シェイクスピア『冬物語』における自然・人工と錬金術

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to refute the Hermetic interpretations of Shakespeare's late Romance, The Winter's Tale(1611) By Frances Yates(1975) and Sorensen(1999). Newman's detailed study (1991,1998,and 2004) on the "Nature" Vs."Art" distinction dating back to the classical antiquity shows that the alchemical defenses of The Book of Hermes abolished the "Nature" VS. "Art" distinction, while more conservative traditions sided on the "ature's" superiority to "Art." In The Winter's Tale, Shakkespeare always defends the conservative traditions and maintains the distinction between "Nature" and "Aret, through the words' actions and, to mention the last but not the least, the patience by the characters in the play,Perdita,Paulina, and Hermione. All of them in the plot positively contributed to the final rapprochement and to the fulfillments of the God's oracles. Shakespeare parodies the hemetic tradetions Hermine desceded from the pedesta. Not the hmans but only the God transcends the "Nature" vs. "Art" distinction to lead the broken famiies to the final salvation.