The fair penitent, a tragedy.

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In making his adaptation, Rowe eliminated characters and simplified the action "to create a more focused play than the original." He pursued "neoclassical simplicity" but in the process sacrificed the "underlying moral principles" of the original. Rowe shifted the setting from Dijon to Genoa, and changed the main characters' names. married her, forward to expose her fatal weakness, and his own inhuman triumph over her unsuspect|ing virtue. Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.661; these arms are displayed on the monument to Nicholas Rowe in Westminster Abbey [1] Horatio is an amiable and valuable character, yet hurried by the zeal of friendship into trepasses upon decorum; his intention we approve, but his manner of accosting Calista, and stigmatizing Alta|mont is very censurable; his reasoning seems cool, yet his proceedings are precipitate: Mr. QUIN was greatly admired in this part, for what we cannot say, unless mere weight and pomposity of expression were deemed a meritorious contrast to the spirited vivacity of Lothario; his person was no doubt suita|bly adapted, but a laborious formality of action of|fended the critical eye, and a monotonous cadence of voice palled the distinguishing ear—Rowe's golden lines hung heavy on his expression, and by their measured harmony, led him into most wearisome recitative of tragedy. Lothario, a young lord of dissolute principles, with his confidante Rossano, appear next; from the expressions at first dropped by Lothario we find, there is a rooted enmity subsisting between him and Sciolto's connections, chiefly on account of Calista, of whose unfortunate credulity, and his own triumph over her virtue, he gives a most fan|ciful, but highly censurable description; vice is here adorned with irresistable charms to an un|guarded mind, and therefore presented to public view in her most dangerous garb: reason and judg|ment commiserating the betrayed, must condemn the betrayer; yet we fear the luxuriance of fancy here works a quite contrary effect; less merit in the writing would have lessened the danger, either in perusal or representation; gross licentiousness disgusts, but the refined sort, like palatable poison, introduces destruction unperceived.

Returning to the pleasure her infant years gave him, and his forgiveness of her, are circumstances thoroughly pathetic; his parting carries the climax of tenderness as high as it can well go; the succeed|ing scene between Altamont and Calista is extreme|ly languid, and seems to have little else in view, than giving a fresh instance of that amorous weak|ness which so entirely rules the injured husband. As she takes the weapon, he announces that his duty as a judge is done and expresses his love for her as a father:Daniel Lysons and Samuel Lysons, " General history: Families removed since 1620". In Magna Britannia: Volume 6, Devonshire (London, 1822), pp. clxxiii–ccxxv. At this critical crisis, while she is swelled with rage, and his friend covered with confusion, Altamont comes forward, with fresh declarations of love, but takes a natural alarm at seeing his bride and Hora|tio in such a situation; Calista here, by throwing inflammatory materials on the mind of her hus|band, and urging a quarrel of fatal nature between the friends, shews herself highly capable of plung|ing into one degree of iniquity to screen another, and that even a sacrifice of blood is not too much for her ill-founded pride; this we allow to be strict|ly in nature, but the grounds of an execrable cha|racter; at her departure she rages in some very poetical rhimes. Ball, F. Elrington (1926). The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921. Vol.2. London: John Murray. p.42. ISBN 9781584774280. breaking all ties of paternal tenderness aims at Calista's life, which is saved by her husband's hu|mane interposition, even contrary to her strong persuasive supplications for death at a father's hand; Sciolto's start of phrenzy being passed off, he in|dulges reflection and reproach in a truly pathetic manner; the picture Calista gives of her own re|tirement, contrition, and mournful catastrophe is extremely affecting.

Nicholas Rowe ( / r oʊ/; 20 June 1674 – 6 December 1718 [2]), English dramatist, poet and miscellaneous writer, was appointed Poet Laureate in 1715. His plays and poems were well-received during his lifetime, with one of his translations described as one of the greatest productions in English poetry. He was also considered the first editor of the works of William Shakespeare.Some Acount of the Life &c. of Mr. William Shakespear". Archived from the original on 23 July 2008 . Retrieved 21 December 2011.

