[Lay Morals by Robert Louis Stevenson]@TWC D-Link bookLay Morals CHAPTER II--SALVINI'S MACBETH 10/12
And so her death is not only an affliction, but one more disillusion; and he redoubles in bitterness.
The speech that follows, given with tragic cynicism in every word, is a dirge, not so much for her as for himself.
From that time forth there is nothing human left in him, only 'the fiend of Scotland,' Macduff's 'hell-hound,' whom, with a stern glee, we see baited like a bear and hunted down like a wolf.
He is inspired and set above fate by a demoniacal energy, a lust of wounds and slaughter.
Even after he meets Macduff his courage does not fail; but when he hears the Thane was not born of woman, all virtue goes out of him; and though he speaks sounding words of defiance, the last combat is little better than a suicide. The whole performance is, as I said, so full of gusto and a headlong unity; the personality of Macbeth is so sharp and powerful; and within these somewhat narrow limits there is so much play and saliency that, so far as concerns Salvini himself, a third great success seems indubitable. Unfortunately, however, a great actor cannot fill more than a very small fraction of the boards; and though Banquo's ghost will probably be more seasonable in his future apparitions, there are some more inherent difficulties in the piece.
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