《一个陌生女人的来信》写作手法分析

I.Introduction1.1Author’sStatusStefanZweigisanoutstandingAustrianwriter.HisnovelLetterfromanUnknownWomanispopularwithreadersfromallovertheworld,becauseofitspoignantandamazinglovestory,elegantlanguagenarrative,delicateandcomplexemotionaldescriptionandotherartisticfeatures.Thisisamasterpieceacrossthetimesandthecountry.ThetoneofZweig’sworksisrealistic,andthebesttechniqueisthedelicatepsychologicaldescription.SomeonerecognizedthatZweig’snovelsscorednotwith“numerouscharacters,vasthistoricalbackgrounds,”colorfulpicturesofcustomsandintricatestorylines”,but“withvagariesoffierceinnerstruggle,thatis,thevagariesofemotionalupsanddowns”.Theabovecharacteristics,togetherwiththeauthor’sextraordinarylife,providebasisforthemulti-interpretationofZweig’snovels.Inthispaper,throughthestudyofthewritingtechniquesinLetterfromanUnknownWoman,itexploresthenarrativestructureofZweig’snovelsandthetechniquesofdepictingthecharactersandpsychology.ItalsoembodiesthehumanitarianthoughtinZweig’sworksandhisownspiritualappeal.1.2Author’sBackgroundZweig’screationandlifeisaparadox.Heisknownastheworld’smostwoman-knowingwriter,buthassofarmadefeministsunhappy;hewashailedas“theworld’sleadingwriter”butneverwonanyliteraryprizes;hewrote12biographiescloselyrelatedtopolitics,butcalledhimself“don’taskpolitics”.Hisworksareexquisiteinthecharactershapingandpsychologicalportrayalofthecharacter,writethehumanpride,vanity,jealousyandhatred,butstillcannotovercomethefragilityofhumannature,lethisownlifefallinaninstant.OnFebruary23,1942,ZweigandhiswifetookadrugtosuicideinBrazil.Bornin1881inVienna,thecapitaloftheAustro-HungarianEmpire,Zweigeducatedfromanearlyage,hepublishedpoetryinajournalinViennaattheageof16.From1907toWorldWarI,hematuredinhiscreation.DuringtheFirstWorldWar,manywell-knownEuropeanwritersfailedtoshakeofftheinfluenceofnarrownationalismandchauvinism,andonlyafewpeoplewhokepttheirheadsdownandstucktotheiranti-warstances,Zweigwasoneofthem.The20yearsafterWorldWarIwereZweig’speriodofgoldenwritingsandhealsowroteotherpopularnovelssuchasbiographiesofcelebritiessuchasRomanRolandandLetterfromanUnknownWoman.ThetoneofZweig’sworkisrealist,andthebesttechniqueisthedelicatepsychologicaldescription.Gorkygivesthecrownof“theworld’smostwomen-savvywriter”toZweig,“IwasdeeplymovedbythisshortLetterfromanUnknownWoman,thesurprisinglysinceretone,thesupremewarmthofwomen,theoriginalityofthesubject,andtheexpressivenessthatonlyrealartistshave”,hewroteinhislettertoZweig.1.3TheContentofLetterfromanUnknownWomanZweig’snoveldescribestheunattachedlove,theprotagonist’slifelongobsessionreflectsheruniqueaestheticcare,fromwhichwecanexperiencetheinfinitetragicsentiment.Zweigrecordedthewholeprocessofloveandpsychologicalchangesofanunknownwomaninadelicateandplaintivestyle,likeanelectrocardiogram.Fromthecuriousmindofaninnocentgirl,totheshyandfrightenedinfatuationofawakeninglove,totheanxietyofencounter,thejoyofcommitment,thesecretloveofcontemptforlosingone’svirginity,tothelonelinessofraisingachildandthehumiliationandbullyingofpoverty.Theunknownwomantookthisunrequitedlovetotheextreme.Thewholereasonforhercuriosity,infatuation,andunrequitedloveintheemotionalworldliesintheirrationalunconsciouscontrolofherheart.Theunconsciousissomethingoneisnotawareof,butitaffectspeople’spsychologyandbehaviour.Drivenbyinstinctanddesire,theunknownwomanactsunconsciously,regardlessoftheconsequences,goesherwaythinkswhatIthink,doeswhatIdo,loveswhatIlove,untilshebumpsherheadinfrontofthecruelreality,stillrefusestolookback.ThisnovelisoneofthemazesofthemindsofmanycharacterscreatedbyZweig’suseofpsychologyandrealism.ThenoveltellsthestoryofanunknownwomanlovesastrangenovelistRfromher13-year-oldchildhoodto30-year-oldwomanhood.Thestoryisintheformofafirst-personletter.Inthenovel,anunknownwomangivesherlifetoanovelistwhoknowsnothingaboutit.Whenthesonoftheunknownleavesandshediessoonafter,shewritestothenovelistwhohasneverknownherself,tellshimabouthershortlife’sloveforR.“Asareader,Ilackthepatience,anywordsthatareoutofplace,complicated,exaggerated,anyvague,redundantrap,andplot-by-plotpassagesthatmakemeangry.Onlythosebooksthatkepttheplotrunninghigh,pagebypage,andthatwerethrillingandbreathlessuntilthelastpagewhatcangavemethefullestenjoyment.”Zweigoncesaid.Andheisalsousingsuchastandardtoaskhisownworks,LetterfromanUnknownWomanlikeaskitthat’sconcisewithoutlosingthetaste.Intheletter,thewoman’swordsandphrasesrevealthesadnessandstrengthoflove;thewoman’stoneissad,becauseherstoryinthelifeofherlovedoneisnotworthmentioning.However,theprocessofloveissopassionate,hitthedepthsoftheheart.Attheendofthestory,thechilddiedandthewoman’sfireoflifewentout.Theauthorputdowntheletterinhishand,“heshuddered,feelingasifaninvisibledoorhadbeensuddenlyopened,adoorthroughwhichachillbreezefromanotherworldwasblowingintohisshelteredroom.Anintimationofdeathcametohim,andanintimationofdeathlesslove”.Thestory,likearicer,driedupinZweig’squietpen.

II.FemaleImageAnalysis2.1Adolescence--CuriosityFreudbelievedthatchildrenbegantoseeksexualobjectsfromtheoutsideworldduringtheperiodofobjectselectionofsexualdevelopment.Foryoungchildren,thisobjectisfirstandforemostaparent.Theheroine’sfatherdiedyoung,andhermotherwasdepressedallday;therewasnotrustedpersonaroundtocareforher,listentoherthoughts.Inthisway,theheroinedevelopedanunconsciousbutverystronglongingforfather’sloveorthetendernessofmen.Inthatcase,Rappeared.Inthefaceofahandsome,strangeman’sarrival,theheroinewatchedhiseverymovefromthebeginning.Itsaysintheoriginal:“Amotordroveup.Youjumpedout,intheimpatient,springyfashionwhichhasneverceasedtocharmme,andwereabouttogoin.Animpulsivemademeopenthedoorforyou,andthisbroughtmeinyourpath,sothatwealmostcollided.Youlookedatmewithacordial,gracious,all-embracingglace,whichwasalmostacaress.Yousmiledatmetenderlyyes,tenderlyistheworldandsaidgently,nay,confidentially:‘Thankssomuch.’Thatwasall.Butfromthismoment,fromthetimewhenyoulookedatmesotenderly,sotenderly,Iwasyours.”R’sunconsciouscaressingeyes,brightsmile,kindwordsofthankswerelikeakeytotheheartofa13-year-oldgirl.Hisgentleandattentiveattitudetowardswomenmadetheheroinefeeldifferenttendernesscomparedwithmaternallove.Thedeeptendernessofaseductivemanexactlysatisfiedagirl’sunconsciousdesireandlonging.Atthesametime,itfoundabreakthroughfortheemotionalventoftheheroine’sdeepresentment.