Characteristics of Women Part 53

[112] Mrs. Siddons left among her papers an a.n.a.lysis of the character of Lady Macbeth, which I have never seen: but I have heard her say, that after playing the part for thirty years, she never read it without discovering in it something new. She had an idea that Lady Macbeth must from her Celtic origin have been a small, fair, blue-eyed woman.

Bonduca, Fredegonde, Brunehault, and other Amazons of the gothic ages were of this complexion; yet I cannot help fancying Lady Macbeth dark, like Black Agnes of Douglas--a sort of Lady Macbeth in her way.

[113] In her impersonation of the part of Lady Macbeth, Mrs. Siddons adopted successively three different intonations in giving the words _we fail_. At first a quick contemptuous interrogation--"_we fail?_"

Afterwards with the note of admiration--_we fail!_ and an accent of indignant astonishment, laying the princ.i.p.al emphasis on the word _we_--_we_ fail! Lastly, she fixed on what I am convinced is the true reading--we fail. with the simple period, modulating her voice to a deep, low, resolute tone, which settled the issue at once--as though she had said, "if we fail, why then we fail, and all is over." This is consistent with the dark fatalism of the character and the sense of the line following, and the effect was sublime, almost awful.

[114] _Metaphysical_ is here used in the sense of spiritual or preternatural.

[115] Mrs. Siddons, I believe, had an idea that Lady Macbeth beheld the spectre of Banquo in the supper scene, and that her self-control and presence of mind enabled her to surmount her consciousness of the ghastly presence. This would be superhuman, and I do not see that either the character or the text bear out this supposition.

[116] c.u.mberland.

[117] Professor Richardson.

[118] Foster's Essays.

[119] See Dr. Channing's remarks on Satan, in his essay "On the Character and Writings of Milton."--_Works_, p 181.

[120] The vision of Clytemnestra the night before she is murdered, in which she dreams that she has given birth to a dragon, and that, in laying it to her bosom, it draws blood instead of milk, has been greatly admired; but I suppose that those who most admire it would not place it in comparison with Lady Macbeth's sleeping scene. Lady Ashton, in the Bride of Lammermoor, is a domestic Lady Macbeth; but the development being in the narrative, not the dramatic form, it follows hence that we have a masterly portrait, not a complete individual: and the relief of poetry and sympathy being wanting, the detestation she inspires is so unmixed as to be almost intolerable: consequently the character, considered in relation to the other personages of the story, is perfect; but abstractedly, it is imperfect; a ba.s.so relievo--not a statue.

[121] Attributed to Seneca.

[122] A comparison has already been made in an article in the "Reflector." It will be seen on a reference to that very masterly Essay, that I differ from the author in his conception of Lady Macbeth's character.

[123] Appollonius Rhodius.--_Vide_ Elton's Specimens of the Cla.s.sic Poets.

THE END.

Books by Mrs. Anna Jameson

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOMEN: MORAL, POETICAL, AND HISTORICAL.

THE DIARY OF AN ENNUYeE.

MEMOIRS OF THE LOVES OF THE POETS. Biographical Sketches of Women celebrated in Ancient and Modern Poetry.

STUDIES, STORIES, AND MEMOIRS.

SKETCHES OF ART, LITERATURE, AND CHARACTER. With a Steel Engraving of Raphael's Madonna del San Sisto.

MEMOIRS OF THE EARLY ITALIAN PAINTERS (Cimabue to Ba.s.sano).

LEGENDS OF THE MADONNA as represented in the Fine Arts.

SACRED AND LEGENDARY ART. In two volumes.

LEGENDS OF THE MONASTIC ORDERS as represented in the Fine Arts. Forming the Second Series of Sacred and Legendary Art.