文艺复兴时期英国戏剧特点用英文介绍

　　EnglishRenaissancedramagrewoutoftheestablishedMedievaltraditionofthemysteryandmoralityplays(seeMedievalEnglishDrama).Thesepublicspectaclesfocusedonreligioussubjectsandweregenerallyenactedbyeitherchoristersandmonks,oratown'stradesmen(aslaterseenlovinglymemorializedbyShakespeare's'mechanicals'inAMidsummerNight'sDream).

　　Attheendofthefifteenthcentury,anewtypeofplayappeared.Theseshortplaysandrevelswereperformedatnoblehouseholdsandatcourt,especiallyatholidaytimes.Theseshortentertainments,calledInterludes,startedthemoveawayfromthedidacticnatureoftheearlierplaystowardpurelysecularplays,andoftenaddedmorecomedythanwaspresentinthemedievalpredecessors.Sincemostoftheseholidayrevelswerenotdocumentedandplaytextshavedisappearedandbeendestroyed,theactualdatingofthetransitionisdifficult.Thefirstextantpurelysecularplay,HenryMedwall'sFulgensandLucres,wasperformedatthehouseholdofCardinalMorton,wheretheyoungThomasMorewasservingasapage.EarlyTudorinterludessoongrewmoreelaborate,incorporatingmusicanddance,andsome,especiallythosebyJohnHeywood,wereheavilyinfluencedbyFrenchfarce.

　　Notonlywereplaysshiftingemphasisfromteachingtoentertaining,theywerealsoslowlychangingfocusfromthereligioustowardsthepolitical.JohnSkelton'sMagnyfycence(1515),forexample,whileonthefaceofitresemblingthemedievalallegoryplayswithitscharactersofVirtuesandVices,wasapoliticalsatireagainstCardinalWolsey.MagnyfycencewassoincendiarythatSkeltonhadtomoveintothesanctuaryofWestminstertoescapethewrathofWolsey.

　　Thefirsthistoryplayswerewritteninthe1530's,themostnotableofwhichwasJohnBale'sKingJohan.Whileitconsideredmattersofmoralityandreligion,thesewerehandledinthelightoftheReformation.TheseplayssettheprecedentofpresentinghistoryinthedramaticmediumandlaidthefoundationforwhatwouldlaterbeelevatedbyMarloweandShakespeareintotheEnglishHistoryPlay,orChroniclePlay,inthelatterpartofthecentury.

　　NotonlywastheReformationtakingholdinEngland,butthewindsofClassicalHumanismweresweepinginfromtheContinent.Interestgrewintheclassicsandtheplaysofclassicalantiquity,especiallyintheuniversities.LatintextswerebeingEnglysshedandlatinpoetryandplaysbegantobeadaptedintoEnglishplays.In1553,aschoolmasternamedNicholasUdallwroteanEnglishcomedytitledRalphRoisterDoisterbasedonthetraditionalLatincomediesofPlautusandTerence.TheplaywasthefirsttointroducetheLatincharactertypemilesgloriosus(braggartsoldier)intoEnglishplays,honedtoperfectionlaterbyShakespeareinthecharacterofFalstaff.AroundthesametimeatCambridge,thecomedyGammerGurton'sNeedle,possiblybyWilliamStevensofChrist'sCollege,wasamusingthestudents.ItpaidcloserattentiontothestructureoftheLatinplaysandwasthefirsttoadoptthefive-actdivision.

　　WriterswerealsodevelopingEnglishtragediesforthefirsttime,influencedbyGreekandLatinwriters.AmongthefirstforaysintoEnglishtragedywereRichardEdwards'DamonandPythias(1564)andJohnPickering'sNewInterludeofViceContainingtheHistoryofHorestes(1567).Themostinfluentialwriterofclassicaltragedies,however,wastheRomanplaywrightSeneca,whoseworksweretranslatedintoEnglishbyJasperHeywood,sonofplaywrightJohnHeywood,in1589.Seneca'splaysincorporatedrhetoricalspeeches,bloodandviolence,andoftenghosts;componentswhichweretofigureprominentlyinbothElizabethanandJacobeandrama.

　　ThefirstprominentEnglishtragedyintheSenecanmouldwasGorboduc(1561),writtenbytwolawyers,ThomasSackvilleandThomasNorton,attheInnsofCourt(schoolsoflaw).TheplayisalsoimportantasthefirstEnglishplayinblankverse.Blankverse,non-rhyminglinesiniambicpentameter,wasintroducedintoEnglishliteraturebysonneteersWyattandSurreyinthe1530's.ItsuseinaworkofdramaticliteraturepavedthewayforMarlowe'smightylineandtheexquisitepoetryofShakespeare'sdramaticverse.Withanewruleronthethrone,QueenElizabethI,whoenjoyedandencouragedthetheatricalarts,thestagewassetforthebodyofdramaticliteraturewetodaycallElizabethanDrama.