俩各自后悔多年,重逢后又感到了旧情复燃 ... 所以 Kristine 打算跟旧情人谈判,说服 Krogstad 停手。但 Nora 不知女友能否成功,眼看着信箱里的那封信心惊肉跳,已经做好了自杀的准备——她为啥要自杀呢?因为她相信丑闻一旦爆出来,Torvald 会把伪造签名的事揽到自己身上,拯救太太,而她绝对不能眼见丈夫为了自己犯下的罪行而身败名裂 ...
然而在 Nora 和 Krogstad 的对话中,作者已经埋下了伏笔:
所以这里是让我重新审视之前那句关于欺骗的话,关于成天戴着面具,连家人也看不见这人的真面目。虽然 Nora 听着联想到自己的谎言,但实际上说的是 Torvald 自己,而且,很可能他在内心深处不是不知道自己的假象。每天啰啰嗦嗦地对着老婆喊甜心,我爱你,我的美丽小鸟,我有道德洁癖,绝对洁身自好,眼睛里揉不下沙子,人生一切干干净净一尘不染,避免一点点肮脏丑陋。原来都是他妈的放屁。原来都是谎言。
实际上 Torvald 暴露出的真面目还不止是这段。暴怒之后他的结论是 "The thing must be hushed up at all costs. And as far as you and I are concerned, things must appear to go on exactly as before." 一切都必须维持干干净净的体面,虽然他对太太已经憎恶之极,叫她以后不许教育孩子,不能污染了孩子的纯洁心灵。
这时又来了一封信,Krogstad 把借据还给 Nora,剩下的欠款也不要了。他很幸福,开心得很,马上要跟 Kristine 开始新生活了,祝你们也幸福!至此,作者才扔下了关于 Torvald 的最后一个包袱。Torvald 打开信封,欢呼起来。
如果没有这一段,有些人可能还看不清真相,以为 Torvald 在道德洁癖的路上走向极端而已。这一段揭露才是最狠的,表明他的一尘不染的自我形象都是假的,装的,A petty, shabby mask he wears all the time, to everyone, including himself.
最后是一大段 Nora 冷静的离家宣言,这段大家都耳熟能详我就不抄了。
暂时先搁下Nora那一段 feminist 宣言,继续讨论关于讲真话的议题。
从一出场 Nora 就揣着一袋小甜饼 macaroons,偷偷地吃,因为 Torvald 不喜欢她吃糖。她为了丈夫借钱,为了父亲伪造签名,暗地里打零工,直到被敲诈逼到墙角 ... 她并不是为自己的行为羞耻,在独白里多次表示不认为自己做了什么坏事,那么为什么要瞒着躲着呢?很明显他们夫妻俩彼此很少说真话。说实话第一场里 Torvald 教训她钱要省着点用的那口吻就让我立刻鸡皮疙瘩刷刷出来,但 Nora 笑嘻嘻地接受好像毫不介意。剧里有两段看似无聊的戏,Nora 和医生闲聊,对于推进情节似乎毫无用处,放在一句顶三句的这种剧本里好像很奇怪。我想了半天,感觉它们的作用是展现 Nora 的真实面目,她与医生的相处,作用是对比跟她与丈夫的互动。
高潮降临之前,Mrs. Linde 已经说服了 Krogstad 放弃敲诈 Helmer 夫妇的计划,Krogstad 甚至说,我去找 Torvald 把摊牌信要回来就没事了,不让他看见。但是 Kristine 阻止了他,不——
Nora 在“明白了”之后,收拾行李离家出走,临行前跟 Torvald 讲了很长一段话。当然,Torvald 是听勿懂,所以实际上是说给观众听的。考虑到此刻是1879年,近150年之后我们听着仍然不过时,这也许说明妇女解放的进程真是缓慢啊。一般提到《玩偶之家》的评论文章,都是强调中心思想为:Nora 意识到自己被丈夫以宠物对待,没有独立人格,从父亲的家直接进了丈夫的家,一直都是依赖男人,所以她出走,拒绝继续这种生活。这当然没错。但是给我的感触还不止这几条重点。
我觉得不用多解释了吧?大家都明白这是真实的,真实得可怕。即使表面上已经精神独立了,但还是处处忍不住想讨好父权/authority/上帝,时间长了根本分不清哪些是内部(自己)的思想,哪些是外部的加诸的。外部未必都是坏的或者压迫的,关键在于我们与它们的关系。我不由得联想到全网删贴禁言的风俗和制度,过了一阵子之后,不需要上面派人来发现有什么可删可禁的内容,下面就自动揭发举报上去了,而且还 police each other,有什么自己看不顺眼的东西,一边举报一边在留言里义愤填膺地围攻之。
这绝不是仅限于女性的现象,但这又是特别的对付女性的现象,从广告里被 airbrush 到瘦高无皱纹的美女模特,到“自古以来”非圣母即妓女的文艺形象,到大老板摸来摸去还要陪着笑脸的企业文化。If she thinks differently, if she is different, she keeps quiet about it.
Nora 偷偷摸摸地吃甜食这个情节让我尤其心惊肉跳,因为 ... This, this has not changed at all. 我认识的美国白女中,没遇到一个没有节食过的,不论胖瘦,不论年纪,不论美丑。
我觉得美国的女权运动与黑人民权运动有很大关联并不是偶然的现象。社会对女性的结构性歧视和压迫是很难说清楚的,不象种族歧视可以用一张黑奴被卖的照片,或者一段白人警察殴打黑人青年的视频那样,一目了然。这是一间漂漂亮亮的温暖舒服的屋子,里面有棵挂满装饰的圣诞树,树下堆满包得花花绿绿的礼物,壁炉中的火烧得旺旺的,桌上摆着热腾腾的饭菜,柜橱里挂着时尚昂贵的裙子,爸爸和丈夫哄着宠着,人人都爱你。This is a doll's house. In this house you can enjoy all the comfort of life.
我都不能说这是 feminist message. 当社会告诉你,男孩子从来不哭,男人不做饭洗碗带孩子,男人从来不示弱道歉,maybe you too should find out who is right, society or you.
剧情叙述和中心思想总结完毕!最后说两句技巧。
之前读 Hedda Gabler 的时候就被 plotting 和 pacing 的精巧完美吓坏了,A Doll House 在结构方面更加滴水不漏。可惜那时候还不流行侦探小说,否则我觉得 Ibsen 绝对能写出一流的侦探小说。他设置悬念,剥茧抽丝,有条不紊地抖包袱的能力实在是太让人佩服了,并且逻辑缜密,绝无漏洞或断线头,no loose end whatsoever。在这方面莎士比亚的确不太擅长。前几天我跟某戏剧系毕业的朋友聊天,问她是不是有个流派专门要把所有出场人物都用到情节里去,为了达到最大的戏剧化效果,每个人都跟每个人有关,不是多年前的老情人就是失散了的私生子啥啥的关系。她说是有,其实是古罗马舞台剧的发明,传承两千年,特强调 intricate structure,例如 The Importance of Being Earnest. 当然也有不属于这个流派的剧。
玩偶之家里所有的出场人物,除了 Dr. Rank,都彼此有关系,在剧情里起到关键性的作用,真是物尽其用到了极致。例如 Mrs. Linde 开头的作用只是衬托对比 Nora 而已,直到第三幕突然在情节上起到关键作用,没她不行。在 Hedda Gabler 里面也是没有一个人物能够删减的,唯一一个显得有点多余的人物,在高潮时刻突然起到关键作用。相比之下,莎士比亚的剧里就经常有打酱油的小角色,就是砍掉了也不会影响到情节。
不仅人物和情节极其精简,而且台词也是,上面已经感叹过了,一句话能顶三四句的意思,没有一句是废话,所有埋下的伏笔最后都 pay off。
这是为什么我觉得 Dr. Rank 是个颇为奇怪的角色。真要缩短排演时间,砍掉他也是可以的,对于整个剧情没有致命打击。除了让观众看到 Nora 的真实自我之外,我还没有完全想清楚他在剧中起到作用。Rank 的台词毫无推进情节的功能,他对父辈和命运的愤怒与不甘,以牢骚话的形式说出来。也许,他给 Nora 提供了一面镜子,让她看到自己的生命也跟死亡差不多。总之,这个人物的存在,象征意义超过了实用性。
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HEDDA GABLER
玩偶之家写得太长了。后面写短点。
从一开头就值得注意的是题目。题目中女主角的名字是她的婚前姓,Gabler,虽然她还没出场我们就知道她刚结婚,已经是 Hedda Tesman 了。虽然我目前只读过两部 Ibsen 的剧,但已经发现了共同点,戏中都有一个幽灵般的存在,虽然没上场却一直笼罩在大家的头上,这个幽灵就是女主角已经去世的父亲。More than Nora Helmer, Hedda is her father's daughter. 她爹曾是个将军,General Gabler。剧本提供了很多只言片语的边角料,暗示当年 Hedda 在本地的地位和名声。
Hedda 一出场就来了一段对于姨妈 Julia 的唇枪舌剑,尖锐程度堪比张爱玲,差别在于 ... 我一边意识到 "She's a BAAAAAD woman." 一边忍不住狂笑不止。这个感觉颇有点儿 disturbing 哦。毛姆也很擅长写这种,你明知他不是好人但是忍不住跟在他屁股后面呵呵傻笑的人物。
Mrs. Elvsted 在三言两语中叙述了自己过去几年的遭遇。实际上颇有点类似简爱,她去一家有钱人给孩子当家庭教师,这家太太身体不好,后来病死,家庭教师就嫁给了比自己大很多的老爷。这个老爷还是地方警长!
