BO GIAO DUC VA DAO TAO TRUONG DAI HOC TONG HOP HA NOT
Trang 2Selections from English Literature is intended for advanced students of English Eighteen British
authors (from William Shakespeare to John Osborne,
widely different in genre, style and outlook, are represented here by the extracts from their major
works
In order to give the student a cloger acquain-
tance with the writers and some ideas of their place
in English literature, there have algo been included short biographies of the authors together with their major works In most cases, further explanations and
commentaries have' been added where it was thought
Trang 3WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)
William Shakespeare was born at Stratiord-on-Avon While a youth, he left tor London and became attached to a company of players He was an actor, end produced his
own plays which were staged at the Globe Theatre
Shakespeare is the greatest playwright in the history
of English and world literature His prodigious vitelity remains unimpaired for centuries The poet wrote of the eternal things in life : love, death and high human aspira- tions He reflected the spirit of the Renaissance, the epoch
of great discoveries and darings, with all its contradictions
and tragedies Shakespeare taught to understand the essence
of human relations, passions and conflicts, and presented them with great dramatic vigour He gave lively representa= tions of his contemporaries and historical types
' Shakespeare wrote 37 plays altogether His creative work can be divided into four periods
The first period (1590-1593) may be named his period
of apprenticeship It includes histories snd comedies :
"King Henry VI", "King Richard III", "The Comedy of Errors",
"The Taming of the Shrew", and "Titus Andronicus" In the second period (1594-1600), apart from comedies and histo-
ries :"A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Much Ado About Nothing",
“As You Like It", "Twelfth Night ; or, What You Will", etc.;
"King Richard Il", "King Henry IV", eto., - Shakespeare wrote his first notable tragedies, "Romeo and Juliet" and
"Julius Caesar" These periods of the playwright's creative
activities are remarkable mostly for optunism, sunny,
sparkling joyousness, and faith in the Keneissance Still, the historical plays first put forth the problems later
to be developed in his great tragedies :
Trang 4The third period (1601-1608) includes tragedies which
appear in succession : “Hamlet, Prince of Denmerk", "Othello, +
The Moor of Venice", "King Lear", and “Macbeth” Light-
héarted, bouyant joyousness that brightens up his comedies gives way to dark and gloomy colours Shakespeare emphasizes
dramatic circumstancés in human life
The fourth period (1609-1612) contains "Cymbeline", The Winter's Tale", "The Tempest", and "King Henry VIII" It suggestea philosophic meditation on the eternal verities of human life
Shakespeare is also known as the author of two poema
Trang 5HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
PERSONS REPRESENTED
CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark FRANCISCO, a Soldier
HAMLET, Son to the former and | REYNALDO Servant to POLONIUS
Nephew io the present King Players
POLONIUS, Lord Chamberlain Two Clowns, Grave-diggers HORATIO, Friend to HAMLET | FORTINBRAS, Prince of Norway
LAERTES Sen io POLONIUS A Captain
VOLTIMAND, | English Ambassadors
CORNELIUS, Ghost of HAMLET’S Father
ROSENCRANTZ, ; GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and
GUILDENSTERN, [COM Hers: Mother of HAMLET
OSRIC, OPHELIA, Daughter to POLONIUS
‘ pentleman, Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Sail-
MARCELLUS \ ors, Messengers, and other Attend-
BERNARDO j Officers ants
SCENE, — ELSINORE
(The scene is laid in Denmark, at the court of King Claudius who ascends
the throne after his brother's sudden death Hamlet, the son of the late King, comes from Germany, where he studies xt the University, to attend the funeral
The Prince is shocked by his father’s death and mother’s unexpected marriage
The Ghost of his father appdars at night and makes the dreadful revelation: Hamlet's father is slain and the murderer is the present King The Ghost urges the Prince for his revenge and Hamlet takes upon himself the obligation of revenging his stepfather
Wishing to test the truth of the Ghost’s message ind his own suspicions
Hamlet’ assumes madness Watching the life at court Hatnlet makes sure that
the murderer is King Clandius Atraid of Hamlet Claudius plots to destroy him And this comes to light in the last scene — the foil contest between Uamict and Laertes.) » ACT 1 { SCENE [!1.— ELSINORE A Room of Sfate in the Castle Hamlet re TL naHHHaaaLA.ẻ usT :
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on 't! O fie! 'tis'an unweeded garden,
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely That it should come to this!
But two months dead! -+nay, not so much, not two:
So excellent a king; thal was, to this,
Trang 6Must I remember? why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on: and yet, within a month,—
Let me not think on ‘t,— Frailty; thy name is woman! —
A little month; or ere those shoes were old
With which she fotflow’d my poor father’s body,
Like Niobe, al! tears; — why she, even she,—
O God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn’d longer, married with mine uncle, My father’s brother; but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month,
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galled “eyes, She married: — Coe HT Ta
Enter HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BERNARDO
Horatio My lord I came to see your father’s-funeral — Hamlet | pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student: I think it was to see my mother’s wedding
Horatio Indeed, my ford, it follow’d hard upon
Hamlet Thrift thrift, Horatio! the funeral-bak'd meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables Would [ had met’my dearest foe in heaven Ere [| had ever seen that day, Horatio! — My father.— methinks [ see my father
Horatio Where, mv lord?
Hamlet In my mind’s eye, Horatio
Horatio | saw him once: he was a goodly king Hamlet He was a man, take him for all in all, I shal! not look upon his like again
Horatio My lord, I think | saw him yesternight Hamlet, Saw who?
Horatio My lord, the king your father
Hamlet The king mv father!
Horatio, Season your admiration for awhile
With an attent ear, till I may deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen This marvel to you
Hamlet For- God's love, let me hear
Horatio Two nights together had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch ` In the dead vast and middle‘of the night,
Trang 7Appeais before them, and with solemn march Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd By their oppress’d and fear-surprised eyes,
Within his truncheon’s length; whilst they, distill'd Almost to jeily with the act of fear,
Stand dumb, and speak not to him This to me In dreadful secrecy impart they did:
And I with them the third night kept the watch: Where, as they had deliver’d, both in time,
Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The apparition comes: 1 knew your father; These hands are not more like
Hamlet But where was this?
Marcellus My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd Hamlet Did you not speak to il?
Horatio My lord, { did;
But answer made it none: yet once me thought It lifted up its head, and did address
Itself to motion, like as it would speak: But even tten the morning cock crew loud, And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
And vanish'd from our sight
HanHet ‘Tis very strange
Horatio As | do live, my honour’d lord, ‘Hs true: And we did think it writ down in our duty
To let you know of it
Hamlet Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me Hold you the watch to-night?
Marcellus and Bernardo We do, my lord
Hamlet, Arm'd, say you? |
Marcellus and Bernardo Arnvd, my lord Hamlet From top to toe?
Marcellus and Bernardo My lord, from head to foot Hamlet Then saw you not his face?
