爱华德·艾尔比戏剧的荒诞派特色研究
摘要
本文旨在通过艾尔比的三个代表剧—《动物园故事》(1958)，《美国梦》(1960)和《谁害怕弗吉尼尔弗》(1960)来探求艾尔比独特的荒诞派写作特色。本文主要从语言的失效，舞台动作里体现的存在主义思想和暴力的描写，现实主义风格的背景、情节和结构，以及角色塑造中体现的仿真现象这五个方面进行研究。
《动物园故事》、《美国梦》和《谁害怕弗吉尼尔弗?》里语言失效主要表现在对话里的重复和陈腔滥调。语言的失效导致了交流的失败。而且艾尔比的戏剧语言里现实总是掺杂着幻想以致戏剧里的人物很难去将两者分开。艾尔比戏剧里的舞台动作体现了存在主义思想主张。艾尔比戏剧里角色的行动和选择背后都是有相关的动机和意义的。本体的意义代替了上帝作为最终的价值标准。艾尔比相信对于剧中人物的问题可以诉诸合理的解决。艾尔比戏剧的舞台动作还体现了“残酷戏剧”的影响，其主张用动作，灯光，音乐等非语言因素来使观众恍惚出神。艾尔比戏剧的情节清晰紧凑，具有现实主义特色。其结构是前进发展的，结局通常把故事带到一个转折点或新的发展阶段。艾尔比戏剧的角色塑造体现了鲍德利亚的“仿真理论”，指的是用符号取代真实的内容。《美国梦》里“美国梦”的形象是作者对美国梦的乐观和美国家庭生活价值的讽刺。《谁害怕弗吉尼尔弗?》则抨击了西方科学的霸权和所谓“民主”和“个性”的虚假。
语言的失效，舞台动作里体现的存在主义思想和暴力的描写，现实主义风格的背景、情节和结构，以及角色塑造中体现的仿真现象这五个方面形成了艾尔比独特的荒诞派写作特色。他的风格丰富了荒诞派戏剧的理论和实践，通过把荒诞派移植到美国剧坛的土壤里延续了它的发展。
The Theatre of the Absurd has undergone a long tradition, but it is generally regarded as merely the style and hallmark of the European writers like Beckett, Ionesco, Genet and Pinter. When tracing the influence of the Absurd theatre in America theatre, Edward Albee is one of the few who hold the limelight.
This thesis studies Albee's style of Theatre of the Absurd with special focus on his three representative plays: The Zoo Story (1958), The American Dream (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1960). To probe Albee's practice of the Theatre of the Absurd this thesis examines the dramatic techniques in Albee's plays which include the devaluation of language, the existential choice and violence in action, the realistic style of setting, plot and structure and the embodiment of simulation in characterization. Language in Albee's plays is cliches ridden and marked by emptiness and insignificant repetition, which mirrors a void existence. Moreover, reality is often fused with illusion in language, which demonstrates Albee's special concern over the menace of delusion that invades people's perception of reality. Action in Albee's plays carries the teaching of existentialism, and the meaning it realizes through engaging in purposeful action transcends the pessimistic deadlock of the Absurd theatre. Violence in
action embodies Artaud's advocating of a "Cruel Theatre" which returns to the theatre the wonder and force of a lost cosmic power-Realistic style of setting, plot and structure betrays the dominance of realism on American theatre. Finally, characterization in Albee's plays illustrates Baudrillard's theory of simulation, which also demonstrates Albee's attack upon the substitution of false values for the real thing.
Albee's manipulation of the Theatre of the Absurd continues the tradition of it and enriches its development in American theatre. By wedding the subject matters of the Absurd theatre with realistic techniques Albee succeeds in achieving a balance of the two which is beneficial to the presentation of the themes in his plays.
《动物园故事》、《美国梦》和《谁害怕弗吉尼尔弗?》里语言失效主要表现在对话里的重复和陈腔滥调。语言的失效导致了交流的失败。而且艾尔比的戏剧语言里现实总是掺杂着幻想以致戏剧里的人物很难去将两者分开。艾尔比戏剧里的舞台动作体现了存在主义思想主张。艾尔比戏剧里角色的行动和选择背后都是有相关的动机和意义的。本体的意义代替了上帝作为最终的价值标准。艾尔比相信对于剧中人物的问题可以诉诸合理的解决。艾尔比戏剧的舞台动作还体现了“残酷戏剧”的影响，其主张用动作，灯光，音乐等非语言因素来使观众恍惚出神。艾尔比戏剧的情节清晰紧凑，具有现实主义特色。其结构是前进发展的，结局通常把故事带到一个转折点或新的发展阶段。艾尔比戏剧的角色塑造体现了鲍德利亚的“仿真理论”，指的是用符号取代真实的内容。《美国梦》里“美国梦”的形象是作者对美国梦的乐观和美国家庭生活价值的讽刺。《谁害怕弗吉尼尔弗?》则抨击了西方科学的霸权和所谓“民主”和“个性”的虚假。
语言的失效，舞台动作里体现的存在主义思想和暴力的描写，现实主义风格的背景、情节和结构，以及角色塑造中体现的仿真现象这五个方面形成了艾尔比独特的荒诞派写作特色。他的风格丰富了荒诞派戏剧的理论和实践，通过把荒诞派移植到美国剧坛的土壤里延续了它的发展。
The Theatre of the Absurd has undergone a long tradition, but it is generally regarded as merely the style and hallmark of the European writers like Beckett, Ionesco, Genet and Pinter. When tracing the influence of the Absurd theatre in America theatre, Edward Albee is one of the few who hold the limelight.