二人的对话渐渐引出 Mrs. Elvsted 已经离家出走的现实(“Nora出走之后”的实例表现?)。第一幕的对手戏中,Mrs. Elvsted 与 Hedda Tesman 二人形成鲜明对比,前者显得神经质,胆小懦弱,一惊一乍;后者高高在上,美貌自信,气场强大。例如 Hedda 三言两语就把女友的真实状况套了出来。然而,看看她俩的对话却很有趣 ——
从一开头每个角色,包括新出场的法官 Brack,都在议论 Eilert Lovborg,神神秘秘的,只言片语的线索,观众需要自己拼图加猜想。人人都认识 Lovborg,跟他有过瓜葛旧事,而且对他的重出江湖兴奋不已,各怀鬼胎。他到底是什么样的人呢?Apparently he's brilliant. “At one time they called him the hope of the family.” 然后不知咋的变成臭名昭著的感觉,虽然大家都不肯直说,一味挑逗观众的好奇心。不过根据 Mrs. Elvsted 的叙述,Lovborg 已经改邪归正了,"gave up his old habits",在她的感召和协助下写了一本巨著,the march of civilization,一出版就成了畅销书。但是,"a woman's shadow stands between Loveborg and me",据说 Lovborg 对一个不知名的旧情人念念不忘,Mrs. Elvsted 认为旧情人是个红发歌女:
法官 Brack 跑来告诉 Tesman 之前许诺给他的教授职位危险了,因为现在 Lovborg 的书让他又成了学术界新星,Tesman 和 Lovborg 要竞争这个职位了。这消息让 Tesman 陷入恐慌,因为他跟 Hedda 的婚姻的基础就是这个尚未兑现但(他认为)十拿九稳的教授职位,为此他已经铺开了排场,租下豪宅,买下贵重家具,计划分分钟打入上流社会。慢慢地,在台词里与字里行间中,我们模糊地意识到,Hedda “下嫁”给 George Tesman 也是建立在这个教授职位上的,然而这一切都开始动摇了 ...
第二幕一开场,手枪再次出现。总之,本剧的结构不象玩偶之家那么清晰,有明确的悬念牵引着压力越来越强必然崩溃,而是到处散落着很多“闲笔”,开头看起来没有明显的发展方向,而似乎是为刻画人物服务的细节,例如 Brack 法官与 Hedda 之间的调侃对白。
对于戏剧和剧本其实我不太熟悉(不象黑帮电影或者武侠片),总觉得这些模棱两可的台词给演员和导演很大的发挥空间,换言之剧中的人物既有鲜明特征又捉摸不定,可以投射各种不同的定义与揣测,当然最主要的是 Hedda。在她跟法官的对话中能感觉到,两人之间有种默契,共享的层面,是跟丈夫 Tesman 完全无关的领域。Brack 法官几乎是 Dr. Rank 的反面,他坦承自己就喜欢混在别的家庭的客厅里,享受一下家庭的气氛,但自己不用担任任何家庭的责任。或许,反面正面都是同一枚硬币 ...
剧已经过去一半,万众瞩目的 Lovborg 终于出现了!
这里提的一句,而且只有一句!文稿不是 Lovborg 自己书写的,而是他口述的,让人立刻联想到 Mrs. Elvsted. 这一点最后有 pay-off 吗?Sort of. 但仍然十分隐晦。我有一些猜想但并不很肯定。
当然 Tesman 最关心的事情是跟 Lovborg 抢那个教授职位,马上就问老同学这件事。出人意料地,Lovborg 表示没兴趣跟他竞争:
Lovborg 拒绝了Brack 和 Tesman 找他喝一杯酒的要求,这两人去隔壁房间,留下 Lovborg 和 Hedda 单独相处 ...
他俩的对话非常拐弯抹角,隐晦含糊,我来回看了好几遍,只能猜测但不能肯定,是说 Hedda 曾经不停追问 Lovborg 在外面滥交的放荡行为,但她滑不留手。我就不全部抄过来了,大家可以自己去看。
这时我们终于明白 Lovborg 爱的是 Hedda,而与小媳妇 Mrs. Elvsted 根本没有一腿。
Mrs. Elvsted 出现了,奇怪的三角关系形成了,Hedda 和 Lovborg 进行隐晦奇妙的对话:
后来的事大家都可以猜到了。然而后来的事又风起云涌难以预测。我很犹豫要不要放出全部的 spoilers,毕竟还是自己看比较惊心动魄。Decisions, decisions ...
剧透警告!如果打算自己读/看剧的同学不要再看下去了!!
... ...
Lovborg 去跟一帮老友派对,当然旧病复发,喝得稀里糊涂。在路上把手稿给丢了,人跑到 ... 当当当,红发歌女那里去了!手稿被 Tesman 捡了去。Tesman 拿回家给 Hedda 看,老婆马上问, Lovborg 知道自己丢了手稿吗?知道你拿去了吗?Tesman 说不知道,人还迷糊着那,等会儿我去还他。还没来得及呢,Tesman (另一个)姨妈去世,被叫走了,手稿于是落到了 Hedda 手中 ...
Lovborg 发现丢掉了手稿后还以为是在妓院,呃,红发歌女,的家里丢的,对方当然不承认,他就大发酒疯,又吵又闹。这一段是由法官向 Hedda 转述的。充满了冷嘲热讽。
法官 Brack 向 Hedda 承认他把 Lovborg 看作是敌人,sort of,并不是浪漫意义上的情敌,而是占住 Tesman 家的客厅的讨厌鬼,抢了法官自己的地盘。
这时候 Lovborg 出现了,但是 Hedda 假装不知道手稿的事,Lovborg 太过羞耻,只是旁敲侧击地问。这时 Mrs. Elvsted 也出现了!
这时 Hedda 也没有承认自己知道手稿的下落。Tesman 去奔丧了,没法当场提供真相。
另一个有意思的细节是,Lovborg 把手稿丢了就宣布以后再也不写了,啥也不干了。为啥呢?他不能重写一遍吗?不能写点别的吗?为什么态度如此绝望涅?联想到之前提到手稿的笔迹并非他手写 ...
Lovborg 跑路之前,Hedda 送给他一件分手礼物,你可以猜到是啥礼物吧?没错就是那把手枪。
然后呢,当然啦,契诃夫的枪必然会响。到了这个地步大家也可以预测到 Lovborg 会用这把枪自杀,对吧?这时法官出现了,他报告 Lovborg 开枪打中了自己的胸口,被送到医院快死了。Hedda 感叹说啊,有自杀的勇气,美!