Horatio O ves, my lord; he wore his beaver up
Hamlet, What, took'd he [rowningly?
Horatio A countenance more in sorrow than in anger
Hamlet Pale or red? Horatio Nav, very pale
Hamlet And fix'd his eyes upon you? Horatio Most constantly
Hamlet { would [ had been there
Horatio It would have much amaz’d you
Hamlet Very like, very like Stay'd it long?
Horatio While one with moderale haste might tel]
a hundred
Trang 8Horatio Not when I saw ‘t
Hamlet His beard was grizzled,— no?
Horatio It was, as [ have seen it in his life, A sable silver’d
Hamilet I will watch to-night; Perchance ‘twill walk again
Horatio [ warrant it will Hamlet If it assume my noble father’s person I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape And bid me hold my peace I pray vou all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,
Let it be tenable in your silence still; And whatsoever else shall hap to-night, Give it an understanding, but no tongue: I will requite your loves So, fare ye well: Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve, Pil visit you
All Our duty to your honour
Hamiet Your loves, as mine to you: farewell
ˆ~
{Exeunt HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BERNARDO My father’s spirit in arms! all is not well;
I doubt some foul play: would the night were come!
Till then sit still, mv soul: foul deeds will rise,
Though- all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes
wor [Exử
SCENE IV.— The Platform
Enter HAMLET, HORATIO, and MARCELLUS
Hamlet The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold
Horatio It is a nipping and an eager air
Hamlet What hour now?
Horatio I think it lacks of twelve
Marcellus No, it is struck
Horatio {ndeed? I heard it not: then it draws near the
season ”
Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk
[A flourish of trumpets, and ordnance shot off within
What does this mean, my lord?
Hamlet The king doth wake to-night, and takes his
rouse,
Trang 9The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out The triumph of his pledge
” Horatio, Is it a custom? Hamlet Ay, marry, is ’t:
But to my mind,— though [| ain native here,
And to the manner born,— it is a custom
More honour’d in the breach than the observance This heavy-headed revel east and west
Makes us traduc'd and tax’d of ather nations: They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase
Soil our addition; and, indeed, it takes
From our achievements, though perform’d at height,
The pith and marrow of our attribute
Horatio » Look, my lord, it comes!
Enter Ghost
Hamlet Angels and ministers of grace defend us! — Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn’d,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou‘com’st in such a questionable shape
That I will speak to thee: I'll call thee Hamlet, King, father, roval Dane: O, answer me!
Let me not burst in ignorance; but tell Why thy canoniz’d bones, hearsed in death, Have burst their cerements; why the sepulchre,
Wherein we saw thee quietly in-urn'd,
Hath op’d his ponderous and marble jaws To cast thee up again! What may this tnean,
That thou, dead corse, again in complete steel,
Revisit’st thus the glimpses of the moon, Making night hideous, and we fools of nature So horridly to shake our disposition
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls? Say, why is this? wherefore? what should we do?
[Ghost beckons HAMLET
SCENE V.—A more remote part of the Platform
Enter Ghost and HAMLET
Trang 10Ghost Mark me
Hamlet I will
Ghost My hour is almost come When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself
Hamlet Alas, poor ghost!
Ghost Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing To what I shall unfold
Hamlet Speak; I am bound to hear
Ghost So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear Hamlet What?
Ghost I am thy father’s spirit;
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night And, for the day, confin!d to waste in fires
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
Are burnt and purg’d away But that I am forbid To tell the secrets of my prison-house,
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood;
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres;
Thy knolted and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand on end,
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine: But this eternal blazon must not be
To ears of flesh and blood.— List list, O list! —
If thou didst ever thy dear father love,— Hamlet O God!
Ghost, Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder Hamlet Murder! ‘
Ghost Murder most foul, as in the best it is:
But this most foul, strange, and unnatural
Hamlet Haste me to know ’t, that I, with wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge
Ghost I find thee apt: And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That rots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,
Wouldst thou not stir in this Now, Haimnlet, hear:
‘Tis given out that, sleeping in mine orchard, A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark
Is by a forged process of my death
Rankly abus’d: but know, thou noble vouth, The serpent that did sting thy father’ s life Now wears his crown
Hamlet O my prophetic soul! mine uncle!
Trang 11ae eet
Brief let me be.— Sleeping within mine orchard, My custom always in the afternoon,
’ Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole
ith juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, And in the porches of mine ears did pour The leperous distilment; whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through The natural gates and alleys of the body, And with a-sudden vigour it doth posset And curd, like eager droppings into milk, The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
And a most instant tetter bark’d about \
Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
All my smooth body
Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother’s hand, Of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatch'd:
aoe ee eh) 6Fare thee well at once! The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And ‘gins to pale his uneffectual fire: Adieu, adieu! Hamlet, remember me
(Exit
Hamlet O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else? And shall 1 couple hell? — O; fie! — Hold, my heart;
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, But bear me stiffly up.— Remember thee!
Ay; thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat In this distracted globe Remember thee!
Yea, from the table of my memory I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past, That youth and observation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shail live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmix'd with baser: matter: yes, by heaven.— O most pernicious woman!.,
O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables,— meet it is I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain; At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark:
[Writing
So, uncle, there you are Now to my word; It is, Adieu, adieul remember me:
Trang 12117 7!
SCENE IL—¿\ Room in the Castle
Guildenstern Mine honoured lord!’ Rosencrantz My most dear lord!
Hamlet My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guilden-
stern? Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do ye both?
Rosencrantz As the indifferent children of the earth
Hamlet K25 343743 v — Whafs the news? Rosencrantz None, my lord, but that the world’s grown
honest
Hamlet Then is doomsday near: but your news is not (rue Let me question more in particular; what have you, my good friends, deserved at the Hands of fortune, that she sends you to
prison hither?
Guildenstern Prison, my lord! Hamlet Denmark's a prison
Rosencrantz Then is the world one
Hamlet A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons, Deninark being one o’ the worst
Rosencrantz We think not so, my lord
Hamlet Why, then, ‘tis none to you; for there is nothing
either good or bad, but thinking makes it so: to me it is a prison
ACT TM
SCENE [.— A Room in the Castle
Hamlet To be, or not to be,— that is the question: —
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suifer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of trotbles,
And by opposing end them? — To die,— to sleep,—
No more: and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to,— ‘tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish’d To die,— to sleep; —
To sleep! perchance to dreamin: — ay, there's the rub: For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Trang 13XN
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time
The!oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of despis’d love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary liie
But that the dread of something after death,— The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns,— puzzles the will,
“And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? I Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
{s sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought; And enterprises of great pith and moment, |
With this regard, their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.—
ACT IV
-SCENE [V.—-A Plain in Denmark
Aamlet Co cv cv cv TA sa ` (How all occasions do inform against me,
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more
Sure he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and godlike reason
To fusl in us unus’d Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event,—
A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdoin
And ever three parts coward,-—- | do not know Why yet I live to say, This thing’s to do:
Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means To do ‘t
Coe ee ee Rightly lo be great
Trang 14When honour’s at the stake How stand I, then, That have a father kill’d, a mother stain'd,
Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all I sleep?
