研究生: |
劉添喜 Liu Tian-xi |
---|---|
論文名稱: |
大衛馬魅戲劇中的語言:語言和權力、意識型態與男性氣概的關係 The Language in David Mamet's Theatre: The Relationships of Language to Power, Ideology and Masculinity |
指導教授: |
紀蔚然
Chi, Wei-Jan |
學位類別: |
碩士 Master |
系所名稱: |
英語學系 Department of English |
論文出版年: | 2000 |
畢業學年度: | 88 |
語文別: | 英文 |
論文頁數: | 132 |
中文關鍵詞: | 語言 、權力 、意識型態 、男性氣概 |
英文關鍵詞: | language, power, ideology, masculinity |
論文種類: | 學術論文 |
相關次數: | 點閱:201 下載:0 |
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研究所別:英語研究所
論文名稱:大衛馬魅戲劇中的語言:語言和權力、意識形態與男性氣概
的關係
指導教授:紀蔚然 教授
研究生:劉添喜
論文內容提要:共分為五章
1947年生於芝加哥近郊的大衛馬魅 (David Mamet),為當代美國劇壇的重要人物。在他諸多戲劇創作裡,他不但運用日常語言來描述美國人及美國社會,還探討語言在資本主義社會所扮演的角色。亦即,馬魅劇作的對白涵有強烈的自我反射性以及極濃厚的後設語言色彩:他用人物之間的語言來討論人與人之間的互動。同時,它也蘊含著能闡釋工業化國家的事實的元素。馬魅戲劇中的市郊特質是個重要的因素,它形成劇中人物的語言以及人物之間彼此的關係。本論文主要從權力、意識形態及男性氣概的角度,探討語言的多面性 。
第一章簡介馬魅戲劇中的語言功能。馬魅用生動的日常語言呈現他的戲劇觀,而他劇中的人物大多運用語言致力於權力鬥爭而較少用於彼此溝通。此外,語言的意義通常不在於說出的話語而在於未被說出的話語。因此,想要了解馬魅的戲劇,檢視他如何處理對話以及洞悉深藏著權力鬥爭的語言的弦外之音是非常重要的。所以,馬魅的語言功能和目的與權力、文化、社會、意識形態及男性氣概緊密相連。換句話說,語言是在無盡地轉換的情境理不斷生成的過程。
第二章討論語言和權力的關係。在此領域,馬魅堅信人們透過不同形式的語言獲取並使用權力。在《房地產大亨》 (Glengarry Glen Ross) 一劇中,推銷員使用侵略的、虛假的語言,吸引、設陷捕捉、攻擊他們的同事或顧客。如此,語言不只與生意有密切關係,語言更成為如何在競爭的資本主義社會下生存的關鍵。在《美國水牛》 (American Buffalo) 一劇中,劇中人物運用語言主要在於爭奪友誼。在此,友誼已成為戰利品,勝利者以之展現權力。為了權力,人物之間不是相互競爭就是相互衝突;如果一個人達成目標,另一個則否。
第三章探究語言和意識形態的關係。馬魅闡述語言主要藉著意識形態的助力而產生權力。在《水引擎》 (The Water Engine) 一劇中,工廠成為一種社會機制,資本家有權掌控勞工,而勞工無可避免地被資本家壓榨。因此,孤單的勞動階級無力對抗商業組織,最後,成為商業層級制度的受害者。在.奧莉安娜 (Oleanna) 一劇中,人物之間的強烈對峙是層級制度式的:個人對組織、女性對男性、學生對老師。這些二元對立的觀念都是意識形態運作的結果。具體來說,主角約翰 (John) 所說的是意識形態的語言,它用來維繫當權者的利益,所以,意識形態的戰爭與權力鬥爭都藉著語言進行。
第四章探討語言和男性氣概的關係。馬魅從男性氣概的角度出發探討語言的權力。在《劇場生活》 (A Life in the Theatre) 一劇中,男性氣概成為權力的象徵。演員運用舞台下的社交對話來伸張男子氣概的權力,而其語言的目的在於展現權力而不僅是表達內心真實的慾望和情感;台上或台下的表演,透過語言不斷地進行談判。而在《湖船》 (Lakeboat) 一劇中,船員把工作、性和酒當作展現男性氣概的工具,而他們的語言也有助於建構男性氣概;而男性氣概有助於維繫男性的權力和權威。亦即,語言建構社會現實而非僅反應社會現實。
第五章總論馬魅戲劇的主要特色,其中語言扮演非常重要的角色︰語言不只是話語,而是透過意識形態與男性氣概所表達的權力關係。有些劇中人物,較關心生意與金錢而不僅是友情或忠誠,他們視權力為控制他人的能力;而有些人運用權力確保他們的目標與想要的結果,以及與相關的個人達成協議。在馬魅的劇本中,女性經常被置於男性主控的世界,其中男性佔據有權的位置,而女性自覺毫無力量,並且女性通常是論述的客體,以及或者位於論述的邊緣。
Abstract
David Mamet, born in a suburb of Chicago in 1947, is an important figure in the contemporary American theatre, and he uses everyday language in his plays not only to describe Americans and American society but also to discuss the roles of language in a capitalist society. That is to say, the dialogue in Mamet's plays consists of intense self-reflection and metalinguistics: it discusses the interaction between the characters through language and is imbued with a rawness that brings out the different facts of an industrialized nation. The urban nature of Mamet's plays performs a meaningful role that shapes the language of his characters and their relationships with each other. In this thesis I will explore the multiplicity of language in terms of power, ideology and masculinity.
Chapter I introduces the functions of language in Mamet's plays: he uses vivid, everyday language to present his views on theatre, and the characters manipulate language to fight less for communicating with each other than for power. Furthermore, the meaning of language often lies not in the spoken words but in the unspoken words; therefore, to understand Mamet's plays, it's essential to examine his treatment of dialogue and comprehend his linguistic subtexts that are riddled with power struggles. As a result, the functions and purposes of Mamet's language are closely determined by power, culture, society, ideology, masculinity, etc., in other words, language is a continuous generative process in endless shifting contexts.
