Study on the representation of visual images in Shakespeare's plays

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00390
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02030:English literature and literature in the English language-related
• Research Institution: Waseda University
• Principal Investigator: Fuyuki Hiromi 早稲田大学, 文学学術院, 教授 (10229106)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: シェイクスピア / マニエリスム / エクフラシス / 視覚表象

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research analysed the methods of visual representation in Shakespeare’s plays around 1600 and later, and found that the playwright’s methods gradually shifted from Ekphrasis to more difficult, distorted and twisted Mannerist-like writing. However, the change in Shakespeare’s technique of visual representation was not only due to the influence of Ben Jonson’s masques, which had been pointed out in previous studies, but also to a shift in Shakespeare’s own writing style towards an emphasis on the visual, that is, the inclusion of stage representations without dialogue. Furthermore, it was shown that in the later plays, Shakespeare’s approach was to thrillingly present ‘mystical scenes’ in the context of the religious restrictions on idolatry at the period.

Free Research Field

16－17世紀イギリス演劇

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで視覚に関する研究を重ねてきた私見によると、シェイクスピアの視覚的な表現は、比較的単純に絵画的に場面を描くことから始まり、次第に言語の力を越えた、マニエリスム的なねじれを持った絵画の手法を彷彿とさせるものになっていったと考えられる。それは彼自身の劇作過程における言語表現の変容・深化を表すとともに、この時代の文化の中の劇のあり方の方向性を如実に表すものでもあったのではないだろうか。この点を解明する本研究は、時代の中におけるシェイクスピアの劇作手法の過程を新たな視点から実証的に示すことにつながるであろうと考えている。