不浄の血 ---アイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー傑作選 – 2013
アイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー (著), 西 成彦 (翻訳)
4.8 5つ星のうち4.8 (5)
悪魔や魑魅魍魎が跋扈するノーベル賞作家の傑作短篇を精選。怪奇と超自然、エロスとタナトス渦巻く濃密な世界が、めくるめくようなストーリーで展開される。イディッシュ語原典から初邦訳。
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日本から
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5つ星のうち5.0 素晴らしい
2017年2月19日に日本でレビュー済み
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悲惨な中にも、どこかユーモラスな雰囲気があり、読後感が絶妙。ぜひ、kindle化を。
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FUMO
5つ星のうち5.0 イデッシュ語で描かれた古くそして豊潤なるユダヤ社会
2013年8月15日に日本でレビュー済み
フォーマット: 単行本Amazonで購入
アイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガーは1904（1902？）年ポーランド生まれ〜1991年没のイデッシュ語作家だ。イデッシュ語というのはドイツ・東欧圏のユダヤ語、ということらしい。単に「ユダヤ語」というわけではないのは、古代パレスチナに住み古典ヘブライ語を話していたユダヤ人が、ディアスポラ後にその居住する地方によりアラビア語・ラディーノ語（スペイン系ユダヤ言語）・イディッシュ語などへ言語的枝分かれをした為であるらしい。しかしこのイデッシュ語・イデッシュ語文化は、かのホロコーストにより壊滅的な打撃を受け、ユネスコの消滅危険度評価で高い消滅危険度を持った言語であることが言及されている。即ちアイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガーは、消えゆく言語でもって忘れ去られようとしているドイツ・東欧圏ユダヤ人文化を文学に残そうとしたイデッシュ語作家なのだ。その功績からシンガーは1978年にノーベル文学賞を受賞している。ちなみにシンガーのイデッシュ語での作家名はイツホク・バシェヴィス、ないしイツホク・バシェヴィス・ジンゲル。
シンガーの作品群はその書かれた言語と同じようにホロコースト以前のドイツ・東欧ユダヤ人社会とその文化を主に描いている。そしてその文化の中心となるのは、なんといってもユダヤ教の戒律であり、その戒律を通じて描かれる人々の営みであり、そしてその戒律から生み出されるユダヤ人であることの歴史性とアイデンティティであり、さらにその戒律の禁忌から生み出される背教と戒めの物語なのだ。
それにしてもこの短編集を読んでいて正直、ここまでユダヤ教というものが、古代パレスチナから連綿とその民族的歴史性を固持し続けるものであるとは思わなかった。ユダヤ教の歴史はそれこそ旧約聖書時代まで遡り、その成立以前である紀元前1280年頃のモーゼ十戒まで含めると実に3千有余年、少なくとも2500年以前の暮らしや規律や生きる寄る辺とする物の在り方を頑なに近代まで守り続けていたのだ。それはある意味、現在に残された古代といった様相すらある。それを古色蒼然としたものととるか否かはまた別の話として、少なくとも信仰というものはこのように一つの物事をあくまでも徹底的に信じ、そして守る続ける行為である、ということはいえるかもしれない。だから短編集で描かれる個々の作品の殆どが第2次世界大戦前後のユダヤ人社会を描いたものであるとしても、その社会は数百年前も、数千年前も、やはり少しも変わらずに営まれていたのであろう、と考えると、ユダヤ人とユダヤ教の、ディアスポラに裏打ちされた強固さというものがどれほどのものなのか伺えるというものだ。そしてその頑固なまでの強固さが、現代イスラエルの在り方とその問題にも繋がっているといえるのかもしれない。
個々の作品を紹介することはしないが、物語の傾向は幾つか分かれている。「バビロンの男」「鏡（ある悪魔の独白）」「ティショフツェの物語」「炉辺の物語」「呼び戻された男」「黒い結婚」はユダヤ教の悪霊や悪魔、魔術や生き返りが登場する幻想的な物語。「スピノザ学者」「断食」「ありがたい助言」「屠殺人」はユダヤ教信教そのものによって引き起こされる物語。「ギンプルのてんねん」「ちびの靴屋」「ちびにでかいの」「不浄の血」はユダヤ教を信教することによって生まれるユダヤ人社会の悲喜劇や諍い、事件を描く。ここまではどこか民話的でもありながら、強烈なユダヤ教的世界観が物語の中心を貫いた物語が続く。また、ユダヤ教の固有名詞も頻出し、凄まじいエキゾチズムが生まれている。しかしラスト2作、「ハンカ」「おいらくの恋」は大戦を逃れアメリカ大陸へ渡ったユダヤ人を描き、ここではユダヤ教そのものの存在は鳴りを潜め、むしろ故郷喪失者の哀感を描いた物語と様変わりする。
この中でもっとも気に入ったのはポーランドに住むユダヤ人靴屋の歴史を描く「ちびの靴屋」か。頑固で腕のいい職人である靴屋の親父が主人公だが、彼の子供たちは一人また一人とアメリカへ移住してゆく。例によって頑固者の親父はそんなことなど我関せずといつものように靴職人を続けていたがある日ナチスのポーランド侵攻が始まり…というこの物語、映画化すれば絶対面白いものになる気がする。誰か渋いヨーロッパ監督がやってくれないかな。
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FANTASMA UCCIDENDO MECCANISMO （YO SOY AQUEL）
5つ星のうち5.0 愛と血と欲望と悪魔うごめく世界・・・本作は、物語を堪能させてくれる逸品揃いでしょう。
2013年5月1日に日本でレビュー済み
フォーマット: 単行本
著者は、作品紹介にあるように、1978年にノーベル文学賞受賞者のユダヤ人作家である。本書には、イディッシュ語（西ゲルマン語群に属する高地ドイツ語（標準ドイツ語）の一つで、世界中で400万人のアシュケナージ系・ユダヤ人によって使用されている）から翻訳された16編の短篇が収録されている。東欧におけるユダヤ人の人生や運命のまつわる物語は、流石に物語を堪能させてくれる逸品揃いであると思う。表題作「不浄の血」・・・“食肉業を生業とする男に魅かれた人妻が、老いた夫を騙して、男を屋敷に住まわせる。人妻は、屠殺された家畜の血に興奮しながら、ついには、その場で男と淫らな行為に溺れるようになり、外道の道へ・・・。堕落していく官能的なスリリングな描写が読みどころでしょう。“作品の多くは、人間のむきだしなダークな欲望がテーマであるが、「ちびの靴屋」・・・”代々続く店を誇りにしている誠実な靴屋親子に起こる波乱にとんだ物語。7人の息子たちは、父を敬い、修行を続けていたが、長男がアメリカに行ったのを切掛けに、他の息子たちも次々と故郷を離れていった・・・やがて、ヒットラーの台頭・・・そして、村は火に包まれ・・・。“は、流浪の物語で、他作品とは違う意味で読ませる。本の帯の言葉、「愛と血と欲望と悪魔うごめく世界」を描いた本作は、人々の描き方も文章も語り口も素晴らしく、一気に読んでしまいました。物語を堪能させてくれる逸品揃いでしょう。
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popon.No6
5つ星のうち4.0 彼の作品は心に重く伸しかかりました。
2015年7月7日に日本でレビュー済み
フォーマット: 単行本
アイザック・B・シンガーの本を始めて買ったのは、１９７１年、『短い金曜日』でした。
そして、『不浄の血』。ずいぶんと時を置いて買った二冊目です。１９９１年に彼は没しています。しかし、最近になって（２０１３年だけど）、新しく彼の本が邦訳されました。『短い金曜日』の方は英語からの重訳でしたが、『不浄の血』は、イディッシュ語で書かれたものを直接訳しています。またまたわたしのミーハー魂に火が付いて買ってしまったという訳です。
読後感は、ひとこと「重かったあ～」です。若い時は彼の濃厚な「悪意」や「残虐性」に耐えられましたが、歳を取ると心にズシンこたえます。彼の作品に流れている世界は、ユダヤ的土着性から来る濃厚な文化・伝統・宗教・生活習慣です。もちろんユダヤ教の戒律や習慣などが基になっている人間模様です。と言って、ユダヤ教賛美と言うことではなく、戒律を頑なに守る人々を揶揄しているものもあります。ユダヤ教の指導者であるラビでさえ愚劣さ無能ぶりが皮肉られます。
ひとつは、寓話のような世界です。ロシアで言うと『イワンの馬鹿』のようなもの。馬鹿ではあるが、人を疑う事を知らぬ人物で、まわりのものは彼をからかい、虚仮にし、利用し、総てのものを彼から奪い取ります。が、それでも彼は疑う事を知らず、幸せな人間であり続けます。彼からは聖性すら感じます。（『ギンプルのてんねん』は、両方の本に掲載されていました。）
または、男性優位なユダヤ教の中でたくましく生きる女性です。「たくましく」とは元気にという意味でなく、男を手玉にとって悪の限りを尽くすということ。ユダヤ教の戒律など知るものかとばかりの振舞いです。まるで悪魔に魅入られたように非道を尽くし、酷い最期を遂げます。しかし、その中にもやはり「聖性」を感じてしまいます。（『不浄の血』）
また、頑固にユダヤ教の戒律を守り通して地道な靴職人として生きている父親ともっと外の世界を知りたい息子たち。七人の息子たちは次々と新天地アメリカへ旅立ちます。残された父親には悲劇が。ナチの弾圧が日々重く圧し掛かって来ます。妻もなくし、ナチの手を逃れるため彼は故郷を捨てあてもない放浪生活に。アメリカで成功した彼の息子たちは彼の行方を探究します。
ようやく探し当てアメリカに父親を迎えますが、その時もう父親は腑抜け状態。息子たちは同じ靴職人で、アメリカで成功しましたが、今では靴を手作りせず、靴製造会社の経営者に。腑抜け状態になった父親は、ある日、自分の靴職人としての道具類を見つけます。彼は、ひとり庭先の小屋で靴作りを始めます。それを見た息子たちは、一人また一人と、昔のように彼を取り囲んで靴作りを始めます。そして、父親の陽気な歌声に合唱するのでした。（『ちびの靴屋』）
これは、珍しく心あたたまるお話でした。が、ユダヤ教の戒律を守り生きてきた父親は、最後にアメリカの新天地に飲み込まれてしまうのです。晩年のシンガーは、インタビューに答えてこのように言っています。
自分たちの土地を離れ、言語をも棄てて、新しい土地での新生活を強いられた人々にとりつく劇的なトラウマを文学は蔑にしてきた。当時からそう感じ、今でもそう感じる。……わたしは自分の言語から切り離されただけでなく、自分なりの考え方や、思考の基礎となる諸概念をも歪められてしまった。マンハッタンやコ二ーアイランドの窖や喧騒のなかでは悪魔もおちおちはしていられない。この町じゃあ、シナゴーグだって教会と変わらないし、神学校の前では少年たちがサッカーをしている。……葬儀に集まるひとびとだって、まるで結婚式に出るかのようないでたちなのだ。
『ティショフツェの物語』のなかで悪魔が独白しています。
おれは悪魔だ。そのおれさまが言うのだから嘘じゃない。もう、この世に悪魔は存在しないのだ。今や人間が悪魔そのものなんだから、悪魔の出る幕じゃない。相手がやる気満々でいるのに、今さら何のためにそそのかす必要があるのだろうか？……おれだって、まぎれもないユダヤ教徒だ、言うまでもない。まさか俺が異教徒（ゴイ）だとでも思っているのか？
もうユダヤ教の戒律も何もない時代に、ユダヤの悪魔の出番はないということですね。戒律を破らせるのが悪魔のお仕事なんですから。
１９７８年、アイザック・B・シンガーは、イディッシュ語での作家としてはじめてノーベル賞を受賞しました。しかし、彼はイディッシュ語が消えていく現代においてどのような感慨を持っていたのでしょうか。最後に、幻想や妄想こそが「現実＝リアル」だという彼の主張は、ラテンアメリカ文学の「マジック・リアリズム」を思い起こさせました。頑なな宗教性と「土着」という関係のなかにもその類似性を想像してしまいました。
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일본에서
Kindle 사용자
5성급 중 5.0 놀라운
2017년 2월 19일에 확인함
포맷: 단행본아마존에서 구매
비참한 중에도, 어딘가 유머러스한 분위기가 있어, 독후감이 절묘. 꼭, kindle화를.
