Bilingual course of English Bilingual course of English and American literatureand American literature

Zhao JingrongZhao JingrongDepartment of Chinese and literature

2006.3.92006.3.9

William Shakespeare(1564-1616)William Shakespeare(1564-1616)

William Shakespeare(1564-1616)William Shakespeare(1564-1616)

154 sonnets, 37 plays, and 2 long narrative 154 sonnets, 37 plays, and 2 long narrative poems;poems;Four Great Tragedies: Four Great Tragedies: Hamlet(1601),Hamlet(1601), OthellOthello(1604)o(1604), , King Lear(1605)King Lear(1605), and , and Macbeth(160Macbeth(1606)6)..Shakespeare is not of an age, but for all timShakespeare is not of an age, but for all time.e.

William Shakespeare(1564-1616)William Shakespeare(1564-1616)

Penetrating exposition of human nature, lPenetrating exposition of human nature, lively paintings of human life and truthful ively paintings of human life and truthful reflections of human reality.reflections of human reality.Shakespeare’s life and time;;Shakespeare’s literary views;;Shakespeare’s three periods of dramatic career;;Shakespeare’s tragedies and Sonnets ..

Shakespeare’s life and timeShakespeare’s life and time

His hometown and his writings;His hometown and his writings;His education;His education;His life in London;His life in London;His inscription:His inscription: Good Friend, for Jesus’ sake, forbearGood Friend, for Jesus’ sake, forbear To dig the dust enclosed here;To dig the dust enclosed here; Blest be the man that spares these stonesBlest be the man that spares these stones And curst be he that moves my bones.And curst be he that moves my bones.

Shakespeare’s literary viewsShakespeare’s literary views

Literature is a combination of beauty, kindLiterature is a combination of beauty, kindness and truth.ness and truth.Literature should reflect nature and reality.Literature should reflect nature and reality.Literature which reflect nature and reality Literature which reflect nature and reality can reach immortality.can reach immortality.

Shakespeare’s three periods of Shakespeare’s three periods of dramatic careerdramatic career

1st: 1590-1600. history plays, comedies and 1st: 1590-1600. history plays, comedies and tragedies;----------Queen Elizabeth (155Ⅰtragedies;----------Queen Elizabeth (155Ⅰ8-1603)8-1603)2nd: 1600-1608. tragedies, dark comedies;2nd: 1600-1608. tragedies, dark comedies;3rd: 1608-1612.history plays, legend plays 3rd: 1608-1612.history plays, legend plays (romantic tragicomdies) ---------James (1Ⅰ(romantic tragicomdies) ---------James (1Ⅰ603-1625)603-1625)

Shakespeare’s tragediesShakespeare’s tragedies

Tragedy:Tragedy:(1) The harshness and apparent injustice of li(1) The harshness and apparent injustice of lifefe(2) a person of significance, a hero(2) a person of significance, a hero(3) trails and catastrophes, a hero’s downfall (3) trails and catastrophes, a hero’s downfall and deathand death(4) a hero’s weakness in his character(4) a hero’s weakness in his characterCatharsisCatharsis

Shakespeare’s four great tragediesShakespeare’s four great tragedies

Evil and the corruption of man’s heart by eEvil and the corruption of man’s heart by evil.vil.HamletHamlet: fighting against the outside evil;: fighting against the outside evil;OthelloOthello: an outward evil causes a man’s fall;: an outward evil causes a man’s fall;King LearKing Lear: man’s mistakes set free the evils;: man’s mistakes set free the evils;MacbethMacbeth; an outward evil destroys a hero.; an outward evil destroys a hero.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkDenmark

HamletHamlet is regarded as Shakespeare’s most p is regarded as Shakespeare’s most popular and greatest play on the stage.opular and greatest play on the stage.It is the first work of literature to show an orIt is the first work of literature to show an ordinary person looking at the absurdness and dinary person looking at the absurdness and wrongs in life, asking the toughest questions wrongs in life, asking the toughest questions and coming up with honest semi-answers likand coming up with honest semi-answers like most people do today.e most people do today.

Questions on Hamlet

How did Claudius murder King How did Claudius murder King Hamlet?Hamlet?

1. By stabbing him through an arras1. By stabbing him through an arras2. By pouring poison into his ear2. By pouring poison into his ear3. By ordering him to be hanged3. By ordering him to be hanged4. By poisoning his wineglass4. By poisoning his wineglass

Where do Hamlet and Laertes fight duWhere do Hamlet and Laertes fight during Ophelia’s funeral?ring Ophelia’s funeral?

1. In the nearby woods1. In the nearby woods2. Beside Ophelia’s grave2. Beside Ophelia’s grave3. Inside the church3. Inside the church4. Inside the grave itself 4. Inside the grave itself

How does Ophelia die?How does Ophelia die?

