現代女性歌德式小說及其在台灣的翻譯－－以「米蘭夫人」的翻譯為例

Modern Female Gothic and Its Translation in Taiwan: Based on a Case Study of the Chinese Translation of Mistress of Mellyn

本文首先試著定義現代女性歌德式小說，而後追溯維多莉亞‧荷特（Victoria Holt）的歌德式小說在台灣的譯介，並以《米蘭夫人》為討論中心，始於五十年代《米蘭夫人》首次被譯入台灣，其時代背景，譯本與原本的關係，以及它被如何被「翻譯」成台語片《地獄新娘》；繼之以七零、八零年代，展開的歌德式羅曼史翻譯熱潮；終以九零年代的翻譯，並探討此一文類的小說為何會在美國和台灣同樣受到歡迎－－尤其是《米蘭夫人》一書裡的驚悚特色，亦即：妻子懷疑丈夫有意謀殺她。這是否反映了男女之間始終存在的猜疑與不信任？此類小說在美國興起、並大受歡迎的背景，是否也在台灣重現，因而造成了此一書歷時數十年不衰的翻譯現象？再則，此一案例研究能夠提供我們什麼樣的洞見？

Starting with the definition of Modern Gothic Novel and based on the case study of the translation of Mistress of Mellyn in Taiwan, this article will trace its translation history, try to locate the context of its reception and explain its long term popularity from the sixties to the eighties in an alien terrain. Mistress of Mellyn, written by Victoria Holt in 1960, was first introduced into Taiwan in approximately the same year. The translation was an immediate hit and paved the way for more translation of Victoria Holt's works to come. Evidence can be seen in its remaking into a local Taiwanese movie, the Bride of Hell, and its numerous reprints and retranslation in later decades. It may serve to ask: what kind of re-writing, adaptation and localization was involved in the process of its translation? Also, as Joanna Russ (1973) so aptly puts it in her article 'Somebody's Trying to Kill Me and I Think It's My Husband: The Modern Gothic', the distinct feature of modern gothic may be the strong suspicion and distrust of the female of the male. Was the social background that gave rise to the popularity of this genre replicating itself in Taiwan? What context may explain its long-term popularity from the sixties to eighties-as well as its losing popularities since the 90s in Taiwan? Also, what insight can we gain from this case study? 本文首先試著定義現代女性歌德式小說，而後追溯維多莉亞‧荷特（Victoria Holt）的歌德式小說在台灣的譯介，並以《米蘭夫人》為討論中心，始於五十年代《米蘭夫人》首次被譯入台灣，其時代背景，譯本與原本的關係，以及它被如何被「翻譯」成台語片《地獄新娘》；繼之以七零、八零年代，展開的歌德式羅曼史翻譯熱潮；終以九零年代的翻譯，並探討此一文類的小說為何會在美國和台灣同樣受到歡迎－尤其是《米蘭夫人》一書裡的驚悚特色，亦即：妻子懷疑丈夫有意謀殺她。這是否反映了男女之間始終存在的猜疑與不信任？此類小說在美國興起、並大受歡迎的背景，是否也在台灣重現，因而造成了此一書歷時數十年不衰的翻譯現象？再則，此一案例研究能夠提供我們什麼樣的洞見？