The Influence of Early Modern English Revenge Tragedy on Modernization of Folk Mentality

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370300
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Literature in English
• Research Institution: Kanto Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Yuki 関東学院大学, 経営学部, 教授 (80529701)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 演劇 / 近代初期イングランド / 文化史 / 復讐劇 / 自己認識 / 心性 / 悪漢 / ルネサンス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aimed to explore the influence of early modern English revenge plays on folk mentality. Based on the study results, the researcher offered two conclusions. First, the stock, typical patterns shared by many plays of this genre had certain effects as appealing representations, causing sympathy, antipathy, horror, abjection, reinforced sense of righteousness, and so on. When those patterns foregrounded in the movement of the Renaissance, revenge genre could be seen as a medium representing the idea of modern self and individualism. Second, based on the analysis of the relationships between revenge plays and other form of representation, such as paintings, other kinds of entertainments, and media, including press. The researcher concluded that those representations influenced on the modernization of folk mentality especially in the aesthetical and ethical realm.

Free Research Field

英文学