New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-28
THE DRIM1-NUSIC.
MOUNET-SULLY AS EDIPUS.

Edpus has been upon the English stage for more
than two hundred years. but fortunately he docs
not often emerge The woes Of a man who has M
Willingly killed his father, and then married his
mother and finally torn out his eyes are agonizins
and terrible to such a degree that they cannot be
contemplated without in;o!crable pain. The con-
dition is one OF appalling misery, and Of misery that
is hopeless. As often Edpus recurs the observer
Is confronted with the Old nsolube problem of evil
destiny. Certain persons have been, and certain
persons still are pursued with misfortune and sor
row. from the cradle TO the grave Conduct inno-
cent in It's motive may prove criminal in its char
acter and Caamitous its result. Horrible crimes
consummated evil prevails; the good man suf-
fcrs; and al ends hidcoUsly in poignant aiNicton
and the darkness Of death. That Is the observation
OF Sophoces, and his comment is that no creature
can be deemed happy until he is dead. That corol-
larry may may not be sound; but in the face OF
overwhelming experence.-with which history teens.
it is impossible 10 deny the truth that the Greek
poet has declared. Unmerted misery is not uni
versal-but all over the world there is unmerited
misery. Every great writer has seen it and has
said it-Sophocles in the "Edipus'; job and tn
Preacher IN the Bible; Shakespeare in king Lear
and Hamlet; Goethe in Faust; and many more
1t useless, however. look continually upon the
awful truth. and it is than useless to assume
that 1t can be ccmprehended and explained. EdprN
IS unmitigated horror, colossal anguish, remedless
misery. The terrible voice which,-out of darkness
and storm-calls the wretched man. at last. TO his
secret doom and his mysterious sepulchre. might
perhaps explain it. Human divination has always
failed
In the Greek tragedy many Of the chief events
do not occur in sight but related ana that
for the nurnose OF The stace-is bad art NOltare
80, 49,. -. - al,,.o, .L,linus, 1ten!-
ana o'Her au@'Y'S nave "'''P'0'
ing the two parts, and adding ana altering many
things. and thus-While they have rather formcl
man improved The piece as a composition Of art.
they have liberat ed the action that IS stored ny IN
!, The version UresooteI nv II AIounet-Sully is
one made by ~ Jules IacroiX. and il proved sui
centjv effective, a. though little than trans
iation of IN first part Of the Creek play.
Tne eminent French actor ewes an imnersona-
i'm of +, linus which !,v many OF his coIa-
t'n VI i1''i-@ irI -, -. 80, he a.v- ii On
Ia 60 - ari r. vas often and loudly applaud
"a ~, "a r,,,nera,Is assen,b,age AZ dramatic art il
&c ofton snnerb but as nature, and as sub
80 cnncontibr az - Greek poet. K nsu0-
.e'-for il lackeI essential majesty and IL lacked
60 ,1,,i, tir Gomtn and o,..rp helrlinc ,iltv II
colossal woe and the horror Of a preternaiuTa
doom NJ MOunct-Sui.y possesses aDlh1tHCt
I-N.t IN. Of s.iff ring
non, i,,r.- 44,V
n. f-... -
stage coUlQ GO. toW-tti !i'F.'4'
l!gble to thfdtTlC2l aocl-Hcc an" t!A' ',i'1'
Trio humanity his embodiment meaning is OK
~ ~. 1l'rir, -raf US i,s hest and mos touch
Ins I ~, ,ooceJ 49, arldiance by many pici-