内容简介
'Iamtheenfantterribleofliteratureandscience.IfIcannot,andIknowIcannot,gettheliteraryandscientificbig-wigstogivemeashilling,Ican,andIknowIcan,heavebricksintothemiddleofthem.'WithTheWayofAllFlesh,SamuelButlerthrewasubversivebrickatthesmugfaceofVictoriandomesticity.Publishedin1903,ayearafterButler'sdeath,thenovelisathinlydisguisedaccountofhisownchildhoodandyouth'inthebosomofaChristianfamily'.Withirony,witandsometimesrancour,hesavagedcontemporaryvaluesandbeliefs,turninginside-outtheconventionalnovelofafamily'slifethroughseveralgenerations.
作者简介
SamuelButler(1835-1902)wasthesonofaclergyman.HewaseducatedatShrewsburyandStJohn’sCollegeCambridgeand,afteradisagreementwithhisfatherabouthischoiceofcareer,leftEnglandtobecomeasheepfarmerinNewZealand,wherehestayeduntil1864.OnhisreturntoEngland,hetookupresidenceinClifford’sInnwherehestayeduntilhisdeath.Hebegantostudypaintingandworkedatitfortenyears,exhibitingoccasionallyattheRoyalAcademy.In1872heanonymouslypublishedErewhonwhichwasbasedonthelettershewrotetohisfatherfromNewZealand.ThiswasfollowedbyTheFairHaven,anattackontheResurrection,makingclearthereligiousskepticismwhichhadturnedButleragainstacareerinthechurch.Intheyearsthatfollowed,Butlerwroteseveralworksattackingcontemporaryscientificideas,inparticularDarwin’stheoryofnaturalselection.In1881hebegantowritebooksonartandtravel,thefirstofthesebeingAlpsandSanctuariesofPiedmontandtheCantonTicino.Aroundthistime,hewasalsoexperimentingwithmusicalcompositionandcollaboratedwithFestingJonesontheoratorioentitledNarcissus.AninterestinHomerledhimtowritelivelytranslationsofTheIliadandTheOdysseyandheformedthetheorythatthesetwoworkswerewrittenbyawoman.Butler’spartlyautobiographicalworkTheWayofAllFleshwastheresultofmanyyears’laborandappearedposthumouslyin1903.
