Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-30

on the stace-the one exception being the
suicide Of Ajax. Violent deaths necessi-
tated violent and rapid action, and this
was impossible in the ancient Greek cos
tune. The idea or plot OF the traged1es
and dramas were also very different from
modern times. Not single instance OF
love between the sexes, as the motion OF a
drama or play is to be7found, the whole
idea being that such was an unworthy plot
for anv drama. Another distinction lies
in the fact that no hero in Greek tragedy
was ever supposed to be absolutely per-
feet.
Probably the most important difference
between the ancient and modern tragedy
| If we have such thing as modern tragedy
lis in the idea of destiny, which perme-
| ates to such an extent the ancient Greek
| drama.
A modern poet in dealing with such q
theme as Antigone would have four or Eve
| times as many characters and as many
plots, and would 60 crazy unless he could
make case of love at first sight the prin-
| cipal idea of the plot. The three impor-
| tant distinctions between the ancient
Greek and modern tragedy are first, the
| presence of the chorus, second the prevail
ence of the idea of destiny, third the IDEAL
| ity of the presentation.
| Mathew Arnold has well said: The radi-
| cal difference between their poetical theory
/ and ours as it appears to me consists in
| this: That with them the poetical charac-
| ter Of the action in itself, and the conduct
of it, was the first consideration; with us
| attention is fixed mainly on the value of
| the separate thoughts and images which
occur in the treatment of an action. They
regarded the whole; we regard the parts.
With them the action predominated over
1 -.
sion predominates over the action. Not
that they failed in expression or were mat
tentive to it; on the contrary they are the
highest models Of expression, the unap-
preached masters of the grand style. But
their expression is SO excellent because ii
is SO admirably kept in its right degree of
/ prominence; because it Is 80 simple and SO
well subordinated; because it draws its
force directly from the pregnancy Of the
matter which it conveys.n And further;
"This, too, is the reason of what appears
| to JUS moderns certain boldness OF
expression in Greek tragedy, of the triy-
iality with which we often reproach the
| remarks of the chorus, whore it takes part
in the dialogue; that the action itself, the
| situation of Orestes, or Merope, or Alcma
con was to stand the central point Of in
terest, unforgotten, absorbing, principal
that no accessories were for moment to
distract the spectators attention from this
that the tone of the parts was to be per
i petually kept down in order not to impair
| the grandiose effect of the whole. Til,
terrible old mythic story on which tn
drama was founded stood, before he enter
ed the theater, traced in its bare outline
upon the spectators mind; it stood on hi
memory as a group OF statuary, faintl.
| seen, at the end of q long and dark vista
then came the poet, embodying outlines
developing situations, not word wasted
not sentiment capriciously thrown in
stroke upon stroke the drama proceeded
the light deepened upon the group; NOR
and more it revealed itself to the rivete,
gaze of the spectator until at last, whel
the final words were spoken, it stood be
fore him in the broad sunlight, a model o
immortal beauty.
Professor Reynolds will continue tn
series of familiar talks this afternoon at
o'clock, when he will translate portions Q
the Antigone and comment upon them.