福斯塔夫与“铭记死亡”传统  

Falstaff and the Tradition of Memento Mori

作　　者：王雯 Wang Wen(Department of Soochow University(Suzhou 215006,China))

机构地区：[1]苏州大学外国语学院英语系

出　　处：《外国文学研究》2022年第1期121-130,共10页Foreign Literature Studies

基　　金：教育部人文社科研究青年基金项目“莎士比亚的中世纪意象研究”(20YJC752019)。

摘　　要：在莎士比亚三部历史剧《亨利四世·上篇》《亨利四世·下篇》和《亨利五世》中,福斯塔夫是一个令人印象深刻的喜剧人物。然而,其台词及相关剧情常常涉及基督教意义上的罪与罚,尤其是中世纪与文艺复兴时期的"铭记死亡"理念。对于周围各色人等对他的宗教训诫和道德说教,福斯塔夫不是嘲讽,就是逃避;他唯一在乎的就是尘世享乐,而不关心宗教信仰或灵魂救赎。福斯塔夫的执迷不悟导致了他最终的毁灭——不仅凄凉离世,而且剧本在字里行间巧妙地隐含了其灵魂之死。由此,中世纪与文艺复兴的"铭记死亡"传统可以揭示莎士比亚时代的观众如何理解和评判福斯塔夫;同时,莎士比亚对该戏剧人物的塑造也能够形象地证明"铭记死亡"理念在文艺复兴时期英国社会的流行程度。Falstaff is an impressive comic character in Shakespeare’s three histories, Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V. Nevertheless, his lines and the scenes related to him often imply the sin and punishment in the Christian sense, especially the idea of memento mori during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. As for the religious admonitions and moral preachings from the various people around him, Falstaff either sneers at them or evades them altogether. The only thing he cares about is his earthly enjoyment rather than any religious faith or salvation of his soul. Falstaff’s obstinacy results in his final destruction – not only a desolate physical demise, but also a spiritual death as subtly implied between the lines of the play. Accordingly, the tradition of memento mori during the Middle Ages and Renaissance reveals how Falstaff was understood and judged by the audience in Shakespeare’s time. Meanwhile, Shakespeare’s portrayal of Falstaff vividly demonstrates the immense popularity of memento mori in England during the Renaissance.

关 键 词：福斯塔夫 莎士比亚 亨利四世 “铭记死亡” 基督教 

分 类 号：I561.073[文学—其他各国文学]