故事的结尾还抖了最后一只包袱,我就不剧透了。总之就是,跟看惊悚片似的,后面一串一串的意外发展。
把话题拉回手稿上面。很有意思的是,Lovborg 为手稿的丢失呼天抢地,寻死觅活;但在手稿中“注入灵魂”的 Mrs. Elvsted 却并没有绝望,而是掏出兜里的一把碎纸片,对 George Tesman 说,我们一起把手稿重写出来吧,我这里有很多原始材料和 notes,我们一定可以拼出原图的。
所以我的疑心是什么呢?这本关于未来文明的书稿,其实是 Mrs. Elvsted 写的,Lovborg 只是辅助而已,并且署名。但是直到最后,Ibsen 都没有将此事挑明。
前几天读了 Hedda Gabler 被震撼到了之后,决定去读一下 A Doll's House,虽然此剧大名鼎鼎,剧情早就听别人复述过很多遍,但是跟一句一句地读原著能一样吗?我预料一定跟二手经验不同,然而我完全没想到有多么不同。才看了几页就分分钟有喘不过气的感觉,触及灵魂。不,其实并不是批判父权社会压迫女性那么简单,当然确实那也是成分之一,但更重要的是这出戏跟所有的我喜欢的文学作品一样,展现的是 The way we live, the way we are. The truth. 我们已经习惯到无知无觉地生活,它忽然竖起一面镜子,让我们突然看出了自己的本质,并在这真相之下裂成千百个碎片。
Ibsen 触及的很多议题都是我看见、觉察、想过、而不得要领的问题,被他这样直白地捅出来,常常会感到喘不过气的惊骇,或者仿佛胸口被大锤重击的震撼。先不提女主角 Nora Helmer,开场不久她的多年不见的女友 Kristine (Mrs. Linde) 忽然来家里拜访她。三言两句中就交代了她的历史,三年前丈夫去世了,日子过得颇为艰难。下面这段短短的对话精彩地要死,我来回看了好几遍,大师啊 I love it so much ---
既然没有爱,她当初为什么会嫁给他呢?Nora 向女友提出这个问题。原因倒是不复杂,Kristine 有卧病的老母和两个未成年的弟弟需要照顾。"I didn't think I would be justified in refusing him." 一个熟悉的处境。丈夫当时有钱,但做的是高风险生意,死后还掉债务就什么都不剩下了。Nora: And didn't he leave you anything?
Mrs. Linde: No.
Nora: And no children?
Mrs. Linde: No.
Nora: Absolutely nothing?
Mrs. Linde: Nothing at all ... not even a broken heart to grieve over.
两个人没说两句,Nora 就告诉女友一个秘密,前几年他们生活颇为拮据,当律师的丈夫 Torvald 患上肺病,需要到意大利休养。Nora 向人借了4800 kroner,他们去住了一年,终于把他的病养好了。但是丈夫有道德洁癖,极其反对借贷,她就假称钱是父亲去世留下的。最近三年里她把丈夫给的零用钱省吃俭用,克扣自己,加上偷偷地接一些抄写零工,熬夜做,好不容易把借款还了大半。此时是圣诞节,过了新年 Torvald 就要在银行当经理了,他们终于不用愁钱了,借贷也可以还清了。她也可以大大地松一口气。立刻就让人注意的是,这个秘密 Nora 可以立刻倒给多年不见刚重逢的女友,但却绝不能告诉丈夫。她并不以此为耻,还相对自豪,因为这笔借贷 literally saved her husband's life,但无论如何不能让 Torvald 知道。Mrs. Linde: Well, I had to fend for myself, opening a little shop, running a little school, anything I could turn my hand to. ... But now it's finished, Nora. My poor dear mother doesn't need me anymore, she passed away. Nor the boys either; they're working now, they can look after themselves."
Nora: What a relief you must find it ...
Mrs. Linde: No, Nora! Just unutterably empty. Nobody to live for any more."
Husband and wife. 太太生了三个娃,操持家务,干零工补贴家用,在丈夫收入不高的八年婚姻里同甘共苦,但仍然 he owes her nothing. 同时,一开场的夫妻间对话就是 Torvald 责备 Nora 置办圣诞礼物花钱太多,大手大脚,不会理财,然后从钱包里掏出几张纸币施舍给太太作为零花。Nora 自己也极力维持这个 you owe me nothing 的假象,虽然有时也幻想将来等他们都老了,"When Torvald isn't quite so much in love with me as he is now ... Then it might be a good thing to have something in reserve ..." 让他发现原来自己亏欠了太太,and then what? 没说下去。Mrs. Linde: And you never confided in your husband?
Nora: Good heavens, how could you ever imagine such a thing! When he's so strict about such matters! Besides, Torvald is a man with a good deal of pride --- it would be terribly embarrassing and humiliating for him if he thought he owed anything to me. It would spoil everything between us; this happy home of ours would never be the same again."
我们都知道这点小算盘很快就要完蛋了,借钱给 Nora 的人名叫 Krogstad,他就在银行里工作,过了年就要成为 Torvald 的下属。然而这个人的名声不太好,因为过去曾经做过什么不体面的事情。Torvald 表示等他一上台就会把 Krogstad 辞退,因为 Torvald 是个道德洁癖,容不下有历史污点的下属。正好遇上 Mrs. Linde 在找工作,这空出的职位就顺手留给太太的好友了。可是 Krogstad 不会乖乖地消失,他单独来找 Nora 谈判,要求她说服 Torvald 收回成命让自己留在银行。因为,他手上捏了一张王牌。
这张王牌并不是三年前 Nora 瞒着丈夫向别人借钱那么简单,而是(gasp)她在借钱时伪造了她父亲(担保人)的签名,当时她父亲病危快死了,她不想让父亲知道而病情加剧,并且,女人不能单独借钱,必须有男人担保。伪造父亲的签名是犯罪,一旦揭露出来她夫妻俩都会身败名裂。
(赞叹一下这层层剥开的曲折情节,一只一只掉的包袱。)
“我只是想保护临终的父亲,救治我的丈夫,这也违法?” Nora 惊骇地问。可是法不容情。这时 Krogstad 顺口漏了一句(剧本里到处都是看似顺口漏了一句的台词,但是几乎每一句最后都会 pay off,所以每一句都需要细细研读),"But let me tell you, my own offence was no more and no worse than that, and it ruined my entire reputation." 一失足便永世不得翻身,也许 Torvald 的道德洁癖并不是偶然的。
等 Torvald 回家后,Nora 勉力执行 Krogstad 的要求,跟 Torvald 提出不要辞退他。Torvald 立刻滔滔不绝地对这个臭名昭著的人进行道德批判。
当然,这话听在 Nora 耳中,句句都扎在心上,仿佛在敲打自己隐瞒的秘密。但是,实际上,看到后来,我发现可能还有另一层意思。Helmer: Just think how a man with a thing like that on his conscience will always be having to lie and cheat and dissemble; he can never drop the mask, not even with his own wife and children. And the children --- that's the most terrible part of it.
Nora: Why?
Helmer: A fog of lies like that in a household, and it spreads disease and infection to every part of it. Every breath the children take in that kind of house is reeking with evil germs... Practically all juvenile delinquents come from homes where the mother is dishonest.
Nora: Why mothers particularly?
Helmer: It's generally traceable to the mothers, but of course fathers can have the same influence."
在下一场戏里,Nora 旧话重提,请求 Torvald 不要开除 Krogstad,这次 Torvald 终于说漏了嘴,坦白了他讨厌 Krogstad 的真正原因:
他一怒之下立刻写信给 Krogstad 叫他不要来上班了,这下子把剧情立刻推向紧急的高潮。Helmer: And I'm told he's not bad at his job, either. But we knew each other rather well when we were younger. It was one of those rather rash friendships that prove embarrassing in later life. There 's no reason why you shouldn't know we were once on terms of some familiarity. He in his tactless way, makes no attempt to hide the fact, particularly when other people are present. On the contrary, he thinks he has every right to treat me as an equal, with his 'Torvald this' and 'Torvald that' every time he opens his mouth. I find it extremely irritating, I can tell you. He would make my position at the Bank absolutely intolerable.
Nora: Torvald, surely you aren't serious?
Helmer: Oh, why not?
Nora: Well, it's all so petty.
Helmer: What's that you say? Petty? Do you think I'm petty?
Nora: No, not at all, Torvald dear! And that's why ...
Helmer: Doesn't make any difference! ... You call my motives petty; so I must be petty too. Petty! Indeed!
