Tragedies Macbeth followed by Romeo and Juliet and Othello
Choix des textes, adaptation et notes
Jean-Claude Burgué Agrégé d’anglais
Dans la même collection aux éditions Ophrys : en anglais : • Histoires faciles à lire - anglais, histoires de M. Mahy, R. Hughes, R. Ainsworth, R. Dahl, L. Ingalls Wilder, G. Durell, 2006 • For Love and Dollars, 5 nouvelles de O. Henry, 2016 (Niveau 1) • Horror Stories, 6 nouvelles de E. Allan Poe, F. Marion Crawford, Saki, 2016 (Niveau 3) • Mr. Holmes, 2 nouvelles de Sir A. Conan Doyle, 2017 (Niveau 2) • Exile, 3 nouvelles de E. M. Eaton, D. H. Lawrence, G. Moore, 2018 (Niveau 3) en espagnol : •
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Histoires faciles à lire - espagnol, nouvelles de J. L. Borges, J. Cortázar, P. Baroja, A. M. Matute, E. Galeano, R. Sánchez Ferlosio, A. Monterroso, M. Benedetti, B. Atxaga, 2006 Historias Insólitas, 6 nouvelles de B. Pérez Galdós, H. Quiroga, P. Antonio de Alarcón, M. Gutiérrez Nájera, 2016 (Niveau 3) Historias de amor y desamor, 6 nouvelles de R. Alcaide de Zafra, J. Dicenta Benedicto, A. Nervo, E. Pardo Bazán, D. Herrera, 2017 (Niveau 3) Anaconda, une nouvelle de H. Quiroga, 2018 (Niveau 1) Horror, amor y humor, 5 nouvelles de R. Arlt, 2018 (Niveau 2)
en allemand : • • •
Histoires faciles à lire - allemand, 11 histoires de J. Rösler, K. Held, H. Spoerl, W. Breinholst, S. Von Radecki, C. Lemon, 2004 Über Stock und Stein, 6 textes des frères Grimm, de H. Fallada, K. Tucholsky, 2018 (Niveau 3) Lustige Geschichten, 10 nouvelles de Jo Hanns Rösler, 2019 (Niveau 2)
en russe : • • •
Histoires faciles à lire - russe, extraits de presse, A. Boulanger, 2008 Wagner l’Inventeur, 3 nouvelles de A. Beliaïev, 2018 (Niveau 3) Premier amour, 4 nouvelles de Z. Hippius, A. Kouprine, A. Tchekov, L. Tolstoï, 2018 (Niveau 2)
en grec : •
Voyou, une histoire de Pénélope Delta, 2018 (Niveau 3)
La collection “ Histoires faciles à lire ’’ s’adresse à tous ceux qui ont envie de lire des textes littéraires en version originale. Les ouvrages regroupent par thèmes les textes d’auteurs connus et reconnus dans chacune des langues proposées. Les textes sont présentés en version intégrale ou en version adaptée et simplifiée, selon le niveau de difficulté. L’essentiel du vocabulaire nécessaire est traduit sur la page de gauche pour une lecture facile et rapide. Quatre niveaux pour quatre groupes de lecteurs : Niveau 1 : super facile pour débutants et adolescents (A2 vers B1) Niveau 2 : facile (B1) Niveau 3 : intermédiaire (B1 vers B2) Niveau 4 : avancé (B2 vers C1)
Édition, mise en pages, couverture : Nathalie Loiseau, Marion Plumet, Tiffany Thomas, Capucine Viollet Photo de couverture : Shutterstock © Marusya Chaika Le code de la propriété intellectuelle n’autorisant, aux termes des paragraphes 2 et 3 de l’article L 122-5, d’une part, que les “copies ou reproductions strictement réservées à l’usage privé du copiste et non destinées à une utilisation collective’’ et, d’autre part, sous réserve du nom de l’auteur et de la source, que “les analyses et les courtes citations justifiées par le caractère critique, polémique, pédagogique, scientifique ou d’information’’, toute représentation ou reproduction intégrale ou partielle, faite sans consentement de l’auteur ou de ses ayants droit, est illicite (art. L 122-4). Toute représentation ou reproduction, par quelque procédé que ce soit, notamment par téléchargement ou sortie imprimante, constituera donc une contrefaçon sanctionnée par les articles L 335-2 et suivants du code de la propriété intellectuelle. © Éditions OPHRYS, 2019 5 avenue de la République, 75011 Paris www.ophrys.fr ISBN : 978-2-7080-1550-0 ISSN : 2551-2366
INTRODUCTION Tales From Shakespeare est l’adaptation des pièces de théâtre de Shakespeare sous forme de contes, écrits par Charles Lamb (pour les tragédies) et sa sœur Mary (pour les comédies). Ce livre, publié en 1807, avait pour but de rendre plus aisé l’accès aux œuvres originales. Afin de préserver la beauté de la langue, les auteurs ont veillé à reprendre le vocabulaire de Shakespeare autant que possible. Sont exposées ici les tragiques destinées de Macbeth, Roméo et Juliette et Othello. Dans ces trois tragédies, parmi les plus célèbres de Shakespeare, la fatalité s’abat sur ces personnages qui, dans leur quête d’amour ou de pouvoir, sont en proie à leurs faiblesses, qu’elles soient ambition, passion ou crédulité. Ils sont alors victimes de la jalousie, de la tromperie, de la haine ou encore de la duplicité. À travers chacune de ces histoires, c’est bien la nature humaine, intemporelle, qui est mise en scène, dans toute sa fragilité et toute son intensité. Charles et Mary Lamb souhaitaient que ces contes, puis les œuvres originales de Shakespeare, enrichissent l’imagination des lecteurs et les rendent meilleurs. Ces trois histoires devraient être un premier pas dans ce sens.
