怎样欣赏英文戏剧剧本
戏剧剧本，无论在中国还是在英语国家，都是一种常见的文学形式，称为戏剧文学（dramatic literature）。虽然我们很难有机会直接欣赏英语戏剧舞台演出，但英语戏剧剧本却不少见。中国许多大学的英语阅读课本中都有戏剧作品。但怎样才能正确地欣赏英语戏剧作品呢？首先，戏剧作品作为一种文学形式，也和小说一样有plot（情节），character portrayal (人物)，setting (背景)，theme (主题) 和style (风格)，但他们的表现形式却与小说有所不同，阅读时自然需要不同的技巧。
小说分章（chapters）分节（sections），戏剧则分幕 (acts), 分场 (scenes)。幕，是剧本写作和演出的一个完整段落，按剧情发展的时间、地点划分。场，则是幕中的部分。有的剧只分幕，不分场。
小说中的对话、描写和评论说明都交织在情节发展的过程中，读者是在听人家讲故事。但剧本的故事却完全在角色的直接对话中展开，读者要通过这些直接对话的内容、遣词造句、语言风格（也包括一些简单的动作描述）去揣摩每个人物的性格、心理、为人、价值观念、教育程度和社会背景等等。其次，读者还要从这些对话中分析人物之间的关系或冲突，进而推断出作者的写作目的，即对某一类社会现象或某一类人的思想态度或赞扬或批评。因此，读英语戏剧作品必须仔细琢磨每个人物的每一句话，不但要看这句话的表面意义，还要看这句话的暗示意义，以及作者想通过这句话所展示剧中人的某个特点和它的社会意义。
下面以英国著名戏剧文学家萧伯纳（Bernard Shaw, 1856_1950 ）的作品“Augustus Does His Bit”(《奥古斯都尽了他的本份》)为例，看看如何欣赏剧本。这是一部讽刺剧，剧中主要人物奥古斯都是一个政府要员，一个上流社会的贵族。他与手下一个小职员和一位女士有这样一段对白：
The clerk: (entering) Are you engaged?
Augustus: What business is that of yours? However, if you will take the trouble to read the society papers for this week, you willsee that I am engaged to the Honourable Lucy Popham, youngest daughter of...
The clerk: That isn't what I mean. Can you see a female?
Augustus: Of course, I can see a female as easily as a male. Do you suppose I'm blind?
The clerk：You don't seem to follow me, somehow. There's a female downstairs: what you might all a lady. She wants to know can you see her if I let her up.
Augustus: Oh, you mean am I disengaged. Tell the lady I'm busy.( The Clerk goes) Stop! Does she seem to be a person of consequence?
The clerk: A regular marchioness, if you ask me.
Augustus: Hm! Beautiful, did you say?
The clerk: A human chrysanthemum, sir, believe me.
Augustus: It will be extremely inconvenient for me to see her; but the country is in danger; and we must not consider our own comfort. Think how our gallant fellows are suffering in the trenches! Show her up. (The Clerk goes out. Augustus produces a mirror and a comb from the drawer of his writing-table, and sits down before the mirror to put some touches to his toilet. The Clerk returns, showing in a very attractive lady, brilliantly dressed. Augustus hastily covers up his toilet apparatus with The Morning Post, and rises in an attitude of pompous condescension.)
The clerk (to Augustus): Here she is. (to the lady) May I offer you a chair, lady? (He places a chair at the writing-table opposite Augustus and steals out on tiptoe.)
Augustus: Be seated, madam.
The lady: (sitting down) Are you Augustus Highcastle?
Augustus: Madam, I am.
The lady: (with awe) The great Lord Augustus?
Augustus: I should not dream of describing myself so, madam; but no doubt I have impressed my country-men-and (bowing gallantly) may I say my country-women—as having some exceptional claims to their consideration.
The lady: (emotionally) What a beautiful voice you have!
Augustus: What you hear, madam is the voice of my country.
通过这样一段简单的对白，你对主人公奥古斯都产生了什么样的印象？他有什么样的性格特点与价值观念？作者对主人公持什么态度，是褒还是贬？作者的写作目的是什么？作者是在讲一个人的故事，还是在讽刺抨击一种社会时弊？
在这里我们首先看到，当那位职员问道：“Are you engaged?”本意是“你现在忙吗？”奥古斯都却偏偏把这句话理解为“你订婚了吗？”（该句的另一个可能的意思）。这一问一答，不仅说明奥古斯都身为重要政府官员整天满脑子里只有个人私事，答非所问，也说明他不学无术，语言能力低下。因为，在英国的文化中，一名低级的普通政府职员是绝对不可能在公务场合直接问一个重要政府官员的婚姻状况的，那么，“Are you engaged?”的意义只能是“你现在忙吗？\"
另外，奥古斯都的答话“What business is that of yours? However, if you will take the trouble to read the society papers for this week, you willsee that I am engaged to the Honourable Lucy Popham, youngest daughter of...”可以使我们清楚地看到，他一方面自恃清高，傲慢无理，不让人家多管它的私事，另一方面又迫不及待地向别人炫耀他的高贵身份。这又足见他的肤浅。
后来，当那个职员不得不改口说：“Can you see a female?”，本意是“你能否接见一位女士？”时，奥古斯都又错误地理解为“你能看见一位女士吗？。所以，他便回答说他的眼睛并不瞎，他能像看到男性那样容易地看到女性。这完全是驴唇不对马嘴。
对这样一个虚伪，傲慢，无知，低能的家伙，那位可怜的小职员只能选用适用于儿童的直白语言与奥古斯都对话：“You don't seem to follow me, somehow. There's a female downstairs: what you might call a lady. She wants to know can you see her if I let her up.”。
当奥古斯都终于明白有一位女士要见他时，先是推说公务繁忙: \"Tell the lady I'm busy...\"，后来, 听说是一位漂亮的女人时，又一心想见，却又要找出一堆根本不搭边的冠冕堂皇的理由：“It will be extremely inconvenient for me to see her; but the country is in danger; and we must not consider our own comfort. Think how our gallant fellows are suffering in the trenches! Show her up.\" 似乎他见这个女人是为了国家的利益而做出了重大的自我牺牲。好一付“高大无私的君子”形象。
很明显，作者是借奥古斯都来映射那些虚伪、傲慢、自私、无能的政府官僚阶层，用讽刺与夸张的手法来抨击时弊，让观众和读者在捧腹大笑的过程中像看漫画一样从中悟出了一个非常严肃的社会问题。
其实，读英语戏剧作品需要更多的创造性想象。同时，还要不断地变换自己的角度，不仅要找到每一个角色的感觉，还要找到作者与观众的感觉。不仅要去“听”对话，还要想象舞台的背景、演员的动作和神情。
