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宗教冲突视角下的《威尼斯商人》简析
威廉·莎士比亚( William Shakespeare, 1564 --1616) 是英国乃至世界著名的古典诗人、剧作家。《威尼斯商人》是莎翁的四大喜剧之一, 写作时间大概在1597 年。剧中刻画的夏洛克一直以来被界定为威尼斯的一个放高利贷的犹太人, 他为人刻薄、贪婪, 是一个唯利是图、贪得无厌、吝啬自私的吸血鬼,他认为借贷收息是理所应当的, 是上帝允许的, 他的人生目标就是追求金钱。由于社会环境的变化,我们更多的从历史、民族、宗教的角度理解这场剧作, 这使我们从一个全新的角度来认识夏洛克。本文将从宗教冲突的视角来简析这部巨著。
在《威尼斯商人》 中, 我们可以从夏洛克和安东尼奥的对抗中读到他们的故事, 读到他们所处时代的历史。身为犹太人高利贷者的夏洛克始终与威尼斯商人安东尼奥是对立的。两人之间的矛盾是全剧冲突的主线。夏洛克代表中世纪的高利贷资本家,安东尼奥是一个具有鲜明时代特征的资产阶级【1】 。夏洛克是犹太人, 而安东尼奥是基督教徒。这场喜剧舞台背后的核心问题, 即犹太教与基督教的冲突。安东尼奥对夏洛克的厌恶, 夏洛克对安东尼奥的报复都是宗教矛盾冲突的表现。
安东尼奥多次在商人聚集的场所当众辱骂夏洛克, 在交易所里把唾沫吐在夏洛克的长袍上、吐在他的胡子上, 还像狗一样的踢他。剧本中涉及到威尼斯的一条法律也足可以让我们看到基督教社会对犹太人的不公平待遇:“凡是一个异邦人企图用直接或间接手段, 谋害任何公民,查明确有实据者, 他的财产的半数应归受害的一方所有, 其余的半数没入公库, 犯罪者的生命悉听公爵处理, 他人不得过问【2】。”这条无情的法律最后使得夏洛克变得一贫如洗。夏洛克在第一幕第三场中表示: “我恨他因为他是个基督徒, 可是尤其因为他是个傻子, 借钱给别人不收取利息, 把咱们在威尼斯城里干放债这一行的利息都压低了。要是我有一天抓住他的把柄, 一定要痛痛快快地向他报复我的深仇宿怨的。【3】”
表面上二人的冲突是由于经济利益而引起的, 实际上完全是宗教信仰的冲突。11 世纪后,随着基督教势力的逐渐强大以及它在欧洲各国统治地位的进一步确立, 欧洲居民几乎全部被基督教化, 基督教成了欧洲大部分民族的主要宗教信仰,“骑在人民背上并对其他种族和国家行使权力的基督教徒们已经成为欧洲最大的封建统治者”【4】,而信仰犹太教的犹太民族则被其视为异教徒, 基督教徒与统治者一起对犹太人开始迫害, 反犹浪潮越演越激烈。
因此，在当时的社会背景下, 夏洛克的反抗也只能停留在言语层面,在基督教占统治地位的社会中, 夏洛克显得势单力薄, 所以他的失败是注定的。与安东尼奥的较量使他不仅落了个人财两空的下场, 而且还被迫改信基督教。
An Analysis of “The Merchant of Venice”
from the Perspective of Religion Conflict
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was a British and world famous classical poet, dramatist. “The merchant of Venice" is one of Shakespeare''s four comedies. It was written probably around 1597. In the play, the portrait of Sherlock has been defined as ant usurious Jews in Venice, he was mean, greedy, seek nothing but profits, insatiably avaricious and selfish vampire, he thinks that it should be lending with interest and God allows that. His life''s goal is the pursuit of money. Because of the changes of social environment, more from our history, ethnic, religious perspective understanding of this play, which makes us know Sherlock in a new eyesight .This article, can analyze this monumental work from the perspective of religious conflict.
In" The Merchant of Venice", we can learn their story from the confrontation between Sherlock and Antonio, and know their historical. As a Jewish usurer Sherlock always is opposite with merchant of Venice Antonio. The contradiction between the two is the main conflict. Sherlock represents the medieval usurious capitalists, Antonio is a distinctive characteristic of the times bourgeois [ 1 ]. Sherlock is a Jewish, and Antonio is a Christian. The core issues behind the comedy stage are the conflict between Christianity and Judaism. Antonio dislikes Sherlock; Sherlock’s religious conflict is all on Antonio''s revenge.
Antonio always insulted Sherlock in the number of merchants gather publicly, in the exchange to spit in Sherlock''s robe, spit in his beard, also like a dog kicked him. Scenario involves Venice law is sufficient to allow us to see the Christian community of Jews in the unfair treatment: "Any person attempting to use a foreign land direct or indirect means, murder any citizen, check clearly able person, his property should be owned to the other part, half of the aggrieved party all the remaining half, not into the Treasury, offenders are listening to the Duke, others keep silence. [ 2 ]." This ruthless law finally makes Sherlock get on one''s uppers. Sherlock said in the first part and third act :" I hate him because he is a Christian, but especially because he is a fool, lending money without interest, Making down our interest of lending money, If I catch him on the hip one day, I must revenge him heavily. [ 3 ]"
On the surface of the conflict between the two men are the result of economic interests and cause actually is entirely religious conflicts. After 11 century with the Christian forces gradually powerful and it is in the European domination of the further establishment, residents of Europe had almost all been Christianized, Christian became one of Europe''s most major ethnic religion, “riding on people''s back and the other races and countries to exercise the power of Christians has become Europe''s largest feudal rulers ." [ 4 ], and the Jewish faith of the Jewish people are regarded as pagan, Christian and the rulers of the Jews began to persecute, anti-Semitic wave becomes more and more fierce.
Therefore, at that time the social background, Sherlock''s rebellious would only stay in the speech level, in the Christian dominated society, Sherlock appears that his force is smaller, so he is doomed to fail. The battle with Antonio enabled him not only to make both men get nothing, but also forced to convert to Christianity.
