为什么在西方文化中黑猫是不祥之兆
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2021-11-01 04:40 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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11月1日是西方的传统节日万圣节,在这一天总少不了南瓜、幽灵、女巫和黑猫这些元素。在西方文化中,黑猫通常与厄运、邪恶联系在一起,关于黑猫的迷信说法有许多,比如:
 
It is bad luck for a black cat to cross your path
黑猫在面前穿过是不吉利的
 
Never turn your back on a black cat or you will be cursed
永远不要背对黑猫,否则会被诅咒
 
A black cat on the bed of an ill person will bring death
黑猫出现在病人床前意味着死亡
 
诸如此类的迷信广为流传,让许多人对黑猫唯恐避之不及。为什么黑猫就成了厄运和灾祸的象征呢?
 
It comes down to the historical superstitions1 of Puritan Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony. This particular group of people lived by a strict Protestant lifestyle, shunning2 anything that went against their religious beliefs. Since witchcraft3 was viewed as a practice that worshiped the devil, the Puritans became extremely wary4 of everything that could possibly be linked to a witch.
这可以归咎于普利茅斯殖民地清教徒的古老迷信。这一群人严格遵守新教生活方式,避讳任何违背他们宗教信仰的事情。由于巫术被视为一种崇拜魔鬼的习俗,清教徒对任何可能与女巫有关的事情都变得极其谨慎。
 
Black cats were high up on that list. Legend had it that witches could transform into a black cat and back, emphasizing superstitions of these furry5 creatures. Some people even believed that witches could re-incarnate into black cats after death. Additionally, there was the Middle Age legend that the devil often gifted black cats to witches to act as their servants. 
而黑猫就是他们的头号禁忌。传说,女巫可以变成黑猫,这加深了人们对黑猫的迷信。有些人甚至相信女巫死后会化身为黑猫。此外,中世纪时期的传说认为,魔鬼通常会把黑猫送给女巫充当其仆人。
 
The naturally standoffish, stealthy attitude of cats probably didn’t help these felines6, either. Paired with their dark fur coats and glowing eyes, black cats were feared as much as the human witches themselves. And as literature about witchcraft became more widespread, a period of “witchcraft hysteria” reigned7 between 1560 and 1660 in Europe and the New England colonies.
黑猫冷漠、神秘的天性可能也不利于它们的形象。黑猫有着黑色的毛皮和发光的眼睛,这让它们和女巫一样令人恐惧。随着关于巫术的文学作品传播越来越广泛,1560年至1660年间,欧洲和新英格兰殖民地出现了一段“巫术恐慌”时期。
 
These days, many black cat superstitions still exist. They are often linked to bad luck and are feared by some. Just take a look at television shows, movies, and books; it's not uncommon8 to see a black cat portrayed9 in a spooky and tense environment.
如今,许多关于黑猫的迷信仍然存在。它们经常与厄运联系在一起,让很多人感到恐惧。
在电视节目、电影和书籍中,黑猫经常出现在恐怖和紧张的环境里。
 
So how does this all relate to Halloween? The basis of this modern holiday revolves10 around all things dark and spiritual. Many of the celebrations that take place during this time of the year focus on honoring the dead. Ancient traditions usually have some kind of link to either the practice of witchcraft or the opposing beliefs against them.
那么这一切与万圣节有什么关系呢?这个现代节日的起源与一切邪恶灵异的事物有关。每年万圣节举行的众多庆祝活动都是为了纪念逝者。古代的节日传统通常与施展巫术或反对巫术的信仰有关。
 
As a result, witches – and their black cats – have become a commercialized symbol of Halloween.
因此,女巫以及她们的黑猫,已经成为万圣节的商业化象征。


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 superstitions bf6d10d6085a510f371db29a9b4f8c2f     
迷信,迷信行为( superstition的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Old superstitions seem incredible to educated people. 旧的迷信对于受过教育的人来说是不可思议的。
  • Do away with all fetishes and superstitions. 破除一切盲目崇拜和迷信。
2 shunning f77a1794ffcbea6dcfeb67a3e9932661     
v.避开,回避,避免( shun的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • My flight was more a shunning of external and internal dangers. 我的出走是要避开各种外在的和内在的威胁。 来自辞典例句
  • That book Yeh-yeh gave me-"On Filial Piety and the Shunning of Lewdness"-was still on the table. 我坐下来,祖父给我的那本《刘芷唐先生教孝戒淫浅训》还在桌子上。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
3 witchcraft pe7zD7     
n.魔法,巫术
参考例句:
  • The woman practising witchcraft claimed that she could conjure up the spirits of the dead.那个女巫说她能用魔法召唤亡灵。
  • All these things that you call witchcraft are capable of a natural explanation.被你们统统叫做巫术的那些东西都可以得到合情合理的解释。
4 wary JMEzk     
adj.谨慎的,机警的,小心的
参考例句:
  • He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
  • Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头,突然警惕起来。
5 furry Rssz2D     
adj.毛皮的;似毛皮的;毛皮制的
参考例句:
  • This furry material will make a warm coat for the winter.这件毛皮料在冬天会是一件保暖的大衣。
  • Mugsy is a big furry brown dog,who wiggles when she is happy.马格斯是一只棕色大长毛狗,当她高兴得时候她会摇尾巴。
6 felines 43944fefdb0bc6cdc2c8bb6cd0059e05     
n.猫科动物( feline的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Any of several felines, such as the cheetah or the snow leopard. 这片地区是濒临灭绝的雪豹的栖息地。 来自互联网
  • Search in the basket of life, you will find it, answered Felines. 它在生命的篮子里"巴思特女神回答道。 来自互联网
7 reigned d99f19ecce82a94e1b24a320d3629de5     
vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式)
参考例句:
  • Silence reigned in the hall. 全场肃静。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Night was deep and dead silence reigned everywhere. 夜深人静,一片死寂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
8 uncommon AlPwO     
adj.罕见的,非凡的,不平常的
参考例句:
  • Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
  • Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。
9 portrayed a75f5b1487928c9f7f165b2773c13036     
v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 );描述;描绘;描画
参考例句:
  • Throughout the trial, he portrayed himself as the victim. 在审讯过程中,他始终把自己说成是受害者。
  • The author portrayed his father as a vicious drunkard. 作者把他父亲描绘成一个可恶的酒鬼。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
10 revolves 63fec560e495199631aad0cc33ccb782     
v.(使)旋转( revolve的第三人称单数 );细想
参考例句:
  • The earth revolves both round the sun and on its own axis. 地球既公转又自转。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Thus a wheel revolves on its axle. 于是,轮子在轴上旋转。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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