编辑推荐
One of Shakespeare's most popular and accessible plays.
《罗密欧与朱丽叶》是威廉·莎士比亚著名戏剧作品之一。 莎士比亚被誉为“英国戏剧之父”、“时代的灵魂”,马克思称他为“人类最伟大的天才之一”。
内容简介
One of Shakespeare's most popular and accessible plays, Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two star-crossed lovers and the unhappy fate them as a long bitter feud between families. The play contains some of Shakespeare's most beautiful and lyrical love poetry and is perhaps the finest celebration of the joys of young love ever written.
Unique features of the Signet Classic Shakespeare
An extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater by the general editor of the Signet Classic Shakespeare series, Sylvan Barnet
A special introduction to the play by the editor, J. A. Bryant, Jr., University of Kentucky
Source from which Shakespeare derived Romeo and Juliet—Arthur Brooke's The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet
Dramatic criticism from the past and present: commentaries by Samuel Johnson, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Michael Goldman, Susan Snyder, Marianne Novy
A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions of Romeo and Juliet, then and now
Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable type
Up-to-date list of recommended readings
《罗密欧与朱丽叶》讲述地是两个家族世代为仇,但双方的儿女罗密欧与朱丽叶却一见钟情。迫于家族之间的仇杀,两人秘密举行了婚礼。后罗密欧因替友复仇刺死了朱丽叶的表哥而被放逐,朱丽叶也面临被逼婚的窘境,服安眠药装死。罗密欧赶回,不明真相,自杀殉情。朱丽叶苏醒以后,见爱人已死,也在悲痛中结束了自己的生命。阴差阳错,令人扼腕顿足。
作者简介
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of some standing in his community. William probably went to the King's New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( who would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By 1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and already known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred to him as "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers." Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later under James I, called the King' s Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain's Men built and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the Thames River. Here many of Shakespeare's plays were performed by the most famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or 1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such plays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613. He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during his life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now called the First Folio.
