alfred tennyson-第28节

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aged；　plain；　and　in　aspect　now　terrible；　now　rueful。　　No　great
actress　will　throw　herself　with　passion　into　such　an　ungrateful　part。
〃Throughout　all　history；〃　Tennyson　said；　〃there　was　nothing　more
mournful　than　the　final　tragedy　of　this　woman。〃　　MOURNFUL　it　is；　but
not　tragic。　　There　is　nothing　grand　at　the　close；　as　when　Mary　Stuart
conquers　death　and　evil　fame；　redeeming　herself　by　her　courage　and
her　calm；　and　extending　over　unborn　generations　that　witchery　which
her　enemies　dreaded　more　than　an　army　with　banners。

Moreover；　popular　tradition　can　never　forgive　the　fires　of
Smithfield。　　It　was　Mary　Tudor's　misfortune　that　she　had　the　power　to
execute；　on　a　great　scale；　that　faculty　of　persecution　to　the　death
for　which　her　Presbyterian　and　other　Protestant　opponents　pined　in
vain。　　Mr　Froude　says　of　her；　〃For　the　first　and　last　time　the　true
Ultramontane　spirit　was　dominant　in　England；　the　genuine　conviction
that；　as　the　orthodox　prophets　and　sovereigns　of　Israel　slew　the
worshippers　of　Baal；　so　were　Catholic　rulers　called　upon；　as　their
first　duty；　to　extirpate　heretics　as　the　enemies　of　God　and　man。〃
That　was　precisely　the　spirit　of　Knox　and　other　Presbyterian
denouncers　of　death　against　〃Idolaters〃　（Catholics）。　　But　the
Scottish　preachers　were　always　thwarted：　　Mary　and　her　advisers　had
their　way；　as；　earlier；　Latimer　had　preached　against　sufferers　at　the
stake。　　To　the　stake；　which　he　feared　so　greatly；　Cranmer　had　sent
persons　not　of　his　own　fleeting　shade　of　theological　opinion。　　These
men　had　burned　Anabaptists；　but　all　that　is　lightly　forgotten　by
Protestant　opinion。　　Under　Mary　（whoever　may　have　been　primarily
responsible）　Cranmer　and　Latimer　were　treated　as　they　had　treated
others。　　Moreover；　some　two　hundred　poor　men　and　women　had　dared　the
fiery　death。　　The　persecution　was　on　a　scale　never　forgiven　or
forgotten；　since　Mary　began　cerdonibus　esse　timenda。　　Mary　was　not
essentially　inclement。　　Despite　Renard；　the　agent　of　the　Emperor；　she
spared　that　lord　of　fluff　and　feather；　Courtenay；　and　she　spared
Elizabeth。　　Lady　Jane　she　could　not　save；　the　girl　who　was　a　queen　by
grace　of　God　and　of　her　own　royal　nature。　　But　Mary　will　never　be
pardoned　by　England。　　〃Few　men　or　women　have　lived　less　capable　of
doing　knowingly　a　wrong　thing；〃　says　Mr　Froude；　a　great　admirer　of
Tennyson's　play。　　Yet；　taking　Mr　Froude's　own　view；　Mary's　abject　and
superannuated　passion　for　Philip；　her　ecstasies　during　her　supposed
pregnancy；　〃the　forlorn　hours　when　she　would　sit　on　the　ground　with
her　knees　drawn　to　her　face；〃　with　all　her　〃symptoms　of　hysterical
derangement；　leave　little　room；　as　we　think　of　her；　for　other
feelings　than　pity。〃　　Unfortunately；　feelings　of　pity　for　a　person　so
distraught；　so　sourly　treated　by　fortune；　do　not　suffice　for　tragedy。
When　we　contemplate　Antigone　or　OEdipus；　it　is　not　with　a　sentiment
of　pity　struggling　against　abhorrence。

