Ihc iittlc Iragcdics

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Russian iitcraturc and Ihought
Gay Saal Mosoo, seies ei:o
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Ihc iittlc Iragcdics
xirxxnrr rusuxi
Iaosla:e, i:/ Ci:ical Essays, ly Naocy R. .oesoo
Yalc Unicrsity Ircss t Kcw Lacn and iondon
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copyright :ooo by Yalc Unicrsity
All rights rcscrcd.
Ihis book nay not bc rcproduccd, in wholc or in part, including illustrations, in any
orn (bcyond that copying pcrnittcd by scctions .o; and .o: o thc U.s. copyright
iawand cxccpt by rcicwcrs or thc public prcss), without writtcn pcrnission ron
thc publishcrs.
icsigncd by Rcbccca Gibb.
sct in Fournicr typc by Iscng Inornation systcns.
Irintcd in thc Unitcd statcs o Ancrica.
iibrary o congrcss cataloging-in-Iublication iata
Iushkin, Alcksandr scrgccich, .;,,.:,;.
[Malcnkic tragcdii. English|
Ihc littlc tragcdics / Alcxandcr Iushkin , translatcd, with critical cssays, by Kancy K.
Andcrson.
p. cn. (Russian litcraturc and thought)
Includcs bibliographical rccrcnccs and indcx.
isr o-,oo-o:o:,-, (cloth : alk. papcr)isr o-,oo-o:o:;-. (pbk. : alk. papcr)
.. Iushkin, Alcksandr scrgccich, .;,,.:,;Iranslations into English. I. Iitlc.
II. scrics. III. Andcrson, Kancy K.
ro,,; .x: :ooo
:,..;:`, :.dc:.
,,oc.c
A cataloguc rccord or this book is aailablc ron thc British iibrary.
Ihc papcr in this book nccts thc guidclincs or pcrnancncc and durability o thc
connittcc on Iroduction Guidclincs or Book iongcity o thc council on iibrary
Rcsourccs.
.o , : ; c , , : .
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contcnts
Acknowlcdgncnts ii
Introduction .
Ihc iittlc Iragcdics in English: An Approach .o
ur ii ir rxorni rs
I/e Misely Roi/: ,;
Moa: ao Saliei ,,
I/e S:ooe Gaes: cc
. Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae ,,
cri i cxi rs sxss
Ihc scduction o Iowcr: I/e Misely Roi/: .o;
Bctrayal o a calling: Moa: ao Saliei .,.
Ihc Vcight o thc Iast: I/e S:ooe Gaes: .,c
surial and Mcnory: . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae .::
conncntary .,:
Kotcs :.,
sclcct Bibliography ::.
Indcx ::,
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Acknowlcdgncnts
i wouin ii xr to cxprcss ny gratitudc to Robcrt i. ]ackson o Yalc
Unicrsity or his continuing adicc and cncouragcncnt during thc
proccss o writing this book, and to caryl Encrson o Irinccton Uni-
crsity or hcr scnsitic rcading o, and aluablc corrcctions to, thc
translations.
Ihc illustrations arc by Vladinir Faorsky ron a soict cdition o
thc littlc tragcdics.
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Introduction
so ar Ic bccn rcading nothing but Iushkin and an drunk
with rapturc, ccry day I discocr soncthing ncw.
Iyoo Dos:oes/y io a le::e :o /is ife, .c ,.) )aly .-,
i r or xs xrn a Russian to nanc Russias grcatcst writcr, thc un-
hcsitating rcply would bc not iostocsky or Iolstoy but Iushkin. Yct
an English-spcaking rcadcr who is not a slaist probably knows littlc
o Iushkins work bcyond Eaeoe Coeioi, indccd, hc or shc rcc-
ognizcs thc nanc o Iushkin at all. Ihus, a translation o Iushkins
littlc tragcdics to thc English-spcaking public rcquircs a cw words
placing thc work in its contcxt.
Ihc littlc tragcdics is thc nanc traditionally gicn to thc col-
lcction o Iushkins our short dranas in crsc, I/e Misely Roi/:,
Moa: ao Saliei, I/e S:ooe Gaes:, and . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae.
1
Ihcsc our dranas wcrc nccr publishcdtogcthcr inIushkins lictinc:
indccd, I/e S:ooe Gaes: was not printcd until atcr his dcath. Kccr-
.
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. Io:oac:ioo
thclcss, thc our plays clcarly arc unitcd, not only by thcir connon
origin, but by thcir sinilar orn and thcncs.
Ihc plays wcrc writtcn in circunstanccs that thcnsclcs wcrc
highly dranatic. In .:,o, Iushkin was thirty-onc ycars old and rc-
gardcd hinscl as haing outlicd his rst youth and rcachcd thc tinc
to scttlc down. Lc had bcconc cngagcd to a young wonan o grcat
bcauty and (by thc nobilitys standards) littlc noncy, Katalya Goncha-
roa. At lcast hc hopcd hc was cngagcd to hcr, or Katalyas nothcr
unscntincntally rcgardcd thc narriagc o hcr nost cligiblc daughtcr
as thc ncans o scttling hcr anilys nancial uturc in thc bcst possiblc
nanncr, and was conducting thc narriagc ncgotiations accordingly.
Iushkins status as a writcr was o littlc hclp, sincc in thc Russia o
.:,o litcraturc was rcgardcd norc as a gcntlcnanly hobby than a pro-
cssion, which was rccctcd in writcrs pay. In addition, Iushkin, likc
nost adult sons o thc Russian nobility, had not distinguishcd hinscl
by his thrit, and thc rcsulting quarrcls with his athcr had donc noth-
ing to inproc his nancial position. But Iushkins willingncss to takc
on thc adult obligation o narriagc plcascd his athcr, and to inproc
his position in thc narriagc ncgotiations, his athcr gac hina sharc o
thc anily propcrtyo thc illagc o Boldino, in thc proincc o Kizhny
Kogorod. At thc bcginning o scptcnbcr .:,o, Iushkin arricd at
Boldino, both to takc posscssion and to nd a placc ar cnough ron
his potcntial nothcr-in-law so that hc could naintain his cnotional
cquilibriunand conccntratc on his writing. Lc had also discocrcd, cn
routc ron Moscow, that hc was going to bc ccn norc isolatcd in thc
country than hc had thought: cholcra had brokcn out thcrc, and o-
cials at post-horsc stations along thc way wcrc cncouraging traclcrs
to turn back. In .:,o, cholcra was a nystcrious, untrcatablc, sonc-
tincs atal discasc, but thc on-again, o-again wcdding ncgotiations
had dricn Iushkin to such a statc o cxaspcration and ury that thc
risk actually appcalcd to hin, and hc prcsscd onward.
Ihus in thc autunn o .:,o, Iushkins past way o lic clcarly was
coning to an cnd, whcrcas his uturcassuning hc licd to scc it
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Io:oac:ioo ,
was thoroughly unprcdictablc, and in thc solitudc o thc Russian
countrysidc, with dirt roads washcd out by thc autunn rains and tracl
urthcr rcstrictcd by quarantincs, hc had plcnty o tinc or rccction.
Ihc rcsult was an cxtraordinary burst o crcatiity, an artistic sun-
nation o ccrything that hc had thought and cxpcricnccd. In thc
thrcc nonths that Iushkin spcnt at Boldino, hc wrotc thc nal canto o
Eaeoe Coeio, along with two scctions not includcd in thc nal cr-
sion o that work (onc on Cncgins tracls and at lcast thc bcginning o
a politically unpublishablc canto X), I/e Li::le Hoase io Roloooa, a
hunorous anccdotc in octacs, two nock olk talcs in crsc, I/e S:oy
of :/e Iies: ao His Ho/oao Bala and I/e S:oy of :/e S/e-Bea,
sonc thirty lyric pocns, ranging ronpolcnics to clcgics, I/e Iales of
Bel/io, c short storics which wcrc Iushkins rst conplctcd works
o prosc ction, along with an inconplctc story, His:oy of :/e 1illae
of Goya//ioo, and our plays now rccrrcd to as thc littlc tragcdics.
Ihc conplction datc o cach play is writtcn on its nanuscript: I/e
Misely Roi/: is datcd :, Cctobcr .:,o, Moa: ao Saliei :c Cctobcr,
I/e S:ooe Gaes: Kocnbcr, and .Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae : Kocn-
bcr. Bchind this cxtraordinarily short tinc o conposition, howccr,
lay sccral ycars o rccction. An undatcd jotting o Iushkins lists
tcn possiblc subjccts or plays, anong thcn I/e Mise, Moa: ao
Saliei, and Doo )aao, judging ron othcr notcs on thc sanc shcct o
papcr, this was probably writtcn in .::c. Fron Iushkins biography,
onc can scc why thcsc thrcc subjccts not only would hac appcalcd to
hin originally, but would hac staycd in his thoughts ocr thc ollow-
ing ycars. Iushkins nancial dcpcndcncc upon his noncy-conscious
athcr had nadc hin awarc o thc paradoxical rclationship o noncy
and pcrsonal rccdon: too littlc noncy, and oncs rccdon o action
was hcnncd by cxtcrnal constraints, too nuch intcrcst in noncy, and
oncs inncr rccdon was lostan insight that was to nd cxprcssion
in I/e Misely Roi/:. Iushkins prolongcd quarrcls with untalcntcd
but ocially aorcd patriotic writcrs had shown hin thc dcpth o
nalicc that could bc rcachcd by procssional cny, and such cny was
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, Io:oac:ioo
to orn thc starting point or Iushkins crcation o salicri, although
salicri is no norc a sinplc cnicr than thc Baron is a sinplc niscr.
As or ion ]uan, Iushkin hinscl had a rcputation in his youth as a
ladics nan, and kcpt what hc callcd a ion ]uan list o his cnalc
conqucsts. As thc narriagc ncgotiations with Katalya Goncharoas
nothcr draggcd on, Iushkin dcclopcd a ncw idca o ion ]uan, as
thc orncr wonanizcr who at last alls in loc with a good wonan
and who dcsircs hcr cxclusic aithulncss so passionatcly that hc ccls
jcalous ccn o hcr dcad husband. iona Anna bcconcs a young and
bcautiul widow, still ccling acction toward thc ncnory o thc hus-
band whon shc narricd at hcr nothcrs connand, but not rcady to
bc aithul to that ncnory or thc rcst o hcr licthc cry position
in which Iushkin, with horror, inagincd a widowcd Katalya onc day
nding hcrscl.
2
Anna Akhnatoa has suggcstcd that it was thc in-
tcnscly pcrsonal naturc o I/e S:ooe Gaes: that nadc Iushkin dccidc
against publishing it in his lictinc. . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae, as its
abscncc ron Iushkins jotting shows, has a dicrcnt origin ron thc
othcr thrcc plays. It is a translation, with signicant nodications by
Iushkin, o a sccnc ron a nuch longcr work, I/e Ci:y of :/e Ilaae,
writtcn by a ninor English contcnporary o Iushkins, ]ohn Vilson.
Iushkins copy o this work, which hc took to Boldino with hin, was
publishcd in .::,, it no doubt cokcd ncnorics o Iushkins isit to
thc caucasus in that ycar, during which hc witncsscd an outbrcak o
thc plaguc in Erzrun, thc capital o Arncnia. Ihc cholcra cpidcnic
raging in thc countrysidc around Boldino in .:,o nadc thc topic ccn
norc grinly appropriatc.
But thc littlc tragcdics arc not ncrcly artistic transornations o
Iushkins own pcrsonal cxpcricncc. Ihcy also rccct his intcrcst in thc
potcntial o drana as a ncans o cxploring hunan passions. Each o
thc littlc tragcdics has a protagonist o such cxccptional gits and
strcngth o charactcr that hc doninatcs all thc pcoplc and circun-
stanccs surrounding hin. Ihc intcrnal psychological conict o this
ccntral charactcr, who accs a crucial choicc bctwccn opposing altcr-
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Io:oac:ioo
natics, thus bcconcs thc kcy plot clcncnt.Ihis is nost obious in I/e
Misely Roi/:, whcrc thc conict o thc ccntral charactcr is sunna-
rizcd in its cry titlc, and in .Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae, whcrc Valsing-
han uscs his doninant position as chairnan to turn thc cast into an
ongoing discussion o thc issuc that obscsscs hin, thc rclation o thc
liing and thc dcad. In Moa: ao Saliei this kcy plot clcncnt assuncs
an uncxpcctcd orn: thc gcnius Mozart appcars as a sccondary gurc,
whilc thc play is doninatcd by thc inncr drana o thc lcsscr conposcr
salicri, who is torn bctwccn his loc o Mozarts nusic and thc anbi-
tion and cny that nakcs hin scntcncc Mozart to dcath. In I/e S:ooe
Gaes:, thc conict inolcs two cxtrcnc typcs o rclationship bctwccn
a nan and a wonan: onc cnphasizing thc bcauty and ccstasy o thc
noncnt, with no cxpcctation bcyond that, thc othcr cnphasizing thc
constancy o loc, throughout lic and ccn bcyond thc grac.
Iassion, choicc, conscqucnccsthcsc wcrc thc issucs to which, at
a crucial noncnt in his own lic, Iushkins thoughts and inagination
turncd. Frcc will and atc, or hin, wcrc not oppositcs. Rathcr, thcy
wcrc organically linkcd, jointly cxprcssing what Iushkin saw as thc
grcat noral law: thc lawo Kcncsis, that a gicn choicc carrics a par-
ticular payncnt or rcward as its incitablc rcsult, that as a nan sows,
so shall hc rcap. Vhat unitcs thc our protagonists o thc littlc tragc-
dics is that cacho thcnis inpcllcdbya doninatingpassiontoiolatc
thc noral law, and, as thc pcnaltyor that iolation, loscs thccrything
hc sought to gain. Ihc Baron loscs both his knightly honor and his
hoardcd trcasurc, which, as hc has orcsccn with horror, will pass to his
spcndthrit son. salicri nurdcrs Mozart in thc nanc o Art, only to acc
thc gnawing suspicion that hc, thc would-bc gcnius, is in act no bcttcr
than thc connon crowd. ion ]uan, who was rcady to ganblc his lic
or iona Annas loc, loscs both hcr and his lic. Valsinghan, who
chcrishcs his latc wics inagc o hinas proud and rcc, displays that
pridc and rccdon in an inhunan nanncr and is orccd to acknowl-
cdgc that hc is ashancd bcorc hcr innortal cycs. Ihc consistcnt
arnation o thc rctribution that occurs whcn noral law is iolatcd
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c Io:oac:ioo
by a dcstructic passiona rctribution that transccnds all thc dicr-
cnccs in thc ccnturics, culturcs, and indiidual charactcrs dcpictcd in
cach playcokcs two lincs that Iushkin had writtcn ycars bcorc in
I/e Gysies.
,
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[And ccrywhcrc arc atal passions,
Against thc Fatcs thcrcs no dccnsc.|
Ihis cnphasis on thc atcul choicc o a ccntral gurc is thc kcy to
not only thc plot, but thc structurc o thc littlc tragcdics. Ecrything
that could distract attcntion ron thc undancntal clcncnt is swcpt
away. Ihc nunbcr o charactcrs is rcduccd to a nininun: indccd, in
Moa: ao Saliei thc titlc charactcrs arc thc only two spcaking parts.
Morcocr, thc nonccntral charactcrs do not cxist indcpcndcntly, thcy
arc dcncdbythcir rclationshiptothc ccntral charactcr, cithcr as oppo-
sitcs (as Mozart is to salicri, or as Marys song is toValsinghans song)
or as doublcs (as thc ]cwish noncylcndcr and thc iukc both ccho
aspccts o thc Barons pcrsonality, or as iaura is a cnalc countcrpart
to ion ]uan). Ihc action is likcwisc rcduccd to thc nost csscntial clc-
ncnts. In contrast to a traditional play, in which thc largcst part o thc
drana is spcnt in dccloping thc conict or plot conplication which
is rcsolcd only at thc cnd, cach o thc littlc tragcdics starts, so to
spcak, at thc bcginning o thc th act, at thc noncnt whcn a prccxist-
ing unstablc situation is at thc point o bcconing a crisis, and nocs
switly and incxorably to its catastrophic clinax.
Ihc littlc tragcdics contain a nunbcr o sccncs that arc so in-
tcnscly dranatic that thcy dcnand to bc sccn and hcard, rathcr than
ncrcly rcad: thc Barons nonologuc inI/e Misely Roi/:, or thc ccr-
dccpcning horror o thc concrsation bctwccn thc nurdcrcr and his
ictinin thc sccond sccnc o Moa: ao Saliei, or thc tanglc o wari-
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Io:oac:ioo -
ncss and attraction, passion and calculation, bctwccn ion ]uan and
iona Anna in thc last sccnc o I/e S:ooe Gaes:. But dcspitc thc obi-
ously dranatic naturc o thc plays, thcy prcscnt scrious problcns in
production. Ihrcc o thc our plays contain nusic that is to bc pcr-
orncd by a charactcr, and although it could bc argucd that iauras
songs in I/e S:ooe Gaes: arc cpisodic and not undancntally dicr-
cnt in thcir dranatic unction ron thc songs that occur in so nany o
shakcspcarcs plays, thc pcrornanccs by Mozart in Moa: ao Saliei
and thc songs o Mary and Valsinghan in . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae
arc as inportant in thc plays as thc spokcn dialoguc. Ko lcss than thc
words, this nusic is an cxprcssion o thc dccpcst cclings, thc world-
icw, o thc pcrorncr, and is pcrccicd as such by thc othcr char-
actcrs, who rcspond to it accordingly. And yct Iushkin proidcs no
practical dircctions or thc nusic. Ihc piccc that Mozart plays in thc
rst sccnc is not ccn idcnticd. Lis pcrornancc in thc sccond is dc-
scribcd only as bcing ron thc Reaieo, that is, onc nan is playing on
a piano (and possibly also singing) a sclcction ron a work which is
scorcdor our oiccs, chorus, andorchcstra, whilc prcscringthc naj-
csty o thc originala transcription problcn worthy o iiszt. Marys
and Valsinghans songs arc both ncrc lyrics not sct to any nclody,
although thc choicc o nusic would bc a crucial actor in thc songs
ccct.
Ihc dcgrcc towhich Iushkin lct such a ital production caturc un-
dclincatcd raiscs thc qucstion: did thc author cnision thc plays bcing
stagcd, and i so, how: Cnc altcrnatic nay bc rulcd out inncdi-
atcly: as an aid thcatcrgocr who had had nany occasions to obscrc
audicncc bchaior, Iushkin cannot hac rcgardcd thc littlc tragc-
dics as stagcablc in a concntional conncrcial thcatcr. It has otcn
bccn pointcd out that no conncrcial playwright would statc an in-
portant thcnc o thc play in its cry rst two lincs, as Iushkin docs
with salicris nonologuc (Ihcy say thcrcs no justicc hcrc on carth, /
But thcrcs no justicc highcr up, cithcr). iuring thc rst c nin-
utcs latcconcrs will still bc arriing and pcoplc still gctting scttlcd in
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Io:oac:ioo
thcir scats, and thc playwright nust adjust thc wcight o thc opcning
lincs accordingly. But what nakcs thc littlc tragcdics unstagcablc in
a concntional thcatcr is not just onc or anothcr spccic problcn, but
thc cry naturc o thc plays. Bccausc thcy arc strippcd so conplctcly
to thcir csscntials, not only ccry word but ccry brcath, ccry acial
cxprcssion, acquircs a rclatic inportancc ar grcatcr than in a concn-
tional play. And in proportion, thc ordinary problcns which rcgularly
dininish thc pcrccption o a ncnbcr o a plays audicncca cough-
ing spcctator, a poor scatbcconc ar norc scriously danaging to
thc works rcccption.
Ihc littlc tragcdics thus nust hac bccn intcndcd or a snall audi-
cncc in an intinatc sctting, a dranatic cquialcnt o chanbcr nusic.
Ihc chanbcr nusic analogy also suggcsts onc way in which Iush-
kin night hac inagincd thc plays bcing pcrorncd. chanbcr nusic
was otcn writtcn to bc playcd not only by procssional nusicians, but
also by gitcd anatcurs (Bccthocns Archdukc Irio and schubcrts
Irout uintct, to ncntion two wcll-known cxanplcs, both contain
parts dcsigncd to bc playcd by thc patrons who had connissioncd
thc works). Ihc norc cultiatcd ncnbcrs o thc Russian aristocracy,
which produccd gitcd anatcurs in nany artistic clds, would ccr-
tainly hac bccn capablc o participating in such a chanbcr thcatcr.
Indccd, in thc .:,os, thc young and as-yct-unknown poct Alcxandcr
Blok courtcd his uturc wic, iyubo Mcndclcyca, during thc ana-
tcur thcatricals that wcrc stagcd in thc sunncr at hcr anilys cstatc,
whcrc a concrtcd barn was cquippcd with a stagc, ootlights, and
bcnchcs or thc spcctators, anily ricnds would long rcncnbcr Bloks
pcrornancc as Lanlct to Mcndclcycas Cphclia. In .:,,, in honor
o thc ccntcnnial o Iushkins birth, this littlc thcatcr stagcd sccncs
ron Bois Goaoo, I/e Misely Roi/:, and I/e S:ooe Gaes:. It nay
wcll bc that thc bcst ninctccnth-ccntury pcrornanccs o thc littlc
tragcdics occurrcd in prcciscly such priatc scttings and hac now
anishcd without tracc, sac or a diary cntry or a linc in a ycllowing
lcttcr.
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Io:oac:ioo ,
Low thcn should thc littlc tragcdics bc stagcd or an audicncc
today: An cxpcrincntal thcatcr is, o coursc, onc option, but gicn thc
snall nunbcr o such thcatcrs, a norc acccssiblc orunwould bc dcsir-
ablc. Ihc twcnticth ccntury has in act proidcd such a ncdiunln.
Ihc intinacy o thc littlc tragcdics is prcciscly suitcd to a ncdiun
capablc o closc-up shots and o continually positioning thc audicncc
at thc bcst possiblc icwing anglca ncdiun that, in addition, has
traditionally intcgratcd drana with nusic. Indccd, thc littlc tragc-
dics sccn so nuch bcttcr adaptcd to ln than to lic thcatcr that onc
is tcnptcd to suggcst that thc rcason Iushkin lct crucial aspccts o
thc pcrornancc undcscribcd in his nanuscript is bccausc hc rcalizcd
that hc was pushing bcyond thc staging capabilitics o his day, crc-
atingworks that wouldrcquirc twcnticth- or ccntwcnty-rst-ccntury
tcchnology to producc thcir ull ccct.
Ecn as unstagcd scripts, howccr, thc our plays hac long bccn
rccognizcd as anong thc grcatcst works o Russias grcatcst writcr.
iostocsky was ascinatcd by thc inagc o thc niscrly knight: in an
articlc datcd .:c., Ictcrsburg ircans in Vcrsc and Irosc, hc cxplic-
itly acknowlcdgcd its inucncc on his carly short story Mr. Irokhar-
chin, ourtccn ycars latcr hc crcatcd Arkady iolgoruky, thc ccntral
charactcr o I/e .olesceo:, an cnbittcrcd youth prcoccupicd with
thoughts o gaining wcalth and powcr (what hc calls thc idca o Roth-
schild) who has lcarncd thc Barons nonologuc by hcart and rcgards
it as rcprcscnting thc grcatcst idca Iushkin ccr cxprcsscd. For i. s.
Mirsky, author o pcrhaps thc dcnitic onc-olunc history o Rus-
sian litcraturc in thc English languagc, I/e S:ooe Gaes: is onc o two
works (thc othcr bcingI/e Booe Hoseoao) jointlyclainingthc rst
placc in Russian poctry.
3
Vithout procssing to rial thc pcrcction
o Iushkins crsca task bcorc which thc boldcst translator would
quailI hopc, nccrthclcss, that this translation will at last nakc thc
littlc tragcdics rcadily acccssiblc to English spcakcrs, and thus hclp
to gic thcsc our cxtraordinary plays thc rccognition thcy dcscrc as
nastcrpicccs not ncrcly o Russian, but o world litcraturc.
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Ihc iittlc Iragcdics in English:
An Approach
or or rus uxi s worx is so wcll known to English spcakcrs
as it should bc, but thc littlc tragcdics arc particularly undcrrcprc-
scntcd. In contrast to, or cxanplc, Eaeoe Coeio, o which sccral
airly good translations arc aailablc in English, translations o thc
littlc tragcdics arc cwand rcqucntly do not includc all our plays.
1
Ihc rcason translators largcly aoid thcsc works, I bclicc, is bccausc
o thc diculty in handling what in nodcrn English litcraturc is a con-
plctcly disuscd gcnrc, thc drana in blank crsc. I. s. Eliot, who stroc
to rcic thc orn in his plays (Mae io :/e Ca:/eal, I/e Iaoily
Reaoioo, I/e Coc/:ail Ia:y), has dcscribcd thc problcns hc cncoun-
tcrcd in writing a crsc drana in two cssays, Ioe:y ao Daoa and
.c
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ ..
I/e Masic of Ioe:y. Ihcsc cssays hac a nunbcr o aluablc insights
to ocr thc would-bc translator o thc littlc tragcdics.
Ioe:y ao Daoa addrcsscs thc qucstions o whcthcr and how
poctry could bc uscd in a nodcrn English play:
Vhcthcr wc usc prosc or crsc on thc stagc, thcy arc both but
ncans to an cnd. Ihc dicrcncc, ron onc point o icw, is not
so grcat as wc night think. In thosc prosc plays which suric,
which arc rcad and produccd on thc stagc by latcr gcncrations,
thc prosc which thc charactcrs spcak is as rcnotc, or thc bcst
part, ron thc ocabulary, syntax and rhythn o our ordinary
spccchwith its unbling or words, its constant rccoursc to
approxination, its disordcr and its unnishcd scntcnccsas
crsc is. iikc crsc, it has bccn writtcn, and rcwrittcn. . . . I
ncan to draw a triplc distinction: bctwccn prosc, and crsc,
and our ordinary spccch which is nostly bclow thc lccl o
cithcr crsc or prosc. so i you look at it this way, it will appcar
that prosc, on thc stagc, is as articial as crsc: or altcrnaticly,
that crsc can bc as natural as prosc.
2
Ihus, or Eliot, thc appropriatc languagc or a play is not that which
is nost likc how wc spcak, but that which is nost likc how wc would
spcak i wc could do so. It is idcalizcd languagc, but to bc dranatically
conincing, it nust bc an idcalization o thc actual spccch o its tinc.
Morcocr, bccausc nost o lic is takcnupwithwhat wc rccalinglycall
prosaic nattcrs, in nost cascs thc appropriatc languagc or thc action
o a play will bc cithcr prosc or, i it is crsc, crsc that has no par-
ticularly grcat ncrit as poctry. Ioctry should bc uscd only . . . whcn
thc dranatic situation has rcachcd such a point o intcnsity that poctry
bcconcs thc natural uttcrancc, bccausc thcn it is thc only languagc in
which thc cnotions can bc cxprcsscd at all.
3
Cnc sccs thc logic o this arguncnt by considcring thc dicrcncc
bctwccn poctryand prosc. Ioctry nay bc dcscribcd as a cross bctwccn
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.. I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/
prosc and nusic. Both prosc and nusic cokc cnotion, but in dicrcnt
ways. Irosc cokcs an cnotion in a particular contcxt, nusic cokcs
cnotion dircctly, without spcciying thc circunstancc that gics risc
to thc cnotion. In prosc, a pcrson nay bc joyous bccausc hc has allcn
in loc, or achiccd a long-sought goal, or sinply sccn a chcrry trcc in
bloon, but in any casc, thcrc is a statcd causc or joy. Music concys
only thc joy itscl, although an indiidual hcarcr nay associatc a par-
ticular piccc o nusic with a spccic joyous ccnt. Ioctry, to thc cxtcnt
that it is akin to prosc, cokcs an cnotion or a statcd rcason, but to thc
cxtcnt that it is akintonusic, it cokcs a norc intcnsc cnotionthancan
bc cxplaincd sinply by pointing to thc statcd rcason. Vhcn conparcd
to prosc, poctry has an cnotional surchargc. It was this surchargc o
which icrnonto was thinking whcn hc wrotc:

,

.
[Ihcrc arc spccchcs whosc ncaning is obscurc or o no inport,
but it is inpossiblc to hcar thcn without bcing nocd.|
Ihis cnotional surchargc cxplains why nonpocts traditionally try to
writc poctry at noncnts o grcat cnotional intcnsity, such as dur-
ing rst loc or in wartinc: thcy instincticly rcalizc that this is thc
orn capablc o acconnodating thc grcatcst cnotional contcnt. Ihis
is also why in works likc shakcspcarcs tragcdics or Iushkins Bois
Goaoo, whcrc prosc and poctry arc nixcd, thc prosc is uscd or thc
norc ccryday spccch o thc charactcrs, whcrcas thc grcat sctpiccc
nonologucsthc cnotional pcaks o thc workarc in poctry.
It ollows, thcn, that a work likc any o thc littlc tragcdics, in
which a purc cnotional pcak is sustaincd or thc cntirc lcngth o thc
work, can only bc writtcn inand translatcd aspoctry. But haing
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ .,
rcachcd this conclusion, thc translator thcn cncountcrs a problcnthus
dcscribcd by Eliot in I/e Masic of Ioe:y.
Ihc history o blank crsc illustratcs two intcrcsting and
rclatcd points: thc dcpcndcncc upon spccch and thc striking
dicrcncc, in what is prosodically thc sanc orn, bctwccn dra-
natic blank crsc and blank crsc cnploycd or cpical, philo-
sophical, ncditatic and idyllic purposcs. Ihc dcpcndcncc o
crsc upon spccch is nuch norc dircct in dranatic poctry than
in any othcr. In nost kinds o poctry, thc ncccssity or its rc-
ninding us o contcnporary spccch is rcduccd by thc latitudc
allowcd or pcrsonal idiosyncrasy. . . . But in dranatic crsc
thc poct is spcaking in onc charactcr atcr anothcr, through thc
ncdiun o a conpany o actors traincd by a prduccr, and o
dicrcnt actors and dicrcnt produccrs at dicrcnt tincs: his
idion nust bc conprchcnsic o all thc oiccs, but prcscnt at
a dccpcr lccl than is ncccssary whcn thc poct spcaks only or
hinscl. sonc o shakcspcarcs latcr crsc is cry claboratc and
pcculiar: but it rcnains thc languagc, not o onc pcrson, but o
a world o pcrsons. . . . By thc tinc o Ctway dranatic blank
crsc has bcconc articial and at bcst rcninisccnt, and whcn
wc gct to thc crsc plays by ninctccnth ccntury pocts, o which
thc grcatcst is probably I/e Ceoci, it is dicult to prcscrc any
illusion o rcality. Kcarly all thc grcatcr pocts o thc last ccn-
tury tricd thcir hands at crsc plays. Ihcsc plays, which cw
pcoplc rcad norc than oncc, arc trcatcd with rcspcct as nc
poctry, and thcir insipidity is usually attributcd to thc act that
thc authors, though grcat pocts, wcrc anatcurs in thc thcatrc.
But ccn i thc pocts had had grcatcr natural gits or thc thc-
atrc, or had toilcd to acquirc thc crat, thcir plays would hac
bccn just as inccctic, unlcss thcir thcatrical talcnt had shown
thcn thc ncccssity or a dicrcnt kind o crsication. It is not
prinarily lack o plot, or lack o action and suspcnsc, or in-
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., I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/
pcrcct rcalization o charactcr, or lack o anything o what
is callcd thcatrc, that nakcs thcsc plays so liclcss: it is pri-
narily that thcir rhythn o spccch is soncthing that wc cannot
associatc with any hunan bcing cxccpt a poctry rcadcr.
4
Eliot docs not procss to bc ablc to cxplain ully why it was that
although blank crsc was propcrly rootcd in thc spccch o socicty as
a wholc, and thus capablc o bcing bclicably uscd in a drana with a
widc rangc o charactcrs, in thc tinc o shakcspcarc, it had lost such
roots by thc tinc o Browning and Icnnyson. But hc docs suggcst that
a najor actor was thc inucncc o Milton:
I should not carc to adancc any onc rcason why prosc
canc to supcrscdc crsc in thc thcatrc. But I ccl surc that onc
rcason why blank crsc cannot bc cnploycd now in thc drana
is that so nuch non-dranatic poctry, and grcat non-dranatic
poctry, has bccn writtcn in it in thc last thrcc hundrcd ycars. . . .
I wc can inaginc, as a ight o ancy, Milton coning bcorc
shakcspcarc, shakcspcarc would hac had to discocr quitc
a dicrcnt ncdiun ron that which hc uscd and pcrcctcd.
Milton handlcd blank crsc in a way which no onc has ccr ap-
proachcd or will ccr approach: and in so doing did norc than
anyonc or anything clsc to nakc it inpossiblc or thc drana:
though wc nay also bclicc that dranatic blank crsc had cx-
haustcd its rcsourccs, and had no uturc in any ccnt. Indccd,
Milton alnost nadc blank crsc inpossiblc or any purposc
or a couplc o gcncrations. It was thc prccursors o Vords-
worthIhonson, Young, cowpcrwho nadc thc rst corts
to rcscuc it ron thc dcgradation to which thc cightccnth-
ccntury initators o Milton had rcduccd it.
5
Eliot, thcn, sccs Milton as a cosnic orcc cxcrting a graitational cld
so powcrul that or a tinc all English blank crscboth lyric and dra-
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ .
naticis orccd into orbit around hin. By thc tinc o Vordsworth,
lyric blank crsc had libcratcd itscl ron his ocrpowcring ccct and
rcconncctcd itscl to thc connon spokcn languagc o its day. But dra-
natic blank crscpcrhaps alrcady wcakcncd by othcr, subtlc ac-
torsnccr achiccd a sinilar libcration and rcconncction. And yct
such a conncction with thc spokcn languagc o its day is nost ital
prcciscly in dranatic poctry, with its rcquircncnt that a rangc o char-
actcrs spcak in a nanncr appropriatc to thcir naturcs.
Applying Eliots insights, onc can scc why English translations o
thc littlc tragcdics arc so cwand otcn only partially succcssul. Ihc
translator is on thc horns o a dilcnna: i a translation is in prosc, thc
addcd cnotional ccct associatcd with a poctic translation is lost, i
a translation is in blank crsc, thc distancc bctwccn thc cadcncc o
dranatic blank crsc and that o thc nodcrn English languagc is so
grcat that thc rcadcr or listcncr nds it inpossiblc to bclicc that such
a spccch is an outpouring o thc spcakcrs hcart.
Vhat, thcn, is a would-bc translator to do: I hac no thcorctical
solution to ocr, but I do hac an cnpirical onc. I hac attcnptcd
to translatc thc littlc tragcdics into languagc that, rst, is iid and
nodcrn cnough to sound crcdiblc to a rcadcr or listcncr and cngagc thc
cnotions, and thcn to nakc that languagc as nusical as it can possibly
bc nadc bcorc losing its crcdibility. Ihc rcsult turncd out to bc what
night bc callcda scni-nctrical translation: its lincs hac a strongbut
not inariablc tcndcncy to bc diisiblc into two-syllablc cct, and thcir
acragc lcngth is around tcn syllablcs, although indiidual lincs nay
ary ronsix to ourtccn syllablcs. Although it is not Iushkins ianbic
pcntanctcr, it is hauntcd by thc ghost o that nctcr. But this suggcstic
sinilaritysonctincs quitc striking, sonctincs nuch aintcrwas
not what I consciously sct out to producc, I ncrcly wantcd a languagc
that was as conpclling as possiblc. Intcnsity, norc than anything clsc,
is what thc littlc tragcdics arc about. Ihc rcadcr or listcncr should
bc on thc cdgc o his scat during thcn. Ecry ncans I could nd to
concy this intcnsity I hac uscd, any orn or dcicc which dinin-
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ishcs it I hac aoidcd. My principlc has bccn that cnunciatcd by A. K.
Iolstoy in his translation o Gocthcs Die Baa: oo Roio:/ and citcd
approingly by Korncy chukosky in his study o translation:
I an trying . . . as nuch as is possiblc, to bc aithul to thc
original, but only whcn dclity or cxactncss docs not danagc
thc artistic inprcssion, and, without hcsitating or a ninutc,
I an dciating ron a litcral translation i that nay producc a
dicrcnt inprcssion in Russian than in Gcrnan.
I think that its not ncccssary to translatc thc words and
sonctincs not ccn thc ncaning, thc inportant thing is, onc
has to concy thc inprcssion.
Ihc rcadcr o thc translation has to bc transportcd into thc
sanc sphcrc in which thc rcadcr o thc original nds hinscl,
thc translation has to act on thc sanc ncrcs.
6
chukosky cxplicitly cxtcnds this principlc to translating into a di-
crcnt nctcr whcn thc original nctcr is culturally inappropriatc in thc
targct languagc:
Into what nctcr, or cxanplc, should icrnontos poctry
bc translatcd by Uzbcks, sincc or thcn thc ianbic tctranctcr
is an cxoticisn, soncthing conplctcly orcign to thcir systcn
o poctics: In this casc, cquirhythnic translation would bc
unthinkablc, bccausc thc rich, subtlc and conplcx poctic tra-
dition o thc Uzbcks has no placc or ianbic tctranctcr, and
thc Uzbcks, who ocr nany ccnturics hac accunulatcd cnor-
nous poctic cxpcricncc, pcrccic a Europcan crsc orn in a
conplctcly dicrcnt nanncr than wc do. Vhcn it canc to, or
cxanplc, translating icrnontos Ladji Abrck into Uzbck,
two outstanding Uzbck pocts, Gaur Gulian and shcikh-zadc,
didnt ccn try to translatc it into thc sanc nctcr, bccausc to
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an Uzbcks car that is not cquialcnt to thc inprcssion which
that sanc ianb produccs on a Russian car. Ihus Gaur Gulian
translatcd icrnontos ianbic tctranctcr into a thirtccn-
syllablc barnak linc (that is, into syllabic crsc), and shcikh-
zadc into a ninc-syllablc barnak linc, and icwcd against thc
traditional background o Uzbck poctry, this is thc cquialcnt
o ianbic tctranctcr.
7
Cn thc strcngth o chukoskys arguncnt alonc, ccn without rc-
gard or thc particular problcnprcscntcd bydranatic blank crsc, onc
could nakc a casc or a scni-nctrical rathcr than strictly nctrical
translation o thc littlc tragcdics. contcnporary poctry in English
has nocd so ar toward rcc crsc (still a rarity in Russian) that a
strictly nctrical translation sounds datcd or bookish to a nod-
crn English spcakcr in thc way that thc original docs not to a nodcrn
Russian spcakcr.
Mctrics, howccr, arc not thc only problcncncountcrcd in concy-
ing an adcquatc inprcssion o thc littlc tragcdics. Ihc ocabulary,
too, nccds to bc sucicntly contcnporary and orccul. Io gic an
cxanplc: thc Barons sccond-sccnc nonologuc in I/e Misely Roi/:
bcgins in Russian with thc words:

-
, ,
,
, .
In A. F. B. clarks translation this bcconcs:
As sonc young scapcgracc bidcs thc trysting hour
Vith sonc corrupt cnchantrcss or pcrchancc
sonc oolish girl scduccd by hin, so I
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All day abidc thc tinc whcn I shall conc
iown to ny sccrct ault and trusty chcsts.
In Kabokos translation this rcads:
]ust as a nad young cllow rcts awaiting
his rcndcz-ous with sonc casic harlot,
or with thc goosc scduccd by hin, thus I
hac drcant all day o coning down at last
in aultcd dinncss to ny sccrct chcsts.
And in Eugcnc M. Kaydcns translation:
As a young scanp who waits thc trysting hour
Vith sonc intriguing harlot or littlc ool
Lc has scduccd, thus I await daylong
And drcan o going down at last into
Ihis aultcd darkncss to ny sccrct chcsts.
clarks As sonc young scapcgracc bidcs thc trysting hour, although
undcrstandablc on thc printcd pagc, has partcd conpany with any-
thing bclicablc as spokcn English. It sinply slidcs by without catch-
ing on anything, without ccr cngaging cithcr oncs car or oncs cno-
tions. Kaydcn, too, clcarly is not hcaring his own translation, or hc
would not introducc linc brcaks in placcs whcrc thcy inappropriatcly
split what should bc a singlc thoughtlittlc ool /Lc has scduccd
and into/Ihis aultcd darkncss. Kabokos tcxt is thc onc wc can
nost rcadily inaginc in a spokcn oiccwith thc signicant proiso
that it should bc a British uppcr-class oicc. Lis rcndcring o
as goosc is a particularly striking touch, suggcsting thc disnissic
contcnpt that a nalc aristocrat night ccl in contcnplating a crcdu-
lous scrant girl, just as nad young cllow, with its conbination o
ccnsurc and joiality, suggcsts a gcntlcnan dcploring, but not scri-
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ .,
ously alarncd by, thc traditional priilcgc o wcll-born youth to sow
wild oats. And whilc thc ocabularics o both Kaboko and Kaydcn
arc on thc wholc norc rccognizably nodcrn than that o clark, this
docs not ncan thcy aoid archaisns altogcthcr. Indccd, onc choicc
nadc by both o thcn is worsc than any singlc word in clarkthat
is, thc translation o as harlot, a word so totally out-
datcd in English, and so strongly snclling o hcllrc prcachcrs quoting
thc King ]ancs Biblc, that any attcnpt actually to usc it as a tcrn o
contcnpt is likcly to producc a snickcr instcad. Each o thc thrcc trans-
lators has his own idca o how to dcal with , which dcscribcs
sonconc shrcwd cnough always to knowwhcrc thc nain chancc is and
unscrupulous cnough always to grab or it: in Bois Goaoo, a boyar
rcsponds to a particularly rcalpolitik spccch o shuiskys by calling
hina a Machiacllian courticr, thc linc o thc
iords Iraycr which in English is dclicr us roncil, in church sla-
onic is . Kabokos casic harlot is ar too
wcak, clarks corrupt cnchantrcss is closcr, and Kaydcns intrigu-
ing harlot closcr still. Finally, all thrcc translators nakc a signicant
onission ron Iushkins tcxt. In clark thc Baron all day abidc(s) thc
tinc whcn hc will go down to his trcasurc aults, in Kaboko hc has
drcant all day o coning down, in Kaydcn hc await(s) daylong/
And drcan(s) o going down, but in Iushkin hc
all day hc has bccn waiting or thc ninutc to go down. Ihis
word ninutc concys thc iolcncc o thc cnotional shit that occurs
as thc Baron dcsccnds to thc ault: suddcnly, atcr all that tinc wait-
ing, that tinc which clapscs ncaninglcssly, without wcight or signi-
canccsuddcnly thcrc bursts upon hin that suprcnc ninutc whcn it
bcconcs possiblc to consunnatc his dcsirc.
Ihus, whilc it is possiblc to orna gcncral inprcssion o thc Barons
words ron any o thc thrcc translations, nonc o thcn concys thc
cnotional intcnsityo thc spcakcrs inagcry.Iogct at this intcnsity, thc
translator nust go, as it wcrc, bchind thc words o thc original work, to
rcach thc cclings and inagcs o which thc words arc an cnbodincnt,
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and thcn nd thcwords that a spcakcr o anothcr languagcwould usc to
cnbody thosc sanc cclings and inagcs. Vhat is thc ccntral inagc o
thc Barons opcning lincs: A tawdry, purcly physical aair bctwccn a
nanwhoas icporclloinI/e S:ooe Gaes: wouldsayhas hadplcnty
o woncn and will hac plcnty norc, and a wonan who cokcs such
contcnpt in thc spcakcrs nind that thc only rcal qucstion is whcthcr
shc is norc dccctic in norals or in brains. Modcrn English ccrtainly
has words or that inagc, but thcy arc not words that stand on dignity:
iikc a young skirt-chascr who waits or whcn
Lcll ncct his binbosonc tranp on thc nakc,
Cr sonc ool hcs snowcdthats howall day
I wait or thc ninutc whcn I go down
Into ny sccrct ault, to ny aithul chcsts.
Cnc night objcct that such languagc, whilc orccul cnough, is too
coarsc to bc spokcn bya noblcnan. But thc languagc is jarring bccausc
thc inagc is jarring. Ihc Baron hinscl, as his grcat nonologuc rc-
cals, is prooundly awarc o thc shanculncss o his passion or gold.
Ihc Baron ccls too passionatcly, and is too honcst with hinscl, to try
to nd dignicd words or what hc knows is wrong.
Fron this cxanplc, sonconc night junp to thc conclusion that
whcn I urgc that thc littlc tragcdics bc translatcd into bclicablc
spokcn languagc, I an thinking o what is traditionally rccrrcd to
as low stylc. Ihis is not thc casc. Ihc appropriatcncss o a stylc
high, low, or anything in bctwccnis thc rcsult o thc subjcct
bcing addrcsscd and thc addrcsscrs attitudc toward it. Vhat charac-
tcrizcs bclicablc spokcn languagc is ncithcr subjcct nor attitudc, but
cadcncc. A crbal crcation can bc dcscribcd as bclicablc spokcn lan-
guagc whcn, ccn i it is cncountcrcd on a printcd pagc, thc rcadcr can
hcar it (so to spcak) in his ninds car, can ccl thc pacc o dclicry
slowing or quickcning, can rccognizc thc pausc or cnphasis, thc sud-
dcn cxplosion o cnotion, thc ironic asidc. It is cntircly possiblc or
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ ..
a work to bc high in stylc and yct hac thc unnistakablc cadcncc o
spokcn languagcthc obious cxanplc, or an Ancrican, bcing iin-
colns Gcttysburg Addrcss or sccond Inaugural Addrcss. It is truc that
(or rcasons both too lcngthyand too controcrsial to discuss hcrc) thc
high stylc has largclydisappcarcd roncontcnporary spokcn English.
Ihus, whcn a passagc in thc littlc tragcdics clcarly calls or thc high
stylc, thc bcst thc translator can do is to takc thc cadcncc o a noncon-
tcnporary cxanplc and rcnoc any too-obious archaisnsto ain
or a stylc which is ncgaticly contcnporary (not acticly jarring to
contcnporarics) rathcr than positicly so (rccognizablc by contcnpo-
rarics as thcir own).
Ihis problcno translating high stylc occurs throughout I/e S:ooe
Gaes:. Ihc play draws hcaily on thc act that it is sct in sixtccnth-
ccntury spain. Undcrgirding its structurc is thc wholc sct o inagcs
that that tinc and placc autonatically bring to nind: on thc onc sidc,
thc stcrn nilitancc o thc countcr-Rcornation, thc conbination o
palacc and nonastcry that was thc Escurial, thc powcr and tcrror o El
Grccos distortcd saints undcr a storny sky, on thc othcr sidc, thc pas-
sion all thc norc rccklcss or bcing orbiddcn, thc nighttinc scrcnadc,
thc rosc droppcd ron thc balcony, thc sccrct nccting. It is a world
o loc and dcath, thc rcd and thc black, a largcr-than-lic world. And
its inhabitants, naturally cnough, spcak a languagc that to us sccns
thc wildcst cxtraagancc. Io iona Anna it is not rcally surprising that
an unknown nan should throw hinscl on his knccs bcorc hcr and
answcr hcr qucstion, Vhat do you want: ( :)
with thc spccch:
.
,

, ,
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.. I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/

