The Dramatic Unities in the Present Day - Softcover

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1875 Excerpt: ... THE UNITIES IN THE PRESENT CENTUR Y, AND IN ENGLAND. JjOR three hundred years, then, in Italy, and for two hundred in France, the dramatic unities reigned supreme. It was, too, strangely enough, in Italy, the country where they had had their rise, that the first movement was made to throw off their authority. As Trissino's "Sophonisba" had been the first piece written in accordance with i the unities, so Manzoni's " II Conte di Carmagnola" was the first written in defiance of and in opposition to them. This play was produced in the year 1820, and from the fact of its being an attempt to overthrow the old established theories, immediately attracted wide notice. On these grounds, it was mentioned favourably by G6the, who, in his criticism of the piece, says--"In his preface the writer farther plainly declares that he has torn himself loose from the severe ordinances of time and place. He quotes August Wilhelm von Schlegel's writings on the subject as conclusive, and points out the injurious effects of the painfully constrained treatment of subjects, which has obtained up to the present time. It is true, that, so far, a German finds nothing which he did not know before; he sees nothing which he would wish to contradict. But, notwithstanding, Manzoni's remarks are worthy of all consideration on our part. For, although this subject has for years been thoroughly discussed-and thoroughly disputed in Germany, yet an intelligent man who finds himself impelled to defend a good cause afresh, and under other circumstances, will always discover a new aspect of the question from which it ought to be regarded and appraised, and will endeavour to weaken and to combat the arguments of his opponents by adducing new considerations. So, too, our author brings forward much whic...

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