聚焦女王伊丽莎白二世的钻禧庆典

2012-09-05 16:28

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奥运会和女王登基60周年庆典是英国2012年的两件头等大事,全世界的目光都聚焦于此。但英国人似乎对女王的钻禧庆典表现出更大的热忱,毕竟伦敦之前已经举办过两届奥运会,而且每四年能观看一次,但是英国历史上迄今只有过两次钻禧庆典,其意义更加非同寻常。女王伊丽莎白二世86岁高龄书写传奇一生,是这个“不安定的世界中一个代表团结的符号”。兢兢业业60年,“模范”女王名至实归,怪不得英国民众为她筹备了这个“疯狂”的庆典。

聚焦女王伊丽莎白二世的钻禧庆典

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By Ron Fraser

钟凡凡 选 言佳 译

This year, Queen Elizabeth II marks the 60th anniversary of her accession[1] to the throne. A small proportion of Her Majesty’s subjects may recall the reign of her father, or even her uncle and her grandfather.[2] But for the vast majority, the Queen is the only head of state they have known – a constant companion through their entire lives, the still point of an often turbulent[3] world.

To have reached this milestone is an extraordinary achievement, as well as a testament to her family’s longevity.[4] Only one other British monarch has done so previously: Queen Victoria, whose Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in 1897. It was Queen Victoria who changed the tradition of a diamond jubilee, which, in Britain, normally refers to a 75th anniversary. There was considerable national unrest when Queen Victoria largely withdrew from public life after her husband’s death in 1861. Thus it was decided to bring the diamond jubilee forward to the 60th anniversary on 22 June, 1897, in hope of providing an occasion for national unity. Since then, when it comes to the case of a monarch (i.e. length of time a monarch has reigned), a diamond jubilee is the 60th anniversary.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee is definitely a significant event this year, “more exciting than the Olympics” as Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, commented. He said he had been struck by how many people saw the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee as the landmark event of 2012, rather than the Olympics, as Britain enjoyed for “a summer like no other”.

For Her Majesty, what should be a joyful event will inevitably be tinged with sadness.[5] The anniversary of her accession—which she learned of while on a visit in Kenya—is also the anniversary of the day that her father died, and her mother began a 50-year widowhood. Her Golden Jubilee, in 2002, was accompanied by personal loss, with the deaths in quick succession[6] of both her mother and her sister. Indeed, the total and selfless service and dedication that the Queen has shown in her 60 years on the throne have been all the more remarkable when you consider that it was a role she was never expected to fulfil, until the abdication[7] of her uncle, Edward VIII.

Nevertheless, the 5-day Diamond Jubilee weekend was joyful, breathtaking, and surely, spectacular for all Her Majesty’s subjects all over the world. Before the grand Pageant[8] , it started as thousands of people attended the Big Lunch events. They shared lunch with neighbours and friends, hosted traditional street parties or picnic lunches in small or larger groups.

It reached a frenzied[9] climax in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. The flotilla was to be a spectacular: a thousand boats, travelling seven miles under fourteen bridges, led by a floating belfry whose peals would be echoed and answered by ringing from riverbank churches along the route.[10] Three miles of mooring chains. Fourteen miles of bunting. Boats—warships, cocklers, oyster smackers, barges, fishing trawlers—too big to pass under the Thames bridges gathered at the St. Katharine Docks. There were millions of people standing by the Thames and perhaps hundreds of millions watching around the world.

No wonder the Mayor of London called it “a fantastic party” and even the Queen herself described it as “a humbling[11] experience”. Not to mention it followed in the next few days by a splendid concert at Buckingham Palace, a network of 2,012 Beacons lit by communities and individuals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth, a Carriage Procession and a Balcony appearance, a Flypast and Feu de Joie.[12] The Diamond Jubilee celebrations are truly a special and spectacular occasion for Britain. Janet McGregor, from Kentucky in America, said, “We’re jealous. We wish we were British!”

Simply being there was magic. In the Balcony appearance event with 250,000 people attending, a man from behind the crowd shouted out to his mother. “Did you see anything, Mum?” he cried. “I didn’t see anything at all!” she exclaimed jollily[13]. “And you dear?” “Nothing whatsover[14],” he said. “But never mind — we can always watch it on the TV tonight.”

For the Queen, she has been the stalwart custodian of monarchy.[15] Her reign has seen so many changes in society. She has fulfilled her role with such devotion, hard work and steadfastness over six decades, and has accomplished so much in an age of constant turmoil and tumultuous social change.[16]

For those of us who are given the rare opportunity to live through the most remarkable celebration in British history and witness the dear Queen turn 86 years old, we have memories to treasure forever.

