New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-02-04
EnOch Arden.

The story of Enoch Arden. from which
the play IS dramatized, possesses sufficient
interest to justify the production of the
subjoined abstract:
The production of this play should be a
red letter day for all who love the drama
in its purity and integrity: for on that day
will be produced decentralization of Tenny-
sons beautiful and world-tamous poem of
"Enoch Arden"
In this touching love sorry, the sublimity
of simplicity is reached by the great Anglo
Saxon poet. No pomp and circumstance of
glorious war. no ermine and purple of
courts. no glitter of riches, no thrilling
| deeds of historic fame, no mystic tale of fay
or demon, no song OF gramarye, or lay of
pride or fierce revenge, Eliminates the
poetic page, which, nevertheless, CLOVIS
with natural. quiet. unaffected, yet heart
searching and heartennobling strain of love
in humble life-a perfect picture of men
and women as they live and move and have
their being. crowned by self-sacritice of
the love, the hope-garnered for years-the
heart-nay the very lite-of as true knight
as ever graced the roll of chivalry.
EnOch Arden will ever be regarded as the
type of the tenderest, truest lover that ever
suffered for others happiness, and countless
hearts, yet unborn, shall be moved, and
gentle eyes shall weep in sympathy with
his heroic act, not OutshOne in history by
the noblest Roman of them all.
In its dramatic form the poem has lost
none OF its quiet power, nor has its SIM
plicity been Overcharged and transformed
by supertluOus verbiage; but few charac-
PRODUCED only for the more perfect present
ment called for by the stage, and they will
be found to accord naturally and easily
with TennysOns own persOnages.
Much. very much, of the actual language
of the poem has been preserved. and all
the situations scrupulOusly adhered to.
The result is compact, unstrained, and
beautiful drama: 50 universal in its appli-
cation. so easy of realization. so pretty a
story of faithful hearts whose gold is never
dim and pure. unseltish love, whose spell
is never lost, that no fear is entertained of
its attractiveness to all who have ears to
hear, minds to understand, and hearts to
feel, and it is with confident satisfaction
that the management hold up to the New
York public the mirror of nature. wherein
they may behold the life, the love, the
noble death of Enoch Arden.
The poem opens with this graphic pas
sage:
Long lines of Cliff breaking have lett a chasm
And in the chasm foam a yellow satds
Beyond red roofs about a narrow wharf;
In cluster, then mOuldered church. and higher,
long street climbs to one tall lowered mil
And high i'll heaven behind it gray down
With Danish barrows, and hazel wood
BY autumn nutters haunted, fourishes
Green in cuplike hollow of the down."
AS Tar as art can initiate nature. this pic
tlresque scene has been reproduced and
will. we think, be regarded as one of the
finest efforts of the artist (Witham) lit
tie Cornish village on the sea coast, it gives
the key note to the whole piece, and the
audience see at once the place and the peo-
pie they have to deal with
The villagers are cheering Justify for
Enoch Arden. their favorite Enoch, who has
just saved from drowning a child, the son
Of Captain Sterling, being the third life he
has preserved. This is liberty taken by
the dramatist, but it is in perfect keeping
with the manly character of Arden, aud
starts the play very happily.
The captain enters, rustic reoicings take
place, the preserver of his child is thanked
and rewarded, and then comes the scene
between Annie Lee, EnOch and Philip RAY.
both lovers of the girl, but Enoch dearest.
The end being that Annie accepts Enoch.
Philip resigns his pretensions, and the act
finishes with the happy marriage Of the two
lovers, wedding chorus, and general CON
tentment of all except Philip. who has.
however, for consolation, the assurances of
Enoch and Annies friendship through life.
Seven years elapse ere the second act