Items related to A History of English Dramatic Literature to the Death...
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1875. Excerpt: ... Tryphon (1668). The History of Henry V (1664 Mustapha (1665). affections, contrives to arouse our sympathy. The tragedy of Tryphon (acted 1668) is even less interesting, inasmuch as one cannot deceive oneself even momentarily as to the characters being more than lay-figures. The History of Henry the Fifth (acted 1664) excites a faint curiosity to observe to what extent Heroic Tragedy in its infancy will fail when offering to compete with Shakspere. Lord Orrery at all events deserves credit for a persistent attempt to remain original1; but the plot of his drama (which turns on the generous resignation by Owen Tudor of his passion for Princess Catharine in the interest of his sovereign, who has sent him to woo her in his name--a motive repeatedly worked by the drama2) needed bolder treatment than it has received at his hands. In Mustapha the author indubitably reached the highest point to which it was given to him to attain. Pure in sentiment and chaste in expression as in all his plays, Lord Orrery here shows that while he had caught something of the French dignity of style, he was not incapable of drawing a character3 with some real spirit. The not quite faultless plot (taken from a romance by Georges de Scud6ry5) is of course a love-intrigue pure and simple; and (though Solyman the Magnificent is not altogether free from rant) it is needless to say that all the Turks engaged in it talk love as gently as any sucking-doves. A more typical example of conventionalism carried to an unbearable excess it would in this respect be difficult to find. Herod 1 The only scene in which he seems to have had Shakspere in his mind is iv. 1, where the French and English lords debate the Salic Law; and here it must be allowed that Lord Orrery displays some dialectic skill....
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherGeneral Books LLC
- Publication date2012
- ISBN 10 1235616207
- ISBN 13 9781235616204
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages166
(No Available Copies)
Search Books: Create a WantIf you know the book but cannot find it on AbeBooks, we can automatically search for it on your behalf as new inventory is added. If it is added to AbeBooks by one of our member booksellers, we will notify you!
Create a Want