This thesis studies Albee's style of Theatre of the Absurd with special focus on his three representative plays: The Zoo Story (1958), The American Dream (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1960). To probe Albee's practice of the Theatre of the Absurd this thesis examines the dramatic techniques in Albee's plays which include the devaluation of language, the existential choice and violence in action, the realistic style of setting, plot and structure and the embodiment of simulation in characterization. Language in Albee's plays is cliches ridden and marked by emptiness and insignificant repetition, which mirrors a void existence. Moreover, reality is often fused with illusion in language, which demonstrates Albee's special concern over the menace of delusion that invades people's perception of reality. Action in Albee's plays carries the teaching of existentialism, and the meaning it realizes through engaging in purposeful action transcends the pessimistic deadlock of the Absurd theatre. Violence in
action embodies Artaud's advocating of a "Cruel Theatre" which returns to the theatre the wonder and force of a lost cosmic power-Realistic style of setting, plot and structure betrays the dominance of realism on American theatre. Finally, characterization in Albee's plays illustrates Baudrillard's theory of simulation, which also demonstrates Albee's attack upon the substitution of false values for the real thing.
Albee's manipulation of the Theatre of the Absurd continues the tradition of it and enriches its development in American theatre. By wedding the subject matters of the Absurd theatre with realistic techniques Albee succeeds in achieving a balance of the two which is beneficial to the presentation of the themes in his plays.
引文
Albee, Edward. The Zoo Story. Famous American Plays of the 1950s. Ed. Lee Strasberg. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc, 1962. 385-415.
——. The American Dream. 1961. New American Drama. Ed. Charles Marowitz. England: Penguin Books. 19-60.
——. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd, 1967.
Artaud, Antonio. "No More Masterpieces." The Theatre and Its Press, 1958. 74-83.
Baldick, Chris. Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. 2000.
Bark, Richard. "Strindberg's Dream Play Technique." Drama Criticism:Vol.18. Janet Witalec. et al, ed. Detroit & New York: Thomson Gale, 2003. 157-161.
Baudrillard, Jean. "From The Precession of Simulacra." The Notion Anthnlogy of Theory and Criticism. Vincent B. Leitch, Ed. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Co., 2001. 1729-1741.
Bigsby, C.W.E. "confronting Reality." Critical Essays on Edward Albee. ed. Philip C. Kolin & J.Madison Davis. Boston & Massachusetts: G.K. Hall & Co, 1986. 80-87.
——. Dada and Surrealism. John D.Jump, ed. London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1972.
——. "The early plays". The Cambridge Companion to Arthur Miller. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001.21-47.
Camus, Albert. "The Myth of Sisyphus." The Experience of Philosophy. Belmont & London: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996. 519-526.
Cohen, Robert. Theatre. 3rd ed. California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1994.
Cohen, Ruby. "Edward Albee". American Writers: A Collection of Literary Biographies. Unger Leonard ed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1974. 71-95.
Esslin, Martin. The Theatre of the Absurd. New York: Anchor Books, 1961.
Greene, Naomi. "Antonio Artaud: Metaphysical Revolutionary." Drama Criticism:Vol. 14.
Justin Karr, ed. Detroit & London: Gale Group, Inc, 2001.1-87.
Gussow, Mel. Edward Albee: A Singular Journey: A Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Hayman, Ronald. "The Zoo Story." Edward Aibee. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co, 1973.
Hinchcliffe, P. Arnold. The Absurd. London and New York: Methuen, 1985.
Hirsch, Foster. Who's Afraid of Edward Albee. Berkeley: Creative Arts Book Company, 1978.
Ionesco, Eugene. "The Bald Soprano." Playwrights on Playwrighting: The Meaning and Making of Modern Drama From Ibsen To Ionesco. ed. Toby Cole. New York: A Dramabook, 1966. 282-284.
——. "The Starting Point". Playwrights on Playwrighting: The Meaning and Making of Modern Drama From Ibsen To Ionesco. 145-147.
MacNicholas, John. "Edward Alboe." Twentieth C.entury American Dramatists Part Ⅰ: A-J. Detroit: A Bruccoli Clark Book, 1981,.3-22.
Manheim, Michael. The .Cambridge Companion To Eugene O'Neill. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2002. 82-95.
McCarthy, Gerry. Edward Albee. London: MACMILLAN PUBLISHERS LTD, 1978.
Roberts, James. L. Cliffs Notes On Albee's Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. ed. Gary Carey. Lincoln: Cliffs Notes, Inc, 1999.
