Sensibility_part1.doc

7/21/2019 Sensibility_part1.doc

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Acknowledgements

I should like to thank Barry Nisbet, Paul Russell, Marilyn Butler,

William St Clair, James ynn and John Mullan !or hel"!ul

#on$ersations and #riti#ism. I am also %rate!ul to Sidney Susse&

Colle%e !or its su""ort o! my 'ork.

I Introduction

(Oh) my #hildren, my #hildren,( he #ried, (ha$e I !ound you thus*

My "oor Ja#k, art thou %one* I thou%ht thou shouldst ha$e

#arried thy !ather(s %rey hairs to the %ra$e) and these little ones( +

his tears #hoked his utteran#e, and he !ell a%ain on the ne#ks o!

the #hildren.

(My dear old man,( said arley, (Pro$iden#e has sent you to

relie$e them- it 'ill bless me i! I #an be the means o! assistin%

you.(

(es, indeed, sir,( ans'ered the boy- (!ather, 'hen he 'as

a+dyin% bade /od bless us, and "rayed that i! %rand!ather li$ed

he mi%ht send him to su""ort us.(

(Where did they lay my boy*( said d'ards.(In the Old Chur#hyard,( re"lied the 'oman, (hard by his

mother. (

(I 'ill sho' it you,( ans'ered the boy, (!or I ha$e 'e"t o$er it

many a time 'hen !irst I #ame amon% stran%e !olks.(

e took the old man(s hand, arley laid hold o! his sister(s,

and they 'alked in silen#e to the #hur#hyard.

1here 'as an old stone, 'ith the #orner broken o!!, and some

letters, hal!+#o$ered 'ith moss, to denote the names o! the dead2


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Introduction 32 Sensibility

there 'as a #y"hered R. . "lainer than the rest- it 'as the tomb

they sou%ht.

(ere it is, %rand!ather,( said the boy.

d'ards %a3ed u"on it 'ithout utterin% a 'ord2 the %irl, 'ho

had only si%hed be!ore, no' 'e"t outri%ht- her brother sobbed,

but he sti!led his sobbin%.

(I ha$e told sister,( said he, (that she should not take it so to

heart- she #an knit already, and I shall soon be able to di%, 'e

shall not star$e, sister, indeed 'e shall not, nor shall %rand!atherneither. (

1he %irl #ried a!resh- arley kissed o!! her tears as they !lo'ed,

and 'e"t bet'een e$ery kiss. 4

1he sa#red names o! !riend, !ather, lo$er, husband, son, mother,

o! mankind in %eneral, these are !ar more "atheti# than au%ht else

and retain their #laims !or e$er. What matters the rank, the

surname, the %enealo%y o! the un!ortunate man 'hose easy %ood

nature to'ards un'orthy !riends has in$ol$ed him in %amblin%

and 'ho loses o$er this his 'ealth and honour and no' si%hs in

"rison distra#ted by shame and remorse* I! asked, 'ho is he* I

re"ly2 e 'as an honest man and, to add to his %rie!, he is ahusband and a !ather- his 'i!e, 'hom he lo$es and 'ho lo$es

him, is su!!erin% e&treme need and #an only %i$e tears to the

#hildren 'ho #lamour !or bread. Sho' me in the history o!

heroes a more tou#hin%, a more moral, indeed a more tra%i#

situation) 5nd 'hen at last this miserable man takes "oison and

then learns that ea$en had 'illed his release, 'hat is absent, in

this "ain!ul, terrible moment, 'hen to the horrors o! death are

added the tortures o! ima%ination, tellin% him ho' ha""ily he

#ould ha$e li$ed + 'hat, I say, is absent to render the situation

'orthy o! a tra%edy* 1he 'onder!ul, 'ill be re"lied. What) Is

there not matter 'onder!ul enou%h in this sudden #han%e !rom

honour to shame, !rom inno#en#e to %uilt, !rom s'eet "ea#e to

des"air- in brie!, in the e&treme mis!ortune into 'hi#h mere

'eakness has "lun%ed himl6

1he arousal o! "athos throu%h #on$entional situati2ons, sto#k

!amilial #hara#ters and rhetori#al de$i#es is the mark o! sentimental

7 literature. Su#h literature buttonholes the reader and demands an

Iemotional, e$en "hysi#al res"onse.1he sentimental 'ork re$eals a belie! in the a""ealin% and

aestheti# 8uality o! $irtue, dis"layed in a nau%hty 'orld throu%h a

~{ue +-nd "otent distress. 1his distress is rarely deser$ed .and issomeho' in the nature o! thin%s- in later sentimental 'orks It e$en

o$ershado's $irtue, 'hi#h may in !a#t be more mani!est in the

sym"athy o! the obser$er than in the su!!erer. 19dis99ed are

natura$i.#tims, 'hose misery IS demanded b9y:thCl"rreaICament

as

Cl;n#eless 'o9, a%ea men,hel"less in!ants or m2#r-n#holi#2..-.++++youths. .

1he 'orks inhabited by these un!ortunates re8+.e.6tears?n a 'ay no other literature does. 1he tears that may be shed at

9l%h or heroi# tra%edy !orm "art o! a #om"le& intelle#tual and. emotional res"onse, but, 'hen sentimental 'orks are a##e"ted and

in !ashion, they "rimarily make the reader or 'at#her #ry. I! they

be#ome outmoded, su#h 'orks seem ridi#ulous2 the !irst eer"t

abo$e is !rom The Man oj Feeling, "ublished in 4@@4 in the middle

o! the hi%h "eriod o! sensibility, 'hen it met a "ubli# hun%ry !or

sentimental s#enes and emotionally "re"ared to re#ei$e them- a !e'

de#ades later, it 'as i%nored or %reeted 'ith embarrassed lau%hter.

1he sentimental im"ulse is re#urrent in literature. Patheti# and

sensationally mo$in% elements in$ol$in% domesti# relationshi"s

and distressed $irtue e&ist in the /reek drama o! uri"ides !or

e&am"le, in medie$al morality "lays and, most ob$iously, in the

li3abethan and Ja#obean drama o! Alet#her, ey'ood and Shirley.

Pathos resultin% !rom the sudden intrusion o! the #hild+and+"arent

tie is aroused in Shakes"eare(s Antony and Cleopatra 'hen the as"

be#omes a baby at the breast and (su#ks the nurse aslee"(, and in

ing !ear 'hen ear ima%ines retreat into a bliss!ul domesti# "rison

'ith Cordelia. But these "atheti# elements remain subordinate to

other #on#erns o! "lot and #hara#ter. What is ne' in the ei%hteenth

#9y:?9 the #entrality o! sentiment nd "atnos. +

5 !urther i!!eren#r ++!rom the 'orks o! earlier "eriods deri$es

!rom the allian#e in interests o! ei%hteenth+#entury literature and

moral "hiloso"hy. In the early years, "hiloso"hy both res"onded to

and #reated a "o"ular demand !or a ne' set o! ideas 'ith 'hi#h to

aCCOunt!or human nature and order so#iety, beyond the e&"la

nations %i$en by Christian do%ma. 1hrou%h literature and the

"o"ulari3ations o! moral "hiloso"hy, sentimental theory and art


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Introduction "# Sensibility

/'r I

..

be#ame e&tremely 'ides"read in n%land, tou#hin% the "er#e"

tions o! most literate and semi+literate "eo"le.

