New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SIR EDWIN ARNoLD'S JAPANESE DRAMA.

ADzUMA OR, THE JAPANESE WIFE Play. in
-Four Acts. By Sir Edwin Arnold. Emo. PIP 40.
Charles scribners Sons.
Sir Edwin Arnold has found In Adzuina" one
OF those subjects which he has always delighted to
Illustrate. The theme OF the drama Is one Of tH
old japanese legends pregnant with Information
as to the age OF chivalry In Nippon; an age {"
chivalry he It said which, despite au Inevitable mix
ture ferocity, exhibits some OF the higher virtues
with lustrc and beauty scarcely emulaied BY the
traditions OF the corresponding stage OF European de-
velopment. in this case the whole o. the acuoh 'urs
upon OF those supernatural occurrences which so
thickly bestud the ancient annals Of the land G the
Mikado The legend is based upon the theme Of
continued births and rcbrthS. the persistence OF III
dvidual character through various incarna'ions md
the influence of destiny upon human affairs. \ beau
tifnl g1rl-AdznWa--is married to IL samuiai nance
Wataru. They deeply attached. ana happy III
their love. when young Moiio. who, unknown I"
himself had IN a former life been lover Of Adzuna
appears upon the scene. and is at cncc fascinated
by the young wifes loneliness. He might have es-
caped the snare but that sakamanehis hereditary but
unrecognized enemr-lndertakcs to lure him on 10
his and Adzumas destruction, and by crafuy altered
and forged letters persuades Morto that the lazy r.
ciprocatcs his passion. Under the influence OF h>
strong emotion the whole character OF Moiito swiftly
deteriorates. lie becomes brutal, masterinl cow
ardly ptless He dares to demand Of Aizumas
mother-who is his aunt-that she shall assist MN
In his intrigue. Fooled TO the top Of his bent by us
false friend Sahanunc. he produces the forged letters
to Adzumas mother positive proofs OF what he
asserts, and the misguided woman believes the so
phistcated evidence.
The result is that Adzuma finds herself trapped
The conspiracy against her Is complicated and so
cunningy contrivcd that there seems no escape from
II consistent with the retention Of her loved hus-
bands confidence. There Is, or 50 it seems TO the
poor hunted and outraged creature. but one possible
means of battling Morito and this she adopts after the
~
tells Morito that II lie desires TO win her he must
first kill her husband. lie consents 10 this, and she
gives him minute instructions how TO proceed. she
Is to place signal light in the room where her nus
band sleeps TO guide the assassin who IS 10 discover
the identity of his victim by the circumstance that
Els hair will be wet after his bath. Everything thus
arranged Adzuma writes letters of farewell TO her
husband and her mother. COntrives that the former
shall pass the night in another room. and then when
he is asleep cuts her hair IN masculine fashion,
vets her head and lies down in her husbands place
The calculated sequel Morito steals into the
house at midnight, finds the wethared sleeper as di
rected, and with one blow Of his sword strikes of
the head-not, as he supposes. Of Wataru, but Of
Adzuma The story Will be found In several modern
foundations Of Japanese medieval legends 1t mas
Q deep hold upon the popular imagination, and no
sonder. Sir Edwin Arnold has not added much 10
the ORIGINAL legend and certainly detraced nothing
from its imprcssiveness. His dramatic version Is
characterized by simplicity occasional dignity OF die
t1on frequent incursions into distinctly japanese
poetry and sentiment. and generally speaking, care
In the maintenance Of national ideas figures and modes
81 thought, which testfes 10 both the skill and the
conscentousncss OF his labor.
In one instance indeed, ne commits probably
Unconscious plagiarism. being tempted thereto by
curious concurrence OF circumstances. In the first
ecene Of the fourth act wataru speaking to Adzuma
says:
An / loved not honor more than life
Aye, more than Adzuma-I should not love 'dzuma
half so WELL
The author in writing this seems to have forgotten
he noble lines Of Richard Lovelace,
al could not love thee, dear, so much
Loved not honor more"
The fitness Of sentiment In the japanese situation
Is indspataby obvious. But the resemblance between
the expressions is perhaps too clear 10 pass un-
challenged.