Nora 害怕得要死,但是又不敢坦白为什么如此害怕 Krogstad,难道丈夫看不出她的失态吗?这里作者特狡猾地插了一段关于过去的对话,暗示 Nora 的父亲曾经干过不太体面的事情,也许也是受贿或道德败坏之类的丑闻,政府派一个下级公务员去调查他,这个调查员就是 Torvald Helmer。他去调查了,眼开眼闭地放过了老头子,然后娶了他的漂亮女儿做老婆。所以呢,剧中出场加没出场的四个男性角色里,三个都是各有各的污点,包括满口仁义道德的 Torvald,只有 Dr. Rank 似乎没啥黑历史 ... 关于这个人物我会在后面讨论。
Torvald 以为 Nora 害怕 Krogstad 是因为她联想到了她父亲的污点历史(也许正因为如此才急着开除老熟人?),他想不到自己的小鸟太太能干出什么大件事来。“你别怕,”他对太太拍胸脯保证,出了什么事我会保护你的,"When it comes to the point, I've enough strength and enough courage, believe me, for whatever happens. You'll find I'm man enough to take everything on myself." 就是这一句吹牛,给后面 Nora 的思路和行为留下了伏笔。因为她真信他了。
作为他的长期好友,连医生也相信了 Torvald 的道德洁癖的性质,评价道,"Helmer is a sensitive soul; he loathes anything that's ugly." 这时他得了绝症,快要死了,对 Nora 说,等我不行了,就给你留个信号,你们都别来看我最后丑陋的临终面目。但是这话他只能对 Nora 说,却对老友 Torvald 绝口不提。(这个绝症是 congenital syphilis,是从他父亲那里继承来的。Ibsen 不太懂医学,或许那个时候还没搞清梅毒的病原体,总之他对梅毒的描述不太科学,但的确父亲可以通过感染母亲而祸害后代。)
不出所料,Krogstad 收到了解雇信后大怒,跑来对 Nora 说,我要跟你们拼个鱼死网破,我完了你也别想平安无事。Nora 说你不会得逞的,我会承担全部责任并自杀,你最后也拿不回银行工作,对你没有任何好处。Krogstad 说你自杀也没用,我把你的借条公诸于众,Torvald 一样会沾上污水。他写了一封给 Torvald 的敲诈信,历数他太太的丑闻,然后塞进 Helmer 家门口的信箱里就走了,Nora 快要疯了,因为她没有自家信箱的钥匙,只有丈夫才能打开信箱。
剧情达到 frantic 高潮!Nora 和女友 Mrs. Linde 为了抢在 Torvald 之前拿到这封信,进行了一系列错综复杂的疯狂活动。这时才掉出一只大包袱,原来 Kristine 年轻时跟 Krogstad 恋爱,因为那时他没钱没前途,才选中了别人,实际上他俩各自后悔多年,重逢后又感到了旧情复燃 ... 所以 Kristine 打算跟旧情人谈判,说服 Krogstad 停手。但 Nora 不知女友能否成功,眼看着信箱里的那封信心惊肉跳,已经做好了自杀的准备——她为啥要自杀呢?因为她相信丑闻一旦爆出来,Torvald 会把伪造签名的事揽到自己身上,拯救太太,而她绝对不能眼见丈夫为了自己犯下的罪行而身败名裂 ...
然而在 Nora 和 Krogstad 的对话中,作者已经埋下了伏笔:
Nora 使尽浑身解数,施展她的一切魅力,拖着丈夫去楼上邻居家的派对等各种借口,才把开信箱的事拖到了圣诞节后第二天的晚上。这时观众已经目睹了 Kristine 跟 Krogstad 重修旧好,并且说服了他放弃敲诈。我们知道危险已经过去,但是 Nora 还不知道,眼睁睁地看着丈夫拿了一叠信件进屋,已经做好了准备跑出去投河 ... 典型的舞台 climax!Nora: I couldn't prevent it, Mr. Krogstad. I did my utmost for you, but it was no use.
Krogstad: Has your husband so little affection for you? He knows what I can do to you, yet he dares...
Nora: You don't imagine he knows about it!
Krogstad: No, I guess not. It didn't seem a bit like my good friend Torvald Helmer to show that much courage ...
用人物之间的误会把戏剧冲突推向高潮,然后在高潮极致时恍然大悟,误会拆解,tension dissipates, conflicts resolve ,这是舞台剧的经典手法。用在此处,既充满了震撼,又让我差点笑出来。Helmer: Nora!
Nora (shrieks): Ah!
Helmer: What is this? Do you know what is in this letter?
Nora: Yes, I know. Let me go! Let me out!
Helmer (holds her back): Where are you going?
Nora (trying to tear herself free): You mustn't try to save me, Torvald!
Helmer: Is it true what he writes? How dreadful! ...
Nora: It is true. I loved you more than anything else in the world.
Helmer: Don't come to me with those paltry excuses!
Nora: Torvald ...
Helmer: Miserable woman .. what is this you have done?
Nora: Let me go. I won't have you take the blame for me. You mustn't take it on yourself.
Helmer: Stop play-acting! (Locks the front door.) You are staying here to give an account of yourself. Do you understand what you have done? Answer me! Do you understand?
Nora (staring at him, her face hardening): Yes, now I'm really beginning to understand.
Helmer: Oh, what a terrible awakening this is. All these eight years ... this woman who was my pride and joy ... a hypocrite, a liar, worse, a criminal!
所以这里是让我重新审视之前那句关于欺骗的话,关于成天戴着面具,连家人也看不见这人的真面目。虽然 Nora 听着联想到自己的谎言,但实际上说的是 Torvald 自己,而且,很可能他在内心深处不是不知道自己的假象。每天啰啰嗦嗦地对着老婆喊甜心,我爱你,我的美丽小鸟,我有道德洁癖,绝对洁身自好,眼睛里揉不下沙子,人生一切干干净净一尘不染,避免一点点肮脏丑陋。原来都是他妈的放屁。原来都是谎言。
实际上 Torvald 暴露出的真面目还不止是这段。暴怒之后他的结论是 "The thing must be hushed up at all costs. And as far as you and I are concerned, things must appear to go on exactly as before." 一切都必须维持干干净净的体面,虽然他对太太已经憎恶之极,叫她以后不许教育孩子,不能污染了孩子的纯洁心灵。
这时又来了一封信,Krogstad 把借据还给 Nora,剩下的欠款也不要了。他很幸福,开心得很,马上要跟 Kristine 开始新生活了,祝你们也幸福!至此,作者才扔下了关于 Torvald 的最后一个包袱。Torvald 打开信封,欢呼起来。
啧啧这文笔!这功力!Helmer: Nora! ... Yes, yes, it's true! I am saved! Nora, I am saved!
Nora: And me?
Helmer: You too, of course, we are both saved, you as well as me.

如果没有这一段,有些人可能还看不清真相,以为 Torvald 在道德洁癖的路上走向极端而已。这一段揭露才是最狠的,表明他的一尘不染的自我形象都是假的,装的,A petty, shabby mask he wears all the time, to everyone, including himself.
最后是一大段 Nora 冷静的离家宣言,这段大家都耳熟能详我就不抄了。
暂时先搁下Nora那一段 feminist 宣言,继续讨论关于讲真话的议题。
从一出场 Nora 就揣着一袋小甜饼 macaroons,偷偷地吃,因为 Torvald 不喜欢她吃糖。她为了丈夫借钱,为了父亲伪造签名,暗地里打零工,直到被敲诈逼到墙角 ... 她并不是为自己的行为羞耻,在独白里多次表示不认为自己做了什么坏事,那么为什么要瞒着躲着呢?很明显他们夫妻俩彼此很少说真话。说实话第一场里 Torvald 教训她钱要省着点用的那口吻就让我立刻鸡皮疙瘩刷刷出来,但 Nora 笑嘻嘻地接受好像毫不介意。剧里有两段看似无聊的戏,Nora 和医生闲聊,对于推进情节似乎毫无用处,放在一句顶三句的这种剧本里好像很奇怪。我想了半天,感觉它们的作用是展现 Nora 的真实面目,她与医生的相处,作用是对比跟她与丈夫的互动。
后面还有一段对话,Nora 知道医生患上 terminal illness 快要死了,想要问他借点钱把债务还清。但是很不巧医生没忍住向她表达了隐藏多年的爱意,她只好放弃借钱的打算——是的,一般故事里,当女主发现原来男二一直暗恋自己,岂不是利用他拯救自己的最佳时机吗?但是对于 Nora 来说正相反,医生挑明了感情她就无法开口借钱了。这说明她是什么样的女人?这个问题我也想了很久。Nora: You weren't to know that Torvald had forbidden them (macaroons). He's worried in case they ruin my teeth. Still ... what's it matter once in a while! Don't you think so, Dr. Rank? Really I am so happy. There is just one little thing I'd love to do now.