Sentimentalism entered all literary %enres + the no$el, essay,

"oetry and drama. Butihe #ult o! sensibility 'as lar%ely de!ined by

J !i#tion !rom the, )*9s.=09. 1his !i#tion initially sho'ed

"eo"l989o b9ha$e, ho' to e&"ress themsel$es in !riendshi and

hoD,2:tE:res":E:)4dde#ently )o litr:e2&"9rien#es. ater, it "rided

itsel! more on makin% its readers 'ee" and in tea#hin% them

'hen and

9...E'mu#h to 'ee". In addition, it deli$eredthe !;2:~~:J):FG)

:lety"al $i#tims2 the #haste su!!erin% 'oman, ha""ily re'arded in

marria%e

or ele$atedint#ireoem"ti$e death- and the sensiti$e, bene$olentman 'hose !eelin%s are too e&8uisite !or the a#8uisiti$eness,

$ul%arity and sel!ishness o! his 'orld. I --In all !orms o! sentimental literature, there is an assum"tion that

li!e and literature are dire#tly linked.2not throu%h any notion o! a

mimeti# de"i#tion o! reality but throu%h the belie! that the litera9

e&"erien#e #an intimately a!!e#t the li$in% one. So literary

"c-i~' beHo99- o! li!e. 5t the same time literary

emotions herald a#ti$e ones- a theatri#al or !i#tional !eelin% #reates%reater $irtue in the audien#e or reader, and a #ontri$ed tear

!oreshado's the s"ontaneous one o! human sym"athy. HSenti+

9I(mental literature is e&em"lary o! emotion, tea#hin% its #onsumers

to "rodu#e a res"onse e8u9alent to the one "resentedj.ts

o! the !amily unit or the re#lusi$e indi$idual- 'hen they o##ur, the

story or ar%ument is arrested so that the author #an #on$entionally

intensi!y the emotion and the reader or s"e#tator may ha$e time

"hysi#ally to res"ond. r l J, $,% I1he 'ords in 'hi#h emotion is des#ribed and "res#ribed are

themsel$es "res#ribed. 1erms su#h as (bene$olen#e(, ($irtue(,

(esteem(, (deli#a#y(, and (trans"ort( indi#ate sentimental do#trine

and e&"e#t a sentimental understandin%. 1he 'ord ('eakness(, !or

e&am"le, mo$es !rom Johnson(s di#tionary de!inition o! H'ant o!..... ~_.

?u %9t :, !oolishness o! mmd( to su%%e9t a "ardonable eess

o! some 8uality in 'hi#h a sentimentalist mi%ht ha$e "ride, like

t99S uili,y. In %eneral, $o#abulary in a sentimental 'orkis

#on$entional, re"etiti$e, mannered and o$er#har%ed. It is also

hy"erboli#- a !e' ad?e#ti$es su#h as the eulo%isti# (s'eet(, (%rate!ul(

and (deli#ate(, and #onstru#tions su#h as (the best o! mothers( do

mu#h ser$i#e, as do the "e?orati$es, (#ruel( and (base(, and the

ne%ati$es (unkind(, (un%enerous( and (un!eelin%(, 'hi#h, as rik

rametsa obser$es in his study o! sentimental $o#abulary, em"ha

si3e the %oodness they ne%ate.2( +++

1he asso#iation o! nouns and ad?e#ti$es is "redi#table + the heart

is (kind(, (honest(, (tender( and (!ond(- !eelin% is (meltin%(,(s'ellin%( or (o$er!lo'in%(, and si%hs and tears are ("ityin%( and

(sym"atheti#(. 5d?e#ti$es %ain intensity throu%h the"re!i&es (o$er(,

7. e"isodes. It is a kind o! "eda%o%y o! seein% and o! the "hysi#al (e$er( and (all(, as in (all+#on8uerin%(, and throu%h the ad$erbs

(rea#tion that this seein% should "rodu#e, #lari!yin% 'hen un#on

trolled sobs or a sin%le tear should be the rule, or 'hen the

dn#&"ressible nature o! the !eelin% should be stressed()

5 sentimental 'ork morali3es more than it analyses and

em"hasis is not on the subtleties o! a "arti#ular emotional state but

on the #ommuni#ationo! #ommon +!ee!in%trom su!!erer or 'at#her

to+( reader or audien#e. 1he 'ork may in#lude a #onstru#ted

sentimental author, b9t it rarely "oints ba#k to a "arti#ular

indi$idual artist 'hose artistry #onstitutes his %reatness.

1he te#hni8ues o! sentimentalism $ary a##ordin% to %enre and

time, but most 'orks !un#tion throu%h a "lot o! sudden re$ersal +

the se#ond "assa%e abo$e, by Marmontel on d'ard Moore(s The

&a'ester, 'ill illustrate + 'hether these are lar%e narrati$e e$ents

like the sudden loss o! a ne'ly redis#o$ered #hild or the

"sy#holo%i#al #han%es 'hen a #ontrastin% mood or thou%ht

interru"ts a bur%eonin% emotion. 5ll "resent these #ontrasts and

the e&em"lary emotion in tableau&, usually dra'in% on the notion

($astly( and (eeedin%ly(, mu#h mo#ked by Jane 5usten(s enry +2

1ilney in (orthanger Abbey) 1erms and stru#tures are re"eated to

hei%hten intensity + (#ruel, thri#e #ruel( + and 'ords #ome in "airs

or tri"lets, underlinin% the "oint and "re$entin% mu#h attention

to any indi$idual term2 (%rie!s and su!!erin%( or (sin#ere, honest

and o"en(. 9D4(Dl

oIn the sentimental 'ork 'ords are not le!t to #arry a messa%e H

alone, but are au%mented by other hei%htenin% de$i#es. lama+ D(+

tion marks, bra#kets, itali#s and #a"itals "e""er and disturb the

!lo' o! senten#es. 5t the same time they are shunted into de#larin%

(their inade8ua#y and their subordination to %esture. 5 "hysi#al

rea#tion may, !or e&am"le, be #on$eyed throu%h a des#ri"tion

'hi#h is made de!i#ient or !oolish be#ause o! the sheer number o!

'ords needed to #ontain 'hat 'as instantaneo . Or it may be

%i$en throu%h ty"o%ra"hi#al de$i#es stressin% the absen#e o! 'ords

and so the "resen#e o! other methods o! #ommuni#ation. 5 'or

su#h as Ri#hardson(s Clarissa is !ull o!la#unae, asterisks, dashes and


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Introduction *+ Sensibility

disturbed or aberrant ty"o%ra"hy, indi#atin% emotion beyond

'ords, "resumably in imitation o! the #ommunitat4ri9"Hnri4an

shi"'hi#h the "rinted no$el #annot deli$er. In the e&treme #ase o!

Tristra' Shandy, bla#k and marbled "a%es are substituted !or $erbal

des#ri"tions.

Be#ause sensibility is rea#ti$e and unstable, the sentimental 'ork

o! "rose or "oetry meanders rather than mo$es lo%i#ally to its

destination. Or it may ha$e no destination at all and "retend to be,

D or a#tually be, un!inished. 5%ain this is taken to an e&treme inSterne2 in Tristra' Shandy #hara#ters and !i#ti$e narrator ride the

hobby+horses o! their ideas so hard that the book #an ne$er

o$ertake the "assin% moment- A Senti'ental ou'ey Through France

and Italy by Mr -oric. breaks o!! 'ith the #lut#hin% hand o! the

narrator 'ho ne$er sets !oot in Italy.

1he no$els o! Ri#hardson, Ma#ken3ie, Sterne and a host o!

'omen 'riters o! the late ei%hteenth #entury de#lare themsel$es

!ra%mented. /a"s are 'ritten into the 'orks throu%h the "reten#e

9 Do! missin% #ha"ters, torn senten#es or mutilated letters. 1he "oetry

o! /ray and 1homson is similarly broken by hiatuses, seemin%

#losures and ?u&ta"ositions o! #on!li#tin% "oints o! $ie' and

#ontrary moods.1he result o! these $arious de$i#es asterisks, dashes,

meanderin% narrati$e and !ra%mentation + is that readers are to

some e&tent "re$ented !rom indul%in% in an identi!yin% !antasy

'ith a #hara#ter or an author and are !or#ed to res"ond to the

emotion #on$eyed. 5t the same time these de$i#es !or#e the literary

nature o! the 'ork on to the reader by indi#atin% the ,i989la! o!the medium + lan%ua%e + in 'hi#h, des"ite their intrus$e+

. DD(..6(+....+.,: 9E+"r#s#n##, most o! the busmess o! the 'ork is still transa#ted.

