셰익스피어 4대 비극과 배신

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Shakespeare’s four great tragedies are full of betrayal, which is the main reason that results in the protagonist’s tragic downfall. Shakespeare seems to believe that the most painful and unfortunate suffering comes from the betrayal of close people such as family members, lovers, friends, and loyal subjects etc. Betrayal of brother and wife in Hamlet, betrayal of right-hand man in Othello, betrayal of a loyal subject and kindred in Macbeth, and betrayal of daughters in King Lear are the common cause of tragic conflict and suffering. It seems to reflect the tendency of Renaissance society in which deception and betrayal were considered necessary for individual success. In the contemporary society doubt and surveillance were natural, and trust often became the cause of betrayal. Through the various dramatic actions of betrayal, Shakespeare explores that betrayal results from the contemporary typical desire of power, wealth, and love, and that the hierarchical and patriarchal order in his contemporary society is in crisis. Therefore the root of Shakespeare’s tragedy lies in betrayal rather than the protagonist’s tragic faults. The sense of loss resulted from betrayal is in the center of Shakespeare’s tragedy. Shakespeare shows how painful it is to live in a world which is full of betrayal and deception. In Shakespeare’s tragic world, the one who betrays for individual success is also betrayed, and cannot escape from the painful and unfortunate reality.