『아테네의 타이먼』(Timon of Athens)의 처음과 끝 —타이먼의 예술가로의 변화—

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to interpret Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens with metadramatic perspective. This play has been interpreted as an unfinished and furthermore doubted as a work of not Shakespeare’s own writing. Also this play, in fact, seen by the traditional critical perspective, shows so many faults on structure and character development that many critics lose their interests to research on it. Compared with other plays, this work, also, is not continuously and frequently performed on the stage. But, from Ellis-Fermor on, by some, there seem to be suggested another critical eyes on this play---they evaluate it as an experimental work of new structure and new theme intended by Shakespeare. But they may not show the clear and full textual evidence on their new perspectives. I, in this paper, try to show one of the newly suggested critical points on this play as a metadrama attempted by Shakespeare. To begin with, poet and painter, without proper names, appear symmetrically balanced in the structure of the play. And they seem to reveal the generally accepted art theory in Renaissance period that artists of the time, including Shakespeare, fully know. Timon himself shows the two extremely opposite characters in the beginning and the last of the play. To him money and gold are the best means to create respect and admiration by surroundings. Money and gold represent, in some senses, a real imaginative power to Timon. But he has no ability to use this imagination wisely and moderately on the man and situation he faces. Contrarily, he becomes the victim of his imagination by others. He becomes the object to be watched by others. In the last scene he comes to know the evil nature of man and money, through which he accepts his own fault to the world. He, as a mature artist, uses his imagination wisely and creates his own work through the monetary support to Alcibiades. Timon’s sacrifice contributes to restore the broken order of Athens and Athenians. After his suffering process to learn how to use imagination properly he becomes the real artist who can make the work of his own as he wishes.