Theatricality and mimicry: from animal theatre to Shakespeare

Subject of the article: The article discusses the concept of theatricality in literary theory. The object of the article: In contrast to a traditional definition of theatricality as a set of theater-related features (dramatism, visuality, spectatorship and acting) which is reflected in Barthes’s classic formulation «theater-minus-text», the author argues that theatricality is indeed an immanent constituent of the structure of a literary and dramatic text. The goal of the research: Using fragments from Shakespeare’s plays the author shows how the nonverbal and «purely theatrical» means of expression including gestures, body positions, theatrical costumes, dumb shows, mute scenes and pantomimes manifest themselves in the main text through verbal reactions of the characters (similar to descriptive meta-textual stage remarks). The author uses the term «textual theatricality» to describe this of indivisible unity of the main text and meta-text. Research methodology: Taking into account the dichotomy between nature and culture in the phenomenon of theatricality, the author takes an interdisciplinary approach. The article argues that mimicry could be a biological prototype of theatricality. Results: The article offers a formula describing the elementary generalized model of mimicry in terms of theatrical roles: «А» (the mimic) in front of «В» (the dupe, who becomes prey - species being deceived) plays a role of «С» (the model - species being mimicked). The author argues that a similar formal model based on the relationship between roles is applicable for the description of a «meta-play» as a key element of theatricality: «А» in front of «В» plays a role of «С», where «А» is a character (equivalent to the «mimic» in mimicry), «В» is a spectator (equivalent to the «prey») and «С» is «someone else» «the third person», «the other» (equivalent to the «model»). The article discusses a rhetorical structure «text within a text» which lies behind a meta-theatrical situation in which a character of the play, along with the main role, plays a meta-literary role of the author and writer, reproducing the creative process of writing within the main text. Hamlet’s meta-role as dramatist and playwright is described. Field of application: Literary studies, literary theory, Shakespeare studies. Conclusion: theatricality as a notion of poetics can be defined as an immanent property of literary text. I would like to thank Dan Whitman and Svetlana M. Gracheva for discussions and helpful suggestions.