Chapter 27 "Dead Souls" (1)

"Dead Souls" (1) Translator's Notes to Chapter 1 of Part Two [2] The first part of N. Gogol's "Dead Souls" has been translated into China, so there is no need to say more here.In fact, only the first one is enough, and the next two—"Purgatory" and "Paradise"[3] are beyond the reach of the author. Sure enough, after the completion of the second part, he didn't even believe in himself, and burned it before his death, leaving only five remaining chapters in the world. Gogol, it is really helpless. The original version used now is still all compiled by the German Otto Buek; at the beginning of the first chapter, the author’s ideal education method is described by referring to the childhood situation of Tednikov [4], which opposes teachers’ unreasonable efforts. It’s not bad to force-feed students like a force-feeding duck, but they don’t want to reform the environment, they just want to adapt to it. It’s the same as more than ten years ago. Some educators in China advocated that schools should teach fake foreigners. Reporting, Dowan's opinions on Spring Festival couplets and the like are comparable.

※ ※ ※ 〔1〕The novel "Dead Souls", written by the Russian writer Gogol, published in 1842.Lu Xun translated from the German translation with reference to the Japanese translation.The first volume was successively published in the first to sixth volumes of "World Library" issued by Shanghai Life Bookstore (May to October 1935) during the translation.In November 1935, Shanghai Cultural Life Publishing House published a separate edition, which was listed as one of the "Translation Series".The second manuscript was burned by the author himself, and only the first five chapters remained.

Lu Xun began translating in February 1936, and the first and second chapters were published in the first to third issues of the new volume of the monthly "Yiwen" (March to May 1936); the third The chapter was published in the second issue of the new second volume (October 1936), unfinished.In 1938, Cultural Life Publishing House merged the remaining three chapters of the second part into the first part and published an updated version. Gogol (H.B.MTbTUE, 1809-1952), born in a Ukrainian landowner family, was a small civil servant.Most of his works exposed the decay of the tsarist system, and he also wrote the comedy "Imperial Envoy" and so on.

〔2〕This article, together with the translation of the first chapter of the second part of "Dead Souls", was originally published in the first issue of the new volume of the monthly "Translation" in March 1936, and was later printed in the 1938 edition of "Dead Souls". Soul" updated edition. [3] "Purgatory" and "Paradise" The second and third parts of the long poem "Divine Comedy" written by the Italian poet Dante. The whole poem of "Divine Comedy" is divided into three parts, describing the scene of the author's travels in hell, purgatory (also translated as "pure world") and heaven in the form of dream stories and metaphors.

[4] The character in the second part of Tadenikov's "Dead Souls" is a landowner. 〔5〕Look at fake foreign currency to distinguish the authenticity of silver coins. Translator's Notes to Chapter 2 of Part Two [1] The writing of the second part of "Dead Souls" began in 1840, but it was not completed. The first draft consisted of only one chapter, which is now the last chapter.In the next two years, Gogol re-edited the draft and transcribed it into a clear version.This book seems to have four remaining chapters later, which are the first to fourth chapters now; and there are incomplete and unfinished parts in between.

In fact, the first book alone is enough for this book. Gogol's fate is limited, and he satirizes the first-class characters to which he belongs.Therefore, when he described declining characters, he was still vivid, and when he created what he called a good person, he was lifeless.For example, in the second chapter, the general Bedrich Sichev[2] is a buffoon, so when he met Chichikov, he was still active on paper, and his writing power was not comparable to that of the first part; The woman, he tried his best to make her attractive, but instead she was inactive, unreal, and even too pretentious. Compared with the two beautiful wives [3] he wrote before, it was really far behind.

※ ※ ※ [1] This article, together with the translation of the second chapter of "Dead Souls", was originally published in the third issue of the new volume of the monthly "Translation" in May 1936, and was later printed in the 1938 edition of "Dead Souls". Soul" updated edition. [2] A character in the second part of Beideli Siqifu's "Dead Souls", a retired general and nobleman of the Tsarist army.Uriniga below is his only daughter. [3] Two beautiful wives The two wives in the first part of "Dead Souls": one "whole body beautiful wife"; the other "also a pretty wife".