'O, from this time forth, | My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
ACT V
SCENE IL—A Hall in the Castle
Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Attendants with foils, etc
King Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me
[The KING puts LAERTES'S hand into HAMLET’S
Hamlet Give me your pardon, sir: | have done you wrong:
But pardon ’t, as you are a gentleman
This presence knows, and you must needs have heard, How I am punish’d with sore distraction
What I have done,
That might your nature, honour, and exception Roughly awake, | here proclaim was madness Was 't Hamlet wrong’d Laertes? Never Hamlet: If Hamlet from himself be ta’en away,
And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it
Who does it, then? His madness: if ’t be so,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong’d;
His madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy Sir, in this audience,
Let my disclaiming from a purpos’d evil
Free me so far in your most generous thoughts That I have shot mine arrow o'er the house And hurt my brother
Laertes, I am satisfied in nature, Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most To my revenge: but in my terms of honour
I stand aloof; and will no reconcilement Till by some elder masters of known honour
[ have a voice and precedent of peace
Trang 15I do receive your offer’d love like love, And will not wrong if
” Hamlet l embrace it freely; And will this brother’s wager frankly plav.— Give us the foils; come on
Laertes Come, one for te
Hamlet Vil be your foil, Laertes; in nine ignorance
Your skill shall, like a star in the darkest night,
Stick fiery off indeed
Laertes You mock me, sir Hamlet No, by this hand
King Give them the foils, young Osric Cousin Haimtet, You know the wager?
Hamlet Very well, my lord:
Your grace hath laid the odds o’ the weaker side
King [ do not fear it; I have seen you both,
But since he’s better’d, we have therefore odds Laertes This is too heavy, let me see another
Hamlet This likes tne well These foils have all a length?
{They prepare to play
Osric Ay, my good tord
King Set me the stoups of wine upon that table,— If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire; The king Shall drink to Hamlet's better breath,
And in the cup an union shall he throw, Richer than that which four successive kings
In Denmark’s crown have worn Give me the cups; | And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth, Now ihe king drinks to Hamlet.— Come, begin: — And you, the judges, bear a wary eve
Hamiet Come on, sir
Laertes Coie, my lord
{They play
Hamlet ; One
Laertes No
Hamlet Judgment
Osric A hit, a very palpable hit
Laertes Well; — again
King Stay, give me drink.— Hamlet, this pear! is thine; Here’s to thy health.—
[Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within,
Trang 16Hamlet \'ll play this bout first; set it by awhile —
Come.— Another hit; what say you?
7 [They play
Laertes A touch, a touch, I do confess King Our son shall win,
Queen He's fat, and scant of breath.— Here, Hamiet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet
Hamlet Good madam!
King Gertrude, do not drink Queen I will, my lord: | pray you, pardon me King [Aside.] It is the poison’d cup; it is too late Hamlet | dare not drink yet, madam; by and by |
Queen Come, let me wipe thy face Q
Laertes My lord, I'll hit him now
King - I do not think 't
Laertes [Aside.| And yet ‘tis almost ’gainst my con- science
Hamlet Come, for the third, Laertes: you but dally: [ pray you, pass with your best violence:
lam afeard you make a wanton of me _» Laertes Say you so? come on
: [They play
Osric Nothing, neither way Laertes Have at you tow!
{(LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then, in scuffling, they
change rapiers, and HAMLET wounds LAERTES
King Part them; they are incens’d Hamlet Nay, come, again
„ [The QUEEN falls
Osric Look to the queen there, ho!
Horatio They bleed on both sides.— How is it, my lord?
Osric How is ‘t, Laertes?
Laertes Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric; Tam justly kill’d with mine own treachery
Hamlet How does the queen?
King She swoons to see them bleed
Queen No, no, the drink, the drink—O my dear
Hamlet,—
The drink, the drink! — | am poison’d
: - [Dies
Hamlet O villanyl — Ho! let the door be lock’d: Treachery! seek it out
Trang 17Laertes It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art sfain;
No medicine in the world can do thee good;
If thee there is not half an hour of life: The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,”
Unbated and envenom’'d: the foul practice
Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie, Never to rise again: thy mother’s poison’d:
T can no more: — the king, the king’s to blame
Hamlet The point envenom’'d tool — Then venom to thy work
[Stabs the KING
Osric and Lords, Treason! treason!
King O, yet defend me, friends; T am but hurt
Hanuet Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,
Drink off this potion.— Is thy union here? Follow niv mother
(KING dies, Laertes He is.justly serv’d;
It is a poison temper’d by himself.—
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet:
Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me!
[Dies
Hamlet Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee — I am dead Horatio — Wretched queen, adieu! —
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time,— as this fell sergeant, death, Is strict in his arrest,— O, I could tell you,—
But let it be.— Horatio, | am dead,
Thou liv’st; report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied
Horatio Never believe it:
A am more an antique Roman than a Dane,—
Here’s yet some liquor left
Hamlet As thou'rt a man,
Give me the cup; let go; by heaven, [ll have ‘t.— O good Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me!
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,
Absent thee from felicity awhile,
And in this harsh world draw thv breath in pain, To tell my story.—
{March afar off, and shot within,
What warlike noise is this?