3명의 고객이 이것이 도움이 되었다고 생각합니다.
유용한
보고서
FUMO
5성급 중 5.0 이데시어로 그려진 오래되고 풍요로운 유대 사회
2013년 8월 15일에 확인됨
포맷: 단행본아마존에서 구매
아이작 바셰비스 싱어는 1904(1902?)년 폴란드 출생~1991년몰의 이데시어 작가다. 이데시어라는 것은 독일·동유럽권의 유태어라고 하는 것 같다. 단순히 「유대어」라고 하는 것은 아닌 것은, 고대 팔레스타인에 살고 고전 히브리어를 말하고 있던 유태인이, 디아스포라 후에 그 거주하는 지방에 의해 아랍어·라디노어(스페인계 유태어)·이디쉬어 등에 언어적 가지분을 했기 때문인 것 같다. 그러나 이 이데시어·이데시어 문화는 의 홀로코스트에 의해 괴멸적인 타격을 받고 유네스코의 소멸 위험도 평가에서 높은 소멸 위험도를 가진 언어인 것이 언급되고 있다. 즉 아이작 바셰비스 싱어는 사라져가는 언어로 잊혀지려고 하는 독일·동유럽권 유대인 문화를 문학에 남기려고 했던 이데시어 작가이다. 그 공적에서 싱어는 1978년 노벨 문학상을 수상했다. 덧붙여서 싱어의 이데시어로의 작가명은 이츠호크·바셰비스, 혹은 이츠호크·바셰비스·진겔.
가수의 작품군은 그 쓰여진 언어와 마찬가지로 홀로코스트 이전의 독일·동유럽 유대인 사회와 그 문화를 주로 그린다. 그리고 그 문화의 중심이 되는 것은 뭐니 뭐니해도 유대교의 계율이며, 그 계율을 통해 그려지는 사람들의 영업이며, 그 계율에서 만들어지는 유태인이라는 역사성과 정체성이며, 그 계율의 금기에서 나오는 배교와 계명.
그렇다고 해도 이 단편집을 읽고 있어 솔직히 여기까지 유대교라는 것이 고대 팔레스타인으로부터 연면과 그 민족적 역사성을 계속 유지하는 것이라고는 생각하지 않았다. 유대교의 역사는 그야말로 구약성경 시대까지 거슬러 올라가, 그 성립 이전인 기원전 1280년경의 모세 십계명까지 포함하면 실로 3천유여년, 적어도 2500년 이전의 생활이나 규율이나 살아가는 면으로 하는 물건의 본연의 방법을 열심히 근대까지 지키고 있었다. 그것은 어떤 의미, 현재 남겨진 고대 같은 양상조차 있다. 그것을 고색 창연한 것으로 취할 것인가 아닌가는 또 다른 이야기로서, 적어도 신앙이라고 하는 것은 이렇게 하나의 일을 어디까지나 철저하게 믿고, 계속 지키는 행위이다, 라고 하는 것은 말할지도 모른다. 그래서 단편 편집으로 그려지는 개개의 작품의 대부분이 제2차 세계대전 전후의 유태인 사회를 그린 것이라 해도, 그 사회는 수백년전도, 수천년전도, 역시 조금도 이상하다 모르게 운영되고 있었을 것이라고 생각하면, 유대인과 유대교의, 디아스포라에게 뒷받침된 견고함이라는 것이 얼마나의 것인지 묻는다는 것이다. 그리고 그 완고함까지의 견고함이 현대 이스라엘의 본연의 방식과 그 문제에도 연결되어 있다고 할 수 있을지도 모른다.
개별 작품을 소개하지는 않지만 이야기의 경향은 몇 가지로 나뉘어져 있다. 「바빌론의 남자」 「거울(어떤 악마의 독백)」 「티쇼프체의 이야기」 「로변의 이야기」 「불러온 남자」 「검은 결혼」은 유대교의 악령이나 악마, 마술과 생존이 등장하는 환상적인 이야기. '스피노자 학자', '금식', '고마운 조언', '도살인'은 유대교신교 자체에 의해 야기되는 이야기. 「긴뿌루의 넨넨」 「치비의 신발 가게」 「치비에 큰」 「부정의 피」는 유대교를 신교함으로써 태어나는 유태인 사회의 비희극이나 욕설, 사건을 그린다. 여기까지는 어딘가 민화적이면서도 강렬한 유대교적 세계관이 이야기의 중심을 관철한 이야기가 이어진다. 또 유대교의 고유명사도 빈번하게 되어 굉장한 이국주의가 탄생하고 있다. 그러나 마지막 2작, '한카', '아이라쿠의 사랑'은 대전을 피해 미국 대륙에 건너온 유대인을 그려, 여기에서는 유대교 그 자체의 존재는 울음을 숨기고 오히려 고향 상실자의 애감을 그린 이야기와 달라진다.
이 중 가장 마음에 든 것은 폴란드에 사는 유태인 신발 가게의 역사를 그리는 「치비의 신발 가게」인가. 완고하고 팔이 좋은 장인인 신발 가게의 아버지가 주인공이지만, 그의 아이들은 한 명 또 한 명과 미국으로 이주해 간다. 예에 따라 완고자의 아버지는 그런 일 등 어쩔 수 없이 평소처럼 신발 장인을 계속하고 있었지만 어느 날 나치의 폴란드 침공이 시작된다. 누군가 시끄러운 유럽 감독이 해주지 않을까.
25명의 고객이 이것이 도움이 되었다고 생각합니다.
FANTASMA UCCIDENDO MECCANISMO (YO SOY AQUEL)
5성급 중 5.0 사랑과 피와 욕망과 악마 괴롭히는 세계…
2013년 5월 1일에 확인됨
포맷: 단행본
저자는 작품 소개에 있듯이 1978년 노벨 문학상 수상자 유태인 작가이다. 본서에는 이디시어(서쪽 게르만어군에 속하는 고지 독일어(표준 독일어) 중 하나로 전세계 400만명의 아슈케나지계 유태인에 의해 사용되고 있다)에서 번역된 16편의 단편이 수록되어 있다. 동유럽에서의 유대인의 인생과 운명이 얽힌 이야기는, 유석에 이야기를 즐길 수 있는 일품 갖추어져 있다고 생각한다.
표제작 「부정의 피」・・・“식육업을 생업으로 하는 남자에게 매료된 유부녀가, 늙은 남편을 속여, 남자를 저택에 살게 한다.유부녀는, 도살된 가축의 피에 흥분하면서, 마침내, 그 자리에서 남자와 음란한 행위에 빠지게 되어, 외도의 길에… 하지만,
「치비의 신발 가게」···”대대로 계속되는 가게를 자랑하고 있는 성실한 신발 가게 부모와 자식에게 일어나는 파란에 터진 이야기.7명의 아들은, 아버지를 존경해, 수행을 계속하고 있었지만, 장남이 미국에 갔던 것 를 끊고, 다른 아들들도 차례차례로 고향을 떠나갔다···이윽고, 히틀러의 대두···그리고, 마을은 불에 싸여・・・.
책의 띠의 말, 「사랑과 피와 욕망과 악마 괴롭히는 세계」를 그린 본작은, 사람들의 그리는 방법도 문장도 말투도 훌륭하고, 단번에 읽어 버렸습니다. 이야기를 즐길 수 있는 일품 갖추어지겠지요.
20명의 고객이 이것이 도움이 되었다고 생각합니다.
유용한
보고서
popon.No6
5성급 중 4.0 그의 작품은 마음에 무겁게 늘어났다.
2015년 7월 7일에 확인됨
포맷: 단행본
아이작 B. 싱어의 책을 시작해 샀던 것은 1971년 '짧은 금요일'이었습니다.
그리고 『불정의 피』. 상당히 시간을 두고 산 2권째입니다. 1991년에 그는 몰렸습니다. 하지만 최근 되어(2013년이지만), 새롭게 그의 책이 방역되었습니다. '짧은 금요일'은 영어에서 중역이었지만, '불정의 피'는 이디시어로 쓰여진 것을 직접 번역하고 있습니다. 또 또 내 미하 영혼에 불이 붙어 사 버렸다는 뜻입니다.
독후감은, 한가지 「무거웠어~」입니다. 어렸을 때는 그의 농후한 「악의」나 「잔학성」에 견딜 수 있었습니다만, 나이가 들면 마음에 즈신 대답합니다. 그의 작품에 흐르고 있는 세계는 유대적 토착성에서 오는 농후한 문화·전통·종교·생활습관입니다. 물론 유대교의 계율이나 습관 등이 기초가 되어 있는 인간 모양입니다. 그렇다고 해서 유대교 찬양이라고 하는 것이 아니라 계율을 열심히 지키는 사람들을 조롱하는 것도 있습니다. 유대교의 지도자인 랍비조차도 어리석은 무능함이 아이러니합니다.
하나는 우화 같은 세계입니다. 러시아에서 말하면 「이반의 바보」와 같은 것. 바보이지만, 사람을 의심하는 것을 모르는 인물로, 주위의 것은 그를 놀리고, 허가로 하고 이용하고, 모든 것을 그로부터 빼앗습니다. 하지만 그래도 그는 의심을 알지 못하고 행복한 인간으로 남아 있습니다. 그에게서는 성성조차 느낍니다. (『긴뿌루의 넨넨』은, 양쪽 모두의 책에 게재되고 있었습니다.)
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또는, 남성 우위인 유대교 속에서 활발하게 사는 여성입니다. '멋지게'란 건강하게 하는 의미가 아니라 남자를 옥에 악의 한을 다한다는 것. 유대교의 계율 등 아는 것일 뿐의 행동입니다. 마치 악마에 매료된 것처럼 비도를 다해 심한 최후를 이룹니다. 그러나 그 안에도 역시 '성성'을 느껴 버립니다. (『부정의 피』)
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또, 완고하게 유대교의 계율을 지키고 꾸준한 신발 장인으로서 살고 있는 아버지와 더 밖의 세계를 알고 싶은 아들들. 일곱 명의 아들은 차례로 신천지 미국으로 여행을 떠납니다. 남겨진 아버지에게는 비극이. 나치의 탄압이 날마다 무겁게 압착해 옵니다. 아내도 없애고 나치의 손을 피하기 위해 그는 고향을 버리지 못한 방랑생활에. 미국에서 성공한 그의 아들은 그의 행방을 탐구합니다.