1. Claudius stabs her1. Claudius stabs her2. Hamlet strangles her2. Hamlet strangles her3. She slits her wrists3. She slits her wrists4. She drowns in the river4. She drowns in the river

Why, according to Polonius, has Why, according to Polonius, has Hamlet gone mad?Hamlet gone mad?

1. grieves too much for his father1. grieves too much for his father2. He despises Claudius for marrying Gert2. He despises Claudius for marrying Gert

ruderude3. He is in love with Ophelia3. He is in love with Ophelia4. He is jealous of Laertes and longs to retu4. He is jealous of Laertes and longs to retu

rn to Wittenbergrn to Wittenberg

Who is the last character to die in the Who is the last character to die in the play?play?

1. Horatio1. Horatio2. Hamlet2. Hamlet3. Claudius3. Claudius4. Fortinbras4. Fortinbras

Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius after the traveling players’ Claudius after the traveling players’

play?play?

1. Claudius is praying1. Claudius is praying2. Claudius is asleep2. Claudius is asleep3. Claudius pleads for mercy3. Claudius pleads for mercy4. Gertrude is in the next room4. Gertrude is in the next room

Which of Claudius and Laertes’ traps Which of Claudius and Laertes’ traps for Hamlet succeeds in killing him?for Hamlet succeeds in killing him?

1. The poisoned cup1. The poisoned cup2. The sharpened sword2. The sharpened sword3. The poisoned dagger3. The poisoned dagger4. The poisoned sword 4. The poisoned sword

Hamlet’s characterHamlet’s character

The cast of Hamlet’s mind is so speculative, The cast of Hamlet’s mind is so speculative, so questioning, and so contemplative.so questioning, and so contemplative.His life is one of constant role- playing, exaHis life is one of constant role- playing, examining the nature of action only to deny its mining the nature of action only to deny its possibility, for he is too sophisticated to degpossibility, for he is too sophisticated to degrade his nature to the conventional role of a rade his nature to the conventional role of a stage revenger.stage revenger.

To be or not to beTo be or not to be

To be, or not to be: that is the question: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ‘tis([Whether ‘tis([ 诗诗 ] it is) nobler in the mind to suffer ] it is) nobler in the mind to suffer The slings & arrows of outrageous fortune, The slings & arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? And by opposing end them?

生存还是毁灭，这是一个值得考虑的问题；默然忍受命运的暴虐的毒箭，或是挺身反抗人世的无涯的苦难，通过斗争把它们扫清，这两种行为，哪一种更高贵？

“To be or not to be” is the key sentence in this soliloquy. “To be” is to continue to live, or to take action. “not to be” is to die, or to do nothing but suffering, to end one’s life by self- destruction. It is a dilemma of trying to determine the meaning of life and death. Is it nobler to suffer the life passively or to die (seek

to end one’s sufferings) actively?

To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocksThat flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd.死了；睡着了；什么都完了；要是在这一种睡眠之中，我们心头的创痛，以及其他无数血肉之躯所不能避免的打击，都可以从此消失，那正是我们求之不得的结局。To die: to sleep. It is a metaphor. Hamlet spoke of suicide as a escape. His speech has become proverbial as an outpouring of utter world- weariness.

To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,Must give us pause.

死了；睡着了；睡着了也许还会做梦；嗯，阻碍就在这儿：因为当我们摆脱了这一具朽腐的皮囊以后，在那死的睡眠里，究竟将要做些什么梦，那不能不使我们踌躇顾虑。Why is it “the rub”? What makes us pause? Hamlet thinks that suicide is a desirable action of escaping, but what will happen after dying? It alludes to hesitation for sleeping/ dying because Hamlet realizes that unknown dreams will make us terrified.

There's the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, The insolence of office and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes,When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

人们甘心久困于患难之中，也就是为了这个缘故；谁愿意忍受人世的鞭挞和讥嘲、压迫者的凌辱、傲慢者的冷眼、被轻蔑的爱情的惨痛、法律的迁延、官吏的横暴和费尽辛勤所换来的小人的鄙视，要是他只要用一柄小小的刀子，就可以清算他自己的一生？

This speech confirms Hamlet’s suspicion of afterlife. People would rather suffer life- long miseries than to sleep to undergo the unknown

dreams. Because comparatively the latter is more fearful.

who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?

•谁愿意负着这样的重担，在烦劳的生命的压迫下呻吟流汗，倘不是因为惧怕不可知的死后，惧怕那从来不曾有一个旅人回来过的神秘之国，是它迷惑了我们的意志，使我们宁愿忍受目前的磨折，不敢向我们所不知道的痛苦飞去？

To be is more difficult and fearful than not to be. The speech indirectly gives Hamlet a reason why he has always been hesitating for taking revenge.

Hamlet has to live a suspected life between fact and fiction, language and action. It is his speculation

and vulnerability as well.

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,And enterprises of great pitch and momentWith this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.

