萧伯纳的爱尔兰情结——《英国佬的另一个岛》解析

Bernard Shaw's Irish Complex: An Analysis of John Bull's Other Island

萧伯纳一直被视为英国剧作家,其社会问题剧也总是被置于英国社会现实的语境下展开探讨,萧氏的爱尔兰身份和爱尔兰情结为国内学界所忽视。本文聚焦萧伯纳1904年创作的四幕剧《英国佬的另一个岛》,细察剧本中爱尔兰人的形象刻画,比照20世纪初阿贝剧院舞台上的爱尔兰人,探究其本是阿贝剧院的约稿之作,却最终没能如期搬上舞台的历史文化动因。一个多世纪后重新回望这部戏剧,不仅意在历史的回溯,更在于以萧伯纳及该剧被接纳和重估的当代之变,探讨萧伯纳的爱尔兰情结,审视爱尔兰文化中"何谓爱尔兰人"核心观念的内涵演变,把握当代爱尔兰文化特征。

Bernard Shaw is widely recognized as an English playwright.His'problem plays'explored the unpleasant social realities of England.This has led critics to overlook Shaw’s Irish identity and his Irish complex.By analyzing the Irish characters portrayed in John Bull’s Other Island,and the other two plays performed on the stage of the Abbey Theater in the early 20 th century,this paper aims to explore the historical and cultural reasons for the poor reception of John Bull’s Other Island.By re-reading John Bull’s Other Island in the 21 st century this paper will not only look back at the history of its reception,but also the re-valuation of Shaw in his native Ireland.Shaw’s Irish complex needs to be re-evaluated,in the hope that it may contribute to a better understanding of a core value—'Irishness'in contemporary Irish culture.