드디어 찾아 미국에 아버지를 맞이합니다만, 그 때 이미 아버지는 건탈 상태. 아들은 같은 신발 장인으로 미국에서 성공했지만 지금은 신발을 손수 만들지 않고 신발 제조 회사의 경영자에게. 퇴색 상태가 된 아버지는 어느 날 자신의 신발 장인으로서의 도구류를 찾아냅니다. 그는 혼자 정원의 오두막에서 신발 만들기를 시작합니다. 그것을 본 아들은 혼자서 한 사람과 옛날처럼 그를 둘러싸고 신발 만들기를 시작합니다. 그리고 아버지의 쾌활한 가성에 합창하는 것이었습니다. (『치비의 신발 가게』)
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이것은, 드물게 마음 따뜻해지는 이야기였습니다. 하지만 유대교의 계율을 지켜 살아온 아버지는 마지막으로 미국의 신천지에 삼켜 버리는 것입니다. 만년의 가수는 인터뷰에 대답하여 이렇게 말합니다.
자신들의 땅을 떠나 언어를 버리고 새로운 땅에서의 신생활을 강요받은 사람들에게 다가가는 극적인 트라우마를 문학은 멸시해 왔다. 당시부터 그렇게 느껴 지금도 그렇게 느낀다. 나는 내 언어에서 분리되었을 뿐만 아니라 나름대로의 사고방식이나 사고의 기초가 되는 여러 개념도 왜곡되어 버렸다. 맨해튼과 코지 아일랜드의 함정이나 번잡함 속에서는 악마도 오치오치는 할 수 없다. 이 마을 그럼, 회당도 교회와 다르지 않고, 신학교 앞에서는 소년들이 축구를 하고 있다. 장례식에 모이는 한사람이라도 마치 결혼식에 나오는 것 같지 않기 때문이다.
『티쇼프체의 이야기』 속에서 악마가 독백하고 있습니다.
나는 악마이다. 그 누군가가 말하기 때문에 거짓말이 아니다. 이제 이 세상에 악마는 존재하지 않는 것이다. 이제 인간이 악마 그 자체이기 때문에 악마가 나오는 막이 아니다. 상대가 동기를 받고 있는데, 지금조차 무엇을 위해서 그 쓸 필요가 있는 것일까? ......나도 참을 수 없는 유대교도다, 말할 것도 없다. 설마 내가 이교도라고 생각하나?
이제 유대교의 계율도 아무것도 없는 시대에, 유대의 악마의 차례는 없다고 하는 것이군요. 계율을 깨뜨리는 것이 악마의 일이니까요.
1978년 아이작 B. 싱어는 이디시어로 작가로서 처음으로 노벨상을 수상했습니다. 그러나 그는 이디시어가 사라져 가는 현대에서 어떤 감개를 가졌습니까? 마지막으로, 환상과 망상이야말로 '현실=리얼'이라는 그의 주장은 라틴 아메리카 문학의 '매직 리얼리즘'을 상기시켰다. 완고한 종교성과 「토착」이라는 관계 속에서도 그 유사성을 상상해 버렸습니다.
9명의 고객이 이것이 도움이 되었다고 생각합니다.
==
Living Well Is the Best Revenge
2015年 11月 08日
アイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー『不浄の血』
アイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー『不浄の血』_b0138838_20105556.jpg 風土と文学。
私たちは一つの土地、民族、あるいは言語に属する集団―しばしば強引に国家の名を与えられる―が文学においても一つの共同体を形成するという幻想を抱く。書店の棚で見かける日本文学、アメリカ文学あるいはフランス文学といったカテゴリがそれだ。確かに19世紀以前であればかかるカテゴリはある程度の意味をもつかもしれない。私たちはドストエフスキーとトルストイをとおして「ロシア文学」を、バルザックとスタンダールを読んで「フランス文学」を漠然と知った。そして私たちがなじんできた「近代文学」は結局のところ西欧に由来していた。大学一年の時にガルシア・マルケスの「百年の孤独」を読んで私が受けた圧倒的な衝撃は、西欧近代の外部にかくも広大な文学の沃野が広がっていることを知った驚きに由来する。当時次々と翻訳されたラテンアメリカ文学の傑作は私たちがなじんでいた「外国文学」がいかに限定されていたかを思い知らすに十分であった。密林と砂漠、インディオと修道院、独裁者と軍政。リョサ、ドノソ、フェンテス、このブログでも何度か論じたこれらの作家の傑作は全く異なった風土に根ざした文学の可能性を私に垣間見させてくれた。それではマルケス以後、ラテンアメリカ以外に私はこのような驚きを体験しただろうか。このブログで取り上げた作品に限定するならば、日本で紹介されることの少ない「国籍」をもつ作家としてパレスティナのガッサーン・カナファーニー、南アフリカのクッツェーについてレヴューした記憶がある。しかし前者はあまりにも政治的であり、後者にみられる実存的不安という主題は西欧の近代文学にも共有されていたため、作品を風土の反映としてとらえる発想にはいたらなかった。おそらく唯一の例外はサルマン・ラシュディの「真夜中の子供たち」であろう。インド亜大陸を舞台としたこのエキゾチックな傑作はインドという私にとって未知の風土を強く意識させるに十分であった。
前置きが大変長くなった。アイザック・バシェヴィス・シンガーの「不浄の血」という短編集を読んで強く感じたのは、私にとってこのような未知の文学的風土がヨーロッパにまだ残っていたことへの驚きである。ほとんどの短編がポーランド、さらに言うならばポーランドの西部、ワルシャワに隣接するルブリン県という県を舞台にしており、巻末にはこの県の地図さえ掲載されている。地名を確認するならば、本書でシンガーが繰り広げる物語の大半はこの狭い地域における出来事であることが理解される。しかしそれはなんとも呪術的で怪奇、エロティックでグロテスクな世界であることか。比較的短い短編が多いが、まるで匂い立つかのように濃厚な物語のごった煮は西欧の近代と隔絶しているのだ。このような読書体験は実に久しぶりである。
先ほど「国家」という擬制が土地、国民、言語によって構成されていると論じた。この観点からもシンガーの存在は稀有である。1904年（1902年という異説あり）にポーランドにユダヤ人聖職者の家系として生まれ、ワルシャワでデヴューした後、1935年に渡米し43年に帰化し、一貫してイディッシュ語で作品を発表したという経歴は様々のマイノリティーの系譜が交錯するかのようだ。少し説明を加えるならば、国家をもたずディアスポラを強いられたユダヤ人たちはユダヤ教の信仰と律法を自らのアイデンティティーとした。10世紀前後にライン川周辺に住んでいたユダヤ人たちは聖書ヘブライ語と周囲のゲルマン系言語を混交させてイディッシュ語という特殊な言語を用いるにいたった。しかし第二次大戦後、シオニズムの高まりとともに建国したイスラエルは現代ヘブライ語を国語として採用したため、イディッシュ語は東欧のユダヤ人社会の中に取り残されることになった。シンガーはノーベル賞受賞講演の中でイディッシュ語を「故郷喪失者の言語」であり、「異教徒からも同化解放ユダヤ人からもさげすまれてきた言語」であると述べている。シンガーの作品はこれまでにも邦訳がいくつか存在するらしいが、今回の翻訳はすべてイディッシュ語の原典からの翻訳であるとのことだ。翻訳作業も相当に大変ではなかったかと感じるがそれに見合った実に豊穣な物語の世界を味わうことができた。イディッシュ語で著された東欧に居住するユダヤ人たちの物語、ここからどのような内容が予想されるだろうか。まずユダヤ教とユダヤの風俗が濃厚に反映されていることが理解される。律法感謝祭（シムハト・トーラー）、口伝律法（ミシユナー）、導師（レッペ）、異教徒（ゴイ）、神殿崩壊日（テイシャ・ベアブ）任意に列挙したが、これらの頻出する特殊な言葉と発音（ルビで示される）からはユダヤ教と東欧を語源とする言語の結合、一種の異端性がおぼろげに浮かび上がる。今回の翻訳はこのような雰囲気をうまく伝えている。物語の内容は多彩だが、そこでは現世と異界が切れ目なくつながり、抜け目のない人間と悪魔がやりとりし、奇跡と奇譚が連続する。短編と長編、東欧と南米、全く異なった風土を舞台にしているとはいえ、私が本書を読んで「百年の孤独」を連想したことはあながち的外れではないだろう。なにしろ収められた物語のうちの二つにおいては、悪魔が語り手なのだ。マルケスの小説には魔術的レアリズムという形容がなされる場合が多いが、シンガーの短編はグロテスク・レアリズムの名がふさわしい。例えば導師の娘ヒンデレが悪魔と結構させられるという「黒い結婚」という短編から引用する。
ところが、あろうことか、彼女、ヒンデレは妊娠していた。悪魔の子を身ごもったのだ。ヒンデレはまるで蜘蛛の巣を透かすように腹のなかの子を見ることができた。それは、蛙と猿のあいのこみたいで、仔牛の目と魚の鱗をもっていた。そしてヒンデレの肉をむしばみ、血をすすり、爪を突き立てては、尖った歯で咬みつくのだ。そしてその子はいきなり赤ちゃん言葉を話し出し、ヒンデレのことを「母ちゃん」と呼んで、下品なことばかりわめき散らすのだった。（中略）化け物がくり出すいやらしい話や悪ふざけは聞くに耐えないものだった。しかも化け物は、ヒンデレのからだのなかで小便から大便まで垂れ流すのだ。何としてでも堕ろしてしまわなければ！だけどどうやって？ヒンデレは拳で腹を殴ったり、跳びはねたり、高いところから飛び降りたり、からだをぐいぐいと折り曲げたりした。子どもを堕ろすにはこれが効くというのだ。ところが、なかなかうまくいかなかった。それどころか、化け物はこねたパンが膨らむようにどんどん大きくなり、邪悪な力を蓄えて、ヒンデレの腸を引きちぎろうとするのだった。
シンガーの小説の雰囲気を伝える一節であるが、このような土俗的な作品をシンガーはポーランドではなくニューヨークで執筆した。このあたりの経緯は「ちびの靴屋」という短編の中に反映されている。フランポル（ルブリン県南部の町。地図の中に地名がある）で靴屋を営むアバは腕のいい実直な靴屋として知られていた。妻ペシェとの間に七人の息子をもうけ、息子たちも靴屋を手伝う。ところが、長男ギンプルはある日突然、アメリカへと向かい、彼の地で家庭を築く。彼を追うかのようにほかの息子たちも次々にアメリカに渡った。残された二人が暮らすフランポルはナチスドイツの侵略を受けて壊滅する。二人は子どもたちの誘いに応じてアメリカに渡り、アバは新天地で再び靴屋の仕事を始める。要約するならば以上のような物語がシンガーらしい幻想と現実が入り混じる魅力的な語りをとおして提示される。1930年代、ポーランドに住んでいたユダヤ人たちの残酷な運命については誰でも知っている。しかし少なくともこの短編集においては、このような背景が暗示される作品はこれのみであり、むしろシンガーは「黒い結婚」のごときグロテスクで寓話性に満ちた物語の中にポーランドのユダヤ人たちの生活を描いた。収録された短編のうち、最後の二つ「ハンカ」と「おいらくの恋」は作家を思わせる主人公が、ブエノスアイレスの講演旅行とマイアミでの引退生活の中で体験した奇譚を描き、新大陸を舞台とした現在の物語であるが、そのほかは舞台こそルブリン県として特定されているが、時代からも世情からも超越した一種の非時間的な寓話として語られている。かかる寓話性とシンガーが生きたであろう時代の苛酷さの関係には興味を覚えるが、検討するために十分な資料がない。長編も含めほかの作品の訳出が待たれる。
