pearian tragedy.

Approximately they may be stated thus: an overwhelming catastrophe,
clearly drawn characters which appeal to our sympathy or hate,
impressive scenes, and a strong, eventful plot. Of these the first had
never been lost since Sackville and Norton. The second had been
attempted in _The Misfortunes of Arthur_, not without a measure of
success. But both called for improvement, the former particularly having
struck too tremendous a pitch. The third and fourth elements were almost
unknown, thanks to the exclusion of all action from the stage; and
finally, no appeal could be wholly successful which wearied the audience
with so stiff and monotonous a diction. Verse, plot, scenes, characters,
catastrophe--these are the features which we must watch if we would know
what Kyd and Marlowe did for tragedy.

Before we turn to their plays, however, there is one other of the
University Wits whose chief dramatic work is tragic and who must
therefore be included in this chapter. Since his tragedy stands, in its
inferiority, quite apart from the tragedies of the other two, we shall
dispose of it first.

* * * * *

Apart from his undefined share in _A Looking-Glass for London and
England_, all that we have of Thomas Lodge's dramatic work is _The
Wounds of Civil War_, or, as its other title ran, _The Most Lamentable
and True Tragedies of Marius and Sylla_ (about 1588). The author went to
Plutarch for his facts and characters, and shows, in his treatment of
the subject, that he caught at least a measure of inspiration from that
famous biographer's vivid portraits. Marius and Sylla are clearly,
though not impartially, discriminated, the former appearing as the
dauntless veteran, ready to die sooner than acknowledge himself too old
for command, the latter figuring as the man of resistless force and
intense pride. Partiality is seen in the allocation of most of the
insolence and cruelty to Sylla, while our sympathy is constantly being
evoked on the side of Marius. It is Sylla who first draws his sword
against the peace of the state; it is Marius who magnanimously sends
Sylla's wife and daughter to him unharmed. Moreover, wooden as they
sometimes are, these great antagonists and their fellow-senators show
the right Roman nature at need. Marius sleeping quietly under the menace
of death; his heroic son, with his little band of soldiers, committing
suicide rather than surrender at Praeneste; Octav