,
, ,
.
Io nd a sinilar dcgrcc o cxtraagancc in English poctry, onc would
hac to go back sccral ccnturicssay, to Marclls Io Lis coy Mis-
trcss:
Lad wc but world cnough, and tinc,
Ihis coyncss, iady, wcrc no crinc.
Vc would sit down and think which way
Io walk and pass our long locs day . . .
An hundrcd ycars should go to praisc
Ihinc cycs and on thy orchcad gazc,
Iwo hundrcd to adorc cach brcast,
But thirty thousand to thc rcst,
An agc at lcast to ccry part,
And thc last agc should show your hcart,
For, iady, you dcscrc this statc,
Kor would I loc at lowcr ratc . . .
Io bc surc, Marcll is not an idcal nodcl or ion ]uans spccchcs,
bccausc unlikc ion ]uan, hc has a pcrcct scnsc o linguistic balancc:
hc can sinultancously usc thc nost cxtraagant languagc and snilc at
his own cxtraagancc, and this contradiction not onlydocs not dcstroy
his litcrary articc, but cnhanccs our plcasurc in it as wc rccognizc thc
skill inolcd. In this scnsc o balancc, thc charactcr who is nost likc
Marcll is thc First Gucst at iauras suppcr, with his ability to turn a
pcrcctly nanncrcd conplincnt or iauras song:
, .
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ .,
,
. . .
[Cur thanks, cnchantrcss. Vith your spclls
You charn our hcarts. Anong lics plcasurcs
Music yiclds to nonc sac loc,
But loc itscl is nclody . . .|
Cnc rcalizcs just ron this bcautiul and yct uttcrly inpcrsonal spccch
that thc First Gucst will go honc sacly that night, will pay a ashion-
ablc court to iaura or sonc othcr cclcbratcd actrcss or danccr or a cw
ycars, thcn will narry and scttlc down, and in his old agc will horriy
and dclight his grandchildrcn by tclling thcnhowhc pcrsonally kncw
that lcgcndary rcprobatc, ion ]uan.
But by subtracting Marclls scnsc o balanccthat scnsc which
ncccssarilynakcs a charactcr not a protagonist but ncrclya First Gucst
whilc kccping Marclls scnsc o cxtraagancc, and using thc rcsult
not so nuch as a litcral nodcl or translation but as soncthing which
was constantly and suggcsticly prcscnt whilc I was translating, as i it
wcrc background nusic, I arricd at this crsion o ion ]uans spccch:
ionaAnna: Vcll: Vhat: Vhat do you want:
ion ]uan: Io dic.
Ch, lct nc dic this ninutc, at your cct.
ict ny poor dust bc buricd in this placc,
Kot by thc dust which is so dcar to you,
Kor anywhcrc ncarbysonc distancc o,
Ihcrcby thc gatcsat thc cry cntrancc,
so whcn you conc, ny gracstonc night bc brushcd
By your light oot or by your drcsss hcn
Vhcn you nakc your way to that proud grac
Io lay your ringlcts on it and to wccp.
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., I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/
Cnc cannot point to any singlc dctail in this translation that would bc
out o placc in contcnporary spokcn English, and yct thc spccch as
a wholc has a dccidcdly high, rhctorical toncan ccho, I hopc, o
that courtly orcign gracc with whichIcnnyson inagincd sixtccnth-
ccntury spaniards spcaking.
In rclying on thc contcnporary spokcn languagc as thc basis or
a translation o thc littlc tragcdics, I hac ollowcd Iushkins own
practicc as a translator. Cnc o thc littlc tragcdics, .Ieas: Daio :/e
Ilaae, is a nodicd translation by Iushkin o a singlc sccnc ron a
nuch longcr English work, ]ohnVilsons Ci:y of :/e Ilaae. Ihrough-
out this translation, Iushkin rciscs Vilsons stylc into a nuch lcss
claboratc and norc natural onc (asidc ron any actual changcs in
ncaning). Ihus, in Vilson, Valsinghan calls or Mary to sing in this
nanncr:
swcct Mary Gray! Ihou hast a silcr oicc,
And wildly to thy natic nclodics
can tunc its utc-likc brcathsing us a song . . .
In Iushkin this bcconcs:
, ,
,
, . . .
which I hac translatcd as:
Your oicc, ny dcar, brings orth thc songs
C your natic land with rudc pcrcction:
sing, Mary . . .
In Vilson, iouisa gics this account o hcr ainting:
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ .
I sawa horrid dcnon in ny drcan!
Vith sablc isagc and whitc-glaring cycs,
Lc bcckond on nc to asccnd a cart
Fillcd with dcad bodics . . .
In Iushkin this bcconcs:

: , . . .
.
. . .
which I hac translatcd as:
I drcancd I saw
A hidcous dcnon, black all ocr, with whitc cycs . . .
Lc callcd nc to his wagon. iying in it
Vcrc thc dcad . . .
In Vilson, Valsinghans rcply to thc pricst bcgins:
Vhy canst thou hithcr to disturb nc thus:
I nay not, nust not go! Lcrc an I hcld
By hopclcssncss in dark uturity,
By dirc rcncnbrancc o thc pastby hatrcd
And dccp contcnpt o ny own worthlcss scl . . .
In Iushkin this bcconcs:

: ,
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.c I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/
, ,
. . .
which I hac translatcd as:
Vhy hac you conc hcrc
Io troublc nc: I cannot, I nust not
Followatcr you: I an bound hcrc
By dcspair, by tcrriblc rcncnbrancc,
By thc knowlcdgc o ny lawlcssncss . . .
In conparing Iushkin and Vilson, anothcr aspcct o Iushkins
ability as an author and translator spccically o dranatic poctry
shouldbc notcd. For a drana inpoctry tosuccccd, it nust bc succcssul
both as poctry and as drana: that is, not only nust thc indiidual lincs
bc good as poctry, but thcy nust bc psychologically appropriatc to thc
charactcr by whon thcy arc spokcn. Vilson nakcs no cort whatso-
ccr to gic any o his charactcrs a rccognizably indiidual oicc. Iart
o this, no doubt, was sinply thc rcsult o thc ocrall dcsign o his
work, which night bc dcscribcd as a ncditation on thc horrors o thc
Ilaguc and thc consolations o aith. I/e Ci:y of :/e Ilaae has only
thc slcndcrcst o narratic thrcads, and with its constantly changing
sccncs, it sccns as dizzyingly ocrcrowdcd with gurcs as a Brucghcl
painting o a illagc wcddingalthough, in icw o thc grotcsquc
trcatncnt o its subjcct, a Las: )aoeo: by Licronynus Bosch night
bc a norc appropriatc conparison. In this swccping icwo thc agony
o a grcat city, it is pcrhaps undcrstandablc that Vilson docs not cx-
pcnd too nuch cncrgy on crcating indiidually rccognizablc charac-
tcrs. Vhat is surprising is that in contrast to thc ncdical paintings
o thc iancc o icath, whcrc king and burghcr, bishop and pcasant,
noblcwonan and nun arc all rcadily distinguishablc, Vilsons charac-
tcrs do not ccn hac oiccs appropriatc to thcir social position. A
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sailor, a pricst, a illagc girl, ccn thc incitablc conic gracdiggcr,
all spcak in thc sanc nanncr.
Unlikc Vilson, Iushkin as an author o dranatic poctry was cry
conscious o thc nccdor charactcrs tospcaka languagc suitcdtothcn-
sclcs. iuring thc sccond hal o ]uly .::,, whcn hc was working on
Bois Goaoo, hcwrotc onthis topic toK. K. Racsky: Vcrisinilitudc
in thc situations and truthulncss in thc dialogucthats thc rcal rulc
o tragcdy. I hacnt rcad caldcrn or iopc dc Vcga, but what a nan
that shakcspcarc is! I cant gct ocr it. Low puny thc tragic Byron
looks ncxt to hin. . . . Rcad shakcspcarc, hcs nccr araid to conpro-
nisc his charactcrs, hc lcts thcn spcak with all thc rangc and sprcad
o lic, bccausc hc knows that hc can gic thcn thcir own indiidual
languagc whcn thc tinc and placc calls or it.
8
In kccping with this
conccrn or indiidual charactcr and languagc, thc spcaking parts o
.Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae arc soindiidualizcdthat onc couldconposc
inaginary biographics or thcn: thc young nan, no doubt a gcntlc-
nans son, onc who has spcnt tinc at Cxord or canbridgc, who could
quotc Bcn ]onson and discuss thc latcst play, Mary, thc illagc girl who
lct honc or thc cxcitcncnt and opportunitics o thc big city, only to
bc scduccd and abandoncd, and thcn to all into thc only way aailablc
or a wonan with a danagcd rcputation to support hcrscl, iouisa, thc
cynical prostitutc, born into and thoroughly at honc in thc crininal
undcrworld o iondons sluns, that now-lost world whosc ncnory
surics in I/e Beas Cea or Logarths paintings, thc pricst whosc
words, as thcy brcak into thc rccls, rcsound likc thundcr ron thc
hills, likc thc unrccordcd scrnon o an unknown ]onathan Edwards,
andnallyValsinghanhinscl, nowat oncc touchcdandcondcsccnd-
ing in his rcsponsc to Marys song, now using iouisas ainting as thc
occasion to draw a philosophical lcsson on hunan naturc (thc crucl
arc wcakcr than thc tcndcr), now proudly and crccly dcant in his
Lynn to thc Ilagucand bcncath all o thcsc accts, at last rccal-
inghinscl as a dcspairingnan tryingto brac out a loss that hc cannot
acccpt.
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Ihis iidncss o charactcrization can scrc as a guidc to thc trans-
lator, by suggcsting what typc o languagc would bc uscd by such a
charactcr i hc or shc wcrc spcaking not Russian but nodcrn English.
As an cxanplc, considcr iouisas spccch:

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Vhcn I wcnt to translatc thc spccch as a wholc, it sccncd to rcsist
ny corts, but two spccic dctails alnost at oncc lcapt into nind
passc or and jaundicc-ycllow hair or . . .
. Ihc rst o thcsc two translations could bc cxplaincd quitc
sinply, as rcplacing a Gallicisn in Russian, with its inplicit clain to
Frcnch sophistication, with a sinilar Gallicisn in English. But whcrc
did thc jaundicc-ycllowhair conc ron: It didnt sccnto bc ncrcly
a nonnatic spcakcrs conusion o (ycllowncss, sallowncss)
with (jaundicc), sonchowit clt too strong, too conincingly
right, particularly inicwo thc rcsistancc I clt ronall thc othcr lincs.
Atcr sonc thought, it canc to nc that thc problcn with translating
this spccch lay in its cynicisn. Rcal thoroughgoing cynicisnas op-
poscd to thc sort that is a dccnsc or a woundcd scnsitiityis onc o
nost dicult cnotions to handlc in poctry, bccausc cynicisn dcadcns
thc inagination whilc poctry hcightcns it. Ihcrc is, howccr, a solu-
tion or this acsthctic problcn in ccrtain aspccts o popular culturc,
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such as thc hard-boilcd dctcctic nocl or ln noir: to usc inagcry
that concys not only corruption but cxaggcratcd corruption, so that
tcdious cnptincss is rcplaccd by ncnorably jarring garishncss. Ihis
was what thc jaundicc-ycllow hair was tclling nc: that thc way to
gic iouisa anEnglish, or norc cxactlya :othccnturyAncrican, oicc
was to allow hcr to sound likc a tough broad talking to a priatc cyc:
Kow thosc songs
Arc hopclcssly passc. But thcrc arc still
sonc ools who likc to nclt whcn woncn cry,
Vholl swallow it hook, linc, and sinkcr.
shcs dccidcd that hcr tcarul look
cant bc rcsistcdi thats what shc thought
About hcr laugh, no doubt wcd scc hcr
Grinning all thc tinc. Valsinghan likcd
Ihc wccpy northcrn bcauticsso o coursc
shcs got to noan and groan. I cant stand
Ihc jaundicc-ycllow hair o thcsc scotch girls.
As this cxanplc rcninds us, just as thc translator nust always bcar in
nind thc charactcristics o thc languagc ron which thc work is bcing
translatcdits history, its litcraturc, its rcgistcrs o ocabulary and
stylcthc translator nust bcar in nind thc sanc charactcristics or thc
languagc into which thc work is bcing translatcd. A targct languagc
is not a linguistic blank slatc. I thc translator knows thc litcraturc o
thc targct languagc wcll and is skillul in coking its associations, thc
rcadcr o thc translation is norc likcly to pcrccic thc work as natu-
ral, graccul, and incitablc, rathcr than bcing distractcd by dciccs
which, although tting and acccptablc in thc original languagc, arc not
in thc spirit o thc targct languagc. Aparticularly intcrcsting challcngc
o this typc occurs whcn translating thc two songs in . Ieas: Da-
io :/e Ilaae, whcrc it is ncccssary to nakc thc songs bclicablc as
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English pocns, which ncans that thc rcadcr or listcncr has to pcrccic
thcn as tting within thc history and traditions o English poctry.
sincc Marys song is dcscribcd by Valsinghan as a scottish olk
song, it was to thc Bordcr ballads that I turncd as a possiblc nodcl
or how hcr song night sound in English.
9
Ihc subjcct o Marys song
is not a typical onc or a ballad, but thc tcrriblc inagcs o its sccond
and third stanzas arc no grinncr than Ihc Iwa corbics, and thc
proniscd constancy o ]cnny no grcatcr than that o Ihc Kut-Brown
Maid. In tcrns o nctrics, howccr, thcrc is an inportant dicrcncc:
a traditional English ballad is signicantly lcss tightly structurcd than
thc Russian crsion o Marys song. Ihc stanzas o Iushkins tcxt hac
thc rhync schcnc alal, by contrast, a ballad typically has thc rhync
schcnc alcl. Ihc nctcr o Iushkins tcxt is trochaic tctranctcr, with a
pcrcctly rcgular altcrnation bctwccn cight-syllablc and sccn-syllablc
lincs (thc last unacccntcd syllablc droppcd). Both ianbic and trochaic
tctranctcr arc nornal English ballad nctcrs, but thcrc arc otcn slight
nctrical inpcrcctions in sonc crscs, which a singcr no doubt con-
pcnsatcd or by cithcr doubling or onitting a notc as thc nccd arosc.
In tcrns o both rhync schcnc and nctcr, ny translation adhcrcd to
thc lcss ornal poctics o thc English ballad.
But as a drat English crsion cncrgcd, I bccanc norc and norc
awarc o a pronounccd dicrcncc bctwccn Marys song and thc tradi-
tional ballad. Ihc old ballads, with thcir storics o iolcnt cuds and
illicit loc, wcrc in a scnsc thc tabloids o thcir day. Vhcn thcir nar-
ratic rcachcs a highly dranatic point, thcy sustain thc tcrror as long
as possiblc: think how nany stanzas it takcs bcorc sir Iatrick spcnss
dooncd ship actually sinks, or bcorc thc condcnncd Young Vatcrs
actually rcachcs thc gallows. A ballad-nakcr, prcscntcd with thc na-
tcrial o Marys song, would bc unablc to rcsist dcscribing ]cnnys
dcathbcd agony, thc lancntations o hcr anily, Ednunds collapsing
ron gric at hcr uncralall o which would so strongly cnphasizc
thc sucrings o thc scparatcd locrs as to ocrshadow what should
bc thc clinax o thc song, its nal two lincs: And ]cnny will bc truc
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ ,.
to Ednund/Ecn in hcr placc anong thc blcst! A ballad-nakcr, likc
a Baroquc artist, rcclcd in thc dctails with rclaticly littlc conccrn
about how cach part ttcd into or acctcd thc wholc. Ihc crcator o
]cnnys song, by contrast, subordinatcs thc dctails to thc ocrall artis-
tic ccct. Ihus, an English countcrpart to Marys song would hac to
bc thought o as thc work o sonc ninor poct who, whilc rcspcct-
ing thc old tradition o popular song, nccrthclcss was producing a
consciously shapcd and cditcd initation o it. Ihis suggcstion o lit-
crary acction or thc traditional country way o thought and lic lcd
nc to thc scntincntalist pocts, to Goldsnith and cowpcr and Gray,
and accordingly, although thc rhythnic structurc o ny translation o
Marys song is that o a ballad, thc ocabulary choscn was intcndcd to
cokc, not olk spccch, but thc stylc o languagc uscd in thc pocns o
thc prc-Ronantics. At bcst, I hopcd that ny translation night call to
nind a distant, lcss philosophical cousin o Grays Elcgy in a country
churchyard, at lcast, that it would hac a rccognizablc anity with
thc rclaticly latc and norc litcrarily scl-conscious ballads, such as
Barbara Allcn or Ihc Bailis iaughtcr o Islington.
Forning an idca o what Valsinghans song night hac bccn likc
in English was lcss dicult. Ihc song, in Russian, consists o six-linc
stanzas with a rhync schcnc aalclc. In Russian, as in English, a six-
linc stanza is nuch lcss connon than a our-linc onc. Ihc rclatic
rarity o this typc o stanza suggcstcd a dclibcratc choicc on Iushkins
part, onc that I clt could and should bc obscrcd also in translation.
As or nctcr, thc Russian crsion is in ianbic tctranctcr, a nctcr that
is also connon in English and transcrs casily to it. In kccping with
thc pocns naturc as a ringing rhctorical pronounccncnt, in thc origi-
nal crsion a pausc could logically occur (or a singcr takc a brcath)
at thc cnd o any linc in a stanza, and thcrc only, thcrc arc no cn-
janbncnts. I tricd to prcscrc thc rcsulting syntax, with its tcrscncss
and orcculncss, as nuch as possiblc. Bcyond that, to gct sonc idca
o what a pocn likc Valsinghans night hac bccn likc in English, I
turncd to thosc pocts who cclcbratcd a soncwhat sinilar thcnc, thc
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glory o wararc and dangcr. Ihis lcd nc to such now-orgottcn latcr
cightccnth-ccntury pocns as Villian snyths Ihc soldicr:
Ihcn, soldicr! conc ll high thc winc,
For wc rcck not o tonorrow,
Bc ours today and wc rcsign
All thc rcst to thc ools o sorrow.
Gay bc thc hour till wc bcat to arns
Ihcn, conradc, icath or Glory,
Iis Victory in all hcr charns,
Cr tis Fanc in thc worlds bright story
or Ihonas Csbcrt Mordaunts
sound, sound thc clarion, ll thc c!
Ihroughout thc scnsual world proclain,
Cnc crowdcd hour o glorious lic
Is worth an agc without a nanc.
such lyrics hac a charactcristic ocabulary that conbincs thc sinplc
and straightorward with obiously litcrary phrascs (wc rcck not,
sound thc clarion), I hac tricd to gic Valsinghans this sanc stylc
o languagc. And i thc rcsult turns out to bc lcss satisactory than
I hopcd, I can always takc rcugc in thc act that it was, atcr all, an
anatcurs cortthc rst pocnValsinghan ccr wrotc.
Ihc usc o a cxiblc rathcr than strict nctcr, which allows Iushkins
lincs to bc translatcd in a nanncr rcccting thc cadcnccs o contcn-
porary English and thus gics thc spccchcs o his charactcrs cnotional
crisinilitudc, thc choicc o anEnglishocabularyandstylc o cxprcs-
sion or cach charactcr which is suitcd to that charactcrs background
and psychology, and thc usc o appropriatc parts o thc English litcrary
tradition as a suggcstic starting point or dccloping such a charactcr-
tting stylc o cxprcssionthcsc arc thc principlcs that I hac rclicd
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I/e Li::le Iaeies io Eolis/ ,,
upon in ny approach to translating thc littlc tragcdics. Ihcsc prin-
ciplcs grcw dircctly out o ny own cxpcricncc in rcading thc littlc
tragcdics in thc original Russian: tinc and again I clt that I could pcr-
ccic thc charactcrs thcnsclcsthc toncs o thcir oiccs, thcir acial
cxprcssions, thcir gcsturcsand irrcsistibly I clt thc dcsirc to try to
cxprcss that pcrccption in English. Ihc work rcsulting ron this in-
pulsc is thus an intcrprctation o thc littlc tragcdicsintcrprctation
not ncrcly in thc scnsc o a translation ron onc languagc to anothcr,
but also in thc scnsc in which an actor intcrprcts a rolc. It rcprcscnts
ny undcrstanding o, and tributc to, a nastcrpiccc whosc dcpths can
long bc cxplorcd, but nccr cxhaustcd.
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Ihc Miscrly Knight
(sccncs ron chcnstoncs tragiconcdy I/e Coe:oas Roi/:)
s c r r i
Albcrt: Ko nattcr what it costs, I shall appcar
At thc tournancnt. show nc ny hclnct, ]ohn.
( )o/o ies /io :/e /eloe:.)
Its picrccd through, spoilcd. It cant possibly
Bc rcpaircd. Ill hac to gct a ncwonc.
Vhat a hit! Ihat danncd count iclorgc!
]ohn: And you paid hin back and thcn sonc:
Vhcn you knockcd hin ron his saddlc,
Lc lay a wholc day as i dcadand probably
Lasnt rccocrcd yct.
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, I/e Li::le Iaeies
Albcrt: still, hc lost nothing by it,
Lis brcastplatc o Vcnctian stccl is wholc, .c
And his chcsts his own, it costs hin nothing,
Lc wont bc buying hinscl anothcr.
Vhy didnt I strip hin o his hclnct thcn!
I would hac, too, i I hadnt bccn ashancd
In ront o ladics and thc iukc. ianncd count!
Bcttcr i hc had picrccd ny hcad.
And I nccd clothcs as wcll. iast tinc
Vhcn all thc knights worc satin and clct,
I alonc o all at thc iukcs tablc
Vorc a coat-o-nail. I cxcuscd nyscl thcn .c
By saying Id just happcncd on thc tourncy.
But what will I say now: Ch, this pocrty!
Low ilc, how it dcgradcs oncs hcart!
Vhcn iclorgc with his hcay lancc
Iicrccd ny hcln and gallopcd on past,
And I barchcadcd turncd and spurrcd
My Enir, cw likc a whirlwind
And ung thc count sonc twcnty paccs
iikc a pagc boy, whcn all thc ladics
Rosc ron thcir scats, whcn clotild hcrscl, ,c
Vhod cocrcd hcr cycs, couldnt hclp but shout,
And thc hcralds paid honor to ny blow
Ko onc thcn thought about thc rcason
For ny alor and ny wondrous strcngth!
I was scizcd by ury at ny danagcd hclnct,
Vhats to blanc or ny hcroisn:niscrlincss.
Iah! Its not dicult to catch it hcrc
Undcr thc sanc roo as ny athcr.
Lows ny poor Enir:
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,,
]ohn: still linping,
You cant ridc hin or sonc tinc yct. ,c
Albcrt: Ihcrcs nothing or it, thcn: Ill buy thc bay.
Ihcyrc not asking nuch or hin.
]ohn: Kot nuch, but wc dont hac thc noncy.
Albcrt: Vhats that good-or-nothing solonon say:
]ohn: Lc says that hc cant loan you
Any norc noncy without collatcral.
Albcrt: collatcral! whcrcd I gct collatcral, thc dcil!
]ohn: Ihats what I told hin.
Albcrt: Vhatd hc say:
]ohn: Groancd and wacd.
Albcrt: Ihcn you shouldc told hin ny athcrs
Rich as a ]cw hinscl, and sooncr or latcr c
Ill inhcrit ccrything.
]ohn: Ihats what I said.
Albcrt: Vhatd hc say:
]ohn: Vacd and groancd.
Albcrt: Vhat a ncss!
]ohn: Lc was going to conc hinscl.
Albcrt: Vcll, thank God.
I wont lct hin out without a ranson.
(Rooc/ a: :/e oo.)
Vhos thcrc:
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,c I/e Li::le Iaeies
(I/e )e eo:es.)
]cw: Your hunblc scrant.
Albcrt: Ah, ricnd!
You danncd ]cw, honorablc solonon,
conc ocr hcrc, soyou, I hcar,
iont bclicc in crcdit.
]cw: Ah, ncrciul knight,
I swcar to you: Id bc glad . . . truly, I cant.
Vhcrc would I gct noncy: Ic ruincd nyscl cc
Ihrough ny zcal or always hclping knights.
Ko onc rcpays. I wantcd to ask you
I you couldnt gic nc ccn just part . . .
Albcrt: Robbcr!
I I had any noncy, would I bc
Fooling around with you: Enough,
iont bc stubborn, ny dcar solonon,
Gic nc sonc gold. scnd nc a hundrcd picccs
Bcorc I hac you scarchcd.
]cw: A hundrcd!
I only I had a hundrcd gold picccs!
Albcrt: iistcn:
Arcnt you ashancd not to hclp -c
Your ricnds:
]cw: I swcar to you . . .
Albcrt: Enough, cnough.
You dcnand collatcral: what rubbish!
Vhat collatcral should I gic you:a pigs skin:
I I had anything I could ocr, long ago
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,.
Id hac sold it. Cr is thc word o a knight
Vorth so littlc to you, you dog:
]cw: Your word,
so long as you shall lic, is worth a grcat dcal.
All thc trcasurc chcsts o Flcnish ncrchants
It will opcn likc a nagic wand.
But whcn its gicn to nc, a lowly ]cw, c
And shouldGod orbidyou dic, thcn
In ny hands it will bc o no norc aluc
Ihan thc kcy to a caskct ung into thc occan.
Albcrt: can ny athcr possibly outlic nc:
]cw: Vho knows: Cur days arc nunbcrcd by Anothcr,
iast night a youth was hcalthy, now hcs dcad
And thcrc you scc our gray-haircd ncn
carrying his con on thcir stoopcd shouldcrs.
Ihc Barons in good hcalth. God willing, tcn ycars, twcnty,
Ecn twcnty-c or thirty hc could lic. ,c
Albcrt: Yourc lying, ]cw, bcsidcs, in thirty ycars,
Ill bc pushing ty, and thcn what usc
Vill I hac or thc noncy:
]cw: Moncy:Moncy
Is always, whatccr our agc, uscul to us,
But a young nan sccs it as a scrant
And docsnt hcsitatc to scnd it ar and widc.
An old nan sccs it as a trusty ricnd
And guards it as thc applc o his cyc.
Albcrt: Ch, or ny athcr noncys not a scrant
Cr a ricnd, but a nastcr, hc hinscl scrcs it. .cc
And scrcs ithow: likc an Algcrian slac,
iikc a dog on a chain. A kcnncl with no hcat
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,. I/e Li::le Iaeies
Is his honc, hc drinks watcr, cats dry crusts,
Lc nccr slccps at night, just runs and barks.
And thc gold lics thcrc rcsting pcaccully
In thc chcsts. Enough! sonc day
Itll scrc nc and orgct what rcsting is.
]cw: Ycs, at thc Barons uncral
Morc noncy than tcars will bc pourcd orth.
May God scnd you your inhcritancc soon! ..c
Albcrt: Ancn!
]cw: But pcrhaps . . .
Albcrt: Vhat:
]cw: It occurrcd to nc thcrc is
A ccrtain ncans . . .
Albcrt: Vhat ncans:
]cw: Ihis:
Ihcrc is an old nan whon I know,
A ]cw, a poor apothccary . . .
Albcrt: A usurcr
iikc yourscl, or ccn a bit norc honcst:
]cw: Ko, sir, Iobias has a dicrcnt tradc
Lc nixcs dropsits rcally anazing
Vhat an ccct thcy hac.
Albcrt: Vcll, so:
]cw: Ihcy go in a glass o watcrthrcc drops will do,
Ihcrcs no tastc, no color, nothing youd noticc, ..c
A nan wont sucr any indigcstion
Cr nausca, or any painbut hcll dic.
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,,
Albcrt: Your old nan dcals in poison.
]cw: Ycs,
Ioison too.
Albcrt: And so: Instcad o loaning noncy,
Yourc ocring nc two hundrcd ials o poison,
At onc gold piccc pcr ial. Is that it:
]cw: Yourc plcascd to hac your jokc at ny cxpcnsc
Ko, I ncant . . . pcrhaps you . . . wcll, I thought
Ihc Barons tinc had conc to dic.
Albcrt: Vhat! Ioison ny athcr! You darc acc a son . . . .,c
]ohn! scizc hin. You darc say this to nc! . . .
Gct this straight, you ]cwish hcart,
You dog, you snakc, Ill hac you hangcd
Ihis instant at thc castlc gatc.
]cw: In guilty!
Lac ncrcy: I was joking.
Albcrt: ]ohn, bring a ropc.
]cw: I . . . I was joking. Ic brought you noncy.
Albcrt: Cut, dog!
(I/e )e leaes.)
Ihis is what ny athcrs niscrlincss
Las brought nc to! Io hac a ]cwdarc
Iroposc that to nc! Bring nc a glass o winc,
In shaking likc a lca. . . . But I still nccd noncy. .,c
]ohn, go catch up with that danncd ]cw
And takc his gold. And bring thc inkwcll hcrc.
Ill gic hin a rcccipt, thc crookbut dont
Bring that ]udas in hcrc. . . . Ko, wait.
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,, I/e Li::le Iaeies
Lis gold picccs will stink o poison,
iikc his kinsnans silcr did. . . .
I askcd or winc.
]ohn: Vc dont hac any winc,
Kot a drop.
Albcrt: Vhat about thc git
Ihat Raynond scnt nc ron spain:
]ohn: Ycstcrday I took thc last bottlc .c
Io thc sick blacksnith.
Albcrt: Ycs, I rcncnbcr, I know. . . .
Gic nc watcr thcn. Vhat a danncd lic!
Ko, its scttlcdIll go and scck ny rights
Fron thc iukc, lct hin nakc ny athcr
support nc likc his son, not likc sonc nousc
Born undcr a oorboard.
s c r r i i
Baron: iikc a young skirt-chascr who waits or whcn
Lcll ncct his binbosonc tranp on thc nakc,
Cr sonc ool hcs snowcdthats howall day
I wait or thc ninutc I go down .cc
Into ny sccrct ault, to thc aithul chcsts.
Iodays a happy day! Kow I can opcn
Ihc sixth chcst (thc onc thats not ull yct)
And pour in a handul o pilcd-up gold.
Kot nuch, it sccns, but littlc by littlc
Ihc trcasurc grows. Cncc I rcad
About a king who ordcrcd his ncn
Io bring, cach onc, a handul o carth,
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,
And a nighty hill rosc upand thc king
could gazc down ncrrily ron that hcight .-c
Upon thc allcys, cocrcd with whitc tcnts,
And on thc sca, whcrc ships wcrc sailing.
Ihus I, bringing ny poor handuls onc by onc,
Bcaring ny accustoncd tributc to ny ault,
Lac built up ny hilland ron its hcight
I can gazc on all thats in ny powcr.
Vhats not in ny powcr: Fron hcrc,
iikc a dcnon I can rulc thc world.
I I just want itpalaccs will spring up,
Into ny splcndid gardcns thcrc will dancc .c
A conpany o playul nynphs,
Ihc Muscs too will bring nc tributc,
Frcc gcnius will bcconc ny slac,
And irtuc and unslccping toil
Vill ncckly look to nc or thcir rcward.
]ust lct nc whistlcbloodstaincd illainy
Cbcdicntly and tinidly will crawl to nc
And lick ny hand, and pccr into ny cycs,
iooking or a sign o ny will thcrc.
Io nc all things subnit, and Ito nonc, .,c
I stand aboc dcsirc, I an caln,
I know ny night, this knowlcdgc
Is cnough or nc. . . .
(Loo/s a: /is ol.)
It sccns likc littlc cnough,
But how nuch hunan carc and woc,
Low nany lics, tcars, praycrs, and curscs
It stands orwhat a hcay load!
Ihcrcs onc old doubloonright hcrc. Kow
Ihc widows gicn it to nc, but rst
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,c I/e Li::le Iaeies
shc knclt with hcr thrcc childrcn at ny window
For hal a day, howling all thc tinc. .cc
It raincd, and stoppcd, and startcd again,
Ihc akcr, shc didnt budgc, I could, o coursc,
Lac chascd hcr o, but soncthing told nc
Ihat shcd brought nc what hcr husband owcd,
And wouldnt want to nd hcrscl in jail ncxt day.
And this onc:I got this onc ronIhibault
Vhcrcd hc gct it ron, thc lazy chcat:
stolc it, nost likcly, or, who knows,
Cn thc highway, in thc woods, at night. . . .
I all thc blood, swcat, and tcars oncc shcd ..c
For all thats storcd in hcrc, could now pour orth
Fron thc carths bowcls in onc suddcn gush,
Ihcrcd bc a sccond Floodand I would suocatc
Insidc ny aithul ault. But cnough.
(He oes :o oeo :/e c/es:.)
Ecry singlc tinc, whcn I start to opcn
A chcst, I ccl ccrish and trcnblc.
Kot ron car (no! what should I car:
I hac ny sword, ny tcnpcrcd bladc
Vill answcr or thc gold), but ron sonc scnsc,
Mystcrious and drcad, which grips ny hcart. . . . ..c
ioctors assurc us that thcrc arc pcoplc
Vho nd plcasurc in connitting nurdcr.
Vhcn I put thc kcy into thc lock, thcn
I ccl what such a onc nust ccl, plunging
Lis knic into a ictin: plcasurc
And horror nixcd in onc.
(Ceos :/e c/es:.)
My bliss!
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,-
(Dos :/e coios io.)
Ihcrc, now youc roancd cnough throughout thc world,
scring thc passions and nccds o ncn,
slccp now, thc slccp o strcngth and pcacc,
As thc gods slccp in ar-o hcacns. . . . .,c
Ioday I want to gic nyscl a cast:
Ill light a candlc in ront o cach chcst
And opcn all o thcn, and Ill stand
Anid thcn all, looking at thc glittcring pilcs.
(He li/:s caoles ao oeos :/e c/es:s ooe af:e aoo:/e.)
I an a king! . . . Vhat an cnchanting glittcr!
Cbcying nc, ny rcaln indccd is nighty,
It holds ny joy, ny honor, and ny glory!
I an a king . . . but who will ollow nc,
Vho will takc this powcr: My hcir!
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, I/e Li::le Iaeies
A boy who throws noncy around likc nad, .,c
Vith his hcllraising ricnds out or a good tinc!
Ko sooncr than Ic dicd, hc! Lcll conc hcrc
Into thcsc pcaccul and long-silcnt aults,
Vith a pack o grccdy courticrs at his hccls.
Atcr stcaling thc kcys ron ny dcad body,
Lcll laugh as hc throws opcn all thc chcsts.
And all ny trcasurcs will owout
And pour through thc holcs o satin pockcts.
Lcll brcak into bits thc sacrcd csscls,
ict dirt drink up thc coronation oil .c
Lcll squandcr it. . . . And by what right:
Lac I rcally acquircd all this or nothing,
Cr just or play, as i I wcrc a ganblcr
Rolling thc dicc and and raking in ny pilcs:
Vho knows how nuch bittcr scl-rcstraint,
Vhat passions chokcd back, what wcary thoughts,
Vhat carcs day atcr day, what slccplcss nights
All this cost nc: Cr will ny son say
Ihat ny hcarts long ocrgrown with noss,
Ihat I ccl no dcsirc, that ccn ny conscicncc .cc
Kccr gnawcd at nc, ny conscicncc,
Ihat bcast with claws that tcar ny hcartny conscicncc,
Ihat gucst I didnt initc, a wcarying conpanion,
Ihat harsh dcnanding crcditor, that witch
Vho nakcs thc noon hidc and who troublcs gracs,
Making thcn gic up thcir dcad: . . .
Ko, rst sucr through piling up your own wcalth,
And thcn lcts scc i sonc unhappy nan
Vill conc and squandcr what you got by blood.
Ch, i only I could hidc this ault ron all .-c
Unworthy cycs! Ch, i ron ny grac
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,,
I could arisc, a ghostly watchnan,
And sit upon thc chcst, and guard ny trcasurcs
Against thc liing, as I guard thcn now!
s c r r i i i
(Io :/e alace.)
Albcrt: Bclicc nc, ny lord, I hac long bornc
Ihc shanc o bittcr pocrty. Vcrc ny nccd not grcat,
You would not hac hcard ny conplaint.
iukc: I do bclicc you, a noblc knight
such as yourscl, would not accusc his athcr
Unlcss his nccd was grcat. Fcw ncn arc so corrupt . . . .c
iont car, Ill urgc your athcr to act honorably,
But Ill do it in priatc, without scandal.
I cxpcct hin soon. Its a long tinc sincc Ic sccn hin.
Lc and ny grandathcr wcrc ricnds. I rcncnbcr,
Vhcn I was just a boy still, how
Lcd lit nc up and scat nc on his stccd
And put his hcay hclnct on ncit cocrcd nc
As i it wcrc a church bcll.
(Loo/s oa: :/e ioo.)
Vhos that:
Is it hc:
Albcrt: Ycs, ny lord.
iukc: Vait
In that chanbcr. I will call you. .,c
(.lle: exi:s, eo:e :/e Baoo.)
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c I/e Li::le Iaeies
Baron,
I an glad to scc you wcll and in good spirits.
Baron: I an happy, ny lord, that I had thc strcngth
Io conc into your prcscncc at your connand.
iukc: Youc bccn away a long tinc, baron,
A long tinc. io you rcncnbcr nc:
Baron: I, ny lord:
I scc you as i it wcrc now. Ch, you wcrc
A boy with spirit. Ihc latc dukc
Uscd to say to nc: Ihilip (hc always callcd
Mc Ihilip), what do you think: Eh:
Iwcnty ycars ron now, or surc, thc two o us, ,cc
Vcll bc nothing conparcd to that kid . . .
Io you, that is . . .
iukc: Vcll now rcncw
Cur acquaintancc. You hac orgottcn ny court.
Baron: In an old nan now, ny lord, what should
I do at court: Yourc young, you loc
Iournancnts and tcs. But or such things I
An no longcd suitcd. I God scnds war, thcn I
An rcady to clinb whcczing onto ny horsc,
Ill still nd strcngth cnough to draw
My old sword or you with a trcnbling arn. ,.c
iukc: Baron, your dcotion is wcll known to us,
You wcrc ny grandathcrs ricnd, ny athcr
Estccncd you. And I hac always considcrcd you
A loyal and brac knightbut lcts sit down.
Baron, do you hac any childrcn:
Baron: Cnc son.
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I/e Misely Roi/: .
iukc: Vhy dont I scc hin ncar nc:
Yourc wcary o thc court, but it would bct hin,
At his agc and with his rank, to bc ncar nc.
Baron: My son dislikcs a noisy ashionablc lic,
Lcs unsociablc and gloony by naturc ,.c
All day hc wandcrs thc orcsts round thc castlc
iikc a young dccr.
iukc: Its not good or hin
Io bc so unsociablc. Vcll soon tcach hin
About gaicty, about balls and tournancnts.
scnd hin to nc, proidc your son
Vith an cstatc tting to his rank . . .
Yourc rowning, arc you wcary ron thc road,
Icrhaps:
Baron: My iord, I an not wcary,
But youc cnbarrasscd nc. I would rathcr
Kot hac adnittcd it to you, but you ,,c
Lac orccd nc to say about ny son
soncthing I wantcd to hidc ron you.
Lc, ny iord, unhappily is not worthy
C cithcr your aor or your attcntion.
Lcs spcnding his youth in rowdincss,
Engaging in low iccs . . .
iukc: Ihat, Baron,
Is bccausc hcs alonc. solitudc
And idlcncss dcstroy young pcoplc.
scnd hin to us: hcll orgct
Labits that arosc up-country. ,,c
Baron: Forgic nc, but, truly, ny lord,
I cannot conscnt to that . . .
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. I/e Li::le Iaeies
iukc: Vhy thcn:
Baron: sparc an old nan . . .
iukc: I connand: tcll nc thc rcason
For your rcusal.
Baron: In angcrcd at
My son.
iukc: Vhy:
Baron: For his wickcd crinc.
iukc: And what, tcll nc, was that:
Baron: sparc nc, iukc . . .
iukc: Ihis is cry strangc,
Cr arc you ashancd o hin:
Baron: Ycs . . . ashancd . . .
iukc: But what did hc do: ,c
Baron: Lc . . . hc ncant
Io nurdcr nc.
iukc: Murdcr! Ill hand hin ocr
Io justicc as a oul illain.
Baron: I wont sct out to proc it, but I know
Ihat ny dcath is what hcs thirsting or,
And I know that hcs nadc an attcnpt
At . . .
iukc: Vhat:
Baron: Robbing nc.
(.lle: las:s io:o :/e ooo.)
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I/e Misely Roi/: ,
Albcrt: Baron, yourc lying.
iukc: (Io :/e soo.)
Lowdarc you: . . .
Baron: Yourc hcrc! You darc acc nc! . . .
You can say a thing likc that to your athcr! . . .
In lying! And in thc prcscncc o our lord! . . .
Io nc . . . or an I no longcr a knight: ,cc
Albcrt: Yourc a liar.
Baron: And lightning hasnt struck hin, rightcous God!
Ihcn takc this, and lct thc sword judgc bctwccn us!
(He ios /is aao:le:, /is soo /as:ily ic/s i: a.)
Albcrt: My thanks. Lcrcs ny rst git ron ny athcr.
iukc: Vhat did I scc: Vhats thisand in ny prcscncc:
A son acccptcd thc challcngc o his old athcr!
In what tincs hac I takcn upon nyscl
Ihc ducal chain! silcncc: You, nadnan,
And you, tigcr cub! Enough.
(Io :/e soo.)
Gic it up,
Land nc that gauntlct.
(He :a/es i:.)
Albcrt: (.sie.)
A pity.
iukc: Low hc plungcd his claws into it!thc nonstcr! ,-c
Go: do not darc appcar in ny prcscncc
Until that tinc whcn I nyscl
shall scnd or you.
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, I/e Li::le Iaeies
(.lle: exi:s.)
You, unhappy old nan,
Arc you not ashancd . . .
Baron: Forgic nc, ny lord,
I cannot stand . . . My knccs arc giing way . . .
Its stiing! . . . stiing! . . . Vhcrc arc thc kcys:
My kcys, kcys! . . .
iukc: Lcs dcad. God!
A tcrriblc agc, tcrriblc hcarts!
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Mozart and salicri
s c r r i
(. ooo.)
salicri: Ihcy say thcrcs no justicc hcrc on carth,
But thcrcs no justicc highcr up, cithcr. Io nc
Ihats as clcar and sinplc as do-rc-ni.
I was born with a loc or art,
Vhcn I was a child, whcn up on high
Ihc organs notcs cchocd in our old church,
I listcncd and was spcllboundI wcpt,
swcct tcars owcd against ny will.