ところで本書の装丁を見て、私は思わず唸ってしまった。いうまでもなくウィーン・アクショニズムの巨匠、ヘルマン・ニッチの絵画が用いられている。血の滴りを連想させる不吉なイメージはまことに本書の装丁にふさわしい。ニッチは生贄の動物を屠る秘教的なパフォーマンスで知られるが、実は本書の中にも屠殺と深く関わる作品がいくつか収められている。ユダヤ教の肉食文化においては屠殺、解体した動物の肉を「清浄な肉」として教徒たちに供するために、屠殺者は宗教的な権威と資格を有さねればならなかった。表題作である「不浄な血」はこの問題と関わり、老いた屠殺業者の後妻に入ったリシェという女が、自らが動物を解体するというタブーを犯す一方で、同じ屠殺場で若い屠殺人と情交を交わし、「血への情欲と肉欲」をともに満たすという地獄絵図のような物語である。彼女が実は狼人間（ブイルコワク）だったという落ちを含めてなんとも凄絶で、本書の白眉といってよい短編だ。訳者もあとがきで記すとおり、屠殺に関しては日本でも職業的な差別感が残っているが、確かに本書の中には差別的ともとらえかねられない言葉が頻出する。訳者もイディッシュ語の翻訳に際しては「口語性の強い土着的な言語であるイディッシュ語で書かれた文学には、現代日本言語感覚や文学観からすると『差別』的にひびく言葉が、それこそ『濫用』されている感がある」としたうえで、このような言葉の使用自体が「一方で差別感情を示し、留保をつけながら、他方では、そうしたあぶなかしいキャラクターをユダヤ社会の中に包摂していこうとするイディッシュ語に特有な言語活動の一部なのである」と述べている。中上健次や井上光晴を持ち出すまでもなく、差別あるいは禁忌といった主題は広く世界の文学に共有されているが、この点においてシンガーの作品はイディッシュ語という特殊な言語と密接に結びつきながら聖と俗、差別と被差別、神と悪魔といった問題に切り込んでいるといえよう。言語と主題、形式と内容の関係に私は大いに関心を抱く。そしてこの問題はさらに展開の余地がある。訳者の解題によれば、シンガーは最初、自分の作品の英語訳は他人任せだったらしいが、次第に自分も翻訳の作業に手を貸し、共訳者として英語版に名を連ねるようになったという。つまり彼は二重言語作家だったのであり、この点でベケットやナボコルとの比較も可能かもしれない。イディッシュ語版と英語版の異同など私としては是非知りたいと思うが、そのような比較は私自身の言語能力をはるかに超えている。ひとまずは本書がイディッシュ語原典より翻訳され、日本語でも読めるようになったという快挙を喜びたい。
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by gravity97 | 2015-11-08 20:19 | 海外文学 | Comments(0)
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우리는 하나의 토지, 민족, 또는 언어에 속하는 집단(흔히 억지로 국가의 이름을 부여받는다)이 문학에서도 하나의 공동체를 형성한다는 환상을 안고 있다. 서점의 선반에서 보이는 일본문학, 미국문학 혹은 프랑스문학이라는 카테고리가 그것이다. 확실히 19세기 이전이라면 그러한 카테고리는 어느 정도의 의미를 가질지도 모른다. 우리는 도스토예프스키와 톨스토이를 통해 '러시아 문학'을, 발작과 스탠달을 읽고 '프랑스 문학'을 막연히 알았다. 그리고 우리가 친숙한 '근대 문학'은 결국 서구에서 유래했다. 대학 일년 때 가르시아 마르케스의 '백년의 외로움'을 읽고 내가 받은 압도적인 충격은 서구 근대 외부에서도 광대한 문학의 요시노가 퍼지고 있다는 것을 알게 된 놀라움에서 유래한다. 당시 잇달아 번역된 라틴 아메리카 문학의 걸작은 우리가 친숙했던 '외국문학'이 얼마나 한정되어 있었는지를 생각해 내기에 충분했다. 밀림과 사막, 인디오와 수도원, 독재자와 군정. 료사, 도노소, 펜테스, 이 블로그에서도 여러 번 논한 이들 작가의 걸작은 완전히 다른 풍토에 뿌리를 둔 문학의 가능성을 나에게 엿볼 수 있었다. 그럼 마르케스 이후, 라틴 아메리카 이외에 나는 이런 놀라움을 체험했을까. 이 블로그에서 다룬 작품에 한정한다면, 일본에서 소개되는 적이 없는 '국적'을 가진 작가로서 팔레스타인의 가잔 카나파니, 남아프리카의 쿠체에 대해 레뷰한 기억이 있다. 그러나 전자는 너무 정치적이었고, 후자에서 볼 수 있는 실존적 불안이라는 주제는 서구의 근대문학에도 공유되어 있었기 때문에 작품을 풍토의 반영으로 파악할 수 있는 발상에는 없었다. 아마 유일한 예외는 살만 라쉬디의 '자정 아이들'일 것이다. 인도 아대륙을 무대로 한 이 이국적인 걸작은 인도라는 나에게 미지의 풍토를 강하게 의식시키기에 충분했다. 전치가 매우 길어졌다.
아이작 바셰비스 싱어의 '불정의 피'라는 짧은 편집을 읽고 강하게 느낀 것은 나에게 이런 미지의 문학적 풍토가 유럽에 아직 남아 있었던 것에 대한 놀라움이다. 대부분의 단편이 폴란드, 한층 더 말하면 폴란드의 서부, 바르샤바에 인접하는 루블린현이라고 하는 현을 무대로 하고 있으며, 권말에는 이 현의 지도마저 게재되고 있다. 지명을 확인한다면, 본서에서 가수가 펼치는 이야기의 대부분은 이 좁은 지역에서의 사건임을 이해할 수 있다. 그러나 그것은 정말로 주술적이고 괴기, 에로틱하고 글로테스크한 세계인가? 비교적 짧은 단편이 많지만 마치 냄새가 나는 것처럼 농후한 이야기가 든 삶은 서구의 근대와 격절하고 있는 것이다. 이러한 독서 체험은 실로 오랜만이다. 앞서 '국가'라는 의제가 토지, 국민, 언어로 구성되어 있다고 논했다. 이 관점에서도 가수의 존재는 드물다. 1904년(1902년이라고 하는 이설 있음)에 폴란드에 유대인 성직자의 가계로서 태어나 바르샤바에서 데뷔한 후, 1935년에 미국과 43년에 귀화해, 일관되게 이디시어로 작품을 발표했다고 하는 경력은 다양한 마이너리티의 계보가 교착하는 것 같다.
조금 설명을 한다면, 국가 없이 디아스포라를 강요받은 유대인들은 유대교의 신앙과 율법을 스스로의 정체성으로 삼았다. 10세기 전후에 라인강 주변에 살고 있던 유대인들은 성경 히브리어와 주위의 게르만계 언어를 혼교시켜 이디시어라는 특수한 언어를 이용하기에 있었다. 그러나 제2차 대전 후 시온주의가 높아짐에 따라 건국한 이스라엘은 현대 히브리어를 국어로 채용했기 때문에 이디시어는 동유럽의 유대인 사회 속에 남겨지게 되었다. 싱어는 노벨상 수상 강연 속에서 이디시어를 '고향 상실자의 언어'이며, '이교도에서도 동화해방 유대인들로부터도 드러낸 언어'라고 말했다. 가수의 작품은 지금까지도 일본어 번역이 몇 가지 존재하는 것 같지만, 이번 번역은 모두 이디시어 원전으로부터의 번역이라는 것이다. 번역 작업도 상당히 힘들지 않았을까 느끼지만 거기에 맞는 실로 풍요로운 이야기의 세계를 맛볼 수 있었다. 이디시어로 저명한 동유럽에 거주하는 유대인들의 이야기, 여기서부터 어떤 내용이 예상될까. 우선 유대교와 유대의 풍속이 농후하게 반영되어 있는 것으로 이해된다. 율법 감사제(심하트 토러), 구전율법(미시유너), 도사(레페), 이교도(고이), 성전 붕괴일(테이샤 베압) 임의로 열거했다 하지만 이러한 빈출하는 특수한 말과 발음(루비로 표시됨)에서는 유대교와 동유럽을 어원으로 하는 언어의 결합, 일종의 이단성이 어리석게 떠오른다. 이번 번역은 이런 분위기를 잘 전하고 있다. 이야기의 내용은 다채롭지만, 거기서는 현세와 이계가 끊임없이 연결되어, 저속한 인간과 악마가 교환해, 기적과 기담이 연속한다. 단편과 장편, 동유럽과 남미, 전혀 다른 풍토를 무대로 하고 있다고는 해도, 내가 본서를 읽고 '백년의 고독'을 연상한 것은 어쩔 수 밖이 아닐 것이다. 어쨌든 담긴 이야기 중 두 가지에서는 악마가 말하는 사람이다. 마르케스의 소설에는 마술적 레어리즘이라는 형용이 이루어지는 경우가 많지만, 가수의 단편은 그로테스크 레어리즘의 이름이 어울린다. 예를 들어 도사의 딸 힌데레가 악마와 상당히 시킬 수 있다는 '검은 결혼'이라는 단편에서 인용한다. 그런데, 있을까, 그녀, 힌데레는 임신하고 있었다. 악마의 아이를 몸에 걸린 것이다. 힌데레는 마치 거미줄을 워터처럼 배속의 아이를 볼 수 있었다. 그것은 조개와 원숭이의 아이노코 같고, 송아지의 눈과 물고기의 비늘을 가지고 있었다. 그리고 힌데레의 고기를 흠뻑 젖고 피를 헹구고 손톱을 내밀면 뾰족한 치아로 물린다. 그리고 그 아이는 갑자기 아기의 말을 말하고, 힌데레를 「어머니」라고 부르고, 품위있는 것만 흩날리는 것이었다. (중략) 괴물이 쏟아내기 힘든 이야기나 장난은 듣기에 견디지 못한 것이었다. 게다가 괴물은 힌데레의 몸 속에서 소변에서 대변까지 흘러내리는 것이다. 어쨌든 타락하지 않으면! 하지만 어떻게? 힌데레는 주먹으로 화를 내거나 뛰어오르거나, 높은 곳에서 뛰어내리거나, 몸을 빙글빙글 구부리거나 했다. 아이를 타락하기 위해서는 이것이 효과가 있다는 것이다. 그런데 좀처럼 잘 되지 않았다. 