Book description
This book may be described as Dame Edith Sitwell's personal notebook.
It consists of essays on the subject of the general aspect of the
plays-those great hymns to the principle and the glory of life, in which
there are the same differences in nature, in matter, in light, in
darkness, in movement, that we find in the universe, and in which the
characters are so vast they seem each an element (Water, Hamlet; Air,
Romeo and Juliet; Fire, King Lear) and which yet bear the stamp of our
common humanity, made greater and more universal. There are long essays
on King Lear, Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet. Dame Edith believes, with all
humility, that she has discovered new sources of the inspiration of King
Lear, throwing a new light on the whole play, and giving new meanings to
the mad scenes, of an unsurpassable grandeur, depth, and terror. There
are shorter essays also on other of the tragedies. The keynotes of many
of the plays are examined (not all the plays are discussed), a phrase is
studied and will be found to hold the whole meaning of the play.
There are essays on many of the comedies, and long passages about the
Fools and Clowns. Connecting levels are traced between the philosophies
of the plays. There are, too, running commentaries on Shakespeare as
that ' common-kissing Titan ', and, since the book is a personal
notebook, the author makes copious quotations from the writings of
Shakespearean scholars who have thrown light on the various aspects of
which she treats, and from works on other subjects which also serve to
illumine his mighty and many-sided genius. Edith Sitwell (1887-1964)
was born into an aristocratic family and, along with her brothers,
Osbert and Sacheverell, had a significant impact on the artistic life of
the 20s. She encountered the work of the French symbolists, Rimbaud in
particular, early in her writing life and became a champion of the
modernist movement, editing six editions of the controversial magazine
Wheels. She remained a crusading force against philistinism and
conservatism throughout her life and her legacy lies as much in her
unstinting support of other artists as it does in her own poetry.