Rank: What's that?
Nora: Something I'd love to say in front of Torvald.
Rank: Then why can't you?
Nora: No, I daren't. It's not very nice.
Mrs. Linde: Not very nice?
Rank: Well, in that case it might not be wise. But to us, I don't see why ... What is it you would love to say in front of Helmer?
Nora: I would simply love to say: 'Damn."
Rank: Are you mad!
Mrs. Linde: Good gracious, Nora ...!
Rank: Say it! Here he is!
And he would be right. 与女仆们类似,他在 Nora 生活中的作用并不是提供一个移情别恋的对象,Nora 一直十分肯定自己深爱着 Torvald。她只是需要有个人能让她以真面目存在,让她不需要假扮成一个幼稚听话的小太太。Nora: You must keep coming just as you've always done. You know very well Torvald would miss you terribly.
Rank: And you?
Nora: I have always think it's tremendous fun having you.
Rank: That's exactly what gave me wrong ideas. I just can't puzzle you out. I often used to feel you'd just as soon be with me as with Helmer.
Nora: Well, you see, there are those people you love and those people you'd almost rather be with.
Rank: Yes, there's something in that.
Nora: When I was a girl at home, I loved Daddy best, of course. But I also thought it great fun if I could slip into the maids' room. For one thing they never preached at me. And they always talked about such exciting things.
Rank: Aha! So it's their role I've taken over.
高潮降临之前,Mrs. Linde 已经说服了 Krogstad 放弃敲诈 Helmer 夫妇的计划,Krogstad 甚至说,我去找 Torvald 把摊牌信要回来就没事了,不让他看见。但是 Kristine 阻止了他,不——
这里看上去她所指为 Nora 借钱的秘密,然而我们可以理解隐瞒与说谎的并不仅限于 Nora。对照 Nora 在结尾的宣言,不妨认为这是作者直接对观众的劝说:Stop the lies. Stop the deception. Be honest. Be ugly. It just can't go on like this anymore.Helmer must know everything. This unhappy secret must come out. Those two must have the whole thing out between them. All this secrecy and deception, it just can't go on.
Nora 在“明白了”之后,收拾行李离家出走,临行前跟 Torvald 讲了很长一段话。当然,Torvald 是听勿懂,所以实际上是说给观众听的。考虑到此刻是1879年,近150年之后我们听着仍然不过时,这也许说明妇女解放的进程真是缓慢啊。一般提到《玩偶之家》的评论文章,都是强调中心思想为:Nora 意识到自己被丈夫以宠物对待,没有独立人格,从父亲的家直接进了丈夫的家,一直都是依赖男人,所以她出走,拒绝继续这种生活。这当然没错。但是给我的感触还不止这几条重点。
This, more than anything, reminds me of myself.Nora: At home, Daddy used to tell me what he thought, then I thought the same. And if I thought differently, I kept quiet about it, because he wouldn't have liked it.
我觉得不用多解释了吧?大家都明白这是真实的,真实得可怕。即使表面上已经精神独立了,但还是处处忍不住想讨好父权/authority/上帝,时间长了根本分不清哪些是内部(自己)的思想,哪些是外部的加诸的。外部未必都是坏的或者压迫的,关键在于我们与它们的关系。我不由得联想到全网删贴禁言的风俗和制度,过了一阵子之后,不需要上面派人来发现有什么可删可禁的内容,下面就自动揭发举报上去了,而且还 police each other,有什么自己看不顺眼的东西,一边举报一边在留言里义愤填膺地围攻之。
这绝不是仅限于女性的现象,但这又是特别的对付女性的现象,从广告里被 airbrush 到瘦高无皱纹的美女模特,到“自古以来”非圣母即妓女的文艺形象,到大老板摸来摸去还要陪着笑脸的企业文化。If she thinks differently, if she is different, she keeps quiet about it.
Nora 偷偷摸摸地吃甜食这个情节让我尤其心惊肉跳,因为 ... This, this has not changed at all. 我认识的美国白女中,没遇到一个没有节食过的,不论胖瘦,不论年纪,不论美丑。
我觉得美国的女权运动与黑人民权运动有很大关联并不是偶然的现象。社会对女性的结构性歧视和压迫是很难说清楚的,不象种族歧视可以用一张黑奴被卖的照片,或者一段白人警察殴打黑人青年的视频那样,一目了然。这是一间漂漂亮亮的温暖舒服的屋子,里面有棵挂满装饰的圣诞树,树下堆满包得花花绿绿的礼物,壁炉中的火烧得旺旺的,桌上摆着热腾腾的饭菜,柜橱里挂着时尚昂贵的裙子,爸爸和丈夫哄着宠着,人人都爱你。This is a doll's house. In this house you can enjoy all the comfort of life.
她出走的时候,不是怒气冲冲地走,而是冷静而深思地走出去的。虽然整部剧都在讨论钱钱钱的事情,而且一开始 Nora 反复唠叨,等丈夫当上银行经理他们就轻松了,她就可以随便花钱享受了,啊啊啊真的等不及丈夫加薪升职了好开心啊;但是这时她并没有详细讨论或辩论回到娘家之后能不能经济独立,她只是表示以后不再拿丈夫的钱了,并且说会自己想办法。这并不是表现她在金钱方面的 naivete,或者为了出走而没考虑过下一步生计,别忘了她已经有过借贷还债一系列的经验,还有一个亲密女友已经努力工作养活一家几口人。不,Nora 的立场的中心是,我要去学习,我要去弄明白这个世界,弄明白我自己。Nora: I passed out of Daddy's hands into yours. You arranged everything to your tastes, and I acquired the same tastes. Or I pretended to ... I don't really know ... I think it was a bit of both. ... When I look back, it seems to me that I have been living here like a beggar, from hand to mouth. I live by doing tricks for you, Torvald. But that's the way you wanted it.
我们这一代受过教育的女性,大概都不需要听 Nora 说,"First and foremost I am an individual, just as much as you are." 这种男女平等的话了。然而,我觉得,她在之后说的那些还是值得想一想的。Nora: I must take steps to educate myself. You are not the man to help me there. That's something I must do on my own.
...
Helmer: Oh, you blind, inexperienced...
Nora: I must set about getting experience, Torvald.
关于宗教——I am not content any more with what most people say, or with what it says in books. I have to think things out for myself, and get things clear.
关于道德与法律——All I know is what Pastor Hansen said when I was confirmed. He said religion was this, that, and the other. I want to find out whether what Pastor Hansen told me was right --- or at least whether it's right for me.
Nora: I simply don't know. I'm really very confused about such things. All I know is my ideas about such things are very different from yours. I simply can't get it into my head that that particular law is right. Apparently a woman has no right to spare her old father on his deathbed, or to save her husband's life even. I just don't believe it.
Helmer: You are talking like a child. You understand nothing about the society you live in.
Nora: No, I don't. But I shall go into that too. I must try to discover who is right, society or me.


我都不能说这是 feminist message. 当社会告诉你,男孩子从来不哭,男人不做饭洗碗带孩子,男人从来不示弱道歉,maybe you too should find out who is right, society or you.
