A Masque presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634 : the Ladyが自らの力のみでComusの誘惑を退けることが出来ない理由
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概要
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This thesis analyses why the Lady cannot defeat the enticement of Comus by herself. I focus mainly on how A Masque treats "chastity" and haemony, the magic herb, and how Milton reinterprets these Greek or Roman concept and object in his biblical understanding. In the first place, I focus on the Lady's lines from 212 to 215. In those lines, Milton mentions the three Christian virtues, "faith," "hope," and the concept of "chastity" implying "charity": Milton exchanges "charity" for "chastity." Secondly, I illustrate the two important aspects in this play: "chastity" and the role of Sabrina the Nymph functioning as "cleansing family ritual." Thirdly, I discuss the different opinions concerning "chastity" between the Elder Brother and the Lady: while the Elder Brother's view is distinctively platonic, the Lady's is largely biblical, though her view sometimes reflects platonic view. That is to say, Milton reinterprets the originally platonic "chastity" into biblical concept through the view of the Lady in this drama. Finally, I demonstrate the reinterpretation of haemony in Milton's biblical understanding. The Attendant Spirit gives haemony to the brothers for breaking Comus's magic. Haemony, as the Attendant spirit says, is a magic herb and the power is stronger than moly, the plant which Homer treats in Odyssey. Moly represents "temperance" in the English Renaissance. Meanwhile, haemony symbolizes biblically "Christ's-thorn" and "Saviour's blood." The Oxford English Dictionary defines "charity" as "Christian benignity of disposition expressing itself in Christ-like conduct." So I argue that "Christ's-thorn" and "Saviour's blood" mean "the Atonement," and at the same time they emblematize "charity." In this respect, Milton adds a new Christian meaning to moly, the magical herb by depicting haemony. I conclude that Milton dramatizes the harmony between "chastity" and "charity" by depicting the scene where the Brothers send haemony to the Lady. Therefore, the course of story forbids the Lady defeats Comus's temptation by herself.
- 2011-02-25