TABLE DES MATIÈRES CHARLES & MARY LAMB
p. 11
Macbeth (1807)
p. 13
(Original version of the tale)
Romeo and Juliet (1807)
p. 51
(Original version of the tale)
Othello (1807) (Original version of the tale)
p. 109
CHARLES & MARY LAMB Charles (1775-1834) and Mary (1764-1847) Lamb were brother and sister. The Lamb household was extremely poor and could not provide adequate education for the children. Nevertheless, thanks to Mr Lamb’s employer, Charles was able to attend Christ’s Hospital School where he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who was to be his life-long friend and became a famous poet. Charles began working as a clerk with the East India Company, while Mary earned her life by doing needlework. At the age of 19, Charles renewed contact with Coleridge and began writing sonnets under his influence. Tragically, both Charles and Mary suffered from insanity at a young age: Charles spent time in an asylum when he was 20 and the following year, Mary stabbed her mother to death. After some time in a mental institution, she was taken in by Charles, who became her guardian whilst continuing his literary activity. After earning a little fame thanks to his essay The Londoner, Charles was commissioned by the philosopher William Godwin to write tales for children based on Shakespeare’s plays, which he did together with Mary. Tales From Shakespeare was published in 1807 to great acclaim. 11
Les 10 mots clés de l’histoire a witch = une sorcière a prophecy = une prophétie betray = trahir treacherous purposes = desseins perfides evil = le mal foul = odieux guilt = culpabilité to stab = poignarder insane = fou/folle an heir = un héritier
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Macbeth Macbeth
The original play was written by Shakespeare in 1606-1607. The tale version was written by Charles Lamb in 1807.
Macbeth is the tragedy of a couple governed by blind ambition and consumed with guilt. Both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth crave for power which, as it happens, can only be attained by evil means. Macbeth is a sensible and sensitive man, quite aware that ambition is a moral flaw. However, when the hand of fate strikes through a prophecy he receives from three witches, he is torn between his overwhelming desire to be king and his reluctance to deviate from a reputable life. Lady Macbeth is the stronger of the two and, in a way, the more possessed by evil. A determined woman, she is wellaware of her influence over Macbeth and reproaches him for being too weak. There are no obstacles to her goals. Once the forces of evil have been unleashed, how does one face one’s fate? There only seem to be two options: either yield to temptation or resist perversion. All in all, there is a moral lesson to be learnt from this story: how does one put up with the pangs of conscience?
ď ž
13
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Meek = doux thane = baron kinsman = parent
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lately = dernièrement
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lay over a blasted heath = s’arrêta dans une lande désolée
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withered = ridées wild attire = vêtements extravagants earthly = terrestres choppy = décharné in token of = en signe de
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startled = surpris
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bid him = lui dit all hail = salut à vous shalt = shall hereafter = plus tard amaze him = l’ébahir
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riddling = énigmatiques
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Macbeth
When Duncan the Meek reigned king of Scotland, there lived a great thane, or lord, called Macbeth. This Macbeth was a near kinsman to the king, and in great esteem at court for his valour and conduct in the wars; an example of which he had lately given, in defeating a rebel army assisted by the troops of Norway in terrible numbers. The two Scottish generals, Macbeth and Banquo, returning victorious from this great battle, their way lay over a blasted heath, where they were stopped by the strange appearance of three figures like women, except that they had beards, and their withered skins and wild attire made them look not like any earthly creatures. Macbeth first addressed them, when they, seemingly offended, laid each one her choppy finger upon her skinny lips, in token of silence; and the first of them saluted Macbeth with the title of Thane of Glamis. The general was not a little startled to find himself known by such creatures; but how much more, when the second of them followed up that salute by giving him the title of Thane of Cawdor, to which honour he had no pretensions; and again the third bid him “All hail! king that shalt be hereafter!” Such a prophetic greeting might well amaze him, who knew that while the king’s sons lived he could not hope to succeed to the throne. Then turning to Banquo, they pronounced him, in a sort of riddling terms, to 15
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lesser = moindre
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weird = étranges witches = sorcières
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stood pondering = réfléchissaient
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empowered = habilités
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wrapped in amazement = stupéfait
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swelling hopes arose = l’espoir grandit
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come to pass = s’est produit enkindle = encourager oftentimes = souvent betray = trahir deeds = actions
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wicked = malicieuses
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attend to = se préoccuper de
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Macbeth
be lesser than Macbeth and greater! not so happy, but much happier! and prophesied that though he should never reign, yet his sons after him should be kings in Scotland. They then turned into air, and vanished; by which the generals knew them to be the weird sisters, or witches. While they stood pondering on the strangeness of this adventure, there arrived certain messengers from the king, who were empowered by him to confer upon Macbeth the dignity of thane of Cawdor. An event so miraculously corresponding with the prediction of the witches astonished Macbeth, and he stood wrapped in amazement, unable to make reply to the messengers; and in that point of time swelling hopes arose in his mind that the prediction of the third witch might in like manner have its accomplishment, and that he should one day reign king in Scotland. Turning to Banquo, he said, “Do you not hope that your children shall be kings, when what the witches promised to me has so wonderfully come to pass?” —“That hope,” answered the general, “might enkindle you to aim at the throne; but oftentimes these ministers of darkness tell us truths in little things to betray us into deeds of greatest consequence.” But the wicked suggestions of the witches had sunk too deep into the mind of Macbeth to allow him to attend to the warnings of the good Banquo. From 17