剧情叙述和中心思想总结完毕!最后说两句技巧。
之前读 Hedda Gabler 的时候就被 plotting 和 pacing 的精巧完美吓坏了,A Doll House 在结构方面更加滴水不漏。可惜那时候还不流行侦探小说,否则我觉得 Ibsen 绝对能写出一流的侦探小说。他设置悬念,剥茧抽丝,有条不紊地抖包袱的能力实在是太让人佩服了,并且逻辑缜密,绝无漏洞或断线头,no loose end whatsoever。在这方面莎士比亚的确不太擅长。前几天我跟某戏剧系毕业的朋友聊天,问她是不是有个流派专门要把所有出场人物都用到情节里去,为了达到最大的戏剧化效果,每个人都跟每个人有关,不是多年前的老情人就是失散了的私生子啥啥的关系。她说是有,其实是古罗马舞台剧的发明,传承两千年,特强调 intricate structure,例如 The Importance of Being Earnest. 当然也有不属于这个流派的剧。
玩偶之家里所有的出场人物,除了 Dr. Rank,都彼此有关系,在剧情里起到关键性的作用,真是物尽其用到了极致。例如 Mrs. Linde 开头的作用只是衬托对比 Nora 而已,直到第三幕突然在情节上起到关键作用,没她不行。在 Hedda Gabler 里面也是没有一个人物能够删减的,唯一一个显得有点多余的人物,在高潮时刻突然起到关键作用。相比之下,莎士比亚的剧里就经常有打酱油的小角色,就是砍掉了也不会影响到情节。
不仅人物和情节极其精简,而且台词也是,上面已经感叹过了,一句话能顶三四句的意思,没有一句是废话,所有埋下的伏笔最后都 pay off。
这是为什么我觉得 Dr. Rank 是个颇为奇怪的角色。真要缩短排演时间,砍掉他也是可以的,对于整个剧情没有致命打击。除了让观众看到 Nora 的真实自我之外,我还没有完全想清楚他在剧中起到作用。Rank 的台词毫无推进情节的功能,他对父辈和命运的愤怒与不甘,以牢骚话的形式说出来。也许,他给 Nora 提供了一面镜子,让她看到自己的生命也跟死亡差不多。总之,这个人物的存在,象征意义超过了实用性。
----------------
HEDDA GABLER
玩偶之家写得太长了。后面写短点。
从一开头就值得注意的是题目。题目中女主角的名字是她的婚前姓,Gabler,虽然她还没出场我们就知道她刚结婚,已经是 Hedda Tesman 了。虽然我目前只读过两部 Ibsen 的剧,但已经发现了共同点,戏中都有一个幽灵般的存在,虽然没上场却一直笼罩在大家的头上,这个幽灵就是女主角已经去世的父亲。More than Nora Helmer, Hedda is her father's daughter. 她爹曾是个将军,General Gabler。剧本提供了很多只言片语的边角料,暗示当年 Hedda 在本地的地位和名声。
丈夫 George Tessman 一出场就被迅速地勾勒成型。For lack of a better word ... 他就是个书呆子,并且通过学问而谋到前程,才能支撑他的中产阶级小资的生活方式。虽然是个被调笑的喜剧性人物,关于 George 的一切都让我深觉眼熟甚至有亲切感。也许正因为对此类人物的亲切感让我低估了 Hedda 对于丈夫的感受。BERTA(女佣): Most like she'll be terrible grand in her ways.
MISS TESMAN(Hedda 的丈夫的姨妈): Well, you can't wonder at that—General Gabler's daughter! Think of the sort of life she was accustomed to in her father's time. Don't you remember how we used to see her riding down the road along with the General? In that long black habit—and with feathers in her hat?
BERTA:Yes, indeed—I remember well enough!—But, good Lord, I should never have dreamt in those days that she and Master George would make a match of it.
Hedda 一出场就来了一段对于姨妈 Julia 的唇枪舌剑,尖锐程度堪比张爱玲,差别在于 ... 我一边意识到 "She's a BAAAAAD woman." 一边忍不住狂笑不止。这个感觉颇有点儿 disturbing 哦。毛姆也很擅长写这种,你明知他不是好人但是忍不住跟在他屁股后面呵呵傻笑的人物。
介绍了 Tesman 夫妻之后,又上了一个熟悉的类型——女主角多年不见的落魄女友,Mrs. Elvsted。两个女友重逢后的叙旧对话,呵呵,进一步展示了 Hedda 的性格。简而言之,没有人会把 Hedda Gabler 和 Nora Helmer 混为一谈的。当时我就惊呆了,并且花了两三天拆解为什么被惊呆了 —— I don't remember the last time I have seen a female character like this, but male characters like this are so common as to be stock characters. 主要惊到我的地方,并不是因为“坏女人”角色罕见,而是因为这样的人物在文艺作品中一点都不罕见,但我所见过的实例全部是男性。HEDDA: [Interrupting.] We shall never get on with this servant, Tesman.
MISS TESMAN: Not get on with Berta?
TESMAN: Why, dear, what puts that in your head? Eh?
HEDDA: [Pointing.] Look there! She has left her old bonnet lying about on a chair.
TESMAN: [In consternation, drops the slippers on the floor.] Why, Hedda—
HEDDA: Just fancy, if any one should come in and see it!
TESMAN: But Hedda—that's Aunt Julia's bonnet.
HEDDA: Is it!
MISS TESMAN: [Taking up the bonnet.] Yes, indeed it's mine. And, what's more, it's not old, Madam Hedda.
HEDDA: I really did not look closely at it, Miss Tesman.
MISS TESMAN: [Trying on the bonnet.] Let me tell you it's the first time I have worn it—the very first time.
TESMAN: And a very nice bonnet it is too—quite a beauty!
MISS TESMAN: Oh, it's no such great things, George. [Looks around her.] My parasol—? Ah, here. [Takes it.] For this is mine too— [mutters] —not Berta's.
TESMAN: A new bonnet and a new parasol! Only think, Hedda.
HEDDA: Very handsome indeed.
Mrs. Elvsted 在三言两语中叙述了自己过去几年的遭遇。实际上颇有点类似简爱,她去一家有钱人给孩子当家庭教师,这家太太身体不好,后来病死,家庭教师就嫁给了比自己大很多的老爷。这个老爷还是地方警长!
这文笔!我简直看瞎了。事后发觉跟北欧侦探剧颇有共通之处,就是用最少的笔墨传达最多的信息,尤其在刻画人物方面,show don't tell 的教科书,无与伦比的精炼。HEDDA: What sort of a man is your husband, Thea? I mean—you know—in everyday life. Is he kind to you?
MRS. ELVSTED: [Evasively.] I am sure he means well in everything.
HEDDA: I should think he must be altogether too old for you. There is at least twenty years' difference between you, is there not?
MRS. ELVSTED: [Irritably.] Yes, that is true, too. Everything about him is repellent to me! We have not a thought in common. We have no single point of sympathy—he and I.
HEDDA: But is he not fond of you all the same? In his own way?
MRS. ELVSTED: Oh I really don't know. I think he regards me simply as a useful property. And then it doesn't cost much to keep me. I am not expensive.
HEDDA: That is stupid of you.
二人的对话渐渐引出 Mrs. Elvsted 已经离家出走的现实(“Nora出走之后”的实例表现?)。第一幕的对手戏中,Mrs. Elvsted 与 Hedda Tesman 二人形成鲜明对比,前者显得神经质,胆小懦弱,一惊一乍;后者高高在上,美貌自信,气场强大。例如 Hedda 三言两语就把女友的真实状况套了出来。然而,看看她俩的对话却很有趣 ——
Ah, 原来如此,我们想,她离家出走是因为她跟 Lovborg 搞了婚外恋。哈,等着瞧吧。MRS. ELVSTED: So I put together some of my things—what I needed most—as quietly as possible. And then I left the house.
HEDDA: Why, my dear, good Thea—to think of you daring to do it!
MRS. ELVSTED: [Rises and moves about the room.] What else could I possibly do?
HEDDA: But what do you think your husband will say when you go home again?
MRS. ELVSTED: I shall never go back to him again.
HEDDA: [Rising and going towards her.] Then you have left your home—for good and all?
MRS. ELVSTED: Yes. There was nothing else to be done.
HEDDA: But what do you think people will say of you, Thea?
MRS. ELVSTED: They may say what they like, for aught I care. [Seats herself wearily and sadly on the sofa.] I have done nothing but what I had to do.
HEDDA: [After a short silence.] And what are your plans now? What do you think of doing.
MRS. ELVSTED: I don't know yet. I only know this, that I must live here, where Eilert Lovborg is—if I am to live at all.
从一开头每个角色,包括新出场的法官 Brack,都在议论 Eilert Lovborg,神神秘秘的,只言片语的线索,观众需要自己拼图加猜想。人人都认识 Lovborg,跟他有过瓜葛旧事,而且对他的重出江湖兴奋不已,各怀鬼胎。他到底是什么样的人呢?Apparently he's brilliant. “At one time they called him the hope of the family.” 然后不知咋的变成臭名昭著的感觉,虽然大家都不肯直说,一味挑逗观众的好奇心。不过根据 Mrs. Elvsted 的叙述,Lovborg 已经改邪归正了,"gave up his old habits",在她的感召和协助下写了一本巨著,the march of civilization,一出版就成了畅销书。但是,"a woman's shadow stands between Loveborg and me",据说 Lovborg 对一个不知名的旧情人念念不忘,Mrs. Elvsted 认为旧情人是个红发歌女:
哈哈哈,提起手枪啥啥,不难猜到,这个旧情人是将军的女儿。然而我没有猜到,这短短几句对话,拉出的后续远远不止 Lovborg 和 Hedda Gabler 的旧情那么简单,而是被充分地大用特用(Hint: Chekhov's gun)。MRS. ELVSTED: He said that when they parted, she threatened to shoot him with a pistol.
