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Othello 莎翁悲剧《奥赛罗》

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課文中英文講解

繁體中文譯本

Othello is a respected general and a man of determination, yet because of his African origins, he remains an outsider in Venice. Defying social norms, he and his beloved Desdemona get married secretly and without her father’s consent. When her father discovers the marriage, he takes Othello to be judged by the Venetian authorities. Othello, resolved and unshaken, successfully defends his actions. This is, however, merely the beginning of his troubles.

奥赛罗是位受人敬重的将军，也是个很有决心的人，但非洲裔的身分使他在威尼斯仍被视为外人。他不顾社会规范，在未征得女友父亲的同意下，和心爱的女友黛丝蒂梦娜秘密完婚；她父亲获悉这桩婚事后，要求威尼斯当局审判奥赛罗。意志坚决的奥赛罗成功地为自己的行为辩护，然而，这只是他厄运的开端。

After clearing his name, Othello is dispatched to Cyprus to lead the defense of the island, and devoted Desdemona insists on traveling with him. However, like an evil serpent, Othello’s ensign Iago is secretly plotting against him. Although he appears loyal, Iago has a clear agenda to destroy Othello. The motivations for his hatred remain a mystery, and his reasons are clouded by lies.

为自己洗刷罪名后，奥赛罗奉派前往塞普勒斯，指挥该岛的防御任务，深爱他的黛丝蒂梦娜坚持同行。然而，奥赛罗的掌旗官，邪恶如毒蛇般和伊亚格正密谋造反。尽管看来忠心耿耿，伊亚格却盘算着如何摧毁奥赛罗。他仇恨的动机至今依然成谜，理由则被谎言包覆。

Iago seeks to poison Othello’s marriage. He uses Cassio, Othello’s loyal lieutenant, as his unfortunate pawn, for Iago envies his position. He ruins Cassio’s honor by involving him in a bar fight, and Othello is forced to strip him of his rank. Iago, playing the role of a well-wishing comrade, then advises Cassio to have Desdemona speak for him to Othello. When she agrees to do so, Iago taints this good deed by hinting to Othello of an inappropriate relationship between Cassio and Desdemona. Initially dismissing what Iago says, Othello nevertheless begins to doubt both his friend and his lover.

伊亚格企图破坏奥赛罗的婚姻。奥赛罗忠诚的副将卡希欧不幸被利用当成工具，只因伊亚格嫉妒他的职位。伊亚格让卡希欧卷入一场酒馆斗殴，藉此毁掉他的名誉，奥赛罗因而被迫摘除他的军阶。伊亚格假意扮演善意的同袍，建议卡希欧请黛丝蒂梦娜为他向奥赛罗说情。黛丝蒂梦娜同意帮忙后，伊亚格便扭曲她的善行，向奥赛罗暗示卡希欧及黛丝蒂梦娜之间关系暧昧。尽管最初奥赛罗驳斥伊亚格的说法，却开始对朋友及爱人起了疑心。

Vocabulary

norm [nɔrm] n. 规范

consent [kənˋsɛnt] n. 同意，赞成

dispatch [dɪˋspætʃ] v. 派遣

comrade [ˋkɑmræd] n. 伙伴

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respected [rɪˋspɛktɪd] adj. 受尊敬的，受敬重的

determination [dɪ͵tɝməˋneʃən] n. 坚定；果断

Venice [ˋvɛnɪs] n. 威尼斯（意大利东北部的港埠）

defy [dɪˋfaɪ] v. 公然反抗

authority [əˋθɔrətɪ] n. 官方，当局

resolved [rɪˋzɑlvd] adj. 下定决心的,断然的

Cyprus [ˋsaɪprəs] n. 塞普勒斯

devoted [dɪˋvotɪd] adj. 忠实的；挚爱的

insist on 坚持

serpent [ˋsɝpənt] n. 蛇（尤指大蛇、毒蛇）; 阴险毒辣的人

ensign [ˋɛnsn] n. 掌旗官; 海军少尉

plot [plɑt] v. 密谋，策划

agenda [əˋdʒɛndə] n. 程序，计划

motivation [͵motəˋveʃən] n. 动机﹐原因

cloud [klaʊd] v. 覆盖，遮蔽

poison [ˋpɔɪzn] v. 破坏

pawn [pɔn] n. 马前卒，爪牙，工具

strip... of .. 夺去，剥夺；掠夺[（+of）]

well-wishing [ˋwɛlˋwɪʃɪŋ] adj. 祝福的

taint [tent] v. 玷污﹐败坏〔某人的名誉〕

dismiss [dɪsˋmɪs] v. 拒绝考虑; 不理会

課文中英文講解

Iago’s hateful schemes are numerous. He steals a handkerchief that was Othello’s first gift to Desdemona, and plants it in Cassio’s room. Iago then claims that he saw Cassio with it. When Desdemona cannot produce it at Othello’s request, Othello finally falls for Iago’s manipulations. Iago continue to speak venomous lies to Othello. Sadly, Othello trusts Iago wholeheartedly.

伊亚格诡计多端，他窃取黛丝蒂梦娜的一条手绢，那是奥赛罗送她的第一件礼物。他将手绢藏在卡希欧房内，接着声称曾目睹卡希欧持有该手绢。在黛丝蒂梦娜无法应奥赛罗的要求取出手绢后，奥赛罗终究难逃伊亚格的操弄。伊亚格持续对奥赛罗说着恶毒的谎言，不幸的是，奥赛罗已对他深信不移。

Iago promises to show Othello decisive proof of his wife’s infidelity. He asks Othello to look on as he speaks of Desdemona to Cassio. Othello observes them out of earshot. However, Iago cunningly talks about Cassio’s mistress, Bianca, instead of Desdemona. Othello sees Cassio laughing and joking, and he interprets it as additional evidence of Desdemona’s infidelity. “Look how he laughs,” Othello says furiously.

