• Artist e

Photographer.

STUDIO: ROME, N. Y.

Offers his services to the Students of Hamilton College.

His work is acknowledged Unrivaled for Style, Artistic Handling and Finish.

SPECIAL RATES.

Correspondence Solicited.

J. M. BRAINERD.

Contents of this Number.

The Clytemnestra of Æschylus and the Lady Macbeth of

Shakespeare, D. DEWOLF SMYTH, '90,

The Bible and the Testimony of the Monuments,

FREDERICK PERKINS. '89.

A Legacy of the Nineteenth to the Twentieth Century,

E. L. STEVENS, '90,

Realism in Fiction, W. P. SHEPARD, '92, -

EDITORS' TABLE.

Editorials,

Around College,

Intercollegiate News,

Exchanges,

Clippings,

Alumniana, PROF. EDWARD North,

Necrology,

Marriages,

THE "HAMILTON LITERARY MONTHLY" FOR 1888-9.

Its aim is to furnish a Review of our College Literature, a faithful representa-

tion of our College Life, and a medium for the communication to the Alumni

of items of interest.

The "Alumniana" is under the charge of Prof. NORTH, a guarantee of its

worth and interest. The "LIT." is furnished at exactly cost price; and, to save

the Editors financial loss, must meet with the cordial support of the Alumni.

to

TERMS: $3.00 PER YEAR; SINGLE NUMBERS 35 CENTS.

All communications on matters relating to the MONTHLY should be addressed

HAMILTON LITERARY MONTHLY,

CLINTON, N. Y.

THE CLYTEMNESTRA

THE

OF ÆSCHYLUS AND THE LADY

MACBETH OF SHAKESPEARE.

HE modern drama includes in its personations those of all nations and of all times. The Greek was limited. As the great artists of the renaissance passed over the varied subjects of history to depict the well-known story of the Christ child, so Greek tragedians forgot historic events in remoulding and recoloring the legends of the past.

Thus Eschylus told no new story when in his grand trilogy, the Oresteia, he rehearsed the woes attendant on the house of Atreus: created no new character when in this trilogy he portrayed the dread Queen Clytemnestra. Poets had sung of her since Homeric times. Harmonizing with the dark fatalism of the Greek mind, she was a far more real and potent factor in Greek thought, than the realities of that shadowy past, whence she had come.

In the main and so far as concerns Clytemnestra Æschylus has told the story as he received it. His is the Clytemnestra of Homeric legend, and of the epics and lyrics succeeding: the Clytemnestra too, in her remorseless wickedness and intense passion, of the later Sophocles, Euripides, and Ion, of the Latin Seneca, of the Italian Alfieri, and the French Lemercier.

Before she comes upon the stage in "Agamemnon," the first of the trilogy, the key-note to the dramatic action, has been sounded; the story of Helen's flight, the siege of Troy,

the sacrifice of Iphigenia has been told. A sense of mystery and dark foreboding shrouds the opening lines. In the vast circle of the Greek theatre, the eager throng, breathless, expectant, awaits her entrance. At last she comes, triumph in mien and look, joyous, exultant, announcing the fall of Troy and the Argive victory.

To conceive of her as aught but beautiful were impossible -Greek æstheticism demanded it: the poet's idealism demanded it-beautiful in the highest type of Greek beauty, such as inspired the Athene of Phidias.

With impassioned eloquence she proclaims the message flashed from distant Ida's beacon light; and bids "The morning become the herald of gladness from its mother night." There is nothing in her words to indicate the dark role she is about to play. On the contrary, they seem in marked contrast with the sententious forebodings just uttered by the chorus: intense, perhaps, and highly wrought, but accordant with the hour. For aught they imply, Agamemnon's Queen might indeed be his "loyal consort and watchdog of his home." The Greek audience, however, knew better, knew that murder had already entered into that heart, and that the fair, foul face was lighted up by the fires of hell.

With hurried action, Æschylus now introduces the herald, who, confirming the tidings of victory, scarcely completes his story, ere Agamemnon appears, and at his side Cassandra, luckless prophetess of Troy, the victor's allotment from the common spoil.

Here the action centers. All the dark presentiments of watchman and chorus are about to find their fulfillment. The plot of Clytemnestra and her paramour Ægisthus is to be consummated.

Issuing from the palace Clytemnestra meets her lord with feigned delight, with protestations of love whose hypocrisy is betrayed in their profusion. She can not say enough; but her words are hollow and dead. Causab has noticed this and prefers Seneca's more ardent rendering of the scene. But is this coldness anything but the mere mask hiding the inner fire?