 | Adrastus |  |
INTRODUCTION TO ADRASTUS.
The following Tragedy is partly historical, partly imaginary. In the historical part the Author has been more solicitous to mark character than to adhere to chronology, which he has endeavoured to make subservient to his object. The point of time taken is that in the life of Crœsus, the Lydian king, when his boasted and proud prosperity received its first blow by the death of his son Atys, accidentally slain by a young Phrygian prince, named Adrastus. The event, with its circumstances, is related by Herodotus, in the first book of his History, to which the reader is referred, should he wish to compare it.
The story of Adrastus and Atys, however affecting in the narrative, is too scanty for dramatic effect. It was necessary to animate it with the assistance of more vehement passions than grief; the Author has therefore imagined a character, in which love and revenge are made to struggle violently, and has so connected it with the historical event as to concur in the unity of the action. This is the only imaginary addition to the history.
With respect to the anachronisms occurring, they will be evidently seen to have been contemplated, for the purpose of giving prominence to the historical character of Crœsus. For instance: the answers of the Oracle introduced in the third act are long subsequent to the time of action in the Tragedy; so are Crœsus's last exclamations on Solon; but they are historical facts, and mark his character.
The Author was desirous to adhere, as much as possible, to the Classical rules respecting the Unities; being of opinion that it is only owing to a very superior power of fascination in the action, and in the portraiture of character, that the neglect of those of time and place is unattended with disadvantage. Of that fascination the English Stage, even without referring to Shakspear, has innumerable instances: yet are the Unities, in spite of Dr. Johnson's masterly defence of our great Bard's “designed rejection or happy ignorance of them,” founded in sound criticism. For that of time, the Author has protracted the action a whole day of twenty-four hours, but with an intervening night. To preserve that of place he has taken the liberty of transferring the scene of the Boar-hunt from Mysia to the neighbourhood of Sardis. Every Act is restricted to one spot, except the fourth, which the Author attempted to mould also according to the rule, but, unable to succeed, without a cosiderable conversion of action into narration, he preferred transgressing in a few instances.
The principal personages are characterized as follows:
Crœsus: amiable, hospitable, virtuous, and brave: but vain of his wealth, elate with his prosperity, and self-glorious.
Atys: frank, candid, highly susceptible of friendship and amiable feelings: not subject to painful passions.
Adrastus: mild and susceptible, deeply suffering grief, virtuous, and noble-minded.
Ada: of violent passions, but not abandoned.
Although the Author trusts that the Tragedy does not need illustration in order to produce effect, yet he hopes that the subjoined Notes will not be displeasing to the classical reader, and they may be useful to others.
| Adrastus | |