莎士比亚悲剧与古希腊悲剧的比较研究的英语论文

SpiritualEnlightenmentfromShakespeare'sTragediesByComparisonwithGreekTragedyStudentName:StudentNumber:TeacherName:AbstractThispaperfirstlyintendedtointroducethecharacteristicsofGreekTragedy,includingthedefinition,compositionandfunctionofGreekTragedy.Onthisbasis,then,thepapertriedtostudyShakespeare'stragediescomparedwithGreekTragedy.Finally,itabstractsthespiritualenlightenmentfromShakespeare'stragedies.KeyWords:GreekTragedy,Shakespeare,Spiritualenlightenment内容摘要这篇论文首先提出了古希腊悲剧的一些特征，包括古希腊悲剧的定义，组成部分以及作用。然后，在此基础上，论文将莎士比亚悲剧同古希腊悲剧进行了比较。最后，论文从莎士比亚悲剧中概括出对当代人的启示。关键词：古希腊悲剧，莎士比亚，精神启示stageitselfwillkeeptellingspectators"Thisisnottrue".WilliamHazlitthadaperfectannotationtothefunctionoftragedy"Tragedyprovidesspectatorswithanemotionalbalance,whichmakesthembeaobserverandthinkerintheirlife".III.AStudyofShakespeare'sTragediesComparedwithGreekTragedyWilliamShakespeare(1564--1616)isthebest-knownliteraryfigureintheworld,helivedinthetimeof"TheRenaissance",andwasoneofthefamousdramatistsatthattime.HistragediesincludeRomeoandJuliet,Hamlet,Othello,KingLearandMacbeth.ComparedwithGreekTragedy,histragedieshavenotonlyinheritedtraitsbutalsodifferentones.3.1TraitsInheritedfromGreekTragedyAsisknowntoall,GreekTragedyistheoriginofwesterntragedies.Aristotleexpressedthat"Tragedyistheimitationofanaction;andanactionimpliespersonalagents,whonecessarilypossesscertaindistinctivequalitiesbothofcharacterandthought;foritisbythesethatwequalifyactionsthemselves,andthese——thoughtandcharacter——arethetwonaturalcausesfromwhichactionsagainallsuccessorfailuredepends".InShakespeare'stragedies,characterhasaprofoundinfluenceonaction,andactionleadstothefinalendingdirectly.HereHamletisanexample,theprotagonist,Hamlet,whoislackingthepowerofdecision,givinguprevengingonhisuncleforthemurderofhisfatherovertimeandtime.ThekindofcharactercouldbereferredinoneofHamlet'smonologues:NowmightIdoitpat,nowheispraying;

AndnowI'lldo't.Andsohegoestoheaven;

AndsoamIrevenged.Thatwouldbescann'd:

Avillainkillsmyfather;andforthat,

I,hissoleson,dothissamevillainsend

Toheaven.

O,thisishireandsalary,notrevenge.

Hetookmyfathergrossly,fullofbread;

Withallhiscrimesbroadblown,asflushasMay;

Andhowhisauditstandswhoknowssaveheaven?

Butinourcircumstanceandcourseofthought,

'Tisheavywithhim:andamIthenrevenged,

Totakehiminthepurgingofhissoul,

Whenheisfitandseason'dforhispassage?

No!

Up,sword;andknowthouamorehorridhent:

Whenheisdrunkasleep,orinhisrage,

Orintheincestuouspleasureofhisbed;

Atgaming,swearing,oraboutsomeact

Thathasnorelishofsalvationin't;

Thentriphim,thathisheelsmaykickatheaven,

Andthathissoulmaybeasdamn'dandblack

Ashell,wheretoitgoes.Mymotherstays:

