抒情詩人──論李長之《司馬遷之人格與風格》的傳記批評

Lyric Poet: Biographical Criticism The Personality and Style of Sima Qian by Li, Zhang-zhi

西方傳記文學不僅是一種文學創作上的體裁，更是一種進行文學批評的方式，所謂傳記批評是也。替司馬遷撰寫的傳記《司馬遷之人格與風格》(1948)一書亦然，乃是李長之(1910-1978)以傳記之體遂行批評之言說。傳記批評雖以撰寫傳記為歸宿，但不是為傳而傳，研究作家情況的最終目的還有研究作品，通過審視特定情境下的作品價值而確定作家在史學、文學與文化史上的特性和地位。因此，傳記必須傳、評結合，人、文並論。故文學史家總是「將李長之的批評標示為傳記批評，是因為他擅長為作家寫傳，而那傳記又有很濃重的文學批評與文學史研究的特點。李長之的傳記批評並不滿足於一般地描繪介紹作家的創作生活道路，也從不沈潛於史料的蒐羅考證，其功夫是探尋把握作家的人格精神與創作風貌，闡釋人格與風格的統一，領略作家獨特的精神魅力及其在創作中的體現。」《司馬遷之人格與風格》一書，李長之著力刻畫司馬遷作為「抒情詩人」的「作家肖像」：「他的濃烈的情感，他原是像屈原樣的詩人」。「抒情」標示一種浪漫化的情感主義傾向，推重主體情感的原發性與創造性。從本體論上認定情感才是作品的本質、生命和靈魂；從發生學上確認作品起源於作家的情緒內驅；從作品論上闡明作品的藝術完成就是作家的情感被賦予語言的造「型」過程。這一傑作，其突出意圖顯然是要在民族危機時刻，振興和發揚以浪漫的文化英雄司馬遷為代表這一理想文化人格，俾能在戰後繼五四「啟蒙運動」後，迎接中國的「文藝復興」。

Biographical writing is not only a literary genre but also an approach to literary criticism. The works of an author can be examined along with the author's literary life in certain historical and cultural context. The Personality and Style of Sima Qian (1948) by Li, Zhang-zhi (1910-1978) is one best example of biographical writing and literary criticism. This book presents the personality and style of Sima Qian, the reinforcement of each other, and consequently showcases how Shih Chi becomes literary embodiment of the historian's thoughts and feelings. In this biographical writing, Li, Zhang-zhi makes efforts to render Sima Qian as a lyric poet. In Li's romantic portrait of the historian as a lyric poet, Shi Chi can be seen as a literary conversion of Sima Qian's sensibility, which takes center stage in the process of literary creation. In this way, Li celebrates Sima Qian as a representative romantic hero in his literary criticism and in the greater social modern context after the May Fourth Movement, the Enlighten Movement in China, and the new Renaissance to come.