Человеческая природа в литературной утопии. «Мы» Замятина

Сомнительно, что Замятин мог как-то воздействовать в 1924 году на первого переводчика романа на английский Г. Зильбурга. Кроме того, писатель умер задолго до появления других переводов романа на английский язык. Интересно, что некоторые выражения он переводит в манере, совершенно отличной от Зильбурга или кого-либо еще[101]. «Благодетель» переводится как «Gooddoer», в отличие от «Welldoer» у Зильбурга или «Benefactor» у других переводчиков. «Единое Государство» передается как «the State», часто «the urban State», вместо «the United State» Зильбурга, или более точного перевода «One State», или «Single State»[102]. Во многих случаях это можно счесть очередным свидетельством «иностранного акцента» в английской речи Замятина. При этом есть и смысловые нюансы, значимые для нашей интерпретации «Мы»: например, здесь особо подчеркивается различие между тем, что делается внутри и снаружи Зеленой Стены. Есть незначительные изменения в сюжете. Ю и R-13 отсутствуют – возможно, из-за краткости текста, естественной при адаптации романа для кино. Дневник Д-503 значительно сокращен, почти наверняка из-за перехода повествования от первого лица к рассказу предположительно от третьего лица, хотя Д-503 продолжает играть в каждой сцене определенную роль. Но теперь Д-503 выполняет более активные действия в преследовании 1-330: он даже возглавляет отряд, направленный ее арестовать. Но никакого ареста не происходит. Усеченная концовка сценария, по-видимому, указывает на распад государства – русский оригинал заканчивается разрушением Зеленой Стены. Сказанное станет яснее, когда мы обратимся ко «второму переводу» на английский.

Copyright by E. ZAMIATINE, PARIS[103]

D-503

Synopsis of a film scenario from the novel – „WE“ by ZAMIATIN, New York: E. P Dutton, Paris: Nouvelle Revue Franchise

A town constructed geometrically of glass. The houses are entirely transparent. It is as if there were no walls, you can see all the different rooms with their identical furniture and the people in them.

Men and women are both dressed in the same uniform made of dark grey material. Around the town is the „green wall“ a glass structure which shuts out the rest of the world in which are still found the elements of nature. No one from the new glass town has passed this wall for centuries.

We are transported into a period a thousand years from to-day. All the revolutions for which our generations wait have been successfully undergone. The whole of life is reasonable and ordered, including love itself. Each person is subject to medical examination and a certain sexual activity is accorded to each person on this basis. In this connection each individual is given a „pink certificate“ defining his or her sexual activity.

The fulfilment of sexual desire must be regulated by this certificate and any infringement of the regulations in this respect is treated by the state as a crime and punished as such.

Humanity, or at least the supreme authorities are so firmly convinced that the maximum of earthly happiness has been attained that they determine to transmit the secret of this happiness to other planets. With this idea in mind a rocket is designed under the direction of D-503 (names have of course been replaced by letters and numbers) which is destined to provide a means of communication with other planets. The present story centres around this rocket and its constructor.

D-503 is one of the most gifted engineers of his time and he seems to be a typical specimen of the happy, mecanised humanity of his time. One day during one of the scheduled outings made by fours to the sounds of music from the music factory, D-503 meets a woman y-330. There is something enigmatic about her that D-503 cannot explain, there is a certain mysterious irony about her which should by rights repel a perfect specimen of mecanised humanity such as himself but which, to his own astonishment, actually attracts him irresistibly to her. One day Y-330 presents him with the significant „pink certificate" and he goes to her room at the appointed time. As is customary under the circumstances, the glass walls are screened with blinds but instead of surrendering herself to him in the rational manner Y-330 merely excites him and keeps him at a distance.

He sees with horror and indignation that she smokes „cigarettes" (now regarded as an ancient custom of bygone days) and drinks a beverage containing alcohol (likewise a custom which has been discarded). And, what is very much worse she forces him to imbibe some of the obnoxious liquid by kissing him on the mouth and injecting some by force.