シェイクスピア『タイタス・アンドロニカス』あらすじと感想～古代ローマを舞台にした初期の隠れた名作！
今回ご紹介するのは１５９４年頃にシェイクスピアによって書かれたとされる『タイタス・アンドロニカス』です。私が読んだのはKindle版の新潮社、福田恆存訳です。
Let's take a quick look at the book.
ローマの帝位継承権を争う前皇帝の息子兄弟。そこにゴート人との戦いに勝利したタイタス・アンドロニカスが凱旋帰国し、市民の圧倒的支持により皇帝に推薦されるが…。男たちの野望に、愛情・復讐心・親子愛が入り乱れたとき、残虐のかぎりが尽くされる…。シェイクスピアの作品では異色の惨劇。
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古代ローマを舞台にした劇をシェイクスピアはいくつも書いていますがその中でも最も有名なのはやはりJulius Caesar."ではないでしょうか。そしてAntony and Cleopatra."が次点に連なるのではないかと思います。
今作『タイタス・アンドロニカス』はシェイクスピアの初期の作品です。つまり彼にとっての最初の古代ローマの劇が本作品になります。そして興味深いのは上の２作品が史実を題材に作られたのに対し、この作品は史実上の人物が全く出てこないという点です。
The work is probably dated to the end of the 2nd century or later in Rome. This is because the historical background of this work depicts a situation in which there were many rebellions by the Goths and the emperors were changing one after another. The 2nd century A.D. was the era of the great Roman emperors, the Five Wise Emperors, and the Roman Empire was at its most prosperous. However, after Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Wise Emperors, the country began to decline. The emperor Marcus Aurelius, by the way, is thatA Reflection of Myself."He is also known for having written
この辺りの歴史の流れの参考書としては本村凌二著A Global History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume 04: The Mediterranean World and the Roman Empire.やエドワード・ギボン著The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.is recommended.
Now, I have to preface by saying that this work, "Titus Andronicus," is a historical drama set in the Roman Empire in such a declining period.
The protagonist is the hero of the title, the brave general Titus Andronicus. He was a man who fought for Rome with his life and served his nation faithfully.
The story begins with the return of Titus to Rome after his military service.
In Rome, Saturninus, the eldest son of the former emperor, and his brother Basheinas were fighting each other, saying "I am the next emperor. The popular Titus returned to Rome and asked them to settle the dispute. However, things did not end there, and it was decided that Titus should be the next emperor.
But Titus, who had lived his life as a loyal subject of the state, politely declined the offer. He simply handed over all power of the state to Saturninus, saying that Saturninus, the emperor's eldest son, was the most suitable person to be the emperor. This rash decision by the good-natured Titus was the beginning of all tragedy.
This is a tragedy that occurs when a person who has had position and honor gives power to an unscrupulous person.
This is thatKing Lear"It is reminiscent of "King Lear," isn't it? King Lear" also begins with the tragedy of an old king who easily believed the sweet words of his wicked daughters.
このことについて訳者の福田恆存は巻末の解題で次のように述べています。
正直の話、私自身も学生時代に『タイタス』を読んだ時、駄作とまでは思はなかったが、それ程の作品とも思はず、殆ど印象に残ってゐなかったのである。その私の目を開いたのは一九七四年、ロイヤル・シェイクスピア劇団によりロンドンのオールドヴィッチ劇場で上演されたトレヴァ・ナン演出の『タイタス』である。私はタイタスにリアの前身を観た。そしてこれを訳してゐるうちに、エアロンのうちにイアーゴーとオセローを、ルーシアスのうちにコリオレイナスとマルコムを、サターナイナスとタマラ夫人のうちにマクベスとその夫人を、詰り後期悲劇の片鱗を幾つか垣間見る想ひがした。
Kindle版、新潮社、『タイタス・アンドロニカス』、シェイクスピア、福田恆存訳、位置No2050
たしかにこの作品を読めば訳者の述べるように、後期悲劇につながるものを明らかに感じることになります。その中でも先ほど述べた『リア王』とのつながりは特に大きいのではないかと思われました。
However, this work is just horrendous! It is a little unimaginable. It is quite painful to read.
King Lear" is also a rather tragic play, but it is far more brutal and outrageous than that.
I hope they all fall prey to revenge!"
Kindle edition, Shinchosha, "Titus Andronicus", Shakespeare, translated by Tsunsen Fukuda, position No. 1426
This is the word that Iago-like Aeron, who has been plotting evil deeds, cries out in agony when he is captured, and it is exactly as he says it.
And finally, the voice of that hatred is expressed in the following terrifying words of the protagonist, Titus.
Listen, scoundrels, I've got a bone to pick with you.ground barleyand grind it into powder with your blood.hoaxI will make two pies with your head smashed into a paste and feed them to the whore, yes, to your abominable mother, so that the earth will swallow again what it has brought forth.
Kindle edition, Shinchosha, "Titus Andronicus", Shakespeare, translated by Tsunsen Fukuda, position No. 1621
Already in early Shakespeare, such a terrifying word has already appeared. It is a bit out of the ordinary, isn't it? I was also horrified when I read this passage.
ですがこのタイタスの怒りも正当といえば正当です。それだけのことをこの母（敵役のタマル）とその子たち（ここでは貴様等と呼ばれている）にされてきたのです。（娘の夫を目の前で殺害し、娘をそのまま強姦。さらにその罪がばれないように娘の舌と両手首を切り落とし、さらにはタイタスの息子たちに濡れ衣を着せて処刑した。なんと恐ろしい！）
In any case, this work is unusually cruel. Some commentary on this is also given in the solution. I will not go into this further, but as I have already mentioned, this work has something in common with the later tragic works.
And then there is the overwhelming individuality of the characters, the enormity of the people. This is also not to be missed.
Aaron, the man from Iago's case who was mentioned earlier, is a figure of evil. He is the embodiment of evil, but he is so huge and complex that he is not a simple man! I think this is a tremendous characterization. I am amazed at how they could create such a strong character. To put it in a modern way, he is a very strong character. His presence completely overwhelms the main character, Titus.
But even so, that's not to say that Titus, who uttered the astonishing words we just saw, was defeated. Not many people can come up with words like that. Aeron is just too special.
Also, we cannot overlook the curmudgeonliness of Tamar, the queen of the enemy. It was this queen who made Titus speak so much. The fact that Tamar is not just an evil woman, but that she was motivated by her resentment over the murder of her own son by Titus during the war, makes the story even more complex and profound. After all, the grief of a mother who has lost a child cannot be fully expressed with the word "terrible.
In any case, I believe that "Titus Andronicus" is a hidden masterpiece that already shows glimpses of later tragic works in its early years.
It was a shocking work for me as well.
以上、「シェイクスピア『タイタス・アンドロニカス』あらすじと感想～古代ローマを舞台にした初期の隠れた名作！『リア王』とのつながりも」でした。
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