王爾德社會劇中的顛覆

Abstract

本文將探討王爾德的戲劇技巧 – 其巧妙操作戲劇傳統慣例，他所利用的當時的時髦風潮，以及他本身特殊的國族文化背景對他的身分認同所造成的影響，三者之間密切糾纏的關係。 在王爾德的社會劇中，一些表面上遵守慣例，迎合觀眾品味的成分，其實隱含了顛覆性的想法。 透過對王爾德作品的審視，本文試圖呈現劇作家「政治性」的一面，他對社會的深刻批評，以及他對自我創造無限的想像。

This paper intends to examine Oscar Wilde’s literary strategy – his manipulation of the contemporary theatrical conventions – along with his deployment of dandyism and his cultural background of the Anglo-Irish which contributes to his ambiguous attitude toward self-identity. In Wilde’s society comedies, the seemingly conventional elements that appeal to the audiences’ taste are ironically the subversive ideas in disguise. Through the perusal of the playwright’s dramatic works, we would discover a “political” Wilde with trenchant criticism toward society and an unbounded vision toward his self-creation.