『줄리어스 시이저』(Julius Caesar)에서 찾아볼 수 있는 숫자 4와 숫자 8의 의미 (The Significances of Number Four and Eight in Julius Caesar)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국셰익스피어학회
· 수록지 정보 : Shakespeare Review / 56권 / 1호 / 57 ~ 78페이지
· 저자명 : 방승희

초록

This study inquires into the significances of numbers in Julius Caesar, and tries to elucidate Shakespeare’s intentions for using historical truths in making reality an illusion and overturn the world as it is. The world of nature that we live in constantly undergoes a variety of transformations while producing regular patterns and equal numbers. The world of Julius Caesar, created by Shakespeare, assumes the same aspect of numbers and patterns as is found in nature. That is why the world that Shakespeare composed is an imitation, and simultaneously the world of nature that we lived in was not the history; the Roman history but the tragedy.
The number four is the most prominent number in Julius Caesar. This play consists of four main characters, namely, Caesar, Cassius, Brutus, and Anthony, just as our living world is composed of four elements: water, fire, earth, and air, and humans have four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. The appearance of the number eight, in the case of the eight conspirators, introduces catastrophe into the stability of the otherwise balanced world. However, Octavius whose own name is a symbol of number eight, suppresses the revolt of these conspirators. This is a kind of irony that this play illustrates. Eight conspirators capsize the orderly world including four characters. At the same time, Octavius represents the number eight, whose name is double of the number four and equal to eight conspirators. His power is represented by the number eight and he can deconstruct and break up the revolt. The number eight and the number four is always related to a certain meaning, adding and dividing each other. It means uniting and balancing, or deconstructing and breaking up the world.

영어초록

This study inquires into the significances of numbers in Julius Caesar, and tries to elucidate Shakespeare’s intentions for using historical truths in making reality an illusion and overturn the world as it is. The world of nature that we live in constantly undergoes a variety of transformations while producing regular patterns and equal numbers. The world of Julius Caesar, created by Shakespeare, assumes the same aspect of numbers and patterns as is found in nature. That is why the world that Shakespeare composed is an imitation, and simultaneously the world of nature that we lived in was not the history; the Roman history but the tragedy.
The number four is the most prominent number in Julius Caesar. This play consists of four main characters, namely, Caesar, Cassius, Brutus, and Anthony, just as our living world is composed of four elements: water, fire, earth, and air, and humans have four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. The appearance of the number eight, in the case of the eight conspirators, introduces catastrophe into the stability of the otherwise balanced world. However, Octavius whose own name is a symbol of number eight, suppresses the revolt of these conspirators. This is a kind of irony that this play illustrates. Eight conspirators capsize the orderly world including four characters. At the same time, Octavius represents the number eight, whose name is double of the number four and equal to eight conspirators. His power is represented by the number eight and he can deconstruct and break up the revolt. The number eight and the number four is always related to a certain meaning, adding and dividing each other. It means uniting and balancing, or deconstructing and breaking up the world.

참고자료

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