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Here are the chilling words from the 12 maids' point of view, as they sang in unison, their feet twitching and dangling in the air.
我們是女僕／你殺了我們／你背棄我們
我們在空中舞動／赤裸的雙腳抽搐／這算哪門子公平
追著女神、女王或淫賤女子／跟前跟後／你只顧找自己的樂子
我們做得太少／和你相比／你便覺得我們不好
你有長矛／你有語言／供你差遣
我們擦光／死去的情郎／濺在地上椅子上
還有樓梯和門上的血／我們跪在水中／而你死命地瞧
我們的赤腳／這算哪門子公平／你舔舐我們的驚恐
那讓你快樂／你舉起手／看我們墜下
我們在空中舞動／你背棄我們／你殺了我們
(節錄田含章中文翻譯ISBN：9867291743 )
Facing the accusatory eyes of her 12 maids in Hades, Penelope was visibly apologetic for not being able to protect her maids and regretted not being strong enough to stand up like a woman, tell the truth, and take the blame. From Penelope's point of view and through her voice: "... Now that I'm dead I know everything, ... Those of you who may catch the odd whisper, the odd squeak, so easily mistaken my words for breezes rustling the dry reeds, for bats at twilight, for bad dreams ..."
So, the next time, when you find yourself wandering alone in the dark forest, what look like tree branches could be the 12 maids' legs twitching in the air as they are hanged by their necks; and if you listen carefully, you will know that the sound of winds blowing through the leaves are actually the soft, silent moans, sorrow and woes of the thirteen women still in Hades.
Epilogue後語: I highly recommend Ms. Atwood's book "The Penelopiad" and the play of the same title, in which both the writer and the playwright ably tell the story of Homer's "The Odyssey", through the point of view POV of his wife Penelope and the 12 maids. "The Penelopiad" was premiered in the summer of 2007 by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK where it received excellent review. The theatrical adaptation I saw was co-produced by the RSC and the National Arts Centre in Canada in the fall of 2007.
Other sources of info:
* Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Penelopiad ;
* Chinese translation of Margaret Atwood's "The Penelopiad" 田含章中文翻譯ISBN 9867291743 : http://www.locuspublishing.com/product.asp?book=1111MH002&pageMode=abridgement
* Globe and Mail review: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070804.wpenelope0804/BNStory/Entertainment/Theatre/
我們是女僕／你殺了我們／你背棄我們
我們在空中舞動／赤裸的雙腳抽搐／這算哪門子公平
追著女神、女王或淫賤女子／跟前跟後／你只顧找自己的樂子
我們做得太少／和你相比／你便覺得我們不好
你有長矛／你有語言／供你差遣
我們擦光／死去的情郎／濺在地上椅子上
還有樓梯和門上的血／我們跪在水中／而你死命地瞧
我們的赤腳／這算哪門子公平／你舔舐我們的驚恐
那讓你快樂／你舉起手／看我們墜下
我們在空中舞動／你背棄我們／你殺了我們
(節錄田含章中文翻譯ISBN：9867291743 )
Facing the accusatory eyes of her 12 maids in Hades, Penelope was visibly apologetic for not being able to protect her maids and regretted not being strong enough to stand up like a woman, tell the truth, and take the blame. From Penelope's point of view and through her voice: "... Now that I'm dead I know everything, ... Those of you who may catch the odd whisper, the odd squeak, so easily mistaken my words for breezes rustling the dry reeds, for bats at twilight, for bad dreams ..."
So, the next time, when you find yourself wandering alone in the dark forest, what look like tree branches could be the 12 maids' legs twitching in the air as they are hanged by their necks; and if you listen carefully, you will know that the sound of winds blowing through the leaves are actually the soft, silent moans, sorrow and woes of the thirteen women still in Hades.
Epilogue後語: I highly recommend Ms. Atwood's book "The Penelopiad" and the play of the same title, in which both the writer and the playwright ably tell the story of Homer's "The Odyssey", through the point of view POV of his wife Penelope and the 12 maids. "The Penelopiad" was premiered in the summer of 2007 by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK where it received excellent review. The theatrical adaptation I saw was co-produced by the RSC and the National Arts Centre in Canada in the fall of 2007.
Other sources of info:
* Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Penelopiad ;
* Chinese translation of Margaret Atwood's "The Penelopiad" 田含章中文翻譯ISBN 9867291743 : http://www.locuspublishing.com/product.asp?book=1111MH002&pageMode=abridgement
* Globe and Mail review: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070804.wpenelope0804/BNStory/Entertainment/Theatre/
4 comments:
Your humor is hard not to miss. It just takes a little background to fully appreciate these recent postings of yours.
I am a nerd educated in North America. I was delighted to read your parody of "To Serve Men" which I read in a collection of best sci-fi short stories back in college.
Atwood's feminist revision (or Penelope's) Odyssey is perhaps even harder for average readers to appreicate. One really have to understand the Greek world almost 3000 years ago, their society and their believes and value system.
If you read the original Odyssey, Odysseus is actually a pretty nice king who takes care of his people loyal to him; he defeats Troy with his Trojan horse (Roman who claim to be Trojan descendants doesn't like him), and he gives up immortality with goddess Calypso to go back to his aged wife whom he never stops loving.
Keith: I was a bit concerned readers from another country might interpret my dark humour as advocating violence. I am glad you understand.
Hey, good digging into the original Odyssey story. I didn't know the Roman don't like the guy. Did he not lead the Spartan 300, or was that just Hollywood twisting historical facts to fit a movie??
I read several different versions of Iliad and Odyssey starting from kid's version in chinese when I were a kid in HK. Homer's version is of course the most authoritative. Odyssus is a great hero only next to Achilles in Homer's. When Roman re-wrote Oddssey stories centries later, Odyssus usually protrayed as cunning and despicable.
Keith: My knowledge of ancient Greece history is somewhat limited, even though I very much enjoy the stories. Margaret Atwood must have studied the Roman version of Odyssey because she, through the voice of Penelope, sure didn't think highly of the Greek "hero".
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