莎士比亚十四行诗中的三个主题

The Three Major Motifs in Shakespeare’s Sonnets

莎评家李希曼在《莎士比亚十四行诗的主题及其变体》中称,莎氏十四行诗中没有西方文学传统中的两个重要主题,即“及时行乐”和“莫负青春”。其实,事实并非如此,只不过,莎翁的处理办法有所不同。传统的做法是以规劝为主,莎翁的做法是以威胁为主。但都是为了达到永恒而使用的不同办法。同时,莎士比亚十四行诗还存在着西方文学传统中的第三大主题,即“人生无常”。而这一点,则是以往的莎学批评家没有注意到的。

J. B. Leishman holds that there does not exist the two conventional western literary motifs in Shakespeare’s Sonnets, carpe diem and carpe florem. In fact, however, they are there in the Sonnets except that the way of representation is distinct: the conventional do by persuasion while Shakespeare by threatening, both achieving the end to eternity. In addition, Shakespearian scholars forget that the third motif, ubi sunt, is also buried in Shakespeare’s Sonnets.