Chapter II discusses the relationship between language and power, and in this section, Mamet seems convinced that people gain and exert power mainly through various forms of language. In Glengarry Glen Ross, the salesmen use aggressive, deceitful language to attract, trap, and attack their colleagues and clients, and in this manner, language has something to do as much with survival in the competitive capitalist society as with business. In American Buffalo, the characters maneuver language for fighting principally for friendship, which turns out to be a trophy with which the winner can show his power. In some sense, individual situates himself or herself in competition or even conflict mostly for the exertion of power in ways that if one participant attains his (or her) goals, the other does not.
Chapter III deals with the relationship between language and ideology, and Mamet proclaims that language produces power mainly with the help of ideology. We will see in The Water Engine that a single factory functions as a social institution in which the capitalists have the power over the workers, who in turn are inevitably exploited by the capitalists. In consequence, the lone working class agent appears unable to fight against the commercial institution and consequently becomes the victim of the commercial hierarchy. And in Oleanna, the fierce opposition between the characters stands hierarchical: individual/institution, female/male, and student/teacher, and all these binary oppositions become the outcomes of the operation of ideology. More specifically, what John, the main protagonist, speaks is ideological language, which sustains the interest of people in power, so ideological battle and power struggle chiefly occur within language.
Chapter IV explores the relationship between language and masculinity and how Mamet investigates the power of language from the perspective of masculinity. In A Life in the Theatre, masculinity becomes a symbol of power, and the actors apply social dialogue off-stage to assert their masculine power. The overall language the actors speak aims to display masculine power rather than only inner, real desires and feelings, and performance on-stage or off-stage involves constant negotiation through language. On the other hand, in Lakeboat, the sailors in a male-dominated world handle their job, sex and alcohol as a means to express their masculinity, and their language helps to constitute masculinity, which in turn helps to preserve their power and authority. In other words, language makes up social reality as well as reflecting it.
Chapter V summarizes the key features of Mamet's plays, in which language plays a very significant role: language functions not merely as words but power relation expressed through ideology or masculinity. Some characters, living in a society based on hierarchy and inequality, are more concerned about business and money rather than merely friendship or loyalty, and they see power as a capacity to impose control on others. Others appropriate various powers to secure their goals and desired results and to negotiate with agreement among related individuals. In Mamet's plays, women seem usually located in a world of male domination, in which men hold the positions of power while women feel powerless, and often become the objects of discourses and/or situate at the margins of discourses.
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