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c I/e Li::le Iaeies
Early I rcuscd all idlc anuscncnts,
Io knowanything othcr than nusic was .c
Latcul to nc, stubbornly and proudly
I dcnicd all clsc and gac nyscl up
Io nusic alonc. Ihc rst stcps wcrc hard
And thc rst path was tcdious. I ocrcanc
My carly dicultics. I gac crat
Its placc as thc oundation stonc o art,
I nadc nyscl a cratsnan, ny ngcrs
Acquircd obcdicnt, cold dcxtcrity
And ny car, accuracy. I killcd sounds,
iisscctcd nusic likc a corpsc. I put harnony .c
Io thc tcst o algcbra. Cnly atcr that,
Expcricnccd in ny studics, did I darc
Allow nyscl thc luxury o crcatic drcans.
I bcgan crcating, but silcntly, in sccrct,
Kot daring ccn to think yct o glory.
Ctcn, atcr sitting silcntly in ny ccll
Iwo or thrcc days, orgctting slccp and ood,
Atcr thc tastc o ccstasy and tcars o inspiration,
I burncd ny work and watchcd coldly
As ny idca and thc sounds I had brought orth ,c
Blazcd up, thcn anishcd with a pu o snokc.
Vhat an I saying: Vhcn thc grcat Gluck
Appcarcd and rccalcd to us ncw nystcrics
(iccp and captiating nystcrics),
iidnt I abandon ccrything Id known bcorc,
Ecrything Id locd and bcliccd so crcntly,
And didnt I sct out boldly atcr hin
Vithout a nurnur, likc onc whos lost his path
And is dircctcd to go anothcr way:
By conccntratcd, constant cort ,c
Finally in thc unboundcd rcaln o art
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Moa: ao Saliei -
I achiccd a high placc. Glory
snilcd on nc, in pcoplcs hcarts
I ound thc harnonics that Id crcatcd.
I was happy: I pcaccully cnjoycd
My work, succcss, rcnown, as wcll as
Ihc works and thc succcsscs o ny ricnds,
My collcagucs in thc niraclcs o art.
Ko! I nccr oncc clt cny thcn,
Ko, nccr!not ccn whcn Iiccini c
icarncd to charn thc saagc Iaris audicncc,
Kot ccn whcn I hcard or thc rst tinc
Ihc opcning chords o I/ieoia.
Vho will say that proud salicri
Vas ccr a contcnptiblc cnicr,
A snakc troddcn powcrlcss undcroot,
ict hal-alic to bitc thc dirt and dust:
Ko onc! . . . But nowI say it nysclnow
I an an cnicr. I ccl cny, dccp,
Iorncnting cny. Ch hcacn! cc
Vhcrc is rightncss, whcn thc sacrcd git,
Innortal gcnius, concs not as rcward
For ardcnt loc and scl-rcnunciation,
iabor, zcal, diligcncc, and praycrs
But bcstows its radiant halo on a nadnan
Vho idly strolls through lic: Ch, Mozart, Mozart!
Mozart: Aha! You saw nc! And I wantcd
Io gic you a surprisc anuscncnt.
salicri: Yourc hcrc!Vhcnd you gct hcrc:
Mozart: ]ust now.
I was walking hcrc, coning to show you soncthing, -c
And as I wcnt by a tacrn, suddcnly
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I/e Li::le Iaeies
I hcard a ddlc. . . . Ko, ny ricnd salicri,
Youc nccr hcard anything unnicr
In all your lic. . . . Ihis blind ddlcr in thc tacrn
Vas sawing away at Voi chc sapctc. splcndid!
I couldnt rcsist, I brought thc ddlcr hcrc
so I could trcat you to his art.
conc in!
(.o ol llio oao i:/ a iolio eo:es.)
Ilay sonc Mozart or us!
(I/e le lays ao aia foo ion Gioanni,
Moa: laa/s.)
salicri: And you can laugh:
Mozart: Ch, salicri!
Rcally you dont laugh at that: c
salicri: Ko.
I dont nd it unny whcn sonc worthlcss daubcr
Makcs sncars and drips on Raphacls Madonna,
I dont nd it unny whcn sonc ulgar shownan
Rccls o a parody that dishonors iantc.
Bc o, old nan.
Mozart: Vait: hcrcs soncthing or you,
irink to ny hcalth.
(I/e ol oao exi:s.)
Right now, salicri,
Yourc not in a good nood. Ill conc scc you
Anothcr tinc.
salicri: Vhatd you bring nc:
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Moa: ao Saliei ,
Mozart: Ch, nothingjust a tric. iatc last night
My insonnia torncntcd nc, ,c
And two or thrcc idcas crosscd ny nind.
Ioday I skctchcd thcn out. I wantcd
Io nd out what you thought, but right now
You dont ccl likc hcaring nc.
salicri: Ch, Mozart, Mozart!
Vhcn dont I ccl likc hcaring you: sit down,
In listcning.
Mozart: (.: :/e iaoo.)
Inaginc sonconcwho:
Vcll, say nysclonly a littlc youngcr,
In locnot all that dccply, but a littlc
In with a prctty girl, or with a ricndsay you,
In in good spirits]ust thcn, a ghostly ision, .cc
A suddcn gloon, or soncthing o that sort . . .
Vcll, listcn.
(He lays.)
salicri: You wcrc coning to nc with that
And you could stop o at a tacrn
And listcn to a blind ddlcr!My God!
Mozart, yourc not worthy o yourscl.
Mozart: Vhat, its good:
salicri: Vhat dcpth!
Vhat boldncss and what just proportion!
You, Mozart, arc a god, and you yourscl dont know it,
I know it, I know.
Mozart: Bah! rcally: wcll, naybc . . .
But ny diincncss is hungry. ..c
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cc I/e Li::le Iaeies
salicri: iistcn: lcts hac dinncr togcthcr
At thc sign o thc Goldcn iion.
Mozart: I you want,
Id bc glad to. ict nc run honc rst
Io tcll ny wic shc shouldnt wait or nc
For dinncr.
(He exi:s.)
salicri: Ill bc cxpccting you, rcncnbcr!
Ko! I cannot sct nyscl against
My dcstinyI an thc onc whos choscn
Io stop hinor clsc wc all will pcrish,
All o us, pricsts and scritors o nusic,
Kot only I with ny cnpty glory . . . ..c
Vhat is thc usc i Mozart lics
And ccn achiccs still grcatcr hcights:
Vhat hc docswill hc clcatc Art: Ko,
It will all again whcn hc has anishcd,
Ko hcir o his will rcnain anong us.
Vhat usc is hc: Appcaring likc an angcl,
Lc brings us a cwo Lcacns songs,
And thcn, oncc hcs rouscd a winglcss dcsirc
In us, childrcn o dust, hc ics away!
Fly away thcn! And thc sooncr, thc bcttcr! .,c
Lcrc is thc poison, ny Izoras nal git.
For cightccn ycars Ic carricd it with nc
And otcn in that tinc I hac ound lic
An unbcarablc wound, and otcn I hac sat
At tablc with a hccdlcss cncny,
And, ycs, I hcard thc whispcr o tcnptation
But I didnt yicld, although I an no coward,
Although I ccl an injury dccply,
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Moa: ao Saliei c.
Although I loc lic littlc. still I waitcd.
Vhcn thc thirst or dcath torncntcd nc, .,c
Vhy dic:I thought: it nay bc, lic
Vill bring nc uncxpcctcd gits,
Rapturc, it nay bc, will conc to nc
In a crcatic night o inspiration,
It nay bc sonc ncw Laydn will bring orth
Grcatncssand I will rcjoicc in it . . .
Vhcn I castcd with a hatcd gucst,
It nay bcI thoughta still worsc oc
Awaits nc, an injury still worsc, it nay bc,
Vill strikc nc down ron sonc proud hcight .c
Ihcn you wont bc in ain, Izoras git.
And I was right! At last Ic ound
My cncny, and at last a ncw Laydn
Vondrously has cnrapturcd nc!
Kow its tinc! chcrishcd git o loc,
For you to go today into ricndships cup.
s c r r i i
(. ia:e ooo io a :aeo, a iaoo.
Moa: ao Saliei ae a: :/e :alle.)
salicri: Vhy arc you gloony today:
Mozart: Mc: Kot at all!
salicri: surcly, Mozart, soncthing has upsct you:
Ihc ood is good, thc winc is splcndid,
And you sit silcntly and rown. .cc
Mozart: I nust adnit,
My Reaieo is troubling nc.
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c. I/e Li::le Iaeies
salicri: Ah!
Youc bccn working on a rcquicn: For long:
Mozart: Ycs, long, about thrcc wccks. But a strangc thing . . .
Lacnt I told you:
salicri: Ko.
Mozart: Ihcn listcn.
Ihrcc wccks ago, onc night I canc honc
iatc. Ihcy told nc soncbodyd conc by
And askcd or nc. VhyI dont know,
But all night I thought: who could it bc:
And what was I to hin: Ihc ncxt day
Ihc sanc nan canc and didnt nd nc in. .-c
Ihc day atcr I was playing on thc oor
Vith ny littlc boy. sonconc callcd nc,
I wcnt out. A nan drcsscd all in black
Grcctcd nc rcspcctully, ordcrcd ron nc
A rcquicn, and anishcd. I sat down
And bcgan to writc at onccand sincc thcn
My black nans nccr conc back to ny housc,
And In glad, Id hatc to hac to part
Vith ny work, although thc Reaieo
Alrcady is conplctc. But ncanwhilc I . . . .c
salicri: Vhat:
Mozart: In cnbarrasscd to adnit this . . .
salicri: Vhat:
Mozart: iay and night ny black nan wont
icac nc alonc. Ecrywhcrc I go
Lc ollows likc a shadow. Ecn now,
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Moa: ao Saliei c,
It sccns to nc, hcs sitting with us
As a third.
salicri: Rubbish! Vhat childish car is this:
irop this usclcss brooding. Bcaunarchais
Uscd to tcll nc, Brothcr salicri, listcn:
Vhcn black thoughts conc to troublc you,
Iop thc cork on a bottlc o chanpagnc, .,c
Cr rcrcad I/e Maiae of Iiao.
Mozart: Good! Bcaunarchais was atcr all your ricnd,
You wrotc thc nusic or his Iaaa,
A splcndid thing. Ihcrcs a noti in it . . .
In always singing it whcn I an happy . . .
ia la la la. . . . Ah, is it truc, salicri,
Ihat Bcaunarchais poisoncd sonconc:
salicri: I dont think so, hc was too nuch a buoon
For such a crat.
Mozart: Lcs a gcnius,
iikc you and nc. And gcnius and crinc .cc
Arc two things that dont conbinc. Isnt that truc:
salicri: You think so:
(Ioas :/e oisoo io:o Moa:s lass.)
Vcll thcn, drink.
Mozart: Io your
Lcalth, ny ricnd, and to thc aithul union
Ihat binds togcthcr Mozart and salicri,
Iwo sons o harnony.
(He io/s.)
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c, I/e Li::le Iaeies
salicri: stop,
stop, stop! . . . You drank it . . . without nc:
Mozart: (Iosses /is oa/io oo :/e :alle.)
Ic had cnough.
(Goes :o :/e iaoo.)
salicri, listcn to
My Reaieo.
(He lays.)
Yourc wccping:
salicri: Ihcsc tcars
Arc thc rst Ic shcdron pain and plcasurc,
As i I had ulllcd a burdcning duty, ..c
As i thc surgcons knic had cut ron nc
Ihc part that sucrcd! Fricnd Mozart, thcsc tcars . . .
iont noticc thcn. continuc, still nakc hastc
Io ll ny soul with sounds . . .
Mozart: I only ccryonc could ccl thc powcr
C harnony likc you! but no, or thcn
Ihc world could not cxist, no onc would want
Io spcnd tinc taking carc o lics low nccds,
All would bc gicn ocr to rcc art.
Vc arc but cw, wc choscn, happy idlcrs ..c
Vho look disdainully at pctty usculncss
And orn a pricsthood scring only bcauty.
Isnt that so: But now I ccl unwcll.
soncthing wcighs nc down, I want to slccp.
Farcwcll!
salicri: Until wc ncct again.
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Moa: ao Saliei c
(.looe.)
You will slccp
A long tinc, Mozart! But is hc rcally right
And an I not a gcnius: Gcnius and crinc
Arc two things that dont conbinc. Ihats not truc:
Vhat o Michclangclo: or is that just a ablc
C thc stupid, scnsclcss crowdand it was not .,c
A nurdcrcr who dcsigncd thc Vatican:
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[To view this image, refer to
the print version of this title.]