“Henceforwardinmyrestrictedworld,youweretheonlythingthatinterestedme;thatmyliferevolvedroundyourswiththefidelitypropertoagirlofthirteen,Iwatchedyou,watchedyourhabits,watchedthepeoplewhocametoseeyouandallthisincreasedinsteadofdiminishingmyinterestinyourpersonality.”Fromthenon,herlifewasjustforhim.2.2Youth--InfatuationAccordingtoFreud,manyofpeople’swishes,especiallytheirdesires,aresuppressedintotheunconsciousbecausetheyarenotinlinewiththesocialmoralstandards.Therefore,whentheexaminationfunctionisrelaxedinsleep,thedesiressneakintotheconsciousnessinvariousanddisguisedimagesandthusbecomedreams.Inotherwords,asone’sdesiresarenotsatisfiedinreality,onetakesacircuitousroutetosleep.IntheperiodoftimeawayfromVienna,theunknownwoman’saffectionforRhasbeenfromthejuvenilecuriositytotheextentofinfatuation.Attheageof18,theunknownwomanwasalreadyinherprime.Sheturneddownthegeneroussupportfromheradoptivefatherandleftherstableandcomfortable.ShereturnedtoViennaforloveandmadealivingbyherself.ThefirstthinganindependentunknownwomandoeswasgobacktoheroldplaceandlookforR.Fromalittlegirlintoabeautifulwomanwhonowexudesfemininebreath,thethoughtsofunknownwomanintothestageofmaturewoman.Timepassed,buttheheroine’sloveforRdidnotchange.EverythingshedidforRwasofhisownfreewill.Sheactedwithoutthinking,fullofpassionandimpulsive.Theheroineisalwayswithanequal,strongmentalityinlovewithhim.ShecouldhavetoldRallthisearlier,butshedidn’t.Shedidnotwanttobegorforceit,becauseitwasmoreimportantthanherlife.Everyonehasashadowpersonalityhiddeninthesubconscious.Theunknownwomanwillhideherdeepaffectioninherownsubconscious,andshowitishumbleobedience.Therefore,frombeginningtoendtheunknownwomanisasingletypeofgiving,thiskindofsecretloveisatypicalformofunrequitedlove.Unrequitedloveiswhentheotherpersondoesn’tknowyoulovehimorher.Itoftenhappenstointrovertswhofeelunattainablewhentheylovetheotherperson.So,afteracarefullychoreographedencounter,shespendsthreenightswithR,andwhenRtriestoescapeinthenameofanouting,shequietlyleaveswithoutcomplaining.2.3MaturePeriod--UnrequitedLoveFreudpointsoutthatintheexperienceoflosingone’sbeloved,acceptingtheattributesoftheother,andperpetuatingtheexistenceoftheotherthroughthemagicalactofimitation,thelossofone’sdesire,thepainofthebelovedother,andtryingtoaccommodatethatotherintothestructureoftheselfthroughaspecialactofidentification.Theheroinehadthenovelist’sson,butshedidnottellR,forshewasafraidthatRwouldbeunhappyanddisturbR’smind,thuscastingashadowontheirlove.Shegaveupthechancetobeacountessinordertoremainfreeatalltimes,sothatsheandRcouldresumetheirolddreamandbeauniqueloverforever.