Osric Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland,
To the ambassadors of England gives This warlike volley ;
Hamlet O, I die, Horatio;
The potent poison quite o’er-crows my spirit: I catinot live to hear the news from England: But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice,
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Trang 18+: 2a 3: 43 5a 6, Ts 8 9 410 44 12: 13 14 15 COMMEN TARY ACT I, SCENE IT
Eleinore / elsi’nd: / (= Helsingor) - city in Denmark
At the end of the 16th’ century there was built a fortress
called Kronborg It was the residence of Danish kings
uses - customs
‘tis - itis
nay (archaic) - no
typerion / hs3 pt2rian / - Greek Mythology A Titan, the
father of Helios / thi‡i s/, the gsun-god
satyr / ts eta / - Greek Mythology A woodland god or
demon often having the pointed ears, legs, and short horns of a goat
to beteem - to allow
frailty - a moral weakness
thy (old or poetic use) - your ere / £9 / (old use) - before
Niobe / ' natabi / - Greek Mythology The daughter of Tentatus ; turned to stone while weeping for her slein children Tantalus,/ 't @nt3las / - a king who for his crimes was condemned in Hades / 'heidi:z / (Hell) to stand in water that receded when he tried to drink, and with fruit hanging above him that receded when he
reached for it
dt scourse (archaic) - the process or power of reasoning
Hercules /thakjuli:z / - Greek and Roman Mythology A
hero of extreordinary strength and courage who won
immortality by performing the 12 labours demanded by Hera thee, thou (objective and nominative case, old or poetic
use) - you
Trang 19163 4173 18: 193 203 a1: 22: 23: 24 25: 26; 2T: 28 29: 30 31 32: 33 34 356 36 3T 38 29:
methinks (archaic) - it seems to me,
to season (archaic) - to soften, to moderate attent - attentive ©
cap~-a-pé (Frs) - from head to foot, from top to toe
writ - an old past and p.p of "write" would (archaic) - wished, desired
to hap - to happen —
ye /jit/ - an old form of "you",
‘twixt, betwixt - between
SCENE IV
eager (archaic) - keen, sharp
doth /aAt/ (archaic) - does
rouse (archaic) - a noisy drinking party
wassail /‘ wosetl / - a drinking party Rheni sh /*ritnt( / - Rhine wine
marry, interjJ (archaic) - used to express agreement of surprise, esp in answer to a question
to clepe (archaic) - to neme, to call
addition - title
the pith and marrow of out attribute - the essential part that is attributed to us
comtst - come (-st is the old ending of the verb in
the and person singular: didst ~ did ; dost - do ; shouldst - should ; wouldst - would) hearsed - buried hath (archaic) - has op'd - opened corse - corpse SCENE V
Trang 2040, 41: 42 43: 44: 45 463 4T: 48: 49 50 54: 52 59: 54 55 56 5T: 58 59 60 64 62,
mark - pay attention, listen List! (archaic) - Listen!
Lethe /'li:Pi:/ - a river of Hades /'he di:2/ whose water according to Greek mythology causes forgetfulness of the past in those who drink it Hades - the abode of
the dead
matin (Fr ì ~ morning tgins (archaic) - begins host (archaic) - army
to couple - to attach, to join
distracted (archaic) - insane, mad
yea / jer / (archaic) - yes
table (of memory) - list of facts, information, etc
fixed in memory
fond (archaic) - foolish saw - a wise saying, maxim
pressure - impression
‘ACT IT SCENE IT
How dost thou? (Below: how do ye?) - How do you do ? confine (archaic) - a prison
ACT IIL SCENE I
rub ~ difficulty
mortal coil - burdens of life
patient merit - those of patience and merit
quietus /kwai'ti:t s / - death, release from life
bodkin - 8 dagger
fardel (archaic) - a burden
bourn (archaic) - boundary
Trang 21' 63 native hue - natural colour
64, to sickly - to make sick or sickly ACT IV SCENE IV
65, to fust (archaic) - to become mouldy 66, sith (archaic) - since
ACT V, SCENE ITI
67 this presence knows - the people present know
68; ungor'd (from "gore", poet.—- blood) - not stained
69 union - a’ species of pearl
70 kettle - a kettledrum 71 bout - a round; a fight
72 to dally ~ to act playfully
73 afeared (archaic) - afraid,
74 wanton /! wantan / - a person given to luxurious self- enjoyment ˆ
75 unbated (archaic) - not blunted by a guard on the tip
76 Io, interj.-used to attract attention or to show surprise 77 occurrent - an incident, an event,
Trang 22DANIEL DEFOE (1660-1731)
Daniel Foe - was born in 1660, the son of James Foe,
a London butcher For much of his career the biographer
must depend on inference and speculation, rather than on
clearly ascertained facts Many of his activities were of
a sort which demanded concealment, and this concealment
modern scholarship has been able only partially to penetrate As a boy he was sent for four or five years to e non-confor- mist school at Newington Green to prepare for the Pres-
byterian ministry Though he never became a minister, he is
in all his books an indefatigable preacher Throughout his
life he had the knack of picking up information on a wide
variety of subjects - history, economics, geography, demo-
nology At some time in hig earlier manhood he lived for a white in Spain ; and his travels seem to have taken him also to France and Itely and Bavaria In 1684 we find him estab-
lished as a London merchant in the hosiery trade, prosperous enough to get married
He had published a satire in verse in 1691, but his
first publication of any importsnce was An Essay upon Projects
in 1697 In 1701 appeared The True-Born Englishman, a vigorous
satire in verse, the purport of which is that the English,
as a mixed race, should not object to the foreign birth of
King William III Defoe is writing as a staunch Whig and
supporter of the Revolution in 1688, and as one to whom King
William had shown special favour It was in a similer spirit that Defoe wrote in prose The Shortest Way with the Dissenters
(1702), an ironical argument urging that the surest way to
safeguard the Established Church was ruthless persecution of the Dissenters The Shortest Way was publicly condemned as a piece of seditious writing, and its suthor was fined,
Trang 23It was not until Defoe was nearly sixty that he discovered the literary vein of reslistically written
romance that was to assure the permanence of his fame In
1719 appeared The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner, of which four editions were published in as many months 3; in 1720 The Life, Adven-
tures, and Piracies of the Famous Captain Singleton ; in
1722 The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders
and A Journal of the Plague Year ; in 1724 Roxana
Defoe was not the man to be satisfied with tictitious people and events, even if they could be made to point a
moral He had been in the thick of public affairs too long to give up his chosen part as debater of sharp social issues
and interpreter of the contemporary social scene '
One of the great virtues of Defoe's writing is the quality of his English prose-vigorous, homely, racy ~ with
no affectation of fine writing, yet always adequate In hia
Complete English Tradesman (1726) he recommends a "plein and homely style" : “Easy, plain and familiar language is the beau-
ty of speech in general, and is the excellency of all writing, '
on whatever subject, or to whatever persons they are we write or speak The end of speech is that men might understand one another's meaning." The homely, racy style is particularly
appropriate when put into the mouth of such middle~class or
Trang 24THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE
FIRST PART
(The novel is the story told by the hero about himself The most crucial part is his account of the time spent on an uninhabited island
Robinson Crusoe, an experienced merchant and sailor, is shipwrecked Of all on board the ship he is the only otte who is not drowned He is cast ashore
by a heavy wave Climbing a hill Robinson discovers that he is on an island,
and immediately begins pondering of1 how to guard against various dangers and how to get food.)