' .Ter's

I1he terms (sentiment(, (sensibility(, (sentimentality(, and (senti, mentalism( are #ounters in ei%hteenth+#entury literature and"hilos

o"hy, sometimes re"resentin% "re#ise !ormulations and sometimes

$a%uely su%%estin% emotional 8ualities. 1hey 'ere at home in the

s#ienti!i# or e"istemolo%i#al treatise and in the !amiliar letter. O!ten

su#h terms 'ere used inter#han%eably. It is "ossible, ho'e$er, to

e&tri#ate (sentimentalism(. On#e em"loyed only "e?orati$ely to

su%%est a!!9non and eessi$e emotional dis"lay, it 'as used

by Sir eslie Ste"hen in /nglish Thought in the /ighteenth century)~ -j

as (the name o! the mood in 'hi#h 'e make ,a lu&ury o999

More re#ently the 'ord has #ome to denotK(th9o$ement

dis#erned in "hiloso"hy, "oliti#s and art, based on the belie! in or

ho"e o! the natural %oodness o! humanity and mani!ested in a

humanitarian #on#ern !or the un!ortunate and hel"less.O!ten in literary #riti#ism (sentiment( and (sensibility( are !elt to

be synonymous, a no$el o! sentiment di!!erin% in no 'ay !rom a

no$el o! sensibility. But there is, none the less, a use!ul distin#tion-0 be made in, istori#al usa%e and re!eren#e. 5 (sentiment( is a.(L9oral re!le#tion a rational o"inion usually abo9!i(eDri%l4tSai4O

9human #on ue- the early ei%hteenth+#entury no$el o!

sentiment is #hara#teri3ea by su#h %enerali3ed re!le#tions. But a

(sentiment( is also a thou%ht, o!ten an ele$ated one, in!luen#ed by

emotion, a #ombinin% o! heart 'ith head or an emotional im"ulse

leadin% to an o"inion or a "rin#i"le. James 1homson(s (meltin%

sentiments o! kindly #are(, !or e&am"le, are #learly e&"ressions o!a

!eelin% heart as 'ell as a re!le#tin% mind. In this #ase (sentiment(

#omes #lose to (sensibility(, 'hi#h also "resu""oses an emotional

sus#e"tibility. 5!ter Sterne(s no$els, it !re8uently takes the mean

in% o! re!ined and tender emotion, althou%h the denotation o!moral re!le#tion also #ontinues. 01)0 4

(Sensibility( is "erha"s the key term o! the "eriod. ittle used

be!ore the mid+ei%hteenth #entury, althou%h 5ddison amon%

others had em"loyed it to su%%est deli#ate emotional and "hysi#al

sus#e"tibility, it #ame to denote the !a#ulty o! !eelin%, the #a"a#ity"_/,/'- 6(9+.6( ,"

!or e&tremely re!ined emotion and a 8ui#kness to dis"lay #om"as+$35,)),)~ 46))7 ))4),)89 8)))4 444 ))))))8)

sion !or su!!erin%. Its ad?e#ti$es tell the tale o! its rise and !all. It is

(e8t(iisite( in 5ddison, (deli#ate( in ume, (s'eet( in Co'"er, and

(dear( in Sterne. But as it de#lines !rom !ashion, it be#omes (a#ute(

in 5usten, (tremblin%(. in a3litt, (ma'kish( in Colerid%e, and

(si#kly( in Byron. In the 4@0s and 4@@0s many "oems e&tol

sensibility, 'hile in the 4@0s and 4@E0s book titles su#h as

/:cessi;e Sensibility be#ome #ommon.

(S#nsibility(, an innate sensiti$eness or sus#e"tibility r#$ealin%

itsel! in a 2,ariety o! 9on9aneous a#ti$iti9 su#h as #9yin%, s'*onin%

and kne#lm%, IS de!ined 444 4@E@ by the /nc;clopaedia


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Sensibility Introduction =

#ontem"orary medi#al treatises in terms o! mo$ements 'ithin the

body.

1he #ult o! sensibility that ?an%led the ner$es o! uro"e in the

mid+ei%hteenth #entury is the #ultural mo$ement de$oted t9tea)+

22 dema)):din% e&i:bitions:o!:"l9hosanF):un8uali!ied$irttle.In

literature it 'as notably e&"ressed in the no$els o! Sterne,

Ma#ken3ie, Rousseau and /oethe, in the melan#holi# "oetry o!

oun% and /ray, in n%lish drama !rom Steele and Cibber to

Cumberland and Qelly, and in Aren#h co'edie lar'oyante o! Ni$ellede la Chaussee. It 'as also mani!ested in the reli%ious dread o!

James er$ey amon% the (thi#kenin% Shades( o! the %ra$eyard,

'here tender inno#en#e #annot be stained by the 'orld. >

In his !$>o''e 'achine H4@@ a Mettrie asso#iated se&uality

andsensi:9ility, seein% the mind and body as di!!erent !orms o! the

same substan#e, and many less systemati# thinkers, #onsiderin%

sensibility as moral and "hysi#al sus#e"tibility, ine$itably !ound

se&uality a #om"onent2 1orn ?ones(s robust and ori#k(s 'himsi#al

se&uality !eed into and deri$e !rom their sensibility. 1his 'as not,

ho'e$er, o"enly !elt to be the #ase 'ith 'omen, in 'hom

sensibility, 'hen admired, 'asssumed to im)y #9stlty, and

.only i! deni%rated 'as !eared to denote se&uality. 5s sensibility+be#ame more :!in".l9:E 4)ne'#tietdh 'omen in the later

ei%hteenth

9entury, it tended to lose the asso#iation 'ith se&uality e$en !or

men, and the sensibility o! the Man o! Aeelin% is "hysi#ally a matter

o! tears and %estures, "re#ludin% lustiness.

1he no$el o! sentiment o! the 4@0s and 4@>0s "raises a %enerous

heart and o!ten delays the narrati$e to "hiloso"hi3e about bene

$olen#e- the no$el o! sensibility, in#reasin%ly 'ritten !rom the

4@0s on'ards, di!!ers sli%htly in em"hasis sin#e it honours abo$e

all the #a"a#ity !or re!ined !eelin%. It sto"s the story to dis"lay this

!eelin% in the #hara#ters and eli#it it in the reader in its "hysi#al

mani!estations o! tears and tremblin%. Su#h dis"lay is ?usti!ied by

the belie! that a7h!i%hteneC: sense:%!:Hl):e$(:i)r(t:ue throu%h "ity!or another is mI-,tll:yim"ro$in%

T(Sentimentality( #ame in as a "e?orati$e term in the 4@@0s 'hen

the idea o! sensibility 'as losin% %round. It su%%ested and still

su%%ests debased and a!!e#ted !eelin%, an indul%en#e in and dis"lay

o! emotion !or its o'n sake beyond the stimulus and beyond

"ro"riety.?(In Aran#e 'here (sensibilit#( translated the n%lish

sensibility, a ne' term (sensiblerie( de$elo"ed to distin%uish

sensibility !rom the debased and sel!+indul%ent 8uality.

1he ad?e#ti$e (sentimental( is the #ause o! mu#h o! the #on!usion

o! terms. It does duty !or all the nouns so !ar mentioned +

(sentiment(, (sentimentalism(, (sensibility(, and (sentimentality( +

and #annot dis#riminate amon%st them. Its $a%ueness 'as there at its

in#e"tion, !or in 4@E ady Bradshai%h 'rote to Samuel Ri#hard

son2 (Pray, Sir, %i$e me lea$e to ask you HI !or%ot it be!ore 'hat, in

your o"inion, is the meanin% o! the 'ord senti'ental)$ She notes

that it seems used !or (e$erythin% #le$er and a%reeable(.D 5!ter the

"ubli#ation o! A Senti'ental ourney in 4@, she 'ould "ro.bab9yha$e been %i$en a res"onse $ery di!!erent !rom her assum"tIon 444

the 4@0s, but "erha"s it 'ould ha$e been as im"re#ise, sin#e the

term a""eared to im"ly all that 'as ele$ated and aestheti#ally

"leasin% in !eelin%, all that a""ealed to and e&"ressed the !in9r

emotions, and all that 'as morally re!ined. Be!ore Sterne used It 444

his title, the noun o!(sentimental( 'as #ommonly (sentiment( and it

su%%ested ri#hness in moral re!le#tion- a!ser his us#, it tended more

o!ten to a""ly to sensibility and its emotional and "hysi#al

mani!estations, and to indi#ate the heart rather than the head.

In 4@@> the "lay'ri%ht /eor%e Colman the lder lamented that

(sentimental( had #ome to su%%est dull moralities, 'hile by 4N00 its

use 'as #ommonly "e?orati$e- i t 'as tied both to des"isedsentimentality and to dis#redited sensibility. In. "resent usa%e,

ee"t 'hen em"loyed #riti#ally to denote a histori#al %enre su#h as

(sentimental #omedy(, a usa%e datin% !rom the 4@>0s, it has 'elded

itsel! !irmly to sentimentality.

