Darya N. Kozhachkina

The subject of the current article is the specifics of the Russian translation of Macbeth’s monologue “To-morrow, and to-morrow, and tomorrow” from the final act of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The article presents a translation of the piece into Russian, based on a motif analysis of the monologue and a versification analysis of the first three lines. The structural understanding of motif suggested by B.M. Gasparov and I.A. Paperno is used: the motifs are elements that represent different aspects of the general theme of the text. The findings: 1) the monologue is a structure of motifs corresponding with the theme of the vanity of (dramatic) art, which is a reference to the fine art vanitas genre. The subtheme of dramatic art is represented by the motifs of declamation (the first line), stage performance, acting, and the playwright’s work. The subtheme of vanity is presented by the motifs related to the allegorical image of Chronos/Saturn: mortality, madness, and limping (the last one refers to the medieval images of Saturn and emerges on a rhythmic level in the first line); 2) the monologue is a metatext about this particular recited text, actor, playwright, and this particular performance; 3) the versification analysis shows that the first three lines (especially the last syllable of recorded time) refer to the Greek and Latin metrics, which smallest unit was a short syllable called χρόνος πρῶτος (“the first time”) or mora; 4) the associations of the term mora include the Latin mors, mortis and the Greek μοῖρα, which was the name of the three goddesses of fate; 5) Shakespeare’s choice of the particular word to-morrow has rhythmic and phonic reasons, while the meaning of the word is synonymic for to-day; 6) the rhythm of the first line is necessary to be reproduced in Russian to support the original structure of the monologue and the reference to the image of the limping Saturn/passing Time. The offered translation of the monologue is accompanied by a commentary and analysis of previous translations. The translation of the two lines about Lady Macbeth’s death is also provided.