[ ] I was now landed and safe on shore, and began to look
up and thank God that mv life was saved in a case wherein (here
was, some minutes before, scarce any room {o hope [
[ ] After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part
of my condition, I began to look round me, to see what kind of place Twas in, and what was next to be done; and I soon found my comforts abate, and that, in a word, [ had a dreadful ccliver- ance: for I was wet, had no clothes to shift me, nor anything either to eat or drink, to comfort me; neither did | see any pros- pect before me, but that of perishing with hunger, or being de- voured by wild beasts: and that which was particularly afflicting to me was, that I had no weapon, either to hunt and kill any creatire for my sustenance, or to defénd myself against any other creature that might desire to kill me for theirs In a werd § bad
nothing about me but a knife, a tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco
in a box This was all my provision; and this threw me into ter- rible agonies of mind, that, for a while, I ran about like a mad- man Night coming upon me, I began, with a heavy heart, to con- sider what would be my lot if there were any ravenous beasts in that country, seeing at night they always come abroad for
Trang 25All the remedy that offered to my thoughts, at that time, was to get up into a thick bushv tree, like a fir, but thorny, which grew near me, and where I resolved to sit all night, and consider the next dav what.death I should die, for as yet [ saw no prospect
of life | walked about a furlong from the shore, to see if I could find anv fresh water to drink, which I did, to my great joy; and having drunk, ard put a little tobacco in my mouth to prevent
hunger [ went to the tree, and getting up into it, endeavoured to place mvself so as that if I should sleep, | might not fall: and
having cut me a short stick, like a truncheon, for my defence, I took up my lodging; and having been excessively fatigued,
I fell fast asleep, and slept as comfortably as, I believe, few could have done in my condition; and found myself the most refreshed with it that | think I ever was on such an occasion
When I waked it was broad dav, the weather clear, and the
storm abated, so that the sea did not rage and swell as before but that which surprised me most was, that the ship was lifted off in the night from the sand where she lay, by the swelling of the tide and was driven up almost as far as the rock which I at first mentioned, where I had been so bruised by the wave dashing me against it This being within about a mile from the shore where I was, and the ship seeming to stand upright still, I wished myself on board, that at least I might save some neces- sary things for my use [ .]
(Robinson Crusoe keeps a journal of his evervday life, using the pen, ink
and paper taken irom the ship.) ‘
THE JOURNAL
September 30, 1659 I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, being
Trang 26"The Island of Despair’; all the'rest of the ship's company being drowned, ard myself almost dead
All the rest of the day 1 spent in afflicting myself at the dismal circumstances I was brought to, viz., I had neither food, house, clothes, weapon, nor place to fly to: and, in despair of any relief, saw nothing but death before me: either that | should be devoured by wild beasts, murdered by savages, or starved to death for want of food At the approach of night I slept in a tree, for fear of wild creatures; but slept soundly, though it rained al! night
October 1 In the morning | saw, to my great surprise, the ship had floated with the high tide, and was driven on shore
again much nearer the island; which as it was some comfort on one hand, for seeing her sit upright, and not broken to pieces,
I hoped, if the wind abated, I might get on board, and get some food and necessaries out of her for my relief; so, on the other hand, it renewed my grief at the loss of iy comrades f ] I spent great part of this day in perplexing myself on these things; but, at length, seeing the ship almost dry, 1 went upon the sand as near as I could, and then swam on board This day also it continued raining, though with no wind at all
From the Ist of October to the 24th All these days entirely
spent in many several voyages to get all I could out of the ship, which | brought on shore, every tide of tlood, upon rafts Much rain also in the days, though with some intervals of fair weather: but it seems this was the rainy season
Oct 20 I overset my raft, and all the goods I had got upon it;
but being in shoal water, and the things being chiefly heavy,
I recovered inany of them when the tide was out
Oct 25 It rained all night and all day, with some gusts of wind; during which time the ship broke in pieces, the wind
blowing a little harder than before, and was no more lo be seen,
except the wreck of her, and that only at low water | spent this day in covering and securing the goods which | had saved, that the rain might not spoil them
Oct 26 [ walked about the shore almost all day, to find out a place to fix my habitation, greatly concerned to secure myself from any attack in the night, either from wild beasts or men Towards night, I fixed upon a proper place, under a tock, and marked out a semi-circle for my encampment: which [ re-
solved to strengthen with a work, wall, or fortification, nade of
double piles, lined within with cables, and without with turf From the 26th to the 30th [ worked very hard in carrying all my goods to my new habitation, though some part of the time it rained exceedingly hard
Trang 27a she-goat, and her kid followed me home, which | afterwards killed also, because it would not feed
November \ | set up my tent under a rock, and lay there for the first night; making it as large as I could, with stakes driven in to swing my hammock upon
Nov 2 [ set up all my chests and boards, and the piecés of timber which made my raits, and with them formed a fence round me, a little within the place I had marked out for my fortification Nov 3 I went out with my gun and killed two fowls like ducks, which were very good food In the afternoon, went to work to make me a table
Nov, 4 This morning [ began to order my times of work, of going out with my gun, time of sleep, and time of diversion: viz., every morning | walked out with my gun for two or three hours, if it did not rain: then employed myself to work till about eleven o'clock: then ate what I had to five on; and from twelve to two 1 lay down to sleep, the weather being excessive hot, and then,
in the evening, to work again The working part of this day and
of the next were wholly employed in making my tabie, for I was yet but a very sorry workman, though time and necessity made me a complete natural mechanic soon aiter, as [ believe they would do any one else [ ]
[ ] But now [ come to a new scene of my life
It happened one day, about noon, going towards my boat,
I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a man's naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen on the sand U stood like one thunderstruck or as if | had seen an apparition;
I listened, I looked round me, but [ could hear nothing, nor see
anything; [ went up lo a rising ground, to look farther: I went up the shore and down the shore, but it was all one: I could see no other impression but that one I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy; but there was no room for that, for there was exactly the print of a foot — toes, heel, and every part of a foot: how it came thither I knew not, nor could [ in the least imagine But after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like a man perfectly confused and out of mvself, [ came home to my fortification, not feeling,
as we say, the ground’ I went on, but terrified to the fast degree,
looking behind me at every two or three steps, mistaking every bush and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to be a man, nor is if possible to describe how many various shapes ny affrighted imagination represented things to me in, how many wild ideas were found every moment in my fancy, and what strange
unaccountable whimsies came into my thoughts by the way
Trang 28ladder, as first contrived, or went in alt the hole in the rock, which I had’ called a door, | cannot remember; no, nor could
I remember the next morning; for never frightened hare fled
to cover, or fox to earth, with more terror of mind than I to this
retreat [ ]
(Years pass,-and nothing happens to disturb Robinson Crusoe But once
he sees a sight which makes him feel terribly uneasy On the shore there are scattered men’s hones and bits of flesh These are the remains of feasts, held
by savage cannibals Crusoe takes precautionary measures One day cannibals
appear again with native prisoners Robinson Crusoe saves one of the pris-
oners and makes him his servant and companion.)