5lthou%h it had its heyday !rom the 4@0s to the late 4@@0s, the

literature o! sensibility is not dis#rete. Sentimental elements

in#rease in im"ortan#e throu%h Restoration tra%edy and early

ei%hteenth+#entury #omedy, and a!ter the 4@@0s they also inhabit

/othi# !i#tion and Romanti# "oetry. 5nd yet sentimental literature

is distin#t !rom "rimarily Romanti# or /othi# 'ork9. I!, asl( :

S#hle%el ar%ues in an early de!inition, Romanti#ism in#ludes a

de"i#tion o! (emotional matter in an ima%inati$e !orm(, theem"hasis on (ima%inati$e( makes a dis#rimination, !or su#h

indi$idual e&"ression is !ar !rom the deliberate #li#hes o! senti

mental 'ritin% and its #ommon so#ial #on#ern.D /othi#:99tion, (2! (

emer%in% in the 4@0sbut %ro'in% !ashionable only in the 4@E0s, .

uses sentimental #ontrasts o! $irtue and $i#e or mali%nan#y and !".

distressed 'orth, but %oes !ar to'ards sensationali3in% and o!ten

se&uali3in% these elements, 'hile it retreats !rom the d9 o!_lsentimental literature.


7/28

>istorical


8/28

?2 Sensibility

'ith ima%es o! mer#antile "robity and bene$olen#e than 'ith an

ideal o! rural es#a"e and un"rodu#ti$e bliss.

1he %reater im"ortan#e o! the middle #lass in literary #onsum"

tion su%%ested a relationshi" o! author and reader di!!erent !rom the

"atrona%e by aristo#rat o! artist. With Charles II had #ome a noble

#ourt, !ri$olous !rom e&ile and e&a%%eratedly urbane and #yni#al

beside the serious Puritans it ousted. 1he literature o! this #ourt 'as

'itty, to"i#al and kno'in%, and it assumed #lassi#al learnin% and

so#ial kno'led%e in its readers. But, as the ei%hteenth #entury"ro%ressed, there %re' a lar%er, less edu#ated market not re8uirin%

the indi$idual attention o! an artist and so se$erin% the "ersonal tie

o! author and reader. Cir#ulatin% libraries, be%innin% in the !irst

8uarter, in#reased substantially in the 4@0sand #ontinued to %ro'

throu%hout the #entury. Books #ould there!ore be #hea"ly "ro

cured and they be#ame more #learly a #onsumer #ommodity. In the

ne&t #entury this state o! a!!airs troubled the artist 'ho !elt

alienated throu%h i%noran#e o! the readin% "ubli#. In the ei%hteenth

#entury, ho'e$er, it "ro$oked an eited sel!+#ons#iousness, an

e!!ort by 'riters to #onstru#t readers !or themsel$es and an

a'areness o! 'ritin% as a theatri#al "er!orman#e in a darkened

auditorium..Jud%in% !rom the "ubli#ations o! the late se$enteenth and early

ei%hteenth #enturies, the %ro'in% #lasses 'anted instru#tion as 'ell

as entertainment, but they 'anted it alon% more ob$ious and

"ra#ti#al lines than the earlier s"iritual handbooks and do#trinal

alle%ories had been deli$erin%. 1o some e&tent they !ound this

instru#tion in ne' "eriodi#als like the Tatler and the Spectator and

i* manuals o! so#ial ad$i#e. 1he serious and "ra#ti#al tem"er o! the

times #an be %au%ed !rom su#h "rodu#tions and !rom the

re!ormin% so#ieties that de$elo"ed durin% these years + !or

"romotin% Christian kno'led%e, !or im"ro$in% morals and man

ners, and !or "uri!yin% the sta%e.

1he most "ubli# literary %enre, drama, re%isters the desire !or

ethi#al instru#tion. In 4@0 Colley Cibber 'rote The Careless>usband 'hi#h seemed to many a sermon 'ith a "lot. Its Prolo%ue

stated that his "lays aimed ('ith Breedin% to re!ine the 5%e,) 1o

#hasten Wit, and Morali3e the Sta%e(. In 4@0, e$en more

#ate%ori#ally, Cibber de#lared himsel! an entirely morali3in3

dramatist in total o""osition to (a li#entious 1heatre(. b

Writers in + as o""osed to later s#holars o! + the ei%hteenth

#entury had some di!!i#ulty relatin% #lass and sensibility. Some+

>istorical


9/28

14 Sensibility >istorical


10/28

>istorical a;e !ost D?=+"1

and Fa'ily !ie and Illicit !o;e in /arlier &enerations H4E@@ sees the

!amily totterin% under the e#onomi# and so#ial mo$ements o! t9e

times. Whate$er the histori#al truth o! the matter, some #han%e m

the e&"ression o! attitudes to the !amily #ertainly did o##ur, and an

em"hasis unkno'n be!ore 'as "la#ed by literature a9d art on the

ima%eo!thesmall, lo$in%nu#lear!amilyandonthek9ndly"arent. ..

5t a time 'hen the loose !inan#ial ti#s o! early #a"italism 'ere

emer%in% in the market+"la#e, sentimentalism e&"ressed a lon%i9%

.J not only !or a domesti# #lose+knit !amily but !or a #ommumty

!irmly linked by sentiment and !amilial stru#tures.5s 'ith the ei%hteenth+#entury !amily, there is disa%reement

amon% historians o$er the inter"retation o! marria%e. . J.abakkuk ar%ued that, to maintain and in#rease landed 'ealth

'hi#h at this time si%ni!ied "o'er, marria%e at least in the u""er

and u""er+middle #lasses be#ame more than e$er an e#onomi#

transa#tion.P Stone, ho'e$er, seein% a %ro'th o! a!!e#ti$e ti#s ...

amon%st the u""er+middle #lass and the s8uirear#hy, #onsiders that

marria%es 'ere in#reasin%ly entered into 'ith the e&"e#tation o!

a!!e#tion and #om"anionshi" and 'ith the intention o! #are!ully

raisin% #hildren.

5s in the #ase o! the !amily, the only #ertainty is that, in

Christo"her ill(s 'ords, $tal. about marria%e !or lo$e in#reased(.D

1his talk 'as loud and "rolon%ed. Numerous authors lamented the

miseries o! unbreakable matrimony, its !inan#ial liabilities !or men,

its o""ressi$eness !or 'omen, and its "ossible destru#tion o!

ha""iness !or both. et, simultaneously, the married state and

'omen(s role 'ithin it 'ere e&alted, to a hi%h "oint 'here

e#onomi# and "oliti#al as"e#ts 'ere entirely blurred.

Jo'en

1he #han%es in #lass and !amily #onne#t 'ith the #han%e in the

ition o! 'omen. Many !emale 'riters !elt that their se& had lost. d' .

%round e#onomi#ally. Men 'ere thou9ht to be mtru m% mto

omen(s home o##u"ations su#h as millinery, and the house 'as

lon%er seen as the 'ork"la#e. 5 battle o$er #hildbirth 'as

?oined 'hi#h ended in the trium"h o! men an9 their !ilor#e"s,a9d!emale mid'i!ery %a$e "la#e to male obstetn#s, at #ast in t e

hi%her orders. Aor the !irst time in n%lish history the middl9+#lass

!amily seemed to need only the 'ork o! the man. Aorei%ners

mar$elled at the idleness thrust on n%lish 'omen, 'hose busmess

'as little more than #o8uetry in youth and motherhood or !ashion

in later years. In this situation husbands %re' more e&"ensi$e and

the ?ointure Hmoney "aid to a 'oman in 'ido'hood 'as lo'ered

in relation to the do'ry she brou%ht into the marna%e. Women

be#ame H#ommodities7 more than hel"mates or inde"endent.C /

e#onomICa#tors. .

Su""ortin% the domesti# "ri$ate status o! 'omen 'as th#(doubl#

se&ual standard 5l'ays to some e&tent "resent in 'estern #ulture,

it 'as blatantly reiterated in the ei%hteenth #entury. 1hrou%hout

mu#h o! the "re$ious #entury, #hastity as a meanin%!ul Christian st9te

'as en?oined on men as 'ell as 'omen in #ondu#t books. But, as

early as 4@, ord ali!a& #ould !ind #riminal in 'omen 'hat 'as 7

mere error in men. In the ei%hteenth #entury se&ual #ontmen#e D

be#ame a "redominantly !ellXale2irtue. .

