Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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to be calm" when the ncv/s of Cawdor's death is brought, and
the two speeches beginning "Glamio, and i'hane of Caw".or -/ The
greatest is behind!.,." and "Two truths are told"..."are spoken
by an "exultant" man. In the ending of the ocene Macbeth
begins to di;uinulc.te ("hypocrisy" in the merlin), and hiu
"Come, friends" id delivered "cheerily" - tlio second notice
in The Saturday Review describee this as "the exact air of
a m.n ir. ocviraond who wishes to conceal his thought", and, in
reconsideration of its former unfavourable opinion, claimed
this firct scene as "tl.3 key to a true and noble conception
of the character of Macbeth". A scene, like the second scene
of ilanj.ot, which showed the principal character set apart
from the others and which relied upon the actor*s silent
reactions as much as upon any spoken ones, it was entirely
suited to Irving's ncthod.
.after the short scene in the alace at Porres came Ellen
Terry*a first appearance. The set, by Hawes Craven, represented
a room in Macbeth'a castle, v.ith wallc of "aolid masonry" in
which a large open fireplace was cut downs:tage on the ri ht.
Lady Macbeth reed, the let uor by the licht of the emberc, at
one point gazing on her husband's portrait (The Era). According
to The Tines she read with oatisfaction, rather than surprise,
and settled in an arn-chair to ponder the situation. The
combination of naturalistic detail aiic1 picturesque limiting
wa.s charrcterictic of Irving'c stnge-nanafconicnt, and his collators
often strove to . cliicvc ci::.il;,r effects. She soliloquy
io -.."escribed in some detail by The Times rovioi;cr. "Yet I do
fear thy nature" \;-.s cpolcen in "an affectionate, half-re, rctful
t >ne, as if spcrl:ing of cone too-^encrous-mnded person
who did not sufficiently rjtuC.y his cv,n interest a"; "Hie t':.co
Iiitiior..." v;ro a joyous and affectionate exclamation, raid tlic
actress appeared throu liout "a gentle, affection, .to . ife,
v/rr-vied up in her husband". Fven "unrex me here" betrayed "a
las&.i "est effort to rc-^ross licr feminine in.otincts, her voico
faltering at the nore terrible pG^sagec'-. The oamo v/itncss
reports that Irving gave trie usually innocent line "Tomorrow,
as he purposes" a "curiour-ly sinister v.:e:Jiing", and avrrting
hie eyes, uttered then "v;ith an affected inciiffcrence that
obviously covers a guilty t.'.iou;;ht". The -iroopt co-jy indicates