【英语时差8,16】大诗人莎士比亚

 Liu Lei: This is my all-time favourite. William: I’ve got a question for you, Liulei. Is there anything you can say in general, when you’re talking about comparing English poems, like this sonnet², and Chinese poems from that same era¹, that same time, 16-17th century? Broadly, what are the differences? Liulei: Differences. In Chinese poems are mostly images in the poems, trees, flowers, birds and snow and everything. All these things, when they are combined together, they can create an environment. This will reflect the mind-set of the poet and by reading it I believe the readers will feel it. The English poems, English poems in most cases, they are very completed sentences - shall I compare thee to a summer’s day - this is English poems. OK, so the subject and the verbs and everything, is a sentence. The English poems, English poems in most cases, they are very completed sentences - shall I compare thee to a summer’s day - this is English poems. OK, so the subject and the verbs and everything, is a sentence. William: I thought it was quite interesting what you were saying about Chinese poetry being about images, because this sonnet is very much an idea isn’t it. It’s quite, what we would say, cerebral³. So it’s quite, there’s a lot of ideas and a lot of thoughts, it’s quite intellectualised. It seems to me sometimes that Shakespeare really tries to get across a complex, almost a philosophical⁴ idea, rather than painting a picture. This sonnet is very much an idea isn’t it. It’s quite, what we would say, cerebral. So it’s quite, there’s a lot of ideas and a lot of thoughts, it’s quite intellectualised. It seems to me sometimes that Shakespeare really tries to get across a complex, almost a philosophical idea, rather than painting a picture. Liulei: Yes, I know. So one reason William Shakespeare can transcend⁵ all times and countries, is that his themes are very universal. There’s love, hate, everything, so, emotions. So, yes, Chinese poems will not do that directly. Liulei: One reason William Shakespeare can transcend all times and countries, is that his themes are very universal.

1 era   

n.时代，年代，纪元，阶段

参考例句：

• We are living in the information era.我们生活在信息时代。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

2 sonnet   

n.十四行诗

参考例句：

• The composer set a sonnet to music.作曲家为一首十四行诗谱了曲。
• He wrote a sonnet to his beloved.他写了一首十四行诗，献给他心爱的人。

3 cerebral   

adj.脑的，大脑的；有智力的，理智型的

参考例句：

• Your left cerebral hemisphere controls the right-hand side of your body.你的左半脑控制身体的右半身。
• He is a precise,methodical,cerebral man who carefully chooses his words.他是一个一丝不苟、有条理和理智的人，措辞谨慎。

4 philosophical   

adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的

参考例句：

• The teacher couldn't answer the philosophical problem.老师不能解答这个哲学问题。
• She is very philosophical about her bad luck.她对自己的不幸看得很开。

5 transcend   

vt.超出，超越(理性等)的范围

参考例句：

• We can't transcend the limitations of the ego.我们无法超越自我的局限性。
• Everyone knows that the speed of airplanes transcend that of ships.人人都知道飞机的速度快于轮船的速度。