1990 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A Study of the Metaphoric Middle Stratum of the plays of Shakespeare
Project/Area Number |
63510254
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
Research Field |
英語・英文学(アメリカ語・アメリカ文学)
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Research Institution | Niigata University |
Principal Investigator |
SASAKI Michiru Niigata University College of General Education Associate Professor, 教養部, 助教授 (60105228)
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Project Period (FY) |
1988 – 1990
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Keywords | Middle Stratum / Metaphor / Image / Folklore / Alchemy / Surface Structure / Deep Structure |
Research Abstract |
There are many criticisms which study Shakespeare's plays from the point of view of imagery. But none of them considers what position the imagery and metaphors occupy in the structure of the Shakespearean plays. In this study of mine I regard them as forming the middle stratum which exists between the surface and the deep structure of the play. This middle stratum corresponds to that of human mind which produces, for example, dreams, alchemy and folklore. If the metaphors of the plays of Shakespeare can be considered to be corresponding to these things which are produced at the middle stratum of human mind, we can utilize the achievements of the scientific studies which treat of them. From this point of view the following research has been done. 1. The metaphoric middle stratum of A Midsummer Night's Dream is based on the folklore of the moon. The imagery of bow and arrow is woven into this metaphoric structure. Bow and arrow originally have a magical element. It is related to May Games, Robin Hood and Bottom as a fool of the earth. 2. The middle stratum of The Tempest is composed of the metaphors of alchemy. This play makes use of a type of folklore called 'the spirit in the bottom' for the formation of Ariel. There is a legend of this type about an alchemist Paracelsus. This fact suggests that the metaphoric middle stratum of this play is an alchemical one. 3. The core motif of the metaphoric middle stratum of Macbeth is 'fair is foul.' The various images and metaphors of the play are related to this motif.
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