말로의 「에드워드 2세」에 나타난 제국주의 담론: 성, 계급, 정치 (Imperial Discourse in Marlowe’s Edward II: Gender, Class, and Politics)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국고전중세르네상스영문학회
· 수록지 정보 : 고전 르네상스 영문학 / 20권 / 1호 / 121 ~ 148페이지
· 저자명 : 김성환

초록

This paper starts with the question about the dichotomy that Shakespeare has been regarded as a conservative in a sense that he upheld the position of so called “Tudor Myth,” while his contemporary Marlowe, the legendary playwright, spy, homosexual, and atheist has been regarded as radical.
Marlowe staged various “others” inside and outside of the English society, especially the homosexual Edward II among them. Edward was a failure as a monarch: he was not only defeated in the battle but also favored the homosexual favorite Gaveston. Their transgressive relationship engendered fear and anxiety from the nobility. Furthermore, England is said to be surrounded by the enemies from outside—the Catholic France, Italy, Spain—as well as the enemies within. Assuming the seemingly patriotic and masculine point of view, the nobility condemn not only the deviant relationship between Edward and Gaveston, but also the king’s failure in dealing with the national affairs. Even Edward’s wife Isabella takes the side of the nobility and commits adultery with Mortimer Junior.
Marlowe reveals Mortimer’s surplus of masculinity as a warrior, by depicting his order to torture and kill Edward mercilessly and by taking his position as Protector of Edward the third by committing adultery with Isabella. At the apex of political power, Mortimer wields his power at random. By insinuating Lightborn to kill Edward parodying sodomy—penetrating him with the red hot spit—Mortimer and Isabella become the sodomites they condemn eventually.
Marlowe is under service to the established power ambivalently upholding the imperial ideology defending the king, and punishing the sodomite king, the “other” within, at the end. This play ends with the ritual accession of the ideal monarch Edward the third. He shows the integration of feminity and masculinity in dealing with the due funeral of his father and punishing Mortimer and Isabella. He is the one who claimed his rightful kingship and waged war against France, the 100 Year War. Thus, we can say that Marlowe intended to provide the Elizabethan audience with the vision of the British Empire through Edward the third. In this sense, the traditional notion of Marlowe as a radical requires reconsideration.

영어초록

This paper starts with the question about the dichotomy that Shakespeare has been regarded as a conservative in a sense that he upheld the position of so called “Tudor Myth,” while his contemporary Marlowe, the legendary playwright, spy, homosexual, and atheist has been regarded as radical.
Marlowe staged various “others” inside and outside of the English society, especially the homosexual Edward II among them. Edward was a failure as a monarch: he was not only defeated in the battle but also favored the homosexual favorite Gaveston. Their transgressive relationship engendered fear and anxiety from the nobility. Furthermore, England is said to be surrounded by the enemies from outside—the Catholic France, Italy, Spain—as well as the enemies within. Assuming the seemingly patriotic and masculine point of view, the nobility condemn not only the deviant relationship between Edward and Gaveston, but also the king’s failure in dealing with the national affairs. Even Edward’s wife Isabella takes the side of the nobility and commits adultery with Mortimer Junior.
Marlowe reveals Mortimer’s surplus of masculinity as a warrior, by depicting his order to torture and kill Edward mercilessly and by taking his position as Protector of Edward the third by committing adultery with Isabella. At the apex of political power, Mortimer wields his power at random. By insinuating Lightborn to kill Edward parodying sodomy—penetrating him with the red hot spit—Mortimer and Isabella become the sodomites they condemn eventually.
Marlowe is under service to the established power ambivalently upholding the imperial ideology defending the king, and punishing the sodomite king, the “other” within, at the end. This play ends with the ritual accession of the ideal monarch Edward the third. He shows the integration of feminity and masculinity in dealing with the due funeral of his father and punishing Mortimer and Isabella. He is the one who claimed his rightful kingship and waged war against France, the 100 Year War. Thus, we can say that Marlowe intended to provide the Elizabethan audience with the vision of the British Empire through Edward the third. In this sense, the traditional notion of Marlowe as a radical requires reconsideration.

참고자료

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