[ ] | was surprised one morning with seeing no less than
five canoes all on shore together on my side the island, and the people who belonged to them all fanded and out of my sight The number of them broke all my measures; for seeing so many, and knowing that they always came four or six, or sometiimes more in a boat, [ could not tell what to think of it, or how to take my measures, to attack twenty or thirty men single-handed: so I lay still in my castle, perplexed and discomforted However, I put myself into all the same postures for an attack that [- had formerly provided, and was just ready for action, if anything had presented Having waited a good while, listening to hear if they made any noise, at length, being very impatient, I set my guns at the foot of my ladder and clambered up to the top of the hill, by my two stages, ss usual; standing so, however, that my head did not appear above the hill, so that they could not perceive me by any means Here I observed, by the help of my perspective glass that they were no less han thirty in number; that they fad a fire kindled, and that they had meat
dressed How they had cooked it | knew not, or what it was;
but they were all dancing, in I know not how manv barbarous gestures and figures, their own way, round the fire
While I was thus looking on them, | perceived, by my per- spective, two miserable wretches dragged from the boats, where it seems, they were laid by, and were now brought out for the slaughter I perceived one of them immediately fall: being knocked down, I suppose, with a club, or wooden sword, for that was their way: and two or three others were at work immediately, cutting him open for their cookery, while the other victim was left standing by himself, till they should be ready for him In that
very moment, this poor wretch, seeing himself a little at liberty,
Trang 29and\now I expected that part of my dream was coming fo pass, and that he would certainly take shelter in my grove [ ]
[ J [t came now very warmly upon my thoughts, and indeed
irresistibly, that now was the time to get me a servant, and
perhaps a companion or assistant; and that | was plainly called by Providence to save this poor creature's life [ immediately ran down the ladders with all possible expedition, fetched iny two guns, for they were both at the foot of the ladders, as [ observed
before, and getting up again with the same haste to the top of the hill, I crossed towards the sea; and having a very short cul, and all down hill, placed myself in the way between the
pursuers and the pursued, hallooing aloud to him that fled, who,
looking back, was at first perhaps as much frightened at me as at them: but | beckoned with my hand to him to come back;, and, in the meantime, [ slowly advanced towards the two that follé6wed; then rushing at once upon the foremost, I knocked him down with the stock of my piece I was loath to fire, because I would
not have the rest hear; though, at that distance, it would not have
been easily heard, and being out of sight of the smoke, too, they would not have easily known what to make of it Having knocked this fellow down, the other who pursued him stopped, as if he had been frightened, and [| advanced apace lowards him: but as 1 came nearer, I perceived presently he lad a bow and arrow, and was fitting it to shoot at me; so I was then necessitated to shoot at him first, which | did, and killed him at the first shot The poor savage who fled, but had stopped, though he saw both his enemies fallen and killed as he thought, yet was so frightened with the fire and noise of my piece, that he stood stock-still, and neither came forward, nor went backward though he seemed rather inclined still to fly than to come on I hallooed again to him, and made signs to come forward, which he easily understood, and came a tittle way; then stopped again, and then
a little farther, and stopped again; and | could then perceive that
he stood trembling, as if lie had been taken prisoner, and had just been to be killed, as his two enemies were, I beckoned to him again to come to me, and gave him all the signs of eneourage- ment that | could think of; and he came nearer and nearer, kneeling down every-ten or twelve steps, in token of acknowl- edgment for saving his life | similed at him, and looked pleasant- ly, and beckoned to him to come slill nearer: at length, he came close to me; and then he kneeled down again, kissed the ground, and laid his head upon the ground, and, taking ine by the foot, set my foot upon his head; this, it seems, was in token of swear- ing to be my slave for ever | took him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him all I could [ ]
After he had slumbered rather than slept, about half an hour,
Trang 30nilking my goats, which I had in the enclosure jist by: when he espied fe, he came running to me, laying himself down again upon the ground, with all the possible signs of an humble, thank- ful disposition, making a great.many antic gestures to show it
At last, he lays his head flat upon the ground, close to my foot,
and sets my other foot upon his head, as he had done before; and after this made all the signs to me of subjection, servitude, and
submission imaginable, to let me know how he would serve me
so long as he lived | understood him in many things, and let him know I was very well pleased with him In a little time, I began to speak to him, and teach him to speak to ime; and,
first, { let him know his name should be Friday, which was the
day | saved his life: I called him so for the memory of the time I likewise taught him to sav Master; and then let him know that”? was to be my name: I likewise‘taught him to say Yes and No, and to know the meaning of them | gave him some milk in an earthen pot, and let him see me drink it before him, and sop my bread in it; and gave him a cake of bread to do the like, which he quickly complied with, and made signs that it was very goad for him [ .]
{ ] never man had a more faithful, loving, sincere servant
than Friday was to me without passions, sulleriness, or designs, perfectly obliged and engaged; his very affections were tied to me, like those of a child to a father; and | dare say he would have sacr.ficed his life for the saving mine, upon any occasion
whatsoever: the many lestimmonies he gave me of this, put if out of doubt, and soon convinced me that I needed to use no pre-
cautions as to my safety on his account
I was greatly delighted with him and made it my business
to teach him = everything that was proper to make him useful,
handy, and helpful; but especially to make him speak, and under- stand me when I spoke: and he was the aptest scholar that ever
was; and particularly was so merry, so constantly diligent,
and so pleased when he could but understand me, or make me understand him, that it was very pleasant to me to talk to him Now my life began’ to be so easy that I began io say
to myself, that could I but have been safe from more savages,
[ cared not if | was never to remove from the place where I lived [ ]
(An English ship comes to the island The crew of the ship mutiny and mean to leave the captain on the shore Robinson Crusoe helps the captain to
defeat the mutineers, and leaves the island, after he was on it more than eigit-
Trang 31JONATHAN SWIFT (1667-1745)
Swift's life was a mixture of galling disappointments
and hollow triumphs He was born in 1667 in Ireland, though
of English ancestry, and was educated, with the financial
help of a rich uncle, at Trinity College, Dublin At the
age of twenty-two he entered the household of Sir Williem
Temple, statesman and author, at Moor Park near London, to
whom he became private secretary, where with several interrup- tions he continued for ten years till Sir William's death
In 1704, he published anonymously A Tale of a Tub, a
very vigorous and brilliant and often coarse satire on the divisions of the Christian Church This satire, which goes
fer beyond its immediate ‘subject and includes a scathing
analysis of many aspects of human life, is in some way the m
most masterly expression of Swift's great powers In the seme
volume was published The Battle of the Books, a brilliant
‘satire on literary controversy Both works had been written several years before their publication In 1708 was published
the Argument sgainst Abolishing Christienity, a masterpiece
of comic irony At last, during the Tory ministry of 1710-14,
Swift had his day of triumph, when his enormous powers of
intellect had a chance to make themselves felt It was
essential to the Government that it should win and hold
public opmion Swift's vitriolic pen became its chief support It ig no exaggeration to say that he kept the Tory ministry in office Cabinet ministers sought not only his aid as pam- phleteer, but his shrewd advice He was actually the most
powerful man in England He writes exultantly, but scornfully, of it all in the Journal to Stella, a diary addressed to his dearest friend, Miss Esther Johnson
Trang 32to be rewarded by appointment to a bishopric ; but it is said that Queen Anne thought thet the author of A Tale of 4 Tub was not a fit man to be a bishop Instead he was given