III.CharacteristicsandpsychologicalPortrayalSkills3.1EmotionSomeonerecognizedthatthenovelisanemotionalstory,itsingsbeautifulandextremelove.Flowergirlfallsinlovewithnewneighborresidencesecretlya“rich,unique,mysterious”youngauthor,withmanybeautifulbooks.This“unknownwoman”regardsloveaslife,andthewarmpurepassionthatfillsherheartisthedrivingforceofherlife.Inthatageofmaterialism,playingwithloveisbadfeelingshavebecomecommonplace.Fromthebeginningtoend,shelovedsopurelywithoutimpurity,girl’sinfatuationisdifferentfromgreedylove.Shelovedsopassionatelyandfreelythatherheartburstintoflameswhenhelookedather.Whenshegrewup,shelovedsuchstubbornandself-respecting.Shewastight-lippedwhenshehadhischildren,forthesakeoftheirchildren’sbrightandcheerfullifeofthewell-to-do,shewouldrathersellherselfasarichman’sloverthanbegforhishelp.3.2LoyaltyBeratubelievesthatthemindhasthreesongs,thatis,consistingofthreepartsrationality,desireandpassion,allthreefunctionsaredifferent,eachofthemdotheirpart.Rationalityisusedforthinkingandreasoning;desireforfeelinglove,isavarietyofsatisfactionandhappinesspartners;passionliesbetweenreasonanddesire,usuallyanallyofreason,butsometimesitisonthesideofdesireagainstreason.Ideally,inthosewithhighmoralselves,passionisalignedwithreason,andpeoplewilltakereasonableandjustaction.“Unknownwoman”aremoreinlinewithFreud’sphilosophyofdesire,andtherationalelementofhercompositionofthemindisdiluted.Herpureandunbridledloveisalloutofpassionandwill.3.3StruggleSomeonerecognizedthatthisisaunrequitedlovestory,itfocusesontheheroine’sparanoiaandmadness.ThenovelistRintheeyesofmanyreaders,isjustaninexhaustiblelackofresponsibilityoftheplayboy,evensheherselfisfullyawareofthecharacterofthisman,butshewaswillingtousehislifetoprotectthisinfatuation.Whatalovethatgoesagainstthenorm,thewomanwhosepsychologicalvariationindulgesintheutopiaoflove,regardlessofhisdualitythatshehadalreadyseen.Asateenager,shewouldgohomeeverydaytohidebehindthedoor,throughthesmallholeinthedoortospyonthenovelist’severymove.BacktoVienna,shestoodunderhiswindowafterworkeverydayuntilthelightswentout,waitingforadreamthatwouldnevercometrue,afatethat“youwouldnotrecognize”.Throughthefirstperson’sloveheartsong,alonelyunrequitedlovesoul’smostsecretplaceisstrippedclearly.Thisisa“inthecrowd,butlivinglone”soul.Thecontradictionbetweenthepursuitofpassionandemotionalsuppressionhasbeensilencedinhersubconscious,leadingtochangeofpsychologyandlovedelusion.“Astrangewoman”isthelonelywalkerinlife,andonlyasympatheticsoulcanseethisparanoidapproachtothereal“infinite”oflife.Thedepictionoffemaleimageismoredetailedthanthatofotherimages,andtheproportionofpsychologicaldepictionishigher.“Ilove,butnoneofyourbusiness.”ThispopularGoetheloveclassicisreflectedtotheextremeinthisnovel,theimageofwomeninloveisvividlydisplayed.

IV.TheHumanitarianSpiritintheNovel“Unknownwoman”livesforloveanddie,herloveofdeathcollapsedandsheforgetsherself.Sheneverstoppedlovinghis.Sherushedtomeetherfate.Afterfiveyearsofinfatuation,shefinallybecame“oneamonghundreds;oneadventure,onelinkinanendlesschain”.Butsheshowednoremorse,“canImakeyouunderstandhowmuchitmeanttomethatmyfiveyearsofexpectationweresoperfectlyfulfilled?Youdidnotenticeme,deceiveme,seduceme.Ithrewmyselfintoyourarms;wentouttomeetmyfate.Ihavenothingbutthankfulnesstowardsyoufortheblessednessofthatnight.WhenIopenedmyeyesinthedarknessandyouwerebesideme,IfeltthatImustbeinheaven,andIwasamazedthatthestarswerenotshiningonme.Never,beloved,haveIrepentedgivingmyselftoyouthatnight.Whenyouweresleepingbesideme,whenIlistenedtoyourbreathing,touchedyourbody,andfeltmyselfsonearyou,Ishedtearsforveryhappiness”.