The title of this tragedy has by many critics been deemed a misnomer; for, say they, the lady's be|haviour in no shape entitles her to the character of a Penitent; this charge we cannot wholly admit, though we must in general; in several places she speaks of contrition, and very feelingly too, not|withstanding Jane Shore, professedly an imitation of Shakespeare's style, was played at Drury Lane with Anne Oldfield in the title role in 1714. It ran for nineteen nights, and kept the stage longer than any other of Rowe's works. [2] In the play, which consists chiefly of domestic scenes and private distress, the wife is forgiven because she repents, and the husband is honoured because he forgives. [4] At the beginning of the third act it appears, that Sciolto has discovered his daughter's sullen beha|viour, and reproves it in terms of high displeasure; the simile which closes his first speech is strained, and, like most others in dramatic composition, su|perfluous; his threats are of a very serious nature, and occasion Calista to make some remarks upon the subordinate state of her sex, which her proud heart seems ill calculated to brook; Horatio ap|proaches, and intimates how critical the subject he comes upon is, therefore resolves to enter upon it in the gentlest manner; whatever justice may ap|pear in his design, we agree with Calista, that steal|ing upon her is a breach of decorum inconsistent with persons of rank. Here, in spite of guilt, we must feel for the un|happy fair one, and sympathize with the hoary wretched fire. Who sees him lift up the dagger In the play, Lothario is a notorious seducer, extremely attractive but a haughty and unfeeling scoundrel beneath his charming exterior.The following scene between the friends takes a turn which may be expected; the prejudiced bride|groom, seconds shoved them forwards very ungraciously to midwife his short reply into Lothario's hearing; this gentleman had a fine level, and deep tone of voice, but misapplied them so barbarously, that he growled with the one, and chanted with the other. sentiments and nature are again injured by simile and rhime; though had the latter been avoided, the former might have passed without objection, nay perhaps with some degree of praise. Rowe published the first 18th-century edition of William Shakespeare in six volumes in 1709 (printed by Tonson) and is also considered the first editor of Shakespeare. His practical knowledge of the stage helped him divide the plays into scenes (and sometime acts), with the entrances and exits of the players noted. He also normalised the spelling of names and prefixed each play with a list of the dramatis personae. This 1709 edition was also the first to be illustrated, a frontispiece engraving being provided for each play. Unfortunately, Rowe based his text on the corrupt Fourth Folio, a course which was followed by many later 18th-century editors who followed in his editorial footsteps. Rowe also wrote a short biography of Shakespeare, entitled, Some Account of the Life &c. of Mr. William Shakespear. [2] [11]

After all, a lapse in title, suppose one proved, is but a very slight object for criticism to fix on; it is like faulcons preying upon flies; especially in respect of this piece, which exhibits a regular plot; scenes well arranged, characters happily delineated, elegant versification, and instructive sentiments. So, Sciolto, a nobleman of Genoa promises daughter Calista to Altamont. Sciolto was fryiends with Altamont's parents. They died. Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses.See also: Lothar and Lothair Camilla threatens Lothario with a dagger. Illustration by Apeles Mestres, engraving by Francisco Fusté. Rowe was first married to a woman by the name of Parsons (Christian name is unknown), with whom he had a son John. His second wife was Anne Devenish, and they had a daughter named Charlotte. [3] Daniel Lysons and Samuel Lysons noted that he did not have descendants after his son died childless. [6] Works [ edit ] The Fair Penitent is Nicholas Rowe's stage adaptation of the tragedy - or- -The Fatal Dowry, the Philip Massinger and Nathananiel Field collaboration first published in 1632. The genius of ROWE seemed to consist in rich|ness of fancy, purity of language, justness of images, and harmony of numbers; but was undoubtedly too poetical for the drama, of which every piece he wrote, as well as this, is an evident proof; indeed, the absurd manner of theatrical speaking in his time might lead him to monotony in composition, and jingling rhimes at the end of acts; the only Lothario is Altamont's enemy and further plans to meet Calista on her wedding day- threatening shaming her.