这样，重重的顾虑使我们全变成了懦夫，决心的赤热的光彩，被审慎的思维盖上了一层灰色，伟大的事业在这一种考虑之下，也会逆流而退，失去了行动的意义。 Hamlet thus concludes that the dread o

f the afterlife leads to excessive moral sensitivity that makes action impossible.

•-- Soft you now!The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy (your) orisons Be all my sins remember'd.

且慢！美丽的奥菲利娅！——女神，在你的祈祷之中，不要忘记替我忏悔我的罪孽。

HamletHamlet’s theme’s theme

Taking of revenge.Taking of revenge.The revenging theme is interrelated with theThe revenging theme is interrelated with themes of faithlessness, love and ambition.mes of faithlessness, love and ambition.Contrast is an important structural principle Contrast is an important structural principle in Hamlet.in Hamlet.The suspicion between fact and fiction, languThe suspicion between fact and fiction, language and action.age and action.Procrastination.Procrastination.

QestionQestion

Why does Hamlet hesitate?Why does Hamlet hesitate?

SoliloquySoliloquy

Soliloquy: 1. an utterance or discourse by a person Soliloquy: 1. an utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to himself/ herself or is disregardful who is talking to himself/ herself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present (often used as of or oblivious to any hearers present (often used as a device in a drama to disclose a character’s innerma device in a drama to disclose a character’s innermost thoughts); 2. the act of talking while or as if alonost thoughts); 2. the act of talking while or as if aloneeSoliloquy: or monologue, a dramatic or literary forSoliloquy: or monologue, a dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a character reveals his or hm of discourse in which a character reveals his or her thoughts when alone or unaware of the presence er thoughts when alone or unaware of the presence of other characters.of other characters.

The form of soliloquyThe form of soliloquy

Soliloquy is often used in Soliloquy is often used in Blank verseBlank verse ( ( 无韵诗，无韵诗，素体诗素体诗 ). Blank verse consists of five feet (ten syll). Blank verse consists of five feet (ten syllables) in ables) in iambiciambic （抑扬格） （抑扬格） pentameterpentameter （五音（五音步诗行） 步诗行） without end rhymewithout end rhyme. This form has gen. This form has generally been accepted as that best adapted to draerally been accepted as that best adapted to dramatic verse in English and is commonly used for matic verse in English and is commonly used for long poems whether dramatic, philosophic, or nalong poems whether dramatic, philosophic, or narrative.rrative.

Some notionsSome notions

Unrhymed: without end rhyme, having no regular Unrhymed: without end rhyme, having no regular correspondence of sounds at the ends of lines.correspondence of sounds at the ends of lines.iambus: a metricaliambus: a metrical （诗的格律的，韵律的） （诗的格律的，韵律的） foot foot consisting of an unstressed syllableconsisting of an unstressed syllable （音节） （音节） (-) fo(-) followed by a stressed syllable (\), e.g.: begin (- \).llowed by a stressed syllable (\), e.g.: begin (- \).A pentameter means a line of verse consisting of fiA pentameter means a line of verse consisting of five metrical feet. ve metrical feet. A foot is (usually) two or three syllables that contaiA foot is (usually) two or three syllables that contain one strong stress.n one strong stress.

Iambic PentameterIambic Pentameter

- \ - \ - \ - \ - \ - \ \ -\ - - \ - - \ - To be, To be, || or not or not || to be: to be: || that isthat is || the quest the questionion: : \ -\ - - \ - \ - \ - \ - - \ - \ - \ - \ - WhetherWhether || 'tis nob 'tis nob || ler in ler in || the mind the mind || to suf to sufferfer

Soliloquy’s functionSoliloquy’s function

1. to give free and complete expression 1. to give free and complete expression to a complicated state of mind and feelto a complicated state of mind and feeling of a charactering of a character2. to provide a point of view on the eve2. to provide a point of view on the events of the play.nts of the play.

Hamlet’s soliloquyHamlet’s soliloquy

For such a figure as Hamlet, soliloquy is a naFor such a figure as Hamlet, soliloquy is a natural medium, a necessary release of his angutural medium, a necessary release of his anguish; and some of his questioning monologues ish; and some of his questioning monologues possess surpassing power and insight, which possess surpassing power and insight, which have survived centuries of being torn from thhave survived centuries of being torn from their context. eir context.

The most famous soliloquy is perhaps “to be The most famous soliloquy is perhaps “to be or not to be” in Act III, Scene I, or not to be” in Act III, Scene I, HamletHamlet..

Hamlet’s soliloquyHamlet’s soliloquy

Main Idea:Main Idea:This is an internal philosophical debate on This is an internal philosophical debate on the advantages and disadvantages of existethe advantages and disadvantages of existence, and whether it is one's right to end his nce, and whether it is one's right to end his or her own life. It presents a most logical aor her own life. It presents a most logical and powerful examination of the theme of tnd powerful examination of the theme of the moral legitimacy of suicide in an unbearhe moral legitimacy of suicide in an unbearably painful world.ably painful world.