以文學表演學作為
全英語教學之技巧
陳彥豪 博士
國立臺北大學應用外語學系
專任教授兼任系主任
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Teaching English through
Performance of Literature
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Peter Y. H. Chen（陳彥豪), Ph.D.
Professor and Chairperson, Department of Foreign
Languages and Applied Linguistics
National Taipei University
Tel: (02) 8674-1111 ext. 66605 Fax: (02) 2515-9354
E-mail: [email protected]
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Preface:
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Studying Literature through Performance;
Transformation/Adaptation—from static to
dynamic;
Intrapersonal Communication+Verbal
Communication+Nonverbal
Communication+Interpersonal Communication
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I. Basic Concept
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Performance of Literature is based on Theatres for
Literature, which are Interpreters Theatres—an
umbrella term that includes both Readers Theatre
and Chamber Theatre. Artists who work in
Interpreters Theatre are oral interpreters of literature.
The activity is interpretive because literature is
interpreted, or transformed, from the page to the
stage.
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Reader Theatre: originally referred to the reading of
plays, now, poetry and fiction as well, with
participants seated or standing behind lecterns
Chamber Theatre: dedicated to the staging of
narrative literature. Originated by Robert S. Breen at
Northwestern University in the U.S. in the forties, it
explores the complicated relationship between a story
and the person who tells the story. Breen suggests that
the delicate balance between story and storyteller is
like the harmonics of chamber music.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Four stages to your creative interaction with the
theatre for performing the literature selection:
work: the literature work as you discover it on
the page
text: your own interpretive vision of it
script: a text ready for performance
production: the connection between the literary
text and the theatre form
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II. Sixteen Steps in Performance of
Literature/Theatres for Literature in
Learning English
1. Sounding the Literature
2. Responding to the Text
3. Making “Plain” Sense
4. Paraphrasing
5. Dramatic Analysis
6. Comparing Responses
7. Physical and Vocal Exercises
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8. Psychological Readiness
9. Imaginative Autobiography
10. Author’s Other Works
11. Subtexts
12. Action of Lines/Script
13. Overall Meaning
14. Final Advice
15. Rehearsal and Production/Performance
16. Ensuing Discussions
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III. Exemplification
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How Much Land Does a Man Need?
by Leo Tolstoy
There once was a peasant named Pahom who
worked hard but remained poor. “I will die with
nothing,” he thought. “If only I had my own land,
it would be different.”
So Pahom saved his money and finally had
enough to buy a few acres. Now, when he looked
out on his fields, his heart was filled with joy.
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But one day, he thought, “Why don’t I sell this land, and
with the money buy even more?” Pahom did so, and soon
he was ten times better off. Then one day, he heard that in
a place far away, he could buy even more land very
cheaply. All he had to do was become friends with the
people and their chief. So with his servant, Pahom
traveled for seven days. When he arrived, he found the
people there very friendly. The chief said to him: “Choose
whatever piece of land you like. We have plenty of it.”
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And what will be the price?” asked Pahom.
“Our price is always the same: one thousand rubles a day.”
“A day? What measure is that?”
“We sell it by the day,” said the chief. “See how much
land you can walk around in one day. That much will be
yours. There is only one condition: return before sunset
to the same spot, or your money is lost.”
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The next morning, Pahom went with the people to a small
hill. The chief placed his cap on the ground, and Pahom
put his money inside. He then started walking.
Every thousand yards, he dug a hole to mark the spot. By
mid-morning, it was warmer, and he took off his coat. “I
will go just a few more miles before I return,” he thought.
“This spot is so fine; it would be a pity to lose it.”
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Pahom looked back at the hill; the people looked like ants.
“ It is time to turn,” he thought. “Besides, I am sweating
and very thirsty.” He drank some water, and then turned
to the left. Pahom grew tired, but he walked on. It became
terribly hot, but still he went on, thinking: “An hour to
suffer, a lifetime to live.”
When he turned again, the sun was halfway to the
horizon. “I must be careful not to go too far,” he thought.
So Pahom turned straight toward the hill. He now walked
with difficulty, but he dared not rest. The sun was
sinking lower and lower.
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Pahom was still far from the hill. It was very difficult, but
he walked faster. The sun sank lower. “ What shall I do?”
he thought. “I have grasped too much and ruined
everything.” Pahom began running. His clothes stuck to
him, his mouth was dry, and his heart was beating like a
hammer.
The sun looked large and red as blood. Now, yes now, it
was about to set! But he was near the spot. With all his
remaining strength he rushed on. Just as the sun
disappeared, Pahom fell forward onto the cap.
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“Ah, he has gained much land!” exclaimed the chief,
laughing.
Pahom’s servant ran up and saw that blood was flowing
from his mouth. Pahom was dead! The people clicked
their tongues to show their pity.
His servant dug a grave long enough for Pahom to lie in.
Six feet from his head to his heels was all he needed.
─Adapted from“ How Much Land Does a Man Need?”
by Leo Tolstoy
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*** Suggestions for
Teachers/Students:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Characters to be played:
Characterization:
Adaptation of the text into a script:
Rehearsal/Performance/Production:
Ensuing discussions:
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References
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Berleant, Arnold. The Aesthetic Filed. Springfield, IL：Charles C
Thomas Publisher, 1970.
Chen, Peter Y. H. “The Interaction of Text and Performance: A
Description of Contemporary American Poet/Performers with
Reference to Selected Traditional Chinese Recitation Modes,”
Doctoral Dissertation, The University of Texas of Austin, August 1992,
published by UMI in June 1993.
Chen, Peter Y. H. “A Use of Performance of Literature in Teaching the
English Language & Literature,” Journal of Law and Commerce,
Volume 31 (August 1995): 251-278.
Chen, Yane-Hao. “A Pedagogical Study of ‘Textual Performance’ as a
Means of Teaching English Poetry,” English Teaching & Learning,
27.2 (October 2002): 51-66. Adler, Ronald B. et. al. Interplay: The
Process of Interpersonal Communication. New York: Harcourt College
Publishers, 2001.
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Cunningham, Cornelius C. Literature as a Find Art. New York：
Ronald, 1941.
Curry, Samuel S. Imagination and Dramatic Instinct. Boston：The
Expression Co., 1896.
Foley, John M. ed. Oral Tradition in Literature. Columbia：
University of Missouri Press, 1986.
Foss, Sonja K., Karen A. Foss, ＆ Robert Trapp. Contemporary
Perspectives on Rhetoric. Prospect Heights, IL：Waveland Press,
1985.
Kleinau, Marion L. ＆ Janet L McHughes. Theatres for Literature.
Sherman Oaks, CA：Alfred Publishing, 1980.
Lee, Charlotte. ＆ Timothy Gura. Oral Interpretation. 10thed. Oxford
shire, UK：Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
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Long, B. W. ＆ M. F. Hopkins. Performing Literature. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ：Prentice-Hall, 1982.
Robb, Mary M. Oral Interpretation of Literature in American Colleges
and Universities. New York：Johnson Reprint Corporation, 1968.
Thompson, D. W. ed. Performance of Literature in Historical
Perspectives. Lanham, MD：University Press of America, 1983.
Yordon, Judy E. Roles in Interpretation. 5thed. New York：McGrawHill, 2001.
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