对“自我”的叩询——西方现代派作品和莎翁作品“寻找自我”主题之比较

Looking for Self——A comparative study of "self-identity" in Shakespeare and modern Western literature

西方现代派文学一个普遍的主题是 :“寻找自我”。然而这种对自身本质的探求却并非始于现代派文学 ,莎士比亚许多作品中已经显露出很多类似的主题。这一共同点缘起很相似 (社会危机导致了精神危机 ) ,形态与内涵却不尽相同 ,同是自我本质的丧失 ,却是一个由英雄降为凡人 ,一个由人变成非人。后者比前者要远为普遍。

Self-identity is a common theme in modern Western literature. It is not a modern invention, though. It can be traced back to Shakespeare who expressed this literary theme in many of his works. But the expressions and connotations of this theme are different in different times though they may share the same causes (spiritual crisis caused by social crisis, for example): Both reflect the loss of self-identity, but in modern literature the hero becomes a non-hero, while in Shakespeare a human becomes dehumanized. The latter is more universal, more revealing and startling than the former.