In literature $ir%inity and #thastlty !or 'omen ke"t somethm% o!

their Christian aura, but in li!e they seem to ha$e be#ome rather

more "ra#ti#al and "oliti#ally 2noti$ated. Tir%inity as a lon%

standin% state, not sim"ly a ne#essary enhan#ement o! the youn%

%irl, 'as de"ri$ed o! its reli%ious si%ni!i#an#e and do'n%raded- the

older $ir%in sank into the old maid, a !i%ure to be mo#ked and

abused.1he !amily 'as the "la#e o! $alue and a#ti$ity !or the #haste

'oman, but her "osition 'ithin it 'as "roblemati#. Primo%eniture

had shored u" the "o'er o! the eldest son, !or, as . J. abakkukhas ar%ued, #han%es in inheritan#e "atterns, 'hereby "ro"erty ,2as

more and more #on#entrated in the eldest son, meant a do'n%radm%

o! the !ather in relation to his son- nothin%, ho'e$er, miti%ated the

dau%hter(S absolute de"enden#e on her !ather. In the ordinary

COurseo! thin%s, this de"enden#e 'ould be e&"e#ted to %i$e 'ay

to


11/28

? Sensibility >istorical


12/28

>istorical 4, obbes "ro"osed a kind o! se#ular Cal$inism,


13/28

22 Sensibility >istorical


14/28

>istorical


15/28

>istorical


16/28

2 Sensibility >istorical 0s 'orks on the

sublime as a "sy#holo%i#al stimulus and res"onse "roli!erated2 !rom

John Baillle, Jose"h S"en#e, William o%arth and Robert o'th.

1he most in!luential 'as, ho'e$er, dmund Burke(s hilosophical


17/28

3% Sensibility >istorical > John /ilbert

Coo"er, !or e&am"le, noted that the "ro"er reader stan#ebe!ore the

'ork o! art is an (instantaneous %lo' o! Pleasure 'hi#h thrills

throu( our 'hole Arame and Sei3es u"on the 5""lause o! the eart

be!ore the intelle#tual Po'er Reason #an des#end !rom the 1hrone

o! the Mind to rati!y its 5""robation(. 4E In another /ssay 011 Taste

!our years later, 5le&ander /erard "redi#ated taste on sensibility2 to

res"ond to literature, readers must be sus#e"tible and easily mo$ed,

so that they may #at#h the nuan#es o! "assion and "athos. In ord

Qames(s /le'ents oj Criticis' H4@, the reader(s e&"erien#e

be#omes a rha"sody, (a kind o! re$erie( 'here (the #ons#iousness o!

sel!, and o! readin%( disa""#ars.rD

In /ermany, sentimental ideas o! reader res"onse 'ere systema

ti3ed and in$esti%ated 'ith more ri%our than in n%land. essin%,

!or e&am"le, in The >a'buro Era'aturgy H4@@+ united

5ristotle(s notions o! "ity and !ear by re%ardin% the tra%i# e!!e#t as

!ear !or oursel$es, in the manner o! 5ddison, and "ity !or others.1he e!!e#t o! tra%edy be#ame not so mu#h #atharti#, "ur%in%

emotions so that s"e#tators mi%ht #ontinue about their daily

business, as edu#ati$e, re!inin% the #a"a#ities o! the audien#e to !eel.

5 'ork o! art rea#hed out into li!e and #han%ed "ity into $irtue.

ike "oetry, the idea o! the "oet #aused sentimental #riti#s to

%ro' rha"sodi#al. Se$ered !rom lon% a""renti#eshi" to rules and

styles, the artist be#ame mysti!ied into a su"erior sensibility, a kind

o! emotional $ibrator. Uennis sa' his %reatness in his #a"a#ity to

!eel enthusiasti# "assion and in his emotional distin#tion !rom

others- Sha!tesbury #onsidered him as imitatin% in his art the di$ine

a#t o! #reation itsel!. In time the "oet be#ame bardi#, ma%i#al,

animated in William Uu!!s "hrase ('ith a kind o! di$ine !ury(.

Shakes"eare 'as the main e&em"lar2 in Jose"h Warton(s (1he

nthusiast( H4@+ he is dire#tly ins"ired by nature as a babe and

the lo#ation o! his ins"iration is (the sa#red "la#e( to be #ontem"lated

'ith (reli%ious a'e(. O""osin% Ur Johnson(s !i;es oj the/nglish

oets H4@4, 'hi#h ar%ued that "oets should be?ud%ed as morallya##ountable men and that #riti#s re8uired a""li#ation and "atien#e,

Per#i$al Sto#kdale in !ectures on the Truly /'inent /nglish oets

H40@ insisted that "oeti# %eniuses 'ere outside the ordinary rulesI

o! human #ondu#t and #ould not be?ud%ed as others. 5 "ro"er

) res"onse to "oetry 'as not #om"arison and #riti#ism but 'onderand #om"lete surrender.

7

)

)


18/28

3% Sensibility >istorical


19/28

Era'a 33

III Drama

1he sta%e 'as the main early battle %round o! sentimentalism, 'ith

the o""osin% side re"resented by the 'itty, urbane and intelle#tual

drama o! the late Restoration. Immediately a!ter his arri$al in

n%land, Charles II authori3ed t'o "atent theatres 'hi#h, under

his "atrona%e, 'ould ser$e the #ourt. 1he !are 'as mainly

re$am"ed "lays !rom the #lassi#al and Ja#obean "eriods, but ne'

'orks 'ere 'el#ome, es"e#ially those in the hi%h heroi# and tra%i#

mode and in a #omi# style amal%amatin% Ben Jonson and #lassi#al

Aren#h #omedy. It 'as the #omi# mode that #ame to #ause o!!en#e

sin#e, des"ite its traditional ori%ins, it di!!ered markedly in

morality !rom its models.

O$ertly #on#erned 'ith se&, %ender #on!li#ts and money,

Restoration #omedy %a$e a ne' "resti%e to #le$erness andhedonism, allo'in% res"e#t to sli" !rom the #haste and $irtuous to

the so"histi#ated and libidinous. Men 'ho #le$erly "lanned

sedu#tion and 'omen 'ho 'ittily railed a%ainst men 'ere e&alted,

and the losers 'ere not so mu#h the morally bad as the stu"id, the

nai$e and the emotionally sel!+indul%ent.

1o'ards the end o! the #entury, many !a#tors #aused a rea#tion

a%ainst the aristo#rati# mode o! Restoration drama. 1he "oliti#al

#rises #on#ernin% James II made its so"histi#ation seem !ri$olous.

5udien#es %re' in#reasin%ly hetero%eneous and in#luded a lar%e

"ro"ortion o! "eo"le !rom the middle #lass 'ho had no sym"athy

'ith its style. Women, 'hose earlier "resen#e in the theatre had

seemed to many an indi#ator o! the de#aden#e o! the a%e, be#ame

more "rominent as s"e#tators, but no' they a""eared to si%ni!y a

need !or "ro"er restraint on drama. Se$eral "lay'ri%hts in#ludin%

Colley Cibber de#lared their 'orks es"e#ially suitable !or (the

adies( or "leasin% to (the Aair Se&(, 'ho 'anted "lays in 'hi#h in

S'i!t(s mo#kin% 'ords, (their se& is dei!ied and adored(. 1heatri#al

8uarrels and a %ro'th in the number o! "layhouses #aused ri$alry

!or the ne' audien#e o! mi&ed #lasses and %enders, and a drama

di!!erent !rom the intelle#tual aristo#rati# #omedy en#oura%ed by

Charles II seemed in#reasin%ly desirable.

