Page 227 - Marcello Potocco, Nacionalni imaginariji, literarni imaginariji, Dissertationes 20
P. 227
Kanadska imaginacija – analiza poezije
her side she fell down at my feet, and twisted round my legs, so that it was with
difficulty that I could disengage myself from her dying grasps. As two Indian
men pursued this unfortunate victim, I solicited very hard for her life; but the
murderers made no reply till they had /154/ stuck both their spears through
her body, and transfixed her to the ground. They then looked me sternly in
the face, and began to ridicule me, by asking if I wanted an Esquimaux wife;
and paid not the smallest regard to the shrieks and agony of the poor wretch,
who was twining round their spears like an eel! Indeed, after receiving much
abusive language from them on the occasion, I was at length obliged to desi-
re that they would be more expeditious in dispatching their victim out of her
misery, otherwise I should be obliged, out of pity, to assist in the friendly of-
fice of putting an end to the existence of a fellow-creature who was so cruel-
ly wounded. On this request being made, one of the Indians hastily drew his
spear from the place where it was first lodged, and pierced it through her bre-
ast near the heart. The love of life, however, even in this most miserable sta-
te, was so predominant, that though this might justly be called the most mer-
ciful act that could be done for the poor creature, it seemed to be unwelco-
me, for though - much exhausted by pain and loss of blood, she made several
efforts to ward off the friendly blow. My situation and the terror of my mind
at beholding this butchery, cannot easily be conceived, much less described ;
though I summed up all the fortitude I was master of on the occasion, it was
with difficulty that I could refrain from tears ; and I am confident that my fe-
atures must have feelingly expressed how sincerely I was affected at the bar-
barous scene I then /155/ witnessed; even at this hour I cannot reflect on the
transactions of that horrid day without shedding tears.176
Hearnov potopis s poudarjanjem barbarskosti, indijanskega ironič-
nega zasmehovanja in – kot se izrazi sam pripovedovalec – brutalnosti
»klanja« predvidenega bralca nedvoumno nagovarja, da se poistove-
ti s podobo staroselcev kot naravnih divjakov. Newlove, na drugi stra-
ni, osredini podobo okoli Hearna, ne več okoli njegovih indijanskih po-
močnikov, in z glasovno figuro ponavljanja (help, helpers) v osrednji ki-
tici poudari paradoks med Hearnovo željo, da bi pomagal, in njegovim
nujnim zavezništvom z nasilnimi Indijanci. S tem za razliko od Hearno-
ve pretirano čustveno obarvane pripovedi izpostavi primat materialnega
interesa in belčeve odvisnosti od Indijancev nad sočutjem. Obenem pa
Newlovov prikaz epizode premakne težišče s konkretnega dogodka in
celo konkretnega odnosa med belcem in staroselcem na raven eksempla-
176 Hearne, A journey, 179–180.
her side she fell down at my feet, and twisted round my legs, so that it was with
difficulty that I could disengage myself from her dying grasps. As two Indian
men pursued this unfortunate victim, I solicited very hard for her life; but the
murderers made no reply till they had /154/ stuck both their spears through
her body, and transfixed her to the ground. They then looked me sternly in
the face, and began to ridicule me, by asking if I wanted an Esquimaux wife;
and paid not the smallest regard to the shrieks and agony of the poor wretch,
who was twining round their spears like an eel! Indeed, after receiving much
abusive language from them on the occasion, I was at length obliged to desi-
re that they would be more expeditious in dispatching their victim out of her
misery, otherwise I should be obliged, out of pity, to assist in the friendly of-
fice of putting an end to the existence of a fellow-creature who was so cruel-
ly wounded. On this request being made, one of the Indians hastily drew his
spear from the place where it was first lodged, and pierced it through her bre-
ast near the heart. The love of life, however, even in this most miserable sta-
te, was so predominant, that though this might justly be called the most mer-
ciful act that could be done for the poor creature, it seemed to be unwelco-
me, for though - much exhausted by pain and loss of blood, she made several
efforts to ward off the friendly blow. My situation and the terror of my mind
at beholding this butchery, cannot easily be conceived, much less described ;
though I summed up all the fortitude I was master of on the occasion, it was
with difficulty that I could refrain from tears ; and I am confident that my fe-
atures must have feelingly expressed how sincerely I was affected at the bar-
barous scene I then /155/ witnessed; even at this hour I cannot reflect on the
transactions of that horrid day without shedding tears.176
Hearnov potopis s poudarjanjem barbarskosti, indijanskega ironič-
nega zasmehovanja in – kot se izrazi sam pripovedovalec – brutalnosti
»klanja« predvidenega bralca nedvoumno nagovarja, da se poistove-
ti s podobo staroselcev kot naravnih divjakov. Newlove, na drugi stra-
ni, osredini podobo okoli Hearna, ne več okoli njegovih indijanskih po-
močnikov, in z glasovno figuro ponavljanja (help, helpers) v osrednji ki-
tici poudari paradoks med Hearnovo željo, da bi pomagal, in njegovim
nujnim zavezništvom z nasilnimi Indijanci. S tem za razliko od Hearno-
ve pretirano čustveno obarvane pripovedi izpostavi primat materialnega
interesa in belčeve odvisnosti od Indijancev nad sočutjem. Obenem pa
Newlovov prikaz epizode premakne težišče s konkretnega dogodka in
celo konkretnega odnosa med belcem in staroselcem na raven eksempla-
176 Hearne, A journey, 179–180.
