抒情的政治、理論與傳統：重探一個台灣文學的批判論述

晚近不論在中文或英語世界，古老的文類「抒情詩」（lyric）都重新引起學界的注意，學者如卡勒、王德威與陳國球等各自從文類或觀念的角度分進合擊，重新界定東西方文學史上之「抒情的傳統」。這些理論家對抒情詩的考慮著重的不再只是特定的文體風格，而更及於「抒情」（the lyrical）作為一般性批判術語可能暗示的理論意涵。簡言之，當代有志於新探「何為抒情」的學者，目前正朝背離模擬與再現的方向設定其之思考的議程。本文是一個將這些討論與台灣既有的抒情論述進行銜接的嘗試，而向來與弗雷德曼的「抒情小說」及陳世驤「中國文學的抒情傳統」密切對話的台灣現代派成員其之看法、乃至實踐，將是本文所要聚焦討論的重點。內文分成「抒情的政治」、「抒情的理論」和「抒情的傳統」三個部分，將依序處理抒情言說的公共性、抒情理論展開的軌跡，以及抒情傳統之形構的歷史座標。本文期望指出，在台灣文學與文化圈盛行的抒情論述根本上是一次華語語系闡連的結果，而更重要的是，它體現在本地獨一的處境性之中。最後，透過對於這種處境性的檢視與反思，「台灣」作為一個共同體的可能想像亦開啟了不同的層次和面向。 In recent years, “lyric poetry” is gaining more traction in both North American and Chinese academic communities. Critics such as Johnathan Culler, David Der-wei Wang and Leonard Kwok-kou Chan all attempt not merely to revitalize the studies on the lyric, but also redefine the “lyrical tradition.” According to these critics, “the lyrical” demonstrates the theoretical potentialities to counter the effects of mimesis and even overthrow the concept of representation. Therefore, the lyric can be taken as a reference point to explore “the lyrical” not simply as a genre but also as a vein of critical theory. This paper will engage with current scholarships on the lyrical via a juxtaposition and discussion of Taiwanese lyrical discourses. Particularly, this paper will focus on the Taiwanese Modernists inspired by Raphael Freedman's “lyrical novel” and Chen Shih-shiang's “lyrical tradition” in Chinese literature. This paper is composed of three sections: “the lyrical as politics,” “the lyrical theories” and “the lyrical tradition.” Together they will elucidate the interconnectedness among the lyrical, society and history. Finally, this paper seeks to propose that the Taiwanese lyrical discourse, which is an articulation attached to Taiwan's singular situated-ness, is in essence a Sinophone lyrical enunciation. Through an investigation on this situated-ness, this paper attempts to reconsider the idea of “Taiwan” as an imaginary community.