Ihc stonc Gucst
icporcllo: C statua gcntilissina
icl gran conncndatorc! . . .
. . . Ah, Iadronc!
Doo Gioaooi
s c r r i
ion ]uan: Vcll wait or nightall hcrc. At long last
Vcc rcachcd thc walls o Madrid! soon
Ill bc dashing through thc wcll-known strccts,
My capc cocring ny chin and ny hat, ny cycs.
Vhat do you think: could I bc rccognizcd:
icporcllo: Ch ycah, its tough to rccognizc ion ]uan!
Ihcrcs a swarn o ncn likc hin!
ion ]uan: Arc you kidding:
Vhos going to rccognizc nc:
cc
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: c-
icporcllo: Ihc rst watchnan,
sonc gypsy girl or drunkcn strcct-nusician,
Cr onc o your own kind, sonc swaggcring lord .c
Vith a sword at his sidc and wcaring a capc.
ion ]uan: so what i thcy do know ncso long as
I dont ncct thc king hinscl. But still,
In not araid o anyonc in Madrid.
icporcllo: And tonorrow word will rcach thc king
Ihat ion ]uan iolatcd his cxilc
And showcd up in Madridwhat do you think
Lcll do to you thcn:
ion ]uan: scnd nc back.
Lcs hardly going to cut o ny hcad.
Atcr all, In not a statc crininal. .c
Lc scnt nc away although hc locs nc,
Io kccp nc out o rcach o thc anily
C thc nan I killcd . . .
icporcllo: Ihats just it!
You should hac staycd thcrcout o rcach.
ion ]uan: Your hunblc scrant! I was on thc point
C dying o borcdon thcrc. Vhat pcoplc,
Vhat a country! Ecn thc skys just snokc.
And thc woncn: ict nc tcll you soncthing,
My oolish icporcllo: I wouldnt tradc
Ihc lowlicst pcasant girl thcrc is in Andalusia ,c
For thc orcnost o thcir bcauticsthats thc truth.
Ch, at rst I was intrigucd by thcn
By thcir bluc cycs and thcir air conplcxions,
Ihcir nodcsty, and nost o all, thcir noclty,
But, thank God, soon I saw through thcn
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c I/e Li::le Iaeies
Its a sin to ccn irt with woncn such as that
Ihcyrc not alic, thcyrc nothing but wax dolls,
But our woncn! . . . Vait a ninutc, wc know
Ihis placc alrcady, do you rccall it:
icporcllo: Lowcould I not know it: ycs, I rcncnbcr ,c
Ihc Monastcry o st. Anthony. Vcd ridc hcrc
And Id hold thc horscs ocr thcrc in thc groc.
A danncd bad job, lct nc tcll you. You
spcnt your tinc hcrc a lot norc plcasantly
Ihan I did, bclicc nc.
ion ]uan: (Ieosiely)
Ioor Incz!
shcs gonc now! how I locd hcr!
icporcllo: Incz!thc black-cycd onc. . . . Kow I rcncnbcr,
For thrcc nonths you wcrc paying court
Io hcr, it was all thc dcil could do to hclp.
ion ]uan: ]uly it was . . . at night. I ound strangc plcasurc c
In gazing at hcr sorrowul cycs
And dcath-palc lips. Its strangc.
You apparcntly didnt think shc was
A bcauty. And in act, thcrc wasnt
Much bcautiul about hcr. Lcr cycs,
]ust hcr cycs. And hcr glancc . . . Ic nccr sccn
Anothcr glancc likc that. And hcr oicc
Vas quict, ccblclikc a sick wonans
Lcr husband was a worthlcss wrctch, and stcrn
I ound that out too latcIoor Incz! . . . cc
icporcllo: Vcll, so, atcr hcr canc othcrs.
ion ]uan: Iruc.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: c,
icporcllo: And whilc wcrc still alic, thcrcll bc still norc.
ion ]uan: Also truc.
icporcllo: so what wonan in Madrid
Arc wc going to go atcr:
ion ]uan: Ch, iaura!
Ill hcad straight or hcr housc.
icporcllo: Ihats it.
ion ]uan: Ill walkright throughhcr doorandi thcrcs conpany,
Ill initc hin to nakc his cxit through thc window.
icporcllo: C coursc. And now wcc chccrcd right up.
icad woncn dont troublc us or long.
Vhos that coning toward us: -c
(. ooo/ eo:es.)
Monk: shcs coning
Kow. Vhos this: Arc you iona Annas pcoplc:
icporcllo: Ko, wcrc gcntlcncn, our own nastcrs,
Cut strolling hcrc.
ion ]uan: Vhon arc you cxpccting:
Monk: iona Anna should bc coning to isit
Lcr husbands grac.
ion ]uan: iona Anna
ic sola! Ihc wic o thc knight-connandcr
Killcd by . . . I orgot his nanc:
Monk: Ihc shanclcss,
Godlcss proigatc, ion ]uan.
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-c I/e Li::le Iaeies
icporcllo: Vhat do you think o that: ion ]uans anc
Las pcnctratcd ccn a pcaccul nonastcry, c
Ihc anchoritcs sing his praiscs.
Monk: You know hin, pcrhaps:
icporcllo: Us: Kot at all.
so whcrcs hc now:
Monk: Ko longcr hcrc,
Lcs in cxilc ar away.
icporcllo: Ihank God.
Ihc arthcr, thc bcttcr. Vould all such proigatcs
Vcrc scwn up in a sack and thrown into thc sca!
ion ]uan: Vhat nonscnsc arc you talking:
icporcllo: uict: its on purposc . . .
ion ]uan: so this is whcrc thc knight-connandcrs buricd:
Monk: Ycs, his wic sct up a nonuncnt or hin,
And ccry day without ail shc concs hcrc ,c
Io say praycrs or thc soul o thc dcpartcd
And to wccp.
ion ]uan: Vhat strangc kind o widows this:
And not bad-looking:
Monk: Vc anchoritcs nust not
Bc tcnptcd by thc loclincss o woncn,
But lying is a sin, a saint hinscl could not
iook unnocd upon hcr wondrous bcauty.
ion ]uan: Ihcrcs thc rcason hcr husband was so jcalous.
iona Anna always was kcpt lockcd up insidc,
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: -.
Konc o us hac ccr so nuch as sccn hcr.
Vould that I could spcak with hcr. .cc
Monk: Ch, iona Anna nccr says a word
Io a nan.
ion ]uan: Kot ccn to you, Fathcr:
Monk: Ihats dicrcnt, In a nonk.
Ihcrc shc is.
(Dooa .ooa eo:es.)
iona Anna: Fathcr, opcn thc gatc.
Monk: coning, scnora, I was cxpccting you.
(Dooa .ooa follos :/e ooo/.)
icporcllo: so, whats shc likc:
ion ]uan: You cant scc anything
Undcr hcr black cil and widows wccds.
I caught onc glinpsc o a narrow hccl.
icporcllo: For you, thats cnough. Your inagination
Vill ll in all thc blank spots in a ninutc, ..c
It works astcr than a portrait paintcr
And you dont carc what it bcgins with,
A orchcad or a oot.
ion ]uan: iistcn, icporcllo,
In going to ncct hcr.
icporcllo: Ihats just what wc nccd!
Vhat ncxt! Lcs bunpcd o thc husband
And now hc wants to scc thc widows tcars.
shanclcss!
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-. I/e Li::le Iaeies
ion ]uan: But its alrcady gottcn dark.
Bcorc thc noon can risc aboc our hcads
And turn thc darkncss into shining dusk,
Vcll go into Madrid. ..c
icporcllo: A spanish grandcc
Vho waits or dark and cars thc noon, likc a thic
God! iann this lic. Low nuch longcr
Vill I hac to drag atcr hin: In worn out.
s c r r i i
(. ooo. Diooe a: Laaas.)
First Gucst: I swcar, iaura, that youc nccr actcd
Vith such pcrcction as you did today.
Low wcll you undcrstood your charactcr!
sccond Gucst: Low powcrully you dcclopcd your rolc!
Ihird Gucst: And with what art!
iaura: Ycs, today ccry word,
Ecry gcsturc canc out wcll or nc.
I gac nyscl up rccly to inspiration. .,c
Ihc words pourcd out as i thcy wcrc brought orth,
Kot by slaish ncnory, but by thc hcart . . .
First Gucst: Iruc.
Ecn now your cycs arc shining yct,
Your chccks still burn, thc ccstasy
Las not gonc ron you. iaura, do not lct
It cool and dic in silcncc, sing, iaura,
sing soncthing.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: -,
iaura: Gic nc ny guitar.
(S/e sios.)
All: Ch, braa! braa! Vondcrul! splcndid!
First Gucst: Cur thanks, cnchantrcss. Vith your spclls
You charn our hcarts. Anong lics plcasurcs .,c
Music yiclds to nonc sac loc,
But loc itscl is nclody . . . look:
Ecn carlos is nocd, your gloony gucst.
sccond Gucst: Vhat sounds! Low nuch soul thcrc is in thcn!
Vhosc wrotc thc lyrics, iaura:
iaura: ion ]uan.
ion carlos: Vhat: ion ]uan:
iaura: It was writtcn by
My aithul ricnd and cklc locr.
ion carlos: Your ion ]uans a godlcss scoundrcl,
And you, yourc a ool.
iaura: Lac you gonc nad:
Ill hac ny scrants cut your throat .c
Ihis ninutc, spanish grandcc or no.
ion carlos: (Rises.)
call thcn thcn.
First Gucst: iaura, stop,
ion carlos, dont gct angry. shc orgot . . .
iaura: Vhat: Ihat ]uan killcd his brothcr
Lonorably in a ducl: Iruc, its a pity
It wasnt hin.
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-, I/e Li::le Iaeies
ion carlos: In oolish to gct angry.
iaura: Aha! You say yourscl yourc oolish.
so lcts nakc up.
ion carlos: Its ny ault, iaura,
Forgic nc. But still you know: that nanc
Is onc I cannot hcar indicrcntly . . . .cc
iaura: Is it ny ault, that constantly
Ihat nanc kccps coning to ny tonguc:
Gucst: Vcll, to show that yourc no longcr angry,
iaura, sing anothcr song.
iaura: Ycs, as a arcwcll,
Its tinc or you to go, its night. Vhat shall I sing:
Ah, listcn.
(Sios.)
All: iclightul, splcndid!
iaura: Good night now, gcntlcncn.
Gucsts: Good night, iaura.
(I/ey leae. Laaa s:os Doo Calos.)
iaura: You, nadnan! You stay hcrc with nc,
Youc caught ny ancy, you rcnindcd nc
C ion ]uan, thc way you scoldcd nc .-c
And clcnchcd your tccth and gnashcd thcn.
ion carlos: iucky nan!
You locd hin thcn.
(Laaa oos.)
Vcry nuch:
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: -
iaura: Vcry nuch.
ion carlos: io you loc hin now:
iaura: Ihis ninutc:
Ko, I dont. I cant loc two at oncc.
Right now its you I loc.
ion carlos: Icll nc, iaura,
Lowold arc you:
iaura: Eightccn.
ion carlos: Yourc young now . . . and youll still bc young
For c or six norc ycars. Youll draw
Ihc ncn around you six norc ycars,
Io pay you court and gic you prcscnts, .c
Io sing you scrcnadcs at night,
And or your sakc to kill cach othcr
In darkncss at thc crossroads. But whcn
Ihc tinc concs that your cycs hac sunk,
Ihcir lids grown wrinklcd and discolorcd,
And your hair is strcakcd with gray,
And ncn start calling you old wonan,
Ihcnwhat will you say:
iaura: Ihcn: Vhy should
I think o that: Vhat talk is this:
Cr do you always hac such thoughts: .,c
conc to thc balcony. Lowcaln thc sky is,
Ihc air is warn and still, thc night is ragrant
Vith sccnts o linc and laurcl, thc noon
shincs radiant in thc dccp dark bluc,
And thc watchnan crics, A-a-alls wcll! . . .
And ar o, to thc northin Iaris
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-c I/e Li::le Iaeies
Icrhaps thc sky is gray with clouds,
cold rain is alling, thc wind howls.
But what is that to us: iook, carlos,
In ordcring you to snilc . . . .cc
Ihcrc you go!
ion carlos: swcct dcnon!
(. /ooc/.)
ion ]uan: Lcy! iaura!
iaura: Vhos thcrc: Vhosc oicc is that:
ion ]uan: Cpcn up . . .
iaura: can it bc! . . . Ch God! . . .
(S/e oeos :/e oo, Doo )aao eo:es.)
ion ]uan: Good ccning . . .
iaura: ion ]uan!
(Laaa ios /eself aoo /is oec/.)
ion carlos: Vhat! ion ]uan! . . .
ion ]uan: iaura, ny loc! . . .
(He /isses /e.)
Vhos hcrc with you, ny iaura:
ion carlos: I,
ion carlos.
ion ]uan: An uncxpcctcd nccting!
Ionorrow Ill bc at your scricc.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: --
ion carlos: Ko!
Kowright now.
iaura: ion carlos, stop it!
Ihis isnt a public placcyourc in ny housc
Kindly lcac. ..c
ion carlos: (No: /eaio /e.)
In waiting. Vcll, conc on,
I scc youc got your sword.
ion ]uan: I yourc
so inpaticnt, as you wish.
(I/ey /:.)
iaura: Ch! Ch! ]uan!
(S/e :/o /eself oo :/e le.)
(Doo Calos falls.)
ion ]uan: Gct up, iaura, its all ocr.
iaura: Vhats this:
Killcd: Ihats grcat! And in ny roon!
so what do I do now, you shanclcss dcil:
Lowdo I gct rid o hin:
ion ]uan: Maybc
Lcs still alic.
iaura: Ycah, right! iook, you danncd ool,
You stuck hin through thc hcartstraight through,
Ihcrcs no blood coning out rona thrcc-corncrcd wound,
And hcs not brcathingwhats that ncan: ..c
ion ]uan: so
Vhat could I do: Lc askcd or it.
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- I/e Li::le Iaeies
iaura: Eh, ion ]uan,
Vhat a nuisancc. Up to your old tricks,
But nccr guilty. . . . Vhcrc did you conc ron:
Lac you bccn hcrc long:
ion ]uan: I just got hcrc,
And on thc quictIn not pardoncd.
iaura: And straightaway you thought o iaura:
Alls wcll that cnds wcll. Ihats cnough,
I dont bclicc it. You wcrc passing by
And chanccd to scc ny housc.
ion ]uan: Ko, iaura,
Ask icporcllo. In staying outsidc thc city .,c
In a hcllholc o an inn. It was ny iaura
I canc to nd in Madrid.
(He /isses /e.)
iaura: My loc!
stop! . . . with thc dcad nan thcrc! . . . what about hin:
ion ]uan: icac hin thcrc: bcorc thc dawn concs, carly,
Ill carry hin out bcncath ny cloak
And lcac hin at thc crossroads.
iaura: ]ust
Bc carcul no onc sccs you.
Low lucky you wcrc that you didnt conc
A ninutc carlicr! Your ricnds
Vcrc dining hcrc with nc. Ihcy just .,c
Lad lct thc housc. Vhat i youd nct thcn!
ion ]uan: iaura, did you loc hin long:
iaura: Vho: You nust bc raing.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: -,
ion ]uan: Icll thc truth,
Low nany tincs hac you chcatcd on nc
Vhilc I was gonc:
iaura: Vhat about you, skirt-chascr:
ion ]uan: Icll nc. . . . Ko, wcll talk latcr.
s c r r i i i
(Mooaoeo: :o :/e /oi/:-coooaoe.)
ion ]uan: All turns out or thc bcst: atcr killing
ion carlos uncxpcctcdly, Ic hiddcn hcrc
ircsscd as a hunblc nonkand ccry day
I scc ny charning widow, and shc, .c
It sccns to nc, has noticcd. Until now
Vcc hcld back ron cach othcr, but today
Ill say soncthing to hcr, its tinc.
Low should I start: I I nay bc so bold . . . or no:
scnora . . . bah! Vhatccr concs to nind,
Ihats what Ill say, without rchcarsing,
An inproiscr o thc song o loc . . .
shc should alrcady bc hcrc. Vithout hcr,
I think, thc knight-connandcr nust bc borcd.
Vhat a giant hcs bccn nadc into hcrc! .cc
Vhat shouldcrs! Vhat a Lcrculcs!
Ihc nan hinscl was snall and puny,
I hc wcrc hcrc and stood on tiptoc,
Lis ngcrtip couldnt rcach to his own nosc.
Vhcn wc wcnt out bcyond thc Escurial,
Lc stuck hinscl upon ny sword and dicd
iikc a dragony upon a pinbut still
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c I/e Li::le Iaeies
Lc was proud and bold, and stcrn o spirit . . .
Ah! thcrc shc is.
(Eo:e Dooa .ooa.)
iona Anna: Lcs hcrc again. Fathcr,
I hac disturbcd you in your ncditations .-c
Forgic nc.
ion ]uan: I should ask orgicncss
C you, scnora. Icrhaps ny prcscncc stops you
Fron rccly pouring out your sorrow.
iona Anna: Ko, Fathcr, ny sorrow stays within,
Vhcn you arc hcrc, ny praycrs can risc
Io hcacn pcaccullyI ask
Ihat you join your oicc with thcn.
ion ]uan: I, I to pray with you, iona Anna!
such a portion I hac not dcscrcd.
I would not darc allow ny sinul lips .c
Io rcpcat thc holy uttcrancc o your praycr
I only watch you ron aar with rccrcncc,
And whcn your hcad is quictly bowcd down,
Black trcsscs spilling on thc narblcs whitcncss
Ihcn it sccns to nc an angcl concs
Io honor this grac with a sccrct isit,
And in ny troublcd hcart I cannot nd
Ihc words to pray. I narcl thcn in silcncc
And thinkhappy nan, whosc cold narblc
Is warncd by hcr cclcstial brcathing .,c
And sprinklcd with hcr tcars o loc.
iona Anna: Vhat wordshow strangc!
ion ]uan: scnora:
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: .
iona Anna: I . . . you orgct yourscl.
ion ]uan: Vhat: Ihat I
An an unworthy nonk: Ihat, sinncr that I an,
My oicc should not rcsound so loudly hcrc:
iona Anna: I thought . . . I didnt undcrstand . . .
ion ]uan: I scc: you know it all, you knowalrcady!
iona Anna: Vhat do I know:
ion ]uan: Its truc, In not a nonk
I bcg orgicncss, knccling at your cct.
iona Anna: Ch God! Gct up, gct up. . . . Vho arc you: ,cc
ion ]uan: An unlucky nan, ictin o a hopclcss passion.
iona Anna: Ch, ny God! And hcrc, right by thc grac!
icac now!
ion ]uan: ]ust a ninutc, iona Anna,
A singlc ninutc!
iona Anna: I sonconc canc in! . . .
ion ]uan: Ihc gatc is lockcd. A singlc ninutc!
iona Anna: Vcll: Vhat: Vhat do you want:
ion ]uan: Io dic.
Ch, lct nc dic this ninutc, at your cct,
ict ny poor dust bc buricd in this placc,
Kot by thc dust which is so dcar to you,
Kor anywhcrc ncarbysonc distancc o, ,.c
Ihcrcby thc gatcsat thc cry cntrancc,
so whcn you conc, ny gracstonc night bc brushcd
By your light oot or by your drcsss hcn
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. I/e Li::le Iaeies
Vhcn you nakc your way to that proud grac
Io lay your ringlcts on it and to wccp.
iona Anna: Youc gonc nad.
ion ]uan: Io dcsirc oncs cnd
Rcally, iona Anna, docs that show nadncss:
I I wcrc a nadnan, I would wish
Io stay anong thc liing, or Id hopc
My tcndcr loc could touch your hcart, ,.c
I I wcrc a nadnan, I would spcnd
My nights in song bcncath your balcony,
Rousing you ron slccp with scrcnadcs,
I would not hac hiddcn nyscl, but rathcr
Vould try to hac you scc nc ccrywhcrc,
I I wcrc a nadnan, I would not
Lac sucrcd in silcncc . . .
iona Anna: Ihis is what
You call silcncc:
ion ]uan: chancc, iona Anna,
chancc carricd nc away. Cthcrwisc
Youd nccr hac known ny gricous sccrct. ,,c
iona Anna: And hac you locd nc a long tinc:
ion ]uan: A long tinc or noI cannot say nyscl,
I know but this, that only sincc that tinc
Lac I undcrstood a singlc instants aluc
And known what thc word happincss ncans.
iona Anna: icac ncyourc a dangcrous nan.
ion ]uan: iangcrous! Low:
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: ,
iona Anna: In rightcncd hcaring you.
ion ]uan: I shall bc silcnt thcn, but do not dric away
Cnc whosc only joy is sccing you.
I chcrish no prcsunptuous hopcs, ,,c
I ask no sign o aor ron you, but still
I nust scc you, so long as I an dooncd
Io lic.
iona Anna: icacthis is not thc placc
For such words and such nadncss. Ionorrow
conc to ny housc. I you will swcar
Io show thc sanc rcspcct to nc as now,
Ill rcccic you, but atcr night alls, latc
I hacnt sccn anyonc sincc thc day
Ihat I was widowcd . . .
ion ]uan: Angcl iona Anna!
May God conort you as nuch as you today ,c
Lac conortcd onc sucring and unhappy.
iona Anna: Kow lcac nc.
ion ]uan: Cnc ninutc longcr.
iona Anna: Ko, thcn clcarly I nust go. . . . Bcsidcs, ny praycrs
Lac conplctcly slippcd ny nind. You distractcd nc
Vith worldly spccchcs, to which ny cars
Lac long bccn unaccustoncd.Ionorrow
I will rcccic you.
ion ]uan: I still dont darc bclicc it,
I dont darc gic nyscl up to this happincss . . .
Ionorrow Ill bc sccing you!and not hcrc
And not in sccrct! ,cc
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, I/e Li::le Iaeies
iona Anna: Ycs, tonorrow, tonorrow.
Vhats your nanc:
ion ]uan: iicgo dc calado.
iona Anna: Farcwcll thcn, ion iicgo.
(S/e exi:s.)
ion ]uan: icporcllo!
(Leoello eo:es.)
icporcllo: Vhat can I do or you:
ion ]uan: icar icporcllo!
In happy! . . . Ionorrow, at night, latc . . .
My icporcllo, tonorrows itgct rcady . . .
In happy as a child!
icporcllo: You spokc
Vith iona Anna: And pcrhaps shc
said a kindly word or two to you,
Cr you gac hcr your blcssing.
ion ]uan: Ko, icporcllo, no! A rcndczous, ,-c
shc nancd thc tinc and placc.
icporcllo: Kot rcally!
Ch widows, yourc all thc sanc.
ion ]uan: In happy!
I could sing, In rcady to cnbracc thc wholc world.
icporcllo: And thc knight-connandcr: Vhatll hc hac to say:
ion ]uan: Vhat do you thinkhcs going to bc jcalous:
Kot likcly, hcs a rcasonablc nan
And probably has coolcd o sonc atcr dying.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes:
icporcllo: Ko, look at his statuc.
ion ]uan: Vhat about it:
icporcllo: It sccns as i its looking at you
Angrily. ,c
ion ]uan: icporcllo, go up to it,
Rcqucst it to bc so kind as to pay a isit
Io ncor noto iona Anna, tonorrow.
icporcllo: Initc thc statuc to isit! Vhy:
ion ]uan: Irobably not
so wc can hac a plcasant concrsation
Ask thc statuc to conc to iona Annas
Ionorrow latc at night to stand
And watch thc door.
icporcllo: You want to jokc,
Ihink who yourc joking with!
ion ]uan: io it.
icporcllo: But . . .
ion ]uan: Kow.
icporcllo: Most glorious and handsonc statuc!
My lord ion ]uan rcspcctully rcqucsts ,,c
Ihc plcasurc o your conpany. . . . My God, I cant,
In too araid.
ion ]uan: coward! Ill show you!
icporcllo: All right.
My lord ion ]uan rcqucsts you to conc
Ionorrow latc at night to your wics housc
Io watch thc door . . .
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c I/e Li::le Iaeies
(I/e s:a:ae oos i:s /ea :o s/o aeeoeo:.)
Aicc!
ion ]uan: Vhat is it:
icporcllo: Aicc, aicc! . . .
Aicc, aicc . . . In going to dic!
ion ]uan: Vhats happcncd to you:
icporcllo: (Kodding his hcad)
Ihc statuc . . . aicc! . . .
ion ]uan: Yourc nodding your hcad!
icporcllo: Ko,
Kot nc, it!
ion ]uan: Vhat nonscnsc arc you talking!
icporcllo: Go yourscl.
ion ]uan: so watch nc, good-or-nothing.
I rcqucst, knight-connandcr, that you pay ,cc
A isit to your widow, whcrc Ill bc tonorrow,
And stand guard at thc door. Vcll: Arc you coning:
(I/e s:a:ae oos aaio.)
Ch God!
icporcllo: scc: I told you that . . .
ion ]uan: icts go.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: -
s c r r i v
(Dooa .ooas c/aole. Doo )aao ao Dooa .ooa.)
iona Anna: I hac rcccicd you, ion iicgo, but
I car it will bc wcarisonc to you
Io hcar ny sorrowul words: a poor widow,
I always an rcncnbcring ny loss. My tcars
And snilcs arc ninglcd, likc thc nonth o April.
Vhy arc you silcnt:
ion ]uan: In spccchlcss with joy,
Ihinking to nyscl that I an alonc ,.c
Vith thc locly iona Anna. Lcrcnot thcrc,
Kot by thc grac o that happy dcpartcd onc
And I scc you now no longcr on your knccs
Bcorc your narblc spousc.
iona Anna: ion iicgo,
so yourc jcalous. My husband torncnts you
Ecn in his grac:
ion ]uan: I shouldnt bc jcalous.
It was you who chosc hin.
iona Anna: Ko, ny nothcr
Crdcrcd nc to narry ion Alaro.
Vc wcrc poor, and ion Alaro rich.
ion ]uan: Lappy nan! Lc laid his cnpty trcasurcs ,.c
At thc cct o a goddcss, and or that
Lc tastcd hcacnly bliss! Ch, i only
Id known you thcn, how rapturously
My rank, ny wcalth, ccrything I had,
Id hac gicn or onc aorablc glancc.
I would hac bccn a slac to your sacrcd will,
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I/e Li::le Iaeies
Your ccry whin I would hac closcly studicd,
Io ulll it in adancc, so that your lic
Vould hac bccn cnchantncnt nccr-cnding.
Alas!Fatc dccrccd othcrwisc or nc. ,,c
iona Anna: iicgo, stop it, whcn I listcn to you,
I connit a sinI nustnt loc you,
A widow should bc aithul to thc grac.
I only you kncw how nuch ion Alaro
iocd nc! Ch, surcly ion Alaro
Vouldnt hac rcccicd an cnanourcd lady
I hcd bccn widowcd.Lcd hac bccn aithul
Io spousal loc.
ion ]uan: io not torncnt ny hcart,
iona Anna, by this ctcrnal ncntioning
C your husband. Youc punishcd nc cnough, ,,c
Ihough pcrhaps thc punishncnts dcscrcd.
iona Anna: For what:
Ihcrc arc no holy bonds uniting you
Io any othcrisnt that so: Vhcn you loc nc,
You do no wrong to nc or in Lcacns cycs.
ion ]uan: Io you! God!
iona Anna: can you indccd bc guilty
Ioward nc: Icll nc, o what.
ion ]uan: Ko!
Ko, nccr.
iona Anna: iicgo, what docs this ncan:
Youc donc nc a wrong: Low, tcll nc.
ion ]uan: Ko! Kot or anything!
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: ,
iona Anna: iicgo, this is strangc:
In asking you, I ordcr. ,c
ion ]uan: Ko, no.
iona Anna: Ah! so this is your obcdicncc to ny will!
Vhat was it you said to nc just now:
Ihat you would gladly bc ny slac.
In gctting angry, iicgo: answcr nc,
Vhat is thc wrong youc donc nc:
ion ]uan: I dont darc
I I tcll, youll bcgin to hatc nc.
iona Anna: Ko, no. I orgic you in adancc,
But I wish to know . . .
ion ]uan: iont scck to know
My tcrriblc and bloody sccrct.
iona Anna: A tcrriblc sccrct! Yourc torncnting nc. ,cc
I cant bcar not to knowwhat is it:
And howcould you hac injurcd nc:
I didnt know youI hac no cncnics
And nccr had any. My husbands killcr
Is thc only onc.
ion ]uan: (Io /ioself.)
Kow its nakc or brcak.
Icll nc, would you know ion ]uan,
Ihat wrctchcd nan:
iona Anna: Ko, in all ny lic
Ic nccr sccn hin.
ion ]uan: In your hcart
io you nursc hatc or hin:
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,c I/e Li::le Iaeies
iona Anna: As honor dcnands.
But yourc trying to distract nc ,-c
Fron ny qucstion, ion iicgo
I ordcr . . .
ion ]uan: Vhat i you should chancc
Io ncct ion ]uan:
iona Anna: Id plungc ny daggcr
Into thc illains hcart.
ion ]uan: iona Anna,
Vhcrcs your daggcr: Lcrcs ny brcast.
iona Anna: iicgo!
Vhat arc you saying:
ion ]uan: I an not iicgo, I an ]uan.
iona Anna: Ch God! Ko, it cant bc truc, I dont bclicc it.
ion ]uan: In ion ]uan.
iona Anna: Its a lic.
ion ]uan: I killcd
Your husband, and I dont rcgrct it
And thcrcs no rcpcntancc in nc. ,c
iona Anna: Vhat an I hcaring: Ko, it cant bc, no.
ion ]uan: In ion ]uan, and In in loc with you.
iona Anna: (Iallio.)
Vhcrc an I: . . . Vhcrc an I: I ccl aint.
ion ]uan: Ch God!
Vhats happcncd to hcr: Vhats happcncd, iona Anna:
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: ,.
Vakc up, wakc up, opcn your cycs, look: your iicgo,
Your slac is at your cct.
iona Anna: icac nc alonc!
(Hea/ly.)
Ch, yourc ny cncnyyou took away ron nc
Ecrything I ccr . . .
ion ]uan: iocly bcing!
In rcady to gic ccrything in atoncncnt,
At your cct I wait to hcar your ordcr, ,,c
connandIll dic, connandand thcn Ill brcathc
For only you . . .
iona Anna: so this is ion ]uan . . .
ion ]uan: Ko doubt hcs bccn dcscribcd to you
As a crininal, a nonstcr. iona Anna,
Ihc storics, it nay bc, arc partly truc,
My wcary conscicncc, nay bc, bcars thc burdcn
C a hcay load o cil. Indccd, I hac
iong ollowcd willingly thc path o icc,
But sincc thc noncnt whcn I rst saw you,
It sccns to nc that I hac bccn rcborn. cc
In loing you, Ic conc to loc thc good,
And hunbly, or thc rst tinc in ny lic,
I bcnd ny trcnbling knccs bcorc it.
iona Anna: Ch, ion ]uan is cloqucntI know,
Ic hcard that, hcs a cunning tcnptcr.
Ihcy say yourc a godlcss proigatc,
A cry dcil. Low nany poor woncn
Lac you ruincd:
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,. I/e Li::le Iaeies
ion ]uan: Kot a singlc onc o thcn
iid I loc till now.
iona Anna: And I should bclicc
Ihat ion ]uan rcally locs or thc rst tinc, .c
Ihat hc docsnt want to add nc to his ictins!
ion ]uan: supposc that I had ncant to dcccic you,
Vould I adnit, would I hac said that nanc
Vhich you cant bcar ccn to hcar ncntioncd:
Vhat kind o plot or cunning docs that show:
iona Anna: Vho knows you:But howcould you conc hcrc:
You could bc rccognizcd in this housc,
And thcn thcrcd bc no cscaping dcath.
ion ]uan: Vhats dcath: For onc swcct instant togcthcr
Villingly Id gic up ny lic. .c
iona Anna: But how
can you lcac this housc, rccklcss nan:
ion ]uan: And you conccrn yourscl about thc lic
C poor ]uan! so thcrc is no hatc
Vithin your hcacnly soul, iona Anna:
iona Anna: Ah, i only I could hatc you!
But all thc sanc wc hac to part.
ion ]uan: Vhcn will wc ncct again:
iona Anna: I dont know.
sonctinc.
ion ]uan: Ionorrow:
iona Anna: Ihcn whcrc:
ion ]uan: Lcrc.
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I/e S:ooe Gaes: ,,
iona Anna: Ch ion ]uan, how wcak o hcart I an.
ion ]uan: scal your pardon with a pcaccul kiss. ,c
iona Anna: Its tinc now, go.
ion ]uan: A singlc kiss, cold, pcaccul . . .
iona Anna: Low inportunatc you arc! Vcll, thcrc it is.
Vhats that noisc outsidc: . . . Ch, hidc, ion ]uan.
ion ]uan: Farcwcll till our ncxt nccting, ny bclocd.
(He oes oa: ao aos lac/ io.)
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,, I/e Li::le Iaeies
Ah! . . .
iona Anna: Vhats happcncd: Ah! . . .
(I/e s:a:ae of :/e /oi/:-coooaoe eo:es.
Dooa .ooa falls.)
statuc: You badc nc, I hac
conc.
ion ]uan: God in Lcacn! iona Anna!
statuc: icac hcr,
All is nishcd. You quakc, ion ]uan.
ion ]uan: I:no. I bid you conc, In glad to scc you.
statuc: Gic nc your hand.
ion ]uan: Lcrc . . . oh, its hcay,
Ihc stony grip o his right hand! ,c
icac nc alonc, lct golct go o nc . . .
I an undoncits nishcdiona Anna!
(I/ey esceo.)
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A Fcast iuring thc Ilaguc
(FronVilsons tragcdy I/e Ci:y of :/e Ilaae)
(.s:ee:. .:alle, se:. .oaole of oeo ao ooeo feas:io.)
Young Man: Mr. chairnan! I call to nind
sonconc whon wc all know wcll,
A nan whosc jokcs and unny storics,
Vitty rctorts and obscrations,
so biting in thcir nock ponposity,
Lac cnlicncd our tablc talk
And dricn away thc gloon that now
Ihc plaguc, our gucst, is shcdding
Ccr thc nost brilliant ninds.
Iwo days ago our laughtcr crowncd .c
,
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,c I/e Li::le Iaeies
Lis storics, it isnt possiblc
Ihat in our ncrry casting wc should
Forgct ]ackson. Lcrcs his chair,
sitting cnpty, as i waiting or
A good conpanionbut hcs gonc away
Io a cold lodging undcrground . . .
Although that tonguc o wondrous cloqucncc
Las not yct allcn silcnt in thc grac,
But nany o us still lic, and wc
Lac no causc to bc gricing. so .c
I proposc wc drink a toast to hin
Vith glasscs clinking and with shouts
As i hc wcrc alic.
chairnan: Lc was thc rst
C our group to go. In silcncc
Vcll drink to honor hin.
Young Man: so bc it!
(.ll io/ sileo:ly.)
chairnan: Your oicc, ny dcar, brings orth thc songs
C your natic land with rudc pcrcction,
sing, Mary, soncthing sad and haunting,
Io nakc us turn again to our ncrrynaking
Vith a wildcr spirit, likc onc who is scizcd ,c
And carricd away by sonc uncarthly ision.
Mary: (sings.)
Kot so long ago our illagc
Lad air anc thc country round.
Ihc church was ull o olk on sunday
Vhcn thc stccplc bcll would sound.
In thc schoolroon childrcns oiccs
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. Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae ,-
Rcad thcir lcssons truc and clcar.
In thc cld thc sicklcs glittcrcd,
And thc scythc nowcd down thc car.
Kow thc church is nutc and cnpty, ,c
Vccds within thc schoolyard grow,
Ko rcapcr cuts thc whitcncd grain,
Io thc woods no huntsncn go.
iikc a burncd, abandoncd honcstcad
silcntly our illagc stands.
Ihc only bustlcs in thc gracyard
It has work or ccry hand!
For thc dcad arc carricd out
Io burials that nccr ccasc,
Ihc liing pray in car and trcnbling, c
Io thcir souls, C iord, gic pcacc.
Ihcrcs hardly roon or all thc gracs:
Cncc cach onc its spacc could kccp,
Kow thcyrc huddlcd all togcthcr
iikc a ock o rightcncd shccp.
I ny springtinc too is blightcd,
I thc grac ny lot nust bc,
You whon I hac locd so long,
Vhosc loc was always joy to nc
Ch, conc not ncar thcn to your ]cnny, cc
Ko last kiss on hcr palc lips lay,
Vatch, but watch you ron aar o
Vhcn thcy bcar hcr corpsc away!
Ihcn lcac bchind our strickcn illagc!
Find yourscl sonc placc apart
Vhcrc thcsc torncnts nay bc lightcncd,
And thcrc casc your wcary hcart.
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, I/e Li::le Iaeies
Vhcn thc plaguc cndsthcn conc isit
Vhcrc ny poor dust ound its rcst,
And ]cnny will bc truc to Ednund -c
Ecn in hcr placc anong thc blcst!
chairnan: Ihank you, nclancholy Mary,
Ihank you or that plaintic song!
In carlicr days thc plaguc, its clcar,
Visitcd your natic hills and dalcs
And noans o sorrow thcn wcrc hcard
Along thosc brooks and strcans which now
Flow so pcaccul and so ncrry
Ihrough your lands rudc paradisc.
Ihat gloony ycar, in which thcrc cll so nany c
Anong thc brac, thc bcautiul and good,
Las hardly lct a tracc, cxccpt thc ncnory
C sinplc shcphcrds, singing an old song,
A sad and swcct onc. . . . Kothing clsc
can noc us so anid our ncrrynaking
As such a lingcring, hcart-rcpcatcd sound!
Mary: Ch, i only I had nccr sung
Io anyonc outsidc ny parcnts crot!
Low thcy locd to listcn to thcir Mary,
It sccns to nc that I can hcar nyscl ,c
singing in thc housc whcrc I was born.
My oicc was swcctcr thcnit was
Ihc oicc o innoccncc . . .
iouisa: Kow thosc songs
Arc hopclcssly passc. But thcrc arc still
sonc ools who likc to nclt whcn woncn cry,
Vholl swallow it hook, linc, and sinkcr.
shcs dccidcd that hcr tcarul look
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. Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae ,,
cant bc rcsistcdi thats what shc thought
About hcr laugh, no doubt wcd scc hcr
Grinning all thc tinc. Valsinghan likcd .cc
Ihc wccpy northcrn bcauticsso o coursc
shcs got to noan and groan. I cant stand
Ihc jaundicc-ycllow hair o thcsc scotch girls.
chairnan: iistcn. I hcar thc crcak o whccls!
(. aoo lle i:/ loies asses. . llac/ oao is iio.)
Ah! iouisas aintcd, judging ron hcr words,
Id thought shc had a nannish hcart.
But so it is: thc crucl arc wcakcr than thc tcndcr,
And car still lics in souls worn out by passions.
Mary, dash watcr in hcr acc. shcs coning to.
Mary: sistcr o ny shanc and sorrow, ..c
ican upon ny brcast.
iouisa: (Reiio)
I drcancd I saw
A hidcous dcnon, black all ocr, with whitc cycs . . .
Lc callcd nc to his wagon. iying in it
Vcrc thc dcadand thcy wcrc nuttcring
In sonc hidcous, unknown languagc.
Icll nc: was it atcr all a drcan:
iid thc wagon pass:
Young Man: Vcll, iouisa,
chccr upalthough thc strccts all ours,
An untrackcd hiding-placc ron dcath
Vhcrc our rccls arc disturbcd by no onc, ..c
still, you nust know: that black wagon
Las thc right to go to any placc.
Vc hac to lct it through! But listcn:
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.cc I/e Li::le Iaeies
Valsinghan, to cut o all thcsc quarrcls
And clcar away thcsc cnalc ainting ts,
sing us a songa bold and licly song,
Ko lancntation o thc scottish Musc
A rowdy song, a song in Bacchuss nodc,
Cnc inspircd by oaning goblcts!
chairnan: I dont knowonc likc thathcrcs what Ill sing: .,c
A hynn in honor o thc Ilaguc. I wrotc it
iatc last night, atcr wc had partcd.
I ound I had a strangc poctic inpulsc
For thc rst tinc in ny lic! so listcn:
My harsh oicc will bct thc song.
ManyVoiccs: A hynn in honor o thc Ilaguc! icts hcar it!
A hynn in honor o thc Ilaguc! splcndid! Brao!
chairnan: (sings.)
Vhcn Vintcr in his boistcrous night
icads his lcgions orth to ght,
Attacking us with icc and snow, .,c
Vcrc rcady or hinwc gathcr ncar
Bcsidc thc crackling rcs warn glow,
And thcrc wc cast and kccp good chccr.
Kow Icstilcncc, that quccn o drcad,
In triunph ridcs anong thc dcad.
And as hcr ictins ranks incrcasc
Each day, cach night hcr burial spadc
Knocks at our windows without ccasc . . .
Vhat can wc do: Vhcrc look or aid:
Cld Man Vintcr wcc bcat back, .c
Ihats how wcll ncct thc Ilagucs attack!
Vcll light thc rc and ll thc cup
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. Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae .c.
And pass it rounda ncrry sccnc!
And atcr wc hac all drunk up,
Vcll sing: All hail to thcc, drcad quccn!
Ihcrcs rapturc in thc bullcts ight
And on thc nountains trcachcrous hcight,
And on a ships dcck ar ron land
Vhcn skics growdark and wacs swcll high,
And in saharas blowing sand, .cc
And whcn thc pcstilcncc is nigh.
All, all that thrcatcns to dcstroy
Fills nortal hcarts with sccrct joy
Bcyond our powcr to cxplain
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.c. I/e Li::le Iaeies
Icrhaps it bodcs ctcrnal lic!
And blcst is hc who can attain
Ihat ccstasy in storn and stric!
soor thc Ilaguc a hcarty chccr!
Ihc gracs dark docsnt nakc us car,
I icath calls uswcll answcr coldly. .-c
Vcll join in quang ron thc kcg,
Rosc-naidcns sccnts wc drink in boldly,
sccnts, it nay bcull o thc Ilaguc!
Iricst: A godlcss cast, bctting godlcss nadncn!
Your casting and your shanclcss songs
Mock at and proanc thc gloony pcacc
sprcad ccrywhcrc by dcath and dcsolation!
Anidst thc horror o thc nournul burials,
Anidst palc accs I pray at thc gracyard,
And your hatcul shouts and crics o rcclry .c
iisturb thc silcncc o thc tonbbccausc o you,
Ihc carth itscl trcnblcs ocr thc dcad bodics!
I thc praycrs o so nany rccrcnd ncn and woncn
Lad not consccratcd thc connon gracpit,
I would hac thought that dcils ccn now
Vcrc torturing sonc ruincd, godlcss soul,
iaughing as thcy draggcd it to outcr darkncss.
sccral Voiccs: Lc talks about Lcll likc a rcal cxpcrt!
Gct going, old nan! Lit thc road!
Iricst: I adjurc you by thc holy blood .,c
C thc saior crucicd or us:
Lalt this nonstrous cast, i ccr
You hopc to ncct again in Lcacn
Ihc souls o thosc whon you hac lost.
Go, cach o you, to your honcs!
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. Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae .c,
chairnan: Cur honcs
Arc sorrowulyouth locs gaicty.
Iricst: Is that you, Valsinghan: Arc you thc sanc nan
Vho just thrcc wccks ago droppcd to your knccs,
Enbracing your nothcrs body as you wcpt,
And howling bcat your sts upon hcr grac: .cc
Cr do you think shc isnt crying now,
shcdding bittcr tcars in Lcacn itscl,
Io scc hcr son caught up in rccling
At a shanclcss cast, to hcar your oicc
singing likc onc posscsscd, anidst
Loly praycrs and dccp-clt sighs:
Follow nc!
chairnan: Vhy hac you conc hcrc
Io troublc nc: I cannot, I nust not
Followatcr you: I an bound hcrc
By dcspair, by tcrriblc rcncnbrancc, ..c
By thc knowlcdgc o ny lawlcssncss,
And by horror o that dcad cnptincss
Vhich grccts nc now in ny own housc
And by thc noclty o thcsc urious rccls,
And by thc blcsscd poison o this cup,
And by thc carcsscsGod orgic nc
C a bcing, ruincd, but still dcar . . .
My nothcrs shadc will not call nc away
Fron hcrcits too latcI hcar your oicc
calling ncI rccognizc your striing ..c
Io sac nc. . . . Cld nan, go in pcacc,
But accurscd nay hc bc who ollows you!
ManyVoiccs: Brao, brao! Mr. chairnan!
Ihcrcs a scrnon or you! Iakc a hikc!
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.c, I/e Li::le Iaeies
Iricst: Matildas purc soul calls you!
chairnan: (stands.)
swcar to nc, liting your palc
And withcrcd hand to Lcacn, to lcac
Ihat nanc orccr silcnccd in thc grac!
Ch, i only I could hidc this sight
Fron hcr innortal cycs! Cncc .,c
shc thought nc purc, proud, rcc
And ound paradisc in ny cnbracc . . .
Vhcrc an I: Loly child o light! I scc
You thcrc, whcrc ny allcn spirit
Vill nccr rcach . . .
Vonans Voicc: Lcs gonc nad
Lcs raing about his buricd wic!
Iricst: icts go, lcts go . . .
chairnan: Fathcr, or Gods sakc
icac nc!
Iricst: God sac you!
Farcwcll, ny son.
(He exi:s. I/e feas: coo:ioaes. I/e C/aioao eoaios,
laoe io ee coo:eola:ioo.)
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Ihc scduction o Iowcr: I/e Misely Roi/:
ur urxr or inncr conict that doninatcs all thc littlc tragcdics
is cidcnt in thc cry titlc o thc rst o thcn, I/e Misely Roi/:. Ira-
ditionally, thc niscr thinks o nothing but holding on to and incrcasing
his hoard o noncy. Kothing distracts hin ron his own scl-intcrcst,
which hc undcrstands in thc narrowcst possiblc tcrns. By contrast, in
thcory i not in practicc, a knight was a suprcncly disintcrcstcd gurc,
sonconc who applicd his strcngth, not to adancing hinscl, but to
dccnding worthy causcs or protccting thc wcak. In his cycs, sclsh-
ncss or cowardicc or lack o intcgrity was not ncrclya sin, it was a stain
upon his knightly honor. Yct in practicc, thc substancc o honor was all
too rcadily rcplaccd by thc ncrc showo it: thc honor o bcing adnircd
and dccrrcd to by othcrs, an honor concrrcd by rank, wcalth, and
.c-
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powcr. And ronthis dcbascd conccpt o honor as rcsting upon wcalth
and powcr, it was only a short stcp to thc nakcd pursuit o wcalth and
powcr or thcir own sakc, with no rcgard or justicc.
Bcaring this in nind, onc can scc that I/e Misely Roi/: has thc
nost schcnatic charactcrizationo all thc littlc tragcdics. Asidc ron
thc ninor gurc o Albcrts scrant, cach o thc sccondary charactcrs
rcprcscnts onc o thcsc attitudcs toward knightly honor.Ihc iukc, thc
cudal lord, is associatcd with thc chialrous idcal, with scl-rcstraint
and thc scricc o justicc, Albcrt is associatcd with thc conccpt o
purclycxtcrnal honor, honor that dcpcnds on what othcrs think o hin,
and is all too awarc o hownuch that dcpcnds on noncy, and thc ]cw-
ish noncylcndcr solonon lays no clain to honor at all, but is rankly
and solcly intcrcstcd in noncy, whatccr hc nay hac to do to obtain
it. Ihc plays ccntral charactcr, thc Baron, has within hinaspccts o all
thrcc o thcsc sccondary rolcs: hc is unscrupulous in anassing gold but
is gcnuincly torncntcd by his awarcncss o his unjust acts, hc dcsircs
to bc rcgardcd as a loyal knight and an honorablc nan whilc acting in
a way that his lord and his socicty cannot condonc. Lis gold has gicn
hin thc ision o a powcr that is thc oppositc o knightlya powcr
without rcstraint, without justiccand his anbialcncc toward this
ision, which at oncc attracts and appalls hin, will ultinatcly proc
catastrophic to hin.
A rcadcr cncountcring I/e Misely Roi/: or thc rst tinc night
pardonably think during its rst sccnc that thc titlc rccrrcd to Albcrt.
Lis obscssionwithnoncybcconcs clcar inthccryrst lincs, inwhich
hc oiccs his ury at thc tournancnt opponcnt who danagcd his hcl-
nct, and thus rcquircd hin to go to thc cxpcnsc o rcplacing it. Lis
alct suggcsts that hc has airly rcpaid this ocnsc by gracly wound-
ing his opponcnt, but or Albcrt physical injury ncans nothing con-
parcd to noncy:
still, hc lost nothing by it,
Lis brcastplatc o Vcnctian stccl is wholc,
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And his chcsts his own, it costs hin nothing,
Lc wont bc buying hinscl anothcr.
Ihis is not ncrc callousncss toward an cncny, or Albcrt spcaks o
his own physical sacty with thc sanc contcnptrathcr than hac
an opponcnt danagc his hclnct, it would bc bcttcr i hc had picrccd
ny hcad.
But, as Albcrts nonologuc quickly nakcs clcar, it is not noncy
itscl that hc cracs. Rathcr, hc sccs noncy as a ncccssary ncans to
thc cnd which hc truly dcsircs: thc rccognition and adniration o thc
court or his distinction as a knight. Ihus, whcn Albcrt dccats count
iclorgc inthc tournancnt, thc lawo arns gics Albcrt thc right cithcr
to clain thc dccatcd nans horsc and arnor, or to nanc a pricc or
thcir ranson. Albcrt gics up this rightnot, howccr, out o nag-
naninity, as would bc truly chialrous, but sinply out o a dcsirc to
appcar nagnaninous in ront o ladics and thc iukc. Vhcn Albcrt
concs to thc ducal court without thc luxurious clothcs that his cllow
noblcncn arc wcaring, thc codc o chialry would tcll hin that gcntlc
birth and conduct arc thc truc ncasurc o worth, that a wcalthy churl
is still a churl, and a poor knight still a knight. Instcad, Albcrt is gallcd
by what hc sccs as his disrcputably poor appcarancc, and trics to nakc
up or it with thc unchialrous tactic o a lic, and worsc yct, a lic to
his honorcd lord. Cnc suspccts that his gcncrosity to thc sick black-
snith, to whon hc scnds his last bottlc o winc, is o a piccc with his
gcncrosity to his dccatcd opponcnta way o gctting talkcd about.
It is signicant that in Iushkins nanuscript thc original word ncan-
ing nillcr is rcplaccd by onc ncaning snith
1
a skillul arnorcr,
unlikc a nillcr, would conc into contact with nany noblcncn, and his
words o praisc would bc likcly to rcach thc dcsircd audicncc.
Albcrt is caught in a paradox: to nakc thc spcctacular, attcntion-
gctting gcsturcs that will win hinthc rcputation and cstccnhc cracs,
hc nccds noncy, but with his linitcd nancial rcsourccs, naking such
gcsturcs ccn occasionally orccs hin to bc prcoccupicd with thcir
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costand conccrn ocr noncy is soncthing that thc socicty hcwishcs
to inprcss rcgards as ignoblc. Lc is painully awarc o this paradox:
Vhcn iclorgc with his hcay lancc
Iicrccd ny hcln and gallopcd on past,
And I barchcadcd turncd and spurrcd
My Enir, cw likc a whirlwind
And ung thc count sonc twcnty paccs
iikc a pagc boy, whcn all thc ladics
Rosc ron thcir scats, whcn clotild hcrscl,
Vhod cocrcd hcr cycs, couldnt hclp but shout,
And thc hcralds paid honors to ny blow
Ko onc thcn thought about thc rcason
For ny alor and ny wondrous strcngth!
I was scizcd by ury at ny danagcd hclnct,
Vhats to blanc or ny hcroisn:niscrlincss.
Albcrt thus sccs hinscl as a nanwhohas bccnunairly put ina alsc
position, dcpricd o thc honor to which hc is rightully cntitlcd. As
a knight, hc nccds a ncw hclnct and a sound horsc, haing nadc thc
public gcsturc o rcnouncing his dccatcd opponcnts arns and horsc,
hc nust obtain thc ncccssary noncy in sonc othcr nanncr. Ihc only
ncthod hc can conc up with is onc that ccn urthcr dccpcns his scnsc
o rustration and unjust injury: thc ignoninious cxpcdicnt o dcaling
with a ]cwish noncylcndcr. Albcrt is so blindcd by his ury, so con-
inccd that it is sinply his right to hac thc noncy hc dcsircs, that it
nccr crosscs his nind that a noncylcndcr is in thc busincss in ordcr to
nakc noncy, and is not likcly to wclconc a would-bc borrowcr whosc
ability to rcpay is doubtul. I proniscsrcdccnablc at sonc aguc
and indcnitc uturcarcnt good cnough or solonon, thrcats will
hac to bc uscd instcad. Indccd, gicn Albcrts statc o iolcnt cxas-
pcration, ccn whcn hc docs nanagc to rcncnbcr or a noncnt that it
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would bc prudcnt to bc politc to solonon, his attcnptcd snilc at oncc
bcconcs a icious snccr:
Albcrt: Vhos thcrc:
]cw: Your hunblc scrant.
Albcrt: Ah, ricnd!
You danncd ]cw, honorablc solonon,
conc ocr hcrc, soyou, I hcar,
iont bclicc in crcdit.
]cw: Ah, ncrciul knight,
I swcar to you: Id bc glad . . . truly, I cant.
Vhcrc would I gct noncy: Ic ruincd nyscl
Ihrough ny zcal or always hclping knights.
Ko onc rcpays. I wantcd to ask you
I you couldnt gic nc ccn just part . . .
Albcrt: Robbcr!
I I had any noncy, would I bc
Fooling around with you: Enough,
iont bc stubborn, ny dcar solonon,
Gic nc sonc gold. scnd nc a hundrcd picccs
Bcorc I hac you scarchcd.
Vhilc Albcrt is prcoccupicd by cstccn and status, clcarly no con-
sidcration could bc urthcr ron his intcrlocutors nind. As a practi-
tioncr o a dcspiscd rcligion (]udaisn) and as a ncnbcr o a dcspiscd
procssion (noncylcnding), solonon has alrcady orcitcd any clain
to rcspcct ron sonconc o Albcrts social position. And hc has no
conccrn about dcbasing hinscl urthcr (as Albcrt would scc it) by rc-
sponding to Albcrts thrcats, not with scl-asscrtion, but with a whin-
ing, all-too-obiously ncndacious tonc.
Kccrthclcss, Albcrts contcnpt or solonon is not altogcthcr jus-
ticd. It would not cross Albcrts nind, but solonon clcarly has cour-
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agc, ccn i not a knightly kind. In dcaling with lords such as Albcrt
and solonons spccch indicatcs that hc has such dcalings rcgularly
thc possibility that thcy night not rcpay hin is thc lcast o his dan-
gcrs. Albcrts thrcats to scizc hin and hac hin scarchcd, or ccn to
hac hin hangcd at thc castlc gatcs, arc not ncrc cnpty words, both
o thcn know that no cudal lord would wastc nuch cort on punish-
ing a noblcnan accuscd o nothing norc scrious than using iolcncc
against a ]cw. And, in contrast to Albcrts inpctuousncss, solonon
has thc potcntially aluablc qualiticsunortunatcly put to ill usc
o orcsight and paticncc in concciing and carrying out a plan. sincc
wc hac alrcady lcarncd ccn bcorc hc appcars on stagc that solonon
has rcuscd to loan Albcrt any norc noncy, thc qucstion ariscs: why
docs hc thcn conc in pcrson to Albcrt: Ihc only logical cxplanation
is that hc has conc solcly in ordcr to proposc to Albcrt that thc lattcr
poison his athcra typc o proposal that onc cannot scnd through
scrants or intcrncdiarics. Ignoring Albcrts abusc, solonon stcadily
stccrs thcir concrsation in thc appropriatc dircction: hc links his rc-
usal to lcnd to Albcrt ocr conccrn about whcn, or ccn i, Albcrt will
inhcrit his athcrs noncy, hc listcns willingly to Albcrts cxprcssion
o scorn and contcnpt or his athcr, cxprcsscs thc wish that Albcrt
inhcrit soon, and gcts Albcrts opcn approal o this wish. Cnly thcn,
with thc ground wcll-prcparcd, docs hc say, as i ohandcdly: It oc-
currcd to nc thcrc is /Accrtain ncans . . . Laingthus gottcn Albcrts
attcntion, solonon still procccds cautiously, ncthodically: hc knows
a ccrtain apothccary, this apothccary sclls drops, thcsc drops hac a
particular ccct. Vith cach scntcncc, hc takcs onc norc cautious stcp
across what nay yct proc to bc thin icc. Cnly whcn Albcrt conplctcly
ails to graspwhat is bcing suggcstcd to hindocs solonon nally statc
his purposc, in a still-cilcd but nccrthclcss unnistakablc orn:
Albcrt: And so: Instcad o loaning noncy,
Yourc ocring nc two hundrcd ials o poison,
At onc gold piccc pcr ial. Is that it:
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]cw: Yourc plcascd to hac your jokc at ny cxpcnsc
Ko, I ncant . . . pcrhaps you . . . wcll, I thought
Ihc Barons tinc had conc to dic.
solononis apparcntlyobliious tothc ironyinthc contrast bctwccnhis
carlicr pious obscration that a nans days arc nunbcrcd by Anothcr
and his currcnt proposal that hc, or rathcr Albcrt, takc stcps to nunbcr
thc Barons days. Ihc noncylcndcrs attitudc is rcninisccnt o thc tra-
ditional inagc o thc naoso: picty and rcspcctability arc both good
things, but busincss is busincss, i you hac to kill soncbody to nakc
noncy, you kill hin, thcrcs no point in bcing scntincntal about it.
such an attitudc lcacs solonon unprcparcd to dcal with a nan likc
Albcrt, or whon thc prinary conccrn is not noncy, but his bizarrc
scnsc o honoran honor bascd not upon his own inncr scntincnts,
but upon a constant awarcncss o what typc o conduct is approcd or
disapprocd o by socicty. Albcrt ccls no guilt about hating his athcr
or wishing or his athcrs dcath, but hc knows that in socictys cycs
parricidc is onc o thc nost horriblc crincs possiblc, and that thc nan
who connits it has lost any clain to rcspcct. Indccd, Albcrt ccls dis-
honorcd sinply by thc act that a dcspiscd ]cwnadc such a proposal to
hin, just as a noblcwonans rcputation would bc danagcd by thc in-
appropriatc aniliarityo a pcasant ccni shc rcpudiatcdhis adanccs.
Ihis thrcat to Albcrts scl-inagc and scl-cstccn causcs hin to losc
what littlc scl-control hc has: hc thrcatcns to hac solonon hangcd
and drics hinout, ignoring solonons placatoryocr o noncythc
cry ocr which Albcrt would gladly hac takcn a cwninutcs carlicr.
Ecn whcn Albcrt rccocrs cnough scl-posscssion to rcncnbcr that
hc is still acing thc sanc nonctary problcns that originally nadc hin
turn to solonon, ccn whcn hc cxpcricnccs a noncnt o rcgrct or not
haing takcn thc noncy which was ocrcd, hc nccrthclcss ccls that it
has nowbcconc inpossiblc or hinto takc anything ronsolonon
his noncy has bcconc blood noncy, taintcd, dishonoring anyonc who
acccpts it:
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Io hac a ]cwdarc
Iroposc that to nc! Bring nc a glass o winc,
In shaking likc a lca. . .But I still nccd noncy.
]ohn, go catch up with that danncd ]cw
And takc his gold. And bring thc inkwcll hcrc.
Ill gic hin a rcccipt, thc crookbut dont
Bring that ]udas in hcrc. . . . Ko, wait.
Lis gold picccs will stink o poison,
iikc his kinsnans silcr did . . .
Kowdcpricd ccn o thc assistancc o a noncylcndcr, Albcrt takcs
a dcspcratc dccision: to swallow thc huniliation o rccaling his po-
crty to his cudal lord thc iukc, in rcturn or thc iukcs ordcr to his
athcr to support hin in a nanncr tting to his social position.
Ihis cntirc rst sccnc is a nodcl o dranatic cconony: in lcss than
.co lincs, Iushkin has dclincatcd two ncnorablc charactcrs, Albcrt
and solonon, laid thc groundwork or thc dccisic conrontation o
thc third sccnc, and cstablishcd thc as-yct-unsccn Baron as a prcscncc
in our ninds. Lis cxtraordinary niscrlincss has alrcady cokcd con-
ncnts ron both solonon and Albcrt, cach o whon cxplains it in a
charactcristic nanncr. Ihc uninaginatic solononcxprcssing hin-
scl in a procrbial stylc worthy o his Biblical nancsakcsccs it as
ncrcly a nancial cxprcssion o thc prudcncc natural to thc old, as
rashncss is to thc young:
. . . Moncy
Is always, whatccr our agc, uscul to us,
But a young nan sccs it as a scrant
And docsnt hcsitatc to scnd it ar and widc.
An old nan sccs it as a trusty ricnd
And guards it as thc applc o his cyc.
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By contrast, Albcrt, with his pridc in his knightly rank and his con-
sciousncss o its prcrogatics, sccs his athcrs niscrlincss as thc rcsult
o thc sanc contcnptiblc ncanncss o spirit, thc sanc innatc scrility,
which to a ncdical lord would bc thc natural trait o pcasants or
worsc:
Ch, or ny athcr noncys not a scrant
Cr a ricnd, but a nastcr, hc hinscl scrcs it.
And scrcs ithow: likc an Algcrian slac,
iikc a dog on a chain. A kcnncl with no hcat
Is his honc, hc drinks watcr, cats dry crusts,
Lc nccr slccps at night, just runs and barks.
And thc gold lics thcrc rcsting pcaccully
In thc chcsts . . .
Cur rst sight o thc Baron, howccr, quickly cstablishcs how scri-
ously linitcd both solonons and Albcrts cxplanations o his notics
arc. In contrast to solonons asscssncnt, thc Barons rst words rc-
cal not an old nans cxccss o caution, but an uncontrollcd passion
or noncy which hc hinscl conparcs to a scxual craing:
iikc a young skirt-chascr who waits or whcn
Lcll ncct his binbosonc tranp on thc nakc,
Cr sonc ool hcs snowcdthats howall day
I wait or thc ninutc I go down
Into ny sccrct ault, to thc aithul chcsts.
But in contrast to thc uncontrollcd cnotions o his son, thc Barons
passion is ocuscd ncthodically and unwacringly on his singlc goal,
day atcr day and ycar atcr ycar. Ihc actions which, takcn indiidu-
ally, Albcrt sccs as ncan and pctty, arc sccn by thc Baron as snall parts
o an ocrall stratcgya stratcgy which, so ar ron bcing scrilc,
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couldbc conccicdandcarricdthroughonly bya nano cxtraordinary
willpowcr and anbition:
Iodays a happy day! Kow I can opcn
Ihc sixth chcst (thc onc thats not ull yct)
And pour in a handul o pilcd-up gold.
Kot nuch, it sccns, but littlc by littlc
Ihc trcasurc grows. Cncc I rcad
About a king who ordcrcd his ncn
Io bring, cach onc, a handul o carth,
And a nighty hill rosc upand thc king
could gazc down ncrrily ron that hcight
Upon thc allcys, cocrcd with whitc tcnts,
And on thc sca, whcrc ships wcrc sailing.
Ihus I, bringing ny poor handuls onc by onc,
Bcaring ny accustoncd tributc to ny ault,
Lac built up ny hilland ron its hcight
I can gazc on all thats in ny powcr.
Vhats not in ny powcr: Fron hcrc,
iikc a dcnon I can rulc thc world.
Iowcr without linits, powcr without justicc: this is thc idca that has
scizcd thc Barons inagination. Albcrts callous scl-prcoccupation, so
strikingly shown in thc rst sccnc, appcars positicly childish and tri-
ing conparcd to thc Barons dcnand or powcr. Albcrts anbition is
sinply to gain thc rcspcct o thosc around hin by his prc-cnincncc as
a knight, a rolc that is cncouragcd by thc structurc o his socicty and
would bc cntircly within his rcach wcrc it not or his nancial dicul-
tics. By contrast, thc Barons anbition is to achicc a prc-cnincncc so
