The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 11, October, 1836Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 11, October, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
We have occupied so much space in the details of this long and
intricate play, that we are compelled to curtail our remarks, and as
much as possible. Schiller has undoubtedly rendered his tragedy the
more interesting, from the glowing picture he presents of the manners
of the times. In the character of the Queen we think he has succeeded
better than Alfieri; in that of Philip, not so well. Schiller's Philip
is a tyrant; but the tyrant in Alfieri is painted in colors infinitely
stronger. Perhaps we are shown too uniformly the darker side of the
picture, but it is in all respects a powerful one. It was a bold and
fine thought in the Italian poet, to represent the monarch of Spain as
keeping himself aloof from all confidence or support from others, and
shrouding his designs ever in the inscrutable veil of hypocrisy. Even
in the presence of Gomez, his tried counsellor and servant, Filippo
maintains the same guarded and haughty reserve. His commands are brief
and laconic to a studied degree, and his follower in cruelty rather
divines his meaning, from his long habits of sharing in the schemes of
his master, than gathers the full import of the words uttered, from
the king's language. On no occasion does the king express openly what
we might suppose his feelings; it is only by his actions, and by
penetrating through his habitual deceit, that we are able to judge of
his plans. In the council scene, his hypocrisy deceives all his
courtiers; and in the catastrophe, the half-spoken expression of
rising remorse is checked on the instant, while he imposes silence,
under the penalty of death, on his accomplice in crime. This character
is one which it well suited the austere genius of Alfieri to depict;
one touch of relenting, or of a communicative spirit towards his
servant, and the whole had been marred. He walks with unfaltering step
towards the goal of his intent, wrapped in cold and impenetrable
reserve. Far different is the King that Schiller has painted. He is
comparatively open-hearted; and exhibits a confidence and candor
towards the Marquis of Posa, a being whose nature could never accord
with his, that seems to us quite misplaced in the character of a
tyrant like Philip. His jealousy is also that of pride, and pride is
his master passion; but the author has not done well to make him
indulge in such lengthened soliloquies. The Queen is a beautiful
creation; ingenuousness, dignity, and tenderness are finely displayed
in her lovely character. In aristocratic and feminine reserve, she is
much superior to Isabella in Alfieri, whose passion and devotedness
are more undisguised than is becoming to her sex and station. We do
not admire the readiness with which she discloses her still lingering
preference for Carlos; and her hesitation and embarrassment in
presence of the King, are unfavorably contrasted with the boldness,
founded on the consciousness of innocence, in Schiller's Elizabeth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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