试论爱伦·坡的种族观

出于对国家未来的焦虑,爱伦.坡把当时美国社会尖锐的种族问题巧妙融入小说叙事中。他用隐喻、象征等多种艺术手法,对残酷的奴隶制和种族压迫进行了无情的批判和鞭挞,对黑奴的悲惨遭遇表达了深切的同情和怜悯。然而,坡深受南方传统文化的熏陶,其思想上的保守因子导致种族立场的局限性和不彻底性。为了避免过分触及种族问题而陷入政治漩涡,他在小说中采取一种调和策略,即一种既不触怒白人读者、又能为大多数黑人所接受的"平均种族主义"。坡竭力在小说中构建一个没有种族歧视、种族迫害的理想世界,表达了对黑人、白人等多种族和谐共存的美好憧憬。

On Poe’s Racial Views

Sympathetic to the plight of black slaves,Edgar Allan Poe voices his strong criticism of slavery and racism through the skillful use of metaphors and symbols in his narratives.However,as a Southern writer deeply influenced by the southern conservatism,Poe shuns a radical stance on racial issues that might offend the white readers and also get him embroiled in the political turmoil of the age;he embraces instead a racial equalitarianism that would be acceptable to both the black and white communities.Hence,the author envisions in his works an ideal world of racial equality and perfect harmony.