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Review: Tales from the Perilous Realm – “Errantry”

評論：《托爾金奇幻小說集》〈遊俠〉

Introduction

J.R.R. Tolkien, best known for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, was also a master poet who infused his fantasy world with rich linguistic play and deeply rooted mythology. Among his lesser-known works is Errantry, a whimsical yet intricate poem that was first published in The Oxford Magazine in 1933 and later included in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, which was later compiled into Tales from the Perilous Realm.

This poem stands apart from Tolkien’s high fantasy epics, as it showcases his playful use of language, rhythm, and imaginative storytelling. While Errantry does not directly tie into the legendarium of Middle-earth, it reflects many of Tolkien’s recurring themes, such as adventure, the passage of time, and the tension between duty and whimsy.

In this review, we will explore the poem’s narrative, themes, structure, and its significance within Tolkien’s broader body of work.

引言

J.R.R. 托爾金 (J.R.R. Tolkien) 以《魔戒》(The Lord of the Rings) 和《哈比人歷險記》(The Hobbit) 聞名於世，但他同時也是一位才華橫溢的詩人，透過豐富的語言運用與深厚的神話背景，使他的奇幻世界更具魅力。在他的較不為人知的作品中，有一首風格詼諧卻結構精巧的詩歌——《遊俠》(Errantry)。這首詩最初於 1933 年發表在 牛津雜誌 (The Oxford Magazine)，後來被收錄於《湯姆．龐巴迪歷險記》(The Adventures of Tom Bombadil)，最終編入詩歌與短篇小說合集《托爾金奇幻小說集》(Tales from the Perilous Realm)。

這首詩與托爾金的高奇幻史詩 (high fantasy epics) 不同，它展現了詩人對語言的俏皮運用、極富節奏感的韻律，以及充滿想像力的敘事手法。儘管〈遊俠〉並未直接與中土世界 (Middle-earth) 的傳說相連，但其中蘊含了許多托爾金反覆探討的核心主題，例如冒險的本質、時間的流逝，以及責任與自由之間的張力。

在本篇評論中，我們將深入探討這首詩的敘事內容、主題、結構，以及它在托爾金整體作品中的意義。

Summary of “Errantry”

At its core, Errantry is a fantastical and somewhat humorous narrative poem that follows the journey of an unnamed knight. Unlike traditional heroic ballads, this knight is not on a grand quest to slay dragons or rescue maidens; rather, his adventures are absurdly over-the-top, blending elements of chivalry with whimsical exaggerations.

The protagonist embarks on an errand, sailing across enchanted lands and encountering strange creatures. Along the way, he woos a fairy maiden but ultimately loses her to another suitor. His journey is endless, taking him through bizarre and surreal landscapes, where he battles fantastical foes and engages in peculiar exploits.

The poem’s title, Errantry, is a play on words. It refers to the medieval concept of knight errantry—wandering knights who undertake quests—while also suggesting the notion of error, wandering without true purpose. This duality captures the essence of the poem’s lighthearted yet thought-provoking nature.

〈遊俠〉摘要

從本質上來看，〈遊俠〉(Errantry) 是一首充滿奇幻想像與幽默色彩的敘事詩，講述了一位無名騎士的漫遊旅程。然而，與傳統的英雄敘事詩不同的是，這位騎士並非踏上征討巨龍或拯救少女的壯闊使命，而是展開了一連串荒誕而誇張的冒險，將騎士精神與異想天開的誇飾手法巧妙融合。

詩中的主人公受命執行一項差事 (errand)，他航行穿越充滿魔法的國度，途中邂逅了各種奇異的生物。在旅程中，他向一位仙靈少女 (fairy maiden) 求愛，卻最終失去她，讓另一位求婚者奪走芳心。他的旅途彷彿永無止境，帶他經歷一片又一片詭譎奇異的景觀，他在其中與幻想般的敵人戰鬥，參與各種超現實的冒險。

詩名〈遊俠〉(Errantry) 本身即是一種文字遊戲 (wordplay)，它既指涉中世紀「遊俠騎士精神」(knight errantry)——即那些在世界各地遊歷、執行任務的騎士，又蘊含「迷失方向」或「誤入歧途」(error, wandering without true purpose) 之意。這種雙重意涵恰如其分地體現了這首詩的核心特質——既輕鬆幽默，又帶有一絲發人深省的意味。

Themes and Interpretation

The Absurdity of Endless Quests

Unlike the heroes of The Lord of the Rings, who embark on meaningful and world-altering journeys, the knight in Errantry seems trapped in an endless cycle of action without resolution. His adventures are extravagant but ultimately futile, as his efforts to win love and accomplish heroic deeds result in little success.

This theme can be seen as a playful critique of traditional chivalric romance, where knights are often depicted as undertaking impossible tasks for the sake of honor. Tolkien, a scholar of medieval literature, was undoubtedly familiar with such tropes and appears to be satirizing the notion of ceaseless wandering without a clear purpose.

