| The first excerpt represents the element of Air. It speaks of mental influences and the process of thought, and is drawn from An Old Maid by Honore de Balzac: of Athanase; and, like many other women who have longed to help an
adored man beyond the limit of human powers, she felt herself capable
of making her body a stepping-stone on which he could rise to attain
his throne.
It is now necessary to enter the house of this old maid toward whom so
many interests are converging, where the actors in this scene, with
the exception of Suzanne, were all to meet this very evening. As for
Suzanne, that handsome individual bold enough to burn her ships like
Alexander at her start in life, and to begin the battle by a
falsehood, she disappears from the stage, having introduced upon it a
violent element of interest. Her utmost wishes were gratified. She
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The second excerpt represents the element of Fire. It speaks of emotional influences and base passions, and is drawn from The Symposium by Xenophon: [65] Ib.; Aristot. "Poet." ix.
[66] Or, "in his 'Apology' for."
[67] Plat. "Symp." 179 E, puts the sentiment into the mouth of
Phaedrus: "And if there were only some way of contriving that a
state or an army should be made up of lovers and their loves, they
would be the very best governors of their own city, abstaining
from all dishonour, and emulating one another in honour; and when
fighting at one another's side, although not a mere handful, they
would overcome the world. For what lover would not choose rather
to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when
abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready
The Symposium |
| The third excerpt represents the element of Water. It speaks of pure spiritual influences and feelings of love, and is drawn from Dark Lady of the Sonnets by George Bernard Shaw: Timon the intellectual bankruptcy is obvious enough: Shakespear tried
once too often to make a play out of the cheap pessimism which is
thrown into despair by a comparison of actual human nature with
theoretical morality, actual law and administration with abstract
justice, and so forth. But Shakespear's perception of the fact that
all men, judged by the moral standard which they apply to others and
by which they justify their punishment of others, are fools and
scoundrels, does not date from the Dark Lady complication: he seems
to have been born with it. If in The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer
Night's Dream the persons of the drama are not quite so ready for
treachery and murder as Laertes and even Hamlet himself (not to
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The fourth excerpt represents the element of Earth. It speaks of physical influences and the impact of the unseen on the visible world, and is drawn from The Oakdale Affair by Edgar Rice Burroughs: "Not now," said Burton; "we just came from there;
but there has been someone there this morning, for
there is still a fire in the kitchen range. Does anyone live
there?"
"I should say not," said Willie emphatically; "the
place is haunted."
"Thet's right," interjected Jeb. "Thet's what they do
say, an' this here Oskaloosie Kid said they heered things
las' night an' seed a dead man on the floor, didn't he
M'randy?" M'randy nodded her head.
"But I don't take no stock in what Willie's ben tellin'
The Oakdale Affair |