法官 Brack 跑来告诉 Tesman 之前许诺给他的教授职位危险了,因为现在 Lovborg 的书让他又成了学术界新星,Tesman 和 Lovborg 要竞争这个职位了。这消息让 Tesman 陷入恐慌,因为他跟 Hedda 的婚姻的基础就是这个尚未兑现但(他认为)十拿九稳的教授职位,为此他已经铺开了排场,租下豪宅,买下贵重家具,计划分分钟打入上流社会。慢慢地,在台词里与字里行间中,我们模糊地意识到,Hedda “下嫁”给 George Tesman 也是建立在这个教授职位上的,然而这一切都开始动摇了 ...
台词令人惊叹。除了女主角之外,我们可以从台词里看出每个角色脑子里在想什么,有什么意图,但是 Hedda 的台词大多意味深长,自相矛盾,不容易看透,表明这个人物复杂的内心。例如上面第一句反问是在讥笑丈夫自认 "rush into adventures" 的说法,但是第二句却是所指自己嫁给他的决定,或许还有些其它感受。TESMAN: [Crosses the room.] Oh Hedda—one should never rush into adventures. Eh?
HEDDA: [Looks at him, smiling.] Do you do that?
TESMAN: Yes, dear—there is no denying—it was adventurous to go and marry and set up house upon mere expectations.
HEDDA: Perhaps you are right there.
第二幕一开场,手枪再次出现。总之,本剧的结构不象玩偶之家那么清晰,有明确的悬念牵引着压力越来越强必然崩溃,而是到处散落着很多“闲笔”,开头看起来没有明显的发展方向,而似乎是为刻画人物服务的细节,例如 Brack 法官与 Hedda 之间的调侃对白。
这时候我们心中的疑问跟法官一模一样,他替我们问出了关键问题:你(和我们大家都)知道 George Tesman 闷得要死,那为啥会嫁给他呢?HEDDA: And then, what I found most intolerable of all—
BRACK: Well?
HEDDA: —was being everlastingly in the company of—one and the same person—
BRACK: [With a nod of assent.] Morning, noon, and night, yes—at all possible times and seasons.
HEDDA: I said "everlastingly."
...
BRACK: Not even—the specialist one happens to love?
HEDDA: Faugh—don't use that sickening word!
作者从头到尾在各个地方埋了很多地雷,都是看似凌乱无规律的,直到最后才爆炸。有点太炫技了,但爆炸时效果卓著。例如 Hedda 说到自己的冲动:"these impulses come over me all of a sudden; and I cannot resist them." 包括她指着一座并不喜欢的房子说要住,以及嫁给毫无感情的 Tesman.HEDDA: [With an expression of fatigue.] Yes, so I did.—And then, since he was bent, at all hazards, on being allowed to provide for me—I really don't know why I should not have accepted his offer?
BRACK: No—if you look at it in that light—
HEDDA: It was more than my other adorers were prepared to do for me, my dear Judge.
对于戏剧和剧本其实我不太熟悉(不象黑帮电影或者武侠片),总觉得这些模棱两可的台词给演员和导演很大的发挥空间,换言之剧中的人物既有鲜明特征又捉摸不定,可以投射各种不同的定义与揣测,当然最主要的是 Hedda。在她跟法官的对话中能感觉到,两人之间有种默契,共享的层面,是跟丈夫 Tesman 完全无关的领域。Brack 法官几乎是 Dr. Rank 的反面,他坦承自己就喜欢混在别的家庭的客厅里,享受一下家庭的气氛,但自己不用担任任何家庭的责任。或许,反面正面都是同一枚硬币 ...
剧已经过去一半,万众瞩目的 Lovborg 终于出现了!
Lovborg 不仅刚出版了一本又叫好又叫座的畅销书,文明之历史,而且刷地掏出一叠手稿,是他的新书,讲的不是历史而是,当当当,未来。高产学者啊,我们似乎能看见 Tesman 变绿的眼珠子。TESMAN: Let me tell you, I have got hold of your new book; but I haven't had time to read it yet.
LOVBORG: You may spare yourself the trouble.
TESMAN: Why so?
LOVBORG: Because there is very little in it.
TESMAN: Just fancy—how can you say so?
BRACK: But it has been very much praised, I hear.
LOVBORG: That was what I wanted; so I put nothing into the book but what every one would agree with.
BRACK: Very wise of you.
作者在写 Tesman 的时候一定心中有现实中的原型人物,极尽讽刺嘲笑。LOVBORG: Yes, it does; and this one deals with the future.
TESMAN: With the future! But, good heavens, we know nothing of the future!
LOVBORG: No; but there is a thing or two to be said about it all the same. [Opens the packet.] Look here—
TESMAN: Why, that's not your handwriting.
LOVBORG: I dictated it. [Turning over the pages.] It falls into two sections. The first deals with the civilising forces of the future. And here is the second—[running through the pages towards the end]—forecasting the probable line of development.
TESMAN: How odd now! I should never have thought of writing anything of that sort.
HEDDA: [At the glass door, drumming on the pane.] H'm—. I daresay not.
这里提的一句,而且只有一句!文稿不是 Lovborg 自己书写的,而是他口述的,让人立刻联想到 Mrs. Elvsted. 这一点最后有 pay-off 吗?Sort of. 但仍然十分隐晦。我有一些猜想但并不很肯定。
当然 Tesman 最关心的事情是跟 Lovborg 抢那个教授职位,马上就问老同学这件事。出人意料地,Lovborg 表示没兴趣跟他竞争:
What moral victory? 可惜 Tesman 欣喜若狂,根本没听见,当然也没追问下去。但是接下来的一场戏 ...LOVBORG: But I shall wait till you have received your appointment.
TESMAN: Will you wait? Yes but—yes but—are you not going to compete with me? Eh?
LOVBORG: No; it is only the moral victory I care for.
Lovborg 拒绝了Brack 和 Tesman 找他喝一杯酒的要求,这两人去隔壁房间,留下 Lovborg 和 Hedda 单独相处 ...
这场戏里的表演指导特别多!尤其是穿插着 Tesman 经常进来打岔,两人假装彼此冷淡若无其事,简直笑死了。他俩一叙旧,啧啧,历史与关系就迅速揭示出来,听着就是青梅竹马,来不及真正谈上一场轰轰烈烈的恋爱就 ... 不知道为啥没有。LOVBORG: [Who has never taken his eyes off her, says softly and slowly:] Hedda—Gabler!
HEDDA: [Glancing hastily at him.] Ah! Hush!
LOVBORG: [Repeats softly.] Hedda Gabler!
HEDDA: [Looking at the album.] That was my name in the old days—when we two knew each other.
...
LOVBORG: [In a tone of indignation.] Hedda Gabler married? And married to— George Tesman!
HEDDA: Yes—so the world goes.
LOVBORG: Oh, Hedda, Hedda—how could you throw yourself away!
他俩的对话非常拐弯抹角,隐晦含糊,我来回看了好几遍,只能猜测但不能肯定,是说 Hedda 曾经不停追问 Lovborg 在外面滥交的放荡行为,但她滑不留手。我就不全部抄过来了,大家可以自己去看。
Lovborg 认定 Hedda 的追问是因为她爱他,要改造他,令他浪子回头。但是 Hedda 却说 "not quite."LOVBORG: How could you sit and question me like that? Question me quite frankly—
HEDDA: In roundabout terms, please observe.
LOVBORG: Yes, but frankly nevertheless. Cross-question me about—all that sort of thing?
HEDDA: And how could you answer, Mr. Lovborg?
Hedda 追问的是 sex sex sex. 她在没有妈妈的环境里长大,爸爸是个又骄傲又 rigid 的老将军,她有很多问题不知道该去问谁,只知道都是羞耻。HEDDA: Do think it quite incomprehensible that a young girl—when it can be done—without any one knowing—
LOVBORG: Well?
HEDDA: —should be glad to have a peep, now and then, into a world which—?
LOVBORG: Which—?
HEDDA: —which she is forbidden to know anything about?