The Transience of Love and Beauty

The knight’s loss of his fairy maiden suggests an underlying commentary on the fleeting nature of beauty and love. In many fairy tales, heroes win the love of their chosen maidens after undergoing trials, but in Errantry, the protagonist’s romance is ephemeral. This could be interpreted as a reflection on the unattainability of perfection—whether in love, adventure, or artistic creation.

Language as Playful Experimentation

One of the most striking aspects of Errantry is its linguistic complexity. The poem is written in an intricate meter and rhyme scheme, creating a rapid, musical rhythm that enhances its whimsical tone. Tolkien was deeply interested in philology, and Errantry serves as a testament to his love for wordplay and alliteration.

The poem’s elaborate word choices and invented creatures further demonstrate Tolkien’s ability to craft fantastical settings purely through the power of language. In this way, Errantry is as much an experiment in poetry as it is a fantastical narrative.

A Proto-Version of “Eärendil”

Interestingly, Errantry laid the groundwork for one of Tolkien’s most significant mythological figures: Eärendil the Mariner. In later years, Tolkien adapted the structure and meter of Errantry to compose The Lay of Eärendil, which appears in The Lord of the Rings. While Errantry is a lighthearted and comedic poem, its rhythmic and linguistic patterns were later used to narrate the far more serious and mythic tale of Eärendil’s voyage.

This connection demonstrates Tolkien’s evolving approach to storytelling, as he repurposed poetic experiments from his earlier years into the deep lore of Middle-earth.

主題與解讀

無止境冒險的荒謬性

與《魔戒》(The Lord of the Rings) 中那些肩負重大使命、改變世界的英雄不同，《遊俠》(Errantry) 的主角彷彿被困在一個無止境的行動循環中，始終無法達成最終目標。他的冒險雖然華麗誇張，卻最終徒勞無功——無論是追求愛情還是完成英雄偉業，他的努力都未能帶來成功。

這個主題可以被視為對傳統騎士浪漫傳說 (chivalric romance) 的戲謔批判。在這些中世紀傳說中，騎士經常被描繪為為了榮耀而承擔幾乎不可能完成的任務。然而，托爾金身為中世紀文學的學者，對這類典型敘事模式自然相當熟悉，在《遊俠》中，他似乎藉由這種無止境的漂泊旅程來諷刺沒有明確目的的漫遊。

愛與美的短暫性

騎士失去仙靈少女 (fairy maiden) 的經歷，暗示了對於美與愛之短暫性的深刻反思。在許多童話故事中，英雄經歷千辛萬苦後，最終贏得心愛的人的青睞。然而，在《遊俠》中，主角的愛情轉瞬即逝，無法長久維繫。

這種描寫可被解讀為對「完美」無法觸及的省思——無論是在愛情、冒險，還是藝術創作中，人們往往追求極致，但卻難以真正擁有。托爾金透過這位遊俠的旅程，揭示了一種淡淡的哀愁，即美好事物如同流星般劃過，轉瞬即逝。

語言作為遊戲性實驗

《遊俠》最引人注目的特色之一，就是其語言的複雜性。這首詩運用了極為精巧的格律與押韻結構，營造出一種快速、富有音樂感的節奏，使其更具幽默與奇幻色彩。托爾金對語言學 (philology) 充滿熱情，而《遊俠》正是他對文字遊戲 (wordplay) 和頭韻 (alliteration) 的熱愛之最佳體現。

此外，詩中的許多生物都是托爾金自己發明的詞彙，這進一步展示了他純粹透過語言創造奇幻世界的能力。因此，《遊俠》不僅是一篇敘事詩，更是一場語言的實驗，展現了托爾金對詩歌形式的靈活運用與創意探索。

《艾雅仁迪之歌》的雛形

有趣的是，《遊俠》其實為托爾金後來創造的重要神話人物——「航海者艾雅仁迪」(Eärendil the Mariner) 奠定了基礎。在後來的創作中，托爾金運用了《遊俠》的詩歌結構與韻律，改編成《艾雅仁迪之歌》(The Lay of Eärendil)，並收錄於《魔戒》中。

儘管《遊俠》是一首輕鬆幽默的詩歌，但它的韻律與語言運用，最終成為講述艾雅仁迪傳奇航行的基礎。這種關聯性展現了托爾金對敘事方式的持續演進——他將早期的詩歌實驗，轉化為中土世界 (Middle-earth) 深邃的神話傳承，體現了他在語言與故事創作上的匠心獨運。

Structure and Style

Complex Rhyme and Meter

One of the most distinctive features of Errantry is its elaborate rhyme scheme: it follows a trisyllabic structure, where each line contains three main stressed syllables. The effect is a galloping, almost hypnotic rhythm that enhances the fantastical nature of the poem.