Roudane, Matthew. Understanding Edward Albee ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1987.
Sontage, Susan. "Ionesco". Drama Criticism: Vol.12. Linda Pavlovski, ed. Detroit & London: Gale Group, 2000. 198-201.
Strem, George G. "Ritual and Poetry in Eugene Ionesco's Theatre." Drama Criticism: Vol.12. Linda Pavlovski, ed. Detroit & London: Gale Group, 2000. 193-198
Way, Brain. "Albee and the Absurd: The American Dream and The Zoo Story". Critical Essays
on Edward Albee. Philip C. Kolin & J. Madison Davis, ed. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1986.65-73.
Wilson, Edwin & Goldfarb, Alvin. Theater: The Living Art. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc, 1991.
Witalec, Janet. Drama Critieism:Vol.18. Detroit & New York: Thomson Gale, 2003. 149-341.
Zhang, Boxiang. A Course Book of English Literature. Wuhan: Wuhan University Press, 2001.
——. The American Dream. 1961. New American Drama. Ed. Charles Marowitz. England: Penguin Books. 19-60.
——. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd, 1967.
Artaud, Antonio. "No More Masterpieces." The Theatre and Its Press, 1958. 74-83.
Baldick, Chris. Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. 2000.
Bark, Richard. "Strindberg's Dream Play Technique." Drama Criticism:Vol.18. Janet Witalec. et al, ed. Detroit & New York: Thomson Gale, 2003. 157-161.
Baudrillard, Jean. "From The Precession of Simulacra." The Notion Anthnlogy of Theory and Criticism. Vincent B. Leitch, Ed. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Co., 2001. 1729-1741.
Bigsby, C.W.E. "confronting Reality." Critical Essays on Edward Albee. ed. Philip C. Kolin & J.Madison Davis. Boston & Massachusetts: G.K. Hall & Co, 1986. 80-87.
——. Dada and Surrealism. John D.Jump, ed. London: Methuen & Co Ltd, 1972.
——. "The early plays". The Cambridge Companion to Arthur Miller. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2001.21-47.
Camus, Albert. "The Myth of Sisyphus." The Experience of Philosophy. Belmont & London: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996. 519-526.
Cohen, Robert. Theatre. 3rd ed. California: Mayfield Publishing Company, 1994.
Cohen, Ruby. "Edward Albee". American Writers: A Collection of Literary Biographies. Unger Leonard ed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1974. 71-95.
Esslin, Martin. The Theatre of the Absurd. New York: Anchor Books, 1961.
Greene, Naomi. "Antonio Artaud: Metaphysical Revolutionary." Drama Criticism:Vol. 14.
Justin Karr, ed. Detroit & London: Gale Group, Inc, 2001.1-87.
Gussow, Mel. Edward Albee: A Singular Journey: A Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
Hayman, Ronald. "The Zoo Story." Edward Aibee. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co, 1973.
Hinchcliffe, P. Arnold. The Absurd. London and New York: Methuen, 1985.
Hirsch, Foster. Who's Afraid of Edward Albee. Berkeley: Creative Arts Book Company, 1978.
Ionesco, Eugene. "The Bald Soprano." Playwrights on Playwrighting: The Meaning and Making of Modern Drama From Ibsen To Ionesco. ed. Toby Cole. New York: A Dramabook, 1966. 282-284.
——. "The Starting Point". Playwrights on Playwrighting: The Meaning and Making of Modern Drama From Ibsen To Ionesco. 145-147.
MacNicholas, John. "Edward Alboe." Twentieth C.entury American Dramatists Part Ⅰ: A-J. Detroit: A Bruccoli Clark Book, 1981,.3-22.
Manheim, Michael. The .Cambridge Companion To Eugene O'Neill. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, 2002. 82-95.
McCarthy, Gerry. Edward Albee. London: MACMILLAN PUBLISHERS LTD, 1978.
Roberts, James. L. Cliffs Notes On Albee's Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. ed. Gary Carey. Lincoln: Cliffs Notes, Inc, 1999.
Roudane, Matthew. Understanding Edward Albee ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1987.
Sontage, Susan. "Ionesco". Drama Criticism: Vol.12. Linda Pavlovski, ed. Detroit & London: Gale Group, 2000. 198-201.
Strem, George G. "Ritual and Poetry in Eugene Ionesco's Theatre." Drama Criticism: Vol.12. Linda Pavlovski, ed. Detroit & London: Gale Group, 2000. 193-198
Way, Brain. "Albee and the Absurd: The American Dream and The Zoo Story". Critical Essays
on Edward Albee. Philip C. Kolin & J. Madison Davis, ed. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1986.65-73.
Wilson, Edwin & Goldfarb, Alvin. Theater: The Living Art. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc, 1991.
Witalec, Janet. Drama Critieism:Vol.18. Detroit & New York: Thomson Gale, 2003. 149-341.
Zhang, Boxiang. A Course Book of English Literature. Wuhan: Wuhan University Press, 2001.