來源：BBC
原題：How stories have shaped the world?By Martin Puchner
編譯：彭宇
校對：薛金鑰 羿春艷
時間：2024年4月19日
從古代史詩到現(xiàn)代小說，敘事在整個歷史中都發(fā)揮著巨大的作用。一個著名的例子是亞歷山大大帝兜材，他從荷馬的《伊利亞特》中汲取靈感，并在亞里士多德的指導(dǎo)下深入研究了這部作品】袅《伊利亞特》和亞歷山大之間的相互影響推動了希臘語成為廣闊區(qū)域的通用語言雌芽，為《伊利亞特》成為全球公認(rèn)的文學(xué)經(jīng)典鋪平了道路瓶堕。
相比之下，中國文學(xué)則扎根于《詩經(jīng)》们妥。這本看似簡單的詩集后來演變成一個擁有復(fù)雜釋義和批評體系的文學(xué)作品猜扮。詩歌在中國的歷史文化中具有重要的意義，有抱負(fù)的文人必須對詩歌有深刻理解才能在科舉考試中取得好成績监婶。
這種對詩歌的重視也延伸到了其他東亞國家旅赢，如日本，他們通過創(chuàng)作與中國不同的詩集來尋求文化獨立惑惶。紫式部的《源氏物語》是世界文學(xué)史上最早的偉大小說之一煮盼。紫氏部自學(xué)了中國詩歌，并巧妙地將其融入到她的作品中带污〗┛兀《源氏物語》細(xì)致地描繪了宮廷生活和眾多人物，篇幅超過1000頁鱼冀，收錄了近800首詩报破，使之成為一部不朽的作品。
隨著世界各地識字率的提高千绪，紙張和印刷術(shù)的出現(xiàn)開啟了文學(xué)新紀(jì)元充易。阿拉伯人從中國獲得了造紙技術(shù)，此前口頭傳播的故事被記錄下來荸型，匯編成了《一千零一夜》這樣的合集盹靴。這本豐富多彩的故事集以山魯佐德和國王的迷人故事為框架，旨在娛樂和教化大眾瑞妇。山魯佐德通過她講故事的能力稿静，不僅挽救了自己的生命，也成為了講故事英雄主義的象征踪宠。
約翰·古騰堡在北歐發(fā)明的印刷機(jī)徹底改變了文學(xué)的面貌自赔。這個時代的文學(xué)形式以小說為主導(dǎo)。與古代文學(xué)形式不同柳琢，小說較少帶有先入為主的觀念绍妨，并為邊緣化的群體润脸，尤其是女性，提供了一個探索緊迫社會問題的平臺他去。此外毙驯，小說在維護(hù)新興國家的文化獨立性方面發(fā)揮了至關(guān)重要的作用，加夫列爾·加西亞·馬爾克斯的《百年孤獨》就是一個例證灾测。印刷機(jī)在促進(jìn)文學(xué)傳播的同時爆价，也使文學(xué)的控制和審查變得更加容易，而地下出版物成為逃避審查和維護(hù)文學(xué)自由的一種手段媳搪。
如今铭段，人們正處于另一場由互聯(lián)網(wǎng)引發(fā)的文學(xué)革命之中。這種變革性的技術(shù)正在重塑我們的閱讀和寫作方式秦爆。我們正站在寫作和文學(xué)新時代的風(fēng)口浪尖上序愚，文字世界必將經(jīng)歷進(jìn)一步的變革和創(chuàng)新〉认蓿總之爸吮，敘事在塑造歷史和影響幾代人方面發(fā)揮了關(guān)鍵作用。從亞歷山大大帝的征服到《伊利亞特》經(jīng)久不衰的力量望门，從詩歌在中國文學(xué)中的重要性到《源氏物語》的復(fù)雜性形娇，從《一千零一夜》的故事到小說在大眾識字時代的主導(dǎo)地位，敘事在文明上留下了不可磨滅的印記筹误。而隨著人類在不斷變化的文學(xué)景觀中航行時桐早，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)帶來了新的機(jī)遇和挑戰(zhàn)，引領(lǐng)了一個由故事和書面文字繼續(xù)塑造世界的未來纫事。
From ancient epics to modern novels, narrative has exerted great power throughout history. A famous example is Alexander the Great, who drew inspiration from Homer’s Iliad and studied the work in depth under the guidance of Aristotle. The mutual influence between the Iliad and Alexander propelled Greek to become the lingua franca of a vast region.
Chinese literature, by contrast, finds its roots in the Book of Songs. It is a seemingly simple book of poetry that later evolved into a literary work with a complex system of interpretation and criticism. Poetry is of great significance in Chinese history and culture. Aspiring writers had to demonstrate a deep understanding of poetry in order to pass the imperial examinations. This emphasis on poetry extended to other East Asian countries, including Japan, which sought cultural independence by creating poetry collections that differed from China’s. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu is one of the earliest great novels in the history of world literature. Murasaki taught herself Chinese poetry and skillfully incorporated it into her work. With its meticulous depiction of court life and numerous characters, The Tale of Genji is more than a thousand pages long and contains nearly 800 poems, making it a monumental work.
As literacy rates increased worldwide, the advent of paper and printing ushered in a new era of literature. The Arabs acquired knowledge of papermaking from China, and stories previously transmitted orally were recorded and compiled into collections such as One Thousand and One Nights. This diverse collection of stories is framed by the fascinating stories of Scheherazade and the King to entertain and educate the public. Scheherazade, through her ability to tell stories, not only saved her own life, but became a symbol of storytelling heroism.
Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in Northern Europe completely changed the face of literature. The literary form of this era is dominated by fiction. Unlike ancient literary forms, fiction is less preconceived and provides a platform for marginalized groups, especially women, to explore pressing social issues. Moreover, the novel played a crucial role in preserving the cultural independence of emerging nations, as exemplified by Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. While the printing press facilitated the dissemination of literature, it also made it easier to control and censor literature, and underground publications became a means of evading censorship and maintaining literary freedom.
Today, people find themselves in the midst of another literary revolution brought about by the Internet. This transformative technology is reshaping the way we read and write. We are on the cusp of a new era in writing and literature, and the written world is bound to undergo further change and innovation. In short, narrative has played a key role in shaping history and influencing generations. From the conquests of Alexander the Great to the enduring power of the Iliad, from the importance of poetry in Chinese literature to the complexity of The Tale of Genji, from the stories of One Thousand and One Nights to the dominance of fiction in the age of mass literacy, narrative has left an indelible mark on civilization. As humanity navigates an ever-changing literary landscape, the Internet brings new opportunities and challenges, ushering in a future where stories and the written word continue to shape the world.