For　these　reasons　the　play　does　not　seem　to　have　a　good　dramatic
subject。　　The　unity　is　given　by　Mary　herself　and　her　fortunes；　and
these　are　scarcely　dramatic。　　History　prevents　the　introduction　of
Philip　till　the　second　scene　of　the　third　act。　　His　entrance　is
manque；　he　merely　accompanies　Cardinal　Pole；　who　takes　command　of　the
scene；　and　Philip　does　not　get　in　a　word　till　after　a　long
conversation　between　the　Queen　and　the　Cardinal。　　Previously　Philip
had　only　crossed　the　stage　in　a　procession；　yet　when　he　does　appear
he　is　bereft　of　prominence。　　The　interest　as　regards　him　is
indicated；　in　Act　I。　scene　v。；　by　Mary's　kissing　his　miniature。　　Her
blighted　love　for　him　is　one　main　motive　of　the　tragedy；　but　his　own
part　appears　too　subordinate　in　the　play　as　published。　　The　interest
is　scattered　among　the　vast　crowd　of　characters；　and　Mr　R。　H。　Hutton
remarked　at　the　time　that　he　〃remains　something　of　a　cold；　cruel；　and
sensual　shadow。〃　　We　are　more　interested　in　Wyatt；　Cranmer；　Gardiner；
and　others；　or　at　least　their　parts　are　more　interesting。　　Yet　in　no
case　does　the　interest　of　any　character；　except　of　Mary　and
Elizabeth；　remain　continuous　throughout　the　play。　　Tennyson　himself
thought　that　〃the　real　difficulty　of　the　drama　is　to　give　sufficient
relief　to　its　intense　sadness。　。　。　。　Nothing　less　than　the　holy　calm
of　the　meek　and　penitent　Cranmer　can　be　adequate　artistic　relief。〃
But　not　much　relief　can　be　drawn　from　a　man　about　to　be　burned　alive；
and　history　does　not　tempt　us　to　keen　sympathy　with　the　recanting
archbishop；　at　least　if　we　agree　with　Macaulay　rather　than　with
Froude。

I　venture　to　think　that　historical　tradition；　as　usual；　offered　a
better　motive　than　exact　history。　　Following　tradition；　we　see　in
Mary　a　cloud　of　hateful　gloom；　from　which　England　escapes　into　the
glorious　dawn　of　〃the　Gospel　light；〃　and　of　Elizabeth；　who　might　be
made　a　triumphantly　sympathetic　character。　　That　is　the　natural　and
popular　course　which　the　drama　might　take。　　But　Tennyson's　history　is
almost　critical　and　scientific。　　Points　of　difficult　and　debated
evidence　（as　to　Elizabeth's　part　in　Wyatt's　rebellion）　are　discussed。
There　is　no　contest　of　day　and　darkness；　of　Truth　and　Error。　　The
characters　are　in　that　perplexed　condition　about　creeds　which　was
their　actual　state　after　the　political　and　social　and　religious　chaos
produced　by　Henry　VIII。　　Gardiner　is　a　Catholic；　but　not　an
Ultramontane；　Lord　William　Howard　is　a　Catholic；　but　not　a　fanatic；
we　find　a　truculent　Anabaptist；　or　Socialist；　and　a　citizen　whose
pride　is　his　moderation。　　The　native　uncritical　tendency　of　the　drama
is　to　throw　up　hats　and　halloo　for　Elizabeth　and　an　open　Bible。　　In
place　of　this；　Cecil　delivers　a　well…considered　analysis　of　the
character　of　Elizabeth


　　　〃Eliz。　　God　guide　me　lest　I　lose　the　way。
＇Exit　Elizabeth。
　　　Cecil。　　Many　points　weather'd；　many　perilous　ones；
At　last　a　harbour　opens；　but　therein
Sunk　rocksthey　need　fine　steeringmuch　it　is
To　be　nor　mad；　nor　bigothave　a　mind　…
Nor　let　Priests'　talk；　or　dream　of　worlds　to　be；
Miscolour　things　about　hersudden　touches
For　him；　or　himsunk　rocks；　no　passionate　faith　…
Butif　let　bebalance　and　compromise；
Brave；　wary；　sane　to　the　heart　of　hera　Tudor
School'd　by　the　shadow　of　deatha　Boleyn；　too；
Glancing　across　the　Tudornot　so　well。〃