in 1713 the deanship of St Patrick's, Dublin When in 1714 the death of Queen Anne and the accession of George I ended 411 the hopes of the Tory party, he went to Dublin, and
lived theré the rest of his life, with only occasional visits
to England This life seemed to him little Better then exile
He identified himself with the interests of Ireland In
fhe Drapier's Letters (1724) he vigovously espoused the cause of Ireland sgainst English injustice and oppression He
became the most popular figure in Dublin and in all Ireland; but he scorned this popularity even more than he had the
deference paid to him during the period of his political
power in London Gulliver's Travels, his most famous work,
appeared in 1726
Swift is one of the world's greatest satirists ; he is
also one of the greatest masters of English prose, a prose
that exemplifies his: own definition of style : “proper words in proper places." He is always clear, always vigorous, but
never ornate Swift wrote also a very considerable body of verse, thoroughly competent verse, fluent and entertaining ;
Trang 33GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Part I
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT! CHAPTER L
The Author gives some account of himself and family: his
first inducements to travel He is shipwrecked, and swims jor hts life; gets safe ashore in the country of Lilliput; is made a pris- oner, and carried up the country
My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire: T was the third of five sons He sent me to Enumanuel College in Cambridgé
at fourteen vears old, where ! resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty allowance, being tou great for a nar- row fortune, I was bound -apprentice to Mr James Bates, an emi-
nent surgeon in London, wilh whom [ continued four years; and my faiher now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid
them out in learning navigation, and other parts of the mathe-
matics useful to those who intend to travel, as I always believed
it would be, some time or other, mv fortune to do When | left
Mr Bates, | went dawn to my father; where, by the assistance of him and my uncle John and'some other relations, [ got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year, to maintain me at Leyden There | studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful in long voyages
Soon after my return from Leyden, I was recommended by my good master, Mr Bates, to be surgeon to the Swallow Cap-
tain Abraham Pannell, commander; with whom I continued three
years and a half, making a voyage or two into the Levant, and some otfier parts When I came back | resolved to settle in Lon- don: to which Mr, Bates, mv master, encouraged me, and by him T was recommended to several patients I took part of a small house in the Old Jewry: and, being advised to alter my condition, I married Mrs Mary Burton, second daughter to Mr Edmund Burton, hosier in Newgate-street, witht whom [| received four hun- dred pounds for a portion
But mv good master, Bates dving in two vears after, and [ having few friends, my business began to fail; for my con- science would not suffer me to imitate the bad practice of too many among my brethren.? Having, therefore, consulted with
my wife, and some of my acquaintances, I determined to go again
to sea [ ] :
[ ] We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699; and our voyage
at first was very prosperous :
It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with {he particulars of our adventures in those seas Let it suffice to inform him, that in our passage from thence to the East Indies, we were driven by a violent storm, to the north-west of Van Diemen’s Land.? ( ] On the 5th of November, which was the
beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being verv hazy,
the seamen spied a rock within half a cable's length of the ship; but the wind was so strong, that we were driven directly upon it, and immediately split Six of the crew, of whom 1 was one,
having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get clear
Trang 34spent with labour, while we were in the ship We, therefore, trusted ourselves to the mercy of the waves; and, in about half
an hour, the boat was overset by a sudden flurry from the north What became of my companions in the boat, as well as those who escaped on the rock, or were left in the vessel, I cannot tell, but conclude they were all lost For my own part, I swam as fortune | directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and tide I often let my fegs drop, and could feel no bottom; but, when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, i found myself within my deptH;°- and, by this time, the storm was much abated - The declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile befare 1 got to the shore, which I conjectured was about eight o'clock in the evening | then advanced forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign of houses or inhabitants; at least,
I was in so weak a condition, that I did not observe them I was extremely tired, and with that, and the heat of the weather, and
about half a pint of brandy that [ drank as I left the ship, I found myself much inclined to sleep I lay down on the grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I re- membered to have done in iny life, and, as I reckoned, about nine hours; for, when I awaked, it was just day-light I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir: for as I happened to lie on my back, | found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground: and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner I likewise felt several slender liga- tures across my body, from my arm-pits to my thighs I could only look upwards, the sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes [ heard a confused noise about me; but, in the posture | lay, could see nothing except the sky In a little time, I felt something alive moving ‘on my left leg, which, advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes downward, as much as [ could | perceived it to be a human creature, not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his back In the meantime IT felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first I was in the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud that they all ran back in a fright; and some of them, as I was afterwards told, were hurt with the falls they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground [ .°]
(Tiny people — Lilliputians — are the inhabitants of Lilliput which is a
monarchy with the emperor at the head.)
CHAPTER II
The Emperor of Lilliput, attended by several of the nobility,
Trang 35their language He gains favour by his mild disposition His pockets are searched, and his sword and pistols taken from him [ ] 1 soon found that the Emperor had descended from the tower, and advancing on horseback towards me, which had like to have cost him dear; for the beast, though very well trained,
yet wholly unused to such a sight, which appeared as if a moun- tain moved before him, reared up on his hinder feet But that
prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his seat, till his attend- ants ran in and held the bridle, while his Majesty liad time to dismount When he alighted, he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept beyond the length of my chain [ ] The Empress and young princes of the blood of both sexes, attended by many ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs; but upon the accident that happened to the Emperor's horse, they alighted, and caime near his person, which | am now going to describe He is taller, by almost the breadth of my nail, than any of his court, which alone is enough to strike an awe into the beholders His features are strong and masculine, with an Austrian lip and arched nose, his complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and limbs well proportioned, all his motions graceful and - his deportment majestic.’ He was then past his prime, being twenty-eight years and three-quarters old,’ of which he had reigned about seven in great felicity, and generally victorious For the better convenience of beholding him I lay on my side, so that my face was parallel to his, and he stood but three yards
off However, | have had him since many times in my hand, and
therefore cannot be deceived in the description His dress was very plain and simple, and the fashion of it between the Asiatic
and the European; but he had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with jewels, and a plume on the crest He held his sword
drawn in his hand, to defend himself, if 1 should happen to
break loose; it was almost three inches long; the hilt and scab- bard were gold, enriched with diamonds His voice was shrill, but very clear and articulate, and I could distinctly hear it, when I stood up The ladies and courtiers were all most magnificently clad: so that the spot they stood upon seemed to resemble a pet- ticoat spread on the ground, embroidered with figures of gold and silver His Imperial Majesty spoke often to me, and I re-
turned-answers, but neither of us could understand a syllable