莎士比亚,英国文艺复兴时期伟大的剧作家、诗人。公元1564年4月23日生于英格兰沃里克郡斯特拉福镇,1616年5月3日病逝。代表作有悲剧《哈姆莱特》、《奥瑟罗》、《李尔王》、《麦克白》、《罗密欧与朱丽叶》,喜剧《第十二夜》、《仲夏夜之梦》、《威尼斯商人》、《皆大欢喜》、《爱的徒劳》,传奇剧《辛白林》、《冬天的故事》,历史剧《亨利四世》、《理查二世》等共三十七部。 莎士比亚被誉为“英国戏剧之父”、“时代的灵魂”,马克思称他为“人类最伟大的天才之一”。
前言/序言
莎士比亚戏剧的永恒魅力:探寻《奥赛罗》的命运悲歌 《奥赛罗》(Othello):一场关于嫉妒、信任与毁灭的深刻剖析 这部莎士比亚的悲剧巨著,以其对人性的深刻洞察和对情感复杂性的精准描摹,自问世以来便稳居世界文学的巅峰之作。它不仅仅是一部关于爱情与背叛的故事,更是一面映照人类内心幽暗角落的镜子,其探讨的主题之深刻,至今仍能引发当代读者的强烈共鸣。 《奥赛罗》的故事背景设定在威尼斯,围绕着一位声名显赫的摩尔人将军——奥赛罗展开。奥赛罗因其卓越的军事才能和高尚的品格,赢得了威尼斯元老院的极大尊重。他深爱着美丽的威尼斯贵族小姐苔丝狄蒙娜,两人不顾世俗偏见,结为伉俪。这段跨越种族与地位的爱情,本应是浪漫与坚贞的典范,却不幸成为悲剧的导火索。 一、 阴谋的温床:伊阿古的恶意与人性的黑暗 戏剧的核心驱动力,来自于奥赛罗的旗官——伊阿古(Iago)。伊阿古,这个被后世评论家视为莎士比亚笔下最纯粹的“恶之化身”,其动机之模糊、手段之阴险,令人不寒而栗。他因未能得到晋升而心生怨恨,将目标锁定在奥赛罗和新上任的旗官卡西奥身上。 伊阿古的“恶”并非基于巨大的利益驱动,而更像是一种深植于灵魂的、对秩序和美好的本能破坏欲。他深谙人性弱点,擅长伪装和操纵,用看似忠诚的外表掩盖着毒辣的内心。他设计的阴谋如同精密的陷阱,目标明确:摧毁奥赛罗的声誉、夺走他的挚爱,并让他亲手毁掉自己所珍视的一切。 二、 信任的脆弱性与嫉妒的毒药 奥赛罗的悲剧,源于他对伊阿古的盲目信任。在伊阿古巧妙的引导下,一粒关于苔丝狄蒙娜不忠的种子被植入奥赛罗的心中。莎士比亚在此展现了惊人的心理学洞察力:怀疑一旦生根,便会迅速被嫉妒的火焰所吞噬,直至将理智焚烧殆尽。 奥赛罗,这位在战场上无所不能的英雄,在情感领域却显得异常脆弱。他被伊阿古精心布置的“证据”——尤其是那条被用作阴谋道具的手帕——所蒙蔽。他从一个沉稳、理智的统帅,逐渐沦为一个被愤怒和猜疑支配的野兽。这种由内而外的蜕变过程,是整部剧最令人心碎的部分。观众目睹着一个伟大灵魂如何一步步走向自我毁灭的深渊,深刻体会到“耳边风”的巨大破坏力,以及维护真相的艰难。 三、 爱情的纯洁与女性的悲歌 苔丝狄蒙娜是剧中光芒最盛的象征,她代表着纯洁、忠贞与无条件的爱。她对奥赛罗的爱是超越种族界限、超越世俗眼光的。面对丈夫突如其来的冷漠和指控,她始终保持着无辜与恳求,她的每一次辩解都更加凸显出奥赛罗认知的偏差。 苔丝狄蒙娜的悲剧,不仅是个人的不幸,更是对那个时代对女性贞洁近乎苛刻要求的控诉。在男性主导的社会中,女性的清白一旦受到质疑,往往无力自证。她最终在睡梦中被奥赛罗扼杀,场景的处理极具震撼力,将悲剧的尖锐程度推向顶点。她的死,是对奥赛罗所有荣誉和美德的彻底否定。 四、 语言的艺术:说服与欺骗的较量 《奥赛罗》在语言运用上达到了莎翁戏剧的巅峰。伊阿古的台词充满了机锋、反讽和潜台词,他用看似朴实、甚至略带粗俗的语言,精准地刺入奥赛罗最敏感的神经。奥赛罗的独白则展示了情感的巨大波动:从最初的坚定与激情,到中期的痛苦挣扎,再到最终被嫉妒完全吞噬后的狂暴与绝望。 剧本中充满了对“看”与“知”的辩论。奥赛罗被教导要“看”到事实,但伊阿古确保他所“看”到的都是假象。最终,当真相大白,奥赛罗清醒过来时,他面对的不仅仅是妻子的尸体,更是自己毁灭一切的现实。 五、 永恒的主题与现实的投射 《奥赛罗》探讨的主题具有跨越时代的意义: 偏见与异化: 奥赛罗作为“局外人”的地位,使其更容易成为他人恶意攻击的目标。他的肤色和身份,被伊阿古用作加剧他内心不安全感的工具。 管理与信任: 剧作深刻揭示了领导者在用人上的盲点。奥赛罗的失败,部分源于他未能辨识出身边最危险的敌人。 真相的代价: 揭露真相的时刻,往往伴随着无法挽回的灾难。这迫使我们思考,有时保持无知是否比面对残酷的真相更安全,尽管这听起来十分讽刺。 阅读《奥赛罗》,如同参与一场紧张而痛苦的心理实验,观众被要求全程见证一个伟大心灵的瓦解。它要求我们审视自身对爱情的信念、对友谊的判断,以及在面对阴谋时,如何坚守理性与清明。这部悲剧是关于毁灭性的激情的终极教材,其力量和深度,使其成为文学史上不可磨灭的丰碑。