“Imakenocomplaint.Iloveyoujustasyouare,ardentandforgetful,generousandunfaithful.Iloveyoujustasyouhavealwaysbeen.”Inherlove,notinreturn,onlyself-devotion.Sinceshehadhisson,shehasmadeasymbolicactofgivinghimabunchofwhiterosesonherbirthdayonceayear.Andforthesakeofhis“antherself”,shesoldherbodyandwasnotashamedofit.Shealwaystreasuredaneternaldream,thatis,thefaithfulloveoftheindulgent,profligatenovelist.Thisiswhatatragiccontradictionbetweenrealityandideal!Herhearthasbeensufferingfromcontradictions.Shehideverythingaboutherselfandtheirsonfromhim,andhoweagershewastoberecognizedbyhim.Ashersonwentaway,sodidhersoulandherlife.“Perhaps,perhapswhenyoureceivethislegacyyouwillcalltome;andforthefirsttimeIshallbeunfaithfultoyou,forIshallnothearyouinthesleepofdeath.NeitherpicturenortokendoIleaveyou,justasyouleftmenothing,forneverwillyourecognizemenow.Thatwasmyfateinlife,anditshallbemyfateindeathlikewise.Ishallnotsummonyouinmylasthour;Ishallgomywayleavingyouignorantofmynameandmyappearance.Deathwillbeeasytome,foryouwillnotfeelitfromafar.Icouldnotdieifmydeathweregoingtogiveyoupain.”Thisblood-soakedfateconfidedinhimandsanganoblesadsongforourreaders.Inhiswork,Freudpointedoutthatthehumanbodysystemconsistsofthreestages.Theidisthemostprimitiveandinnateimpulsiveofallkindsofinstinct.Accordingtothe“OnlyHappyPrinciple”,theunconsciousistheessenceandrealityofhumanpsychology,whilethetheoryoftheunconsciousismainlyrelated.Theegoistheexistenceandawakeningofone’sownconsciousness.Thesuperegoisthemoralbranchofthehumanpsychologicalfunctionthatencompassestheideaswestriveforandtheexpectedpunishment(guilt)whenweviolateourownmoralcode.Theunknownwomanisdrivenbytheidunconsciousallherlife,andthisunconsciousleadspeopletopayattentiontothecomplexityandhierarchyoftheunknownwoman’spsychology,topayattentiontotheactionsbehindtheconsciousness,andtodiscusstheprofoundandhugeinfluenceoftheunconsciousonpeople’spsychologyandbehaviour.

V.TheInnerWorldFeelingofZweigManybelievethat“unknownwoman”istheauthor’sself-spokesman.Zweiglivedin19th-centuryVienna,the“goldenageofpeace”.Butthesmokeofthetwoworldwarsofthetwentiethcenturydestroyedthelegitimacy,humanityandEuropeancivilizationofyesterday’sworld.Warturnedhimintoaterriblewastelandforhimandhisspiritualworld,who,likeafugitive,escapedfromtheburninghouseinthedepthsofhislife,andhedidnotknowwheretogo.Betweenthetwoworldwars,Europewasnotapeacefulworld.Beneaththesemblanceofsecurity,therewasinstability.Thecloudofwarleftbloodandchaoseverywhere.Livinginthisera,europeansinevitablysufferfromthenegativeresultsbroughtbyenvironmentalvariation:materialpoverty,environmentaldepressionandspiritualburden.Thechaoticandfragmentedlivingenvironmentandtheindifferentrelationshipbetweenpeopleinthecapitalistsocietyhavecausedalargenumberofemotionaldegradation.Theirinnerlonelinessandhelplessnesshaveoftenpromptedthemtoshowsomeactionsthatoversteptheirownsenseofreason.Itisatotallyunconsciousstruggleandafutileattempt.Becauseofthis,Zweig’scharactershaveanextraordinarycourageandpride.Zweig’scharactersoftenactoutoftheordinary,oftenagainstthegrainofethics.Oncethehumanmindisoverloadedandreachesitslimit,thedesiretotalkwillsweepawayeverything.Thosewhohavebeensuppressedforalongtimeandareinastateofaphasianeedtoberestrainedbytherightpersonandtherighttime,andthelanguagewillbeoverwhelmingandirresistible.Zweigknowsandgraspsthis.Thelong,coherent,urgent,almostneuroticconfessionisamonologue,asortofsoliloquyisastateofanxietyonthemarginsofsociety,akindofrelivingofthepastthroughthemediumofstrangers.Withthisdeepunderstandingandsympathyforthosewholivedinthateraandthattroubledworld,Zweigchosethisformofexpression.Inotherword,onlyinthiswaycantheemotionsof