The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-09-21
From our Critic in the Dre-. Circle.

tomorrow evening.
From Our Critic in the Dress Circle.
In the character OF Medea ind all those attributes
with which the imagination OF the Greek NEUROLOGICAL
writer's delighted to invest their herolnes The victim
OF The Eumenides the Slave Of Venus the instrument
Of the gods Of vengeance, the terrible Ernnyes who
punished fial dsobeiieace with the fearful tor
ments Such character represented in the Medea Of
Risori but softcned little ia the modern adaptation OF
tho Grccan story OF the French author Legouve Still
enough Of the ancient portraturc remains 10 the mod
en picture to preserve the tragic horrors Of Medeas
mythical history In the construction Of the play,
although the plot is changed somewhat from tho original
story none Of tho leading points are lost. We have
still The prcdestincd sufferer the will Of the gods
whom she has offended and the woman in her character
Of wife and mother, with all her absorbing love- her
constituencies to wrong, her despair al deseron her ma
terna instincts, her jealous passion aud IN her last ter
rioe triaa resort to vengeance in tue murder OF her
own offspring in order strike at tho heart OF the hus
band who has abandoned her
The play based upon the old Greek story Of the Ar
gonauts, Who with Jason tho leader, set forth in
search Of the Golden Fleece which they found pre-
dicted, in Colchis Here Meiea the kings daughter,
who was much skilled in charms and wiichcrait, con.
ceved violent passion for Jason, and OF with him.
until by her spells aud incantaons,he gifts Of
evil delliesshe helped him the difficulties
with winch her father the king obssructed Jssons pos
session Of the famous Golden Fleece Having won the
prize the hero started his journey. accompanied by
Medea who robbed and abandoned her father murdered
her brother stained herself with fearful crimes in
her passion for tho wandering cheItan. The old
story OF woman's devotion and mans ngrattude Is here
repeated Jason grew weary OF his wife and deserted
her He landed at Corinth, and about TO espolse
mia
her two children after many wandcriugs and much suf
ferug in search OF hor husband, arrived Cornth
the very eve OF tho nuptias Here Is laid the OF
the tragedy The story and tho sgonies OF life OF crime.
passion and misery crowded into the events OF ono
day. The outcast wanderer, with her children,
suppliants for charity, tho impassioned lover still
trusting in the faith OF absent husband the victim OF
an evil destiny tho wife maddened with Jealousy and
the weight OF her great wrongs, The mother struggling
between love for her children and the temptation TO
avenge herself upon their father by striking at his heart
through thor bosoms These are the phases
or woman's life natural and unnatural, VII Ga Rstor
depicts with such marvellous power
On her FIRST appearance leading hsr two children her
majestic grace the deep sadness Of expression the
musical ntonation OF the voice shs bids her little
wanderers have courage all told in instant tho story
or the exiled queen the suffering woman aud the gran
dsur which in vagrancy aud still Eliminates her
character The nrst impression OF Ristoh upon the
audience impossible TO overraie She awes By the
majesty OF her demeanor and charms by the tenderness
OF feeling which shadows all tho fierce ele
ments or Msdcas nature In the opening scene,
when craving charity for her children Wehsve not yet
sem tho transformation from the and the mother
10 the unhappy victim Of demonsn OF which she be-
heyes herself possessed Bat when. after relating 70
creusa tho beohed Of JASON the story OF her love- her
hu1,o
stained and describes melting tenderness the parting
from her mothers couch which she eft lock OF hair
as farewell token she refers 10 the pangs Of jealousy
then the spirit Of the dark Eumendes takes hold Of her
and tho frenzy IN which she cxclams that should she
nnd her husband In the possession Of rival she
would treat them a. the leopard does bis PROV
n msns5ri saaggiaand Nc Squarea a brdno bidnoi'
Is terrific From this point the conclusion o. the nrst
act she Is struggling with the drest passions MY woes
come from the gods" shs solemny exclsinn DARK
forcbodings Of fate ancied warninss from the dess
the throes anticipated roachey all take possession Of
her until the climax reached in the discovery that
creusa is about to become the wife Of JASON and then
follows a burst Of passionate defamation terrible %
! listen TO and wholly impossible 70 describe.
whsn the curtain fas upon the nrs, act, the audience
feel they in tho presence Of something
than human a. II the inspiration Of owl gods
reality and fiction Of the stiss aud ye, IL after
all but the display Of human passions AMI safcrings
that ws behold Intended BY The brain ani heart Of
| genus
Ons o. the nnest passages 10 the play Il us meeting
With Jason Ia the second soi Sns grsets him With
sirs Or Joy but 10 suddenIy srod MO frsid ndl1ef
ence BY his cold recognition. fhen succeeds terrible
csn Pride conquer- affection. The recollection OF
her ronss brushes III. ai-u pas.oa -hch
hsr nod with bitter ba quiet sarcssn shs coabats his
l 49, 49,
the wealth or Eprus and send ner fofh upon the
~ord st calm she tauni. him With he Question a.
70 What spot earth she bsake hsrsef where nor
name not terror and the crimes committed Tor him
Ill for him, have not rendered her an 0aican with
fearful emphasis she recoanis those mss the record
! n which extends throughout, al Greece aod 1ss 20
wna, haven shall sbs 10 his scene Rstori orhl.
III, psrhaps bsf 6ues dramatic ability II indeoI =
nastetpece " usture The skill N he Hytie> per.
f.cs ta, We hardly recognise the utstvshton q art ln
the exquisite elaboration q feeling 20 Natural 70 the a.
.aed v,c sung ~ tho propose u reaass hsr anfsi,h
fl husband from Tie mos, sacred tics aud Voluntarily
cynssn him 70 the indulgence ot and anhoy love
10 comprehend me oniire dramatic force and power
os Rslors mpersobaton u Medea We hsyo 70 witness
the struggles between maternal affection aud The thirst
Tor unnatural vengeance ~hlch follow ths suemp 70
separate heY rom he children o. 70 choose lie one
who ID 20 accompany Der 10 her ranasnnss, whis TIE
o,hof remains wi,h hs 'sfber Stimulating consent 20
tbs separation vl.h Jlao1 ~ has secretly resolved 70
sacasce the live. d hsr sua = dsrfoy the BRIDE
W means 81 . poisoned y~a presented % hes
is tie gn y Apouo. rhs l. ne psuish'
ment ss dasigus ID lhs extremity ~ her
shgssh ana 'raustcss " NJ. ,ara o. her 's'sL.s'
husiana % strike sova oas bor ~ -" hs i0rs- sna
iesys him desslNs nst shil 90 accomplished ~itn
oal fearful s,,.r. weh sst ms,srss ,aslipA shs -
a t#satNfs