登陆注册
5694900000001

第1章 Perface

ROBERT BROWNING stands,in respect to his origin and his career,in marked contrast to the two aristocratic poets beside whose dramas his "Blot in the 'Scutcheon"is here printed.His father was a bank clerk and a dissenter at a time when dissent meant exclusion from Society;the poet went neither to one of the great public schools nor to Oxford or Cambridge;and no breath of scandal touched his name.

Born in London in 1812,he was educated largely by private tutors,and spent two years at London University,but the influence of his father,a man of wide reading and cultivated tastes,was probably the most important element in his early training.He drew well,was something of a musician,and wrote verses from an early age,though it was the accidental reading of a volume of Shelley which first kindled his real inspiration.This indebtedness is beautifully acknowledged in his first published poem,"Pauline"

(1833).

Apart from frequent visits to Italy,there is little of incident to chronicle in Browning's life,with the one great exception of his more than fortunate marriage in 1846to Elizabeth Barrett,the greatest of English poetesses.

Browning's dramatic period extended from 1835to the time of his marriage,and produced some nine plays,not all of which,however,were intended for the stage."Paracelsus,"the first of the series,has been fairly described as a "conversational drama,"and "Pippa Passes,"though it has been staged,is essentially a poem to read.The historical tragedy of "Strafford"has been impressively performed,but "King Victor and King Charles,""The Return of the Druses,""Colombe's Birthday,""A Soul's Tragedy,"and "Luria,"

while interesting in many ways,can hardly be regarded as successful stage-plays."A Blot in the 'Scutcheon"was performed at Drury Lane,but its chances of a successful run were spoiled by the jealousy of Macready,the manager.

The main cause of Browning's weakness as a playwright lay in the fact that he was so much more interested in psychology than in action.

But in the present tragedy this defect is less prominent than usual,and in spite of flaws in construction,it reaches a high pitch of emotional intensity,the characters are drawn with vividness,and the lines are rich in poetry.

A BLOT IN THE 'SCUTCHEON

A TRAGEDY

(1843)

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

MILDRED TRESHAM.

GUENDOLEN TRESHAM.

THOROLD,Earl Tresham.

AUSTIN TRESHAM.

HENRY,Earl Mertoun.

GERARD,and other retainers of Lord Tresham.

Time,17--

同类推荐
  • 金刚顶胜初瑜伽经中略出大乐金刚萨埵念诵仪

    金刚顶胜初瑜伽经中略出大乐金刚萨埵念诵仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Ozma of Oz

    Ozma of Oz

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 温氏母训

    温氏母训

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 葬书

    葬书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 岁华纪丽谱

    岁华纪丽谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 探索百科(中国儿童课外必读)

    探索百科(中国儿童课外必读)

    这是一本献给渴望探索新世界的青少年读者的百科全书。全书用通俗浅显的文字诠释出丰富而精彩的万千现象,让青少年读者在轻松愉快的氛围中进入一个乐趣无穷、充满未知的知识世界。囊括天下万物,浩瀚无边的宇宙天地,精彩纷呈的地球故事,千奇百怪的生物世界,有趣深奥的自然科学,日益发达的高新技术,曲折生动的人类历史,多姿多彩的社会生活……展示自然科学的神奇,探索人类社会的奥妙……
  • 神秘的UFO(探索宇宙奥秘系列丛书)

    神秘的UFO(探索宇宙奥秘系列丛书)

    宇宙,是这个世界上谜团最多的地方,也是最吸引孩子好奇心的地方。宇宙包含着最神秘的未知和疑问,人类正在以高超的科学手段和不懈的努力不断深入探索宇宙的深处,希望了解人类自身的过去与未来。而地球是我们人类赖以生存的家园。在漫长的岁月中,人类一直在这个星球上繁衍生息。虽然它只是太阳系中一颗普通的行星,但它在许多方面却又是独一无二的:它是太阳系中唯一一颗表面大部分被水覆盖的行星,也是目前所知唯一一颗有生命存在的星球……《探索宇宙奥秘系列丛书》向孩子们展示这个既熟悉又神奇的世界。
  • 铁血蛮王

    铁血蛮王

    一个凶兽横行的世界,一个仙魔并立的时代,一切、因一野蛮人的崛起而改变。当数千年前的神魔记忆觉醒,他是否还会屠戮众生、霍乱大地?
  • 摩利支天一印法

    摩利支天一印法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 融合大道

    融合大道

    最开始只是一起简单的野兽袭击人类事件,而后又一起,再一起,外星科技泄露,病毒蔓延,野兽疯狂进化,异兽时代来临。斩杀异兽获取兽魂以击退异兽才是主流?不,活下去不被当成食物才是这个时代的主流,当人类从金字塔的顶端跌落下来,方焕又能靠融合的能力做些什么呢。
  • 宋人轶事汇编

    宋人轶事汇编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 将矫情进行到底

    将矫情进行到底

    那些最美好的时光里遇见了一些最美好的姑娘,现在才懂,遇见该遇见的,错过该错过的,未来会有那个对的人告诉你那些人为何离开
  • 雪落凡尘

    雪落凡尘

    她是西北大将军之女,拥有倾城的容颜,灵动脱俗,向往自由与靖王世子青梅竹马,她以为他是她一生的幸福,当幸福遭遇背叛,她该何去何从……被迫嫁与晋国三皇子,他是她的命中注定,还是另一次的欺骗……
  • 徐二妮进城记

    徐二妮进城记

    一个天生拥有“读心术”和“乌鸦嘴”的女孩,使方圆百里人人自危,见到她是能躲就躲,躲不掉就跑......其母亲为了她不再“祸害”十里八村的乡亲们,天天祈祷她能早点考上大学离开这里,哪怕是一所不入流的学校也行啊!终于,这一天到了......“哎哎,妈,别扔我的行李箱啊!”“哎呀,我的笔记本!”“妈,你别踹我啊!”“开门,开门......”
  • 有思文丛:坐公交车的人

    有思文丛:坐公交车的人

    本书是小说家魏微的一本散文集,收录了“文学纪”“年代祭”“人物记”3辑共32篇文章。本书回顾了作者走过的文学道路,并对文学、对写作提出了匠心独具的见解;记录了作者的成长历程,并对作为成长背景的20世纪80年代做了提纲挈领的描述;回忆了作者的家人朋友,并对亲情、友情进行了基于个人视角的阐发。