本論文擬以當代美國女性劇作家瑪格立特‧艾德森(Margaret Edson)的劇本《心靈病房》(Wit)爲例,析論劇本所蘊涵的臨終關懷與醫學倫理議題,並探討劇作家如何藉由「後設劇場」的表現技巧、十七世紀形上詩(Metaphysical poetry)的生死觀、劇中人物(癌症病人與醫護人員)間的互動,來彰顯醫學人文教育的重要課題-推廣以病人爲中心、具人性化的醫療方式,並且深入瞭解、同理病人的困境等等。論文將探討末期卵巢癌患者文學教授貝寧(Vivian Bearing)如何在醫師的慣性醫療行爲、「非人性化」的實驗療程、醫病之間不對等的倫理關係中,洞悉生命存在之意義。 論文分爲四部分。(一),闡釋醫學的技術發展與人文關懷二者間的密不可分之關係,以及醫學人文教育之意涵。(二),分析劇作家如何挪用「後設劇場」技巧,藉由劇本的「自我意識」與劇中主角貝寧教授「角色的角色扮演」(role-playing within the role),揭露醫病間的對話敘述或診療行動所隱含的倫理價值和信念。(三),探討貝寧教授在整個實驗療程中是如何被「物化/客體化」(objectification)、「異化」(alienation)?主治醫師柯里凱恩(Kelekian)及其門生傑森(Jason)是如何過度依賴醫學科技,以致偏離人性,對病人生命缺乏尊重?護理長蘇西(Susie)對貝寧教授的照護,在護理專業中的倫理意涵爲何?(四),析論劇本中「嵌入文類」(incorporated genre)所揭示的生死觀。
The purpose of this paper is to deal with ethical concerns in thanatology as well as medical ethics in Margaret Edson's Wit, and to explore how the playwright exhibits some important issues in medical humanities education (patient-centered care, humane medical treatment, empathy towards patients, etc.) through meta-theatrical devices, concepts of life and death in the seventeenth-century metaphysical poetry, and patient-doctor interaction and relationship. Besides, this paper will probe how the protagonist, Vivian Bearing, gets the meaning of life in perspective in the midst of routine medical treatment, inhumane medical care, and ethical imbalance in doctor-patient relationship.