《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》及《達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》的比較閱讀

互文中的弗吉尼互?伍爾夫?對(duì)“時(shí)時(shí)剜剝”反“迭洛衛(wèi)夫舢的比較閱讀VirginiaWooifIntertextualized:AComparativeStudyonTheHoursandMrs.DaUoway院系(所:外文學(xué)院專(zhuān)姓業(yè):英語(yǔ)語(yǔ)言文學(xué)名:肖伊指導(dǎo)教師:盧麗安副教授完成日期:2005年5月20日鵬6Ⅲ“如加舵豫昏槲學(xué)學(xué)艾夠于論L九位回一攀瑤尉敞士飯士碩Acknowledgements1wouldliketoexpressmyheartfeltgratitudetoDr.LuLianforherextremelyhelpfulguidanceinthecompletionofthisthesis.AndIowemanythankstomyparems,whoselove,trustandsupportarethemostprecioustreasureforme.3中文標(biāo)題互文中的弗吉尼亞?伍爾夫:對(duì)‘時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》與‘達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》的比較閱讀中文摘要1999年的普利策文學(xué)獎(jiǎng)被授予了美國(guó)當(dāng)代作家麥克?康寧漢的作品《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》。這部小說(shuō)憑借其優(yōu)美詩(shī)意的語(yǔ)言和對(duì)人性觸動(dòng)人心的描寫(xiě)獲得了廣泛的注意和好評(píng)。更重要的是,《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》構(gòu)建了~個(gè)豐富而多層次的互文體系,不僅對(duì)英國(guó)現(xiàn)代主義作家弗吉尼亞?伍爾夫的經(jīng)典作品《達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》進(jìn)行了后現(xiàn)代語(yǔ)境下的重寫(xiě),更對(duì)伍爾夫的其他作品及生平進(jìn)行了指涉。本文對(duì)《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》這部小說(shuō)進(jìn)行了細(xì)致的文本研究,并對(duì)其中所蘊(yùn)含的互文體系做了詳盡的解讀。還結(jié)合讀者批評(píng)理論,挖掘了文本中對(duì)讀者一作者一文本關(guān)系的隱喻。本文共分為五個(gè)章節(jié)。第一章為本篇論文的介紹部分,提出了本文的研究目的及方法。并對(duì)論文所要涉及的重要概念“互文性”的產(chǎn)生和發(fā)展進(jìn)行了一番簡(jiǎn)單的梳理。第二章對(duì)所涉及的兩個(gè)主要文本《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》及《達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》的情節(jié)、特色做了介紹和回顧,并研究了兩部小說(shuō)在主題上的差異及互通。第三章從多個(gè)層次對(duì)《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》中所蘊(yùn)含的互文指涉進(jìn)行了解讀?！稌r(shí)時(shí)刻刻》由三條敘事線索構(gòu)成,分別以“達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人”,“布朗夫人”及“伍爾夫夫人”命名?！斑_(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人”這一部分是對(duì)弗吉尼亞?伍爾夫1925年的作品《達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》的重寫(xiě);“布朗夫人”部分的主人公是以《達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》的讀者的身份出現(xiàn)的。該部分對(duì)伍爾夫的一些其他作品,特別是女權(quán)主義代表作《~個(gè)人的房間》進(jìn)行了指涉;而“伍爾夫夫人”這一部分則是依據(jù)對(duì)伍爾夫的生平研究創(chuàng)作的,描寫(xiě)了伍爾夫在構(gòu)思及創(chuàng)作小說(shuō)《達(dá)洛衛(wèi)夫人》時(shí)的狀態(tài)。第四章是在讀者批評(píng)理論的基礎(chǔ)上,對(duì)《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》進(jìn)行了另一層面的解讀。探討了文中所蘊(yùn)含的對(duì)讀者一作者一文本關(guān)系的思考。第五章是對(duì)前文論述的小結(jié),并提出了若干有研究?jī)r(jià)值,但由于篇幅所限無(wú)法探討的議題。關(guān)鍵詞:互文性《時(shí)時(shí)刻刻》弗吉尼亞?伍爾夫讀者批評(píng)4AbstraetThe1999PulitzerfictionPrizewenttoAmericanwriterMichaelCunningham’SnovelTheHours,whichreceivedmuchacclaimforitshighlyintenseandpoeticlanguage,aswellasitspowerfulpresentationoftheemotionalsufferingsofwomen,What’Smoreimportant,TheHoursweavesuparichandmulti?levelednetworkofintertextualreferencestotheworkandlifeofthelegendarymodernistwriterVirginiaWoolf.ThisthesisoffersadetailedintertextualstudyonTheHours,aswellasametaphoricinterpretationofthenovelbasedonreadercriticismtheories.ThisMAthesisfallsintofivechapters.Thefirstchapteristheintroduction,whichgiliesanoverviewofthethesisintermsofpurposeandmethodology.ThisisfollowedbyabriefreviewoftheconceptualizationanddevelopmentoftheconceptofintertextualityThesecondchapterisdevotedtOadiscussionontheplotandthemeofTheHoursandMrs.Dalloway,withthefocusonthedeath/lifemotifsharedbybothtexts.ThethirdchaptercarriesoutadetailedanalysisontheintertextualwebinTheHours.Thisnovelhasthreeparallelnarrativestrandsrespectivelyentitledas“Mrs.Dalloway”,“Mrs.Brown”,and“Mrs.Woolf’.The“Mrs.Dalloway'’partisarewriteofthe1925Mrs.DallowaybyVirginiaWoolf,the“Mrs.、Brown’’partiscenteredonafictionalizedreaderofMrs.Dalloway,andbearsvariousintertextualreferencestoWoolf'sotherworksincludingARoomofOneiOwn;the“Mrs.Woolf’partisbased5onthepersonallifeofVirginiaWool￡andpresentsthedayOnwhichWoolfstartswritingMrs.DallowayInthefonhchapter,attemptshavebeenmadetoofferametaphoricinterpretationofTheHours,presentingthenovelasafictionalizedpresentationontheauthor’Smeditationsonthe.author-reader-textrelationshipThefifthchapterisasummaryofpreviousdiscussionsKeywords:intertextualityTheHoursVirginiaWoolfreadercriticism6VirginiaWoolfIntertextualized:AComparativeStudyonTheHoursandMrs.DallowayByXiaoYiChapterOneIntroductionThe1999PulitzerFictionPrizewenttoAmericanwriterMichaelCunningham’snovelTheHours.Thisnovelalsowonfortheauthoranothermajorliteratureprize—Pen/FaulknerAwardofthatyear.What’smore,thissamenovelwasaNewtbrkTimesBestseller,andwasselectedtobethe“BestBookof1998”byTheNewYorkTimesLosAnge&sTimes,andPublishersWeekly.Itwasreceivedfavorablybycriticsandmarketalike.Twoyearslaterin2001,thenovelwasadaptedforthebigscreenanditsnamesakemovie,ledbyanextraordinarycastofMerylStreep,JulianneMoore,andNicoleKidman,mmedouttobeoneofthemostsuccessfulmoviesofthatyearandreceivedninenominationsforOscar.Themovierefueledthepublic’szestforthelegendaryBritishmodernistwriterVirginiaWoolflwhocommiaedsuicidein1941andleftbehindhernumerousliteraryclassics.ThehugesuccessofthisHollywoodmovieblockbusterinturnintroducedMichaelCnnningham’sbooktoanevenwideranddiversifiedaudiencebeyondtheUnitedStatesTheHoursbasicallyconcemsthreewomeneachlivinginadifferentplaceandtime,sufferingfrommoreorlessthesamesenseofdepressionperceivedintheirownlives.Theactionsoftheirstoriesareconfinedtoonesingleday,andareallinterconnectedwitllthelifeandworkoftheBritishwriterVirginiaWoolf71.1PurposeandMethodologyMythesisintendstoexploreanddisentangletherichandmulti—leveledfabricofintertextualreferencestothelifeandliteraryworksofVirginiaWoolfinTheHoursMypurpose,however,isnottopointouteverysinglereferencetothelegendarywriter,buttodemonstratehowtheintertextualtheoriesareatworkinCunninghalTl’Snovel,andhowCunningham,whohasprovedhimselftobeanexpertofVirginiaWoolf,employsrhetoricaldeviceslikepastiche,allusionete.topresentthisintertextuality.AsTheHoursiscomposedofthreeparallel-runningsegments,1willdemonstrateinmydiscussionthat,inCanningham’Sarrangement,eachofthesethreesegmentspointstooneparticularaspectofVirginiaWoolf'slifeandwriting.Forthispartofdiscussion,thefocuswillbeputonhowCunningharnmanipulatesandtransformshisknowledgeaboutvariousaspectsofVirginiaWoolfintofiction,andhowhetakesVirginiaWoolf'soriginaltextsasapointofdeparturetotellhisownstorythatechoesyet仃anscendstheanteriortext.Followingthis,IattempttoofferametaphoricinterpretationofTheHours,presentingthenovelasafictionalizedpresentationontheauthor’Smeditationsontheauthor-reader-textrelationship,basedonthereadercriticismtheories,andsomeofRolandBarthes’spropositionsinparticular.Thispartwillenlargethescopeofthisthesisbyaddinganewdimensiontotheintertextualanalysisofthetexts.ThemajortheoretictoolsIemployinthisthesisaretheconceptofintertextualityandthereadercriticismtheory,which,as1willdiscussinthelatterpartofthisthesis,areinasenseinterrelatedItismyhopethatthisthesiscannotonlydemonstrateTheHoursasfullofcleverintertextualreferencestoVirginiaWoolf'slifeandwork,butalsopresenttheseriousconsiderationst11isnovelinvolvesinassociationwiththereader-author-textrelationship1.2Intertextuality:ConceptandDevelopmentIntertextualiyisoneofthekeyconceptsdiscussedinthisthesis.Thetermwascoinedin1966byJuliaKdstevainherground—breakingessay%磁Dialogue.andNovel2.whichwasfirstofallanattempttointroduceRussianlinguistandliterarycriticMikhailBakhtin’simportantfmdingstotheFrench-speakingaudience.Thefundamentalconceptofintertextualityisthatnotextisreallyuniqueororiginalinitself;ratheritisatextwovenofallkindsofreferencestoandquotationsfromothertexts.Or,toputitsimply,thetermdenotes‘‘a(chǎn)generalinterdependenceofanyoneliterarytextwithallthosethathavegonebeforeit”.2Thoughimertextualityisinthefirstplaceasemioticterm,itprovestobeaveryuseful,evenessential,conceptforliterarystudy.Asamatteroffact,thepracticeofusingintertextualreferencesinwritingexitslongbeforethetermiscoined.However,hereliesanessentialpointinunderstandingtheconceptofintertextualitycomprehensively.Intertextuality,atthisstageofhistory,isapproachedtoattwodifferentlevels:the“intertextuality'’thatpost-structuralistslikeKristevaandBarthes1FirstpublishedinFrenchas”LeMot,ledialogueetleroman.”(1966.ForEnglishversion.referto:Kristeva,Julia.“Word,DialogueandNovel”,!h￡Kjs絲!g8塑d!LEd.TorilMoi,OxfordBasilBlaekwell,1984,D.49.aretalkingabout,andthe‘‘intertextuality’’asamoreworkabledefinitionforliterarycriticism.Intheinventionoftheterm‘‘intertextuality”,KristevaowedalottoRussianlinguistandcriticMikhailBakhtin,whowastheleadingfigureoftheso—calledBakhtinSchoolinthelaterperiodofFormalism.Hismostimportantfindingsincludetheso—calleddialogismandthegenreofpolyphonicnovelasherecognizedinDostoevsky’sworks.Heraisedsomefimdamentallyinterestingthemes.suchas‘'theopennessandinstabilityofliterarytexts’'(Selden,1986:19thatwerepickedupanddevelopedbylatertheoristslikeKristevaandRolandBarthes.3KristevaimportsBaldatin’stheoriesandfitsthemintotheFrenchtheoreticalcontextofthelate-1960s.whichrepresentsafundamentalmovementawayfromstrusturalismtowardthepost-structuralistnotionoftheteXt.SincetheworkofBarthesandKristeva,theconceptofintertextualityhasgonethrougharichandextremelyvariedhistory.Amongothers,GdrardGenette,withhistheoryoftTanstextualityhastakenonesignificantsteptofurtherdefineintertextuality,halrowsdownitsdenotationanddifferentiatesitfrom,ashecallsit,hypertextualityGenettefirstintroducestranstextualityinTheArchitext:AnIntroduction,anddescribesitasatermdenotingthetranscendenceoftextualmeanings:‘‘Forthemomentthetextsinterestsme(onlyinitstextualtranscendence—namely,everythingthatbringsitintorelation(manifestofhiddenwithothertexts.Icallthattranstextuality…”(Genette,1992:813Genettfurtherdividestranstextualityintofivesub-types,namelyintertextuality,paratextuality,metatextuality,hypertextualityandarchitextuality.Ofthesefivesubtypes,thedifferentiationofhypertextualityandintertextualityhasthemostfar-reachingsignificanceonliterarystudiesIntertextuality,inGenette’Sterminology,represents”demonstrablepresenceofonetextwithinanother”,whilehypertextualityrepresents”anyrelationship,excludingthatofcommentary,thatlinksalatertext(ahypertextwithanearliertext(itshypotext”(Makaryk,1993:335.Actuallythemajordifferencebetweenthetwotermsisthat,intertextualityisexpressive,whilehypertextualityisrepresemive.Forintertextuality,itisaco-presenceofthetextanditsintertexts,ortheappearanceoftheintertextsinthetext;howeverhypertextualitydescribesthesituationwhenonetextisderivedfromtheformertext.Thetypicaldevicesofintertextualityincludecitation,reference,allusionandpla西arism,whilethetypicaldevicesofhypertextualityareparodyandpastiche.4Theaboveprovidesaratherbriefreviewofthecoinageanddevelopmentoftheconceptofintertextuality,whichisatthesametimealinguisticphenomenonandaliteraryt001.Inthenexttwochapters,aclosestudywillbeconductedontheintertextualrelationsbetweentwotexts:TheHoursbyMichaelCunninghlti"0andMrsDallowaybyVirginiaWoolfForthesakeofconvenience,thisthesiswillstillusetheuniversallyacceptedterm‘‘intertextuality”,ratherthan‘‘transtextuality'’asGeneReproposes,torefertothe4interrelationshipbetweenthetwotexts.However,whendiscussingthedevicesusedtoachieveorpresentthisintertextuality,adifferentiationwillbemadebetweenintertextuality(initsstrictsenseandhypertextuality,followingGenet’Sformat.12Chapter2TheAsoneoftheleadingfiguresofthemodernistmovement,VirginiaWool￡theauthorofMrs.Dalloway,isoneofthemostdiscussedfemalewritersinworldliterature.Comparedwithher,MichaelCunninghamisstillastrangenametomanyChinesereaders.Inthischapter,anintroductionwillbegivenontheplotofTheHoursandMrsDalloway,aSwellaSadiscussionontheirthemes.2.1PlotofTheHoursandMrs.DallowayTheprologueandstartingpointofTheHoursisthesuicidesceneofVirginiaWool￡whohadbeensufferingfromanimminentmentalbreakdown.LeavingtwonotesaddressedrespectivelytoherhusbandLeonardandsisterVanessa,VirginiaWoolfdrownedherselfinarivernearhomeThemajorpartofthenovelTheHoursiscomposedofthreenarrativestrands,3eachconcen打afingononesingledayinawoman’slife.Thethreepamllel-nmningstories,entitledrespectivelyas“Mrs.Dalloway'’,“Mrs.Woolf’and“Mrs.Brown'’,weaveupacarefullydesignedfabricfullofintertextualreferences.MrsDallowayandthrewhimselffromthewindowinfrontofherThesectionentitled“Mrs.Woolf’isaboutVirginiaWoolf'soneordinarydayin1923atherhouseinRichmond,asuburbofLondon.ThisWasthedayonwhichVirginiaWoolfputthefirstlineofMrs.Dallowayonpaper.Sheheldhighexpectationsforthisbook;however,herunstablementflsituationfrequentlyletherdown.ThemajorplotofthispartinvolvesavisitbyVirginiaWoolffssisterVanessaandherchildrenandafailedattemptmadebythedepression—strickenwritertofleetheboringcountrysideforLondon.Also,theauthorMichaelCuaninghamdepictsVirginiaWoolf'smentalactivitiesthroughthedayasadisturbingunder-currentthat14mother,Mrs.Brownoftenfeltherselfoutofplaceatherownhome.Sincethatdaywasherhusband’Sbirthday,shetriedtobakeaperfectcakeforhim,butfailed.Andthepresenceofhersensitivelittlesonbroughtherpressureratherthanjoy.Hersenseofdepressiongotevenworse,asherneighborKittydroppedinandconfidedonheraboutherillnessthatmightleadtoinfertility.Leavinghersonwithababysitter,Mrs.BrownlefthomeandcheckedinahotelwhereshecouldspendafewsolitaryhoursandreadMrs,Dalloway.Thereshecouldtemporarilydiscardherroleasawifeandmother.Duringherstayinthehotelroom,Mrs.Brownconsideredsuicide,however,managedtoovercomeitandwenthomejustintimetogivearoutinebirthdaypartyforherhusband.Thethreenarrativestrandsdevelopinparallelandeachrevealsitselfslotbyslotinalternation、Ⅳiththeothertwo.ItisthedeathofthepoetRichardthateventuallybringsthestrandsof“Mrs.Dalloway’’and“Mrs.Brown’’togetherinthelastchapterunderthetitleof“Mrs.Dalloway’’AfterthesuicideofRichard,Clarissasentforhismother,whotumedouttobe15nobodyelsebutLauraBrown,thedesperatehousewifewholovedreading.ThemeetingofClarissaandLauraBrownbroughtthewholebooktoartopenending,withthetwowomenreachingapointofmutualunderstanding.TheactionsofMrs.DallowayalltookplacewithinonesingledayinJune1923inLondon.Thenovelisorganizedintwoparallel-runningstories:onecentersOnClafissaDalloway,apolitician’SwifewhoWaSpreparingforflpartyshewastogivethatevening,whiletheotherisaboutSeptimusWarrenSmith,ashell—shockedveteranfromWorldWar1whocommittedsuicideOnthatday.ThetwothreadseventuallymeetonClarissa’Sparty,whenoneofhergueststalkedaboutthedeathofflyoungmancalledSeptimus,whowasoneofhispatients2.2ThethemeofMrs.DallowayandTheHoursMrs.Dallowayis,beyondanydoubt,acomplexbook.Thedifficultyaboutthisnovelliesnotonlyinitstechnicalinnovation,poeticlanguageandmeditativestyle,butalsointheobscurityandvaguenessaboutitstheme.ArnoldBennett,inhisarticle“AnotherCriticismoftheNewSchool”,claimeddirectlythathewastotallyatalosswhatthisnoveliSabout:16Mrs.Dalloway…beatme.Icouldnotfinishit.becauseIcouldnotdiscoverwhatitwasreallyabout,whatWasitsdirection,andwbatMrs.Woolfintendedtodemonstratebyit.(Bennett,1997:189.AndforthecriticLeonEdel.itwasbetternottobotherwimthequestionofthemewhencriticizingMrs.Dalloway,because.accordingtohisdiscussionin叻PModernP剮chologicalNovelMrs.Dallowayshouldbeapproachedasapoemratherthananovel,thereforeshouldbeexemptfromanyinvestigationformeaning(Edel,1955:198.ActuallytheuncertaintyaboutthecentralthemeofMrs.Dallowayisoneofitsfeaturesthatmarkthenovel’SbreakawayfromtheVictorianfictionalarts.Woolfdidn’tseemtocaremuchaboutacompletestorytllatendswiththerevelationofaclearmoral.HerfocusWasactuallyonltaeexplorationofthementalityofthecharacters.InMrs.Dalloway,whatreallymattersisnottheexteriorworld,buthowthecharacterreactstotheexteriorworld.AndthecharmofMrs.Dallowaylargelyliesinthecontrastbetweenthedifferentreactionsofdifferentpeopletowardsthesanleworld.VirginiaW001ftellsintheIntroductiontotheRandomHouseeditionofhernovelthatinheroriginalplan“Septimus,wholaterisintendedtobeherdouble,hadnoexistence;andthatMrs.Dallowaywasoriginallytokillherself,orperhapsmerelytodieattheendoftheparty”(Woolf,1928:vi.VirginiaⅥ,001f’SremarktellsUSthatClarissaandSeptimus’Sstorieswereoriginallydesignedtobeone.butWoolfsplititupanddrewoutanothercharactertobethe‘‘double”ofClarissa,todieforherandleaveClarissasafe.ActuallythischangeofVirginiaWoolfisanattempttoextemalizetheinnerconflictsofthecharactenWoolfslicedthedarkerpartofMrs.Dalloway’S17personalityfromher,personifieditintoarealpersonnamedSeptimus,andusedhisdeathtocontrastwithClafissaDalloway’Sprosperousfate.AndthisexplainswhySeptimus’SsuicidehadsuchstrongemotionalimpactonClarissa.Atthatmomen,Clarissawasconfrontedbyherownalterego.ActuallyClarissaandSeptimusdosharesomequalityincommon.AsPalphSamuelsonobserves,‘‘bothClarissaandSeptimusrevealinagreatpartoftheirthoughtaHamlet-like,death-broodingbent;andbothareinsympathywi也theideaofself-destructionasawayofpreservingtheirintegrityagainstforcesintheircommonsocialworldwhichthreatentoannihilatethemasindividuals”(Samuelson,1994:295.Thistendencyof“self-destruction'’issomethingsharedbythemboth;however,onlySeptimusletitexplode.Thistreatmentofhavingtwoleadingfiguresstandingside-by—sideandcontrastingwitheachotherisathreattothesenseofunitytreasuredbyVictoriannovelists.Iagree謝t11thecriticReneE.Fortinthat.‘"thefundamentalproblemofMrsDallowayisthefragmentationofthemodemworld,thelossofunitywithinsocietyandwithintheindividualhimself.”(Fortin,1994:307.Andthissenseofbeingfragmentedandalienatedisatthecoreofthesentimentalityofthecharacters,andistheatmosphereVirginiaWoolflriedtocreateinhernovel.owndiaryInthisbook(Mrs.DallowayIhavetoomanyideas.1wanttogivelifeanddeath,sanityandinsanity.1wanttocriticizethesocialsystem,andtoshowitatwork,atitsmostintense.(Woolf,1953:56SohereWoolflistsoutafewproblemssheisconcemedaboutinhernovel:lifeanddeath,sanityandinsanity,andacriticismofthesocialsystem.Noneofthese,asIconsider,cancoverthewholepictureofthenovel.howevertheycometogethertodeliverasenseofunease,disappointmentandfrustration.Compared塒thMrs.Dalloway,TheHoursofferedarelativelyeasyreading.evenforthosewhohaveverylittleknowledgeaboutVirginiaWoolf'slifeandworksTocomparethesetwonovdsintermsoftheme,weshouldfirstclarifyonepointthatTheHoursisasalutetoVirginiaWoolf,herentirelifeandwork,ratherthanMrs.Dallowaythesinglebook.MichaelCunninghamtakesMrs.DallowayasapointofentrytoexploretheartandlifeofVirginiaWoolf,yethisnoveldoesnotstophere.AsTheHoursisasalutetoVirginiaWoolf,andallattempttopresentthesufferingsandpainsofwomeningeneral,Mrs.Dallowayactuallypointstohumanityasawhole.Inthissense,thesetwonovelshavedifferentdirectionsofdevelopment,andaredifferentinscopeanddepth.However,despiteallthesedifferences,TheHoursinheritsalotfromMrs.Dalloway.andechoes謝msomeoftheimportantmotifsinthatbook.Ofallthecoanection5onecarlfindintllethemesofthetwonovels.Ichoosetofocusonthelife-deathmotifthatisverymuchatthecenterofbolhtexts9InTheHours,deathoccursinallthethreenarrativestrands.Asamatteroffact,thewholenovelstartsfromthesuicidesceneofVirginiaWoolf.CunninghamemploysgloomyyetpoeticlanguagetopresentWoolf'sdrowningintheriver,andpaysalotofattentiontosmalldetails.HisnarrationconvinceshisreadersthatdeathforVirginiaWoolfismorelikeareliefthanpain:Sheisbornequicklyalongbythecurrent.Sheappearstobeflying,afantasticfigure,armsoutstretched,hairstreaming,thetailofthefurcoatbillowingbehind.(TheHours,7WhenthestoryofVirginiaWoolfwaspickedupagainin砌8Hours.itwas192318yearspriortohersuicide.Curminghan]ciesignedoneordinarydayforWoolf,howeverstilltherewasdeath—也edeathofabird.winaessedbythechildrenofWj01PssisterVanessa.VirginiaWoolfandhersisterhelpeclthekidstoholdafuneralforthedeadbird.AndWoolfhopedinhermindthatitwasherthatwaslyingtheredead:Virginialingersanothermomentbesidesthedeadbirdinitscircleofroses....Shewouldliketoliedowninitsplace.Nodenyingit,shewouldlikethat.(TheHours,121Inthe‘'Mrs.Dalloway”part,thedeathsceIlewasRichard’SfallingfromthewindowinfrontofClarissaVaughan.RichardchosetocommitsuicidebeforethepartyClarissaarrangedforhimincelebrationofhiswinningofsomeliteratureprize.HewasveryfeebleatthattimebecauseofAids.Lifetohimwastooheavyaburden.StillthedeathofRichardwasdepictedaspeaceful,eventothepointofbeinggraceful:Heinchesforward,slidesgentlyoffthesill,andfalls....20HeseemsSOcertain,SOserene,thatshebrieflyimaginesithasn’thappenedata11.(TheHours,200Inthe“Mrs.Brown'’part,however,thereWaSnorealdeathscene,thoughithappensintheheroine’Simagination.ItWaSinahotelroom,whichLauraBrownpaidfortospendafewhourstoreadin.Asifallofasudden,itoccurredtoherthat,she●coulddecidetodie.Andthisideaofdeathofferedhergreatcomfort:[Death】could,shethinks,bedeeplycomforting;itmightfeelSOfree:tosimplygoaway.Tosaytothemall,Icouldn’tmanage,youhadnoidea;1didn’twanttotryanymore.Theremight,shethinks,beadreadfulbeautyinit,likeallicefieldorades蒿flinearlymoming.…Itwouldbeassimple,shethinks,ascheckingintoahotel.Itwouldbeassimpleasthat.(TheHours,151-152sufferedbywomen.AndLauraBrownprovedtobestrongerthanmostpeople’Sexpectationandoutlivedallherfamilymembers,Chapter3IntertextualityinTheHoursWhenaskedabouthowmuchWoolfpeopleshouldreadbeforeapproachingTheHours,MichaelCunningharnanswersItWaSimportanttomeinthebookthat...itbeentirelyaccessibletopeoplewhoknownothingatallaboutVirginiaWoolfandarenotevenentirelysureifsheWaSarealpersonorjustsomebodyEdwardAlbee5madeup(Curt,2005.Itisquitejustifiableandunderstandableforawritertoannouncenobackgroundknowledgeisrequiredforreadinghisbook,anditistruethatonedoesn’tneedtoknowtheLatinnameofarosebeforeheappreciatestheperfumeoftheflower.However,forabooklikeTheHours,atotalignoranceofVirginiaWoolfandherworkswilldefinitelyminimizethepleasureofreadingbymissingsomeveryinterestingpointswhichotherwisemaybediscoveredandappreciated.TheHoursinvolvesacarefullymadefabricofintertextualreferencestotheworkandlifeofⅥrginiaWoolf,whois,inasense,theheartandsoulofthewholenovel.Intertextualreferencespenetratealmostallaspectsandelementsofthenovel,turningthereadingexperienceintoaremarkableprocessofreadingandrereading,discoveringandrediscovering.Thisisbecauseforthereaders,theyareapproachinganddealingwithnotasingleisolatedtext,butamixtureofmanytexts,variantintimeandstyle,yetallrelevantinonewayoranothertooneintelligentandriddle—likewom舶一魄iniaWj01￡5Americanplaywrightwhoisfamousforhisplay“WhoisAfraidofVirginiaWoolf’ThetitleTheHoursitselfisahintofthebook’SintertextualrelationshipwithMrs.Dallowayasawhole,forthisisoneofthetitlesWoolforiginallyconsideredforthisnovelduringhercourseofwriting(Hussey,1995.MichaelCunninghamusesthistitleforhisnovelandbydoingSOsalutestheliteraryforemotherofhis.Asisillustratedbefore,therearethreenarrativestrandsinTheHours,respectivelyentitledas“Mrs.Dalloway'’.“Mrs.Woolf’and“Mrs.Brown'’.EachofthethreepartsisconnectedtoMrs.Dallowayinitsuniqueway,referringrespectivelytodifferentaspectsoftheworkandlifeofVirginiaWoolf.The“Mrs.Dalloway'’partisquiteobviouslyarewriteofVirginiaWoolf'scanonMrs.Dalloway;the“Mrs.Woolf’partholdsvariousreferencestothebiographiesofVirginiaWooIf,asCunninghamdeclaresin‘iANoteonSources”attheendofTheHours.Asforthe“Mrs.Brown'’part,acloserstudyisrequiredtodiscoveritsinterrelationshipwithvariousworksbyVirginiaWoolfotherthanMrs.Dalloway3.1“Mrs.Dalloway’’PartDalloway'’inTheHoursbearsnumerousreferencestoitshypertextinplotandcharacterization.Inthe“Mrs.Dalloway'’partofTheHours,theauthortakestheplotofMrs.DallowayasastartingpointandtransplantsitintotheNorth—AmericantI肌.lenniumcontext.Bothfocusingonthementalactivitiesofcharacters,theimpofranceofplotisactuallytuneddowntothepointthatthemajorfunctionofitistoprovideasitefortheinnerpsychologicalperformancesofthecharacters.Forbothtexts,thestoryiscomposedofafewimportantscenesthataiethreadedupbyaraniImngtreamofconsciousness.Thefollowingdia6ams6presentthemajorplotofthe“Mrs.Dalloway'’sectionsinTheHours,andMrs.Dalloway:MajorPlotofthe“Mrs.Dalloway"partinTheHour￥OPENNlNGDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT因一目C11M^(Mrs.DallowaySeptimusWarrenSmith:CLOSINGM《orPlotofMrs.DallowayOPENNINGDEVELOPMENTCLlMAxPuttingthesetwodiagramstogether'it'snothardtodiscoverthatbothtext86Itshouldbepointedoutthatbothdiagramsalehi曲lysimplifiedoutlinesofthecentralplot?Minorplotsl-mre-themother-daughterrelationshipthatbothhemineshavetofaceisdeliberately..omitted‘hereSOthatweCallfocusonthemostcentralandintensivepersonalrelationsportray。dinfollowthesameformatofdevelopmentthatstartsfromanoptimisticopening;followatriviallineofdevelopment;reachatragicanddesperateclimaxandfinallyhaveacalmreunionasallending.Fortheopening,MichaelCuuningharnfollowsVirginiaWoolf'sversionandletsthestorystartfromabeautifulmorningwiththeheroingoingoutonaflower-buyingerrand.Thisisfollowedbyaseriesofordinaryandtrivialdailyencounters,includingaIlunexpectedvisitofalloldfriend.Forbothtexts.thesuddenappearanceofanoldfriendselvesasabridgetocomloctthepaStandthepresent.Andinbothtexts,themeetingisdescribedasawkwardratherthanjoyful,andthereforebecomesatnrningpointinthemoodoftheheroinaswellaSthewholestory.JustasVirginiaWoolfdidinMrs.Dalloway,MichaelCunninghalrloffershisreadersverylittleclueaboutthesuddensuicideofthehero