Jeremy Collier, a #ler%yman, re!le#ts the #han%in% tem"er o! the

times. In 4E he aimed a blast at the #ourtly Restoration theatre

'hi#h made its (to" #hara#ters libertines, and %a$eV them su##ess

in their debau#hery(. A Short BieG o the I''orality, and roaneness

o the /nglish Stage 'as an ans'er dire#ted in "arti#ular at

Wy#herley and Tanbru%h 'hose The ro;o.$d Jie dresses a man

as a "arson and lets him 'hore, drink and "ro!ane. Collier

#om"lained that Restoration #omedy had debau#hed the a%e andthat it e&hibited (smuttiness o! e&"ression(, s'earin%, libertina%e

and le'dness. In its "la#e he demanded sim"li#ity o! morality2 (5s

%ood and e$il are di!!erent in themsel$es, so they ou%ht to be

di!!erently mark(d.( e o"ens his introdu#tion un#om"romisin%ly2

(1he business o! "lays is to re#ommend $irtue, and dis#ountenan#e$i#e. ,4

Tanbru%h ans'ered Collier by a!!irmin% that #omedy tau%ht

"eo"le ho' they should a#t by sho'in% them ho' they a#tually

did, 'hile Con%re$e took issue 'ith the narro'ness o! Collier(s

im"lied $ie' o! art. 5lthou%h the #ontro$ersy ra%ed until at least

the 4@0s, the !uture 'as 'ith the #ler%yman- as Ur Johnson noted2

(Comedy %re' more modest, and Collier li$ed to see the re'ard o!his labour in the re!ormation o! the theatre.

Sentimental drama 'hi#h de$elo"ed durin% the late se$enteenth

and early ei%hteenth #enturies, and !lourished throu%hout the rest

o! the ei%hteenth #entury, se$ered the tie o! #ourt and sta%e. It is

asso#iated 'ith the "arliamentarians, the su""orters o! the Protest

ant su##ession, the mer#antile and less edu#ated #lasses, 'ith

'omen, and those 'ho held Whi%%ish sym"athies. It 'as there!ore

E =>


20/28

3# Sensibility

de"lored by the ma?or 1ory satirists, S'i!t and Po"e, and it is not

a##idental that the ar#h butt o! The Eunciad is the sentimental

dramatist Colley Cibber.

By mid+#entury the theatre had re%istered many #han%es !rom

the Restoration. 5udien#es had be#ome less riotous and "lay

'ri%hts #ould e&"e#t a measure o! de#orous beha$iour. By modern

standards s"e#tators 'ere still ro'dy, ho'e$er, and there 'as

mu#h #om"laint by theatre "eo"le about inattention and the use o!

the "it !or "ur"oses other than "lay'at#hin%. In "hysi#al a""ear

an#e too there 'ere alterations. 1he main theatres 'ere %ro'in%

lar%er, and the sta%e 'as be#omin% more #learly se"arated !rom the

audien#e, a "ro#ess 'hi#h #ulminated in /arri#k(s banishin% o!

s"e#tators !rom the sta%e alto%ether.

5#tin% 'as also modi!ied. 5 kind o! "er!ormin% asso#iated 'ith

/arri#k suited sentimental theories, !or, 'here the older style had

#on#entrated on te#hni8ue and de#lamation, the ne'er em"hasi3ed

#ommuni#ation o! emotion. 5t the be%innin% o! the #entury e

Brun(s in!luential /:pressions des passions 'as translated into

n%lish- it ad$an#ed the notion that e$ery idea had an e&a#t

#orres"ondin% e&"ression. 5 lan%ua%e o! e&"ression and %esture

'as elaborated in su#h 'orks as 5aron ill(s /ssay on the Art o

Acting H4@>= 'hi#h insisted that the idea should be im"ressed onthe body as 'ell as the !a#e. ill !elt that sensibility 'as the sour#e

o! %enuine a#tin% and he 'as enthusiasti# o$er /arri#k(s method

'hi#h stressed the !eelin% "er!orman#e and the e&"ression o!

attitude in all "arts o! the body. In a letter to /arri#k in 4@E he

"raised the a#tor !or brin%in% (the "assions, !irst, into your eye,

be!ore you spo.e a syllable(. Ri#hard Cumberland in his Me'oirs

"aid a similar tribute by de#larin% /arri#k (ali$e in e$ery mus#le

and in e$ery !eature(. =

In /arri#k(s e&"ressi$e method, the em"hasis 'as on #hara#ter as

attitude, on the indi$idual s#ene rather than on the "layas a totality,

and on %esture rather than !lo' o! s"ee#h. Conse8uently the

emotional tableau, so #ommon in sentimental 'ritin% %enerally2"redominated o$er narrati$e #oheren#e, a tenden#y su""orted by

the !ashion o! the time !or "aintin%s o! a#tors in hi%h dramati# and

stati# moments2 as 5aron ill e&"ressed it in Thero'pter, (

"I#a !or serious bour%eois drama 'hi#h 'ould deli$er moral

lessons to s"e#tators and mo$e them to %oodness. 5t hi%h

moments, the s#ene mi%ht resemble a #an$as o! the artist /reu3e,

'ho %ained %reat "o"ularity in Aran#e in the 4@0s 'ith his

emotional "aintin%s o! domesti# li!e, o! a !ather #ursin%, a mother

ser$in% her !amily, or a youn% %irl #ryin% o$er a dead bird.

1he #han%e in si3e and arran%ement o! the theatre meant less

intima#y in the drama, and, be!ore mi#ro"hones and ele#tri# li%hts,

the %rand %esture 'as essential i! the a#tor 'as to #ommuni#ate to

distant s"e#tators. S"e#ta#le !lourished and some traditional "lays

like Shakes"eare(s 'ere stri""ed o! their subtlety so that their

"otential !or "a%eant #ould be e&"loited. Pantomimes and #omi#

o"eras shared the sta%e 'ith dis"lays o! ?u%%lers, a#robats and 'ild

animals.In the early ei%hteenth #entury the number o! ondon theatres

%re', but the i#ensin% 5#t o!4@=@ redu#ed them a%ain to t'o and

brou%ht "lays under the #ensorshi" o! the ord Chamberlain. 5

sho#k 'as %i$en to satiri#al drama and "lay'ri%hts. like enry

Aieldin% %a$e u" the theatre !or the no$el.et, 'ith the !o#us on the a#tual dramati# !are in the theatre,

none o! these #han%es in audien#e, in numbers and arran%ement o!

"layhouses, in style o! a#tin% and in the #ontent o! "lays, should bee&a%%erated. Politi#al drama, !or e&am"le, sometimes said to ha$e

been killed by the i#ensin% 5#t, !lourished throu%hout the

ei%hteenth #entury, althou%h a!ter the 5#t s"e#i!i# "ersonal abuse

be#ame more dan%erous. Pro$in#ial theatres, be%innin% in the early

de#ades, bur%eoned in the later, a##om"anied at the end o! the

#entury by the ra%e !or "ri$ate theatri#al houses. S"e#ta#le hadbeen

a "art o! #ertain modes o! drama in all a%es. 5bo$e all, the "lays

most "er!ormed and 'at#hed remained the same, althou%h they

'ere mu#h re'ritten to suit the demands o! the ne' audien#e.

1hrou%hout the #entury "lay'ri%hts re!o#used and #leaned u"

older "lays to make them into more suitable $ehi#les o! sentiment

and theatri#al %esture. Ribaldry and ba'dry 'ere remo$ed !romShakes"eare and other Renaissan#e dramatists, and #lassi#al

#omedy 'as #hastened- Restoration "lays 'ere rehabilitated as

sentimental drama. Plots 'ere trans!ormed so that the #omi#

be#ame the moral and the tra%i# be#ame the "atheti#- the #entre o!

the sta%e 'as held less by a#ti$e heroes than by "assi$e and

su!!erin% !emale $i#tims.Robert Uodsley 'as one remodeller- he !ashioned a 'hite

3+ S ibili


21/28

3+ Sensibili ty Era'a 3*

7

$ersion o! @thello 'hi#h demanded audien#e sym"athy less !or the

!aulty male than !or !emale $irtue in distress. William Whitehead

remade Corneille(s >orace 'ith oratia as the "rimary #hara#ter.

Wy#herley(s The Country Jie, in /arri#k(s $ersion o! 4@,

a$oided adultery and made money inessential. Some "lays 'ent )throu%h multi"le trans!ormations, !or e&am"le Ti'on oj Athens,

re!urbished by, amon% others, 1homas Shad'ell in 4@, James

o$e in 4@, and Ri#hard Cumberland in 4@@4. a#h %a$e a little

more to the ne' lo$e "lot and to the additional !emale #hara#ters-

the Cumberland $ersion %oes the !urthest o! these in "atheti#

dis"lays, endin% in the #ommon sentimental tableau o! dyin% !ather

su""orted by duti!ul dau%hter.