ast and nultiacctcd that Albcrt could not ccn drcan o it. Vhilc
Albcrt would bc satiscd ncrcly to bc ablc to appcar at thc iukcs cast
in silk and satin likc thc othcr courticrs, thc Baron starts by inagining
hinscl in luxury worthy o a iouis XIV:
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I I just want itpalaccs will spring up,
Into ny splcndid gardcns thcrc will dancc
A conpany o playul nynphs . . .
But thc concntional trappings o ncrc wcalthccn thc wcalth o a
nonarcharc not cnough or thc Baron. Lc wants powcr, and powcr
is ncasurcd by thc grcatncss o what it has subducd. Ihus his thoughts
turn to art, which has long claincd thc right to pass its own scntcncc o
praisc or blanc upon thc grcat ncn o its tinc. Ihis powcr, which has
naintaincd its indcpcndcncc and its grcatncss or so nany ccnturics,
now nust also yicld to thc Baron:
Ihc Muscs too will bring nc tributc,
Frcc gcnius will bcconc ny slac . . .
And ccn this is not cnough to satisy his hungcr or powcr. iikc
a proto-Kictzschcan supcrnan, thc Baron inagincs hinscl bcyond
good and cil. Ihc rulcs o norality will hac no clainon hin, rathcr
irtuc and icc will bc cqually subjcct to hin, and hc will choosc bc-
twccn thcnas hc plcascs. Indccd, so conplctc will his control ocr cil
bc, so doglikc its dcotion to hin, that hc will nccr hac to actually
pcrornan cil dccd, or ccn to gic a connand that it bc pcrorncd,
rathcr, his unspokcn wish will bc anticipatcd:
. . . irtuc and unslccping toil
Vill ncckly look to nc or thcir rcward.
]ust lct nc whistlcbloodstaincd illainy
Cbcdicntly and tinidly will crawl to nc
And lick ny hand, and pccr into ny cycs,
iooking or a sign o ny will thcrc . . .
Vhilc thc Baron takcs plcasurc in tclling hinscl what hc could
do, hc nccr actually docs (or trics to do) any o it. I hc did so, o
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coursc, hc would quickly cncountcr thc constraints o thc rcal world,
whcrc palaccs takc ycars to build no nattcr hownany laborcrs onc can
hirc, and whcrc no nattcr howcarcully thc ocial court historics arc
conpilcd, a Iacitus is likcly to appcar. Ihc ncccssary condition o thc
Barons absolutc suprcnacy is that it should cxist only in his inagi-
nation. But so ar ron acknowlcdging this as a linitation, thc Baron
coninccs hinscl that this is actually a strcngthhc is aboc intcr-
csting hinscl in all thosc grubby aairs that occupy ncrc ordinary
nortals:
I stand aboc dcsirc, I an caln,
I know ny night, this knowlcdgc
Is cnough or nc . . .
Ihc only rcal actiity which hc conccrns hinscl with, thc only
dcsirc to which hc will adnit, is thc accunulation o norc goldthc
oundation o his powcr. It is no wondcr that hc sccs hinscl as ruling
likc a dcnon, or likc a dcnon, hc has rcjcctcd ccn thc slightcst
clain o loc or conpassion. Kot only docs hc hac no gcnuinc con-
ccrn or othcrs, unlikc his son, hc docs not ccn ccl thc nccd to nakc a
prctcnsc o such conccrn. Albcrt with his anity would hac orgicn
a widows dcbt, i not out o gcnuinc pity, at lcast as a display o nag-
naninity, thc Baron only congratulatcs hinscl or not bcing oolcd
by what hc sccs as hcr shan dcspair. Albcrt would scc hinscl as dis-
honorcd or acccpting solonons noncy atcr hcaring solonons pro-
posal that hc poison his athcr, thc Baron ccls no shanc ocr thc crinc
which hc assuncs Ihibault has connittcd in ordcr to gct noncy to
pay his dcbt. Indccd, thc Baron docs not try in any way to downplayor
rationalizc thc sucring hc has causcd, and i anything cxaggcratcs it:
I all thc blood, swcat, and tcars oncc shcd
For all thats storcd in hcrc, could now pour orth
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Fron thc carths bowcls in onc suddcn gush,
Ihcrcd bc a sccond Floodand I would suocatc
Insidc ny aithul ault. But cnough.
Ihc Barons systcnatically unscrupulous and inhunan pursuit o
wcalth is rcninisccnt o solonon, but his ncntal statc is ar dicrcnt
ron that o thc ]cwish noncylcndcr. solonon, as wc hac sccn, is
not so nuch innoral as anoral, noral considcrations sinply hac no
ncaning to hin. Ihc Baron, as a knight, knows what justicc is, and is
wcll awarc o thc innorality o his actions, but thc dcsirc or powcr,
and thc aaricc to which it has gicn risc, has bcconc such an irrcsist-
iblc lurc or hin that hc willingly docs what hc knows is wrong:
Ecry singlc tinc, whcn I start to opcn
A chcst, I ccl ccrish and trcnblc.
Kot ron car (no! what should I car:
I hac ny sword, ny tcnpcrcd bladc
Vill answcr or thc gold), but ron sonc scnsc,
Mystcrious and drcad, which grips ny hcart . . .
ioctors assurc us that thcrc arc pcoplc
Vho nd plcasurc in connitting nurdcr.
Vhcn I put thc kcy into thc lock, thcn
I ccl what such a onc nust ccl, plunging
Lis knic into a ictin, plcasurc
And horror nixcd in onc.
Gicn thc Barons carlicr conparison o hinscl to a nan in an illicit
scxual liaison, onc docs not hac to bc a Frcudian to notc thc suggcs-
ticncss o thc inagcry o a kcy inscrtcd into a lock or a knic plungcd
intoa body. Andthc Barons inscrtiono thc kcycokcs a cryo ccstatic
consunnationMy bliss!ollowcd by a rclcasc o tcnsion:
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Ihcrc, now youc roancd cnough throughout thc world,
scring thc passions and nccds o ncn,
slccp now, thc slccp o strcngth and pcacc . . .
Ihc quasi-scxual dincnsion o thc rclationship bctwccn thc Baron and
his gold is rcinorccd by thc parallcl languagc uscd in this play to dc-
scribc thc Barons passion or his gold and in I/e S:ooe Gaes: to dc-
scribc thc passion o thc knight-connandcr or iona Anna. ]ust as
thc Baroncarcullylocks his goldintohis chcsts andguards thc kcys, so
ion ]uan notcs that iona Anna always was kcpt lockcd up insidc, /
Konc o us hac ccr so nuch as sccn hcr. Ihc Baron wishcs that
. . . ron ny grac
I could arisc, a ghostly watchnan,
And sit upon thc chcst, and guard ny trcasurcs
Against thc liing . . .
which is prcciscly what ion ]uan challcngcs thc dcad knight-
connandcr to do: to stand guard at thc door in ordcr to prccnt his
trcasurcd iona Anna ronbcing stolcn ronhinbya liing nan. But
whilc thc knight-connandcr has a rightul clain upon thc loyalty o
iona Anna, thc Baron has no rightul clain to gold which hc hinscl
rcalizcs was obtaincd unjustly: nctaphorically spcaking, it is not a wic
but cithcr a tranp or a ool, a scductrcss or a scduccd wonan.
Lowccr, thcrc is a signicant dicrcncc bctwccna physical passion
and a passion o thc inagination such as thc Barons: whilc a physi-
cal passion could bc at lcast tcnporarily satcd by posscssion or thc
Baron, posscssion o his gold docs not satisy his dcsirc, but inancs
it urthcr. Laing cxpcricnccd thc rapturc o opcning onc chcst, hc
wants an ccn grcatcr rapturc: hc opcns all six at oncc. Ecn thcn, his
prcscnt cnjoyncnt is not cnough or hin, hc nust inaginc it continu-
ing into thc indcnitc uturc. And thcrc is whcrc his inagination runs
up against a rudc chcck. Ihc Baron nay boast that Io nc all things
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subnit, and Ito nonc, but hc knows that thcrc is still onc orcc norc
powcrul than hcdcath. Ihc Baron cars dcath, not in thc way onc
night hac cxpcctcd a ncdical nan to do, not as thc tinc whcn hc
nust pay or his sins. Rathcr, hc has so thoroughly idcnticd his cry
lic with thc acquisition and hoarding o his trcasurc that hc cars dcath
as thc orcc that will turn his trcasurc ocr to his hcir, who will spcnd
it. In thc Barons ccrcd inagination, thc pcrcctly nornal and law-
ul phcnoncnon o an hcir taking posscssion o his cstatc bcconcs thc
cquialcnt o barbarians pillaging a conqucrcd cnpirc:
Atcr stcaling thc kcys ron ny dcad body,
Lcll laugh as hc throws opcn all thc chcsts.
And all ny trcasurcs will owout
And pour through thc holcs o satin pockcts.
Lcll brcak into bits thc sacrcd csscls,
ict dirt drink up thc coronation oil
Lcll squandcr it. . . . And by what right:
Gicn thc ncans by which thc Baron hinscl acquircd his ortunc,
thc logical qucstion would bc, By what right do yoa posscss it: But
to thc Baron, right no longcr ncans law or justicc, as it would hac
whcn hc was a knight at thc iukcs court, now it ncans powcr. In thc
Barons cycs, thc onc who has thc right to posscss is thc onc who has
thc grcatcst and nost unconqucrablc will to posscss. And clcarly this is
thc Baron, who has shown his strcngth o will not only in his oluntary
acccptancc o thc physical and ncntal priationsVhat carcs day
atcr day, what slccplcss nightsat which his son snccrs, but through
his prolongcd cndurancc o what can only bc callcd scl-inictcd spiri-
tual sucring. In thc Barons dcnonically pcrcrsc logic, thc torncnts
o conscicncc hc cxpcricnccs, thc cry torncnts that should showthat
his aaricc is wrong, instcad bcconc thc grounds or asscrting that his
posscssion is right:
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. . . Cr will ny son say
Ihat ny hcarts long ocrgrown with noss,
Ihat I ccl no dcsirc, that ccn ny conscicncc
Kccr gnawcd at nc, ny conscicncc,
Ihat bcast with claws that tcar ny hcartny conscicncc,
Ihat gucst I didnt initc, a wcarying conpanion,
Ihat harsh dcnanding crcditor, that witch
Vho nakcs thc noon hidc and who troublcs gracs,
Making thcn gic up thcir dcad: . . .
Ko, rst sucr through piling up your own wcalth,
And thcn lcts scc i sonc unhappy nan
Vill conc and squandcr what you got by blood.
In this cxtraordinary passagc, wc scc thc ull shakcspcarcan najcsty
o thc Barons naturc. Ircciscly bccausc hc docs hac a powcrul con-
sciousncss o justicc, and bccausc hc dclibcratcly corrupts hinscl by
ignoring that consciousncss, hc is an inncasurably grcatcr and at thc
sanc tinc ar norc tcrriying gurc than a ncrc connon crininal likc
solonon: iilics that cstcr sncll ar worsc than wccds. As thc Baron
gics hinscl up to his obscssion, thc powcr o his spirit grows ccr
grcatcr, but its ocus bcconc ccr narrowcr, until thc only orn o
cxistcncc hc can inaginc or dcsirc ccn atcr dcath is not Lcacn, but
ncrcly a continuation o thc prcscnt:
. . . oh, i ron ny grac
I could arisc, a ghostly watchnan,
And sit upon thc chcst, and guard ny trcasurcs
Against thc liing, as I guard thcn now!
]ust as thc rst sccnc closcs with Albcrts rcsolution to orcc his
athcr to gic up sonc noncy to hin, so thc sccond closcs with thc
Barons rcsolution to do ccrything within hunan powcrand indccd
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norc, i hc couldnot to gic up any o his noncy to his son. clcarly,
thc two arc on a collision coursc, and as thc third sccnc opcns, this
collision is innincnt:
Albcrt: Bclicc nc, ny lord, I hac long bornc
Ihc shanc o bittcr pocrty. Vcrc ny nccd not grcat,
You would not hac hcard ny conplaint.
iukc: I do bclicc you: a noblc knight
such as yourscl, would not accusc his athcr
Unlcss his nccd was grcat. Fcw ncn arc so corrupt . . .
iont car, Ill urgc your athcr to act honorably,
But Ill do it in priatc, without scandal.
I cxpcct hin soon. Its a long tinc sincc Ic sccn hin.
Lc and ny grandathcr wcrc ricnds. I rcncnbcr,
Vhcn I was just a boy still, how
Lcd lit nc up and sct nc on his stccd
And put his hcay hclnct on ncit cocrcd nc
As i it wcrc a church bcll.
(Loo/s oa: :/e ioo.)
Vhos that:
Is it hc:
Ihc iukc thus nakcs his appcarancc as an idcal knightly gurc:
sonconc who is cngagcd in thc disintcrcstcd pursuit o justicc, sonc-
oncwhois prcparcdtoscckthc right andtoupholdit. Andronhis rst
spccch, wc rccognizc thc iukc as a dicrcnt charactcr ronthc prci-
ous najor spcakcrs: Albcrt, solonon, and thc Baron. All thrcc o thcn
arc prcoccupicd with thcnsclcs, thcir own schcncs, dcsircs, and an-
bitions, or all thrcc, othcr pcoplc arc cxpcndablc. Ihc iukc, by con-
trast, is gcnuincly intcrcstcd in othcr hunan bcings. Lc obscrcs thcir
naturcs and actions, and sccks to undcrstand thcn. And hc is capablc
o putting hinscl in anothcrs position, o sparing anothcrs cclings.
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Cnc suspccts that any o thc othcr thrcc najor charactcrs, i thcy ccn
wcrc capablc o consciously rccognizing this trait o thc iukcs, would
ncrcly disniss it as a wcakncss, and yct thc iukc, who can hardly bc
norc than c or tcn ycars oldcr than Albcrt, radiatcs a caln, condcnt
authority. Lc has no doubt that hc can issuc a politc but rnconnand
to a baron who was alrcady a powcrul nan whcn hc hinscl was yct a
child and hac that connand obcycd. Indccd, hc is so condcnt that
hc can ccn aord to laugh at hinsclsoncthing it is inpossiblc to
inaginc any o thc othcr charactcrs doingas hc picturcs hinscl as
thc baron nust hac sccn hin, an cxcitcd snall boy in a ludicrously
ocrsizcd adult hclnct. Lc is, in short, a typc which wc rccognizc ron
thc iukc o Vicnna in Measae fo Measae, ron thc rightul iukc
in .s Ioa Li/e I:, and ccn ron Lcnry in Rio Heoy 1. thc idcal
Rcnaissancc rulcr, at oncc aablc and connanding, gcnuincly synpa-
thctic toward his subjccts, yct always awarc o thc rcsponsibilitics o
occ that scparatc hin ron thcn. signicantly, thc iukc spcaks o
his insignia o occ as not a coronct, but a chain: hc nay not sinply
do what hc wishcs, but nust rcstrain hinscl. A subjcct nay gic in to
his passions, a rulcr nay not.
icspitc thc inprcssicncss o such a gurc as thc iukc, onc still
wondcrs whcthcr hc is a natch or thc crcc, anbitious, obscsscd nan
whon wc saw in thc sccond sccnc. And thcn, to our astonishncnt, wc
sccnot thc Baron wc know, but a ncck, scl-dcprccating, pathcti-
cally loyal old nan:
In an old nan now, ny lord, what should
I do at court: Yourc young, you loc
Iournancnts and tcs. But or such things I
An no longcr suitcd. I God scnds war, thcn I
An rcady to clinb whcczing onto ny horsc,
Ill still nd strcngth cnough to draw
My old sword or you with a trcnbling arn.
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C coursc thcrc is an clcncnt o dclibcratc cunning in thc Barons
spccch, an attcnpt to dccct any suggcstion that hc takc part in thc
luxuriousand cxpcnsiclic o thc court. Yct thc surprisc rcnains:
could onc hac inagincd thc Baron o thc sccond sccnc, who boastcd
o ruling thc world likc a dcnon, spcaking to anyonc in so dccrcntial
a nanncr: But whcn hc is outsidc thc isolatcd and unrcal world o his
trcasurc ault, in thc atnosphcrc o thc court hc rcncnbcrs ron his
youth, so caught up in his ncnorics o his ricndship with thc orncr
iukc that hc rccrs to his currcnt lord as that kid and thcn hastily
corrccts his lack o rccrcncc to you, that isat such a noncnt
his pcrsonality to sonc dcgrcc rccrts to thc knight that hc was in his
youth. In contrast to Albcrt, who thinks o ghting as soncthing that
onc docs in oncs own intcrcst, or thc sakc o oncs glory and rcputa-
tion, thc Baron procsscs a gcnuincly knightly willingncss to cndurc
hardship and dangcr with no rcward to hinscl, sinply out o loyalty
to his lord.
Ihc Baron thus is caught in a dilcnna: as a niscr, hcwants to rcusc
any connand that inolcs spcnding noncy, but as a knight that hc
cannot conccic o dcying his lord dircctly. so hc trics to cadc thc
iukcs urging that hc scnd his son to court bydcising onc cxcusc atcr
anothcr as to why his son is unt or such an honor. And hcrc is whcrc
wc scc thc ull powcr o thc iukcs paticncc: thc iukc calnly acccpts
at acc aluc cach o thc Barons cxcuscs dcspitc thc act that, sincc hc
is acquaintcd with Albcrt, hc alrcady knows that thcsc cxcuscs arc lics,
and by taking thc Barons words at acc aluc and discrcditing thcn
on thcir own tcrns, thc iukc politcly but incxorably orccs thc Baron
into a corncr. Ihc Baron, rcalizing that no story that hc can conc up
with will bc capablc o withstanding thc iukcs judicious rcsponsc,
trics to takc rcugc in silcncc or short, uninornatic statcncnts. Ihis
tactic, howccr, docs not discouragc thc iron paticncc o thc iukc,
and nally, unablc to think o any othcr way to justiy hinscl bcorc
his unyiclding qucstioncr, thc Baron dcspcratcly ings an accusation
at his son which hc knows to bc alsc:
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iukc: I connand: tcll nc thc rcason
For your rcusal.
Baron: In angcrcd at
My son.
iukc: Vhy:
Baron: For his wickcd crinc.
iukc: And what, tcll nc, was that:
Baron: sparc nc, iukc . . .
iukc: Ihis is cry strangc,
Cr arc you ashancd o hin:
Baron: Ycs . . . ashancd . . .
iukc: But what did hc do:
Baron: Lc . . . hc ncant
Io nurdcr nc.
Ihc iukc continucs with his tactic o taking thc Barons words at acc
aluc:
iukc: Murdcr! Ill hand hin ocr
Io justicc as a oul illain.
Ihis rcsponsc alarns thc Baron, who knows that any incstigation
would proc his chargc to bc unoundcd. Unablc to withdraw his
words, which would rcquirc hin to adnit opcnly that hc has licd to
his lord, and cqually unablc to stand by thcn, hc trics to hcdgc his
statcncnt whilc still naking it as danaging to his son as possiblc:
Baron: I wont sct out to proc it, but I know
Ihat ny dcath is what hcs thirsting or,
And I know that hcs nadc an attcnpt
At . . .
iukc: Vhat:
Baron: Robbing nc.
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suddcnly thc iukcs carcul, ncthodical incstigation is shattcrcd
by Albcrts bursting into thc roonwith thc cry, Baron, yourc lying.
Up to this point ccrything has bccn going in Albcrts aor: his athcr
has gicn such a tanglc o inplausiblc, scl-contradictory, and obi-
ously stanncrcd cxcuscs that any inpartial listcncr would bc inclincd
tothinkthc Baronnust bc inthcwrong.Vhcthcr thc hothcadcdAlbcrt
is capablc o rccognizing this, or whcthcr hc sinply is orcing hinscl
to obcy thc iukcs connand, hc has nanagcd to kccp silcnt through
all his athcrs lics, ccn through an accusation o intcndcd nurdcr. But
as wc hac sccn, or Albcrt thc car that his pocrty will causc hin to
bc dishonorcd is an obscssion, and thc Barons accusation o attcnptcd
thct touchcs upon cxactly this obscssion and rouscs his son to uncon-
trollablc and ccn scl-dcstructic ury. Albcrts carlicr ragc at count
iclorgc, who had unwittingly touchcd Albcrts car o pocrty-causcd
dishonor, lcd hin to scck rccngc ccn i hc had to risk jousting with-
out a hclnct to do it. Kow Albcrt risks thc conscqucnccs o ignoring
his lords connand, rathcr than allow an accusation rclating to thc
crucial issuc o noncy and honor to go unanswcrcd.
I thc iukcs angcr at Albcrts outburst is prcdictablc, what is sur-
prising is thc Barons rcsponsc:
Yourc hcrc! You darc acc nc! . . .
You can say a thing likc that to your athcr! . . .
In lying! and in thc prcscncc o our lord! . . .
Io nc . . . or an I no longcr a knight:
Vc hac alrcady hcard this tonc o incohcrcnt, whitc-hot indignation
ocr insultcd honor: it is cxactly thc sanc tonc as Albcrts rcsponsc to
solonons proposal that hc poison his athcr. Albcrt is gcnuincly sur-
priscd by solonons suggcstion, hc nccr bothcrs to ask whcthcr his
own dcnigration o his athcr, his opcnlycxprcsscd wish or his athcrs
dcath, night hac cncouragcd solonons linc o thought. Albcrt, in
his own scl-inagc, is an honorablc nan, and an honorablc nan docs
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not cncouragc suggcstions o parricidc, thcrcorc, in Albcrts nind,
hc cannot hac cncouragcd solonon. Ihc Baron takcs this sanc scl-
dclusional logic ccn urthcr. Ihc act that hc has no cidcncc or his
accusations against his sonccn thc act that thc Baron hinscl docs
not bclicc thcn, or hc would hac nadc thcn at oncc, instcad o rst
trying a nunbcr o obiously insy scl-justicationsdocs not stop
hin ron bcing gcnuincly urious whcn his son accuscs hin o lying.
iikc Albcrt, hc knows that it is against knightly honor or hinto hac
licd, hc still ccls that hc is a knight, thcrcorc, acts or no acts, what-
ccr hc says cannot bc a lic. Iragically, hc docs not rcalizc that thc
only possiblc rcsponsc to his qucstion An I no longcr a knight: is
Ko, not any longcr. I thcrc wcrc any doubt on this point, it anishcs
whcn thc Baron nakcs a proposal that any truc knight would nd as
grotcsquc as it is appalling: a ducl with his own son.
Albcrt, as willing as his athcr to scttlc thc qucstion o which o
thcsc two anbitious ncn will doninatc thc othcr, hastcns to pick up
thc Barons gauntlct. But at this noncnt, whcn both lawand connon
dcccncyarc on thc point o collapsc, thc iukc rcasscrts thcir authority:
Vhat did I scc: Vhats thisand in ny prcscncc:
A son acccptcd thc challcngc o his old athcr!
In what tincs hac I takcn upon nyscl
Ihc ducal chain! silcncc: you, nadnan,
And you, tigcr cub! Enough.
Ihc iukc pronounccs scntcncc rst upon Albcrt. In his blind passion,
Albcrt has dcstroycd thc cry rcputation or which hc stroc so jcal-
ously, and thus thc iukcs crdict ncrcly conrns what Albcrt has
brought upon hinscl through his own action: banishncnt ron thc
court, that is, ron thc conpany o honorablc and rcspcctcd knights.
Ihc iukc, nccrthclcss, is not ncrcly incarnatc justicc: as hc turns
to thc disgraccd Baron, hc rcncnbcrs thc knight who oncc, so nany
ycars ago, was a snall boys hcro, and onc can inaginc thc gric, norc
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I/e Seac:ioo of Ioe ..,
than indignation, in his oicc, as hc quictly asks, You, unhappy old
nan, /Arc you not ashancd . . .
But whcrc hunan justicc night pausc, a highcr justicc docs not. In
challcnging his son to a ducl, thc Baron has cxplicitly inokcd righ-
tcous God, Vho, a ncdical nan would hac bcliccd, rccalcd Lis
judgncnt in a ducl, upholding thc innoccnt and striking down thc
guilty. Ihc Baron knows how nattcrs nust stand or hin in such a
judgncnt: by his own adnission, hc is an opprcssor o widows and
orphans, a protccr ronrobbcry and nurdcr. iikc Lcrnann in Iush-
kins short story Ihc uccn o spadcs, thc Baron is suddcnly cllcd
by what can bc sccn as cithcr a supcrnatural intcrcntion or thc burdcn
o a guilty conscicncc. Earlicr, as hc acknowlcdgcd thc hunan sucr-
ing his trcasurc rcprcscntcd, thc Baron inagincd thc possibility o a
sccond Floodan act o diinc rctributionin which hc would dic,
choking and gasping or air, trappcd in his own ault. Kow, as hc is
truly dying, onc hcars his inability to brcathc, his scntcnccs collapsing
into gasping ragncnts:
Its stiing! . . . stiing! . . . Vhcrc arc thc kcys:
My kcys, kcys!
Lc indccd dics trappcd in his ault, not physically but spiritually: in
thc last noncnt o his lic, whcn thc knight hc oncc was would hac
thought about rcpcntancc or thc statc o his soul, all thc Baron can
think about is thc gold hc has pilcd up so dctcrnincdlyandas is now
clcarso utilcly. ]ust as hc orcsaw, all his anbition has bccn brought
to naught by thc onc powcr hc acknowlcdgcd as grcatcr than his own:
nortality.
conrontcd with such a consuningpassion as thc Barons, thc plays
oicc o rcason, thc iukc, can do nothing but hclplcssly cxclain: A
tcrriblc agc, tcrriblc hcarts! Yct this singlc, stunncd linc carrics in
it a ncnorablc balancc. Ihc tcrriblc agc cchocs thc iukcs carlicr
words, In what tincs hac I takcn upon nyscl /Ihc ducal chain!
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Ihc orcc that has dishonorcd Albcrt and dcstroycd thc Baronthc
dcsirc or wcalth and rcputation without a charactcr worthy o thcn,
lcading in its logical cxtrcnc to thc dcnand or powcr without any
noral linitationsis rccognizcd as not just an indiidual corruption,
but a social onc. Kccrthclcss, thc iukc docs not rcgard hunan bcings
as thc passic ictins o socicty, hclplcss to rcsist thc constraints o
circunstancc. Ihc Baron has thc rccdon to choosc his actions, and
hc uscs that rccdon to nakc choiccs that dcstroycd his own bcttcr
naturcthc choiccs o a tcrriblc hcart. Ihc csscntial powcr o thc
littlc tragcdics, thc sourcc o thcir ability to cokc gric as wcll as
horror, lics inprccisclythat rccognition: cachplayis thc storyo a grcat
and gitcd gurc who could aoid his own scl-ruin, and who instcad
rccly chooscs it.
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Bctrayal o a calling: Moa: ao Saliei
ur rio or Moa: ao Saliei was suggcstcd to Iushkin by a pcr-
sistcnt though unoundcd runor that Mozart dicd as thc rcsult o poi-
son adninistcrcd by a rial conposcr, Antonio salicri. In an undatcd
notc, apparcntly ron .:,:, Iushkin wrotc: At thc prcnicrc o Doo
Gioaooi, whcn thc wholc thcatcr, llcd with astoundcd nusic locrs,
was hushcd, intoxicatcd by Mozarts harnonics, a whistlc [o dcrision|
was hcardccryonc turncd in indignation, and thc cclcbratcd salicri
stalkcd out o thc hallin a ury, consuncd by cny. . . . Ihc cnicr
who could whistlc at Doo Gioaooi could poison its crcator.
1
Ihis
notc suggcsts that Iushkins bclic in salicris guilt was not so nuch
thc approach o a historian as that o a psychological noclist. Yct this
point o icw prcscnts its own challcngc. Fron his own position in
.,.
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thc litcrary world, Iushkin kncwall too wcll thc cny and hatrcd that
gcnius can arousc in a hack. But salicri was no hack, hc was onc o
thc nost pronincnt conposcrs o his day, a nan o sucicnt artistic
staturc that such librcttists as ia Iontc (Mozarts librcttist or both Le
ooe i Iiao and Doo Gioaooi ) and Bcaunarchais wcrc willing to
work with hin. Low could such a conposcr, a nan or whon nusic
was onc o thc nost inportant things in his lic, bring hinscl to nur-
dcr onc o thc grcatcst gurcs in thc history o Europcan nusic: Low
would hc pcrccic and justiy such an action, and how would it acct
hin: Ihcsc arc thc qucstions undcrlying Moa: ao Saliei.
Fronthc plays opcning, salicri appcars as anisolatcdgurc, at odds
not only with thc concntional wisdono his world, but with thc uni-
crsc itscl, as hc spcaks thrcc o thc nost cxplosic lincs with which
any drana has ccr opcncd:
Ihcy say thcrcs no justicc hcrc on carth,
But thcrcs no justicc highcr up, cithcr. Io nc
Ihats as clcar and sinplc as do-rc-ni.
spokcn bya nan o thc cightccnth ccntury, such words cokc thc chal-
lcngc to God o thc radical Enlightcnncnt. Lowccr, thcsc words arc
born, not ron thc study o philosophy or socicty or history, but ron
thc torncnt o a lic diidcd against itscl, a lic story hc pours out in
his nonologuc. Fronsalicris point o icw, hc is prcscnting a nassic
indictncnt against Lcacn itscl. But ronan outsidcrs point o icw,
hc is chronicling an inncr strugglc bctwccn an artistic ocation and
an anbition dcstructic to that ocation. C thc ocation itscl, salicri
allows no doubt:
I was born with a loc or art,
Vhcn I was a child, whcn up on high
Ihc organs notcs cchocd in our old church,
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,,
I listcncd and was spcllboundI wcpt,
swcct tcars owcd against ny will.
Fron thosc tcars a passion or nusic is born, a passion which, likc
a jcalous loc, cxcludcs ccrything clsc ron salicris lic:
Early I rcuscd all idlc anuscncnts,
Io knowanything othcr than nusic was
Latcul to nc, stubbornly and proudly
I dcnicd all clsc and gac nyscl up
Io nusic alonc.
Yct, though hc spcaks o loc o art, thc tonc o salicris words is
not loing but dccnsic, wrathul. Cnc ccls that hc sccs hinscl as
a sort o loncly Cld Icstancnt prophct whosc aithulncss to his onc
truc Godnusicis constantly bcing assailcd by thc idolatcrs sur-
rounding hin. Vhat tcnptation is it that hc is rcsisting so rnly: Lc
tclls us o his trials:
Ihc rst stcps wcrc hard
And thc rst path was tcdious. I ocrcanc
My carly dicultics. I gac crat
Its placc as thc oundation stonc o art,
I nadc nyscl a cratsnan, ny ngcrs
Acquircd obcdicnt, cold dcxtcrity
And ny car, accuracy. I killcd sounds,
iisscctcd nusic likc a corpsc. I put harnony
Io thc tcst o algcbra.
Bizarrc as it sccns, thc tcnptation, thc obstaclc in salicris way, is
salicri. As thc inagcs o disscction and nathcnatics rcnind us, salicri
is indccd a nan o thc Enlightcnncnt, a nan o rcason. crcatiity, hc
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is coninccd, nust hac rulcs, natural laws, no lcss than biology or
chcnistry. All hc has to do is to discocr thc laws, to undcrstand how
thcy work, and thcn hc can apply thcn, thcn hc will bc thc nusician
hc drcans o bcing. But in conccntrating so cxclusicly on what is ac-
ccssiblc to rcason, on ncthod and systcn, salicri is doing iolcncc to
thc cry cnotion that rst nadc hina nusician, thc irrational inpulsc
that cxprcsscd itscl in his childhood tcars. It is this dctcrnination to
gain powcr by subjccting liing intuition to thc dcad hand o an all-
cnconpassing systcn that gics salicri his spiritual kinship with such
iostocskian hcrocs as Raskolniko and Ian Karanazo, a kinship
pointcd out by Rassadin.
2
And just how ar salicri is willing to go in
such subjcction hc nakcs tcrriyingly clcar:
Ctcn, atcr sitting silcntly in ny ccll
Iwo or thrcc days, orgctting slccp and ood,
Atcr thc tastc o ccstasy and tcars o inspiration,
I burncd ny work and watchcd coldly
As ny idca and thc sounds I had brought orth
Blazcd up, thcn anishcd with a pu o snokc.
Lcrc wc scc thc two salicris, thc child ocrconc by bcauty and
thc dctcrnincd nastcr o thc systcn, at war with cach othcr. Kcithcr
salicri is a strangcr to sacricc, but or thc rst onc, sacricc is not a
conscious, painul gritting o tccth, but soncthing hc docs willingly,
ccn unconsciously: hc orgcts to cat and slccp, so caught up is hc
in his inspiration. Ihc work is so intinatcly a part o his bcing that
hc spcaks, not ncrcly o thc sounds hc crcatcd, but thc sounds hc
brought orthto which hc gac birth. Vhcthcr in thc cycs o a
critic his work is a good onc or is awcd, or whcthcr atcr anothcr
twcnty ycars o cxpcricncc and dcclopncnt salicri hinscl would rc-
gard it as good or awcd, is at that noncnt irrclcant. Vhat is in-
portant is that salicri hinscl rcalizcs that hc has cxprcsscd thc idca
hc locs, his inspiration, as bcst hc can within thc linits o his cxpcri-
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,
cncc and ability. Lc has gicn hinscl conplctcly. And in rcsponsc,
how docs thc othcr salicri trcat this work: I burncd ny work and
watchcd coldly . . . Cnc would hac thought that i salicri had wcpt
to hcar thc church organ, hc would hac wcpt tcars o blood to scc his
work dcstroycd. Instcad hc watchcd coldlyas i it wcrc not ccn
his. In thc icw o his rclcntlcss logic, this carly work was ncrcly thc
cxpcrincnt o a bcginncr, not daring yct ccn to think o glory, and
as such has no right to suric. Low its crcator happcns to ccl about
his own work is conplctcly bcsidc thc point:
. . .Vhcn thc grcat Gluck
Appcarcd and rccalcd to us ncw nystcrics
(iccp and captiating nystcrics),
iidnt I abandon ccrything Id known bcorc,
Ecrything Id locd and bcliccd so crcntly,
And didnt I sct out boldly atcr hin
Vithout a nurnur, likc onc whos lost his path
And is dircctcd to go anothcr way:
Uncxpcctcdly, thc two salicris, thc salicri o thc artistic inpulsc
and thc salicri o thc systcn, sccn to cntcr into an unlikcly alliancc.
It is salicri thc artist who hunbly rccognizcs Gluck as a grcatcr artist
than hinscl, thc rccalcr o dccp and captiating nystcrics. But it is
salicri thc rationalist who scizcs on this rccognition and dcduccs ron
it that thc path to glory is sinply to ollow in Glucks ootstcps. Ironi-
cally, i salicri could hac carricd out this plan, it would hac bccn a
ailurc ccn in a purcly carccrist scnsc: why should thc public want a
copy o Gluck, whcn it alrcady had thc original: It has bccn said that
thc rulc or a succcssul scqucl is that it should bc likc thc original, but
dicrcnt. In thc sanc way, onc suspccts that thc sourcc o salicris suc-
ccss is prcciscly that whilc dclibcratcly initating conposcrs grcatcr
than hinscl, hc is still cnough o an artist that hc unconsciously intro-
duccs sonc touch o his own inspiration. salicri hinscl, o coursc,
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docs not rcalizc this. Rathcr, hc sccs ccrything that hc achiccs as
ncrcly what hc has carncd through his work and study:
By conccntratcd, constant cort
Finally in thc unboundcd rcaln o art
I achiccd a high placc. Glory
snilcd on nc, in pcoplcs hcarts
I ound thc harnonics that Id crcatcd.
I was happy . . .
At this stagc, as salicri points out, hc ccls no rcscntncnt toward
his norc succcssul collcagucs. Lc sccs thcnas liing in thc sanc typc
o world, opcrating undcr thc sanc sort o rulcs, as hc docs, hc has
ccry condcncc that with norc cort, norc study, grcatcr nastcry,
hc can hopc to cqual thcn. Indccd, salicri indignantly rcpudiatcs thc
cry idca that hc could cny Gluck or Iiccini on thc grounds that such
cny would bc an insult to his own abilitics and dignity:
Ko! I nccr oncc clt cny thcn,
Ko, nccr!not ccn whcn Iiccini
icarncd to charn thc saagc Iaris audicncc,
Kot ccn whcn I hcard or thc rst tinc
Ihc opcning chords o I/ieoia.
Vho will say that proud salicri
Vas ccr a contcnptiblc cnicr,
A snakc troddcn powcrlcss undcroot,
ict hal-alic to bitc thc dirt and dust:
Ihc ull nagnitudc o salicris anbition, and thus thc dcpth o his hor-
ror at thc thought o its ailurc, is rccalcd in thc cxtraordinarily orcc-
ulncss and dctail o thc nctaphor hc uscs to dcpict his huniliation.
surcly it is no accidcnt that, in thc inagc o thc scrpcnt, hc cokcs thc
downall o thc grcatcst o all anbitionsthat o iucicr hinscl.
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,-
But now, or thc rst tinc, salicri is orccd into thc huniliating con-
cssion that thcrc is sonconc hc cnics, sonconc who hc rcalizcs can
do what hc cannot. As hc sccs it, ccrything which hc has workcd so
hard or, ccrything which hc should hac rightully carncd, has un-
airly bccn gicn to anothcr who did nothing to dcscrc it. ]ust as thc
Baron in I/e Misely Roi/: crics out at thc thought o his trcasurc
bcing inhcritcd by his idlc son:
Ko, rst sucr through piling up your own wcalth,
And thcn lcts scc i sonc unhappy nan
Vill conc and squandcr what you got by blood . . .
so too salicri is inuriatcd at thc thought that thc idlcr Mozart has ac-
quircd with no cort thc trcasurc hc hinscl nost dcsircs:
. . . But nowI say it nysclnow
I an an cnicr. I ccl cny, dccp,
Iorncnting cny. Ch hcacn!
Vhcrc is rightncss, whcn thc sacrcd git,
Innortal gcnius, concs not as rcward
For ardcnt loc and scl-rcnunciation,
iabor, zcal, diligcncc, and praycrs
But bcstows its radiant halo on a nadnan
Vho idly strolls through lic: Ch, Mozart, Mozart!
And it is just at this noncnt, as salicri concsscs his own bacd,
urious, inpotcnt huniliation, that hc hcars a aniliar oicc: Aha! You
saw nc! And I wantcd/Io gic you a surprisc anuscncnt. Mozart,
hcaring his nanc spokcn, has conplctcly nisundcrstood salicris no-
tic. Lc bcliccs that salicri sccs hin, is addrcssing hin in grcct-
ing, whcrcas cxactly thc rccrsc is thc casc: salicri would nccr hac
said such words as hc had just spokcn i hc kncw that his rial wcrc
thcrc. Cnc can inaginc salicri turning with a start and blurting out:
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Yourc hcrc!Vhcnd you gct hcrc: Lc could not bc lcss intcrcstcd
in Mozarts surprisc or ccn his prcscncc, cxccpt to try to nd thc
answcr to a qucstion hc docs not darc put dircctly: how nuch o that
huniliating concssion did you ocrhcar:
such crbal cross-purposcs, such a ailurc on thc part o cach nan
to grasp or corrcctly prcdict thc rcsponsc o thc othcr, charactcrizcs
thc intcrchangcs o Mozart and salicri throughout thc sccnc. Mozarts
surpriscthc pcrornancc o thc blind ddlcrarouscs in salicri,
not thc laughtcr Mozart cxpcctcd, but indignation. Mozarts own pcr-
ornancc, coning on thc hccls o what salicri rcgards as his display o
ulgarity, thcn astoundsand appallssalicri:
You wcrc coning to nc with that
And you could stop o at a tacrn
And listcn to a blind ddlcr!My God!
And thc ccstatic praiscs o Mozart with which salicri ollows this cx-
clanation arc clcarly not what Mozart hinscl cxpcctcd, as shown by
thc awkwardncss o his rcply: Bah! rcally: wcll, naybc . . . It is as
i thc two ncn arc spcaking not to but past cach othcr, cngagcd in a
dialoguc o thc dca.
Ihrough thcsc constant ailurcs to nd a connon languagc, thc
crucial dicrcnccs in thc two ncns undcrstanding o art arc rccalcd.
salicris rcsponsc to thc unintcndcd parody rcsulting ron thc blind
ddlcrs incpt pcrornancc is not sinply an cxprcssion o dislikc or
cntcrtainncnt gcarcd to thc low tastc o thc crowd. Ihc rcal sourcc o
salicris angcr, as will bcconc clcar in his sccond nonologuc, is that hc
sccs art nuch as thc Baron sccs his goldas a trcasurc to bc guardcd,
kcpt ron dcsccration by irrccrcnt or prodigal hands, whcthcr thc
thrcat to it is as triial as thc onc poscd by a poor blind ddlcr, or as
grcat as thc onc that, in salicris opinion, Mozart hinscl rcprcscnts.
For Mozart, by contrast, art can bc rccly spcnt, thcrc is no dangcr
that it will bc uscd up, or that thc aluc it contains will bc lost or dc-
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,,
bascd. Lc is not thc guardian o art, bccausc hc knows that art nccds
no guardian: that atcr thc incpt, thc ulgar, and thc ncrccnary hac
donc thcir worst, art will still rcnain. And with this consciousncss, hc
can aord to laugh at an unintcndcd parody.
But Mozarts laughtcr gocs dccpcr than this, as shown by his dc-
scription o thc piccc hc plays or salicri:
Inaginc sonconcwho:
Vcll, say nysclonly a littlc youngcr
In locnot all that dccply, but a littlc
In with a prctty girl, or with a ricndsay you,
In in good spirits]ust thcn a ghostly ision,
A suddcn gloon, or soncthing o that sort . . .
In light o thc sccond sccnc o thc play, wc rcalizc that thcsc words
o Mozarts dcscribc prcciscly thc position hc hinscl is in at thc no-
ncnt hc spcaks thcn. Ihc gaicty o his pastthc tinc whcn hc was
a littlc youngcralrcady draws to its cnd, his path has bccn crosscd
by a dark shadow, a ghostly ision. Ihc black nan has alrcady conc
to his housc, thc Reaieo has alrcady bccn connissioncd. And so,
as Mozart passcs thc tacrn, as hc hcars thc nusic hc crcatcd in his
carlicr days o joy, as hc is grcctcd by thc noisc and thc laughtcr o
thc crowd, hc ccls thc irrcsistiblc urgc to participatc in that gaicty onc
last tinc: Ihis thou pcrccist which nakcs thy loc norc strong, /
Io loc that wcll which thou nust lcac crc long. Mozarts laughtcr at
that noncnt is a laughtcr o arcwcll. Vhat thc blind ddlcrs playing
ncans to Mozart at that noncnt cannot bc concycd to salicri, not
only bccausc o salicris own linitations, but bccausc a ncrc rcpro-
duction o that playing would not concy to anyonc thc signicancc it
assuncs or Mozart. Ihat signicancc concs through only in Mozarts
own work. And salicri thc artist, to his crcdit, rccognizcs that hc has
hcard soncthing cxtraordinary:
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Vhat dcpth!
Vhat boldncss and what just proportion!
You, Mozart, arc a god, and you yourscl dont know it . . .
You arc a god: thcsc words again undcrscorc thc gul bctwccn
Mozart and salicri. Ihc inagc o thc artist as inspircd by a god, or as
thc scrant o a god, is onc o thc oldcst idcas in Vcstcrn art. Iush-
kin paid his own tributc to it in sccral works, notably thc pocn Ihc
Ioct ( . . .). But or Iushkin, thc glory bc-
longs to thc god and not to thc scrant. Indccd, whcn thc scrant is not
bcing guidcd by thc god, hc nay bc not ncrcly no grcatcr than othcrs,
but ccn incrior to thcn ( , /
, ). For salicri, thc artist is hinscl a god
rathcr than a nan, lct alonc an unworthy nan (). In placc
o Lcacn (which has procn to bc unjust and is thus discrcditcd),
salicri, thc nan o thc Enlightcnncnt, puts nans own will, dcpcn-
dcnt on no outsidc inspiration, rclying on its own rcsourccs to scalc thc
hcights. so ast a clain disconccrts Mozart, who pronptly disowns it
by pointing to his own all-too-hunan linitations: ny diincncss is
hungry.
Cnc can only inaginc what huniliation proud salicri nust sucr
at that noncnt: it is painul cnough that, carricd away or an instant
by his own rapturc, hc has inoluntarily gicn his rial such an acco-
ladc as hc has drcancd o all his adult lic, and drcancd o in ain, but
how nuch norc painul it nust bc that that rial, in rcturn, brushcs
thc prizc asidc as i it wcrc nothing. In that instant, thc plot orns in
salicris nind: iistcn, lcts hac dinncr togcthcr . . . And as soon as
Mozart is out o carshot, salicri inncdiatcly trics to ocrconc his hu-
niliation by an inpassioncd asscrtion that hc, too, posscsscs a rolc o
cnornous signicancc, indccd, that hc is thc choscn onc o history:
Ko! I cannot sct nyscl against
My dcstinyI an thc onc whos choscn
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,.
Io stop hinor clsc wc all will pcrish,
All o us, pricsts and scritors o nusic,
Kot only nyscl with ny cnpty glory . . .
Ihis outburst narks a atal shit in salicris hostility toward Mozart.
Bcorc, salicri only conplaincd o thc unairncss o Mozarts gct-
ting or rcc what hc, salicri, had to put in ycars o labor to achicc.
Kow salicri ully rcalizcs that thcrc is no way that hc can ccr cqual
Mozarts achiccncnts. Mozart is sinply too grcat a phcnoncnon to
bc caught within thc ncshcs o salicris systcn: what Mozart docs, no
nattcr hownuch onc analyzcs it, still has a nystcry at thc corc, it will
nccr bc ully graspablc and rcproduciblc. It cannot bc harncsscd and
put to usc by othcr nusiciansand what is not uscul, or salicris En-
lightcnncnt ncntality, has no right to cxist. Furthcr, sincc salicri has
conc to idcntiy his systcn with art itscl, that ncans that Mozart is
not an artist, but rathcr a orcc outsidc o art, ccn hostilc to art:
Vhat is thc usc i Mozart lics
And ccn achiccs still grcatcr hcights:
Vhat hc docswill hc clcatc Art: Ko,
It will all again whcn hc has anishcd,
Ko hcir o his will rcnain anong us.
Vhat usc is hc: Appcaring likc an angcl,
Lc brings us a cwo Lcacns songs,
And thcn, oncc hcs rouscd a winglcss dcsirc
In us, childrcn o dust, hc ics away!
Fly away thcn! And thc sooncr, thc bcttcr!
Ecn now, as salicri contcnplatcs Mozarts dcath, salicris own ar-
tistic naturc, his irrcsistiblc loc or Mozart, still concs through: hc
sccs Mozart as nolcss thananangcl, bringingthc nusic o Lcacnitscl
to ncrc nortals. such words gic onc a glinpsc o what thc rclation-
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ship bctwccn Mozart and salicri could hac bccn. Iushkins Mozart,
atcr all, is ncithcr an angcl nor a saint o thc wildcrncss: hc is a nan
cry nuch cngagcd in thc lics o thosc around hin, a nan who stops
in at tacrns, who tclls his wic not to cxpcct hinor suppcr, who plays
on thc oor with his littlc boy. so nuch has bccn said about thc dangcrs
o salicris asccticisn, its risk o losing touch with hunan rcality, that
it takcs an cort to rcalizc that Mozarts sociability also has a potcntial
ulncrability: with so nuch o his lic connittcd to pcoplc who likc or
ccn loc hin, but who as nonnusicians arc incapablc o apprcciating
thc inportancc o his art, hc hinscl is in dangcr o haing his icws
colorcd by thcirs, o triializing his work, o trcating it as ncrcly a
plcasant dicrsion or a way to nakc noncy. Ihis is onc tcnptation to
which salicri is innunc: with his inpassioncd, ccn iolcnt rcsponsc
to nusic, hc cannot acccpt an art o anything lcss than naxinal cx-
prcssicncss. Lis grcatcst tcrn o praisc is dcpth: hc adnircs Gluck
or rccaling dccp and captiating nystcrics, thc rst ccstatic words
hc uttcrs about Mozarts work arc, Vhat dcpth! Vhat boldncss! and
only atcr that, as a sccondary ncrit, docs hc notc thc works clas-
sicisnwhat just proportion! Mozart rccognizcs salicris uncon-
pronising, naxinalist approach to art: that is why hc trusts salicris
artistic judgncnt norc than his own, why atcr skctching out his idcas
hc concs to salicri to ask i thcyarc good. salicris artistic naturc nccds
Mozart, but Mozart also nccds salicrinot as a conposcr, but as a
listcncr. Ihc tragcdy is that to salicri in his pridc thc rolc o listcncr ap-
pcars a contcnptibly sccondary onc: thc angclic nusic arouscs in hin
not sinply joyand gratitudc but winglcss dcsircthc dcsirc hinscl
to asccnd Lcacn, a dcsirc which hc knows cannot bc graticd. And
i it cannot, thcn lct ccn thc joy o thc nusic bc gonc, so long as thc
torncnt o unulllablc anbition is rcliccd:
Fly away thcn! And thc sooncr thc bcttcr!
Lcrc is thc poison, ny Izoras nal git . . .
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,,
Vhat a prooundly disturbing inagc: this nccr-cxplaincd Izora,
sccningly thc only hunan bcing whon thc isolatcd salicri locd not
or arts sakc but sinply or hcrscl, and thc last git shc gac hin
waspoison. Vhoccr shc was, howccr thcy partcd, shc sccns to
hac undcrstood hinall toowcll. For salicris consuning anbition has
itscl procd to bc a poison, onc which has dcstroycd both his own
inncr pcacc and his rclations with othcrs, so that it sccns to hinthat it
would bc a snall stcp to conplctc physically thc ruin that has alrcady
occurrcd spiritually. But just as in his rst nonologuc salicri boasts o
thc scl-nastcry hc showcd in his study o nusic, so again hc takcs
pridc in thc scl-nastcry that stoppcd hin ron using thc poison:
For cightccn ycars Ic carricd it with nc
And otcn in that tinc I hac ound lic
An unbcarablc wound, and otcn I hac sat
At tablc with a hccdlcss cncny.
And, ycs, I hcard thc whispcr o tcnptation
But I didnt yicld, although I an no coward,
Although I ccl an injury dccply,
Although I loc lic littlc. still I waitcd.
And thcn, uttcrly uncxpcctcdly, likc Ian Karanazo, crocious, cn-
bittcrcd, bclicing in nothing and yct still passionatcly loing thc
thc sticky littlc grccn lcacs, salicri suddcnly rcncnbcrs his loc
o nusic:
Vhcn thc thirst or dcath torncntcd nc,
Vhy dic:I thought: it nay bc, lic
Vill bring nc uncxpcctcd gits,
Rapturc, it nay bc, will conc to nc
In a crcatic night o inspiration,
It nay bc sonc ncw Laydn will bring orth
Grcatncssand I will rcjoicc in it . . .
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But just as suddcnly as thc radiancc appcars, it disappcars, darkcncd
by salicris dcstructic pridc. Ihc sanc rcpcatcd it nay bc that had
bccn a phrasc o hopc and inspiration now bcconcs only a thrcat o
yct grcatcr huniliation, and thus grcatcr agony. And i salicri is not to
bc thc powcrlcss scrpcnt o his rst nonologuc, hclplcssly troddcn in
thc dust, hc nust at lcast rctain thc ability to rccngc hinscl on his
torncntor:
Vhcn I castcd with a hatcd gucst,
It nay bcI thoughta still worsc oc
Awaits nc, an injury still worsc, it nay bc,
Vill strikc nc down ron sonc proud hcight
Ihcn you wont bc in ain, Izoras git.
But ron salicris point o icw, thcrc could bc no injury worsc than
to thrcatcn to ocrthrow his systcn, on which hc rcsts his hopcs o
bcconing a grcat nusician. Ihc onc tinc whcn cithcr his pridc nust
bc dcstroycd, or hc nust usc his long-hoardcd wcapon, is at hand:
And I was right! At last Ic ound
My cncny, and at last a ncw Laydn
Vondrously has cnrapturcd nc!
Kow its tinc! chcrishcd git o loc,
For you to go today into ricndships cup.
Ihroughout thc nonologuc salicris dctcrnination to kill Mozart
has bccn clcar, but thcsc lincs introducc an additional possibility: a
nurdcr-suicidc. Ihc hopc o nding a ncw Laydn, atcr all, is what
has prccntcd salicri ron killing hinscl. Kow that that hopc has
bccn ulllcdonly to bc lost soon, oncc and or all, by Mozarts
dcathsalicris own notic or continuing to lic collapscs. And, as
V. Vatsuro points out, in Iushkins lyric pocns, thc tcrns thc ricndly
cup ( ) and thc round-robin cup ( )
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,
arc uscd intcrchangcably to rccr to a custonby which, as a gcsturc o
ricndship, a singlc cup would bc passcd around thc tablc or ccryonc
to drink ronin turn, and whilc thc norc natural placc or this custon
would bc at a ull-scalc banquct, it could also bc obscrcd by only two
pcoplc.
4
Ihis possibility o suicidc is so obliqucly statcd, in contrast
to thc brutal dircctncss o thc plot against Mozart, that salicri night
not consciously bc awarc o it. Kccrthclcss, salicris languagc clcarly
rcccts his rcalization, i only subconscious, that Mozarts lic and his
own cxistcncc as an artist arc intcrrclatcd, that to dcstroy onc in thc
nanc o his systcn is also to dcstroy thc othcr.
Ihc sccond sccnc, in thc tacrn, opcns with what appcars to bc a
rccrsal o thc rolcs o Mozart and salicri: it is salicri thc ascctic who
praiscs thc ood and particularly thc winc, it is Mozart who disrcgards
thcn. Instcad, Mozart is prcoccupicdnot prinarily with his own in-
pcnding dcath, although hc is acutcly awarc o that, but with his last
crcatic cort, his nal and grcatcst artistic asccnt. Fronthc cry no-
ncnt whcn hc hcars that an unknown nan has conc to his housc and
askcd or hin, Mozart scnscs that this is a turning point in his atc,
and lics awakc anxiously wondcring what it ncans: But all night I
thought: who could it bc:/And what was I to hin: And yct whcn
Mozart actually nccts this oninous gurc, and is told that thcrc is still
an artistic task or hin to pcrorn, Mozart docs not allow hinscl any
urthcr anxicty, but inncdiatcly gics hinscl up to his work:
I wcnt out. A nan drcsscd all in black
Grcctcd nc rcspcctully, ordcrcd ron nc
A rcquicn, and anishcd. I sat down
And bcgan to writc at oncc . . .
All o this happcncd thrcc wccks agobcorc salicri had orncd
his nurdcrous intcnt. And suddcnly wc rcalizc that salicri, who is so
condcnt that it is his dccision, his will, that controls thc coursc o
ccnts, is in act ncrcly an agcnt. Bchind hin, allowing hin to act,
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stands Fatc.Ihc sanc Lighcr Vill that incxplicably grantcd Mozart his
suprcnc artistry (unjustly, salicri would say) is nowjust as incxplicably
sctting a tcrn to his lic. And Mozart rccognizcs it:
. . . sincc thcn
My black nans nccr conc back to ny housc,
And In glad, Id hatc to hac to part
Vith ny work, although thc Reaieo
Alrcady is conplctc . . .
Vhydocs Mozart spcak o parting with his work: Atcr all, hc is not
in thc position o a paintcr or sculptor, who nust physically part with
thcir own crcations. Vhat a conposcr or a writcr produccs is an idca,
which hc docs not losc sinply bccausc it is thcn writtcn down, as thc
bookscllcr in Iushkins ABookscllcr Ialking with a Ioct (
) points out, sclling your nanuscript
docsnt ncan sclling your inspiration. Mozart is parting with his work
bccausc thc Reaieo was his last work not just chronologically, but
tclcologically: all that hcwas callcdupontodoinhis lictinc is nown-
ishcd, and hc knows it. Lcncc thc apparcnt inconsistcncy o Mozarts
rccrring to thc Reaieo as conplctc, whcrcas in act thc Reaieo is
not conplctc, and was nishcd by Mozarts pupil sussnayr. In Iush-
kins nythological rathcr thanhistorical approach, thc Reaieois con-
plctc bccausc it ought to bc conplctc, thc act is adjustcd to t what
or Iushkin is thc grcatcr truththat thc artist dics not at a randon
noncnt, not bccausc o thc spitc o lcsscr ncn or bccausc o casual
ccnts whichcouldcquallywcll hac happcncddicrcntly, but bccausc
thc noncnt o Fatc arrics: his work is donc, his tinc has conc. And
Mozart acccpts this with thc sanc hunility with which hc acccptcd his
git itscl: although hc spcaks o bcing continuously ollowcd by thc
black nan, hc nccr cxprcsscs car o this nan. such a ccling is ncrcly
ascribcd to hin by salicri, in a typical nisundcrstanding:
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,-
. . . Vhat childish car is this:
irop this usclcss brooding. Bcaunarchais
Uscd to tcll nc, Brothcr salicri, listcn,
Vhcn black thoughts conc to troublc you,
Iop thc cork on a bottlc o chanpagnc,
Cr rcrcad I/e Maiae of Iiao.
Atcr thc sinplicity and truthulncss o Mozarts words, this spccch
has so alsc a ring as to bc grating: can onc rcally inaginc salicri pop-
ping thc cork on a bottlc o chanpagnc: salicris notic is all too
clcar: incapablc o undcrstanding thc spiritual proccss going on within
Mozart, but awarc that Mozart is conscious that dcath is ncar, salicri
can only assunc that his intcndcd ictin has sonchow bcconc suspi-
cious. so salicri trics to distract thosc suspicions, to say soncthing hc
thinks will appcal to thc nan whon hc has dcscribcd as idly strolling
through lic. And or a noncnt, salicris words do indccd call back
Mozarts ncnory o his past lic. But that ncnory is alnost innc-
datcly ocrwhclncd by his acutc consciousncss o thc prcscnt atcul
noncnt, so that his thoughts abruptly shit ronncrrincnt to an ago-
nizcd qucstion:
Good! Bcaunarchais was atcr all your ricnd,
You wrotc thc nusic or his Iaaa,
A splcndid thing. Ihcrcs a noti in it . . .
I always think o it whcn I an happy . . .
ia la la la. . . . Ah, is it truc, salicri,
Ihat Bcaunarchais poisoncd sonconc:
salicris answcr, I dont think so, hc was too nuch a buoon/For
such a crat, suggcsts that hc, likc Raskolniko, is suddcnly ocrconc
by thc tcnptation to say soncthing pointing to his own guilt at thc
cry noncnt whcn his conscious plan was to try to look innoccnt. For
i a good scnsc o hunor nakcs onc unqualicd to bc a poisoncr, thcn
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salicri concrscly would ccrtainly sccnto bc wcll qualicd or thc job,
and salicris dcscription o poisoning as a crat () suggcsts
his carlicr dcscription o hinscl as a cratsnan (). Yct
Mozart ignorcs thcsc warning signsnot sinply bccausc o his naic
trustulncss, as sonc critics hac asscrtcd, but bccausc hc is prcoccu-
picdwitha nuchlargcr qucstion, onc that salicri has not addrcsscd. Lc
is not ncrclyasking whcthcr a spccic indiidual, Bcaunarchais, con-
nittcd a grcat crinc, but whcthcr it is possiblc or a gcnuincly inspircd
gurcwhcthcr Bcaunarchais, or salicri, or hinsclto connit a
grcat crinc. And hc concs to thc conclusion that it is not:
Lcs a gcnius,
iikc you and nc. And gcnius and crinc
Arc two things that dont conbinc. Isnt that truc:
Vith thcsc words, Mozart is ablc to acc dcath with cquaninity: his
lic has bccn wcll spcnt. Iushkin, looking back on his own lic in My
Cwn Monuncnt Ic Built, Kot Madc by Any Land (
), would onc day sun up his artistic
achiccncnt in noral tcrns:
,
,