Thisphysicbutprolongsthysicklydays."Hamletappearstobebothfamiliarandremote,friendlyandhostile,welcominganddismissive,gregariousandsolitary,humbleandimperious.Theparadoxesinhischaractercorrespondtotheparadoxesthatpervadetragedy"(Hunter,2000).3.2TraitsDifferentfromGreekTragedy"Theirregularcombinationsoffancifulinventionmaydelighta-while,bythatnoveltyofwhichthecommonsatietyoflifesendsusallinquest;butthepleasuresofsuddenwonderaresoonexhausted,andthemindcanonlyreposeonthestabilityoftruth"(Johnson,1765).Shakespeare'stragediesareold,butthetruthisalwaysnewbecausetheadherencetohumannature.However,whenwecometoGreekTragedy,wemayfindcharacterissecondtoplot.JustlikeAristotleholdthat"Dramaticaction,therefore,isnotwithaviewtotherepresentationofcharacter:charactercomesinassubsidiarytotheactions.Hencetheincidentsandtheplotaretheendofatragedy;andtheendisthechiefthingofall.Again,withoutactiontherecannotbeatragedy;theremaybewithoutcharacter",whichisonthebaseofhisfamoustheory"Tragedyistheimitationofanaction".InOthelloShakespearepresenteduswiththestrugglebetweentwoemotions:trustandenvy.Othelloishonorable,tender,generousbutirascible,onceheisenragedbyrumor,hewillwreakvengeanceanddisappointmentinregardlessofregret."Othelloisanunderlingnotbecausehefailstobea'amasterofhisfate',butbecauseishuman"(Hunter,2000).ThistragedyiscausedbyOthellohimself,andtheweaknessofhumaniswhatShakespearewantstotellus.IV.SpiritualEnlightenmentfromShakespeare'sTragedies4.1DiscoveryofNaturalBeautyPeoplehavebeenwaytoofarfromnaturesinceIndustrialRevolution.Urbanizationputsusintheshadowoftallbuildingsallday.However,Shakespearehasauniqueviewpointonnaturalbeautyandhisdescriptionofnaturealwaystouchesus.HereisanexampletoshowhowhedescribestherainstorminKingLearBlow,winds,andcrackyourcheeks!rage!blow!

Youcataractsandhurricanoes,spout

Tillyouhavedrench'doursteeples,drown'dthecocks!

Yousulphurousandthought-executingfires,

Vaunt-courierstooak-cleavingthunderbolts,

Singemywhitehead!Andthou,all-shakingthunder,

Smiteflatthethickrotundityo'theworld!

Cracknature'smoulds,angermensspillatonce,

Thatmakeingratefulman!Fromthesemonologues,wecouldfeelthestrengthofrainstormandshockedbytherangofnature.Besides,therearemanybeautifulnaturaldetails:thepeacefulcountryside,thedenseforest,asingingnightingale,abunchoffreshflowers.Shakespearegivesavividaccountofhislifeasapersonfromnature.Heuseshisoutstandingimaginationtotransformtheabstractfeelingintolanguageandimage,whichfurnishesuswiththechancetodiscoverthenaturalbeautyagain.4.2ExplorationsoftheHumanNature"Shakespeare'stragediesexhibitstherealstateofsublunarynature,whichpartakesofgoodandevil,joyandsorrow,mingledwithendlessvarietyofproportionandinnumerablemodesofcombination"(Johnson,1765).WecouldconcludethattherearetwoaspectsabouthumannaturefromShakespeare'stragedies:First,Shakespearepointsouttheweaknessofhumannaturewhenpeoplearefacedwithtemptation.HereMacbethisangoodexample,heisburdenedwiththedesireofpower,andfinallyheisinasituationwherehehasnochoicebutdeath."Butwecannotseethedeathasadisasterforonewhoisalreadymarked(likehiswife)asthevictimofafarmoreterriblesystemofpowerfromwhichdeathofferstheonlypossibleescape"(Booth,1983).Second,Shakespeareextolsthepoweroflove."Love,asanemotionuniquelyvariableinthejudgmentsitevokes,seemsparticularlyappropriatetotheartofvariationthatShakespearepractices".WhenwerefertoRomeoandJuliet,wefindShakespeareneverthinksthattheloversarerashandfool,desperateandcareless.Asfortheoldfolk,CapuletandMontague,eventheyknowtheworld,theydon'tknowtheheartsoftheyounglovers.Evenwearenottoldthattheloveisworthwhileinthisplayobviously,thepoweroflovetouchesusdeeply.Ⅴ.ConclusionTragedyhasalonghistoryhistory.Anditplaysanimportantpartinliterature.Peoplearefondofwatchingtragediesbecauseitgivesaudienceachancetopurifytheiremotions.Shakespeareisoneofthegreatestdramatistsinhist