＂Those That Did Eat Are Eaten＂: Parasites and ＂The Revenger’s Tragedy＂

「食食者」：寄生蟲與《復仇者的悲劇》

林熒嬌(Ying-Chiao Lin)

《小說與戲劇》 23卷1期 (2013/12) Pp. 125-151

https://doi.org/10.6271/fd.2013.23.1.06

摘要

此論文嘗試以寄生蟲的特殊生存模式，來詮釋《復仇者的悲劇》中的英國文藝復興時期宮廷生活的腐敗狀況，是一種啃食宿主的同時亦被其他寄生蟲反食的狀態。據此說明這社會的情形，乃是因著腐敗與污染而遭受不可收拾的傳染症。此一描述寄生式的宮廷社會關係，正反應當代法國思想家米歇．塞荷的論述。劇中許多極盡放肆奢華的宮廷宴會飲食場景與「寄生蟲」的社會與道德上的意義相關聯，這些場景乃是真實世界寄生主義傳播的縮影。這樣的互食寄生模式從個人散播到群體，進而到社會與王國，乃至整個政治生命體。劇中所描述的通姦、淫亂、背叛、和謀殺等行為都強調了此種傳染性的寄生主義，已經以不同方式和不同等級地進行分解啃食主體。漸趨明顯的是，復仇並未成為拯救道德的良方，卻是劇中主角施虐與感官的滿足。此劇彰顯了人類社會現象之一：透過淫蕩與謀殺方式，男性主體寄生式地消耗女性之貞節。如同劇中之主角文帝奇利用他的貞女未婚妻死去的頭骸，其乃女性貞節之表徵，將其裝扮為一淑女並施以劇毒於其唇上，誘殺她的謀殺者公爵進而得逞。而文帝奇的不斷變換其身份，正如寄生蟲的生存模式，是透過偽裝以達其存在之目的。此論文援引疾病學上對寄生蟲的部分研究，以及米歇．塞荷的作品《寄生蟲》為理論架構。

關鍵字

《復仇者的悲劇》 ； 寄生蟲主義 ； 女性貞節 ； 米歇‧塞荷

並列摘要

This paper interprets the world of the court depicted by ”The Revenger's Tragedy” as one filled with social-political-sexual parasites consuming their hosts while at the same time being consumed by other parasites, a world which seems to be spinning out of control via its own ”pollution” or ”corruption” as if in the throes of a sort of mad contagion. The chaotic parasitism that marks the court society throughout this Jacobean drama merely echoes Michel Serres's view of human relations, in which our social contacts being fundamentally rooted in an inescapable pattern of eating/eaten or ”eating while being eaten.” The social and moral meanings of ”parasite” fit the many scenes of court revels and feasting in ”The Revenger's Tragedy”, a microcosm of our actual world where the contagion of parasitism spreads from individual to group to an entire society or kingdom, that is, expands throughout an entire ”body politic.” The shocking deeds of adultery, rape, incest, treachery, and murder that fill ”The Revenger's Tragedy” suggest in various ways, and on various levels, a contagious parasitism and process of decomposition. The play exemplifies what I take to be a common phenomenon within human society: the male parasitic consumption, through acts of lust and even murder, of the chaste femininity. Thus Vindice is using the chaste virgin, using the essence of her purity (her skull), as his host so that he may lure and, through her/it, indirectly kill the Duke. It becomes increasingly clear that vengeance serves not as a moral cure but merely for the sadistic and sensual pleasure of the characters. Like the parasite's strategy for survival, Vindice's continual change-of-form allows him to reside within different hosts, consuming them from within. This artificiality resists decay as much as Vindice's dressing up of Gloriana's skull. To pursue this interpretation I turn to medical investigation of parasitic infection and pollution and to Michel Serres's view of parasites in The Parasite as being in-between, eaters that are also eaten.

並列關鍵字

"The Revenger's Tragedy" ； parasitism ； female chastity ； Michel Serres

參考文獻

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Brown, Steven D. “Michel Serres: Science, Translation and the Logic of The Parasite.” Theory, Culture and Society 19.3 (2002): 1-27. Print.

Coddon, Karin S. “‘For Show or Useless Property’: Necrophilia and The Revenger’s Tragedy.” Revenge Tragedy. Ed. Stevie Simkin. New York: Palgrave, 2001. 121-41. Print.

Douglas, Mary. Purity and Danger: An Analysis of the Concepts of Pollution and Taboo. London: Ark Paperbacks, 1966. Print.