.
[My ncnory will bc locd anong thc pcoplc long,
Bccausc kind cclings wcrc by ny lyrc awakcncd,
Bccausc in ny crucl agc, I praiscd Frccdon in ny song
And ncrcy to thosc orsakcn.|
sinilarly, Mozart, approaching dcath and looking back on his lic, is
ablc to say that hc has bccn a truc artist, and thus on thc sidc o right.
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Be:ayal of a Callio .,,
For whatccr thc indiidual aults o an artist nay hac bccn, art itscl
has always sought harnony and ncaning ccn in lics tcrrors and
crucltics, has always pointcd to soncthing crucial to hunan lic that
is aboc ncrc grccd and sclshncss.
such an opposition bctwccn art and scl-aggrandizcncnt is a clcar
i unintcndcd challcngc to salicri, or whon art has bcconc prcciscly
his orn o asscrting suprcnacy. And hc takcs up thc challcngc:
You think so:
(Ioas :/e oisoo io:o Moa:s lass.)
Vcll thcn, drink.
salicri is initing Mozart to stakc his lic on his bclics: or i (as Mozart
has said) salicri is a gcnius, and i gcnius and crinc/Arc two things
that dont conbinc, thcn Mozart would bc ablc to drink in conplctc
sacty. Ihc aggrcssicncss o salicris rcsponsc is cnphasizcd by Iush-
kins stagc dircction, throws thc poison or ings
thc poisonsoncthing that is dicult to cnision bcing pcrorncd
litcrally, but that at lcast cnphasizcs that salicris gcsturc has nonc o
thc urticncss that onc night cxpcct o a poisoncr, but is pcrorncd
boldly, in a barcly conccalcd nanncr. And Mozart takcs up thc inita-
tion unhcsitatingly: hc lits thc glass and pronounccs a toast:
Io your
Lcalth, ny ricnd, and to thc aithul union
Ihat binds togcthcr Mozart and salicri,
Iwo sons o harnony.
Ihc irony o thc ictin cxtolling his ricndship with his nurdcrcr,
thc contrast bctwccn thc gcncrosity o thc onc and thc nalignancc
o thc othcr, is alrcady so grcat as to bc alnost unbcarablc. Yct what
ollows it is ar norc wrcnching: Mozart gics onc o thc nost cxtraor-
dinary priilcgcs in thc history o nusicthc honor o bcing an audi-
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cncc o onc at his last pcrornancc, which is also thc only pcrornancc
hc will ccr gic o his Reaieoto thc cry nan who has owcd to
stop hin ron crcating any norc nusic. Again, it nust bc rcpcatcd
that this intcnscly tragic situation is not ncrcly thc rcsult o naictc
on Mozarts part. Ihc salicri to whon hc is spcaking and or whon
hc is playing, thc salicri whon hc ranks with Bcaunarchais and hin-
scl as a gcnius, ccn (who would hac thought it:) thc salicri whosc
tunc Mozart rcgularly thinks o /eo /e is /aythis salicri, salicri
thc artist, has as rcal an cxistcncc as salicri thc brooding, anbitious
rationalist-nurdcrcr. Indccd, thc strugglc bctwccnthc twosalicris is at
that noncnt so ccnly natchcd that at thc crucial noncnt, as Mozart
lits thc cup to drink, salicri alnost aborts thc cry crinc hc has so
carcully planncd, crying out, stop, stop, stop! In so tcrsc a play,
such a thrccold rcpctition undcrscorcs its signicancc. Ihcrc is only
onc way that linc could bc dclicrcd: in an outburst o uncontrollablc
agony. But thc dccd is donc, salicri sccs that his outcry has acctcd
nothing, and hc gics a tcrriblc sigh o nixcd horror and rclic: You
drank it. And thcn hc rcncnbcrs his carlicr plan to cscapc his own
horror at his dccd, by using ricndships cup or not ncrcly a nurdcr
but a nurdcr-suicidc, and rcalizcs that ccn that cscapc ron his own
inncr stric is no longcr opcn to hin. Mozart has dccd his cxpcctations
and thwartcd hin onc last tinc, and hc can only add rcproachully:
. . . without nc:
But thcrc arc a cw noncnts lct bcorc hc will truly bc without
Mozart, or thcrc is still thc pcrornancc o thc Reaieo. Anid thc tcr-
riblc disharnony o his own soul, salicri still trics to cling to this last
onc o Lcacns songs, this last ision o harnony:
Ihcsc tcars
Arc thc rst Ic shcdron pain and plcasurc,
As i I had ulllcd a burdcning duty,
As i thc surgcons knic had cut ron nc
Ihc part that sucrcd! Fricnd Mozart, thcsc tcars . . .
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Be:ayal of a Callio ..
iont noticc thcn. continuc, still nakc hastc
Io ll ny soul with sounds . . .
salicris agony and rclic spring ron thc sanc causc: that thc ratio-
nalist, thc nastcr o thc systcn, thc nurdcrcr, within hin has nally
gaincd a dccisic ictory ocr thc artist withina rclic bccausc it
nally cnds his inncr stric, but an agony bccausc part o hinscl has
bccn dcstroycd. Ihus hc spcaks o his tcars at that noncnt as his rst:
his carlicr tcars as a child, at thc noncnt o discocring his artistic
ocation, hac bccn oblitcratcd ron his ncnory, just as that oca-
tion itscl has bccn crushcd in his soul. Fron salicris carly dcstruc-
tion o his bclocd rst works, to his abandonncnt o ccrything Id
known bcorc, /Ecrything Id locd and bcliccd so crcntly whcn
hc bccanc a disciplc o Gluck, to his poisoning thc cry conposcr
whon hc locs aboc all othcrs and hails as thc ncw Laydnit all
orns a singlc trajcctory, which nally rcachcs its logical cnd: spiritual
scl-dcstruction. salicri nay plcad or thc nusic to go on, but Mozart
answcrs his plca with words, not with continucd playing. Music as a
sourcc o ncaning, o spiritual lic, or salicri has conc to an cnd.
struck by salicris cnotion, Mozart rcplics:
I only ccryonc could ccl thc powcr
C harnony likc you! but no, or thcn
Ihc world could not cxist, no onc would want
Io spcnd tinc taking carc o lics low nccds,
All would bc gicn ocr to rcc art.
Vc arc but cw, wc choscn, happy idlcrs
Vho look disdainully at pctty usculncss
And orn a pricsthood scring only bcauty.
Isnt that so:
Ihis spccch has bccn disdaincd by critics as concntional and unin-
spircd. It is truc that i it wcrc a rccstanding lyric rathcr than part
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o a drana, it would bc closc to thc gratingly supcrior tonc that nars
such Iushkinian lyrics as Io thc Ioct (!
. . .) or Ihc Ioct and thc crowd ( ). Ihc
orcc o this spccch concs ron its contcxt, as a rcsponsc to salicris
passionatc outcry, and as an outcry itscl, though lcss passionatc than
wistul: I only ccryonc could ccl thc powcr . . . Ihcsc arc unnis-
takably thcwords o a nan who knows what it is to sucr cstrangcncnt
ron othcrs. Vc arc accustoncd to thinking o Mozart as an casily ac-
ccssiblc conposcr, and indccd thcrc arc arias o his which could bc
(and probably hac bccn) playcd by a ddlcr in a tacrn. But wc orgct
that a nunbcr o his conpositions sinplyocrwhclncd his contcnpo-
rarics, and wcrc adnircd byonly thc cognosccnti. Iushkins Mozart
likc Iushkin hinsclkncw what it was to put his hcart into a work
and to nd no synpathctic audicncc. Mozart can tcll hinscl that nost
pcoplc spcnd nost o thcir tinc on thc busincss o naking a liing
and thus cannot bc cxpcctcd to apprcciatc nusic as an artist docs, or
that his isolation is a orn o honor, narking hin as onc o thc choscn
cw. But thcsc words ail to hac powcr prcciscly bccausc thcy arc at-
tcnpts to dcal rationally, logically, with a spontancously arising nccd
or spiritual kinship, a nccdsostrongthat atcr dclicringthcsc proudly
indcpcndcnt and ccn dognatic scntcnccs, Mozart inncdiatcly sccks
his intcrlocutors agrccncnt, adding, Isnt that so:
Mozarts willingncss to appcal to salicri as an cqual, as a nan who
can undcrstand hin, nakcs onc rcalizc not ncrcly howtcrriblc salicris
crinc is, but, ronMozarts point o icw, howincxplicablc, howtragi-
cally unncccssary. I only ccryonc could ccl thc powcr . . . For
Mozart, artistryor nonartistry rcduccs itscl to a singlc issuc: thc dcpth
andconnitncnt o oncs rcsponsc tobcauty.Ihcwholc qucstiono ar-
tistic ranking, o supcriorityand incriority, that obscsscs salicri ncans
nothing to Mozart. I onc could inaginc Mozart and salicri with thc
sanc pcrsonalitics, but with thcir dcgrccs o nusical ability rccrscd,
not only would a nusically incrior Mozart not nurdcr a nusically su-
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pcrior salicri, but thc cry idca that such a supcriority was a painul
huniliation to othcrs would not cross thc lcsscr nusicians nind. Io
ccl thc powcr o harnony strongly cnough, to rcspond to and crc-
atc as nuch bcauty as onc can, with as nuch skill and loc as onc can
bring to thc workit is that, not oncs spccic lccl o achiccncnts,
which in Mozarts icw nakcs onc an artist.
For Mozart, as or salicri, to bc an artist is to bc part o a pricst-
hood. But onc cntcrs this pricsthood not, as salicri inagincs, through
thc ncrit o oncs own hard work (indccd, thc rcal hard work is donc by
thosc taking carc o lics low nccds, in whosc cycs artists arc prii-
lcgcd idlcrs). Rathcr, this pricstly status concs ron thc choicc
onc nakcs: to loc bcauty norc or to loc soncthing clsc norc, sonc-
thing clsc that alls undcr thc gcncral hcading usculncss ().
For thc crowd in Ihc Ioct and thc crowd, thc usculncss ()
thcy dcnand is noral instruction. In anothcr contcxt, onc could casily
inaginc an ccononic bcnct as bcing thc critcrion o usculncss that
is to bc prccrrcd to bcauty. For salicri, usculncss inplics suitability
or incorporation into a nusical tradition that can bc studicd and cnu-
latcd, and thc rccognition that Mozarts nusic is ininitablc lcads hin
to ask, Vhat is thc usc () i Mozart lics. . . . Vhat usc is
hc: Ihc inportant point is not what spccic goal is undcrstood as
uscul, but rathcr what choicc will bc nadc whcn this goal concs
into conict with thc dcsirc or bcauty, or no onc can scrc two nas-
tcrs. Cnly thosc who arc willing stcadastly to rcjcct othcr goals and
scrc bcauty rst arc truc ncnbcrs o thc pricsthooda dcnand
stcrn cnough, Mozart rcalizcs, that cw will bc ablc to achicc it. Cnc
night hac thought that i anyonc could achicc it, it would bc thc as-
cctic, singlc-nindcd salicri. But onc who ccls littlc attraction to thc
pctty sins o thc csh nay bc all thc norc ulncrablc to thc sins o thc
nind and spirit, to anbition and cny. Io thcsc grcat sins has salicri
allcn prcy, whilc Mozart, dcspitc his willingncss to tric with distrac-
tions that salicri would nccr hac noticcd, nccrthclcss could say that
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hc had nccr scriously allowcd thcn to intcrcrc with his arta act
which ccn salicri would adnit. Mozart has bccn aithul litcrally unto
dcath, and now, haing conplctcd and pcrorncd what hc knows is
his nal work, at last hc is ocrconc by thc cxhaustion o his last cort
and thc ccr-incrcasing ncarncss o dcath:
But now I ccl unwcll,
soncthing wcighs nc down, I want to slccp.
Farcwcll!
Ihis nal linc (in Russian, ) is cxtraordinary. In kccping
with Mozarts rccognition o his own inpcnding atc, it is not thc ordi-
nary good-byc onc would usc with a pcrson whon onc cxpcctcd to
scc again in thc nornal coursc o ccnts, it is uscd only whcn onc cx-
pccts a prolongcd scparation, pcrhaps a pcrnancnt onc. But norc than
that, it has a sccondary ncaning o orgic nc. Ihc ictin, haing
nishcd all thc othcr tasks rcnaining to hin on carth, pcrorns a last
onchc asks orgicncss o his own nurdcrcr.
Against this nal act o hunility salicri hardcns his hcart. Rathcr
than answcr in thc sanc way, hc rcplics with a concntional good-
bycUntil wc ncct again ( ). Lis rcsponsc is purcly
that o thc nurdcrcr prctcnding that nothing is aniss, autonatically
lying lcst thc snallcst dctail bctray hin. Lc has undcrstood so littlc
o all that Mozart has said to hin that hc still rcgards Mozarts intu-
itic prccognition o dcath ncrcly as a suspicion o hin that hc nust
disarn. Cnc can alnost hcar his nalicious sign o rclic and plcasurc
at (as hc thinks) haing succcssully gullcd his ictin, as hc says atcr
Mozarts dcparturc, You will slccp/A long tinc, Mozart!
But onc thing Mozart said has pcnctratcd, and disturbs salicri:
But is hc rcally right
And an I not a gcnius: Gcnius and crinc
Arc two things that dont conbinc.
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Lc quickly rcachcs or a rationalizationIhats not truc: /Vhat o
Michclangclo:rccalling a lcgcnd that Michclangclo had killcd a
nan in ordcr to obscrc thc appropriatc cxprcssion or a painting o
thc dying christ. But at thc cry noncnt hc ocrs this cxcusc, salicri
hinscl suspccts its insincss: or is that just a ablc/C thc stupid,
scnsclcss crowd () . . . :
Io bc onc o thc crowd, not to bc a gcniusthis, or salicri, is a
atc worsc than dcath. But thc ncans on which salicri countcd to raisc
hinscl aboc thc crowdthc pursuit o a nusical systcn and his
willingncss to sacricc anything, or anyonc, thrcatcning itprocs to
bc prcciscly what brings hin down to thc crowds lccl. Ihc logical
inplication o Mozarts nal spccch is that salicris hostility toward thc
artist-idlcr and his prccrcncc or usculncss rathcr than bcauty
put hinon thc sidc o thc scnsclcss crowd rathcr than that o thc art-
ist. salicri hinscl, in his nal lincs, bcgins to rccognizc this sinilarity:
hc has acccptcd a story that Mozart would inncdiatcly hac rcjcctcd
(as hc rcjcctcd thc story o Bcaunarchais thc poisoncr), and that only
thc crowd would bclicc.
salicri did not drink ron thc poisoncd cup. Kccrthclcss, hc has
connittcd a nurdcr-suicidc, not physically but spiritually. In dcstroy-
ing Mozart, hc has also dcstroycd his own artistic scl, thc sourcc o
his inncr powcr. Ahcad o hin thcrc still lics a long licbut a lic o
cnpty ycars, dcoid o ncaning, its corc shattcrcd. Gcnius and crinc
hac indccd procn to bc two things that dont conbincand by his
actions salicri has nadc his choicc oncc and or all bctwccn thcn.
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Ihc Vcight o thc Iast: I/e S:ooe Gaes:
ur s or ours has arouscd ar norc controcrsy, cxprcsscd
in norc cxtrcnc tcrns, than any othcr o Iushkins dranatic works.
As i to ccho iona Annas qucstion to ion ]uanVho knows
you:radically dicrcnt intcrprctations o his charactcr hac bccn
ocrcd. For Blagoy, ion ]uan is a Mozartcan gurc, radiant and
lic-loing, boldly challcnging thc gloony, dcath-hauntcd world o
ncdical spain:
iiing, turbulcnt, triunphant lic, pcrsonicd in thc gurc
o ion ]uan, is constantly ocrshadowcd by a gloony ision
thc pcrsistcntly arising spcctcr o dcath. . . . But lic not
only constantly appcars in thc play sidc by sidc with dcath.
.c
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iic issucs a challcngc to dcath . . . cspccially in ion ]uans
initation to thc statuc o thc knight-connandcr to guard his
rcndczous with iona Anna. And throughout thc play lic
triunphs. Cnly at thc cry cnd docs dcath proc to bc thc
ictor, and ccn thcn, as in Mozarts opcra, it docs not hac
thc powcr to brcak ion ]uans spirit.
1
Ustyuzhanin sinilarly asscrts: Ihc dcad and soullcss world could not
orgic ion ]uan prcciscly or his lic hunan ccling. . . . Ihc Baron
[in I/e Misely Roi/:| pcrishcd bccausc hc had cease to bc a hunan
bcing, thc sanc iron agc acngcs itscl on ion ]uan bccausc thc hu-
nan bcing in hin had aa/eoe.
2
Rassadin, in his study o Iushkins
plays, gac thc chaptcr on I/e S:ooe Gaes: thc blunt titlc Iunish-
ncnt Vithout crinc.
3
All thrcc critics takc it or grantcd that ion
]uans procssion o a spccial loc or iona Anna is indccd truthul.
By contrast, scclcy sccs ion ]uan as a nixturc o child-likc artist and
pcrcrsc, conpulsic ncurotic who is charactcrizcd by a hcadlong
pursuit o his own cnds in total disrcgard o thc cclings and intcr-
csts o othcrs and argucs that ion ]uans pursuit o iona Anna is,
in act, just onc norc scduction.
4
Grcgg sccs ion ]uan as bcing in
thc proccss o alling sinccrcly, ccn irtuously, in loc with iona
Anna and rcgards ion ]uans challcngc to thc statuc as notiatcd
principally by a locrs jcalousy, but adds, Insolcncc, cruclty, and a
dcsirc or scl-punishncnt nay also bc inolcd.
5
Kcponnyashchy,
whilc conccding that ion ]uan is charning . . . spontancous as a
child . . . talcntcd [and| cloqucnt, nccrthclcss condcnns ion ]uan
as uncquiocally as Blagoy praiscs hin:
ion ]uan strodc to his radiant zcnith along a shancul path
(likc thc Baron and salicriatcr all, thcy also thought that
thcy wcrc pursuing loty goals) . . . iolating at ccry stcp not
so nuch diinc as hunan laws, subordinating ccrything clsc
to his I want. Ihc scrics o crincs o ion ]uan is crowncd
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by his initation to thc knight-connandcr. Rcgardlcss o what
thc connandcr nay hac bccn, ion ]uan is gibing at, nock-
ing, dcgrading a nanalbcit a dcad nanand insulting his
widow. Ihis cannot bc orgicn.
6
Ihus Iushkin, in thc third o thc littlc tragcdics, has sct us a nys-
tcry that, ocr a ccntury and a hal latcr, wc still cannot ccl wc hac
truly graspcd. Kccrthclcss, critics continuc to nakc thc cort. Vhat
ollows is onc possiblc intcrprctation o thc play, thc intcrprctation I
nd to bc thc nost consistcnt with thc tcxt and thc nost conpclling.
In turning to thc lcgcnd o ion ]uan as a subjcct, Iushkin was
placing hinscl in what was alrcady a long litcrary and dranatic tradi-
tion. By thc cnd o thc cightccnth ccntury, its ounding workIirso
dc Molinas El lalao e Seilla y cooiao e ie:a (Ihc Mockcr
o scillc and thc stonc Gucst)had inspircd two works o gcnius,
Molircs Le fes:io e iee (Ihc stonc Gucst) and Mozarts Doo Gio-
aooi, as wcll as a host o lcsscr initators. Cnc o thcn, a prc-Molirc
Le fes:io e iee by Villicrs, was apparcntly known to Iushkin, cithcr
dircctly or through a Russian or Iolish translation.
7
Anong Iushkins
contcnporarics, Byron had takcn up thc subjcct o ion ]uan, although
thc spcctacular plot twists and Europc-widc scopc o his narratic
pocn suggcsts ar lcss thc traditional story o proigacy and rctribu-
tion than a rc-inagining o how Voltaircs candidc night hac arcd
had hc posscsscd cxtraordinary scx appcal. closcr to thc traditional
orn o thc lcgcnd, Lonann wrotc a ncditation on Mozarts Doo
Gioaooi in thc orn o a short story in which it is supcrnaturally rc-
calcd to thc narrator that it was iona Annas truc dcstiny, tragically
thwartcd, to bc thc nal and rcdcnptic loc o ion Gioannian
intcrprctation that, it has bccn suggcstcd, nay hac acctcd Iushkins
conccpt o iona Anna.
Iushkin rctains thc basic plot o thc lcgcnd: thc rolc o ion ]uan
as a notoriously succcssul scduccr and thc horror o all right-nindcd
citizcns, his dcant initation to thc statuc o thc knight-connandcr
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whon hc has killcd in a ducl, thc statucs appcarancc in rcsponsc, and
thcir joint dcsccnt into thc othcr world. But within this rancwork
Iushkin crcatcs a uniquc ion ]uan. For Molirc and Mozart, ion ]uan
is a dclibcratc, aggrcssic challcngcr o thc laws o Godandnan. Iush-
kins ion ]uan docsnt acticly dcy thc law: hc sinply acts as i it will
go away i hc docsnt noticc it.
As thc play bcgins, wc scc ion ]uan rcturning ron cxilc (in a nod
to Byron, sccningly ron England)and why is hc rcturning: Bc-
causc hc was borcd thcrc, and, in particular, bccausc thc local woncn
wcrc boring. Ihat, or hin, is rcason cnough to shrug o a royal con-
nand and risk thc conscqucnccs. Cr, rathcr, hc cannot ccn inaginc
that thcrc will bc conscqucnccs: atcr all, nobody will rccognizc hin,
or, i soncbody docs rccognizc hin, hc surcly wont hac thc bad luck
to run into thc king hinscl, or, i thc king docs hcar about his rcturn,
surcly thc worst that will happcn to hin is that hcll bc cxilcd again
so what: ]ust as onc is about to disniss this ion ]uan as a thorough-
going lightwcight, suddcnly wc scc an cntircly dicrcnt sidc o hin.
Lc rcncnbcrs whcn hc was in this sanc placc bcorc, with a past loc:
ion ]uan: (Ieosiely)
Ioor Incz!
shcs gonc now! how I locd hcr!
icporcllo: Incz!thc black-cycd onc. . . . Kow I rcncnbcr,
For thrcc nonths you wcrc paying court
Io hcr, it was all thc dcil could do to hclp.
ion ]uan: ]uly it was . . . at night. I ound strangc plcasurc
In gazing at hcr sorrowul cycs
And dcath-palc lips. Its strangc,
You apparcntly didnt think shc was
A bcauty. And in act, thcrc wasnt
Much bcautiul about hcr. Lcr cycs,
]ust hcr cycs. And hcr glancc . . . Ic nccr sccn
Anothcr glancc likc that. And hcr oicc
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Vas quict, ccblclikc a sick wonans
Lcr husband was a worthlcss wrctch, and stcrn
I ound that out too latcIoor Incz! . . .
so ion ]uan, who is so hccdlcss o a conscqucncc tonorrowi it intcr-
crcs with his plcasurc today, is atcr all capablc, whcn a wonan docs
not inncdiatcly acccpt his suit, o courting hcr assiduously or thrcc
nonths. And Incz, this hcroinc out o Edgar Allan Ioc, with hcr pallor
and hcr haunting black cycs, with hcr dclicacy, so suggcstic o carly
doon, and thc nal hint that shc nct a tragic cndis this a wonan
whon onc would hac thought would attract ion ]uan, who had just
bccn singing thc praiscs o thc cry, carthy, ital woncn o Andalusia:
such an attraction suggcsts a dcpth in ion ]uan that hc hinscl docs
not undcrstand: hc can only rcpcat: I ound strangc plcasurc. . . . Its
strangc.
But i this passagc points to thc possibility o gcnuinc cnotional
dcpth in ion ]uan, it also indicatcs a disturbing irrcsponsibility about
thc conscqucnccs o his passions. Lis last two lincs suggcst that thc
jcalousy o hcr stcrn husband (ion ]uan latcr uscs cxactly thc sanc
cpithct or thc notoriously jcalous knight-connandcr) nadc hcr lic
niscrablc or ccncauscdor hastcncdhcr dcath. surcly, duringthc thrcc
nonths bcorc Incz surrcndcrcd to hin, ion ]uan could hac takcn a
noncnt to think about what night happcn to hcr i it bccanc known
or suspcctcd that shc had connittcd adultcry. Instcad, hc sinply takcs
thc position that hc could not hac bccn cxpcctcd to orcscc thc con-
scqucnccs: I ound that out too latc . . . Kccrthclcss, thc ncnory
o Incz is a rcproach to both nastcr and scrant, and both arc all too
willing to push it away quickly:
icporcllo: Vcll, so, atcr hcr canc othcrs.
ion ]uan: Iruc.
icporcllo: And whilc wcrc still alic, thcrcll bc still norc.
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ion ]uan: Also truc.
icporcllo: so what wonan in Madrid
Arc wc going to go atcr:
ion ]uan: Ch, iaura!
Ill hcad straight or hcr housc.
icporcllo: Ihats it.
ion ]uan: Ill walkright throughhcr doorandi thcrcs conpany,
Ill initc hin to nakc his cxit through thc window.
icporcllo: C coursc. And now wcc chccrcd right up.
icad woncn dont troublc us or long.
At this noncnt ion ]uan and icporcllo arc intcrruptcd by thc cn-
trancc o a nonk. Ihrough this intcrlocutor wc lcarn Iushkins cr-
sion o ion ]uans past, which dicrs signicantly ron Molircs and
Mozarts trcatncnt o thc rolc o iona Anna. Lcrc shc is not thc
daughtcr o thc slain knight-connandcr, but his young widow, and
whatccr was thc causc o thc atal ducl bctwccn ion ]uan and thc
knight-connandcr, it was not in dccnsc o iona Annas honor, bc-
causc ion ]uan has nccr sccn hcr. In this dialoguc, wc again scc ion
]uans uttcr absorption with lic in thc prcscnt: told that thc dcad nans
widowconcs ccry day to wccp at his tonb, ion ]uan rcplics, Vhat
strangc kind o widows this:/And not bad-looking: In ion ]uans
icw, it is inconcciablc that a wonan could continuc to nourn so
long ocr a nan who is goncunlcss, o coursc, shc is so lancntably
unattractic that shc could not hopc to nd a ncw locr. Ihc nonks
rcutation o this possibility is onc o Iushkins littlc nastcrpicccs o
charactcrization:
Vc anchoritcs nust not
Bc tcnptcd by thc loclincss o woncn,
But lying is a sin: a saint hinscl could not
iook unnocd upon hcr wondrous bcauty.
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Cnc can just scc thc good athcr, haing dclicrcd this scntincnt with
cycs piously rollcd hcacnward and just thc right anount o unctuous-
ncss, pausingtocngagc or a noncnt ina lcss-than-holythought about
iona Anna, rathcr likc Friar Iuck dcoutly crossing hinscl bcorc
taking a good chonp out o his capon.
such praiscs, ollowcd by a bric, tantalizing glinpsc o a hcaily
cilcd iona Anna, lcad ion ]uan to an inpulsic dccision: iistcn,
icporcllo, /In going to ncct hcr. icporcllo is appallcd at thc cry
thought:
Ihats just what wc nccd!
Vhat ncxt! Lcs bunpcd o thc husband
And now hc wants to scc thc widows tcars!
shanclcss!
But icporcllo rcads altogcthcr too nuch dclibcratc nalicc into thc ac-
tions o his nastcr. For ion ]uan, thc nattcr is sinplc: iona Anna is
bcautiul, shc is nystcrious, what is norc natural than that hc should
wishtoncct hcr: Ihc act that hc happcns tobc thc nanwhokillcdhcr
husband is sinply irrclcant to hinso why should it ncan anything
to hcr: Lowccr, no sooncr has ion ]uan nadc this dccision than hc
apparcntly drops it in aor o onc which can bc norc inncdiatcly
carricd out: thc noncnt has conc, atcr sunsct and bcorc noonrisc,
whcn hc cntcr thc city in thc rclatic sacty o darkncss, and hc scizcs
his chancc.
Ihc sccnc thcn shits to iauras rcsidcncc. In contrast to iona
Anna, whosc narriagc was arrangcd by hcr nothcr and who spcnt hcr
narricd lic always kcpt lockcd up insidc, iaura is a rcc wonan: rcc
to lic in hcr own lodgings, rcc to carn hcr own liing as an actrcss,
rcc to choosc ron anong hcr nalc adnircrs thc onc, or oncs, who
will rcccic hcr aors, or as long or as short a tinc as shc plcascs.
Frccdon, spontancity, is also thc crcdo o hcr artistic lic, whcn praiscd
by hcr gucsts or a brilliant pcrornancc, shc rcplics:
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Ycs, today ccry word,
Ecry gcsturc canc out wcll or nc.
I gac nyscl up rccly to inspiration,
Ihc words pourcd out as i thcy wcrc brought orth,
Kot by slaish ncnory, but by thc hcart . . .
iaura insists upon hcr conplctc rccdon o action to such a dcgrcc
that shc sinply takcs no rcsponsibility or how hcr words or dccds a-
cct othcrs. Vhcn onc o hcr gucsts bcconcs angry at hcr or cxprcss-
ing hcr adniration or ion ]uan, thc nan who killcd his brothcr, shc
rcplics: Is it ny ault, that constantly/Ihat nanc kccps coning to
ny tonguc: as i shc could not control what shc saidunlikcly or a
procssional actrcss.
Along with unlinitcd rccdonand spontancity, iaura alucs intcn-
sity: ocrlooking all thc adnircrs who hac donc nothing but pay hcr
concntional conplincnts, shc chooscs as hcr aoritc thc only onc
who has darcd to rcbukc and ccn insult hcr. For hcr, his angcr is thc
proo o a passionatc naturc, and thus attractic:
You, nadnan! You stay hcrc with nc,
Youc caught ny ancy, you rcnindcd nc
C ion ]uan, thc way you scoldcd nc
And clcnchcd your tccth and gnashcd thcn.
Ihis is thc sccond tinc that iaura has inokcd ion ]uan, prciously
shc had sung a song or which hc had writtcn thc lyrics. Lcr rclation-
shiptohcr aithul ricndandcklc locr is bascdnot solclyonscxual
attraction (although that ccrtainly cxists), but on a rccognition o thc
sinilarity o thcir alucs. For what nakcs ion ]uan hcroicor, i onc
prccrs, antihcroicis prcciscly thc strcngth o his passions and his
couragcous rcusal to acccpt any linitation on his rccdon and spon-
tancity. Io achicc his dcsirc hc is willing to risk any conscqucncc,
whcthcr it bc dcath in a ducl or condcnnation by lawand public opin-
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ion. Lc is not only a grandcc by blood, sonconc whosc acc would bc
known to thc king hinscl, hc is also a grandcc in spirit, a gurc so
conpclling and ncnorablc that thc cry idca that hc could disguisc
hinscl strikcs icporcllo as ludicrous.
But such powcr, which is adnirablc whcn it is acconpanicd by a
scnsc o noral rcsponsibility, rcadily bcconcs dcstructic whcn it is
nota point alrcady suggcstcd by ion ]uans rccollcction o Inczs
tragic atc.Vc arc again rcnindcd o his dcstructic sidc, as a nan who
has killcd anothcr and acknowlcdgcs no guilt ocr it, in thc sccnc with
iaura, whcn hcr adnircr ion carlos is idcnticd as thc brothcr o a
nan killcd by ion ]uan in a ducl. Vhcthcr or not carlos is thc brothcr
o thc knight-connandcr (thc point is unclcar), ccrtainly thc gloony
gucst in this sccnc plays a rolc rcninisccnt o thc stonc gucst o thc
lcgcnd, by warning this cnalc ion ]uan o thc conscqucnccs i shc
docs not rcpcnt. Ihc law o noral conscqucnccs that ion carlos in-
okcs, howccr, is not that o ncdical catholicisn, with its thrcat o
supcrnatural intcrcntion or thc ancs o hcll, but that o thc ancicnt
Grccks, that charactcr is atc and that onc cnjoys or cndurcs thc rcsults
o what onc has choscn to bcconc:
Yourc young now . . . and youll still bc young
For c or six norc ycars. Youll draw
Ihc ncn around you six norc ycars,
Io pay you court and gic you prcscnts,
Io sing you scrcnadcs at night,
And or your sakc to kill cach othcr
In darkncss at thc crossroads. But whcn
Ihc tinc concs that your cycs hac sunk,
Ihcir lids grown wrinklcd and discolorcd,
And your hair is strcakcd with gray,
And ncn start calling you old wonan,
Ihcnwhat will you say:
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Fronthcsc words, onc can picturc iauras atc as bcing cry nuch likc
that o thc cldcrly countcss in Ihc uccn o spadcs. Ihc count-
css, too, was a grcat bcauty in hcr youth, la Vcnus noscoitc whosc
dcnands and capriccs wcrc indulgcd by hcr nany adnircrs, but whcn
tinc had dininishcd hcr bcauty and habit intcnsicd hcr uttcr scl-
ccntcrcdncss, shc prcdictablycnds upall but orgottcnbythccrybcau
nondc that had oncc cclcbratcd hcr.
]ust as ion ]uan rcuscs to considcr thc possiblc unwclconc con-
scqucnccs o his unlawul rcturn to Madrid, or o his courtship o Incz,
so iaura rcuscs to considcr thc all-too-likcly uturc that ion carlos
points out to hcr:
Ihcn: Vhy should
I think o that: Vhat talk is this:
Cr do you always hac such thoughts:
conc to thc balcony. Lowcaln thc sky is,
Ihc air is warn and still, thc night is ragrant
Vith sccnts o linc and laurcl, thc noon
shincs radiant in thc dccp dark bluc,
And thc watchnan crics, A-a-alls wcll! . . .
And ar o, to thc northin Iaris
Icrhaps thc sky is gray with clouds,
cold rain is alling, thc wind howls.
But what is that to us: iook, carlos,
In ordcring you to snilc . . .
Ihcrc you go!
Unqucstionably iauras rcsponsc is bcautiul as poctry, but it is also an
casion. Ihc bcauty o hcr words is not surprising, according to iona
Anna, public opinion also dcscribcs ion ]uan as cloqucnt. Ihc dan-
gcr is that hc uscs his cloqucncc in thc causc o scduction. And what
iaura is doing is also unqucstionably scductionlcading ion carlos
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away ron what hc hinscl knows to bc right, as indicatcd by his rc-
sponsc o conbincd condcnnation and attraction: swcct dcnon!
And thus ion carlos, thc spokcsnan or thc law o noral consc-
qucnccs, hinscl bcconcs an cxanplc o it. Lc is awarc o thc dc-
nonic, dcstructic naturc o iauras attracticncss, yct hc chooscs to
stay with hcr. Ihc rcsults o so choosing against his own bcttcr judg-
ncnt bcconc inncdiatcly obious with thc cntrancc o ion ]uan. In
onc scnsc, ron ion carloss point o icw, it hardly nattcrs that thc
nan who cntcrs to stakc his own conpcting clain on iauras aor is
ion ]uan. Any nan who nadc such an cntrancc, at such a tinc, would
incitably prookc a ducl, duclling, as ion carlos has alrcady pointcd
out, is part o thc potcntial cost o bcing onc o iauras adnircrs. Ihc
only rcal dicrcncc nadc by thc act that thc rial is ion ]uan rathcr
than sonconc clsc is that whilc ion ]uan is rcady to ocr thc usual
courtcsics o thc duclling codc rcgarding tinc and placc (Ionorrow
Ill bc at your scricc), ion carloss hatrcd o this nan lcads hin
to nakc thc socially inappropriatc dcnand o a ght on thc spot, in
iauras roon. Ihis dcnand rccals thc thc ultinatcly shallowand scl-
ish naturc o ion carloss attraction to iaura: not only docs hc not
try to sparc hcr thc sight o possiblc bloodshcd, but hc disrcgards thc
dangcr o lcgal conscqucnccs to hcr i sonconc is injurcd or killcd
in hcr apartncnt. Lis lack o any rcal conccrn or iaura, howccr, is
norc than natchcd by hcr lack o any rcal conccrn, not only or hin,
but ccn or his succcssul rial. iauras rst rcsponsc to ion ]uans
announccncnt o his ictoryGct up, iaura, its all ocris not
rclic that thc ion ]uan (whosc praiscs shc was just proclaining only
a cw ninutcs bcorc) is still alic, but angcr at thc ncss hcs gottcn
hcr into:
Vhats this:
Killcd: Ihats grcat! And in ny roon!
so what do I do now, you shanclcss dcil:
Lowdo I gct rid o hin:
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ion ]uan again shows his irrcsponsibility by rcsponding with thc
suggcstion that naybc ion carlos isnt dcad atcr alla suggcstion
so scl-cidcntly contrary to thc acts that it only cncouragcs iauras
angcr. Forccd to adnit that hc has killcd his rial, ion ]uan sinply
shrugs: Vhat could I do: Lc askcd or it. For iaura, who is cqually
irrcsponsiblc, such an answcr is norc cndcaring than cxaspcrating, and
hcr angcr drops to a grunblc, a rcproach norc appropriatc to sonconc
who had playcd a bad practical jokc than sonconc who has just killcd
a nan:
Eh, ion ]uan,
Vhat a nuisancc. Up to your old tricks,
But nccr guilty . . .
Yct ion ]uans clain o not guilty is inncdiatcly undcrcut by thc
intcrchangc bctwccn hinscl and iaura which ollows, as hc tclls hcr
what wc alrcady know: that hc canc to Madrid dclibcratcly, dcspitc
his knowlcdgc that thc rclatics o his prcious ictinwould still want
rccngc against hin, and that hc spccically canc to scck out iaura,
dcspitc his knowlcdgc that shcwas not thc typc o wonan to pinc away
or an abscnt locr. Grantcd, hc did not know what thc spccic rcsult
o his actions would bc, but hc nccrthclcss chosc a linc o conduct
that ncccssarily inolcd thc risk o a iolcnt conrontation.
ion carloss atc thus is thc rcsult o thc charactcrs and choiccs o
all thrcc pcrsons inolcdinthc sccncanccnt that, i not incitablc,
was ccrtainly orcsccablc. Morc than that, it is a orcshadowing o ion
]uans own atc. Each nan is attractcd to a wonan whon his bcttcr
judgncnt (had hc listcncd to it) would hac tcll hinto stayaway ron,
and at thc noncnt whcn cach onc has just bcgun to cnjoy hcr aor,
hc is dcstroycd by a gurc out o thc wonans past who rccncrgcs as a
ronantic rial. ion ]uan, indccd, spcaks to iaura as i hc had a clain
upon hcr dclity: Low nany tincs hac you chcatcd on nc/Vhilc
I was gonc: shc, o coursc, rcuscs to yicld hcr rccdon, rctorting,
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Vhat about you, skirt-chascr: But hcr cry rcsponsc rcarns thc
bond bctwccn thcn: shc is his bccausc shc is likc hin. ion ]uan agrccs
to put o thc discussion o thcir past actions until latcr, a latcr
that, onc can bc surc, will nccr conc unlcss it is concnicnt to both
o thcn. For thc noncnt, all that thcy want is to gic thcnsclcs up
to thcir passiona passion that apparcntly is not ccn disturbcd by
thc prcscncc o ion carloss body, which ion ]uan docs not plan to
rcnoc until hc hinscl has to lcac, just bcorc it gcts light.
But ccn ion ]uan, or all his rccklcssncss, rcalizcs that atcr this
additional killing hc can no longcr ollow his original plan o cntcring
Madrid as i nothing wcrc wrong. Ihis, howccr, is no norc allowcd
to stand in thc way o his prciously arouscd intcrcst in iona Anna
than is thc ninor dctail (ron his point o icw) that hc is hcr hus-
bands killcr. Instcad, hc sinultancously cadcs thc lawand pronotcs
his courtship by disguising hinscl as a nonk in thc nonastcry whcrc
thc knight-connandcr is buricd. Lc is obliious to both thc ludicrous
sidc o thc situation (ion ]uan as a nonk!) and thc blasphcnous onc
(a laynan rcprcscnting hinscl as i hc wcrc in holy ordcrs and try-
ing to scducc a wonan in a catholic ccnctcry, i.c., on consccratcd
ground). All that conccrns hin is whcthcr his stratagcn will work.
And although it has startcd o pronisinglyccry day/I scc ny
charning widow, and shc, /It sccns to nc, has noticcdonc aspcct
o this budding rclationship disturbs hin:
shc should alrcady bc hcrc. Vithout hcr,
I think, thc knight-connandcr nust bc borcd.
Vhat a giant hcs bccn nadc into hcrc!
Vhat shouldcrs! Vhat a Lcrculcs!
Ihc nan hinscl was snall and puny,
I hc wcrc hcrc and stood on tiptoc,
Lis ngcrtip couldnt rcach to his own nosc.
Vhcn wc wcnt out bcyond thc Escurial,
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Lc stuck hinscl upon ny sword and dicd
iikc a dragony upon a pinbut still
Lc was proud and bold, and stcrn o spirit . . .
Ihis is a ncw tonc in ion ]uans oicc: hc spcaks o thc knight-
connandcr, not with thc courtcsy it bcts a grandcc to show to an
cncnyo cqual rank, but nockingly, snccringly, ccnulgarly. clcarly,
soncthing has stung ion ]uan, thc thought o thc knight-connandcr
in sonc way uncontrollably ranklcs hin. Lc rccals why in thc words,
Vithout hcr, /I think, thc knight-connandcr nust bc borcd. ion
]uan rcgards thc statuc as i it wcrc thc knight-connandcr hinscl, a
still-liing clainant o iona Annas acction. Ihc act that thc statuc
is ocrsizcd ttingly cxprcsscs thc way in which iona Annas husband
has conc to occupya largcr placc in ion ]uans consciousncss in dcath
than hc ccr did whilc alic. ion ]uan trics to dininish his rial (litcr-
ally and guraticly) by nockcry, but so ar ron succccding in doing
so, his disrcspcct strikcs ccn hin as cxccssica scnsc which orccs
hinto nakc unwilling ancnds in thc grudging tributc o thc nal linc.
signicantly, this is thc rst tinc ion ]uan has cxprcsscd jcalousy
o a rial. Lc has no apparcnt conccrn about iauras othcr locrs, pro-
idcd that thcy arc willing to nakc thcir cxit through thc window as
soon as hc arrics. Ihc thought o Inczs husband rouscs hin to indig-
nation, but not to jcalousy. Bycontrast, although hc has not yct spokcn
a singlc word to iona Anna, hc alrcady rcgards hinscl as haing a
clain on hcr cxclusic aithulncss, to thc point that hc is jcalous ccn
o hcr attcntion to hcr husbands grac. such an unprcccdcntcd ccling
on ion ]uans part gics substancc to his latcr clainto iona Anna that
his loc or hcr is dicrcnt ronhis cclings or all thc othcr woncn hc
has known. icspitc all thc cidcncc o his own past to thc contrary,
no doubt ion ]uan bcliccs it whcn hc tclls iona Anna that hc is prc-
parcd now to bc cxclusicly aithul to onc wonan: connand, and
thcn Ill brcathc/For only you.
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Ihis sanc noti o loc or iona Anna conbincd with jcalousy
toward hcr past spontancously rccncrgcs in ion ]uans inproiscd
rcsponsc to iona Annas initation to hin to pray with hcr:
I only watch you ron aar with rccrcncc,
And whcn your hcad is quictly bowcd down,
Black trcsscs spilling on thc narblcs whitcncss
Ihcn it sccns to nc an angcl concs
Io honor this grac with a sccrct isit,
And in ny troublcd hcart I cannot nd
Ihc words to pray. I narcl thcn in silcncc
And thinkhappy nan, whosc cold narblc
Is warncd by hcr cclcstial brcathing
And sprinklcd with hcr tcars o loc.
Iaradoxically, it is prcciscly this jcalousy that hclps ion ]uan to ap-
proachiona Anna. For iona Anna, too, is still cxtrcnclyconscious o
thc hold o thc past upon thc prcscnt, o what shc sccs as hcr husbands
clainupon hcr aithulncss ccn atcr his dcath. shc is, it would sccn,
not a conplctclyinconsolablcwidow: shc is not aboc noticingthat thc
sanc young and handsonc nonk has bccn in thc ccnctcry ccry day.
Indccd, shc is so intcrcstcd in spcaking to hinthat shc starts with a dc-
cidcdly clunsy opcning linc, asking orgicncss or disturbing hin in
his (prcsuncd) ncditationsand thcrcby, o coursc, disturbing hin
all thc norc. Kccrthclcss, shc strics to prcscrc thc inagc that shc
prcscnts to hcrscl and to thc world o an unwacringly aithul widow.
shc can cngagc a handsonc nonk in concrsation and at thc sanc tinc
rcgard hcrscl as aithul to hcr husband, bccausc shc is ncrcly asking
thc nonk to join hcr in praycrs or hcr husbands soul. And hcr rcaction
whcn ion ]uan concsscs that hc is not a nonk, and that hc is in loc
with hcr, shows ar lcss indignation cithcr at thc act that a suitor darcd
to approach hcr at all whilc shc was in nourning, or that hc rcsortcd
to a dcccption to do it, than car o scandal: And hcrc, right by thc
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grac! . . . I sonconc canc in! ion ]uans jcalousy o thc knight-
connandcr rcassurcs hcr that shc indccd is aithul and is pcrccicd as
such. And ion ]uan, urgcd on by his gcnuinc consciousncss o rialry
with thc dcad nan, is inspircd to thc crbal cxtraagancc o a poct-
inproiscr upon thc thcnc that shc has sct: to procss to rcgard hcr
as unapproachably aithul to hcr latc husband whilc at thc sanc tinc
paying a dctcrnincd courtship to hcr. Ihus hc dcclarcs hinscl an
unlucky nan, ictino a hopclcss passion, in contrast to that happy
nan at whosc tonb shc wccps, hc spcaks o dcath and burial as thc
only way o obtaining any aor ronhcr, ccn so littlc as thc touch o
hcr oot upon his grac, in contrast to thc attcntion that shc laishcs
upon thc knight-connandcrs tonb, hc asscrts that only i hc wcrc
nad would hc hac any hopc that his loc would touch hcr hcart.
such dcclarations arc soncthing that a dcout and dutiul young
wonan likc iona Anna has nccr bccn taught about and docs not
know how to rcspond to. clcarly, a wonan who asks a qucstion likc,
And hac you locd nc a long tinc: is not unwilling to hcar a pro-
cssion o loc, but upon rccciing an appropriatcly inpassioncd rc-
sponsc, shc is rightcncd. Vithout brcaking o this suddcnly cstab-
lishcd rclationship, shc trics to cxcrt sonc control ocr it:
icacthis is not thc placc
For such words and such nadncss. Ionorrow
conc to ny housc. I you will swcar
Io show thc sanc rcspcct to nc as now,
Ill rcccic you, but atcr night alls, latc
I hacnt sccn anyonc sincc thc day
Ihat I was widowcd . . .
Cnc cannot hclp but bc struck by iona Annas action: in a culturc
whcrc any rcspcctablc wonan would bc carcully chapcroncd, shc in-
itcs a nan whon shc barcly knows to hcr housc alonc, latc at night,
condcnt that dcspitc thc conpronising naturc o thc situation and
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thc obious tcnptation it proidcs, hc will show hcr rcspcct and rc-
gard hcr as iniolablc. Unlcss onc assuncs, as icporcllo docs, that shcs
a conplctc hypocritc (Ch widows, yourc all thc sanc), thc only
possiblc cxplanations or such astonishing conduct sccn to bc cithcr
that shc is so uttcrly naic, so unaniliar with thc powcr o scxual pas-
sion, that shc docsnt rcalizc what shc nay bc gctting into, or that shc
is sinply too wcak a charactcr, too casily doninatcd, to bc ablc to dc-
cisicly rcusc a nan as dctcrnincd as ion ]uan. Iruc, no sooncr docs
shc nakc this pronisc than shc bcconcs rightcncd by thc position hcr
unaskcd-or suitor has put hcr in, and trics to gct rid o hinby waing
hcr picty in his acc, but at thc sanc tinc, shc docsnt want to rctract
hcr ocr:
iona Anna: Kow lcac nc.
ion ]uan: Cnc ninutc longcr.
iona Anna: Ko, thcn clcarly I nust go. . . . Bcsidcs, ny praycrs
Lac conplctcly slippcd ny nind. You distractcd nc
Vith worldly spccchcs, to which ny cars
Lac long bccn unaccustoncd.Ionorrow
I will rcccic you.
snall wondcr that such a nan o thc world as ion ]uan, cithcr not
undcrstanding or brushing asidc iona Annas scruplcs, rcccics hcr
ocr in a rathcr dicrcnt spirit than shc would rcgard it as haing bccn
nadc, and boasts to icporcllo o haing obtaincd a rcndczous.
In rcply, icporcllocidcntly as coninccd o thc knight-con-
nandcrs prcscncc in thc orno his statuc as his nastcr isrcplics,
And thc knight-connandcr: Vhatll hc hac to say: ion ]uan rc-
assuncs his carlicr tonc o scong at his rial:
Vhat do you thinkhcs going to bc jcalous:
Kot likcly, hcs a rcasonablc nan
And probably has coolcd o sonc atcr dying
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Ihcsc words hac a particularly jarring ring coning ron thc nan rc-
sponsiblc or that dcath. But thc nan whon ion ]uan hinscl had
to acknowlcdgc as proud and bold, and stcrn o spirit cannot bc
disnisscd so casily. icporcllo pcrsists in his car o thc knight-con-
nandcr, insisting that thc statuc looks angry. At this point, whcn ion
]uan is passionatcly cxcitcd at thc thought that iona Anna is alnost
his, hc ccls that hc has bccn rcnindcd quitc cnough o thc obstaclc
that thc thought o hcr dcad husband prcscnts. Vith charactcristic in-
pulsicncss and audacity, ion ]uan dccidcs to brcak thc hold that in
spitc o hinscl thc statuc has gaincd ocr his inagination, by yiclding
to that hold and thcrcby, as hc anticipatcs, dcnonstrating its ncaning-
lcssncss. Lc will trcat thc statuc as i it truly wcrc a liing bcing, his
rial, and issuc it a challcngc: to stop hinronclaining iona Anna as
his own. And whcn, as hc cxpccts, thc statuc ails to do any such thing,
hc will hac dcnonstratcd to hinscl oncc and or all that it is ncrcly
a liclcss, powcrlcss objcct, that thc spirit o thc knight-connandcr
cannot stand in thc way o his uturc happincss.
icporcllo, who has no norc couragc than onc would cxpcct ron
sonconc holdingthc traditionally unhcroic position o alct, takcs this
challcngc at acc aluc: supposc thc statuc rcally docs conc: An in-
uriatcd husband is, no doubt, soncthing icporcllo has sccn ion ]uan
dcal with bcorc, but what dccnsc is thcrc against thc spirit o a dcad
nan, inhabiting a body nadc not o csh and blood, but o stonc: In
an attcnpt to protcct hinscl against whatccr rctribution thc statuc
nay cxact, icporcllo carcully addrcsscs it in as courtcous a nanncr
as possiblc, thus naking a wondcrully inappropriatc contrast with thc
studicdly insulting ncssagc hc has bccn ordcrcd to concy:
Most glorious and handsonc statuc!
My lord ion ]uan rcspcctully rcqucsts
Ihc plcaurc o your conpany. . . . My God, I cant,
In too araid.
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Cnly thc act that thc scrant is norc araid o thc rcal and tangiblc
thrcats nadc by his nastcr than o a aguc and potcntial supcrnatural
dangcr induccs hin to concy thc initation to thc statuc at all, and
whcn it conrns his drcad by naking an actual rcsponscnodding its
hcadhc collapscs in shricks o tcrror.
I, ccn bcorc icporcllos outcry, ion ]uan was alrcady angcrcd
by thc sccningly incxplicablc powcr o this dcad nan who sonchow
could not bc orgottcn, icporcllos tcrricd acknowlcdgncnt o that
powcr drics ion ]uan to an cxtrcnc o dctcrnincd ury. Brushing
his scrant asidc, ion ]uan stcps up to thc statuc and issucs his chal-
lcngc, not in thc grandcc-to-grandcc tonc hc uscd with ion carlos
(Ionorrow Ill bc at your scricc), but with thc snccr o a tccnagc
boy naking a darc:
I rcqucst, knight-connandcr, that you pay
A isit to your widow, whcrc Ill bc tonorrow,
And stand guard at thc door. Vcll: Arc you coning:
Ihc statucs nod in rcsponsc staggcrs ion ]uan or a noncnt, and hc
crics, Ch God! But thcn hc rcgains his scl-posscssion sucicntly to
rcsunc his usual ncthod o dcaling with unwclconc occurrcnccs
by ignoring thcn. Lc tclls icporcllo sinply, icts go, and oncc thcy
no longcr hac thc rcnindcr o thc statucs prcscncc in ront o thcn,
not a word will bc spokcn about thc cxtraordinary sign thcy hac both
witncsscd.
Low is it possiblc that a nan who had rcccicd such a warning
would go through with his plan to win iona Anna: In this lics thc
csscncc o thc littlc tragcdics: cach onc is an cxanination o thc typc
o singlc-nindcd, scl-willcd passion that blinds a pcrson, so that thc
warnings o rcason and conscicncc arc cqually powcrlcss, and thc path
o scl-dcstruction is dclibcratclychoscn. ion ]uans passion or iona
Anna, his dctcrnination to nakc hcr his own, is so grcat that no thrcat,
not ccn a supcrnatural onc, will kccp hin ron thc rcndczous.
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I/e Hei/: of :/e Ias: .-
Initially, ion ]uan and iona Anna takc up positions unchangcd
ron thc day bcorc: iona Anna is clcarly plcascd to listcn to thc
adoring spccchcs o ion iicgo, but still dctcrnincdly naintains hcr
aithulncss to hcr dcad husband, ion ]uan is still lct to thc unsat-
isactory rolc o rial with that happy dcpartcd onc who won what
hcr ncw suitor can only drcan o. Vhcn iona Anna cxplains that hcr
narriagc to thc wcalthy ion Alarowas arrangcd by hcr nothcr, ion
]uan rcplics:
Lappy nan! hc laid his cnpty trcasurcs
At thc cct o a goddcss, and or that
Lc tastcd hcacnly bliss! Ch, i only
Id known you thcn, how rapturously
My rank, ny wcalth, ccrything I had,
Id hac gicn or onc aorablc glancc.
I would hac bccn a slac to your sacrcd will,
Your ccry whin I would hac closcly studicd,
Io ulll it in adancc, so that your lic
Vould hac bccn cnchantncnt nccr-cnding.
Alas!Fatc dccrccd othcrwisc or nc.
Cnc can inaginc thc appcal such words would hac to a wonan likc
iona Anna, whosc wholc lic has bccn arrangcd, rst by hcr nothcr
and thcn by hcr husband, and who has nccr bccn in a situation whcrc
hcr own will was paranount. Lis suggcstion that a ncwworld o scxual
and pcrsonal rccdon could bc opcn to hcr is dccply cnticing and at
thc sanc tinc prooundly contrary to hcr strong scnsc o propricty.
Lcr rcply, although noninally addrcsscd to ion iicgo, is in act an
cxhortation to hcrscl, an attcnpt to ocrconc thc tcnptation poscd
by hcr suitor, not only by inoking hcr duty, but also by arguing to
hcrscl that no ncw locr could ocr hcr norc than hcr dcotcd hus-
band had:
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.-c Ci:ical Essays
iicgo, stop it, whcn I listcn to you,
I connit a sinI nustnt loc you,
A widow nust bc aithul to thc grac.
I only you kncw how nuch ion Alaro
iocd nc! Ch, surcly ion Alaro
Vouldnt hac rcccicd an cnanourcd lady
I hcd bccn widowcd.Lcd hac bccn aithul
Io spousal loc.
Again and again ion ]uan concs up against thc sancwall: iona Anna
is attractcd to hin, shc has all but allcn in loc with hinand yct
always his dcad rial, thc knight-connandcr, stands in thc way.
In rcsponsc, ion ]uan boldly dccidcs to go or all or nothing, to
orcc iona Anna to choosc bctwccn thcn. so ar, ion ]uans incog-
nito as iicgo has allowcd iona Anna to ncssc thc issuc o which
nan, hcr dcad husband or hcr ncw would-bc locr, has hcr ultinatc
loyalty. But i shc knows that hcr suitor is also hcr husbands killcr, thcn
incitably shc nust dccidc whcrc hcr loyalty lics. such a rcclation,
o coursc, cannot sinply bc blurtcd out. Instcad, ion ]uan nakcs his
rst noc with a carcully calculatcd slip, by adding to his rccurring
statcncnts o jcalousy a ncw thcnc, that o guilt:
io not torncnt ny hcart,
iona Anna, by this ctcrnal ncntioning
C your husband. Youc punishcd nc cnough,
Ihough pcrhaps thc punishncnts dcscrcd.
Ihc rst thing that iona Anna cars in rcsponsc to this aguc adnis-
sion o guilta rccction, no doubt, o hcr own uncasy conscicncc
is that iicgo is bcing unaithul:
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I/e Hei/: of :/e Ias: .--
Ihcrc arc no holy bonds uniting you
Io any othcrisnt that so: Vhcn you loc nc,
You do no wrong to nc or in Lcacns cycs.
ion ]uans rcplyIo you! God!inplicitly dcclarcs that his guilt
is not that o adultcry (a wrong . . . in Lcacns cycs). Yct by rcusing
to condc in iona Anna, by suggcsting that thcrc is sonc circun-
stancc that could part thcn, ion ]uan arouscs iona Annas car o
losing this ncwadnircr. shc thus trics to hold on to hinbyconnitting
hcrscl to hin norc dccply: shc proniscs iicgo that, i hc will tcll
hcr thc truth, shc will orgic hin anything in adancc. Lowccr, shc
nakcs this pronisc thoughtlcssly, supposing that in act thcrc is littlc
to orgic:
And howcould you hac injurcd nc:
I didnt know youI hac no cncnics
And nccr had any. My husbands killcr
Is thc only onc.
ion ]uan, thoroughly in connand o thc wholc concrsation and rcc-
ognizing this as thc crucial noncnt, takcs adantagc o his incognito
to probc iona Annas cclings towards hcr husbands killcr:
ion ]uan: In your hcart
io you nursc hatc or hin:
iona Anna: As honor dcnands.
But yourc trying to distract nc
Fron ny qucstion, ion iicgo
I ordcr . . .
ion ]uan: Vhat i you should chancc
Io ncct ion ]uan:
iona Anna: Id plungc ny daggcr
Into thc illains hcart.
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.- Ci:ical Essays
such purcly abstract hatc or a nan whon iona Anna has nccr nct,
notiatcd sinply by social concntion (what honor dcnands), is
clcarly no norc than a rhctorical thrcat, and ion ]uan unhcsitatingly
calls iona Annas blu: iona Anna, /Vhcrcs your daggcr: Lcrcs
ny brcast.
iona Anna is stunncd by this adnission, paralyzcd by thc suddcn-
ncss with which shc is placcd bctwccn unwclconc altcrnatics: cithcr
to rcjcct thc suitor who has alrcady gaincd so powcrul a hold on hcr
cclings, or to condonc thc dcath o hcr husband. And ion ]uan, play-
ing winncr takcs all, orccs thc choicc on hcr as bluntly as possiblc, by
dcnying any nitigating circunstanccs or his actions:
I killcd
Your husband, and I dont rcgrct it
And thcrcs no rcpcntancc in nc.
Cnly whcn iona Anna aints docs ion ]uan rcalizc that hc has pushcd
hcr too hard, and trics to rcsunc his carlicr pcrsona: your iicgo/
Your slac is at your cct. Rccrsing his dcancc o noral ccnsurc,
his abscncc o rcpcntancc, hc now prcscnts hinscl as a nan ncwly
conscious o thc cil hc has donc and rcady to rcorn:
Ko doubt youc hcard hin spokcn o
As a crininal, a nonstcr. iona Anna,
Ihc storics, it nay bc, arc partly truc,
My wcary conscicncc, nay bc, bcars thc burdcn
C a hcay load o cil. Indccd, I hac
iong ollowcd willingly thc path o icc,
But sincc thc noncnt whcn I rst saw you,
It sccns to nc that I hac bccn rcborn.
In loing you, Ic conc to loc thc good,
And hunbly, or thc rst tinc in ny lic,
I bcnd ny trcnbling knccs bcorc it.
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I/e Hei/: of :/e Ias: .-,
At this point iona Anna nakcs thc nistakc (to bc ollowcd by gcn-
crations o litcrarycritics) o allowing ion ]uans words to scrc as thc
springboard or an arguncnt ocr whcthcr his clainto bc concrtcd to
irtuc, rcborn, is gcnuinc or ncrclya scduccrs ploy, and whcthcr his
loc or iona Anna ncans norc tohinthananyo his othcr ronanccs.
such a discussion, howccr, obscurcs thc undancntal issuc. For all his
procsscd dcotion to irtuc, ion ]uan still ails to acknowlcdgc onc
o thc nost basic laws o thc noral unicrsc: that lic is not a bank-
ruptcy court in which onc can hac all oncs dcbts orgicn and start
again with a clcan slatc, that no nattcr how sinccrcly onc rcpcnts o
oncs wrongdoing, thc conscqucnccs o that wrongdoing nccrthclcss
nust bc bornc. It is this rcalization whih undcrlics Rcncnbrancc
(), a pocn writtcn by Iushkin two ycars bcorc thc
littlc tragcdics, which cnds with thc lincs:
Rclcntlcss Mcnory will wordlcssly unwind
Lcr long, long scroll or ny inspcction,
Vith loathing I pcrusc thc rccord o ny ycars,
I cxccratc, I quail and altcr,
I uttcr bittcr plaints, and hotly ow ny tcars,
But thosc sad lincs I cannot altcr.
8
It would bc possiblc or ion ]uan to rcpcnt thc knight-connandcrs
dcath (although, by his own adnission, hc docs not), and or iona
Anna to orgic hin. But thc dcath itscl is an unchangcablc act, and
no nattcr how sinccrcly or irtuously ion ]uan nay loc iona
Anna or iona Anna nay loc hin, thcrc is a norally inpassiblc barricr
bctwccn a killcr and thc widowo his ictin.
For a noncnt, iona Anna rcalizcs this, as shc tclls ion ]uan, Ah,
i only I could hatc you! /But all thc sanc wc hac to part. But no
sooncr docs shc say this than, likc ion carlos, dcspitc hcr own knowl-
cdgc o thc dangcr and dishonor o hcr actions, shc allows hcrscl to
surrcndcr to thc lurc o thc swcct dcnon. shc ocrs no rcsistancc to
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.c Ci:ical Essays
ion ]uans straightorward dcnand (it can hardly bc callcd a rcqucst)
or anothcr rcndczous thc ollowing night, bcyond nurnuring, Ch
ion ]uan, how wcak o hcart I an. ion ]uan, taking adantagc o
hcr willingncss to yicld, pushcs ahcad, asking or a kiss to scal your
pardon. iona Anna, wcll awarc that it is not cxactly christian or-
gicncss that hc is sccking, still docs not rcusc hin, but only trics to
cadc his rcqucstIts tinc now, go. In rcsponsc, ion ]uan trics
to prcscnt what hc is asking or, not as thc noncntous dccision o
rcjccting hcr dcad husband in aor o thc nan who killcd hin, but
as soncthing so triial that it would hardly bc worth ncntioning: A
singlc kiss, cold, pcaccul . . . And iona Anna oncc again gics in
indccd, shc now picks up ion ]uans trick o laying thc blanc or hcr
own choiccs on othcrs, spcaking as i hc had sonchow orccd hcr to
gic hin a kiss: Low inportunatc you arc! Vcll, thcrc it is.
At this noncnt, it appcars, ion ]uan is triunphant. Ihc noral law
that actions hac conscqucnccs, it sccns, has bccn ocrconc through
his dctcrnination to orgct thc past, and his ability to pcrsuadc iona
Anna to do likcwisc. And thcn, at thc cry instant o ion ]uans tri-
unph, thc banishcd past rcasscrts its powcr: thc statuc o thc knight-
connandcr cntcrs.
Ihis is thc crucial noncnt o thc play, as indicatcd by its cry titlc,
which is not Doo )aao, but I/e S:ooe Gaes:. Fron thc noncnt o its
cntrancc, thc statuc is a conplctcly doninating prcscncc, incapablc
o bcing rcsistcd and indicrcnt to any rcsponsc ion ]uan nay ocr.
ion ]uans conccrn or thc allcn iona Anna is disnisscd with thc
abrupt connand, icac hcr (thc Russian is just as tcrsc and jar-
ring: ). ion ]uan, to his crcdit, initially rcsponds coura-
gcously to thc statucs appcarancc, rccly obcying its connand, Gic
nc your hand, but his bracry has no ccct on thc coursc o action.
Vhcn his couragc ails and hc trics to withdraw his hand, crying,
icac nc alonc, lct golct go o nc, his words arc ignorcd. In con-
trast to Mozarts conncndatorc, whosc nal unhccdcd dcnand or
ion ]uans rcpcntancc clcarly rcccts a christian outlook, thc spccch
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I/e Hei/: of :/e Ias: ..
