침묵의 기능: 셰익스피어 드라마와 르네상스 소네트를 중심으로

Abstract

Silence is not speaking. It is the absence of words and it seems the very opposite of speech. However, a closer inspection of words and sentences reveals that silence space surrounds each letter that forms a word, each word within a sentence, and each sentence that shapes a paragraph. It also defines the boundaries of utterance: silence is the precondition of speech and the last part of it. As a component of expression, silence is an integral part of speech: silence and speech complement each other to create a word, a sentence, and discourse. Silence is not only a component of expression, but also a medium for communication. Silence can convey various meanings as accurately as speech. In functional terms, silence, together with speech, expresses a variety of meanings and performs a range of functions. As silence becomes a more integral part of communication, a full understanding of literary works also requires an investigation of various representations of silence in literary texts in relations to their potential expressive significance. The complex nature of silence leads us to explore how diverse effects of silence are embodied in Shakespeare’s plays and Renaissance sonnets. Silence represents ambivalent qualities such as submission/subversion, vulnerability/impenetrability and powerlessness/power. Especially, silence is revelation as much as concealment: revelation of Coriolanus’ complex feelings, of Cordelia’s inexpressible love, and of the poet’s shame, but, most of all, of power and control of Astrophil and the young man. Conveying various meanings by saying nothing, silence may be the most ambiguous of all linguistic forms. Thus, it is not only difficult but also essential to understand silence properly.