The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-18
lSTUDY OF ROSALIND
Helena Modjeska on the Charac-
fer of Shakespeare's Heroine.
from AN ACTRESS STANDPOINT,
NE Source From Which tho Play Was
Drawn-One of the Loveliest
of Women.
Copyright. 1892, by Helena Modis.ka.l


What is Rosalind? Thomas Lodge. on
whose story. entitled "Rosalind," Shake
spesre has based his play, describes her
beauty and her virtues in most glorious
but rather exaggerated terms:
For npeu her checks there seemed battle be-
tseen the Gracas who should bestow most favor
% pake her excellent The blush tha. gloried
Inra, when she kissed the shepherd on the hills
OF Lasncs, was nor tainted W. IN such pleasant
DE a. the rermilion that fourished on tho
diver hue OF Rosalind's countenauce: her eyes
ae like those lamps tina. made the wealthy
covert OF the heavens more gorgeous, sparkling
Il !syor aud dtsdain; courteous ana yet coy,
Is IL In them Venus had placed ali her amorets
Z snd Diana al. her chastity. The t-emmeis Of
her hair folded in caul Of gold so far surpassed
s .he Furnished giisser of the metal, sun doth
The meanest Star in brightness; the tresses that
fold III the br0wx Of Apollo were not half 50 rich
- the sight, for In Der hair ii seemed love had
laid herself in ambush 10 entrap the proudest
ere tina. burst gaze pom their excellence What
should need to deeipher her particular beau
ties, when by the eeusure OF all she was the
paragon of ali earthly perfection.
Alinda in Lodges novel Celia" in her
"oration to the father IN defense OF Rosa
lind" SAYS: Her wisdom. silence,
chastity and other such rich qualities
need not decipher"
But We do not need 10 look for informa-
ton to any other authority than Shake
speare himself. With all the good judg-
nent of clever stage manager he does
not leave entire freedom to actors in Gre
ating the characters. but gives them neces-
sary hints and thus compels them To fol-
low closely his own conception. Rosa
lind Is so we'll pictured by different per-
&c Ill hat fa
doubt as to the Interpretation of the part.
In the first act of las You Like It," Duke
Frederick. speaking of Rosalind, ex presses
himself as follows:
She Is too subtle for thee, and her smoothness,
Her very silence. and her patience
Speak 10 the people aud they pity her.
Thou ar. fool she robs thee OF thy name,
And thou wilt show more bright, and seem
more virtaous
When sue is gone.
II is enough 10 read this passage to know
that she is subtle, smooth, silent, patient
bright and virtuous. As il is her enemy
who describes her thus, she must be in
deed lovely being. the last work OF fem
mine grace and gentleness. Shakespeare
evidently loved his heroine; he is not con-
tented with giving a description OF her
character; he also draws an outline of ner
physical appearance. In her scene with
Celia at the end OF the first act Rosalind
SAYS about herself: Il am more than COM
mon tall" Orlando in his poem thus
sings her praise:
Helen's cheek. but not her heart,
Cicopatras majesty.
In anotherinstance Oliver, quoting Or
Iando's description of Ganymede, says:
The boy is lair
OF female favor, aud bestows himself
Like ripe sister. but the woman low
And trowner than her brother.
Z We see by this that she is tall, golden
haired. majestic, beautiful!
Having become thus acquainted with
her moral and physical advantages. let us
See how she appears III contact with sur
pounding people and events. In the first
scene of the play We have learned by