Ulysses - Chapter 8
Ulysses - Bab 8
In the National Library, Stephen engaged in heated debate with Dublin's literary establishment. They discussed Shakespeare, arguing about the playwright's life and the meaning hidden in his works. Stephen presented his theory about Hamlet, claiming Shakespeare had written himself into the play.
Di Perpustakaan Nasional, Stephen berdebat sengit dengan tokoh-tokoh sastra berpengaruh di Dublin. Mereka mendiskusikan Shakespeare, berdebat tentang kehidupan penulis drama dan makna tersembunyi dalam karya-karyanya. Stephen mengajukan teori tentang Hamlet, mengklaim bahwa Shakespeare menulis dirinya sendiri ke dalam drama itu.
"The father is the ghost," Stephen argued passionately. "Shakespeare was both Hamlet and the murdered king. He was cuckolded by his brother, just as the king was murdered by his."
"Sang ayah adalah hantu," Stephen berargumen dengan penuh semangat. "Shakespeare adalah Hamlet dan raja yang dibunuh. Sama seperti raja dibunuh oleh saudaranya, dia dikhianati oleh saudaranya dengan istrinya."
The librarians and scholars listened skeptically. Stephen's theory was unconventional, challenging accepted interpretations. But he defended it vigorously, marshaling evidence from Shakespeare's biography and the plays themselves.
Para pustakawan dan sarjana mendengarkan dengan skeptis. Teori Stephen tidak konvensional dan menantang interpretasi umum. Tapi dia membelanya dengan gigih, mengumpulkan bukti dari biografi Shakespeare dan teks drama itu sendiri.
Buck Mulligan burst into the library, disrupting the serious discussion with his usual theatrical flair. He mocked Stephen's theory, making jokes and drawing attention to himself. The others laughed, grateful for the relief from intense intellectual debate.
Buck Mulligan menyerbu perpustakaan, menyela diskusi serius dengan nada teatrikal biasanya. Dia mengejek teori Stephen, melontarkan lelucon dan menarik perhatian pada dirinya sendiri. Yang lain tertawa, berterima kasih atas kelegaan dari ketegangan intelektual.
Stephen felt his anger rising but controlled it. Buck always did this, always undermined him in public. Their friendship, if it could be called that, was built on Buck's dominance and Stephen's resentment.
Stephen merasa marah tetapi menahannya. Buck selalu seperti ini, membuatnya terlihat buruk di depan orang lain. Persahabatan mereka, jika bisa disebut begitu, didasarkan pada dominasi Buck dan kebencian Stephen.
The discussion continued, ranging over literature, philosophy, and art. These men were Dublin's intellectuals, its cultural elite. Yet Stephen felt disconnected from them, unable to truly belong to their circle. His poverty set him apart, as did his uncompromising artistic vision.
Diskusi berlanjut tentang sastra, filsafat, seni. Pria-pria ini adalah intelektual Dublin, elit budaya. Tapi Stephen merasa terasing, tidak bisa benar-benar menjadi bagian dari kelompok. Kemiskinannya mengisolasinya, begitu pula visi artistiknya yang tak kenal kompromi.
As the afternoon wore on, Stephen grew restless. He had said what he came to say, presented his theory for their consideration. Whether they accepted it or not mattered little. He would continue his work regardless, following his artistic conscience wherever it led.
Saat sore menjelang, Stephen mulai gelisah. Dia telah mengatakan apa yang perlu dikatakan, menawarkan hipotesisnya untuk dipertimbangkan. Apakah mereka menerimanya atau tidak, hampir tidak penting. Dia akan mengikuti hati nurani artistiknya sendiri, ke mana pun itu membawanya.
Leaving the library, Stephen felt both exhilarated and exhausted. The intellectual combat had energized him, but also reminded him of his isolation in Dublin's literary world.
Saat meninggalkan perpustakaan, Stephen merasa bersemangat sekaligus lelah. Pertempuran intelektual memberinya energi, tetapi juga mengingatkannya pada kesepiannya di dunia sastra Dublin.