这时我们终于明白 Lovborg 爱的是 Hedda,而与小媳妇 Mrs. Elvsted 根本没有一腿。
我看来看去,还是没法确定,Hedda 到底爱不爱 Lovborg。也许有一点,但肯定不是全部。至少,作者清楚地表示,Hedda 的纠结的根源,并不是因为她没有嫁给自己的真爱,现在被婚姻挡住了不能追求真爱,这么简单的套路。HEDDA: And perhaps you have confided to her something about us?
LOVBORG: Not a word. She is too stupid to understand anything of that sort.
HEDDA: Stupid?
LOVBORG: She is stupid about matters of that sort.
Mrs. Elvsted 出现了,奇怪的三角关系形成了,Hedda 和 Lovborg 进行隐晦奇妙的对话:
For some reason, 重读这一段对白,让我联想到周末看的《我的天才女友》中的嫉妒竞争和 confrontation。Hedda 的破坏冲动浮上表面,三言两句便成功地挑拨 Lovborg 喝了两杯酒,并且说服他跟丈夫和法官一起去爬梯,以证明自己不会重蹈覆辙,酒后乱性。HEDDA: Ah, yes—courage! If one only had that!
LOVBORG: What then? What do you mean?
HEDDA: Then life would perhaps be liveable, after all.
后来的事大家都可以猜到了。然而后来的事又风起云涌难以预测。我很犹豫要不要放出全部的 spoilers,毕竟还是自己看比较惊心动魄。Decisions, decisions ...
剧透警告!如果打算自己读/看剧的同学不要再看下去了!!

... ...
Lovborg 去跟一帮老友派对,当然旧病复发,喝得稀里糊涂。在路上把手稿给丢了,人跑到 ... 当当当,红发歌女那里去了!手稿被 Tesman 捡了去。Tesman 拿回家给 Hedda 看,老婆马上问, Lovborg 知道自己丢了手稿吗?知道你拿去了吗?Tesman 说不知道,人还迷糊着那,等会儿我去还他。还没来得及呢,Tesman (另一个)姨妈去世,被叫走了,手稿于是落到了 Hedda 手中 ...
Lovborg 发现丢掉了手稿后还以为是在妓院,呃,红发歌女,的家里丢的,对方当然不承认,他就大发酒疯,又吵又闹。这一段是由法官向 Hedda 转述的。充满了冷嘲热讽。
我很怀疑,在舞台上演出来,能不能保留多少文字上的幽默感,反正看到这段我是没忍住笑出声来。BRACK: Far from amicably, it appears. After a most tender meeting, they seem to have come to blows—
HEDDA: Lovborg and she?
BRACK: Yes. He accused her or her friends of having robbed him. He declared that his pocket-book had disappeared—and other things as well. In short, he seems to have made a furious disturbance.
HEDDA: And what came of it all?
BRACK: It came to a general scrimmage, in which the ladies as well as the gentlemen took part. Fortunately the police at last appeared on the scene.
HEDDA: The police too?
BRACK: Yes. I fancy it will prove a costly frolic for Eilert Lovborg, crazy being that he is.
法官 Brack 向 Hedda 承认他把 Lovborg 看作是敌人,sort of,并不是浪漫意义上的情敌,而是占住 Tesman 家的客厅的讨厌鬼,抢了法官自己的地盘。
这时候 Lovborg 出现了,但是 Hedda 假装不知道手稿的事,Lovborg 太过羞耻,只是旁敲侧击地问。这时 Mrs. Elvsted 也出现了!
Mrs. Elvsted 与玩偶之家里的女友颇有类似之处,如果没有人让她照顾让她管理,她就失去了生活的意义。但是照顾某种类型的丈夫也不是她们心之所愿。LOVBORG: Everything is too late now. It is all over with me.
MRS. ELVSTED: Oh no, no—don't say that!
...
LOVBORG: It is not last night's adventures that I want to talk about.
MRS. ELVSTED: What is it then—?
LOVBORG: I want to say that now our ways must part.
MRS. ELVSTED: Part!
HEDDA: [Involuntarily.] I knew it!
LOVBORG: You can be of no more service to me, Thea.
MRS. ELVSTED: How can you stand there and say that! No more service to you! Am I not to help you now, as before? Are we not to go on working together?
LOVBORG: Henceforward I shall do no work.
MRS. ELVSTED: [Despairingly.] Then what am I to do with my life?
注意 Lovborg 认为他把手稿遗失在妓院了。他为什么不承认遗失在妓院了呢?LOVBORG: Thea—our book will never appear.
MRS. ELVSTED: Never appear!
LOVBORG: Can never appear.
MRS. ELVSTED: [In agonised foreboding.] Lovborg—what have you done with the manuscript?
HEDDA: [Looks anxiously at him.] Yes, the manuscript—?
MRS. ELVSTED: Where is it?
LOVBORG: The manuscript—. Well then—I have torn the manuscript into a thousand pieces.
这时 Hedda 也没有承认自己知道手稿的下落。Tesman 去奔丧了,没法当场提供真相。
另一个有意思的细节是,Lovborg 把手稿丢了就宣布以后再也不写了,啥也不干了。为啥呢?他不能重写一遍吗?不能写点别的吗?为什么态度如此绝望涅?联想到之前提到手稿的笔迹并非他手写 ...
说实话看到这里我的猜疑越来越浓,尤其是 Lovborg 用孩子来比喻手稿,而把 Mrs. Elvsted 比作手稿的母亲。LOVBORG: Thea said that what I had done seemed to her like a child-murder.
HEDDA: Yes, so she said.
...
LOVBORG: Suppose now, Hedda, that a man—in the small hours of the morning—came home to his child's mother after a night of riot and debauchery, and said: "Listen—I have been here and there—in this place and in that. And I have taken our child with—to this place and to that. And I have lost the child—utterly lost it. The devil knows into what hands it may have fallen—who may have had their clutches on it."
HEDDA: Well—but when all is said and done, you know—this was only a book—
LOVBORG: Thea's pure soul was in that book.
Lovborg 跑路之前,Hedda 送给他一件分手礼物,你可以猜到是啥礼物吧?没错就是那把手枪。
然后呢,当然啦,契诃夫的枪必然会响。到了这个地步大家也可以预测到 Lovborg 会用这把枪自杀,对吧?这时法官出现了,他报告 Lovborg 开枪打中了自己的胸口,被送到医院快死了。Hedda 感叹说啊,有自杀的勇气,美!
然而并不是!又有反转!他死是死了,却并非自杀!Eilert Lovborg has had the courage to live his life after his own fashion. And then—the last great act, with its beauty! Ah! that he should have the will and the strength to turn away from the banquet of life—so early.
很抱歉,看到这里我实在忍不住放声大笑。BRACK: For I must tell you—Eilert Lovborg was found shot in—in Mademoiselle Diana's boudoir.
HEDDA: [Makes a motion as if to rise, but sinks back again.] That is impossible, Judge Brack! He cannot have been there again to-day.
BRACK: He was there this afternoon. He went there, he said, to demand the return of something which they had taken from him. Talked wildly about a lost child—
HEDDA: Ah—so that is why—
BRACK: I thought probably he meant his manuscript; but now I hear he destroyed that himself. So I suppose it must have been his pocket-book.
HEDDA: Yes, no doubt. And there—there he was found?
BRACK: Yes, there. With a pistol in his breast-pocket, discharged. The ball had lodged in a vital part.
HEDDA: In the breast—yes?
BRACK: No—in the bowels.
HEDDA: [Looks up at him with an expression of loathing.] That too! Oh, what curse is it that makes everything I touch turn ludicrous and mean?

故事的结尾还抖了最后一只包袱,我就不剧透了。总之就是,跟看惊悚片似的,后面一串一串的意外发展。
把话题拉回手稿上面。很有意思的是,Lovborg 为手稿的丢失呼天抢地,寻死觅活;但在手稿中“注入灵魂”的 Mrs. Elvsted 却并没有绝望,而是掏出兜里的一把碎纸片,对 George Tesman 说,我们一起把手稿重写出来吧,我这里有很多原始材料和 notes,我们一定可以拼出原图的。
所以我的疑心是什么呢?这本关于未来文明的书稿,其实是 Mrs. Elvsted 写的,Lovborg 只是辅助而已,并且署名。但是直到最后,Ibsen 都没有将此事挑明。