ShakespeareのAntony and Cleopatraに関する一つの解釈 : Enobarbusについての資料と台詞と役割の研究
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It is generally admitted that Shakespeare might have used Plutarch's The Life of Marcus Antonius as the main source of Antony and Cleopatra. Judging from the characters and events this tragedy is composed of, this suggestion is quite reasonable. Shakespeare seems to have owed more to Plutarch in this play than in Julius Caesar. As for Enobarbus, especially, though there are a certain number of epics and dramas which are supposed to have somewhat influenced this play, The Life of Marcus Antonius is almost the only evidence where we can find his name. Throughout the Life, Domitius Aenobarbus reveals himself three times. He is a faithful friend and a sensible soldier, whom Antony treated with a profound respect. Their comradeship, which finally resulted in Aenobarbus' hearty remorse after his revolt against Antony, is very impressive. And we will find in this Aenobarbus a remarkable similarity with Shakespeare's Enobarbus. We are sure to surmise, therefore, that Shakespeare was deeply interested in this figure and skillfully devised an important role for him with a view to composing an effective structure in this play. But Enobarbus is by no means a protagonist in Antony and Ceopatra. He appears on the stage from Act 1 Scene 2 to Act 4 Scene 9, and there dies a most mournful death repenting his infamous deed. Nevertheless, the dramatic functions Enobarbus performs are so remarkable that this play could not display its grandeur to the full without this subsidiary man. So far as the accomplishment of this play is concerned, he will be a more important character than Octavius Caesar. Anyone who sees or reads this play will be almost always surprised at the superb variety of Enobarbus' dialogues and monologues. These expressions are so attractive that I was induced to carry out some inquiries into the part Enobarbus is playing. But when I tried to appreciate his speeches in relation to the dramatic situations, I found out some marked characteristics throughout them. They are peculiar in a certain period of development, and then alternate with the other. The way by which Enobarbus expresses his intentions, or the constitution of meanings he is handling, is considerably different from each other. And the transition of his speeches could be divided into three periods, because the conference scene of Antony and Caesar (2.2) and the battle scene at Actium (3.10) are supposed to form the turning points. In short, the three periods and the characteristics of them are as follows ; 1st period (1.2-2.2)……Each of Enobarbus' speeches contains three-fold meanings, that is to say, situational meaning, ironical meaning, and dramatic meaning. Now he is exceedingly merry and happy, and entirely believes in Antony who is then most prosperous. 2nd period (2.2-3.10)……The satirical tone is now prevailing over other meanings in his speeches. He is very anxious about his master's fortunes, but he can not do anything effective to prevent Antony from his declining. As the result of it, his deliverance becomes cynical gradually. 3rd period (3.10-4.9)……At first he is unconscious of his judgement being subdued by Caesar, though he concludes Antony to be done so. When he recovered himself from this subdued judgement after his desertion, the words he had spoken of Antony and Cleopatra turn to become a most serious reproach on his own deed. Of necessity, he dies with heart broken. Of course, Enobarbus is originally a captain of Antony's. But his words are so rich in vividness and perform such an indispensable function, that we cannot regard him only as an Antony's soldier. The fact that the characteristics of his speeches are divided into three periods as mentioned above, will be certain to indicate how important a part he is playing in this tragedy. As far as the speeches are inseparable from the action of the speaker, we may be able to induce such a three-sided role from the investigation on Enobarbus' dialalogues and monologues as follows ; 1) If we consider his role according to the development of this play, he is very like a chorus of ancient plays. He introduces protagonists to the audience, explains the significance of various events, and gives warnings to the coming affairs. 2) When he is contrasted with the protagonists, he is playing a conventional fool's part. Sometimes he is a sweet fool, and sometimes he is a bitter fool. He dares to mock at Antony and Cleopatra repeatedly, because he is well proud of his own reason. But he never realizes that his judgement is too vulgar to discern his master's greatness. It is natural that he should leave Antony. 3) Judging from the dominant theme of this play, his death is of great use as an analogy to the nobleness of Antony's death. The more serious his death in despair becomes, the more glorious Antony's death is felt to us. It is essential for this play to make us admire Antony's bountifulness by means of Enobarbus' mournful repentance. As the result of this observation, we may well regard Enobarbus as such a character, who is very active as a chorus, as a fool, and as an analogy to the protagonists, though one part combines with the others frequently. Moreover in these cases, it will be admitted, his manifold meanings in the speeches are very available for Enobarbus to exercise his own dramatic role in various circumstances.
- 仙台大学の論文
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