元雜劇“楔子”新解

本文重新檢討楔子的定義與形成之原因。楔子的定義並非自王國維以來提出之「餘情」說，而應從體製上思考。其定義為主唱角色除四大套之外，於第一折前或折與折間，另唱與劇情相聯之小令一二支（應用〔仙呂‧賞花時〕或〔仙呂‧端正好〕）之段落。「餘情」說或鄭振鐸提出之種種情節上補充、輔佐之效用，則為其可能之作用，但其他以賓白演出的段落（後被明人併入各折）一樣有此類作用，故這些作用並非楔子使用之條件。經由各板本之比對，可以確定楔子應由正末或正旦演唱，今所見非正末正旦所唱之楔子，當皆為明人所改。而楔子使用之條件（或原因），則為正末、正旦不宜用賓白組場，應盡量安排唱曲，故在四套之外，正末、正旦仍有上場時，則應另唱一二小令，即成今之「楔子」。而正因正末、正旦上場必須唱曲，無曲可唱時，即立刻下場。楔子之主唱角原來既與四折相同，限於正末或正旦，換句話說，「元劇為一人主唱到底」此一體製規律之內容，其實則應指全劇－包含四折與楔子之曲。

關鍵字

元雜劇；楔子；餘情；主唱角色

並列摘要

This paper tries to verify a new point to reconsider the reason to write a Wedge Act in Yuan Tzarjiuh, and to give the new definition of the Wedge Act, by comparisons among all the Yuan Tzarjiuh's different editions. Wang Kuo-Wei had given a description of the reason to write a Wedge Act-the spare, or supplementary part in the plot of the whole play. Cheng Chen-To's description was a little different, but mainly similar to Wang's. By the comparisons of the different editions in Yuan and Ming Dynasties, we can find that tunes in the Wedge Act should be sung only by Chengmo (正末, the main male role) or Chengtan (正旦, the main female role). If Chengmo or Chengtan is on stage, he or she has to sing some tunes. That means that an act with Chengmo or Chengtan on stage could not be composed of dialogues only. Therefore, in addition to the four main sections, each of which has a complete songset, (Chengmo or Chengtan must be on stage to sing the songsets), if Chengmo or Chengtan is on stage in another section, he or she has to sing one or two tunes. And this section will be isolated from the four main acts, and called a Wedge Act. By this study, we can have the conclusion: Chengmo or Chengtan is the only role to sing the tunes in Yuan Tzarjiuh, including the four main acts and Wedge Act(s). The former viewpoint that the tunes in Wedge Act can be sung by other roles is wrong. The reason, or definition, of the Wedge Act, is irrelevant to the supplementary part in plot. It is that the Chengmo or Chengtan, if on stage, has to sing tunes, even there have been four complete songsets in the play.