论《送菜升降机》中的玩笑

Jokes in The Dumb Waiter

弗洛伊德的玩笑理论为哈罗德.品特的早期戏剧特别是《送菜升降机》提供了很好的诠释。此剧中,班一直在读报纸上报道的故事,他是玩笑的制造者,格斯是听众。但是,格斯在玩笑构造创建的测试中失败了,他没能扮演好自己的角色,他错误地与另一方结了盟。最后,他发现自己处在了班的枪口下面。在品特的其它早期戏剧中,人物之间的结盟也比隔离更出人意外。

Sigrnund Freud＇s joke- theory, provides a useful key to Harold Pinter＇s early plays, especially The Dumb Waiter. In this play, Mr. Ben is reading the stories from the beginning to the end. Mr. Ben is a joke maker, while Mr. Gus is an audience. But Mr. Gus does not play his role well enough. He fails the litmus test that the joke - structure creates. He allies himself wrongly with the victim in the conflict. Finally by the end of the play Mr. Gus finds himself on the wrong end of Mr. Ben＇ s gun. In other early plays bv Pinter, the alliances seem far more surprising than alienation as well.