and actions o Iushkins knight-connandcr suggcst thc inpassic-
ncss and incxorability o an agcnt o Fatc.
Ihc atc which thc statuc rcprcscnts, howccr, is not a randononc,
but thc cry atc which ion ]uan hinscl initcd: You badc nc, I
hac conc. As thc niscrly knight is dcstroycd by thc sinultancous
dcnands o two inconpatiblc dcsircshis all-consuning passion or
gold and his wish to bc rcspcctcd as a knightso, too, ion ]uan bc-
concs thc ictino his own inpossiblc dcnands. Unwacringly, ron
thc plays bcginning until its cnd, ion ]uan clains thc right to or-
gct thc past, to ignorc unwclconc circunstanccs, to bc cxcnpt ron
thc conscqucnccs o his actions. At thc sanc tinc, oncc hc has allcn
in loc with iona Anna, hc lays clain to hcr cxclusic dclity, and
procsscs thc sanc dclity in rcturn. But dclity ncans that a choicc,
oncc nadc, will bc adhcrcd to, whatccr its conscqucnccs. Indccd,
iona Anna asscrts that dclity should bc unacctcd ccn by dcath:
A widow should bc aithul to thc grac. Ihis cxtrcnc icw con-
tains a kcrncl o truth: a rcnarricd widow (or widowcr) who docs not
prcscrc thc ncnory o thc orncr spousc, but rathcr trics to dcny or
oblitcratc it, is in ccct connitting an act o posthunous bctrayal. It
is prcciscly such a bctrayal into which ion ]uan wishcs to lurc iona
Anna, or only by dcnying hcr husbands ncnory could shc acccpt his
killcr as hcr locr. ion ]uan still rcuscs to acccpt rcsponsibility or
his own past action by acknowlcdging that hc can hac no rightul
clain upon iona Anna, but hc docs ccl guilt and uncasc about thc
insult that his planncd scduction will inict upon thc ncnory o thc
knight-connandcr. Lis initation to thc statuc is thus an act o bra-
ado, an attcnpt to silcncc his own qualns. But instcad o cscaping his
guilt, hc is dcstroycd by it. For, as studcnts o history and psychology
both know, whcn a dcnicd and buricd past is again acknowlcdgcd and
sunnoncd, it nay wcll turn out, likc thc dcad knight-connandcr, to
posscss a powcr grcatcr than that o thc liing.
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surial and Mcnory:
. Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae
or i s rxrrn to say that . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae could bc
norc dcscripticly cntitlcd . Dela:e Daio :/e Ilaae. Its charactcrs
do not sinply gic thcnsclcs up to rcclry as a ncans o orgctting
about thcir own dangcr, likc thc storytcllcrs o Boccaccios Decaoeoo.
Rathcr, thcir thoughts constantly rcturn to a singlc qucstion: what is
thc rcsponsc o an indiidual to a catastrophc that has cnclopcd thc
connunity as a wholc but hc or shc pcrsonally has so ar cscapcd: Is it
possiblc to sac oncscl by turning oncs back on thc dooncd connu-
nity, or docs oncs own hunanity dcnand solidarity with othcr hunan
bcings ccn in thcir agony: And what bondi anyrcnains bc-
twccn thc sacd and thc lost, thc liing and thc dcad: Ihc cry inagc
..
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Saial ao Meooy .,
o a cast during thc Ilaguc poscs this qucstion: or a cast, a con-
nunal ncal, rcccts thc hunan nccd or socicty, and yct this snall
socicty that is casting is acting as i thc sucrings o thc largcr socicty
around it do not cxist. Ihis contrast bctwccn thc solidarity o thc rc-
clcrs in thcir snall grouporganizcd, likc a socicty, with a rccognizcd
authorityand thcir indicrcncc to thc largcr socicty is undcrscorcd
by thc cry rst words o Ieas:.
Mr. chairnan! I call to nind
sonconc whon wc all know wcll,
A nan whosc jokcs and unny storics,
Vitty rctorts and obscrations,
so biting in thcir nock ponposity,
Lac cnlicncd our tablc talk
And dricn away thc gloon which now
Ihc plaguc, our gucst, is shcdding
Ccr thc nost brilliant ninds.
Fron this spccch alonc onc can orn a ncntal picturc o thc spcakcr,
who signicantly is not gicn a nanc, but is known only as thc young
nan: a nan or whon a cast ncans not just cating and drink-
ing, but nost o all conpanionship, intcllcctual gaicty, a scnsc o rcc-
donin short, a young nan not so dicrcnt ron Iushkin and his
ricnds in thcir rst youth. Is it so surprising that such a nan wants to
lic, wants to orgct about thc dangcr around hin: But dcspitc thcir
bcst corts, thc snall socicty o thc rcclcrs in act cannot isolatc itscl
ron thc sucrings around it:
Iwo days ago our laughtcr crowncd
Lis storics, it isnt possiblc
Ihat in our ncrry casting wc should
Forgct ]ackson. Lcrcs his chair,
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., Ci:ical Essays
sitting cnpty, as i waiting or
A good conpanionbut hcs gonc away
Io a cold lodging undcrground . . .
Ihus thc qucstion thc play bcconcs pcrsonalizcd: what link is thcrc
bctwccn thc sac and thc sucring, thc quick and thc dcad, whcn thosc
who arc strickcn includc not ncrcly cllowcitizcns or casual acquain-
tanccs, but oncs own ricnds and anily, thosc towhononc is closcst:
Lcrc is whcrc thc young nans loc o lic and joy curdlcs into an
ugly cgotisn. Lc has no norc rcal conccrn or his cllow rcclcrs than
hc has or thc largcr socicty. Lis ricnds arc inportant to hin only in-
soar as thcy can distract his attcntion ron thc onc thing that rcally
rightcns hin, thc possibility o his own dcath. icspitc his praisc o
]ackson, thc young nan is so littlc nocd by ]acksons dcath that hc
can proposc to hac thc cast go on without thc slightcst acknowlcdg-
ncnt that anything is dicrcnt:
But nany o us still lic, and wc
Lac no causc to bc gricing. so
I proposc wc drink a toast to hin
Vith glasscs clinking and with shouts
As i hc wcrc alic.
Bycontrast, or thc chairnan, thc rcclcrs orna gcnuinc socicty, not
ncrcly a randon collcction o indiiduals, and thc loss o onc o thcn
is ncaningul to thcn all:
Lc was thc rst
C our group to go. In silcncc
Vcll drink to honor hin.
such a spirit, o coursc, i cxtcndcd bcyond our group to socicty as
a wholc, would rcsult in thc brcakup o thc cast. Io prccnt such a
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brcakup, thc chairnan has to justiy his willingncss to pausc or such
a noncnt o solcnn rcncnbrancc in a nanncr that thc castcrs will
acccpt. Lcc docs this by asscrting that a noncnt o gric, ar ron
burdcning thcn, will ncrcly cnhancc thcir subscqucnt cnjoyncnt:
sing, Mary, soncthing sad and haunting,
Io nakc us turn again to our ncrrynaking
Vith a wildcr spirit . . .
Marys song again brings to thc orc thc qucstion o connunal
catastrophc and indiidual rcsponsc. Ihc ballad opcns by coking thc
now-anishcd happincss o a snall scottish illagc. In this sinplc but
rcassuringly aniliar placc, thcrc is no such thing as an isolatcd indi-
idual. Ecrything is wc: our church, our childrcn, our clds. And
in thc disastcr o thc two ollowing stanzas, ccrything is still wc.
Ecry orno aniliar actiity, ccry prc-Ilaguc institution, has bccn
cqually dcstroycd. Ihc wholc connunityliing and dcad alikc
has concrgcd on thc gracyard, all thc liing arc gathcrcd thcrc to
bury and honor thcir dcad, suriors pray not or thcnsclcs but or
thc souls o thc dcad, and through thcir praycrs arc still unitcd with
thosc whon thcy hac lost, thc dcad ccn physically bcconc a con-
nunity, as thc lling-up o thc gracyard ncans that cach ncw grac
nust bc dug closcr to its ncighbors.
Kot until atcr thc third o thc songs c stanzas docs its narrator
ccn cncrgc as a scparatc indiidual, an I, and shc docs so only to
rcalizc with calndignity that thcrc is no rcason why shc should cscapc
thc connon atc: I ny springtinc too is blightcd, /I thc grac ny
lot nust bc. In hcr own nind shc is alrcady anong thc dcad, alrcady
sccs hcr own uncral, and yct shc spcaks o it without a word o lancnt
or o car or hcrscl. Yct thc lccl tonc o hcr oicc is not that o onc
nunbcd by connunity tragcdy or rcady to rcsign ron lic. shc locs
lic, shc wants it passionatclybut or hcr bclocd Ednund, not hcr-
scl. It is hc who nust acticly try to sac his lic, who nust takc thc
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prccautions that onc ccls shc would not bothcr to takc: hc who nust
stay away whcn shc is strickcn, nust not approach too closcly to hcr
body, nust lcac thc illagc in scarch o soncwhcrc sacr. such sccn-
ing disrcspcct to hcr will in act bc ullling hcr suprcnc wish: that hc
lic on whcn shc cannot, or his lic, his wcll-bcing, is norc inpor-
tant to hcr than hcr own is. Indccd, just as hcr dcath agony is ncrcly
a part o thc agony o hcr illagc, so Ednunds lic and hcr lic will bc
indissolubly unitcd:
Vhcn thc plaguc cndsthcn conc isit
Vhcrc ny poor dust ound its rcst,
And ]cnny will bc truc to Ednund
Ecn in hcr placc anong thc blcst!
As Valsinghan points out in his rcsponsc, this song is itscl a tcs-
tinony to thc indissolublc bond bctwccn thc liing and thc dcad, as
olk tradition tcnaciously prcscrcs thc ncnory o an agony o which
all physical traccs hac long sincc anishcd. such an cxanplc o soli-
darity with and aithulncss to thc dcad can hardly bc wclconc to thc
rcclcrs. Ihus Valsinghans rcsponsc trics to rcutc Marys song by
cnphasizing thc discontinuity bctwccn carlicr days and thc prcscnt.
Lc spcaks o thc dicrcncc bctwccnthc orncr agonyo thcn andthc
natural bcautyand pcacculncss o now (although thcrc is, o coursc,
no rcason to assunc that what Iushkin would clscwhcrc call indicr-
cnt Katurc was any lcss bcautiul in thc plaguc ycar) and downplays
thc signicancc o olk ncnory as nuch as possiblc:
In carlicr days thc plaguc, its clcar,
Visitcd your natic hills and dalcs
And noans o sorrow thcn wcrc hcard
Along thosc brooks and strcans which now
Flow so pcaccul and so ncrry
Ihrough your lands rudc paradisc.
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Ihat gloony ycar, in which thcrc cll so nany
Anong thc brac, thc bcautiul and good,
Las hardly lct a tracc, cxccpt thc ncnory
C sinplc shcphcrds, singing an old song,
A sad and swcct onc . . .
Valsinghans nixturc o adniration and condcsccnsion toward thc
song is worthy o an aristocrat in a Iaris salon in .;;o toying with
ashionablc Rousscauisn: its cry swcct, o coursc, and unqucstion-
ably touching, but sophisticatcd pcoplc likc oursclcs rcally cant bc
cxpcctcd to rcgard it as anything norc than a bric dicrsion.
Mary, by contrast, takcs thc song conplctcly scriously. ]ust as its
lyrics point to a rcal historical ccnt, so whcn shc sings it, shc thinks
o hcr own past, just as it spcaks o thc constancy o locthc loc o
nan and wonanso shc rcncnbcrs thc constancy o thc loc o hcr
own parcnts:
Ch, i only I had nccr sung
Io anyonc outsidc ny parcnts crot!
Low thcy locd to listcn to thcir Mary,
It sccns to nc that I can hcar nyscl
singing in thc housc whcrc I was born.
My oicc was swcctcr thcnit was
Ihc oicc o innoccncc . . .
But, unlikc thc ]cnny o thc song, Mary has brokcn aith with thosc
who locd hcr. shc too is onc o thc rcclcrs at thc tablc. shc can
still bc nocd, ccn prooundly nocd, by thc inagc o aithul, scl-
abncgating loc dcpictcd in thc song. But shc ccls it as an inpossiblc
idcal. Bctwccn hcr past and hcr prcscnt scl shc ccls an irrcncdiablc
gap, an unbridgcablc discontinuity: nowan urban prostitutc, shc can-
not loc as shc oncc could whcn shc was an innoccnt illagc girl.
In an ccctic dranatic contrast, Mary, thc prostitutc with thc hcart
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o gold, is answcrcd by thc cynical, jadcd prostitutc iouisa. Iicking
up thc thcnc statcd by thc young nannany o us still lic, and
wc/Lac no causc to bc gricingiouisa takcs it or grantcd that
thc purposc o lic is to cnjoy oncscl as bcst onc nay. Ko nattcr what
thc circunstanccs nay bc, thc only pcoplc who gricc, or ccn bclicc
in anothcrs gric, arc cithcr ools or shanning:
. . . But thcrc arc still
sonc ools who likc to nclt whcn woncn cry,
Vholl swallow it hook, linc, and sinkcr.
shcs dccidcd that hcr tcarul look
cant bc rcsistcdi thats what shc thought
About hcr laugh, no doubt wcd scc hcr
Grinning all thc tinc . . .
Cnc night think that iouisas sclshncss would nakc hcr cnotionally
strongcr than Marys hopclcss ycarning or aithul loc. Atcr all, as
thc anxicty o ]cnny or Ednund undcrscorcs, to loc anothcr ncans
to nakc oncscl ulncrablc, to car or that pcrsonsowouldnt a pcr-
son who carcs about no onc cxccpt hcrscl bc bcttcr cquippcd to acc a
catastrophc: But thc rccrsc procs to bc thc casc: whcn thc rcclcrs
arc conrontcd by a cart o bodics bcing haulcd to a connon grac,
iouisc is ocrconc by tcrror and aints. By contrast, Maryno lcss
thrcatcncd with dcath than iouiscis ablc to lay asidc whatccr car
thc sight cokcs in hcr in ordcr to conort thc distrcss o thc cry
wonan who only a noncnt bcorc had snccrcd at hcr:
sistcr o ny shanc and sorrow,
ican upon ny brcast.
In thcsc cw words o natchlcss hunility and sinplicity, Mary rccog-
nizcs thc bond bctwccn iouisas sucrings and hcr own. For iouisa,
bycontrast, what nakcs thc sucring rcprcscntcd by thc dcath cart tcr-
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riying is its alicnncss. shc pcrccics its dricr as inhunan, thc plaguc
ictins as inconprchcnsiblc, pcrhaps unrcal:
I drcancd I saw
A hidcous dcnon, black all ocr, with whitc cycs . . .
Lc callcd nc to his wagon. iying in it
Vcrc thc dcadand thcy wcrc nuttcring
In sonc hidcous, unknown languagc.
Icll nc: was it atcr all a drcan:
iid thc cart pass:
It is worth noting that in Vilson it is thc dricr who nuttcrs in an un-
known languagc, in Iushkin it is thc dcad who do soa changc that,
in all likclihood, is thc rcsult o a grannatical nisundcrstanding on
Iushkins part. Kccrthclcss, this is an inspircd nisundcrstanding: or
iouisa to pcrccic thc dcad as spcaking a languagc unknown to thc
liing cnphasizcs hcr inability, unlikc Mary, to scc thc liing and thc
dcad as onc connunity.
At this point, thc oor is again takcn by thc rst spcakcr o thc play,
thc young nan, and thcrc is an apparcnt rcpctition o its opcning
situation. Ihc young nan calls or ncrrincnt, which is to bc dcn-
onstratcd by a spccic action (thc conpany drinking noisily, Valsing-
han singing a drinking song). Valsinghan answcrs with a nodicd
countcrproposal (or thc conpany to drink in silcncc, or Valsinghan
to sing a hynn to thc Ilaguc). Ihc accoladcs with whichValsinghans
proposcd hynn is rcccicd sccn to suggcst that thc rcclcrs arc ol-
lowing thc sanc logic that Valsinghan ollowcd in rcqucsting Marys
song: thcy assunc that thc contcnplation o sucring in an artistic
work will, by orcc o contrast, hcightcn thcir cnjoyncnt o thcir own
sacty.
Ihis parallclisnin thc circunstanccs lcading up to cach song natu-
rally suggcsts a conparison bctwccn thc songs thcnsclcs. such a
conparison rccals a nunbcr o sinilaritics bctwccn thc songs, and
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cach o thcsc sinilaritics, in turn, points to an undcrlying dissinilarity.
Both songs (i wc acccpt Valsinghans conncnts on thc gcncsis o
Marys song as corrcct) arc a dircct rcsponsc to actual cxpcricncc o thc
Ilaguc. But Marys songis a olksong, rccctinga connunal ncnory,
whcrcas Valsinghans song is thc work o an indiidual, gcncratcd
ron thc proound ccct o a pcrsonal crisis: as hc notcs, it is thc rst
tinc hc has ccr writtcn a pocn. Both Marys song and Valsinghans
song opcn with thc inagc o a wc, but whilc Marys wc is that o a
snall, tightly knit illagc,Valsinghans wc is ncrcly that o a group
o drinking conpanions, not ncccssarily any norc closcly bound cno-
tionally than thc rcclcrs at Valsinghans own tablc. In both songs,
thc wc o thc initial stanzas orns a background against which a ccn-
tral thcnc is playcd out. In Marys song, howccr, thc ccntral thcnc
is also a wc, a snallcr, but ccn norc intinatc onc: thc two locrs,
Ednund and ]cnny. By contrast, in Valsinghans song, this ccntral
scction bcconcs conplctcly abstract and philosophical:
Ihcrcs rapturc in thc bullcts ight
And on thc nountains trcachcrous hcight,
And on a ships dcck ar ron land
Vhcn skics growdark and wacs swcll high,
And in saharas blowing sand,
And whcn thc pcstilcncc is nigh.
All, all that thrcatcns to dcstroy
Fills nortal hcarts with sccrct joy
Bcyond our powcr to cxplain
Icrhaps it bodcs ctcrnal lic!
And blcst is hc who can attain
Ihat ccstasy in storn and stric!
Ihcsc stanzas showthc supcriorityo Valsinghantohis cllowrc-
clcrs, thc supcriority which thcy thcnsclcs acknowlcdgc in naking
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hin thcir chairnan. Ihcy arc araid o dcath, hc is not. Indccd, to hin
thc ncarncss o dcath is an cxpcricncc that sharpcns thc cdgc o lic,
which intcnsics oncs joy in liing. Ihis can bc an adnirablc traitin
thc right circunstanccs. But critics who adnirc it inValsinghanocr-
look thc pricc hc has paid to achicc it. Lunan bcings arc capablc o
nding a kind o joy in situations o grcat dangcrbut only whcn thc
dangcr is to thcnsclcs. Ko onc has ccr ound joy in thc knowlcdgc
that sonconc bclocd is in dangcr. Lcctor docs not ccl drcad bcorc
thc battlc, but Andronachc docs.
Ihis conccrn or anothcr, which is thc cry hcart o Marys song,
is conplctcly nissing ron Valsinghans. In its placc is a titanic iso-
lation o spirit, a pridc in oncs own strcngth and a dclight in natch-
ing that strcngth against thc grcatcst opponcnts, against thc clcncnts,
against dcath itscl. It is a song such as Raskolniko night hac writ-
tcn i hc had bccn, not a studcnt in st. Ictcrsburg, but a cossack on
horscback or thc captain o a sailing ship. Cnc rccalls Raskolnikos
scl-nocking dcscription o his logic as acsthctically awcd whcn hc
rcalizcs that no onc cxccpt hinscl would cquatc thc battlc o Ioulon
and thc nurdcr o an old wonan. Valsinghans logic is also acs-
thctically awcdno onc cxccpt hinscl would cquatc thc Ilaguc
with thc othcr dangcrs that hc ncntions. such ccnts as a battlc, or
a galc at sca, or a sandstorn arc all widcly rccognizcd as haing that
quality which Burkc callcd thc sublinc and Ycats a tcrriblc bcauty.
But thc Ilaguc has nccr arouscd any rcaction cxccpt rcpugnancc and
horror. Ihc rcason or this acsthctic distinction is that thc Ilaguc is
cncountcrcd in a dicrcnt way than thcsc othcr dangcrs. Var tradi-
tionally is thought o as soncthing that ncn (and thc rarc wonan) cn-
gagc in oluntarily: or thc sakc o thcir country, or thcir rcligion, or,
likc Loncrs hcrocs, sinply or glory. sinilarly, scaarcrs or traclcrs
to rcnotc and dangcrous placcs such as nountains and dcscrts wcrc
thought o as willingly acccpting thc dangcrs inolcd, and it was this
oluntary conscnt that crcatcd thc pcrccption o hcroisn. Arctic cx-
plorcrs who chosc to go to thc polar rcgions wcrc sccn as hcroic, natic
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pcoplcs who accd thc sanc dicult cnironncnt but not by choicc
wcrc not.
But it is prcciscly this clcncnt o oluntaryacccptancc o risk which
is nissing in thc Ilaguc. Its dangcr alls inpartially on thc cldcrly,
young adults, and childrcn, and on ncn and woncn cqually, it nakcs
no distinction bctwccn conbatant and ciilian, or bctwccn thc brac
and thc cowardly. Its particular horror lics in its indiscrininacy. (sini-
larly, as nodcrn wararc has nadc dcath incrcasingly indiscrininatc
through thc usc o wcapons o nass dcstruction and thc widcsprcad
targcting o ciilian populations, war has lost nuch o its traditional
glanor and has conc to bc rcgardcd norc in thc way thc Ilaguc is rc-
gardcd.) Ihus, whcn Valsinghan proclains, soor thc Ilaguc a
hcarty chccr! what hc is actually saying is, Ihc pricc o ny haing
thc satisaction o dcnonstrating ny couragc in thc acc o possiblc
dcath is that othcrs, who arc not intcrcstcd in any such satisaction and
who wish to lic, nust sucr and dic, and I acccpt that pricc.
1
It is nowondcr that thc pricst whocntcrs at that noncnt rcsponds to
such a dcclaration with horror: Agodlcss cast, bctting godlcss nad-
ncn! Ihc pricst, although hc spcaks in tcrns o traditional christian
doctrinc, is lcss conccrncd about thc rclationship bctwccn God and
nan than thc rclationship bctwccn nan and nan. Ihc cast inplicitly
dcnics thc nccd or God by disrupting uncral scriccs and thc praycrs
or thc dcad, but thc ocnsc which thc pricst strcsscs is disrcgard not
o God, but o thc gric and sucring o thc hunan nourncrs:
Your casting and your shanclcss songs
Mock at and proanc thc gloony pcacc
sprcad ccrywhcrc by dcath and dcsolation!
Anidst thc horror o thc nournul burials,
Anidst palc accs I pray at thc gracyard,
And your hatcul shouts and crics o rcclry
iisturb thc silcncc o thc tonbbccausc o you,
Ihc carth itscl trcnblcs ocr thc dcad bodics!
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Mcrrincnt in such circunstanccs, thc pricst gocs on, is likc thc ncrri-
ncnt o dcnons who opcnly rcjoicc in thc sucrings o a danncd soul.
And just as godlcssncss and dcnonisnarc associatcd by thc pricst with
indicrcncc to othcrs sucring, so salation is associatcd with hunan
solidarity, with thc prcscration o cnotional tics bcyond ccn dcath:
whcn thc pricst urgcs thc rcclcrs to dispcrsc, hc docs not sinply say,
i ccr you hopc to cntcr Lcacn, but i ccr /You hopc to ncct
again in Lcacn/Ihc souls o thosc whon you hac lost.
Ihc rcclcrs rcsponsc shows that thcy arc csscntially a crowd o
pcoplc cach likc thc young nan, totally prcoccupicd with thcir own
pcrsonal car and thcir dcsirc to scizc any distraction ron that car,
so that thcy rcusc ccn to show any grasp o thc cthical issuc which
thc pricst is raising, instcad, thcy ncrcly try to hoot hin away. Cnly
Valsinghan is willing to conront thc issuc and to cngagc in a gcnu-
inc dialoguc with thc pricst, ccn i hc concs down rnly against thc
pricsts call or solidarity with thc sucrcrs by his dcclaration, youth
locs gaicty.
Rccognizing that hc cannot rcach thc thoughtlcss crowd, thc pricst
turns all his attcntion to Valsinghan, addrcssing to hin spccically
thc sanc ncssagc that was gicn in Marys song, thc surial o loc
atcr dcath and thc continucd conccrn o thc dcad or thc liing:
Is that you, Valsinghan: Arc you thc sanc nan
Vho just thrcc wccks ago droppcd to your knccs,
Enbracing your nothcrs body as you wcpt,
And howling bcat your sts upon hcr grac:
Cr do you think shc isnt crying now,
shcdding bittcr tcars in Lcacn itscl,
Io scc hcr son caught up in rccling
At a shanclcss cast, to hcar your oicc
singing likc onc posscsscd, anidst
Loly praycrs and dccp-clt sighs:
Follow nc!
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Ihc pricsts rcusal to gic up, his sclcss dctcrnination to hclp
Valsinghan, cnablcs thc chairnan to rccognizcs in thc pricst what hc
has bccn unablc to nd in any o his shallow cllow rcclcrs: sonconc
capablc o undcrstanding an inncr agony born, not o sinplc physical
car, but o spiritual dcsolation. Finding at last an cqual, sonconc to
whon hc can spcak, Valsinghan pours out his hcart in sonc o thc
nost cxtraordinary lincs in thc littlc tragcdics, lincs whosc conbi-
nation o bcauty and dcastation o spirit looks orward to Blok:
Vhy hac you conc hcrc
Io troublc nc: I cannot, I nust not
Followatcr you: I an bound hcrc
By dcspair, by tcrriblc rcncnbrancc,
By thc knowlcdgc o ny lawlcssncss,
And by thc horror o that dcad cnptincss
Vhich grccts nc now in ny own housc
And by thc noclty o thcsc urious rccls,
And by thc blcsscd poison o this cup,
And by thc carcsscsGod orgic nc
C a bcing, ruincd, but still dcar . . .
My nothcrs shadc will not call nc away
Fron hcrcits too latcI hcar your oicc
calling ncI rccognizc your striing
Io sac nc. . . . Cld nan, go in pcacc,
But accurscd nay hc bc who ollows you!
Valsinghan acknowlcdgcs thc justicc o thc pricsts accusation
against thc rcclcrs. Lc sccs hinscl as lawlcss, outsidc hunan so-
cicty. Lis ocabulary cchocs thc pricsts chargc o dcnonisn. Lc dc-
scribcs thc rccls as , and whilc nay
ncan sinply rabid, urious, its ctynological ncaning is posscsscd
by a dcnon (). Lis rccrcncc to thc blcsscd poison o this cup
brings thc cast cryclosc to a blasphcnous parodyo thc connunion
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Saial ao Meooy .,
scricc (thc adjcctic I hac translatcd as blcsscd, ,
has a strong association with thc rccciing o gracc, it is thc cpithct
uscd atcr thc words Rcjoicc, C Virginin thc
church slaonic crsion o thc .e Maia). And his opcning words to
thc pricst, Vhy hacyou conc hcrc/Io troublc nc: conbincd with
his nal adjuration to thc pricst to lcac hin alonc in Gods nanc
( / : . . . ,
, / ) ccho thc dcnons words to christ in Mark ,:;:
Vhat hac You to do with nc . . . : I adjurc You by God, do not tor-
ncnt nc ( . . . : ,
).
But whilc Valsinghan rccognizcs thc corrcctncss o thc pricsts
diagnosis, hc disputcs thc ocrcd curc. For hin, thc ncnory o thosc
who hac locd hinis not a conort, but a torncnt, a tcrriblc rcncn-
brancc, thc honc that rcninds hin o thcn lls hin with horror.
Ihc noclty o thc cast, its brcak with thc past, is what draws hin
to it. And his rcaction is not, as onc night think, bccausc hc docs not
bclicc in thc innortality o thc soul, and thus wishcs to put bchind
hin a loss that hc rcgards as irrccocrablc. Lc is cntircly willing to
grant thc pricsts asscrtion that his nothcrs soul sunnons hin away
ron thc cast, but hc will not go.
Vhy docs Valsinghan rcact to thc ncnory o his past in this ash-
ion: Ihc playdocs not gic us a dircct answcr, but its structurc pcrnits
us to gucss. Valsinghan is a couragcous nan, but his couragc is thc
couragc o action, o challcnging and dcying an cncny. As Marys
song shows, this is not thc only typc o couragc thcrc is, thc calnncss
with which ]cnny contcnplatcs hcr own dcath rcninds us that cndur-
ing thc incitablc with gracc is also a orn o couragc. In a situation
whcrc this couragc o cndurancc is rcquircd, it nay indccd proc truc,
as Valsinghan rcnarks apropos o iouisas ainting, that thc crucl
arc wcakcr than thc tcndcr. Ircciscly bccausc hc is so proud o his
own powcr, o his own actic couragc, Valsinghan cannot withstand
a blowwhich can only bc cndurcd, not oughtthc loss o thosc closc
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to hin. Ihc pricsts qucstion whcn rcninding Valsinghan o his par-
oxysn o gric at his nothcrs dcathArc you thc sanc nan/Vho
just thrcc wccks ago droppcd to your knccs . . . :is not sinply a
rhctorical onc, Valsinghan is at thc cast prcciscly bccausc hc docs
not want to bc thc sanc nan, docs not want to bc hunblcd by so
crushing a sorrow. But thc only way that hc can rcc hinscl ron that
pain is by dissociating hinscl ron his ncnorics o thc dcad. Ihus
his rst rcsponsc to thc pricsts cxhortation, Matildas purc soul calls
you! is a urious dcnand or orgctulncss: hc riscs ronthc tablc and
crics out
swcar to nc, liting your palc
And withcrcd hand to Lcacn, to lcac
Ihat nanc orccr silcnccd in thc grac!
But in trying to dcny or dcstroy his ncnorics o thosc whonhc locs,
Valsinghan is also dcstroying his own capability or loc, or hunan
synpathy, and thc barrcn Iitanisn o thc Lynn to thc Ilaguc is
thc rcsult. Lc is ully awarc o thc spiritual danagc hc has inictcd
upon hinscl, as indicatcd by thc rcst o his rcsponsc to thc ncntion
o Matilda:
Ch, i only I could hidc this sight
Fron hcr innortal cycs! Cncc
shc thought nc purc, proud, rcc
And ound paradisc in ny cnbracc . . .
Vhcrc an I: Loly child o light! I scc
You thcrc, whcrc ny allcn spirit
Vill nccr rcach . . .
Ihis passagc illuninatcs his carlicr acctionatc rccrcncc to Mary
a bcing, ruincd, but still dcaran acction bascd on Valsinghans
pcrccption o thcir sinilarity. iikc Mary, Valsinghan sccs his lic as
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Saial ao Meooy .,-
brokcn apart, with an innoccnt, idyllic past that is scparatcd by an in-
passiblc gul ron thc corruptcd prcscnt.
But is this actually thc casc: Valsinghan spcaks o his ruin in cx-
plicitly christian tcrnshis wic, in Lcacn, has bcconc a child o
light inacccssiblc to his allcn spiritand yct thc spokcsnan or
christianity, thc pricst, clcarly docs not rcgard Valsinghan as irrc-
cocrably lost. Instcad, thc pricst calls upon Valsinghan to sac hin-
scl by rcpcnting, in thc original scnantic scnsc o that wordto turn
asidc, to changc his coursc. Vhat Valsinghan nccds, and what thc
pricst sunnons hinto, is not thc sclsh, hollowrcclry o thc cast,
but circunstanccs in which thc wounds o his spirit can hcal cnough
or hin to bc ablc to rccognizc his ncnorics o thosc whon hc has
locd and lost not as a torncnt, but as a blcssingthc sonc placc
apart whcrc ]cnny bids Ednund to casc your wcary hcart bcorc
rcturning to thcir illagc to isit hcr grac.
2
In his proud dcancc, his
unwillingncss to acccpt loss and subnit to gric, Valsinghan dclib-
cratcly rcuscs this possibility and rcjccts thc salation ocrcd by thc
pricst with thc dctcrnincd cry, Fathcr, or Gods sakc/icac nc!
Valsinghanchooscs to rcnain at thc cast. Instcad o dcad cnpti-
ncss . . . in ny own housc, hc chooscs thc conpanionship o thc tablc.
And yct thc socicty o thc rcclcrs is only a shcll, a tracsty, o a truc
socicty, o gcnuinc hunan solidarity. Ihat solidarity concs at thc cost
o bcaring loss and gric, o rcnaining aithul to thc ncnory o thc
dcad. It is a cost that Valsinghan rccognizcs, but is not willing to
pay. Lc who has not, ccn what littlc hc has will bc takcn ron hin:
ccn thc shan socicty o thc tablc is not lct or Valsinghan. Lis con-
sciousncss scts hin apart ron his cllow rcclcrs, ccn as thcy hac
sct thcnsclcs apart ron thc largcr socicty. Ihc cast gocs on around
hin, but hc is no longcr a part o it. Ihc chairnan rcnains, plungcd
in dccp contcnplation.
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conncntary
ur xxcro problcns inolcd in translating thc littlc tragc-
dics, such as nctrics or nding thc right tonc or a charactcrs spccch,
hac bccn discusscd aboc. In addition, howccr, thcrc arc a nunbcr
o nicro problcnsthat is, dicultics in translating an indiidual
word or phrasc, whcthcr bccausc thc Russian has ocrtoncs not rc-
produciblc in English, or bccausc thcrc arc altcrnatic translations or
cach o which a casc could bc nadc, or bccausc aoiding a construc-
tion which would bc clunsy in English rcquircd taking sonc libcrty in
translation. Vhat ollows is a list o what I considcrcd thc nost intcr-
csting or challcnging nicro problcns, along with an cxplanation
why a particular solution was choscn.
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Coooeo:ay .,,
ur xi srris xi ou
chcnstonc is gcncrally prcsuncd to rccr to thc cightccnth-ccntury
Englishpoct Villianshcnstonc, who, howccr, didnot writc anywork
cntitlcd I/e Coe:oas Roi/: (although sonc idcas that arc cchocd in
Iushkins play can bc ound in shcnstoncs pocn Econony). Ihc
subtitlc is a dclibcratc nystication on Iushkins part, apparcntly in-
tcndcd to cnphasizc thc purcly ctional naturc o thc work and thus
discouragc spcculation about any rcal-lic nodcls or its charactcrs.
Ihis titlc is usually translatcd as I/e Coe:oas Roi/:, on thc as-
sunption that it was intcndcd to corrcspond cxactly to thc English
titlc o thc ctitious chcnstonc work. In act, any Russian-English
dictionary will translatc thc adjcctic as stingy, niscrly and
(thc noun uscd by Albcrt in lincs ,c and .,c) as stingincss,
niscrlincss. Morcocr, niscrlincss andcoctousncss arc distinctlydi-
crcnt qualitics. Miscrlincss inplics a grcat dcsirc to acquirc noncy,
and an ccn grcatcr dcsirc not to part with it. coctousncss inplics
a dcsirc to acquirc soncthing to which anothcr has a rightul clain:
Ihou shalt not coct thy ncighbors wic, nor his nanscrant, nor
his naidscrant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything clsc that bclongs
to hin. A niscr could quitc possibly also bc a coctcr, in thc scnsc
o wanting to add anothcrs rightul wcalth to his own hoard, but a
coctcr could just as wcll bc a spcndthrit. clcarly, thc doninant char-
actcristic o thc baron is niscrlincss, not coctousncss, and thc titlc
should rccct this.
Ihis raiscs thc qucstion: why did Iushkin idcntiy thc noncxistcnt
work that supposcdly scrcd as a basis or his play as I/e Coe:oas
Roi/: rathcr than I/e Misely Roi/:: Cnc possibility, o coursc, is
that Iushkin sinply nadc a nistakc in his English. Lowccr, thcrc
is also a norc intcrcsting possibility: that atcr haing crcatcd a non-
cxistcnt English work to distancc hinscl ron inputations that his
play was bascd on rcal lic, hc thcn wishcd to distancc hinscl as wcll
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.cc Coooeo:ay
ron thc noncxistcnt English work. Lcncc thc spclling o thc authors
nanc as chcnston (or chcnstonc)which suggcsts, but is not thc
sanc as, Villian shcnstoncand thc dcscription o this work as a
tragiconcdy, whcrcas Iushkins work is clcarly a tragcdy. substi-
tuting coctous or niscrly in thc titlc o this noncxistcnt work
would thcn bc anothcr way o producing this closc-but-not-thc-sanc
ccct.
iinc :: ]ohn: Iushkinlikc shakcspcarc, who did not hcsitatc to
nix ianishnancs likc Lanlct andGcrtrudcwiththc iatinnanc Iolo-
nius and thc Grcck (!) iacrtcssccns to hac bccn littlc conccrncd
about thc cthnic consistcncy o his charactcrs nancs. Albcrt has a
saxon nanc, but Iushkins spclling o it, with thc nal t droppcd,
suggcsts that it should bc pronounccd as i it wcrc Frcnch. Ihc nancs
o thc othcr ncnbcrs o thc nobility ncntioncd in thc play arc spcllcd
(in translitcration ron thc Russian) as iclorzh, clotilda, Rcnon, and
Filip. Iniatinlcttcrs thcscwouldprcsunablybc iclorgc, clotild, Ray-
nond, and Ihilip (or Ihilippc), suggcsting a agucly Franco-Gcrnan
location. Ihc scrant, howccr, is gicn thc unnistakably Russian
nanc Ian. Ihc nost logical cxplanation would sccnto bc that, gicn
thc rclaticly insignicant position o this scrant in tcrns o both his
social status and his rolc in thc play, Iushkin sinply dccidcd to gic
hina nanc which ronthc point o icwo a Russian was as ordinary
as possiblc. Iurning Ian into ]ohn prcscrcd this ccrynan quality
o his nanc in English.
iinc :.. Ch, this pocrty!: thc Russian is , !
which would translatc litcrally as, C pocrty, pocrty!: not sonc-
thing that I could inaginc an English spcakcr saying. Kccrthclcss, thc
rcpctition docs cnphasizc thc dcgrcc o Albcrts rustration.
iinc ,;. Iah! Its not dicult to catch it hcrc: thc Russian is !
, which would litcrally translatc as
Ycs! Its not dicult . . . But Albcrts da is spokcn not prinarily to
show agrccncnt with anything prciously said, but sinply as an cx-
prcssion o contcnpt: its cxplosic sound (particularlyas thc rst word
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Coooeo:ay .c.
in a scntcncc) is norc inportant to his ncaning than its dictionary
dcnition.
iinc :. Groancdandwacd. thc Russianis ,
which A. F. B. clark translatcs as Lc sighcd and shruggcd. Ihc di-
crcncc lics in how hard onc inagincs ]ohn prcsscd or thc loan. I
]ohn ncrcly concycd his nastcrs rcqucst, solonon would prcsun-
ably hac gicn hin thc cquialcnt o a coolly politc, Gcc, Id likc
to hclp, but I cantin which casc sighcd and shruggcd would bc
nost accuratc. I ]ohn had rcally bccn dcnanding about it, solonon
would probably hac clt hinscl pushcd into a corncr, unwilling to say
ycs and not daring to say noin which casc hc would hac groancd
and wacd. Gicn Albcrts hot-hcadcdncss, which could ccrtainly
takc itscl out on a scrant who had ailcd to gct a dcsircd loan or hin,
it sccncd likcly to nc that ]ohn prcsscd solonon hard.
iinc .:. Ioison too: thc Russian is:
. . Ihc o is bcing uscd as a conccs-
sion, a orno dc-cnphasis: Vcll, ycs, it is poison. My cort to con-
cy this dc-cnphasis by Ioison too (as i that wcrc a nornal part o
conncrcc) was suggcstcd by thc litcral dcnition o as and, also.
iinc :oo. howling all thc tinc: thc Russian crb is , which
ncans cithcr howling (uscd to dcscribc thc sound o dogs or wolcs)
or wailing. Ihc orncr translation sccncd to nc norc in kccping
with thc Barons conplctc lack o synpathy or his pctitioncr.
iinc :.,. I wouldsuocatc: thc Russianis , whcrc
thc crb litcrally rccrs to choking on swallowcd ood, or by cxtcn-
sion, to inability to gct cnough air (Kaboko translatcs it as . . . and
with a spluttcr/Id pcrish in ny trusty aults). Ihc picturc it calls up
thus is not onc o drowning, but o thc Baron trappcd in his ault by
oodwatcrs outsidc, and dying as thc air insidc bcconcs cxhaustcd.
iinc :.:. tcnpcrcd bladc: thc Russian is . A
is a sword nadc o ianascus stccl, highly prizcd during thc Middlc
Agcs, thc adjcctial orn is a standard poctic cpithct or a
sword. My translation is ncant to indicatc both thc tcchnical supcri-
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.c. Coooeo:ay
ority o thc wcapon in qucstion and thc archaic, clcatcd quality o thc
languagc in which it is dcscribcd.
iinc :.. Vith his hcllraising ricnds out or a good tinc: thc
Russian is , norc litcrally
soncthing likc A conpanion o wild/loosc/dcbauchcd libcrtincs/
proigatcsa norc cxplicit scxual rccrcncc thannysuggcstic out
or a good tinc. Ihc Barons croticizcd icw o his gold is cchocd in
his car that it will all into thc hands o a scxual prcdator.
xozxr xn sxii rri
iinc ,. clcar and sinplc as do-rc-ni: thc Russian is ,
, litcrally clcar as a sinplc scalc. Lowccr, whilc thc
Russian is anobiouslytcchnical tcrnwhosc rccrcncc tonusic
is obious, thc English word scalc has sccral possiblc ncanings, o
which thc nusical onc is not ncccssarily thc rst to occur to a rcadcrs
or listcncr. substituting do-rc-ni or scalc nadc thc nusical rccr-
cncc obious and at thc sanc tinc (courtcsy o Rodgcrs and Lanncr-
stcin) conprchcnsiblc ccn to thc nonnusical. Ihc potcntial conu-
sion ocr thc English word scalc has bccn notcd by othcr translators
who, howccr, hac not ully solcd thc problcn. Kaboko translatcs
it as plain as sccn sinplc notcs, which, i onc docs not know thc
undcrlying Russian, is soncwhat pcrplcxing: why should sccn notcs
bc plaincr than, say, our or c: A clcarcr crsion is gicn by R. M.
Lcwitt, who translatcs this linc as sinplc as thc scalc o c. Ihis
nakcs thc nusical rccrcncc conplctcly obious, but it can bc prop-
crly apprcciatcd only by sonconc who rcalizcs that c is thc sinplcst
scalc to play on a piano (sincc it is thc only onc which docs not rcquirc
thc usc o black kcys).
iinc cc. Vho idly strolls through lic: thc Russian is
, litcrally, an idlc strollcr. Ihc noun is ron thc
sanc root as thc crb , to go or a walk/stroll, or by cxtcn-
sion, to hac a good tinc (with an inplication o partying or boistcr-
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Coooeo:ay .c,
ousncss). Ihc adjcctic is rclatcd to , holiday,
cstiala day whcn no work is donc. Ihis noti o Mozarts idlc-
ncss will rcappcar in linc ::o, whcn Mozart dcscribcs artists as happy
idlcrsin Russian, .
iinc ..o. ny diincncss is hungry: thc Russian is a
pcrcctly nornal grannatical orn ncaning godhcad or diinity.
Lowccr, thc grannatical inappropriatcncss o diincncss (along
with its suggcstion o a pun on thc titlc Lighncss) sccncd to nc
norc cxprcssic o thc playullydcatingnaturc o Mozarts statcncnt.
iinc .:c: Appcaring likc an angcl: thc Russian is
, litcrally, iikc a chcrub. Ihis, howccr, riskcd coking thc
popular (and conplctcly un-scriptural) inagc o a chcrub as a chubby-
chcckcd littlc child, whilc salicris spccch nakcs it clcar that hc is cn-
isioning thc najcsty o a hcacnly ncsscngcr.
iinc .,:: soncthing has upsct you:: thc Russian is . . . -
:a qucstion with ocrtoncs that cannot bc con-
cycd in English. Ihc prinary ncaning o is indccd up-
sct, but bcaring in nind salicris habit o cxprcssing hinscl in nusical
tcrns, it is worth noting that it has a sccondary ncaning out o tunc.
It also cchocs salicris carlicr thcnc o thc apparcnt discrcpancy bc-
twccn Mozarts pcrsonality and his nusic, sincc salicri has praiscd thc
lattcr or its just proportion ().
iinc .;: Grcctcd nc rcspcctully: thc Russian is
. Ihc Russian crb litcrally ncans to
bow, but is rcgularly uscd in thc guratic scnsc to grccta natu-
ral cnough cxtcnsion in a culturc whcrc bowing was a nornal ncthod
o grccting sonconc. Io a nodcrn-day Ancrican, howccr, bowing
is a soncwhat cxotic custon. As a rcsult, i this linc wcrc translatcd
as Bowcd to nc rcspcctully, it would tcnd to catch thc rcadcrs or
listcncrs attcntionclcarly not what Iushkin wantcd, sincc in thc
Russian it is a subordinatc clausc. Iranslating it as thc unrcnarkablc
Grcctcd nc rcspcctully kccps thc narratic rcc o this potcntial
noncntary distraction.
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.c, Coooeo:ay
iincs .::.:,. iay and night ny black nan wont /icac nc
alonc: thc Russian is /
, whcrc can ncan cithcr nan (drcsscd) in
black or black nan. Mozarts scnsc that this is
ollowing hinlikc a shadow indicatcs that his inagination has trans-
orncd thc actual gurc o thc black-garbcd nan who connissioncd
thc Reaieo into a ar norc disturbing nctaphysical gurc, a pcrsoni-
cation o thc ghostly ision o linc .oo, and accordingly I hac uscd
thc oninously suggcstic translation black nan.
iinc .,:. too nuch a buoon: thc Russian is
, litcrally, was too unny [a nan| or was too droll [a nan|.
Although thc dcrisic ocrtonc o buoon is not prcscnt in thc Rus-
sian, it sccncd to nc to cxprcss thc attitudc toward hunor that onc
would cxpcct rona nan as dcadly scrious (litcrally dcadly) as salicri.
iinc :o,. tothc aithul union: thc Russianis .
Ihc nornal ncaning o is sinccrc, candid, which pain-
ully undcrscorcs salicris act o trcachcry. But whcn rccrring to a
union that links two pcoplc, thc natural trait to cnphasizc would bc its
strcngth o connitncnt. Kaboko, apparcntly rccognizing this prob-
lcn, tricd to includc both thc actual and thc logicallycxpcctcd cpithct:
thc rank and loyal brothcrhood. Unortunatcly or his translation,
rank has conc to bc associatcd with unwclconc sinccritytclling
thc truth at a tinc, or in a nanncr, which would not pronotc brothcr-
hoodbut thc pcrccption that thc onc cpithct should
concy thc doublc ncaning o intcgrity and loyalty is a corrcct onc.
I chosc aithul as thc bcst singlc word I could think o to conbinc
thcsc conccpts.
iinc :.o. As i I had ulllcd a burdcning duty: thc Russian is
. Ihc word ncans dcbt as wcll
as duty (both arc things which arc owcd), so that thcorctically
this linc could bc translatcd as As i I had paid o a hcay dcbt. But
gicn salicris conccpt o hinscl as a nan with a nissionthc onc
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Coooeo:ay .c
choscn by dcstiny to stop Mozartit sccns psychologically ar norc
plausiblc or hin to scc hinscl as pcrorning his duty.
iinc :::. Ihats not truc: thc Russian is . Ihc Russian
word ncans both truth and justicc. It is thc word that
salicri uscs in thc rst two lincs o thc play: Ihcy say thcrcs no jus-
ticc [ | hcrc on carth/But thcrcs no justicc [ |
highcr up, cithcr. As it turns out, ccn whcn conrontcd with ,
salicri procs unablc to rccognizc it dccisicly, to distinguish bctwccn
right and wrong.
iincs ::,:,.. Vhat o Michclangclo:: [Iushkins oldcr con-
tcnporary| Karanzin statcd in his Le::es of a RassiaoIaelle, Vhcn
tourists arc shown Michclangclos painting o thc crucixion, thcyrc
always told that supposcdly thc artist, in ordcr to bc ablc to prcscnt
thc dying christ rcalistically, killcd thc nan who scrcd as his nodcl,
but this story is totally unbclicablc. Ihc [cightccnth-ccntury| Frcnch
poct [Antoinc-Marin| ic Micrrc, who rccountcd this lcgcnd in onc o
his works, addcd thc obscration: I cannot possibly bclicc that crinc
and gcnius can bc conbincd. K. V. Kolosoa (cd.), Bolios/aya oseo
(Moscow: Molodaya gardiya, .,::), p. :c,. (Iranslation ninc)
ur sor ours
iinc .o. swaggcring lord: thc Russian is .
is thc sort o unshakablc bclic in oncs own right against
ccrybody clsc, no nattcr what thc situation, that lcacs onlookcrs
inuriatcd and at thc sanc tinc cxpcricncing a ccrtain grudging adni-
ration (thc bcst translation night bc chutzpah). In thc contcxt o a
noblcnantakinganccningstroll througha capital city, swaggcring
sccncd to nc thc bcst cxprcssion o this scl-assurcd, out-o-ny-way
approach to othcrs.
iincs .c.;. ion ]uan iolatcd his cxilc/And showcd up in
Madrid: thc Russianis /
, litcrally ion ]uan o his own scl-will arricd in Madrid ron
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.cc Coooeo:ay
cxilc. In thc inncdiatc contcxt o thc kings rcaction, rccrring to
ion ]uans rcturn o his own scl-will cnphasizcs thc dclibcratc and
crininal disrcgard o thc royal will. My translation iolatcd his cxilc
was intcndcd to suggcst statutory languagc and thus point to thc lcgal
dangcr o ion ]uans position. In thc largcr contcxt o thc play, how-
ccr, this phrasc has an additional signicancc that is lost in transla-
tion: although ion ]uans constant clainis that hc is dricn by chancc
or did not plan what happcncd, thc wholc plot is sct in notion by his
scl-willcd choicc o rcturning to Madrid.
iinc ,. A danncd bad job: thc Russian is . . .
. In icw o ion ]uans atc, it is worth noting thc rc-
pcatcd usagc o thc adjcctic , danncd (in thc thcologi-
cal scnsc), accurscd, which shows up also in linc .::, iann this
lic (norc litcrally, A danncd lic ), linc :.;,
iook, you danncd ool (, ), and linc :,., In a
hcllholc o an inn ( ).
iinc ..,. Lcs bunpcd o thc husband: thc Russian is
, whcrc ncans soncthing likc brought down or
knockcd ocr. Bunpcd o was thc closcst I could gct to this
strongly physical inagc.
iincs .,..,:. as i thcy wcrc brought orth/Kot ron slaish
ncnory: thc Russian crb is , gac birth toiaura uscs
thc sanc inagcry o crcatic inspiration as birth as docs salicri in his
rst nonologuc.
iinc .;.. iucky nan: thc Russian is thc sanc word
uscd by ion ]uan to dcscribc thc knight-connandcr in lincs .: and
:o. Ihc adjcctic can ncan cithcr happy or lucky,
I hac choscn whichccr soundcd norc natural in English in a gicn
contcxt.
iinc :. Low nany tincs hac you chcatcd on nc: thc Russian
crb , bctraycd, is thc onc nornally uscd or a spousc who
connits adultcry.
iinc ,oc. Vhat do you want:: thc Russian is ,
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Coooeo:ay .c-
litcrally, what do you dcnandsuggcsting that iona Anna is al-
rcady awarc o a conpclling powcr in ion ]uans addrcsscs to hcr.
iinc ,c,. Vhat can I do or you:: thc Russian is ,
a standard phrasc o politcncss and scricc. coning ron icporcllo,
who is rcgularly insolcnt to his nastcr (incitably so, sincc no scrant
with any scnsc o dccorun or propricty would takc a position with
ion ]uan), this linc would bc appropriatcly dclicrcd with an ironic
ocrpolitcncss.
iinc ::. iocly bcing!: thc Russian is , scc thc
notc on . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae, linc :.;, bclow.
iincs ,,:,,,. Lowinportunatcyou arc! . . . Ch, hidc, ion ]uan:
in Russian, ! . . . , . iona
Anna has shitcd ronaddrcssing ion ]uan as (thc ornal you,
cquialcnt to thc Frcnch ous or thc Gcrnan sic) to addrcssing
hin as (thc intinatc you, cquialcnt to thc Frcnch tu or thc
Gcrnan iu). Ihis crbal shit is ccn norc o a surrcndcr to ion
]uan than hcr kiss, sincc in ninctccnth-ccntury Russia, a wonan would
addrcss a ncrc suitor as , would inply thc cxistcncc or an-
ticipation o a scxual rclationship.
iinc ,o. Ihc stony grip o his right hand: thc Russian is
, thc grip o his stonc right hand.
or (right hand) is an archaic orn typically uscd to
rccr to diinc action: (thc hand o Iroidcncc),
, (thc shccp on thc right hand,
thc goats on thc lctrccrring to Gods diision o hunanity into
thc rightcous and unrightcous at thc iast ]udgncnt, as dcscribcd in
Matthcw :,:,.c). Ihus thc usc o thc word to rccr to thc
hand that drags ion ]uan to his doonsuggcsts thc supcrnatural naturc
o thc rctribution inolcd.
iinc ,.. ict golct go o nc: thc Russian is ,
, litcrally, lct go, lct go o ny hand. I hac onittcd thc word
hand bccausc it is contcxtually obious that it is ion ]uans hand
that thc statuc is holding on to, bccausc including thcword would ccho
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.c Coooeo:ay
thc word hand in a way which docs not occur in thc original, which
distinguishcs uscd in thc linc bcorc and uscd hcrc,
andbccausc lct go, lct goo nyhand is acccntuallyclunsy(lct g, lct
go ny hnd) conparcdtolct go, lct goo nc (lct g, lct go nc).
x rrxs nuri o ur rixour
Gicn thc abscncc o articlcs in Russian, thc rst problcn or a trans-
lator o this play is whcthcr its titlc, , should bc
translatcd as . Ieas: io Iioe of Ilaae or . Ieas: io :/e Iioe of :/e
Ilaae. Ihc orncr translation inplics an outsidc or Gods-cyc
icw o thc Ilaguc as a rccurring and unsurprising phcnoncnon in
hunan history (as a praycr to bc rcad in tinc o war inplics thc cx-
pcctation that such a praycr will bc nccdcd by succcssic gcncrations).
Ihc tinc o thc Ilaguc, by contrast, suggcsts how it would bc sccn
by a pcrson liing through it: thcrc was a nornal tinc, and thcn a
iolcnt disruption, and thcnor thc suriorssoncthing likc nor-
nality again, this disruption was thc Ilaguc, as suriors o a war
would spcak o it as thc war. sincc Iushkins play cnphasizcs, not
thc phcnoncnon o Ilaguc as it has acctcd hunan bcings through-
out history, but thc rcsponsc o a nunbcr o indiiduals to thc dcadly
thrcat which has disruptcd thcir orncr lics, thc appropriatc choicc
would bc with articlcs. Ieas: io :/e Iioe of :/e Ilaae. Ihis phrasc,
howccr, is clunsy sounding in English, and thc substitution . Ieas:
Daio :/e Ilaae naturally suggcsts itscl (as it did, or cxanplc, to
Mirsky in his . His:oy of Rassiao Li:ea:ae).
iincs .;.:. Although that tonguc o wondrous cloqucncc/Las
not yct allcn silcnt in thc grac: thc Russian is -
/ . Ihcsc lincs sccn
to hac causcd sonc conusion anong translators: Vcrth nakcs thcn
rcad, But nark you, his nost cloqucncc discourscs /continucd al-
nost to thc cry last, whilc Kaboko gics, Ihough nccr was so
cloqucnt a tonguc/dooncd to kccp still in a dccaying caskct. Ihc
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Coooeo:ay .c,
sourcc o thc problcn cncrgcs whcn conparing Iushkins tcxt with
Vilsons.Vilsonrcads: Lis chair stands /Enptyat your right hand
as i cxpccting/Ihat joial wassailcrbut hc is gonc/Into cold nar-
rowquartcrs.Vcll, I dccn/Ihc grac did nccr silcncc with its dust /
Atonguc norc cloqucnt, but sincc tis so, /And storc o boon conpan-
ions yct suric, /Ihcrc is no rcason to bc sorrowul. Iushkins trans-
lation rccrscs Vilsons inagcthc dust o thc grac has oo: silcnccd
thc dcad nans cloqucnt tonguc. Ihis rccrsal is in kccping with thc
doninant issuc o Iushkins play, thc thcnc o thc continuing connu-
nion bctwccn thc liing and thc dcad. As a rcsult o this rccrsal, whilc
Vilsons lincs orn a continuous cxposition, Iushkins lincs .;.: arc
disjoincd ron thc oncs which ollow thcn. Vcrth and Kaboko ap-
parcntly clt this disjunction and, not rcalizing its largcr signicancc,
tricd to nd translations which would snooth it ocr.
iinc :;. with rudc pcrcction: thc Russian is
, whcrc litcrally ncans wild, natural, uncul-
tiatcdcnphasizing thc prinitic qualityo thc pcrornancc, and
thus its appropriatcncss to olk nusic. Ihc usc o rudc in thc sonc-
what paradoxical-sounding translations both in this linc and in linc ;,
(rudc paradisc ) is intcndcd to suggcst Valsinghans
conbination o attraction to and skcpticisn towards thc noblc sa-
agc clichc o scottish rural lic.
iincs .o.o, (stagc dircction). A black nan is driing: thc Rus-
sian is . is a cognatc o Kcgro, but in kccp-
ing with connon usagc, I hac translatcd it as black nan. It nust,
howccr, bc undcrstood that this black nan is a nan with black skin,
as opposcd to thc black nan (nan drcsscd in black,
o Moa: ao Saliei.
iincs ..:..,. although thc strccts all ours, /An untrackcd
hiding-placc ron dcath: thc Russian is /
, litcrally, althoughall our strcct /
Is a silcnt rcugc ron dcath. , howccr, ncans silcnt
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..c Coooeo:ay
in thc spccic scnsc o lacking thc sound o hunan oiccsor an
urban strcct, a prooundly abnornal and disturbing condition. An
untrackcd hiding-placc rcccts this inplication o plaguc-strickcn
dcsolation.
iincs .,c.c.. Ihc ourth stanza o Valsinghans song: thc Rus-
sian is , / , /
, / , /
, / . which translatcs litcr-
ally as: Ihcrc is intoxication in battlc, /And on thc cdgc o a gloony
abyss, /And on thc inuriatcd occan/Anong thrcatcning wacs and
storny darkncss /And in thc Arabian hurricanc/And in thc brcath
o thc Ilaguc. In linc .,;, or thc sakc o rhync (ight/hcight) I
hac changcd thc obscrcrs pcrspcctic slightly, sincc Valsinghans
lyrics suggcst an obscrcr standing on thc cdgc o a clilooking down,
rathcr than atop a nountain, but thc scnsc o a ast spacc opcn bc-
ncath thc obscrcr is thc sanc. In linc .co, in rccognition o thc act
that Arabia no longcr cokcs thc sanc cxotic and orbiddcn aura that
it would hac had or a Europcan in .:,o, I hac nocd thc Arabian
hurricancnorc pcdantically, a sandstornto thc unqucstionably
carsonc tcrrain o thc sahara.
iinc .cc. And blcst is hc: thc Russian is , whcrc
would norc accuratcly bc translatcd as happy (unlikc
blcst, it has no thcological ocrtonc).
iinc .::. to outcr darkncss: thc original is ,
an ccho o thc church slaonic Gospcls, I hac uscd thc cquialcnt
phrasc ron thc King ]ancs Vcrsion (Matt. :::.,).
iinc :.;. C a bcing, ruincd, but still dcar: thc Russian is -
, , o a lost but dcar crcaturc. Lowccr,
crcaturc has an ocrtonc o contcnpt in English, particularly whcn
applicd to a prostitutc, which Iushkin clcarly did not intcnd to hac
in thc Russian, sincc thc sanc phrasc ( ) is uscd by
ion ]uan in addrcssing iona Anna. Ihus in both cascs I hac trans-
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Coooeo:ay ...
latcd as bcing. suggcsts soncthing which cokcs
loc or is worthy o bcing locd, thc word dcar, uscd hcrc, would bc
a standard translation. In I/e S:ooe Gaes:, howccr, dcar sccncd a
distinctly wcak cpithct or an inpassioncd loc spccch, and so, by an
cxtcnsion o thc idca o locablcncss, I translatcd it as locly.
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Kotcs
i ronuci o
.. Ihc phrasc littlc tragcdics was uscd by Iushkin in a lcttcr to I.A.
Ilctnc datcd , icccnbcr .:,o, in which Iushkin, whilc cnuncrating thc
works hc had writtcn at Boldino, dcscribcs thc our plays as sccral dranatic
sccncs, or littlc tragcdics ( ,
).
:. In a lcttcr to Mnc. Goncharoa datcd , April .:,o, Iushkin wrotc, Cnly
habit and long intinacy could cnablc nc to gain thc acction o Mllc. your
daughtcr, I nay hopc that shc will bcconc attachcd to nc ocr tinc, but I
hac nothing to ocr that would plcasc hcr, i shc conscnts to gic nc hcr
hand, I would rcgard it only as proing thc tranquil indicrcncc o hcr hcart.
But surroundcd by adniration, honagcs, tcnptations, will hcr tranquillity
cndurc: Icoplc will tcll hcr that only an unhappy atc prccntcd hcr ron
..,
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.., No:es :o Iaes ,.c
naking anothcr natch, norc cqual, norc brilliant, norc worthy o hcr
thosc conncnts will pcrhaps bc sinccrc, and ccrtainly shc will think thcn so.
Vill shc not hac rcgrcts: Vill shc not scc nc as an obstaclc, a raudulcnt
abductor: Vill shc not conc to dctcst nc: God is ny witncss that I an rcady
to dic or hcr, but to hac to dic and lcac hcr a dazzling widow, rcc to
choosc a ncw husband thc ncxt daythat idca is hcll. (In thc original
Frcnch: ihabitudc ct unc longuc intinitc pourraicnt sculcs nc airc gagncr
lacction dc M-llc otrc llc, jc puis cspcrcr nc lattachcr la longuc, nais jc
nai ricn pour lui plairc, si cllc conscnt nc donncr sa nain, jc ny crrai quc
la prcuc dc la tranquillc indicrcncc dc son cocur. Mais cntourcc
dadniration, dhonnagcs, dc scductions, ccttc tranquillitc lui durcra-t-cllc:
Cn lui dira quun nalhcurcux sort la scul cnpchcc dc orncr dautrcs licns
plus cgaux, plus brillants, plus digncs dcllc,pcut-trc ccs propos scront-ils
sincrcs, nais coup sr cllc lcs croira tcls. Kaura-t-cllc pas dcs rcgrcts: nc
nc rcgardcra-t-cllc pas connc un obstaclc, connc un raisscur raudulcux:
nc nc prcndcra-t-cllc pas cn acrsion: iicu ncst tcnoin quc jc suis prt
nourir pour cllc, nais dcoir nourir pour la laisscr cuc brillantc ct librc dc
choisir dcnain un noucau nariccttc idccccst lcncr.)
,. i. s. Mirsky, . His:oy of Rassiao Li:ea:ae foo I:s Beiooios :o .,cc
(KcwYork: Vintagc Books, .,,:), p. .o..
ur ii ir rxorni rs i roii s u: .o .oac/
.. Ihc publishcd translations o thc littlc tragcdics with which I an aniliar
arc Eugcnc M. Kaydcns translation o all our plays (Ycllow springs, Chio:
Antioch Ircss, .,c,), A. F. B. clarks I/e Coe:oas Roi/:, Moa: ao
Saliei, and I/e S:ooe Gaes: in I/e Ho/s of .lexaoe Ias//io. Lyics,
Naa:ie Ioeos, Iol/ Iales, Ilays, Iose, cditcd and with an introduction by
ArahnYarnolinsky (KcwYork: Randon Lousc, .,,c), Vladinir Kabokos
translation o thc Barons sccond-sccnc nonologuc ron I/e Coe:oas Roi/:
and thc conplctc tcxts o . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae and Moa: ao Saliei,
printcd in I/ee Rassiao Ioe:s. Selec:ioos foo Ias//io, Leooo:o ao
Iya:c/e (Korolk, conn.: Kcw iircctions, .,), ]ancs E. Falcns
translations o Moa: ao Saliei and I/e S:ooe Gaes: in I/e Ias//io )oaoal,
ols. . (.,,,) and : (.,,) rcspccticly, R. M. Lcwitts Moa: ao Saliei
(Kottinghan: Unicrsity collcgc, .,,:), and Alcxandcr Vcrths . Ieas: io :/e
Ci:y of :/e Ilaae in Slaooic Reie, c, no. .c (]unc .,:;).
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No:es :o Iaes ...- ..
:. I. s. Eliot, Ioe:y ao Daoa (iondon: Fabcr & Fabcr i., .,,.), pp. .:.,.
,. Ibid., p. .,.
. Eliot, I/e Masic of Ioe:y (Glasgow: ]ackson, son & conpany, .,:), pp.
.,:..
,. Ibid., pp. :.::.
c. In thc original Russian:
. . . ,
, ,
, , ,
,
, -.
,
, , .
,
, ,
. Kornci chukoskii, 1yso/oe
is/ass:o (Moscow: soctskii pisatcl, .,::), p. :..
;. In thc original Russian: , ,
,
,
: ,
,
, ,
,
,
. , ,
,
, -,
.
,
.