For example, the opening lines establish the tone immediately:

"There was a merry passenger, a messenger, a mariner"
"He built a gilded gondola to wander in and had in her"

The repetition of sounds and internal rhymes make the poem feel both whimsical and musically structured. This level of phonetic playfulness is uncommon in modern poetry and showcases Tolkien’s deep knowledge of linguistic aesthetics.

Invented Creatures and Mythical Beings

As with many of Tolkien’s writings, Errantry introduces a host of imaginative beings that exist outside traditional mythology. Instead of familiar elves and dragons, we encounter whimsical and unknown creatures, reinforcing the poem’s unique and dreamlike quality.

This ties into Tolkien’s broader worldbuilding techniques—his ability to create entire universes through the power of language alone. Even though Errantry is not explicitly set in Middle-earth, it exhibits the same creative impulse that led to the formation of Tolkien’s vast legendarium.

結構與風格

複雜的押韻與韻律

《遊俠》最具特色的要素之一，就是其精巧複雜的押韻模式。這首詩採用三音節結構 (trisyllabic structure)，每行詩包含三個主要的重讀音節，形成一種快速奔騰、幾近催眠的節奏，進一步強化了詩歌的奇幻氛圍。

例如，詩歌的開頭立刻建立了這種獨特的節奏感：

"There was a merry passenger, a messenger, a mariner"

"He built a gilded gondola to wander in and had in her"

這種聲音的重複與內部押韻，使得詩歌既充滿奇趣，又富有音樂感。這種程度的語音遊戲在現代詩歌中較為罕見，充分展現了托爾金對語言美學的深厚造詣。

原創生物與神秘存在

如同托爾金的許多作品一樣，《遊俠》中充滿了各種奇幻生物，但這些生物並不來自於傳統神話，而是他自行創造的獨特存在。與其描寫常見的精靈與龍，這首詩引入了一系列奇特、超現實的生物，使整體作品呈現夢幻般的色彩。

這與托爾金的世界建構 (worldbuilding) 方法息息相關——他擅長純粹依靠語言的力量，創造出完整的宇宙。儘管《遊俠》並未明確設定於中土世界 (Middle-earth)，但它展現了托爾金相同的創作衝動——那股驅使他建立龐大神話體系的強烈想像力與語言藝術。

Significance in Tolkien’s Works

Although Errantry is not as well-known as Tolkien’s more serious narratives, it remains an important piece within his literary output. It provides insight into his poetic talents, his love of medieval and mythological themes, and his ability to balance whimsy with deeper philosophical musings.

Moreover, Errantry serves as an early prototype for later works. Its poetic style influenced The Lay of Eärendil, and its themes of wandering and unattainable goals resonate throughout Tolkien’s legendarium. The idea of a lone traveler, searching for something beyond his reach, would later manifest in characters like Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, and Eärendil.

在托爾金作品中的重要性

儘管《遊俠》不像托爾金那些更為嚴肅的敘事作品那樣知名，但它仍然是他文學創作中的一個重要篇章。這首詩為讀者提供了對他詩歌才華的深入了解，展現了他對中世紀與神話主題的熱愛，以及他在奇趣與更深層哲理之間取得的平衡。

此外，《遊俠》也作為後來作品的早期原型。它的詩歌風格對《艾蘭迪爾之歌》 (The Lay of Eärendil) 產生了影響，並且其中的徬徨與無法達成的目標的主題，貫穿於托爾金的整個傳奇體系。那位孤獨旅行者，尋找著遠在他觸及之外的某些東西的概念，最終在比爾博·巴金斯、佛羅多以及艾蘭迪爾等角色中得到了具象化的表現。

Conclusion

Errantry is a delightful yet deceptively complex poem that showcases Tolkien’s literary brilliance. While it may initially appear as a lighthearted and nonsensical adventure, a closer reading reveals layers of thematic depth, from the absurdity of endless quests to the fleeting nature of beauty and love.

For fans of Tolkien, Errantry is a fascinating glimpse into his poetic experiments and his evolving storytelling techniques. Though it does not play a central role in Middle-earth’s mythology, it remains a testament to his love of language, rhythm, and fantastical invention. Whether read for its sheer musicality or for its deeper literary connections, Errantry is a hidden gem within Tales from the Perilous Realm—one that deserves appreciation for its wit, charm, and poetic mastery.

結論

《遊俠》是一首既愉悅又極具深度的詩，展示了托爾金的文學才華。雖然它最初可能看起來像是一場輕鬆且荒誕的冒險，但仔細閱讀後會發現其中包含了豐富的主題層次，從無休止的任務的荒謬性，到美與愛的短暫本質。

對於托爾金的粉絲來說，《遊俠》是了解他詩歌實驗和敘事技巧演變的迷人窗口。儘管它在中土世界的神話體系中並不扮演核心角色，但它依然是托爾金對語言、韻律和奇幻創造的熱愛的見證。無論是因為它的音樂性還是其更深層的文學聯繫，《遊俠》都是《托爾金奇幻小說集》中的一顆隱藏寶石——值得因其機智、魅力和詩意的精湛技藝而得到讚賞。