Elucidation of the Mediterranean world in Shakespeare's time and its representation in Shakespeare's works

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K13404
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Literature in English
• Research Institution: Bunkyo University (2018-2022); Hirosaki University (2017)
• Principal Investigator: DOI MASAYUKI 文教大学, 文学部, 准教授 (00614992)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: シェイクスピア / エリザベス朝演劇 / 地中海世界 / 地中海貿易 / 交易と衝突

Outline of Final Research Achievements

During Shakespeare's time, the Mediterranean world was dominated by three major powers: Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and the Republic of Venice. France, Spain's rival, formed an alliance with Ottoman to oppose Spain, and later England took the same policy as France and deepened its relationship with Ottoman. The names of places along the Mediterranean coast that appear in Shakespeare's works have not received much attention and have not been considered to have significant meaning in the interpretation of the works. In such an era, the names of places along the Mediterranean coast mentioned in his works may have had more meaning than we think today.Therefore, this research attempted to add new knowledge to the interpretation of Shakespeare's works by systematically elucidating the meaning.

Free Research Field

英米・英語圏文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、イギリスで数度起こったテロや新型コロナウイルス感染症の影響で期間の延長を行ったが、おおむね予定していた研究を実行でき、発表と論文を通じて定期的に成果を公表した。当初の計画通り、シェイクスピア作品を背景となるモチーフによって、スペインとオスマンの対立を作品の背景にした作品群、ベネチア共和国やフィレンツェを舞台とした作品群、地中海上の交易を踏まえた作品群に分類しながらも、個々の作品を論じることでそれぞれの作品世界に浮かび上がる地中海像を確認することを試みた。本研究の意義は、それらを体系的にまとめる過程で、初期から後期までのシェイクスピア作品に新たなアプローチ方法を提示できたことである。