( ), -
,

. Ibid., p. ;;.
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..c No:es :o Iaes .-.,c
:. In thc original Frcnch: ia raiscnblancc dcs situations ct la critc du
dialogucoil la critablc rglc dc la tragcdic. (]c nai pas lu caldcron ni
Vcga) nais qucl honnc quc cc sch.akcspcarc>! jc ncn rcicns pas. connc
Byron lc tragiquc cst ncsquin dcant lui! . . . iiscz sch.akcspcarc>, il nc
craint janais dc conproncttrc son pcrsonnagc, il lc ait parlcr acc tout
labandon dc la ic, car il cst sr cn tcnps ct licu dc lui airc troucr lc
langagc dc son caractrc.
,. All o thc ballads ncntioncd in thc ollowing discussion arc wcll-known
oncs that hac bccn rcprintcd nany tincs. Cnc book that concnicntly
contains all o thcn is I/e Cxfo Boo/ of Ballas, cd. Arthur uillcr-couch
(Cxord: clarcndon Ircss, .,:;).
ur srnuci o or rowrr: I/e Misely Roi/:
.. A. G. Gukasoa, Bolios/ii eio :oc/es:e Ias//ioa (Moscow:
Iroscshchcnic, .,;,), p. :..
rrrxsxi or x cxiii o: Moa: ao Saliei
.. In thc original Russian: ,
, ,
,
,
, . . . ,
. . ,
. A. s. Iushkin, Iolooe solaoie soc/ioeoii (Moscow: Voskrcscnic,
.,,.,,;), . .., p. :.:. Iushkin appcars to hac bccn nislcd by an
inaccuratc sccondary sourcc. Ihc world prcnicrc o Doo Gioaooi (in Iraguc)
was indccd rcccicd with grcat cnthusiasn, but salicri was not in Iraguc at
thc tinc. It is cntircly possiblc that hc attcndcd thc Vicnna (court) prcnicrc
o thc work, but its rcccption at Vicnna was dccidcdly nixcd, so that thc
dranatic incidcnt o onc hccklcr against thc wholc housc could not hac
happcncd.
:. s. V. Rassadin, Daoa:a Ias//io. Ioe:i/a. Iei. Eolia:siia (Moscow:
Iskussto, .,;;), p. .:.
,. For a discussion o this iucicrian inagcry, scc Robcrt iouis ]ackson,
Miltonic Inagcry and icsign in Iukins Moa: ao Saliei. Ihc Russian
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No:es :o Iaes .,. ..-
satan, in .oeicao Coo:ila:ioos :o :/e Seeo:/ Io:eoa:iooal Cooess of
Slais:s, cd. Victor Icrras (Ihc Laguc, .,;,), pp. :c.:;o.
. V. Vatsuro, in Moa: i Salei, :aeiia Ias//ioa. Di/eoie o eoeoi,
Iushkin XX ckc, III (Moscow: Kaslcdic, .,;;), p. ;:o.
ur wri ou or ur rxs: I/e S:ooe Gaes:
.. In thc original Russian: , , ,
,

. . . ,
. . . .
,
.
.
, ,
, . i. i. Blagoi,
Ioc/es/ii a: Ias//ioa. ..c.,c (Moscow: soctskii pisatcl, .,c;),
p. c,:.
:. In thc original Russian:

. . . , ,
,
. i. Ustiuzhanin, Maleo/ie :aeii .. S. Ias//ioa
(Moscow: Khudozhcstcnnaya litcratura, .,;), pp. ::, :,, italics in original.
,. . In: s. V. Rassadin, Daoa:a
Ias//io. Ioe:i/a. Iei. Eolia:siia. Moscow: Iskussto, .,;;.
. Frank scclcy, Ihc Iroblcn o Raoeooy Gos:, Slaooic ao Eas:
Eaoeao Reie, . (.,c,), pp. ,c:, ,,.
,. Richard Grcgg, Ihc Eudacnonic Ihcnc in Iukins iittlc Iragcdics,
.lexaoe Ia/io. . Syoosiao oo :/e .-:/ .ooiesay of His Bi:/, cd.
Andrcj Kodjak and Kiril Iaranosky (KcwYork: KcwYork Unicrsity Ircss,
.,;c), pp. .:,, .,.
c. In thc original Russian:
( ,
), . . .
, ,
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.. No:es :o Iaes ..,.
.
.
, , ,
, , .
. V. Kcponniashchii, C nalcnkikh
tragcdiiakh, Maleo/ie :aeii (Moscow: Iskussto, .,c;), pp. ;,;c.
;. charlcs corbct, ioriginalitc du Cooie e iee dc Iouchkinc, Reae e
li::a:ae cooae, :,, no. . (.,,,), pp. ,:,, points out two sinilaritics
bctwccn Villicrss play and Iushkins: thc plot dcicc o ion ]uans disguising
hinscl as a nonk, and thc ncntion o thc knight-connandcrs nanc as ion
Alaro (a nanc that occurs in no prc-Iushkin crsion cxccpt Villicrss).
Iushkin night indcpcndcntly hac conc up with thc idca o a clcrical
disguisc, but it sccns highly unlikcly that purc chancc would lcad hin to pick
cxactly thc sanc airly unconnon christian nanc or his
knight-connandcr.
:. Ihis translation is gicn in Valtcr Arndt, Ias//io I/eefol. Naa:ie,
Lyic, Ioleoic ao Rilal 1ese, I/e Ciioals i:/ Lioea ao Me:ic
Iaosla:ioos (KcwYork: E. I. iutton, .,;:), p. ,:. Ihc Russian original is:
/
, / , /
, / ,
, / .
survi vxi xn xrxors: . Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae
.. It is worth conparing Valsinghans attitudc toward thc Ilaguc with that
dcscribcd in Iushkins pocn Ihc Lcro (), which was also writtcn
at Boldino in .:,o. In Ihc Lcro, which takcs thc orn o a dialoguc
bctwccn a poct and his ricnd, thc poct says that, out o all o Kapolcons acts,
thc onc that nost captiatcs his inagination is thc lcgcnd that during his
Middlc Eastcrn canpaign, thc uturc cnpcror isitcd his plaguc-strickcn
soldicrs in a cld hospital and unhcsitatingly touchcd thcir handsa dcgrcc
o carlcssncss worthy o Valsinghans hynn. But what nakcs this gcsturc
hcroic, in thc pocts cycs, is not ncrcly thc dcgrcc o carlcssncss it shows,
but thc act that it was pcrorncd to gic conort and couragc to thc
dcspcratcly sick ncn. It is this conpassion, thc poct asscrts, which nakcs thc
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No:e :o Iae .,- ..,
dicrcncc bctwccn a hcro and a tyrant. By contrast, conpassion or thc
strickcn is conplctcly lacking in Valsinghans carlcssncss.
:. Ihc conncction bctwccn Valsinghan and thc bcrcacd Ednund is rightly
nadc by ionald iocwcn, iisguiscd as Iranslation: Rcligion and Rc-
crcation in Iushkins . Ieas: io Iioe of Ilaae, Slaic ao Eas: Eaoeao
)oaoal, o, no. . (.,,c), pp. ,o,..
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sclcct Bibliography
Akhnatoa, Anna. Raoeooyi os: Iushkina (Iushkins I/e S:ooe Gaes:).
Soc/ioeoiia, cd. G. I. struc and B. A. Fillipo. Vol. :. Munich:
Intcr-ianguagc iibrary Associatcs, .,c:.
Alcxandro, Vladinir E. corrclations in Iushkins Maleo/ie :aeii.
Caoaiao Slaooic Iaes, :o (.,;:): .;c.,,.
Baylcy, ]ohn. Ias//io. . Cooaa:ie Coooeo:ay. canbridgc: canbridgc
Unicrsity Ircss, .,;..
Bidncy, Martin. Ihinking about God and Mozart: thc salicris o Iukin and
Ictcr shacr. Slaic ao Eas: Eaoeao )oaoal, ,o, no. : (.,:c): .:,.,,.
Blagoi, i. i. Ioc/es/ii a: Ias//ioa. ..c.,c (Ias//ios .:is:ic Ia:/,
..c- .,c). Moscow: soctskii pisatcl, .,c;.
chukoskii, Kornci. 1yso/oe is/ass:o. Moscow: soctskii pisatcl, .,::.
(Aailablc in English as I/e .: of Iaosla:ioo. Rooei C/a/os/ys
...
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9
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3
6
... Selec: Billioa/y
. Hi/ .:. Ir. and cd. iaurcn G. icighton. Knoxillc: Unicrsity o
Icnncsscc Ircss, .,:.)
corbct, charlcs. ioriginalitc du Cooie e iee dc Iouchkinc. Reae e
Li::a:ae Cooae, :,, no. . (.,,,): :;..
iarskii, i. Maleo/iia :aeii Ias//ioa (Ias//ios Li::le Iaeies ).
Moscow, .,.,.
iurylin, s. K. Ias//io oa s:seoe ,S:aio Ias//ios Ilays). Moscow:
Izdatclsto Akadcnii nauk sssR, .,,..
Eliot, I. s. I/e Masic of Ioe:y. I/e I/i H. I. Re Meooial Lec:ae
Deliee io :/e Uoiesi:y of Glaso .,:/ Ielaay .,,.. Glasgow:
]ackson, son & conpany, .,:.
-. Ioe:y ao Daoa. I/e I/eooe Seoce Meooial Lec:ae, Haa
Uoiesi:y, Noeole .., .,c. iondon: Fabcr & Fabcr, .,,..
Ernako, I. i. E:iay o si//oloii :oc/es:a .. S. Ias//ioa. Cy:
oaoic/es/oo ooioaoiia Dooi/ Roloooe, Ioo/a i oaleo/i//
:aeii (S:aies io :/e .:is:ic Isyc/oloy of .. S. Ias//io. Ioas ao
Caoic Uoes:aoio of I/e Li::le Hoase io Roloooa, I/e Io/e:,
ao :/e Li::le Iaeies). Isikhologichcskaia i psikhoanalitichcskaia
bibliotcka pod. rcd. pro. I. i. Ernakoa. Moscow, .,:,.
Giord, L. Iukins Ieas: io Iioe of Ilaae and Its Criginal. .oeicao
Slaic ao Eas: Eaoeao Reie, ; (.,,): ,;c.
Grcgg, Richard. Ihc Eudacnonic Ihcnc in Iukins iittlc Iragcdics. In
.lexaoe Ia/io. . Syoosiao oo :/e .-:/ .ooiesay of His Bi:/, cd.
Andrcj Kodjak and Kiril Iaranosky. KcwYork: KcwYork Unicrsity
Ircss, .,;c.
-. Iushkin and shcnstonc: Ihc casc Rcopcncd. Cooaa:ie
Li:ea:ae, .;, no. : (spring .,c,): .o,..c.
Gukasoa, A. G. Bolios/ii eio :oc/es:e Ias//ioa (Ias//ios Bolioo
Ieio). Moscow: Iroscshchcnic, .,;,.
]ackson, Robcrt i. Miltonic Inagcry and icsign in Iukins Moa: ao
Saliei. Ihc Russian satan. .oeicao Coo:ila:ioos :o :/e Seeo:/
Io:eoa:iooal Cooess of Slais:s, cd. Victor Icrras. Vol. :. Ihc Laguc:
Mouton, .,;,.
-. Moral-Ihilosophical subtcxt in Iushkins Raoeooyi os:.
Scaoo-Slaica, ,, (.,:,): .;:.
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Selec: Billioa/y ..,
Karpiak, Robcrt. Iushkins Li::le Iaeies. Ihc controcrsics in
criticisn. Caoaiao Slaooic Iaes, :: (.,:o): :o,..
icsskis, G. A. Raoeooyi os:. Iragcdiia gcdonizna (I/e S:ooe Gaes:. Ihc
Iragcdy o Lcdonisn). Ias//io. Issleoaoiia i oa:eialy ., (.,:,):
.,.,.
iocwcn, ionald. iisguiscd as Iranslation: Rcligion and Rc-crcation in
Iushkins . Ieas: io Iioe of Ilaae. Slaic ao Eas: Eaoeao )oaoal,
o, no. . (.,,c): ,c:.
Mirsky, i. s. . His:oy of Rassiao Li:ea:ae foo I:s Beiooios :o .cc. Kcw
York: Vintagc Books, .,,:.
Kcponniashchii, V. s., conp. Moa: i Salei, :aeiia Ias//ioa. Di/eoie
o eoeoi ,Ias//ios Iaey Moa: ao Saliei. Moeoeo: io Iioe).
Iushkin XX ckc, III. Moscow: Kaslcdic, .,;;. A chronologically
arrangcd collcction o c, studics o thc play writtcn by pronincnt Russian
scholars, bcginning in thc nid-ninctccnth ccntury and cnding in
thc .,,os.
-. C nalcnkikh tragcdiiakh (Ihc iittlc Iragcdics). In: Alcxandcr
Iushkin, Maleo/ie :aeii. Moscow: Iskussto, .,c;.
Iushkin, Alcxandcr. Bolios/aia oseo. S:i//o:oeoiia, oeoy, oaleo/ie
:aeii, oes:i, s/a/i, isoa, /i:ic/es/ie s:a:i, oaisaooye .. S.
Ias//ioyo sele Bolioo La/oiaoos/oo aea Ni/eoos/oi aleoii
oseoia .,c oa ,I/e Bolioo .a:aoo. Lyic ao Naa:ie Ioeos, Li::le
Iaeies, S/o: S:oies, Iol/ Iales, Le::es, ao Ci:ical .:icles Hi::eo ly
.. S. Ias//io io Bolioo . . . io .a:aoo .,c). Ed. K. V. Kolosoa.
Moscow: Molodaia gardiia, .,::.
-. A Fcast in thc city o thc Ilaguc. Irans. Alcxandcr Vcrth.
Slaooic Reie, c, no. .c (]unc .,:;): .;.:.
-. Li::le Iaeies. Iranslatcd ron thc Russian by Eugcnc M. Kaydcn,
illustratcd by Vladinir Faorsky. Ycllow springs, Chio: Antioch
Ircss, .,c,.
-. Mozart and salicri. Irans. ]ancs E. Falcn. I/e Ias//io )oaoal, .,
no. : (.,,,): ::::,.
-. Moa: ao Saliei. Irans. R. M. Lcwitt. Iranslations ron thc
Russian, I. Kottinghan: Unicrsity collcgc, .,,:.
-Iolooe solaoie soc/ioeoii. Ioo 1II, Daoa:ic/es/ie oieeoiia
(Coole:e Ho/s. 1olaoe -. Daoa:ic Ho/s). Vol. ;, cd. V. I. Iakuboich.
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-. Iolooe solaoie soc/ioeoii ,Coole:e Ho/s). Ed. V. i.
Bonch-Brucich. Moscow: Voskrcscnic, .,,.,,;.
-. Ias//io I/eefol. Naa:ie, Lyic, Ioleoic, ao Rilal 1ese, I/e
Ciioals i:/ Lioea ao Me:ic Iaosla:ioos ly Hal:e .o:. KcwYork:
E. I. iutton, .,;:.
-. Ihc stonc Gucst. Irans. ]ancs E. Falcn. I/e Ias//io )oaoal, :,
(.,,- .,,,): ,,.:,.
-. I/ee Rassiao Ioe:s. Selec:ioos foo Ias//io, Leooo:o, ao
Iya:c/e, io Ne Iaosla:ioos ly 1laioi Nalo/o. Ihc Iocts o thc Ycar.
Korolk, conn.: Kcw iircctions, .,.
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Iales, Ilays, Iose. sclcctcd and cditcd, with an introduction, by Arahn
Yarnolinsky. KcwYork: Randon Lousc, .,,c.
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Daoa:ay. Ioe:ics, Ieas, Eola:ioo). Moscow: Iskussto, .,;;.
scclcy, Frank. Ihc Iroblcn o Raoeooy Gos:. Slaooic ao Eas: Eaoeao
Reie, . (.,c,): ,c,c;.
Icrras, Victor. Iukins Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae and Its Criginal: A
structural conrontation. In .lexaoe Ia/io. . Syoosiao oo :/e .-:/
.ooiesay of His Bi:/, cd. Andrcj Kodjak and Kiril Iaranosky. Kcw
York: KcwYork Unicrsity Ircss, .,;c.
Ionashcskii, Boris. Malcnkic tragcdii Iushkina i Molcr (Iushkins iittlc
Iragcdics and Molirc). Ias//io. 1eoeooi/ as//ios/oi /oooissii. Ion ..
Moscow: Izdatclsto Akadcnii nauk, .,,c.,..
Ustiuzhanin, i. Maleo/ie :aeii .. S. Ias//ioa ,Ias//ios Li::le
Iaeies). Moscow: Khudozhcstcnnaia litcratura, .,;.
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Indcx
Akhnatoa, Anna: on I/e S:ooe
Gaes:,
Blagoy, i.: on I/e S:ooe Gaes:,
.,c,;
Blok, Alcxandcr, :, .,
Byron, Gcorgc Gordon, iord Byron:
and lcgcnd o ion ]uan, .,:, .,,,
Iushkin on dranatic poctry o, :;
chukosky, Korncy: on translating
poctry, .c.;
Ci:y of :/e Ilaae, I/e, by ]ohn Vil-
son: as inspiration or . Ieas:
Daio :/e Ilaae, , changcs
nadc in Iushkins translation,
.:,, :o,, charactcrization con-
parcd to Iushkins, :c:;, stylc o
languagc conparcd to Iushkins,
::c
clark, A. F. B.: as translator o littlc
tragcdics, .;.:, .,, :o.
iostocsky, Fyodor: adniration o
Iushkin, ., ,, Ian Karanazo
(I/e Bo:/es Raaoao) and
..
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..c Ioex
iostocsky, Fyodor (continucd)
littlc tragcdics, .,, .,, Raskol-
niko (Cioe ao Iaois/oeo:) and
littlc tragcdics, .,, .;, .,.
Eliot, I. s.: on drana in crsc, .o..,
.,.,
Grcgg, Richard: on I/e S:ooe Gaes:,
.,;
Lcwitt, R. M.: as translator o Moa:
ao Saliei, :o:
Lonann, E. I. A.: and lcgcnd o
ion ]uan, .,:
Karanzin, Kikolai: on lcgcnd o
Michclangclo as nurdcrcr, :o,
Kaydcn, Eugcnc M.: as translator o
littlc tragcdics, .:.,
ic Micnnc, Antoinc-Marin: on
gcnius and crinc, :o,
icrnonto, Mikhail, .:, .c, .;
Marcll, Andrcw, ::
Michclangclo. See Karanzin, Kikolai
Molirc, ]can Baptistc Ioquclin: and
lcgcnd o ion ]uan, .,:, .,,, .c.
Mordaunt, Ihonas Csbcrt, ,:
Mozart, Volgang Anadcus: Doo
Gioaooi, .,:, .,;, .,:, .,,, .c.,
.:o, :.c, Reaieo lct unnishcd,
.c
Kaboko, Vladinir: as translator o
littlc tragcdics, .:.,, :o., :o:,
:o, :o:,
Kcponnyashchy, V.: on I/e S:ooe
Gaes:, .,;:
Iushkin, Alcxandcr: pcrsonal cir-
cunstanccs whcn writing littlc
tragcdics, :, ,, , :.,.
works (othcr than thc littlc tragc-
dics): A Bookscllcr Ialking
with a Ioct, .c, Bois Goaoo,
.:, .,, :;, Eaeoe Coeio, ., ,,
.o, I/e Gysies, c, Ihc Lcro,
:.:.,, His:oy of :/e 1illae of
Goya//ioo, ,, I/e Li::le Hoase
io Roloooa, ,, My Cwn Monu-
ncnt Ic Built, Kot Madc by Any
Land, .:, notc on salicri, .,.,
:.c, Ihc Ioct, .o, Ihc Ioct
and thc crowd, .,:, .,,, I/e
aeeo of Saes, .:,, .c,, Rc-
ncnbrancc, .;,, I/e S:oy of :/e
Iies: ao His Ho/oao Bala, ,,
I/e S:oy of :/e S/e-Bea, ,, I/e
Iales of Bel/io, ,, Io thc Ioct,
.,:
Rassadin, s.: conparcs Iushkins
salicri to iostocskys charactcrs,
.,, on I/e S:ooe Gaes:, .,;
salicri, Antonio: allcgcd bchaior
at prcnicrc o Doo Gioaooi, .,.,
:.c, status in .:th ccntury nusical
world, .,:
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Ioex ..-
scclcy, Frank: on I/e S:ooe Gaes:,
.,;
shakcspcarc, Villian: charactcrs o,
conparcd to thc iukc (in I/e
Misely Roi/:), .:, Iushkins
adniration or as dranatist, :;
shcnstonc, Villian, .,,
snyth, Villian, ,:
Iirso dc Molina: and lcgcnd o ion
]uan, .,:
Iolstoy, A. K.: on translating
Gocthc, .c
Ustyuzhanin, i.: on I/e S:ooe Gaes:,
.,;
Vatsuro, V.: on Moa: ao Saliei,
.,
Villicrs, claudc icschanps, sicur dc:
and lcgcnd o ion ]uan, .,:, :.:
Vcrth, Alcxandcr: as translator o .
Ieas: Daio :/e Ilaae, :o:,
Vilson, ]ohn. scc Ci:y of :/e Ilaae.
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Cthcr oluncs in thc Russian iitcraturc and Ihought scrics
See No Eil. Li:eay Coe-as O Discoeies of :/e
Soie: Cao Exeieoce
iariusz Iolczyk
1ies foo :/e C:/e S/oe. Essays oo Heeo, C/e//o, O Ba//:io
Ailccn M. Kclly
Ias//ios His:oical Ioaioa:ioo
sctlana Edokinoa
Reeaio Rassiao Ioe:y
Editcd by stcphanic sandlcr
Lile:y, Eaali:y, ao :/e Ma/e:
Essays by B. K. chichcrin
Editcd and Iranslatcd by G. M. Lanburg
Ioa .oo:/e S/oe. Rassiao I/io/es Be:eeo Necessi:y ao C/aoce
Ailccn M. Kclly
Dos:oes/y ao Soloie. I/e .: of Io:eal 1isioo
Marina Kostalcsky
.lao Ie: ao :/e Ioe:ics of Cioe
catharinc Ihcincr Kcponnyashchy
Uo:ioely I/oa/:s. Essays oo Reola:ioo, Cal:ae,
ao :/e Bols/ei/s, .,.-.,.
Maxin Gorky
. 1oice foo :/e C/oas
AbranIcrtz (Andrci sinyasky)
S:olls i:/ Ias//io
AbranIcrtz (Andrci sinyasky)
.,.c Diay
Isaac Babcl
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