另外，还要注意英语戏剧文学的特殊格式，调整自己的阅读习惯。如，有关地点、背景、动作等说明部分都用括号括起，一般用斜体字印出；每段话之前都标有说话人的名字；有时每行的文字很短，阅读时要频繁移行。
下面的剧本节选自挪威著名剧作家易卜生（Henrik Ibsen）作品《人民公敌》（An Enemy of the People）。 剧中主人公史塔克曼(Dr. Stockmann)是一位医生，是社会的一个支柱。他所住的小城是一个疗养圣地，其中心是该城的公共浴场。主人公发现浴场的水被当地的一个皮革厂污染了。他将他的发现公布后希望成为当地的英雄因为他挽救了小城的名声，防止了疗养的客人被感染。但相反地他被当地人视为\"人民公敌\"，后来甚至有人向他的家扔石头。最后他被迫离开了小城。对观众来说小城和医生都面临着一场显而易见的灾难，但当地的社会不愿面对事实。阅读时注意体会对话的内在意义，认真分析人物特征与作者的目的。然后试着回答后面的问题。
Excerpts from \"An Enemy of the People\"
by Henrik Ibsen
Dr. Stockmann: It is I who have the real good of the town at heart! I want to lay bare the defects that sooner or later must come to the light of day. I will show whether I love my native town.
Petra Stockmann: You, who in your blind obstinacy want to cut off the most important source of the town's welfare?
Dr. Stockmann: The source is poisoned, man! Are you mad? We are making our living by retailing filth and corruption! The whole of our flourishing municipal life derives its sustenance from a lie!
Petra Stockmann: All imagination -- or something even worse. The man who can throw out such offensive insinuations about his native town must be an enemy to our community.
Dr. Stockmann: (going up to him) Do you dare to -- !
Mrs. Stockmann: (throwing herself between them) Thomas!
Petra: (catching her father by the arm) Don't lose your temper, father!
Petra Stockmann: I will not expose myself to violence. Now you have had a warning; so reflect on what you owe to yourself and your family. Good-bye. (Goes out)
Dr. Stockmann: (walking up and down) Am I to put up with such treatment as this? In my own house, Katherine! What do you think of that!
Mrs. Stockmann: Indeed it is both shameful and absurd, Thomas --
Petra: If only I could give uncle a piece of my mind --
Dr. Stockmann: It is my own fault. I ought to have flown out at him long ago! -- shown my teeth! -- bitten! To hear him call me an enemy to our community! Me! I shall not take that lying down, upon my soul!
Mrs. Stockmann: But, dear Thomas, your brother has power on his side --
Dr. Stockmann: Yes, but I have right on mine, I tell you.
Mrs. Stockmann: Oh yes, right -- right. What is the use of having right on your side if you have not got might?
Petra: Oh, mother! -- how can you say such a thing!
Dr. Stockmann: Do you imagine that in a free country it is no use having right on your side? You are absurd, Katherine. Besides, haven't I got the liberal-minded independent press to lead the way, and the compact majority behind me? That is might enough, I should think!
Mrs. Stockmann: But, good heavens, Thomas, you don't mean to -- ?
Dr. Stockmann: Don't mean to what?
Mrs. Stockmann: To set yourself up in opposition to your brother.
Dr. Stockmann: In God's name, what else do you suppose I should do but take my stand on right and truth?
1. The author's purpose in the scene is to establish the theme of the play: namely, that
a. a liberal-minded, independent press will always guarantee that the truth will be accepted
b. my country, be it right or wrong, is my country
c. right makes might
d. the compact majority is always right
2. Mrs. Stockmann interprets Dr. Stockmann's position as simply a desire on his part to oppose his brother: actually, the opposition is between
a. power and science
b. family and duty
c. the citizen and his government
d. pragmatism and truth
3. In general, Dr. Stockmann's attitude may be described as
a. hostile, aggressive, and unreasonable
b. selfishly oblivious of his family's welfare
c. extremely idealistic
d. naive and old-fashioned
4. Petra sides with her father because
a. she intensely dislikes her uncle
b. her mother chooses to support her uncle
c. she is a very obedient daughter
d. she sincerely believes in her father's principles
5. If this play is classified as realistic, then the reader may infer from this scene that later on
a. Mrs. Stockmann will divorce Dr. Stockmann
b. Peter Stockmann will relent and side with his bother out of family loyalty
c. the community will reject all economic advantage in favor of Dr. Stockmann's revelation of the truth
d. Mrs. Stockmann will eventually support her husband, but the town will turn against him
Answer: 1. C, 2. B, 3. C, 4. B, 5. B
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