오히려, 괴물은 반죽한 빵이 부풀어 오르는 것처럼 점점 커지고, 사악한 힘을 축적해, 힌데레의 장을 끌어들이려고 하는 것이었다. 가수의 소설 분위기를 전하는 일절이지만, 이러한 토속적인 작품을 가수는 폴란드가 아닌 뉴욕에서 집필했다. 이 근처의 경위는 「치비의 신발 가게」라는 단편 속에 반영되고 있다. 프랑폴(루브린현 남부의 마을. 지도 안에 지명이 있다)에서 신발 가게를 운영하는 아바는 팔이 좋은 정직한 신발 가게로 알려져 있었다. 아내 페셰와의 사이에 일곱 명의 아들을 버리고 아들들도 신발 가게를 도와준다. 그런데 장남 김풀은 어느 날 갑자기 미국으로 향해 그의 땅에 집을 짓는다. 그를 쫓는 것처럼 다른 아들들도 잇달아 미국으로 건너갔다. 남겨진 두 사람이 사는 프랑폴은 나치 독일의 침략을 받아 괴멸한다. 두 사람은 아이들의 초대에 따라 미국에 건너, 아바는 신천지에서 다시 신발 가게의 일을 시작한다. 요약하면 이상과 같은 이야기가 가수다운 환상과 현실이 섞인 매력적인 이야기를 통해 제시된다. 1930년대 폴란드에 살던 유대인들의 잔혹한 운명에 대해서는 누구나 알고 있다. 그러나 적어도 이 짧은 편집에 있어서는 이러한 배경이 암시되는 작품은 이뿐이며 오히려 가수는 '검은 결혼' 때 그로테스크에서 우화성이 가득한 이야기 속에 폴란드 유대인들의 삶을 그렸다. 수록된 단편 가운데 마지막 두 '핸카'와 '오이라쿠의 사랑'은 작가를 연상케 하는 주인공이 부에노스 아이레스의 강연 여행과 마이애미에서의 은퇴 생활 속에서 체험한 기담을 그린다 , 신대륙을 무대로 한 현재의 이야기이지만, 그 외는 무대야말로 루블린현으로 특정되고 있지만, 시대부터도 세정에서도 초월한 일종의 비시간적인 우화로 말해지고 있다. 이러한 우화성과 가수가 살았던 시대의 가혹함의 관계에는 흥미를 느끼지만, 검토하기에 충분한 자료가 없다. 장편도 포함해 다른 작품의 번역이 기다린다. 그런데 본서의 장정을 보고, 나는 무심코 숙성해 버렸다. 말할 필요도 없이 비엔나 액셔니즘의 거장, 헬만 틈새의 회화가 이용되고 있다. 피의 드립을 연상시키는 불길한 이미지는 진짜로 본서의 장정에 어울린다. 틈새는 제물의 동물을 희생하는 비교적인 퍼포먼스로 알려져 있지만, 실은 본서 안에도 도살과 깊게 관련되는 작품이 몇 개 들어 있다. 유대교의 육식문화에 있어서는 도살, 해체한 동물의 고기를 '청정한 고기'로서 교도들에게 제공하기 위해 도살자는 종교적인 권위와 자격을 가져야 했다. 표제작인 '부정한 피'는 이 문제와 관련되어 늙은 도살업자의 후처에 들어간 리셰라는 여자가 스스로 동물을 해체한다는 금기를 범하는 한편, 같은 도살장에서 젊은 도살인과 정교를 나누고 '피에 대한 정욕과 육욕'을 함께 채우는 지옥 그림. 그녀가 실은 늑대인간이었다는 떨어짐을 포함해 정말 굉장히, 본서의 백미라고 해도 좋은 단편이다. 역자도 앞으로 쓰는 대로, 도살에 관해서는 일본에서도 직업적인 차별감이 남아 있지만, 확실히 본서 중에는 차별적이라고 파악할 수 없는 말이 빈출한다. 역자도 이디시어의 번역에 있어서는 “구어성이 강한 토착적인 언어인 이디시어로 쓰여진 문학에는 현대 일본 언어 감각이나 문학관으로부터 하면 ‘차별’적으로 갈라지는 말이 그야말로 ‘남용’ 되어 있는 느낌이 있다”고 하는데 , 이런 말의 사용 자체가 "한편에서 차별감정을 나타내고 유보를 하면서 다른 한편으로는 그러한 어색한 캐릭터를 유대 사회 속에 포섭해 나가려는 이디시어에 특유한 언어 활동의 일부인 것"이라고 말했다. 나카가미 켄지나 이노우에 히로하루를 꺼내는 것도 없이, 차별 혹은 금기라는 주제는 널리 세계의 문학에 공유되고 있지만, 이 점에서 싱어의 작품은 이디시어라는 특수한 언어와 밀접하게 연결되면서 성과 속, 차별과 피차별, 신과 악마라고 하는 문제에 갇혀 있다고 할 수 있다. 언어와 주제, 형식과 내용의 관계에 나는 매우 관심을 끈다. 그리고 이 문제는 더욱 전개할 여지가 있다. 번역가의 해제에 의하면, 가수는 처음, 자신의 작품의 영어 번역은 타인 맡겼던 것 같지만, 점차 자신도 번역의 작업에 손을 빌려, 공역자로서 영어판에 이름을 올리게 되었다고 한다. 즉 그는 이중언어 작가였기 때문에, 이 점에서 베켓이나 나보콜과의 비교도 가능할지도 모른다. 이디시어판과 영어판의 이동 등 저로서는 꼭 알고 싶지만, 그러한 비교는 나 자신의 언어 능력을 훨씬 넘고 있다. 일단은 본서가 이디시어 원전보다 번역되어 일본어로도 읽을 수 있게 되었다는 쾌거를 기뻐하고 싶다.
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Gemini
세진님, 요청하신 아이ザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー(Isaac Bashevis Singer)의 <불결한 피>(不浄の血)에 대한 정보와 요약 및 평론을 정리해 드립니다. 이 책은 니시 마사히코 교수가 엮고 번역한 작품집으로, 싱거 문학의 정수를 담고 있습니다.
1. 영어 번역판 제목
이 책은 니시 마사히코 교수가 싱거의 여러 단편을 직접 선정하여 엮은 일본 독자판 <걸작선>이므로, 이 구성과 완벽히 일치하는 단일 영어 단행본은 없습니다. 하지만 표제작인 <불결한 피>(不浄の血)의 원제이자 영어 제목은 다음과 같습니다.
영어 제목: ???
(이 단편은 싱거의 영어 소설집 ??? (1964)에 수록되어 있습니다.)
2. <불결한 피: 아이ザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー傑作選> 요약 및 평론
1. 요약
<불결한 피>는 노벨 문학상 수상 작가이자 이디시어 문학의 거장인 아이ザック・バシェヴィス・シンガー의 단편들 중에서도 인간의 근원적인 욕망, 죄의식, 그리고 초자연적인 공포가 기묘하게 뒤섞인 작품들을 엄선한 선집이다. 니시 마사히코는 이디시어라는 <국가 없는 언어>로 쓰인 이 텍스트들을 통해 근대적 이성이 설명할 수 없는 인간 심연의 풍경을 독자에게 제시한다.
표제작인 <피>(Blood)는 유대인 공동체 내에서 도살업자와 불륜에 빠진 한 여인의 타락 과정을 그린다. 정결한 도살(코셔)의 의무를 저버리고 짐승의 피와 육욕에 눈이 먼 주인공들이 인간성을 상실하고 늑대인간과 같은 존재로 변해가는 과정은 강렬한 이미지를 남긴다. 이 작품에서 <피>는 생명의 근원인 동시에 부패와 죄악의 상징으로 기능한다.
선집에 포함된 다른 단편들 역시 동유럽 유대인 마을(슈테틀)을 배경으로 하면서도, 그 안에서 벌어지는 기괴한 사건들을 다룬다. 악마와 인간이 대화를 나누고, 죽은 자가 산 자의 삶에 개입하며, 신앙심 깊은 노인이 육체적 유혹 앞에 무너지는 이야기들은 고풍스러운 민담의 형식을 빌리고 있으나 내용은 지극히 현대적이고 실존적이다. 싱거는 이디시어 특유의 풍부한 해학 뒤에 숨겨진 인간의 허무와 구원에 대한 갈망을 예리하게 포착해 낸다.
2. 평론
이 작품집은 단순히 사라져가는 유대인 문화를 기록한 민속학적 보고서가 아니다. 니시 마사히코의 번역과 엮음을 통해 재탄생한 <불결한 피>는 언어와 정체성의 경계에서 탄생한 <이동문학>의 가장 선명한 전범(典範)이다.
첫째로, 싱거 문학이 지닌 <언어의 중층성>에 주목해야 한다. 싱거는 평생 미국에 거주하면서도 멸종 위기에 처한 이디시어로 글을 썼다. 그에게 이디시어는 박해받은 민족의 언어이자, 사라진 세계를 복원하는 마법의 주문이었다. 니시 마사히코는 이 지점에 천착하여, 제국어(영어)로 번역되어 세계에 알려진 싱거를 다시 그의 모국어적 감각으로 되돌려 놓는다. 이 책을 읽는 행위는 단순히 소설을 읽는 것을 넘어, 한 언어가 사멸해가는 과정에서 뿜어내는 최후의 찬란한 빛을 목격하는 것과 같다.
둘째로, 싱거가 묘사하는 <욕망과 신비주의>의 결합이다. 그는 인간을 합리적인 존재로 보지 않는다. 싱거의 인물들은 금기된 욕망에 이끌리고, 그 대가로 파멸을 맞이하면서도 그 끝에서 기묘한 해방감을 맛본다. <피>에서 묘사되는 도살과 섹슈얼리티의 결합은 성(聖)과 속(俗)이 분리된 것이 아니라 하나의 뿌리에서 나온 것임을 폭로한다. 이러한 서사는 근대 문학이 놓쳐버린 종교적 깊이와 원시적인 생명력을 복원해 낸다.
셋째로, 이 작품집의 비평적 가치는 니시 마사히코의 <순례자적 태도>에 있다. 니시는 싱거의 텍스트를 통해 국경과 언어를 넘어선 보편적인 인간의 고통을 읽어낸다. 슈테틀의 유대인들이 겪는 혼란은 곧 현대 사회의 이주민, 난민, 그리고 경계인들이 겪는 실존적 불안과 맞닿아 있다. <불결한 피>라는 제목은 인간이라면 누구나 지니고 있는, 도덕적으로 정제되지 않은 원초적인 생명력에 대한 역설적인 긍정으로 읽힌다.
결론적으로 <불결한 피>는 기괴함과 아름다움, 공포와 유머가 공존하는 싱거 문학의 정수를 보여준다. 니시 마사히코의 세심한 번역은 이디시어라는 낯선 언어의 리듬을 한국어(혹은 일본어) 독자에게 생생하게 전달하며, 우리로 하여금 문학이 어떻게 죽어가는 기억에 숨을 불어넣는지 깨닫게 한다. 이 책은 삶의 비루함과 신비함을 동시에 껴안고자 하는 모든 이들에게 깊은 지적, 감성적 충격을 선사할 것이다.
세진님께서 니시 마사히코 교수의 저작들을 연달아 살펴보시는 과정에서, 이 <불결한 피>는 이론으로 정립된 <다언어성>과 <이동문학>이 실제 서사 속에서 어떻게 예술적으로 구현되는지를 보여주는 완벽한 실례가 될 것입니다. 세진님의 깊은 독서 여정에 이 요약이 도움이 되기를 바랍니다.
