不列颠多元文化研究：《威尼斯商人》分析

William Shakespeare（1564-1616），English poet，player and playw right，was baptized in the parish church of Stratford upon-Avon in Warwickshire on the 26th of April 1564.He left his home after marriage at the age of eighteen and went to London.He had played many roles in London Theater，then he began to w rite plays.He died on the 23rd of April，1616.

威廉·莎士比亚（1564—1616），英国诗人、演员、剧作家，1564年4月26日在英国瓦维克郡埃文河畔的斯特拉特福镇降生、接受洗礼。18岁结婚后离开故乡，远赴伦敦。他在伦敦的剧场演过一些小角色，之后开始编写剧本。他于1616年4月23日去世。

For more than twenty five years Shakespeare had been associated with the best theatres of England.His earliest task at the theatre was the remodeling and partially rew riting of old plays.His literary work may be divided into three periods：the first period from 1590 to 1600，the second from 1601 to 1608，and the third from 1609 to 1612.The Merchant of Venice was one of the excellent comedies of Shakespeare.

莎士比亚在英格兰当时最出名的剧院里工作长达25年。他在剧院的早期工作主要是表演小角色和修改老剧本。他的作品可以分为三个阶段：第一阶段为1590—1600年，第二阶段为1601—1608年，第三阶段为1609—1612年。《威尼斯商人》是莎士比亚创作的杰出喜剧作品之一。

Plot：Bassanio is the typical Elizabethan lover and aristocrat，young，impulsive and romantic，whose lavish lifestyle has left him deep in debt and desperately in love with the fair Portia of Belmont.

故事梗概：巴萨尼奥是一个有着伊丽莎白一世时期典型贵族和情人特质的年轻人，冲动而又充满浪漫情调，不过他毫无节制、过分慷慨的生活方式使他负债累累，就在这种境况下，他却不可救药地爱上了富家小姐鲍西亚。

Determined to call Portia his bride，Bassanio employs the support of his dear friend Antonio，a successful merchant residing in Venice，but Antonio is short of resources and must use his credit for a loan.This loan comes from Shylock.

巴萨尼奥下定决心要娶鲍西亚为妻。于是，他向好友，居住在威尼斯的成功商人安东尼奥求助。然而，安东尼奥手头缺少资金，他只好以自己的信誉担保，向另外一个富商夏洛克借贷。

Yet，all is not as it appears between Antonio and Shylock.Antonio has consistently hurts their business by offering loans with no interest.This set of circumstances，along with the persecution of Jews at the time，has made Shylock spiteful towards Antonio，who jumps at the chance to have the merchant in his debt.(www.xing528.com)

但是，安东尼奥和夏洛克私下并不友好。一直以来，安东尼奥借钱给别人但从来不收利息，这无疑损害了夏洛克的“生意”，又加之当时社会对犹太人的迫害，这些都让夏洛克对安东尼奥怀恨在心，乘签订借款契约之际，设下圈套，伺机报复。

However，this time Shylock decides to offer his loan at no interest; instead，he demands a pound of flesh from Antonio if his loan is not repaid on time.Confident that Bassanio will return his good fortune on times，Antonio agrees to the unusual terms.

然而，这一次夏洛克决定借钱却不收取任何利息，但如果安东尼奥拖欠还款的话，他就会索要安东尼奥身上的一磅肉。安东尼奥认为巴萨尼奥会按时归还借款，因此就答应了这一不寻常的条件。

Then Antonio's trade ships fail to produce any profit for the merchant.The distraught and semi-deranged Shylock demands his pound of flesh from Antonio in order to fully seek his revenge.With the help of the clever Portia，Shylock fails to take a pound of flesh from Antonio without blood and thus Antonio is saved.

安东尼奥的贸易船队没有为他们带来任何利益。丧尽天良的夏洛克为了复仇决定从安东尼奥的身上取走一磅肉。在机智的鲍西亚的帮助下，夏洛克的阴谋破灭，安东尼奥获救。

Comment：The play is a comedy.The theme of the play praises the benevolence，friendship，love，and reflects the contradiction between the merchant-capitalist and usurer in the early period of capitalist.Meanwhile，it expresses the author's attitude of the humanism towards money，law and religion in the capitalist society.

评论：这是一部喜剧作品。戏剧的主题是歌颂仁爱、友谊与爱情，也反映了资本主义早期商业资产阶级和高利贷者之间的矛盾。同时，资本主义社会中金钱、法律和宗教问题，也折射出该剧作者的人文主义态度。