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

Philip Edgar, 'a free-thinking artist, v/ho lounges about...
dressed in the garb of Bedford D ">rk and Hnmpatoad, and perusing
as he goes the last volume of the very newest philoaopiy", and
Eva, "{?. simple minded young girl". He betrays Eva's trar.t, and
after explaining his ideas on free love, leaves hor. Six years
pass, and Dora, Java's sister, believes the seduced pirl, who
has disappeared, to be dead* Philip Edgar re-appe; rs (passing
himself off as Harold, a kinsman of the now notorious seducer),
and Dora falls in love v ith him* Faraer Dobcon, "the incarnation
of all that is straight forward and all tavt is orthodox", icctc.
Udg: r fine: challenges hin, but he dainc to be NT Id and escapes
unharmed* Edgar is ready to marry Dora - he h. s learned his
le son - but Eva returns, after "yenrs of servitude and misery",
,o ask her father's forgiveness* Unfortunately her father is
too old to u:i''!< rr.tand .- -ny thing* She 'juddenly m'ots :dx T and
drops down dead at his f et. "These" arid 'rer"crick edmore,
whose Academy notice has been quoted above, "are pathetic p GSa
t-;ea, and they hn.ve their value". (1° IIovo ..ber 1884). Dobson
returns, and is bout to deal brutally with Rdg-:r, but Tora
prevents iiiu, arguing that as id,,ctr io re;>ent^nt and she loves
jiir.i, he : ho old be cpr.:red* t^^r r.u?.£t lec'.ve the vil'.':f:e f and
when the curt:..in ±' 11s ; or: is 1'ft alone, to fr.ce a lifetime
of lonelinesc. The actions of ii^ar, Dora and :-va -re ; et in
cone sort of pore -icctive by a ciioi-irj of nro;.:e-Uj')cc-l*in;; i1 -. tics
and tlic tv/o 'iris, unlike their old father, do not sjpeak
di; 1-ct.
The -:lay anjo.-'rcj to ov;e co^'./uiiin," to Hardy, both in thone
and ;;roat r :orit, though Teniiycon's co:i' •- r*s ch; r; ctor is crudely . : r-^-n rand hio iotives
in returning to the village poorly rcoounted for. It v/as too