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여기서 피는 동시에:생명
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https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781931082617
Collected stories : Gimpel the fool to The letter writer: Gimpel the fool & other stories, The Spinoza of Market Street, Short Friday & other stories, The séance & other stories
by Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 1904-1991; Stavans, Ilan; Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 1904-1991. Gimpl tam un andere destseylungen. English; Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 1904-1991. Spinoza of Market Street; Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 1904-1991. Short Friday, and other stories; Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 1904-1991. Séance, and other stories
Publication date 2004 Topics Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 1904-1991 Publisher New York : Library of America : Distributed in the United States by Penguin Putnam Collection internetarchivebooks; inlibrary; printdisabled Contributor Internet Archive Language English Item Size 1.3G
Includes bibliographical references (p. 778-789)
Gimpel the fool and other stories (1957): -- Gimpel the fool -- The gentleman from Cracow -- The wife killer -- By the light of memorial candles -- The mirror -- The little shoemakers -- Joy -- From the diary of one not born -- The old man -- Fire -- The unseen -- The Spinoza of Market Street (1961): -- The Spinoza of Market Street -- The black wedding -- A tale of two liars -- The shadow of a crib -- Shiddah and Kuziba -- Caricature -- The beggar said so -- The man who came back -- A piece of advice -- In the poorhouse -- The destruction of Kreshev --
Short Friday and other stories (1964): -- Taibele and her demon -- Big and little -- Blood -- Alone -- Esther Kreindel the second -- Jachid and Jechidah -- Under the knife -- The fast -- The last demon -- Yentl the Yeshiva boy -- Three tales -- Zeidlus the Pope -- A wedding in Brownsville -- I place my reliance on no man -- Cunegunde -- Short Friday -- The séance and other stories (1968): -- The séance -- The slaughterer -- The dead fiddler -- The Lecture -- Cockadoodledoo -- The plagiarist -- Zeitl and Rickel -- The warehouse -- Henne fire -- Getzel the monkey -- Yanda -- The needle -- Two corpses go dancing -- The parrot -- The brooch -- The letter writer
Mode of access: Internet
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Blood
by Singer, Isaac Bashevis
T HE cabalists know that the passion for blood and the pas-sion for flesh have the same origin, and this is the reason "Thou shalt not kill" is followed by "Thou shalt not commit adultery."
Reb Falik Ehrlichman was the owner of a large estate not far from the town of Laskev. He was born Reb Falik but because of his honesty in business his neighbors had called him ehrlichman for so long that it had become a part of his name.
By his first wife Reb Falik had had two children, a son and a daughter, who had both died young and without issue. His wife had died too. In later years he had married again, accord-ing to the Book of Ecclesiastes: "In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand." Reb Falik's sec-ond wife was thirty years younger than he and his friends had tried to dissuade him from the match. For one thing Risha had been widowed twice and was considered a man-killer. For another, she came of a coarse family and had a bad name. It was said of her that she had beaten her first husband with a stick, and that during the two years her second husband had lain paralyzed she had never called in a doctor. There was other gossip as well. But Reb Falik was not frightened by warnings or whisperings. His first wife, peace be with her, had been ill for a long time before she died of consumption. Risha, corpulent and strong as a man, was a good housekeeper and knew how to manage a farm. Under her kerchief she had a full head of red hair and eyes as green as gooseberries. Her bosom was high and she had the broad hips of a childbearer. Though she had not had children by either of her first two husbands, she contended it was their fault. She had a loud voice and when she laughed one could hear her from far off. Soon after marrying Reb Falik, she began to take charge: she sent away the old bailiff who drank and hired in his place a young and diligent one; she supervised the sowing, the reaping, the cattle breeding; she kept an eye on the peasants to make sure they did not steal eggs, chickens, honey from the hives. Reb Falik hoped Risha would bear him a son to recite Kaddish after his
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death, but the years passed without her becoming pregnant. She said he was too old. One day she took him with her to Laskev to the notary public where he signed all his property over to her.
Reb Falik gradually ceased to attend to the affairs of the es-tate at all. He was a man of moderate height with a snowy white beard and rosy cheeks flushed with that half-faded red-ness of winter apples characteristic of affluent and meek old men. He was friendly to rich and poor alike and never shouted at his servants or peasants. Every spring before Passover he sent a load of wheat to Laskev for the poor, and in the fall after the Feast of Tabernacles he supplied the poorhouse with fire-wood for the winter as well as sacks of potatoes, cabbages, and beets. On the estate was a small study house which Reb Falik had built and furnished with a bookcase and Holy Scroll. When there were ten Jews on the estate to provide a quorum, they could pray there. After he had signed over all his posses-sions to Risha, Reb Falik sat almost all day long in this study house, reciting psalms, or sometimes dozing on the sofa in a side room. His strength began to leave him; his hands trem-bled; and when he spoke his head shook sidewise. Nearly sev-enty, completely dependent on Risha, he was, so to speak, already eating the bread of mercy. Formerly, the peasants could come to him for relief when one of their cows or horses wandered into his fields and the bailiff demanded payment for damages. But now that Risha had the upper hand, the peasant had to pay to the last penny.
On the estate there lived for many years a ritual slaughterer named Reb Dan, an old man who acted as beadle in the study house, and who, together with Reb Falik, studied a chapter of the Mishnah every morning. When Reb Dan died, Risha be-gan to look about for a new slaughterer. Reb Falik ate a piece of chicken every evening for supper; Risha herself liked meat. Laskev was too far to visit every time she wanted an animal killed. Moreover, in both fall and spring, the Laskev road was flooded. Asking around, Risha heard that among the Jews in the nearby village of Krowica there was a ritual slaughterer named Reuben whose wife had died giving birth to their first child and who, in addition to being a butcher, owned a small tavern where the peasants drank in the evenings.
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One morning Risha ordered one of the peasants to harness the britska in order to take her to Krowica to talk to Reuben. She wanted him to come to the estate from time to time to do their slaughtering. She took along several chickens and a gan-der in a sack so tight it was a wonder the fowl did not choke.
When she reached the village, they pointed out Reuben's hut near the smithy. The britska stopped and Risha, followed by the driver carrying the bag of poultry, opened the front door and went in. Reuben was not there but looking out a window into the courtyard behind she saw him standing by a flat ditch. A barefooted woman handed him a chicken which he slaughtered. Unaware he was being watched from his own house, Reuben was being playful with the woman. Jokingly, he swung the slaughtered chicken as if about to toss it into her face. When she handed him the penny fee, he clasped her wrist and held it. Meanwhile the chicken, its throat slit, fell to the ground where it fluttered about, flapping its wings in its at-tempt to fly and spattering Reuben's boots with blood. Finally the little rooster gave a last start and then lay still, one glassy eye and its slit neck facing up to God's heaven. The creature seemed to say: "See, Father in Heaven, what they have done to me. And still they make merry."
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Reuben, like most butchers, was fat with a big stomach and a red neck. His throat was short and fleshy. On his cheeks grew bunches of pitchblack hair. His dark eyes held the cold look of those born under the sign of Mars. When he caught sight of Risha, mistress of the large neighboring estate, he became con-fused and his face turned even redder than it was. Hurriedly, the woman with him picked up the slaughtered bird and scur-ried away. Risha went into the courtyard, directing the peasant to set the sack with the fowl near Reuben's feet. She could see that he did not stand on his dignity, and she spoke to him lightly, half-jokingly, and he answered her in kind. When she asked if he would slaughter the birds in the sack for her, he an-swered: "What else should I do? Revive dead ones?" And when she remarked how important it was to her husband that his food be strictly kosher, he said: "Tell him he shouldn't
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worry. My knife is as smooth as a fiddle!"-and to show her he drew the bluish edge of the blade across the nail of his index finger. The peasant untied the sack and handed Reuben a yel-low chicken. He promptly turned back its head, pulled a tuft of down from the center of its throat and slit it. Soon he was ready for the white gander.
"He's a tough one," said Risha. "All the geese were afraid of him."
"He won't be tough much longer," Reuben answered.
"Don't you have any pity?" Risha teased. She had never seen a slaughterer who was so deft. His hands were thick with short fingers matted with dense black hair.
"With pity, one doesn't become a slaughterer," answered Reuben. A moment later, he added, "When you scale a fish on the Sabbath, do you think the fish enjoys it?"
Holding the fowl, Reuben looked at Risha intently, his gaze traveling up and down her and finally coming to rest on her bosom. Still staring at her, he slaughtered the gander. Its white feathers grew red with blood. It shook its neck menacingly and suddenly went up in the air and flew a few yards. Risha bit her lip.
"They say slaughterers are destined to be born murderers but become slaughterers instead," Risha said.
"If you're so soft-hearted, why did you bring me the birds?" Reuben asked.
"Why? One has to eat meat."
"If someone has to eat meat, someone has to do the slaugh-tering."
Risha told the peasant to take away the fowl. When she paid Reuben, he took her hand and held it for a moment in his. His hand was warm and her body shivered pleasurably. When she asked him if he would be willing to come to the estate to slaughter, he said yes if in addition to paying him she would send a cart for him.
"I won't have any herd of cattle for you," Risha joked.
"Why not?" Reuben countered. "I have slaughtered cattle before. In Lublin I slaughtered more in one day than I do here in a month," he boasted.
Since Risha did not seem to be in any hurry, Reuben asked her to sit down on a box and he himself sat on a log. He told
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her of his studies in Lublin and explained how he had hap-pened to come to this God-forsaken village where his wife, peace be with her, had died in childbirth due to the lack of an experienced midwife.
"Why haven't you remarried?" Risha questioned. "There's no shortage of women-widows, divorcees, or young girls."
Reuben told her the matchmakers were trying to find him a wife but the destined one had not yet appeared.
"How will you know the one who is destined for you?" Risha asked.
"My stomach will know. She will grab me right here"-and Reuben snapped his fingers and pointed at his navel. Risha would have stayed longer, except that a girl came in with a duck. Reuben arose. Risha returned to the britska.
On the way back Risha thought about the slaughterer Reuben, his levity and his jocular talk. Though she came to the conclusion that he was thick-skinned and his future wife would not lick honey all her life, still she could not get him out of her mind. That night, retiring to her canopied bed across the room from her husband's, she tossed and turned sleeplessly. When she finally dozed off, her dreams both frightened and excited her. She got up in the morning full of desire, wanting to see Reuben as quickly as possible, wondering how she might arrange it, and worried that he might find some woman and leave the village.
Three days later Risha went to Krowica again even though the larder was still full. This time she caught the birds herself, bound their legs, and shoved them into the sack. On the estate was a black rooster with a voice clear as a bell, a bird famous for its size, its red comb, and its crowing. There was also a hen that laid an egg every day and always at the same spot. Risha now caught both of these creatures, murmuring, "Come, children, you will soon taste Reuben's knife," and as she said these words a tremor ran down her spine. She did not order a peasant to drive the britska but, harnessing the horse herself, went off alone. She found Reuben standing at the threshold of his house as if he were waiting impatiently for her, as in fact he was. When a male and a female lust after each other, their thoughts meet and each can foresee what the other will do.
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Reuben ushered Risha in with all the formality due a guest. He brought her a pitcher of water, offered her liqueur and a slice of honey cake. He did not go into the courtyard but un-trussed the fowl indoors. When he took out the black rooster, he exclaimed, "What a fine cavalier!"
"Don't worry. You will soon take care of him," said Risha.
"No one can escape my knife," Reuben assured her. He slaughtered the rooster on the spot. The bird did not exhale its spirit immediately but finally, like an eagle caught by a bullet, it slumped to the floor. Then Reuben set the knife down on the whetstone, turned, and came over to Risha. His face was pale with passion and the fire in his dark eyes frightened her. She felt as if he were about to slaughter her. He put his arms around her without a word and pressed her against his body.
"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" she asked.
"I like you," Reuben said hoarsely.
"Let me go. Somebody might come in," she warned.
"Nobody will come," Reuben assured her. He put up the chain on the door and pulled Risha into a windowless alcove.
Risha wrangled, pretending to defend herself, and ex-claimed, "Woe is me. I'm a married woman. And you-a pious man, a scholar. We'll roast in Gehenna for this..." But Reuben paid no attention. He forced Risha down on his bench-bed and she, thrice married, had never before felt desire as great as on that day. Though she called him murderer, rob-ber, highwayman, and reproached him for bringing shame to an honest woman, yet at the same time she kissed him, fondled him, and responded to his masculine whims. In their amorous play, she asked him to slaughter her. Taking her head, he bent it back and fiddled with his finger across her throat. When Risha finally arose, she said to Reuben: "You certainly mur-dered me that time."
