Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-08


alarmed by tho knocking OF Macdu1
and Lennox. The porter's speech Is so
CONSTRUCTED by Shakespeare IS to he .
foil and relief TO that terrible scene, and
thus 10 present tho JuU fierce ~ onfithc'
SIS, and this is the greatest dramatic
power. And in xttributing this porter
speech 10 Shakespeare. / am glad TO be
sustained by Robert Browning and Mr.
and Mrs. Cowdcn Clarke. The only
1 other portions Of this play in re-
gard 10 which there can DO any doubt
US 70 Shakospears's authorship arc 70
be found in Scene 2 and Scene 3 in Act
w., and the sole ground Of this doubt il
the fact that in intellectually they are
very much beneath the rcst OF the play
in power. The first Of these scenes
( viz, Scene 2--is q scene between Lady
Macduif, her son, and Ross, and the
/ greater part OF this scene is between
Lady Macdutf and her son, who il
child, and IL the scene is want
( ing in dramatic elaboration Shakespeare
doubtless wrote the scene making
Lady Macduff talk in such way
as would DO Ineligible TO her child. The
next scene, Scene 8, opens with scene
! between Malcolm and Mscduf, and while
this part Of the scene is not up to the
high intellectual standard of Shakes
pesre, still parts Of it are written with
great power, and in the reasons which
Malcolm assigns to Macdpff for not re-
/ turning to Scotland, in his affected as
sumption Of vices, the narrative OF Hol-
insheds "Chronicle" in "The His
tory of Makbeth," is followed almost
word for word, and as this is
the chief source from which Shakes
pears drew the other material fol
this play. these facts show that he was
drawing from the same source for this
scene also. And the rest OF this scene IL
composed OF scene between Ross, Mac
duff, and Malcolm, in which koss an
nounces to Macduff tho murder OF his
wife and children, End this portion OF
the scene Is not only essential to the
dramatic movement OF the play, but IN
addition is very powerfully written, con
tanning the following thoughts, the sub
, lime beauty of which can only be de-
rived from Shakespearo's pen:
Malcor "Berciful heaveni
Vast, man nser pull your batupon your broWs
0iye sorrow words: the grief that does not speak
Whispers tho oer-frnught heart. and bids II
break"
And
Nacdun: ale has no children. All my pretty
Did YOU say all. OF hell kitel AM
what all my pretty chickens and their dam
AZ one fell swoOp7"
The last of these quotations embodying
thought that by reason of its wondrous
beauty has become almost daily quota
/ ton.
Shakespeare in "Macbeth" has re-
course 10 supernatural agents in tho
witches which, il employed by n play
wright in this day, would be censured
as transeressiDg the bounds OF proba-
bility: but at the time that this play
was written the reality of witchcrsit WAS
not only credited by the common peo-
pie, but for the most part by the learned
themselves. Shakespeare, therefore,
only utilized in lis play belief that
was common to the period in which he
wrote.
Shakespearian scholars have written
elaborate essays upon the subject OF
Macbeth's courage. Indeed, no phase
OF the play of "Mncbeth " has elected
more critical discussion. II seems TO me,
however, to be matter susceptible OF
easy solution. Scene 2, in Act L., be-
tween Duncan, Malcolm, Ross, and the
Sergeant, clearly establishes the high
moral courage OF Macbeth up to the
time of bis meeting the "weird sisters, "
which he does in scene 3 of this act ;
and from that period to the end of the
play Macboth's character in every par
ticular undergoes an absolute transfor-
nation. Ills high moral courage Is lost,
and he retains his physical courage only.
In scene 2, above referred 20, the Ser
geant. in describing to King Duncan
Macbeth in the suppression OF the re-
bellion of Macdonald, says:
"For brave Macbeth-Wen he deserves that
name
Disdaining fortune, win bis brandish'd steel,
Which smok'd wish bloody execution,
Like vHiSurs minion cArv'd ont bis passage
Till be facd the slave;
TIL he unssamsd him from the nave to the chaps
And nI'd his head upon our bartlcmeniA."
And in response to this praise Of the Ser
geant Duncan speaks OF him as
"Oh, valiant cousin. worthy gentlemani"
and the Sergeant subsequently IN the IN
terview continues his high praise of the
courage of Macbeth and Banquo. and
Duncan later on in the scene, in recogn1-
ton of Macbeth's valiant services, be-
slows upon him tho title OF "Thane OF
Cawdor." II is in scene 3 OF Act l., Just
after the scene between Banquo and
Macbeth and the "weird sisters" that
Ross says to Macbeth:
1.-THE King hath happily receiv'd. Macbeth,
The neus Of thy success; and whom be reads
Thy personal venture ia the rcbels' hght,
His wonders and his praises do contend
which should be thine or his: tilencd with that,
In viewing cor the rest o. tho selisame day,
He ends thee IL, the steut Norwegian ranks
Nothing steared Of what thyself didst make,
strange images Of death. As thick as tale
Came pcst with post, and every one did bear
Thy praises il his Kingdoms great defence,
AND pourd them down before him"
And then Ross says to him:
"And for an earnest Of greater honor,
Ne babe N G from him, cal thee Thsne Of Cawdor:
In which addition, hail, most worthy thanel
For il is thinew
This announcement TO Macbeth accom-
oishcs and inOlpeS complete meto-
nlorDhosis in him. 1t is a confirmation
of one OF the predictions of the "weird
sisters" for immediately following their
prophecy he becomes Thane %. Cawdor,
and then flashes through his mind the
remaining prophecy Of the "weird SIS
tiers viz.
IAN han. Macbeth that shall be King h'rcaf-
teri"
1t is then that Shakespeare gives to
Macbeth the aside
"Glamis, and Thane Of Cawdorl
The greatest is behind"
And Immediately after this, in the same
scene. Banquo expresses his distrust OF
the "weird sisters, saying 10 Macbeth !:
But Ills strange
And oftentimes, 10 win us 70 our harm,
Tie instruments OF darkness tell US truths;
Min u with hosest tribes, 10 beiray g
In deepest consequences"
But Macbeth is most deeply impressed
by the prediction OF the "weird sisters, -
saying:
This supernatural soliciting
CAunot be i'll, cannot be good TX Ill,
Why hath II gwen me an earnest 81 success.
Cemmen cing In q truth? 1 am Thene Of Caw-
dor;