It is undoubtedly the sentimentali3ation o! many traditional

"lays, as mu#h as the e&isten#e o! ne' and "ure sentimental drama,

that has made the theatri#al "eriod !rom about 4@0 to 4@0 seem

entirely sentimental. Probably it is also due to the "ro"a%anda o!

the most lastin% dramatists, /oldsmith and Sheridan, 'ho 'ished

to stress the darin% and ori%inality o! their o""ositional "ie#es, She

Stoops to Conuer H4@@= and The School 6or Scandal H4@@@. et o! the

ne' "lays "er!ormed durin% these years R. W. Be$is in The

!aughing Tradition H4E0 has su%%ested that only about hal! #ould

be termed sentimental 'orks Halthou%h e$en 'ith this estimatethere is a "roblem sin#e ?ud%ement is mainly based on "ublished

"lays, and "lay'ri%hts habitually sentimentali3ed sta%e 'orks !or a

readin% "ubli# attuned to the sentimental no$el. 5s 5llardy#e

Ni#oll early noted in his >istory oj /nglish Era'a H4E@, ('hen 'e

look at the ty"i#al dramati# !are o! the "eriod, 'e may be in#lined

to 'onder 'hether, a!ter all, it 'as not sentimentalism 'hi#h 'as

the !ashion inse#urely "lanted in the theatre(. 4

5lthou%h in its "urity sentimental drama may ha$e been a

minority !orm, sentimentalism ne$ertheless #learly tou#hed almost

all "lay'ri%hts, in#ludin% those 'ho, like /oldsmith and Sheridan,

de#lared themsel$es a%ainst its eesses. On the 'hole the

#ontem"orary "er#e"tion seems ?ust2 that the sta%e had %ro'nsober and moral, that #omedy and tra%edy 'ere no lon%er distin#t

!orms, and that the s"e#tator 'as asked to attend the theatre to #ry

and be im"ro$ed.

Tragedy

With the Restoration theatre, 'omen !or the !irst time #ame on to

the sta%e. Initially their "hysi#al "resen#e 'as most e&"loited in

ba'dy #omedy, but, as "lays and audien#es %re' more de#orous,

theatri#al 'omen #ame to assume somethin% o! the moral and

"atheti# $alue they 'ere be%innin% to hold in the #ulture as a

'hole. In many "lays 'omen be#ame tou#hstones o! morality and

!etishi3ed #entres o! the "lot.

1he tra%edies o! the Restoration dramatists, 1homas Southerne,

John Banks and 1homas Ot'ay, em"hasi3ed the "athos o! the

situations they "resented. Are8uently their "lays sim"ly aroused"ity instead o! the min%led "ity and terror o! traditional tra%edy.

Ot'ay(s The @rphan H40 #an e&em"li!y, !or Ot'ay be#ame in

the ei%hteenth #entury the "atheti# tra%edian par e:cellence5 'hen

the "oet Collins 'rote his (Ode to Pity( H4@ #on#ernin% tra%i#

"athos and "ain, Ot'ay 'as the !irst modern 'riter he treated.

The @rphan is a ty"i#al Ot'ay "rodu#tion. It tries to %i$e heroi#

si%ni!i#an#e to an essentially "ri$ate tale o! !amilial nastiness and

disaster. 1he "lot "resents t'o brothers $yin% !or Monimia, a

youn% %irl 'ho has %ro'n u" 'ithin their !amily. She enters a

se#ret marria%e 'ith one brother but the other, i%norant o! the !a#t,

tri#ks her into lyin% 'ith him on her 'eddin% ni%ht. 1he a#t is

error not $i#e and is due to !raternal se#re#y not to utter $illainy. It

is made horrible only by the marria%e 'hi#h turns the !airly

insi%ni!i#ant de!lo'erin% o! a maid into the dishonourable de!ilin%

o! a 'i!e. In the latter #ase only the death o! the 'oman #an e&"iate

+ althou%h se$enty years later, in Ri#hardson(s more sentimental

times, a #hara#ter in Sir Charles &randison (thou%ht both brothers

deser$ed to be han%ed( as 'ell.

5s a "atheti# tra%edy, The @rphan is a hybrid "lay, min%lin% the

Restoration obsession 'ith se& and %ender #on!li#ts 'ith a dis"lay

o! sentimental 8ualities. 1he "atheti# Monimia, a ("oor and

hel"less Or"han( is sentimentally %entle, sus#e"tible and so!t, but

her so!tness is most mani!est in her obtrusi$e ('hite and s'ellin%

breasts(. 5lthou%h she is "assi$e and ideali3ed, she yet utters some

o! the !emale #om"laint at the "atriar#hal order asso#iated 'iths"irited Restoration heroines, and her male anta%onists are e8ually

8ui#k + in a 8uite unsentimental 'ay + to rail a%ainst 'omen.

5##ordin% to Monimia, men aim to (undo "oor6Maids and make

our ruin #asie(, 'hile men state "roudly that they are (!alse,)

Uissemblin%, subtle, #ruel, and un#onstant(, and they !irmly resist

the !emini3ation so mu#h a "art o! later sentimental drama.

1he heroine(s !ate is, ho'e$er, unambi%uously sentimental. er


22/28

3 Sensibility Era'a 3=

7

body s"eaks authenti#ally in tears and tremblin% 'hen she #annot

utter a 'ord, and she ima%ines #hastenin% it into "urity a!ter her

inad$ertent !all, throu%h the "ro"er !emale method o! su!!erin% and

madness. By so doin% she a#8uires !or hersel! the hi%h status o!

$i#tim.1he min%led #hara#teristi#s o! The @rphan re#ur in the she

tra%edies o! Ni#holas Ro'e, 'ho sentimentali3ed tra%edy still

!urther in his #on#entration on the $i#timi3ed 'oman. The Fair

enitent H4@0= "its !amily sentiment a%ainst !emale se&uality in themanner o! Ot'ay and a%ain ena#ts the re"la#ement o! the se&ualby

the subordinate 'oman. 1o a lesser de%ree it also sho's the

substitution !or the %ay Restoration sedu#er o! the !ilial !emini3ed

suitor + the heroine(s #lear distaste !or the latter in this "lay !rees

him !rom any taint o! se&uality.

In The Fair enitent the heroine Calista has only t'o roles o"en to

her be!ore 'i!ehood2 $ir%in or 'hore. She #hooses to be a 'hore

and re!uses to be#ome the si%n o! male honour, insistin% that she

hersel! has her o'n $ersion and 'ill %uard it. But, as the "lay

illustrates, Calista(s honour is de!ined only in mas#uline terms, and

the 'hore(s role is "o'erless in the male s#heme sin#e it #annot

in!luen#e "o'er!ul men. On#e Calista has %i$en her $ir%inity, she

#an only 'ee" and rail a%ainst (man, 'ho makes his mirth o! our

undoin%)6 1he base "ro!essed betrayer o! our se&)( In later

sentimental 'orks su#h as The !ondon Merchant, the !emale "rotest

a%ainst subordination and rei!i#ation is #ommonly %i$en to $illains,

and the audien#e is le!t to de#ide 'hether !eminist belie!s in"urely

!emale standards #ause $i#e or the re$erse. In this early "lay, the

heroine hersel! still ra%es a%ainst male dominan#e. et, des"ite her

"rotests, Calista, like Monimia be!ore her, must in the end a##e"t.

In her ima%ination she #hastens her 'i#kedly se&ual body so that it

may re%ain its sentimental meanin%- in reality she !ollo's Monimia

into the a""ro"riate sui#ide, so re#onstru#tin% hersel! as distressed

lady and $i#tim.