伊亚格允诺会向奥赛罗提出其妻不贞的确切证据，请奥赛罗注意他和卡希欧谈论黛丝蒂梦娜。奥赛罗在听力所不及的地方观察他们，然而狡猾的伊亚格谈论的却是卡希欧的情妇碧安卡，而不是黛丝蒂梦娜。奥赛罗看见卡希欧有说有笑，因此认定是另一项黛丝蒂梦娜不贞的证据。奥赛罗愤怒地说「看他笑得多开心呀。」

In a disastrous coincidence, Bianca enters the scene. Before Othello’s eyes, she throws Desdemona’s handkerchief at Cassio and accuses him of unfaithfulness. Seeing the token of his once gentle, blossoming love turned into dooming evidence, Othello rushes to confront his wife. “That handkerchief that I loved so much and gave to you – how could you give it to Cassio?” he shouts. In his rage, Othello smothers her despite her pitiful pleas.

不幸的是，碧安卡刚好在此时出现，奥赛罗亲眼目睹她将黛丝蒂梦娜的手绢丢向卡希欧，并指控他不忠。眼看曾一度象征自己柔情蜜意的信物，竟成为爱情毁灭的证据，奥赛罗赶去质问妻子，对着她怒吼：「我将自己珍爱的手绢送给妳，妳怎能把它送给卡希欧？」尽管她苦苦哀求，盛怒的奥赛罗却闷死她。

Immediately thereafter, Othello discovers that Iago acted wickedly and that all of his words were cunning treachery. Overwhelmed with grief for his innocent, loving wife, Othello takes his own life. As his evil deeds are exposed, Iago is left to be cruelly punished as Cassio sees fit.

此后不久，奥赛罗发现伊亚格的邪恶行径．并明白其说辞全是狡诈的谎言。想到无辜、挚爱的妻子之死，笼罩在悲痛之下的奥赛罗结束了自己的生命。而伊亚格在恶行被揭露后，只能任凭卡希欧对他施以残酷的惩罚。

−by Alan Campana

Vocabulary

scheme [skim] n. 诡计，阴谋

manipulation [mə͵nɪpjʊˋleʃən] n. 操纵，控制

decisive [dɪˋsaɪsɪv] adj. 决定性的

coincidence [koˋɪnsɪdəns] n. 巧合

confront [kənˋfrʌnt] v. 对质

overwhelm [͵ovɚˋhwɛlm] v. 使受不了；使不知所措

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plant [plænt] v.（秘密）布置

fall for【俚】受...的骗, 上...的当

venomous [ˋvɛnəməs] adj. 恶意的；恶毒的

wholeheartedly [͵holˋhɑrtɪdlɪ] adv. 全心全意地

infidelity [͵ɪnfəˋdɛlətɪ] n. 不贞

look on:  观望 to be a spectator at an event or incident

out of earshot: 超出听力范围 too far from the source of a sound to hear the sound

cunningly [ˋkʌnɪŋlɪ] adv. 狡猾地

interpret [ɪnˋtɝprɪt] v. 诠释

furiously [ˋfjʊərɪəslɪ] adv. 狂怒地

disastrous [dɪzˋæstrəs] adj. 灾难性的

accuse sb of  控告某人犯了...

unfaithfulness [ʌnˋfeθfəlnɪs] n. 不信守婚誓; 不忠实

token [ˋtokən] n. 标记；证据，证物

blossom [ˋblɑsəm] v. 变快乐了; 变漂亮了; 兴旺

doom [dum] v. 判定，判决; 使失败，使毁灭

smother [ˋsmʌðɚ] v. 使窒息；把……闷死

pitiful [ˋpɪtɪfəl] adj. 可怜的，令人同情的

plea [pli] n. 请求，恳求

thereafter [ðɛrˋæftɚ] adv. 【正式】其后﹐此后

wickedly [ˋwɪkɪdlɪ] adv. 邪恶地；凶恶地；恶劣地

treachery [ˋtrɛtʃərɪ] n. 背信弃义﹐ 不忠﹐背叛

grief [grif] n. 悲痛，悲伤

expose [ɪkˋspoz] v. 揭露，揭发

see fit: 决定; 看着办  to decide

Reading Questions

1.   Which of the following best represents what is meant when Othello is referred to as “an outsider”?

A.  That he spends the majority of his time outside buildings.

B.  That he doesn’t fit in well with the rest of society.

C.  That it is impossible for him to communicate with people in Venice.

D.  That he will never be allowed to marry a woman in Venice.

2.   What is Iago principal objective throughout the play?

A.  To make Desdemona fall in love with him and divorce Othello.

B.  To kill Othello and become king of the country one day.

C.  To secure Othello’s friendship by helping him no matter what.

D.  To create all sorts of problems for Othello and those around him.

3.   Which of the following in NOT an appropriate description of Iago?

A.  He does everything out of selflessness.

B.  He is extremely skilled at making people believe his lies.

C.  He has a lot of unexplained hatred for the people around him.

D.  In the end, he gets the treatment that he deserves.

4.   What lesson can we learn from the story of Othello?

A.  That people from different cultures should avoid getting married.

B.  That we should be careful not to be let emotion cloud our judgment.

C.  That people should always hires spies to make sure they are not being plotted against.

D.  That evildoers will often get away with all sorts of crimes.

 Answer