영어로 읽는 고전 _ F. W. 베인의 달의 숫자 _ 힌두 사랑 이야기
"달의 숫자: 힌두 사랑 이야기"는 F. W. Bain이 19세기 후반에 쓴 소설입니다. 이 작품은 힌두 신화의 맥락 속에 사랑의 풍부한 이야기를 담고 있으며, 수리아칸타 왕이라는 인물을 통해 매력과 여성 마음의 복잡성을 파헤치려는 결심을 가지고 사랑과 욕망의 주제를 탐구합니다.
이 이야기는 독자들에게 시적인 스토리텔링과 철학적 사색이 어우러진 모습을 보여주며, 인간 감정의 미묘한 차이를 반영합니다. 소설의 도입부는 아름답지만 여성혐오적인 군주인 수리아칸타 왕을 소개하는데, 그는 결혼 제안과 여성의 매력을 무시합니다. 그의 신하들은 후계자가 없는 것을 걱정하여 그에게 여성의 아름다움을 소개하려는 계획을 세우지만, 그는 계속해서 저항합니다.
이야기는 한 화가가 수도에 도착하여 왕의 여성에 대한 관심을 깨울 수 있다고 주장하면서 전환점을 맞이합니다. 매혹적인 아난가라가의 초상화를 본 후, 수리아칸타는 압도적인 감정 변화를 경험하며, 그녀를 추구하는 여정이 시작됩니다.
그가 이 수수께끼 같은 공주를 찾아 나서면서 사랑, 욕망, 그리고 여성성에 대한 철학적 탐구라는 주제가 떠오르며, 문화적 통찰과 감정적 깊이가 풍부한 이야기의 토대를 마련합니다.
Classics Read in English _ A Digit of the Moon _ A Hindoo Love Story by F. W. Bain
"A Digit of the Moon: A Hindu Love Story" by F.W. Bain is a late 19th-century novel that weaves a captivating romance through the lens of Hindu mythology. The story explores the intricate dynamics of love and desire through its protagonist, King Suryakanta, who sets out to decode the enigmas of attraction and the complexities of women's hearts.
The narrative unfolds as a mesmerizing blend of poetic storytelling and philosophical reflection, delving into the subtle nuances of human emotion. We first meet King Suryakanta—handsome but deeply misogynistic—who consistently rejects marriage proposals and remains unmoved by feminine charms. His ministers, anxious about the kingdom's future without an heir, strategize to introduce him to female beauty, but their efforts prove futile against his resistance.
The story pivots when an artist arrives in the capital, claiming the ability to awaken the king's interest in women. Upon viewing a portrait of the enchanting Anangaragá, Suryakanta undergoes a profound emotional transformation that catalyzes his quest to find her. As he pursues this elusive princess, themes of love, desire, and philosophical explorations of womanhood emerge, creating a narrative rich with cultural insight and emotional depth.
Through its vivid characters and evocative settings, the novel invites readers to immerse themselves in a world where passion and philosophy intertwine, offering timeless reflections on the nature of love that resonate across cultures and eras.
Among the contents
Then, when the towers of the palace rose over the trees, and gleamed like gold on their eyes in the beams of the morning sun, King Süryakánta suddenly exclaimed: Ha! I am undone. And Rasakósha said: How is that? Then the King said: Alas! I have been absolutely possessed by the image of my beloved, night and day, waking and sleeping, so that I have thought of nothing in the world beside. And now here we are at the end of our journey, but at the beginning of difficulties. For as to what I shall ask the Princess, I have not the shadow of an idea. And if the thought of her has such power to bewilder me at a distance, the sight of her will utterly deprive me of my reason, so that I am lost already. Then Rasakósha said: O King, this is exactly why the Princess has hitherto baffled all her lovers. The spell of her beauty robs them of their intellect, and chains up their invention, and thus they fall an easy prey. But fortunate are you, that while your best half has been absent from its body, your other half has been watching over the empty case. Be under no concern: but when we are introduced into the presence of the Princess, tell her that you speak by my mouth, and leave all to me. So the King was relieved, and dismissing all other subjects from his mind, he again became wholly immersed in meditating on his mistress.
서평(Book Review)
F.W. 베인의 "달의 숫자"는 힌두 신화를 배경으로 한 아름다운 사랑 이야기를 그려낸다. 여성혐오적인 수리아칸타 왕이 아난가라가의 초상화를 통해 깊은 감정적 변화를 겪으며 사랑의 본질을 탐구하는 과정이 철학적 깊이와 시적인 문체로 펼쳐진다. 19세기 작품임에도 불구하고 사랑과, 욕망, 인간 감정의 복잡성에 대한 보편적 주제를 담아내어 현대 독자에게도 여전히 감동을 준다.
F.W. Bain's "A Digit of the Moon" crafts a beautiful love story against the backdrop of Hindu mythology. The narrative follows the misogynistic King Suryakanta as he undergoes a profound emotional transformation after viewing a portrait of the enchanting Anangaragá, exploring the essence of love with philosophical depth and poetic style. Despite being a 19th-century work, its universal themes of love, desire, and the complexity of human emotions continue to resonate with modern readers.
