魔界轉身

Abstract

精靈與魔鬼，在西洋文化裡，一向關係密切。這無論從字義界定或是藝術詮釋，皆是如此。 莎劇《仲夏夜之夢》中的帕克 (Puck)，是個身手矯捷的精靈 (fairy)，擅長變身，喜惡作劇，為莎翁精心創造出來的重要喜趣腳色。但是，擺放在文化史的脈絡中，精靈帕克同樣有著變化多端的淵源。 本文將從《仲》劇中的帕克在文化上的形象、淵源與轉化談起，重新檢視莎翁筆下此一精靈在民俗、神話以及宗教三方面的淵源。在論述過程中，並將援引晚近幾年所見的舞臺、螢幕、電影、DVD，乃至於繪本、動畫與漫畫等不同媒體中所出現的帕克造型與形象，作為主要的討論例證或依據。 經由文本的分析與歷史文化脈絡的重建，本文並將進一步探討，莎翁如何將前現代時期文化中與魔鬼關係密切又桀驁不馴的「帕克」形象加以逆轉、馴化，而形塑出帕克前所未有的嶄新形象。

The fairy and the devil have long been closely related in western culture. It has been so either from the definitions of both terms or from interpretations of the art. Puck in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is an agile, comic fairy, who is capable of assuming various shapes and playing tricks on others. But, in terms of cultural origins, the fairy's image, in fact, also undergoes drastic metamorphic changes. Through an analysis of the play's relevant passages and a re-contextualization of Early Modern English culture, the article seeks to re-explore the fairy's origins from folklore, mythology, and religion; it re-examines, as well, how Shakespeare converted and tamed the devilish image of "puck" to create his own Puck. To elaborate on Puck's metamorphoses, several related productions and adaptations of A Midsummer Night's Dream in a range of media and genres will be discussed to further illustrate Puck is reminiscent of devils both in this play and in cultural history.