The Revenger Tragedy and Revenge Tragedy

[[abstract]]《復仇者悲劇》（The Revenger’s Tragedy）一劇富含後設劇場（metatheater） 色彩，但是因為該劇的作者爭議一直懸而 未決，相關學者的研究重點皆著重於解決 作者屬誰的問題。近來，學者逐漸走出作 者論爭的泥沼，開始探討該劇的道德觀與 反諷的運用。本計畫擬從後設劇場的角度 切入，更進一步檢視該劇刻劃主角范迪奇 （Vindice）為未婚妻與父親復仇的過程， 所涉及私仇私了的道德爭議、公爵家族手 足相殘的權力鬥爭、復仇者腐化墮落的蛻 變等主題。 首先，此劇大量採用傳統復仇劇 （revenge tragedy）的表現手法與象徵，諸 如骷髏頭、假面舞劇（masque）、偽裝、 屍體、血跡斑斑的兇刀，但是這些復仇劇 中制式化的表現手法在本劇中常以有別於 傳統的模式出現，一方面增加論者強調的 反諷效果，另一方面更彰顯出本劇對復仇 劇此一文類的省思。 范迪奇一角更是貫穿本劇的靈魂人 物，充滿後設劇場的色彩，他與哈姆雷特 一樣，時常跳脫劇中角色，遊走於戲裡戲 外，時而嘲諷劇中人物，時而抒發道德說 教。本劇以范迪奇獨白開場、死亡演說終 結，凸顯出范迪奇在本劇中猶如導演、劇 作家的特殊地位，隨時隨地操控著周遭的 人、事、物。劇作家透過細微的後設劇場 手法，讓觀眾意識到范迪奇在復仇過程 中，從正義的代言人逐漸腐化成為傲慢、 狂妄的殺人魔而不自覺，從而反省復仇劇 血債血還的不當。 本計畫擬探討此劇高度風格化的編劇 手法、偽裝、角色扮演、旁白的運用、多 重復仇情節的排比與複製、假面舞劇（作 為一種劇中劇）的意涵等相關後設劇場議 題，這些手法刻意強調本劇的情節安排， 以凸顯出劇作本身的人為塑造成份，雖然 復仇劇一向著重情節安排，但是本劇與《西 班牙悲劇》或《哈姆雷特》不同，此劇刻 意強調情節的人為安排，並不斷提醒觀眾 劇情的發展愈趨複雜，由此觀之，本劇不 但沈溺於劇情的安排，更以情節操控為 樂。另外，本劇多重的復仇情節可說已超 過正常的劇情發展，使得本劇的自我嘲諷 性表露無遺。[[abstract]]The Revenger’s Tragedy has abundant metatheatrical elements. The authorship controversy has long been a major focal point of critical concern. But, recently, critics begin to comment on the play’s thematic aspects, such as its moral stance and uses of irony. This project intends to analyze the play from a metatheatrical perspective, examining the various issues involved in the process of Vindice’s revenge, including the moral issue of private justice, the murdering power struggle in the Duke’s family, and the deterioration and transformation of the revenger. The play adopts many conventional symbols and techniques common in revenge tragedy, such as the use of skull, masques, disguise, corpse, and blood-stained sword. But these seemingly formulaic and conventional devices are often used in a self-reflexive and subversive way. On the one hand, the effect of irony is enhanced. On 2 the other, the play’s self-reflexive impulse indicates its reflection on the genre of revenge tragedy itself. Like Hamlet, Vindice is also a role full of metatheatrical impulse, often stepping out of his dramatic role and crossing the boundary between the play world and the real world. He aligns himself with the audience, observing and commenting on his fellow characters. He also delivers moral lectures to the characters and the audience. The play opens with Vindice’s soliloquy, and ends with his dying speech, defining his unique position in the play and setting up a metatheatrical pattern in which Vindice, like a director and playwright, operates in every level. He manipulates his fellow characters and the dramatic action in his pursuit of revenge. Through careful metatheatrical design, the play delineates the gradual transformation of Vindice, from a seeker of justice to a cold-blooded killer. In this way, the play reflects upon the inadequacy of private justice. This project would like to explore following metatheatrical issues, including the play’s highly stylized dramaturgical choreography, disguise, role-playing, asides, multiple repetition and imitation of revenge plots, and masque (as a play-within-a-play). These devices draw our attention to the play’s plotting, exposing the play’s artificiality, its status as an artifact. Though many revenge tragedies, like Hamlet or The Spanish Tragedy, revolve around plotting, The Revenger’s Tragedy is different from them in that it is deliberately self-conscious about its plotting, and draws an audience’s attention to its more and more complicated plotting. In this most important sense, it indulges, and delights, in artificiality. Also, the multiple revenge plots are so excessive that they highlight the play’s tendency toward self-imitation and self-parody