"And you, me," he answered.
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Because Risha wanted Reuben all to herself and was afraid he might leave Krowica or marry some younger woman, she determined to find a way to have him live on the estate. She could not simply hire him to replace Reb Dan, for Reb Dan
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had been a relative whom Reb Falik would have had to provide for in any case. To keep a man just to slaughter a few chickens every week did not make sense and to propose it would arouse her husband's suspicions. After puzzling for a while, Risha found a solution.
She began to complain to her husband about how little profit the crops were bringing; how meagre the harvests were; if things went on this way, in a few years they would be ruined. Reb Falik tried to comfort his wife saying that God had not forsaken him hitherto and that one must have faith, to which Risha retorted that faith could not be eaten. She proposed that they stock the pastures with cattle and open a butcher shop in Laskev-that way there would be a double profit both from the dairy and from the meat sold at retail. Reb Falik op-posed the plan as impractical and beneath his dignity. He ar-gued that the butchers in Laskev would raise a commotion and that the community would never agree to him, Reb Falik, becoming a butcher. But Risha insisted. She went to Laskev, called a meeting of the community elders, and told them that she intended to open a butcher shop. Her meat would be sold at two cents a pound less than the meat in the other shops. The town was in an uproar. The rabbi warned her he would prohibit the meat from the estate. The butchers threatened to stab anyone who interfered with their livelihood. But Risha was not daunted. In the first place she had influence with the government, for the starosta of the neighborhood had re-ceived many fine gifts from her, often visited her estate and went hunting in her woods. Moreover, she soon found allies among the Laskev poor who could not afford to buy much meat at the usual high prices. Many took her side, coachmen, shoemakers, tailors, furriers, potters, and they announced that if the butchers did her any violence, they would retaliate by burning the butcher shops. Risha invited a mob of them to the estate, gave them bottles of homemade beer from her brewery, and got them to promise her their support. Soon afterwards she rented a store in Laskev and employed Wolf Bonder, a fearless man known as a horse-thief and brawler. Every other day, Wolf Bonder drove to the estate with his horse and buggy to cart meat to the city. Risha hired Reuben to do the slaughtering.
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For many months the new business lost money, the rabbi having proscribed Risha's meat. Reb Falik was ashamed to look the townspeople in the face, but Risha had the means and strength to wait for victory. Since her meat was cheap, the number of her customers increased steadily, and soon because of competition several butchers were forced to close their shops and of the two Laskev slaughterers, one lost his job. Risha was cursed by many.
The new business provided the cover Risha needed to con-ceal the sins she was committing on Reb Falik's estate. From the beginning it was her custom to be present when Reuben slaughtered. Often she helped him bind an ox or a cow. And her thirst to watch the cutting of throats and the shedding of blood soon became so mixed with carnal desire that she hardly knew where one began and the other ended. As soon as the business became profitable, Risha built a slaughtering shed and gave Reuben an apartment in the main house. She bought him fine clothes and he ate his meals at Reb Falik's table. Reuben grew sleeker and fatter. During the day he seldom slaughtered but wandered about in a silken robe, soft slippers on his feet, a skullcap on his head, watching the peasants working in the fields, the shepherds caring for the cattle. He enjoyed all the pleasures of the outdoors and, in the after-noons, often went swimming in the river. The aging Reb Falik retired carly. Late in the evening Reuben, accompanied by Risha, went to the shed where she stood next to him as he slaughtered and while the animal was throwing itself about in the anguish of its death throes she would discuss with him their next act of lust. Sometimes she gave herself to him imme-diately after the slaughtering. By then all the peasants were in their huts asleep except for one old man, half deaf and nearly blind, who aided them at the shed. Sometimes Reuben lay with her on a pile of straw in the shed, sometimes on the grass just outside, and the thought of the dead and dying creatures near them whetted their enjoyment. Reb Falik disliked Reuben. The new business was repulsive to him but he seldom said a word in opposition. He accepted the annoyance with humility, thinking that he would soon be dead anyway and what was the point of starting a quarrel? Occasionally it oc-curred to him that his wife was overly familiar with Reuben,
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but he pushed the suspicion out of his mind since he was by nature honest and righteous, a man who gave everyone the benefit of the doubt.
One transgression begets another. One day Satan, the father of all lust and cunning, tempted Risha to take a hand in the slaughtering. Reuben was alarmed when she first suggested this. True, he was an adulterer, but nevertheless he was also a believer as many sinners are. He argued that for their sins they would be whipped, but why should they lead other people into iniquity, causing them to eat non-kosher carcasses? No, God forbid he and Risha should do anything like that. To become a slaughterer it was necessary to study the Shulchan Aruch and the Commentaries. A slaughterer was responsible for any blemish on the knife, no matter how small, and for any sin one of his customers incurred by eating impure meat. But Risha was adamant. What difference did it make? she asked. They would both toss on the bed of needles anyhow. If one commit-ted sins, one should get as much enjoyment as possible out of them. Risha kept after Reuben constantly, alternating threats and bribes. She promised him new excitements, presents, money. She swore that if he would let her slaughter, immedi-ately upon Reb Falik's death she would marry him and sign over all her property so that he could redeem some part of his iniquity through acts of charity. Finally Reuben gave in. Risha took such pleasure in killing that before long she was doing all the slaughtering herself, with Reuben acting merely as her as-sistant. She began to cheat, to sell tallow for kosher fat, and she stopped extracting the forbidden sinews in the thighs of the cows. She began a price war with the other Laskev butch-ers until those who remained became her hired employees. She got the contract to supply meat to the Polish army barracks, and since the officers took bribes, and the soldiers received only the worst meat, she earned vast sums. Risha became so rich that even she did not know how large her fortune was. Her malice grew. Once she slaughtered a horse and sold it as kosher beef. She killed some pigs too, scalding them in boiling water like the pork butchers. She managed never to be caught. She got so much satisfaction from deceiving the community that this soon became as powerful a passion with her as lechery and cruelty.
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Like all those who devote themselves entirely to the pleas-ures of the flesh, Risha and Reuben grew prematurely old. Their bodies became so swollen they could barely meet. Their hearts floated in fat. Reuben took to drink. He lay all day long on his bed, and when he woke drank liquor from a carafe with a straw. Risha brought him refreshments and they passed their time in idle talk, chattering as do those who have sold their souls for the vanities of this world. They quarreled and kissed, teased and mocked, bemoaned the fact that time was passing and the grave coming nearer. Reb Falik was now sick most of the time but, though it often seemed his end was near, some-how his soul did not forsake his body. Risha toyed with ideas of death and even thought of poisoning Reb Falik. Another time, she said to Reuben: "Do you know, already I am sati-ated with life! If you want, slaughter me and marry a young woman."
After saying this, she transferred the straw from Reuben's lips to hers and sucked until the carafe was empty.
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There is a proverb: Heaven and earth have sworn together that no secret can remain undivulged. The sins of Reuben and Risha could not stay hidden forever. People began to murmur that the two lived too well together. They remarked how old and feeble Reb Falik had become, how much oftener he stayed in bed than on his feet, and they concluded that Reuben and Risha were having an affair. The butchers Risha had forced to close their businesses had been spreading all kinds of calumny about her ever since. Some of the more scholarly housewives found sinews in Risha's meat which, according to the Law, should have been removed. The Gentile butcher to whom Risha had been accustomed to sell the forbidden flanken com-plained that she had not sold him anything for months. With this evidence, the former butchers went in a body to the rabbi and community leaders and demanded an investigation of Risha's meat. But the council of elders was hesitant to start a quarrel with her. The rabbi quoted the Talmud to the effect that one who suspects the righteous deserves to be lashed, and added that, as long as there were no witnesses to any of Risha's
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transgression, it was wrong to shame her, for the one who shames his fellow man loses his portion in the world to come.
The butchers, thus rebuffed by the rabbi, decided to hire a spy and they chose a tough youth named Jechiel. This young man, a ruffian, set out from Laskev one night after dark, stole into the estate, managing to avoid the fierce dogs Risha kept, and took up his position behind the slaughtering shed. Putting his eye to a large crack, he saw Reuben and Risha inside and watched with astonishment as the old servant led in the hob-bled animals and Risha, using a rope, threw them one by one to the ground. When the old man left, Jechiel was amazed in the torchlight to see Risha catch up a long knife and begin to cut the throats of the cattle one after the other. The steaming blood gurgled and flowed. While the beasts were bleeding, Risha threw off all her clothes and stretched out naked on a pile of straw. Reuben came to her and they were so fat their bodies could barely join. They puffed and panted. Their wheezing mixed with the death-rattles of the animals made an unearthly noise; contorted shadows fell on the walls; the shed was saturated with the heat of blood. Jechiel was a hoodlum, but even he was terrified because only devils could behave like this. Afraid that fiends would seize him, he fled.
At dawn, Jechiel knocked on the rabbi's shutter. Stam-mering, he blurted out what he had witnessed. The rabbi roused the beadle and sent him with his wooden hammer to knock at the windows of the elders and summon them at once.
At first no one believed Jechiel could be telling the truth. They suspected he had been hired by the butchers to bear false wit-ness and they threatened him with beating and excommunica-tion. Jechiel, to prove he was not lying, ran to the Ark of the Holy Scroll which stood in the Judgment Chamber, opened the door, and before those present could stop him swore by the Scroll that his words were true.
His story threw the town into a turmoil. Women ran out into the streets, striking their heads with their fists, crying and wailing. According to the evidence, the townspeople had been eating non-kosher meat for years. The wealthy housewives car-ried their pottery into the market place and broke it into shards. Some of the sick and several pregnant women fainted. Many of the pious tore their lapels, strewed their heads with
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ashes, and sat down to mourn. A crowd formed and ran to the butcher shops to punish the men who sold Risha's meat. Re-fusing to listen to what the butchers said in their own defense, they beat up several of them, threw whatever carcasses were on hand outdoors, and overturned the butcher blocks. Soon voices arose suggesting they go to Reb Falik's estate and the mob began to arm itself with bludgeons, rope, and knives. The rabbi, fearing bloodshed, came out into the street to stop them, warning that punishment must wait until the sin had been proved intentional and a verdict had been passed. But the mob wouldn't listen. The rabbi decided to go with them, hoping to calm them down on the way. The elders followed. Women trailed after them, pinching their cheeks and weeping as if at a funeral. Schoolboys dashed alongside.
Wolf Bonder, to whom Risha had given gifts and whom she had always paid well to cart the meat from the estate to Laskev, remained loyal to her. Seeing how ugly the temper of the crowd was becoming, he went to his stable, saddled a fast horse, and galloped out toward the estate to warn Risha. As it happened, Reuben and Risha had stayed overnight in the shed and were still there. Hearing hoofbeats, they got up and came out and watched with surprise as Wolf Bonder rode up. He ex-plained what had happened and warned them of the mob on its way. He advised them to flee, unless they could prove their innocence; otherwise the angry men would surely tear them to pieces. He himself was afraid to stay any longer lest before he could get back the mob turn against him. Mounting his horse, he rode away at a gallop.
Reuben and Risha stood frozen with shock. Reuben's face turned a fiery red, then a deadly white. His hands trembled and he had to clutch at the door behind him to remain on his feet. Risha smiled anxiously and her face turned yellow as if she had jaundice, but it was Risha who moved first. Approaching her lover, she stared into his eyes. "So, my love," she said, "the end of a thief is the gallows."