今年,英国迎来了女王伊丽莎白二世登基60周年庆典。她的一小部分臣民可能还依稀记得她父亲的统治,甚至她伯父和祖父的统治,但是对于绝大多数人而言,女王伊丽莎白二世是他们唯一认识的国家元首——他们一生中不离不弃的伴侣,这个常常动荡不安的世界中一位坚定不渝的人。

达到这一里程碑是一个非凡的成就,也是王室家族长寿的有力证明。除了伊丽莎白二世以外唯一一位英国王室庆祝了钻禧之年的只有维多利亚女王,她的钻禧庆典是在1897年。也正是维多利亚女王改变了英国钻禧庆典的传统,在她之前英国的钻石纪念日通常是指75周年纪念日。维多利亚女王的丈夫于1861年去世,自此以后她几乎不在公共场合中露面,这在国内民众中引起了相当大的不满和骚乱。因此,(英国政府)决定将钻禧庆典提前到1897年6月22日,庆祝女王登基60周年,希望这一盛大庆典能够促进国家团结。从此以后,当涉及到君主(即君主在位的时间长度)的情况下,钻禧庆典即为登基60周年庆典。

女王伊丽莎白二世的钻禧庆典绝对是今年英国的头等大事,“比奥运会更激动人心”,伦敦市长鲍里斯•约翰逊如此评价道。他表示,英国迎来了“前所未有的夏日盛会”,看到这么多人认为女王的钻禧庆典(而非奥运会)才是2012年的标志性事件,他尤为感动。

对女王而言,这一欢乐的庆典免不了会带有一丝悲伤的气息。她登基周年纪念日这一天——她在肯尼亚进行访问时得知的——也是她父亲去世、她母亲开始50年孀居生活的日子。2002年她的金禧庆典之时,她遭受了巨大的个人损失,她的母亲与妹妹相继去世。事实上,女王在位这60年来为国家提供了无私的服务,做出了巨大的贡献,这是尤为了不起的成就,尤其是当你考虑到在她的伯父爱德华八世退位之前伊丽莎白从未是王位的继承人这一情况。

不过对于世界各地的英国王室臣民们来说,为期五天的钻禧庆典周充满了欢乐的气氛,是一场激动人心、颇为壮观的盛会。在隆重的千舟巡游之前,数以千计的民众参加了热闹的街头午餐聚会活动。他们与邻居和朋友共享午餐,举办传统的街头派对和或小或大的野餐活动。

泰晤士河上的千舟巡游将钻禧庆典活动推上了高潮,人们欣喜若狂。整个舰队长达七英里,共经14座桥,使用船缆长达三英里,沿岸14英里彩旗飘飘,场面蔚为壮观。船队由载有特制钻禧钟塔的船领航,边划边敲响洪亮的钟声,沿岸的教堂在其通过后也以钟声回应。由于体型太大而无法从桥下通过的船——军舰、采贝船、采牡蛎船、驳船、拖捞船——都聚集在圣凯瑟琳码头。活动吸引了上百万民众沿河同庆,可能还有数亿人守在电视机前观看这宏大的场面。

难怪伦敦市长称之为“一场狂欢派对”,连女王自己都用“令人感到谦卑的体验”来形容这一庆典,更别提接下来的几天还会有更精彩的一系列活动:白金汉宫音乐会,社区或个人同时点燃遍布在英国全境、海峡群岛、曼岛以及英联邦国家的2,012座灯塔,马车列队巡游,女王在(白金汉宫的)阳台露面(接受民众祝贺),飞行表演检阅以及鸣枪礼等等。对英国而言,钻禧庆典系列活动确实是一场有特殊意义的、蔚为壮观的一场盛会。来自美国肯塔基州的珍妮特•麦格雷戈说道:“我们十分羡慕(英国)。真希望我们是英国人啊!”

只要到庆典现场就能令人为之着迷。大约有25万人参加了白金汉宫阳台露面的活动。当时,人群后方一个人大声向他的母亲喊道:“妈妈,你看到什么了吗?”“我什么也没有看到!”她高兴地回答道,“你呢?”他说:“我也什么都没有看到,但是没关系,我们今天晚上可以在家看电视转播。”

身为女王,她一直是君主制坚定的守护者。在她的统治期间,社会经历了种种变革。60年来,她辛勤地工作,以无私的奉献和坚定不渝的精神履行了她的职责,在不断动荡和喧嚣的社会变革中取得了巨大的成就。

对于我们这些有幸经历了英国历史上最令人瞩目的庆典并见证了女王度过86岁生日的人来说,我们获得了一段值得永远珍藏的回忆。

(来源:英语学习杂志 编辑:丹妮)

Vocabulary:

1. accession: (帝王的)登基,即位。

2. subject: 臣民,国民;reign: 统治,统治时期;此处提到的英国君主依次为:乔治六世,爱德华八世及乔治五世。

3. turbulent: 骚乱的,混乱的。

4. testament: 实际的证明,证据;longevity: 长寿。

5. inevitably: 不可避免地,必然地;be tinged with: 使带有一点……气息。

6. succession: 连续,接连发生。

7. abdication: (尤指被迫地)辞职,退位。

8. pageant: 游行,露天表演。此处首字母大写是特指钻禧庆典中的千舟巡游活动。

9. frenzied: 疯狂的,极度兴奋的。

10. flotilla: 船队,舰队;belfry: 钟楼,钟塔;peal: 很响的铃声,钟声。

11. humbling: 震撼人心的,令人感到谦卑的。

12. Channel Islands: 海峡群岛,是位于英吉利海峡中的群岛;Isle of Man: 曼岛,位于英格兰和爱尔兰之间的海上岛屿,是英国的皇家属地;procession: 列队,游行;flypast: 〈英〉飞机低空编队飞行,空中分列表演;Feu de Joie: 〈法〉鸣枪礼(一排士兵依次鸣枪以庆祝胜利等)。

13. jollily: 愉快地,高兴地。

14. whatsoever: 〈口〉一点儿都不,丝毫不。

15. stalwart: 坚定的,坚决的;custodian: 看守人,监护人。

16. steadfastness: 坚定不移;tumultuous: 骚乱的,令人不安的。

 

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