The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-04-20

nc NANAAN AKNN'N aNN|.A NA 't"N'NNA lH "NNN" INA
TO OtheilO. AS we follow the develop
meuts OF the plot ia Macbeth. we are
Inspired with alternating emotions Of
fear, awe, horror. Othello arouses
feelings Of pity dislike, hatred. III
( intensity IN the condition of thc mind
of the reader Is an absolute test. then
Othello must be- a6ludged q lower posi-.
ton than Macbeth. Jealousy and love
are the passions that govern the
whole course of the action iu
OthellO. Ia Macbeth. ana of the
strongest, blacAc.t aud mos1 unru.y
instincts Of IA are exhibited Boo their
very highest and most uurcstraiuCd
degree. This drama i'm its ref elton of
the most frighlfll passions fe.e mbies
: the caldron around which .he bearded
and dissheyelld witches of Hecal8
dance in ring. The contents ol lhat
cildron are not moro strange. or We
nomou5. on cdiOas ban tine wild emo
ti0ns that toss and wiack the men and
women in Macbeth. The poisoned enc
trails OF the toad. tle hlet of the
fenny snake the eye of newt. the Toe Of
frog, the wool Of bat. the adder 5 fork
the lizard S leg. the sraleof lraglu. the.
nav of shark. the gall of goat. the
nose of Turk. the lips of Tartar. Che
tiger chaudr0n thrown together and
lnterminglad in the caldrOu OF those
secret. black aud midnight hays con-
stitule heIl-bloth indeed, but d hell
broth that Cllers only faint comparison
with that heli.brolh Of murder. bloody
wounds. ag0nizlng screams, villa out
cries. deep imprecati0ns. dlggeIs. flash
ing swords. law.fss ambitions hendisb
re solutions hearts without mercy and
souls without conscience. To he found
in the drama itself. This D. the true
/ hell broth beside which ihe CHdr0n 0i
witch and bag. with all d.. replisivc
contents. loses half of i,s ioathsome-
ness.
O.hell0. on tLe other hlnd i5 flr
more serene iu DTS play OF passion and
/ feeling up % the momen. when thc D01I
is aroused by ihe whisporings oi lago
/ % such a pitch Of tragic and bloody
purpose that he puts ont ihat light, the
/ life Of ID ,dem9ua. which NO Pro-
/ mOlhCan heat could evora again relume.
The strength of Che drama is quiet
strength, and only iu the occasional
ouibursts of O.lDiio hm-eii d. thereof
seryahic ihat wild cEpiOsige force TO BE-
! 0isccV req on every pIge of Macbeth.
/ The cI.c. OF tAe play upon tne mind
and Imagination Of fhe reader is inside
/ i0us. There are few incidents until
/ the conclusion draws near that make
deep impression ior the divine energy
which tloy display. Those elements
/ OF grandeuc. [ o. chl0tic alI pafoxys-
NAL power t0 De- found in Macbeth. DO
almost every leading scene, appear only
IN the last act OF Olneil0. OlhlllO
is great in it, different parts. but Do i5
FAR greater as whole. 1. has 60 be
/ Judged as whole. lO be justly ap.
I Drecilled. The genius displayed Boa 30
steals upon ihe reader as gradually
and as lurtIveiy as lhe cunning
viilaiuy Of lago poisoned tle mind
OF Othell0 against Dedem0na. To
/ Macbeth. ou the other hand. the
attention is arrested from tle frs. iile.
and the first scene. 10y sense oI
strangeness and wonder. and Tins feel
ing is heightened as lhe action OK tha
drama progresses. Here every thing
IA the way OF the natural ana super
natural combines o. excite. 90 s.Iuu-
late and % maintain the ihtetosl oil tine
lelder.
II Macbeth is hyperion 20 Ofhclo in
the more stirring ch4racterOt Dos events.
the greater energy Of iis plot. aud the
deeper impfesslyencss Of its pnl steal
background and surroundings, 30 d.
difficult 10 reach amy perfectly accu-
rate conclusion as 90 which of ,ls two
plays Is entitled to the highest praise n
The mere deilneatlOn OF character.
That lhis remark j. just. Is shown Dy
The blitiest comparison OF the leading
persOnages in these dramas. O.heiio
and IagO GO ih- ore hand. and Nae
beth and Lady Macbeth ON the other,
lago and ady Macbelh in one cate
CORY. Oihel.0 and Macbeth i'm the other.
Ia the whole catalogue 0f The Shakes
pearean creations. and they ale as
varied and as uumDeiless as the types
that are fashioned hy the hand OF
nature. there is not "a more wonderful,
a more sublime. or more piJilul
figure than Olheilo. the Moor. 4
soldier Of fortune, who, DOB spite az bat
ties. sieges. moving accidents and nair-
breadth escapes Was sweet manltIfd.
supplemented ard graat-ml1ded. and
vet Of spirit tnat abOundel terrible
energy. and capable. upon moment
lust prOvOcdti0n, Of beilg aroused %
the impetuOsily If the mountain tor
rent when the rains are defending ga
nature that was responsive o. the deep
est tenderness # of elton. full OF
frankness. Openncss. generosity. Gig
pity. and vet tossed aud wracked by the
widest parCxysm5 Of passion vnen
worked upon. like the serene lake
among the summer hills struck 10y the
blast OF sudden ,aruad0-a dis
position guileless SET strong. gentle. yet
volcanic-the most faithful Of friends.
the tenderesl of lovers. the most ienlent
OF foes. yet the most piti.ess OF muid-
erers. touching botn extremes. and yet
under the blacklist circumstances re-
tanning that nobility Of soul which the
darkest emotions might pefverl. but
which the most sanguiuafy crime could
not destroy are toe consistent
and contradictory qualities OF ibis
wonderful character. which only toe
most astute observation Of lfe could
have traced in las various lines and tie
highest genius deiineated when clearly
understood. The pr0loun1est admira-
ton. the keeuest sorrow and the soft
est pity sweep over the mind as we fol-
low the process OF lis o,el0pment.
The character Of Macbeth, on the
other hand. j. deiineaiet with as mucn
truth 20 nature as the character o.
Oihclio. bIt 10 Is more commonplace
conception. IL did not call for the same
delicate strokes, because cCarser aud
more pronounced in its Distinguishing
traits. Both OihCiiO and Macbeth aye
murderegs. but how different their mo-
tiyes O.he.lo quenches the light OF
Desdemonas faithful spirit, blcaus,
colder Ike. he clung to what he con
ceived 10 be due 10 his personal honor
HeiRCus a. the act was, the motive re
deemed il from the darkest aspect oil
crime. Macbeth. on the other hand
dyes his base hands ia blood 10 secure
and afterwards 10 retain the obj cots o.
mere yulg gar ambition, a kingship anr
It's transient splendor and magniiicerce
Of the two other characters whom
We have ramed. lsgo and Lady Mac