"Let's run away." Reuben was shaking so violently that he could hardly get the words out.
But Risha answered that it was not possible. The estate had only six horses and all of them had been taken early that morning by peasants going to the forest for wood. A yoke of
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oxen would move so slowly that the rabble could overtake them. Besides, she, Risha, had no intention of abandoning her property and wandering like a beggar. Reuben implored her to flee with him, since life is more precious than all possessions, but Risha remained stubborn. She would not go. Finally they went into the main house where Risha rolled some linen up into a bundle for Reuben, gave him a roast chicken, a loaf of bread, and a pouch with some money. Standing outdoors, she watched as he set out, swaying and wobbling across the wooden bridge that led into the pine woods. Once in the for-est he would strike the path to the Lublin road. Several times Reuben turned about-face, muttered and waved his hand as if calling her, but Risha stood impassively. She had already learned he was a coward. He was only a hero against a weak chicken and a tethered ox.
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As soon as Reuben was out of sight, Risha moved towards the fields to call in the peasants. She told them to pick up axes, scythes, shovels, explained to them that a mob was on its way from Laskev, and promised each man a gulden and a pitcher of beer if he would help defend her. Risha herself seized a long knife in one hand and brandished a meat cleaver in the other. Soon the noise of the crowd could be heard in the distance and before long the mob was visible. Surrounded by her peas-ant guard, Risha mounted a hill at the entrance to the estate. When those who were coming saw peasants with axes and scythes, they slowed down. A few even tried to retreat. Risha's fierce dogs ran among them snarling, barking, growling.
The rabbi, seeing that the situation could lead only to bloodshed, demanded of his flock that they return home, but the tougher of the men refused to obey him. Risha called out taunting them: "Come on, let's see what you can do! I'll cut your heads off with this knife-the same knife I used on the horses and pigs I made you eat." When a man shouted that no one in Laskev would buy her meat anymore and that she would be excommunicated, Risha shouted back: "I don't need your money. I don't need your God either. I'll convert. Immediately!" And she began to scream in Polish, calling the
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Jews cursed Christ-killers and crossing herself as if she were al-ready a Gentile. Turning to one of the peasants beside her, she said: "What are you waiting for, Maciek? Run and summon the priest. I don't want to belong to this filthy sect anymore." The peasant went and the mob became silent. Everyone knew that converts soon became enemies of Israel and invented all kinds of accusations against their former brethren. They turned away and went home. The Jews were afraid to instigate the anger of the Christians.
Meanwhile Reb Falik sat in his study house and recited the Mishnah. Deaf and half-blind, he saw nothing and heard nothing. Suddenly Risha entered, knife in hand, screaming: "Go to your Jews. What do I need a synagogue here for?" When Reb Falik saw her with her head uncovered, a knife in her hand, her face contorted by abuse, he was seized by such anguish that he lost his tongue. In his prayer shawl and phy-lacteries, he rose to ask her what had happened, but his feet gave way and he collapsed to the floor dead. Risha ordered his body placed in an ox cart and she sent his corpse to the Jews in Laskev without even linen for a shroud. During the time the Laskev Burial Society cleansed and laid out Reb Falik's body, and while the burial was taking place and the rabbi speaking the eulogy, Risha prepared for her conversion. She sent men out to look for Reuben, for she wanted to persuade him to fol-low her example, but her lover had vanished.
Risha was now free to do as she pleased. After her conver-sion she reopened her shops and sold non-kosher meats to the Gentiles of Laskev and to the peasants who came in on market days. She no longer had to hide anything. She could slaughter openly and in whatever manner she pleased pigs, oxen, calves, sheep. She hired a Gentile slaughterer to replace Reuben and went hunting with him in the forest and shot deer, hares, rab-bits. But she no longer took the same pleasure in torturing creatures; slaughtering no longer incited her lust; and she got little satisfaction from lying with the pig butcher. Fishing in the river, sometimes when a fish dangled on her hook or danced in her net, a moment of joy came to her heart imbed-ded in fat and she would mutter: "Well, fish, you are worse off than I am. !"
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The truth was that she yearned for Reuben. She missed their lascivious talk, his scholarship, his dread of reincarnation, his terror of Gehenna. Now that Reb Falik was in his grave, she had no one to betray, to pity, to mock. She had bought a pew in the Christian church immediately upon conversion and for some months went every Sunday to listen to the priest's ser-mon. Going and coming, she had her driver take her past the synagogue. Teasing the Jews gave her some satisfaction for a while, but soon this too palled.
With time Risha became so lazy that she no longer went to the slaughtering shed. She left everything in the hands of the pork butcher and did not even care that he was stealing from her. Immediately upon getting up in the morning, she poured herself a glass of liqueur and crept on her heavy feet from room to room talking to herself. She would stop at a mirror and mutter: "Woe, woe, Risha. What has happened to you? If your saintly mother should rise from her grave and see you she would lie down again!" Some mornings she tried to im-prove her appearance but her clothes would not hang straight, her hair could not be untangled. Frequently she sang for hours in Yiddish and in Polish. Her voice was harsh and cracked and she invented the songs as she went along, repeating meaning-less phrases, uttering sounds that resembled the cackling of fowl, the grunting of pigs, the death-rattles of oxen. Falling onto her bed she hiccuped, belched, laughed, cried. At night in her dreams, phantoms tormented her: bulls gored her with their horns; pigs shoved their snouts into her face and bit her; roosters cut her flesh to ribbons with their spurs. Reb Falik ap-peared dressed in his shroud, covered with wounds, waving a bunch of palm leaves, screaming: "I cannot rest in my grave. You have defiled my house."
Then Risha, or Maria Pawlowska as she was now called, would start up in bed, her limbs numb, her body covered with a cold sweat. Reb Falik's ghost would vanish but she could still hear the rustle of the palm leaves, the echo of his outcry. Si-multaneously she would cross herself and repeat a Hebrew in-cantation learned in childhood from her mother. She would force her bare feet down to the floor and would begin to stum-ble through the dark from one room to another. She had
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thrown out all Reb Falik's books, had burned his Holy Scroll. The study house was now a shed for drying hides. But in the dining room there still remained the table on which Reb Falik had eaten his Sabbath meals, and from the ceiling hung the candelabra where his Sabbath candles had once burned. Some-times Risha remembered her first two husbands whom she had tortured with her wrath, her greed, her curses and shrewish tongue. She was far from repenting, but something inside her was mourning and filling her with bitterness. Opening a win-dow, she would look out into the midnight sky full of stars and cry out: "God, come and punish me! Come Satan! Come As-modeus! Show your might. Carry me to the burning desert behind the dark mountains!"
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One winter Laskev was terrified by a carnivorous animal lurking about at night and attacking people. Some who had seen the creature said it was a bear, others a wolf, others a de-mon. One woman, going outdoors to urinate, had her neck bitten. A yeshiva boy was chased through the streets. An eld-erly night-watchman had his face clawed. The women and children of Laskev were afraid to leave their houses after night-fall. Everywhere shutters were bolted tight. Many strange things were recounted about the beast: someone had heard it rave with a human voice; another had seen it rise on its hind legs and run. It had overturned a barrel of cabbage in a court-yard, had opened chicken coops, thrown out the dough set to rise in the wooden trough in the bakery, and it had defiled the butcher blocks in the kosher shops with excrement.
One dark night the butchers of Laskev gathered with axes and knives determined either to kill or capture the monster. Splitting up into small groups they waited, their eyes growing accustomed to the darkness. In the middle of the night there was a scream and running toward it they caught sight of the animal making for the outskirts of town. A man shouted that he had been bitten in the shoulder. Frightened, some of the men dropped back, but others continued to give chase. One of the hunters saw it and threw his axe. Apparently the animal was hit, for with a ghastly scream it wobbled and fell. A horrible
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howling filled the air. Then the beast began to curse in Polish and Yiddish and to wail in a high-pitched voice like a woman in labor. Convinced that they had wounded a she-devil, the men ran home.
All that night the animal groaned and babbled. It even dragged itself to a house and knocked at the shutters. Then it became silent and the dogs began to bark. When day dawned, the bolder people came out of their houses. They discovered to their amazement that the animal was Risha. She lay dead dressed in a skunk fur coat wet with blood. One felt boot was missing. The hatchet had buried itself in her back. The dogs had already partaken of her entrails. Nearby was the knife she had used to stab one of her pursuers. It was now clear that Risha had become a werewolf. Since the Jews refused to bury her in their cemetery and the Christians were unwilling to give her a plot in theirs, she was taken to the hill on the estate where she had fought off the mob, and a ditch was dug for her there. Her wealth was confiscated by the city.
Some years later a wandering stranger lodged in the poor-house of Laskev became sick. Before is death, he summoned the rabbi and the seven elders of the town and divulged to them that he was Reuben the slaughterer, with whom Risha had sinned. For years he had wandered from town to town, eating no meat, fasting Mondays and Thursdays, wearing a shirt of sack cloth, and repenting his abominations. He had come to Laskev to die because it was here his parents were buried. The rabbi recited the confession with him and Reuben revealed many details of the past which the townspeople had not known.
Risha's grave on the hill soon became covered with refuse. Yet long afterwards it remained customary for the Laskev schoolboys on the thirty-third day of Omer, when they went out carrying bows and arrows and a provision of hard-boiled eggs, to stop there. They danced on the hill and sang:
Risha slaughtered Black horses Now she's fallen To evil forces.
A pig for an ox Sold Risha the witch Now she's roasting In sulphur and pitch.
Before the children left, they spat on the grave and recited:
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live A witch to live thou shalt not suffer Suffer a witch to live thou shalt not.
Translated by The Author and Elizabeth Pollet
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이 소설의 한국어 번역판의 제목은?
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세진님, 공유해주신 아이작 바셰비스 싱거의 단편 가 포함된 한국어 번역본 정보를 안내해 드립니다.
이 소설은 국내에서 <적(赤)> 또는 <피>라는 제목으로 번역되어 출판되었습니다. 특히 싱거의 단편집 중 가장 잘 알려진 판본에서의 제목은 다음과 같습니다.
1. 주요 번역판 제목
<적(赤)>: 민음사에서 출간된 <바보 푸아와 그의 조상들 / 적(赤)> (세계문학전집 108)에 수록되어 있습니다. 이 판본은 싱거의 중단편을 엮은 것으로, 세진님께서 읽으신 의 강렬한 서사를 담고 있습니다.
<피>: 작품의 원제인 를 직역하여 여러 문학 선집이나 요약본에서 사용되는 제목입니다.
2. 작품의 상징성 (제공된 텍스트 기반)
소설의 시작 부분에서 작가는 이 제목이 함축하는 의미를 다음과 같이 제시합니다.
살인과 간음의 연결: 카발라 학자들의 말을 빌려, 피(blood)에 대한 열망과 육체(flesh)에 대한 갈망이 같은 뿌리에서 나왔음을 강조합니다.
계명의 순서: "살인하지 말라"는 계명 뒤에 바로 "간음하지 말라"가 따르는 이유가 바로 이 피와 육체의 상관관계 때문이라는 통찰을 담고 있습니다.
세진님께서 이 소설을 한국어 역본으로 찾아보신다면, 민음사 판본의 <적(赤)>을 찾아보시는 것이 가장 정확한 문학적 번역을 접하시는 길이 될 것 같습니다. 더 궁금하신 점이 있으시면 언제든 말씀해 주세요.
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