There were several of his priests and lawyers present (as I con- jectured by their habits), who were commanded to address them- selves to me; and I spoke to them in as many languages as [ had the least smattering of, which were, High and Low Dutch,? Latin,
French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca; !° but all to no
Trang 36CHAPTER Ill
The Author diverts the Emperor and his nobility of both sexes in a very uncommon manner The diversions of the Court of Lilliput described The Author has his liberty granted him upon
certain conditions
[ ] The Emperor had a mind, one day, to entertain me with one of the country shows, wherein they exceed all mations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence | was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slen-
der white thread, extended about two feet and twelve inches
from the ground Upon which I sltall desire liberty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a little
This diversion is only practised by those persons, who are candidates for great employments and high favour at court They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth or liberal education When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens), five or six of those candidates petition the Emperor to entertain his Majesty, and the court with a dance on the rope, and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office Very oiten the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to convince the Einperor that they have not lost their faculty Flim- nap,'! the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire [ have seen him do the summmersault several times together upon a trencher, fixed on a rope, which is not thicker than a com- mon pack-thread in England My friend Reldresal, principal secre- tary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if [ am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par.!2
These diversions are often attended with fatal accidents, where- of great numbers are on record { myself have seen two or three candidates break a limb But the danger is inuch greater when
the ministers themselves are commanded to show their dexterity;
for, by contending to excel themselves and their fellows, they strain so far thatthere is hardly one of them who hath not re-
ceived a fall, and some of them two or three I was assured that
a year or two before my arrival, Flimnap would have iniallibly broke his neck if one of the King’s cushions, that accidentally lay
on the ground, had not weakened the force of his fall
There is likewise another diversion, which is only shown before the Emperor and Empress and first minister, upon partic- ular occasions The Emperor lays on the table three fine silken
threads, of six inches long; one is blue, the other red, and the
Trang 37persons whom the Emperor hath a mind to distinguish by a pe- culiar mark of his favour The ceremony is performed, in his Majesty’s great chamber of state, where the candidates are to undergo a trial of dexterity very different from the former, and such as I have not observed the least resemblance of in any other country of the old orgnew world The Emperor holds a stick in his
hands, both ends parallel to the horizon, while the candidates,
advancing one by one, sometimes leap over the stick, sometimes creep under it, backwards and forwards several times, according as the stick is advanced or depressed Sometimes the Emperor holds one end of the stick, and his first minister the other: some- times the minister has it entirely to himself Whoever performs his part with most agility, and holds out the longest in leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the blue-coloured silk: the red is”
given to the next, and the green to the third, which they all wear girt twice round about the middle; and you see few great persons round about this court who are not adorned with one of these girdles [ ]
CHAPTER IV
Mildendo, the metropolis of Lilliput, described, together with
the Emperor’s palace A convérsation between the author and a principal secretary, concerning the affairs of that empire The ' author offers to serve the Emperor in his wars
(There are two political parties in the empire Party controversy is of no significance which is emphasized by the kind of shoes the representatives wear.)
[L ] for above seventy moons past, there have been two strug-
gling parties in this empire, under the names of Tramecksan and Slamecksan,“ from the high and low heels of their shoes, by which they distinguish themselves It is alleged, indeed, that the high heels are most agreeable to our ancient constitution: but, however this may be, his Majesty hath determined to make use only of low heels in the administration of the government, and all offices in the gift of the crown, as you cannot but observe: and particularly, that his Majesty's imperial heels are lower, at least by a drurr, than any of his court (drurr is a measure about the fourteenth part of an inch) The animosities between these two parties run so high, that they will neither eat nor drink nor talk with each other We compute the Tramecksan, or High Heels,
to exceed us in number; but the power is wholly on our side
We apprehend his Imperial Highness, the heir to the crown, to have some tendency towards the High Heels; at least, we can plainly discover that one of his heels is higher than the other, which gives him a hobble in his gait.4[ J
Trang 38A“
Tt began updn the following occasion: If is allowed on all hands, that the primitive way of breaking® eggs, before we eat them, was upon the larger end: but his present: Majesty's grandfather, while he was a bay, going to eat an egg, and break- | ing it according to the ancient practice, happened to: cut one of his fingers Whereupon the Emperor, his father, published an edict, commanding all his- subjects, upon @great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs.'§ The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us, there have been six
rebellions raised on that account, wherein: one: Empere lost his
life, and another his crown These civil commotions, were con- stantly fomented by the monarchs of Blefscu; and ;when they
were quelled, the exiles always fled for reluge tơ: that em-
pire.” [ ] Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so much credit in the Emperor of Blefuscu’s court, and so much private assistance and encouragement from their party here at home, that a bloody ~ war hath been carried on between the two empires for six-and-
thirty moons, with various success, during which time we have lost forty capital ships, and a much greater number of smaller vessels, together with thirty thousand of our best seamen and soldiers; and the damage receivéd by the enemy is reckoned fo be somewhat greater than ours [ .]
Trang 392: 3: 8 9: 49 11 COMMEN TARY
Lilliput - The name ‘Swift gave to the imaginary country
of small people, the Lilliputians He had England in mind,
brethren /'bre@rin/ - an old plural of "brother"
Van Diemen'ts Land - the old neme for the island of Tasmanie /t z'me nj / which is located to the south- east of Australia
to get clear of - to escape
league / 11: 4/ ~ an old meangsure of distance An English
league ig usually about three miles (a sea mile = 1853
metres)
I found myself within my depth - It was not so deep and
I could touch the bottom
The author's intention was to depict George I, the
British king (reigned 1714-1727), in the Emperor of Lilliput However, Sweft was too cautious to make his Emperor a copy of the ugly and dwarfish George The Emperor resembles George in his greed and indifference
to his country's welfare
He was then past his prime, being twenty-eight years
and three-quarters old - Swift wants to emphasize the
idea that the life of Lilliputians is shorter than that of an ordinary man
High Dutch - the German language ; Low Dutch ~ the West Germanic language of the Netherlands
Iingua Franca / liyqwa 'freyke / (Ital.) - any mized
language used as a medium of communication between peoples
of different languages
Flimnap, the Lord High Treasurer - Swift depicts Prime
Minister of George I, Robert Walpole, whose political
Trang 4012 13 14 15 16, 17
upon (on) a par - equal
Blue, red and green correspond to the Orders of the Garter, the Bath, and the Thistle Sir Robert Walpole was distinguished by the Orders of the Garter and the
Bath, here so strongly ridiculed
Swift has in, view High Church and Low Church, or Whig and Tory The zeal with which they are opposed too much exceeds their importance The strong preference of
George I for the low-heels, or Whigs, is indicated by
the exceptional lowness of his heels
This is a reference to the Prince of Wales, afterwards
King George II (1727-1760), who indicated favour to both
parties, and is thus represented hobbling between the two political creeds,
This is a satirical description of the religious
controversy between the Catholics and Protestants In
Swift's opinion their contradictions were as insignificant as between Big-endians and Little-endians
The monarch, who lost his life, was King Charles I (1625~ 1649), executed during the English bourgeois revolution
for warring against Parliament The monarch, who lost
his crown, was King James IT (1685-1688) After the "Glorious Revolution" (1688) he fled to France, where