This　is　excellent　as　historical　criticism；　in　the　favourable　sense；
but　the　drama；　by　its　nature；　demands　something　not　critical　but
triumphant　and　one…sided。　　The　character　of　Elizabeth　is　one　of　the
best　in　the　play；　as　her　soliloquy　（Act　III。　scene　v。）　is　one　of　the
finest　of　the　speeches。　　We　see　her　courage；　her　coquetry；　her
dissimulation；　her　arrogance。　　But　while　this　is　the　true　Elizabeth；
it　is　not　the　idealised　Elizabeth　whom　English　loyalty　created；　lived
for；　and　died　for。　　Mr　Froude　wrote；　〃You　have　given　us　the　greatest
of　all　your　works；〃　an　opinion　which　the　world　can　never　accept。
〃You　have　reclaimed　one　more　section　of　English　History　from　the
wilderness；　and　given　it　a　form　in　which　it　will　be　fixed　for　ever。
No　one　since　Shakespeare　has　done　that。〃　　But　Mr　Froude　had　done　it；
and　Tennyson's　reading　of　〃the　section〃　is　mainly　that　of　Mr　Froude。
Mr　Gladstone　found　that　Cranmer　and　Gardiner　〃are　still　in　a
considerable　degree　mysteries　to　me。〃　　A　mystery　Cranmer　must　remain。
Perhaps　the　〃crowds〃　and　〃Voices〃　are　not　the　least　excellent　of　the
characters；　Tennyson's　humour　finding　an　opportunity　in　them；　and　in
Joan　and　Tib。　　His　idyllic　charm　speaks　in　the　words　of　Lady　Clarence
to　the　fevered　Queen；　and　there　is　dramatic　genius　in　her　reply：…


　　　〃Mary。　　What　is　the　strange　thing　happiness？　　Sit　down　here：
Tell　me　thine　happiest　hour。
　　　Lady　Clarence。　　I　will；　if　that
May　make　your　Grace　forget　yourself　a　little。
There　runs　a　shallow　brook　across　our　field
For　twenty　miles；　where　the　black　crow　flies　five；
And　doth　so　bound　and　babble　all　the　way
As　if　itself　were　happy。　　It　was　May…time；
And　I　was　walking　with　the　man　I　loved。
I　loved　him；　but　I　thought　I　was　not　loved。
And　both　were　silent；　letting　the　wild　brook
Speak　for　ustill　he　stoop'd　and　gather'd　one
From　out　a　bed　of　thick　forget…me…nots；
Look'd　hard　and　sweet　at　me；　and　gave　it　me。
I　took　it；　tho'　I　did　not　know　I　took　it；
And　put　it　in　my　bosom；　and　all　at　once
I　felt　his　arms　about　me；　and　his　lips　…
　　　Mary。　　O　God！　　I　have　been　too　slack；　too　slack；
There　are　Hot　Gospellers　even　among　our　guards　…
Nobles　we　dared　not　touch。　　We　have　but　burnt
The　heretic　priest；　workmen；　and　women　and　children。
Wet；　famine；　ague；　fever；　storm；　wreck；　wrath；　…
We　have　so　play'd　the　coward；　but　by　God's　grace；
We'll　follow　Philip's　leading；　and　set　up
The　Holy　Office　heregarner　the　wheat；
And　burn　the　tares　with　unquenchable　fire！〃


The　conclusion；　in　the　acting　edition；　printed　in　the　Biography；
appears　to　be　an　improvement　on　that　in　the　text　as　originally
published。　　Unhappy　as　the　drama　essentially　is；　the　welcome　which　Mr
Browning　gave　both　to　the　published　work　and　to　the　acted　play〃a
complete　success〃：　　〃conception；　execution；　the　whole　and　the　parts；
I　see　nowhere　the　shadow　of　a　fault〃offers　〃relief〃　in　actual　human
nature。　　〃He　is　the　greatest…brained　poet　in　England；〃　Tennyson　said；
on　a　later　occas