1he "rolo%ue to The Fair enitent #laimed that the "lay 'as a taleo! "ri$ate 'oes (like your o'n(- the stru%%le o! domesti#ity

a%ainst se&uality 'as indeed #ommon and yet the #hara#ters 'ere

said to be noble and distant, as in traditional tra%edy. So too in The

@rphan the settin% 'as hi%h althou%h the #hara#ters 'ere bound in

a "ri$ate !amily, the #ause o! the "lay(s su##ess a##ordin% to Samuel

Ri#hardson. illo(s The !ondon Merchant H4@=4 is a rare attem"t in

n%lish to make a #lear #onne#tion bet'een sentiment and the

bour%eolSle Halthou%h this be#ame usual in later /erman drama

and to make a #entral issue o! the ethi#al $alues + duty and "robity

+ o! the tradin% middle #lass.

illo sa' himsel! as an heir o! Ot'ay and Ro'e. ike theirs, his

"lay aims at a sin%le emotional res"onse in the audien#e but %oes

beyond them in e&"li#itly #laimin% a moral, dida#ti# "ur"ose2 it

'ants to !ill the eyes 'ith tears !or, a##ordin% to the sentimental

theory, 'ee"in% eyes sho' and en#oura%e (a %en(rous sense o!

others( 'oe(. 1o this end it es#he's dramati# realism and lets itshero Barn'ell, as soon as he is a##used o! murder, dire#tly address

the audien#e2 (Be 'arned, ye youths, 'ho see my sad des"air.(

1his use o! dramati# s"ee#h, less !or #hara#teri3ation and "lot

than !or its ethi#al #ontent, 'ith the audien#e rather than another

#hara#ter as re#i"ient, is #ommon in sentimental "lays, 'hi#h

there!ore re8uire a double res"onse in the s"e#tator2 at times they

must be taken as $ehi#les o! dramati# utteran#es and at other times

as "ur$eyors o! moral "ro"ositions. Aailure to distin%uish bet'een

the t'o re8uired res"onses #an result in "ointless #riti#ism, !or

e&am"le that a "arti#ular sentimental #hara#ter is un"leasantly

"ri%%ish and sel!+de#ei$in%. >

The !ondon Merchant is a more thorou%h%oin% sentimental 'ork

than the "lays o! Ot'ay and Ro'e, and it breaks more #learly 'ith

heroi# tra%edy by em"loyin% "rose. It uses to the !ull the

sentimental te#hni8ues o! "atheti# tableau&, "ain!ul re$ersals and

sto#k %ood and bad #hara#ters. ike The Fair enitent it "its the

!amilial !eminine $irtues o! #om"assion and submission a%ainst

e&tra+!amilial "assion and se&uality. 1he hero should be a !raternal

lo$er to a "assi$e, dau%hterly !emale, but instead he asso#iates 'ith

an a#ti$e Restoration kind o! 'oman, 'ho !latly re!uses the "ro"er

!eminine ima%e o! the sentimental lady2 (that ima%inary bein% is an

emblem o! thy #ursed se& #olle#ted. 5 mirror 'herein ea#h

"arti#ular man may see his o'n likeness and that o! all mankind.(

Worse, a%ainst the Sha!tesburian order o! bene$olen#e and

harmony, she ur%es a $ie' #loser to obbes and Mande$ille2 (5lla#tions seem alike natural and indi!!erent to man and beast, 'ho

de$our, or are de$oured, as they meet 'ith others 'eaker or

stron%er than themsel$es.(

1he "lay details Barn'ell(s !all !rom #ommer#ial and domesti#

%ra#e throu%h the e$il 'oman(s a%en#y, and his ?ust and "atheti#

"unishment. 1he $alues to 'hi#h Barn'ell su##umbs are allo'ed a

hearin% in the "lay but in the end they are entirely obliterated by

#% S ibili t


23/28

#% Sensibili ty Era'a #?

\

sentimental morality. 1he 'ork re!uses to be diale#ti#al, retreatin%

!rom a #om"le&ity it o##asionally #omes #lose to allo'in% in its

"resentation o! the hero(s "er$erse inability to a#t !rom %ratitude

and in its de"i#tion o! the di!!i#ulties o! the kno'in% 'oman. 1he

death o! Barn'ell is ?usti!ied and aestheti#i3ed, and the tear!ul,

"atheti# res"onse he insists on e$okin% in the s"e#tators makes

them e#ho the !or%i$eness he a#hie$es 'ithin the "lay and so a$oid

horror at his 8uite enormous #rimes. 1his !or%i$eness is #onsonant

'ith Barn'ell(s a$oidan#e o! any tra%i# %randeur throu%h the

#onstru#tion o! his #hara#ter and throu%h his indul%en#e in an

e&em"lary sel!+abasement. 1o%ether 'ith the understandin% o!

his basi# %oodness o! heart in s"ite o! these #rimes, this !or%i$eness

by the s"e#tators in no 'ay "re$ents their a##e"tin% the ?usti#e o!

the la' that re!uses to euse Barn'ell on sentimental %rounds and

so #ondemns him to death.

1he "atheti# domesti# tra%edy o! illo has only a !e' su##essors

in n%land in the mid+#entury, one bein% d'ard Moore(s The

&a'ester H4@>=, 'hi#h at the end addresses the audien#e thus2 (et

!railer Minds take Warnin%- and !rom &am"le learn, that Want o!

Pruden#e is Want o! Tirtue.( 1he "lay has the sentimental "lot o!

The !ondon Merchant, 'herein a 'eak man is led astray and ends

#ondemned by the la'. In this #ase, ho'e$er, the hero is 'ron%lya##used o! the #rime, and the "athos o! his sui#ide in "rison is

e&a%%erated by ne's o! his release and o! a le%a#y he has thro'n

a'ay that 'ould ha$e sa$ed him !rom "o$erty. Marmontel(s des

#ri"tion at the be%innin% o! the introdu#tion su%%ests the "atheti#

"o'er, !or an ei%hteenth+#entury audien#e, o! this sort o! "lot.

In both The !ondon Merchant and The &a'ester the main

#hara#ters are men, althou%h they are !lanked by distressed,

$irtuous ladies. In their subordination to more "o'er!ul !i%ures

and in their inability to hel" themsel$es or dire#t their !ate, these

men assume somethin% o! the !emale role o! $i#tim. et they

#annot entirely !ollo' the main !emale tra?e#tory, 'hi#h "asses

throu%h de%radation and sel!+abasement throu%h the se&ual !allbe!ore the !inal "athos o! an undeser$ed but ne#essary death.

Conse8uently there is a tenden#y !or "lays about "atheti# heroes to

be#ome sensational and e&treme in their "lots. 1his tenden#y #an

be 'ell a""re#iated in The Mysterious >usband H4@= by Ri#hard

Cumberland, "robably the main "ro!essor o! sentimental tra%edy

in the last "art o! the #entury and #ons#iously the heir o! illo and

Moore.

1he #om"li#ated "lot o! The Mysterious >usband re$ol$es around

ord Ua$enant, a 'ido'er 'ho has remarried a $irtuous 'oman.

5lthou%h she has al'ays lo$ed another, she is entirely !aith!ul to

her ne' husband. e, ho'e$er, has !ormerly 'edded Marianne, a

youn% 'oman !or 'hom he still yearns but 'ho, assumin% him

dead be#ause o! his lon% absen#e, hersel! remarries. Marianne is the

sister o! ady Ua$enant(s belo$ed and her ne' husband is ord

Ua$enant(s son. When this !amily #om"le&ity is re$ealed, the son is

horri!ied to dis#o$er he has married his !ather(s 'i!e and, in the#on!usion o! %uilt that !ollo's, ord Ua$enant kills himsel!. 1he

in#estuous sensationalism here lar%ely "re$ents any tra%i# res"onse

in the audien#e, and the re"entan#e o! the $illain be!ore he kills

himsel! makes his $iolent death a stran%e min%lin% o! sin!ul but

heroi# a#tion and "atheti# sentimental sui#ide.

In 4@E Cumberland "rodu#ed The 6eG, a #omedy 'hi#h

demanded a #han%e o! heart in the audien#e to'ards a $i#timi3ed

%rou". Arom Steele on'ards sentimental drama had #on#erned

itsel! 'ith so#ial "roblems su#h as %amblin% and duellin%, but in

the 4@E0s it also a""ro"riated humanitarian issues su#h as sla$ery,

the treatment o! 'ar $i#tims and the in#ar#eration o! debtors. Su#h

issues 'ere es"e#ially the "ro$in#e o! 'omen "lay'ri%hts su#h as

Marianna Starke and Maria Barrell. In The Capti;e H4@E0 the latter

aimed to e&"ose the sorry #ondition o! debtors im"risoned !or

many years !or debts 'hi#h they had no #han#e o!"ayin%. 1he "lay

'orks entirely throu%h #on$entional sentimental tableau&, the

su"reme one e#hoin% The &a'ester in "resentin% a husband dyin%

in "rison surrounded by a $irtuous 'i!e and !aith!ul ser$ant.

Maria Barrell 'rote her "lay 'hile hersel! in the Qin%(s Ben#h.

She 'as #om"osin%, she de#lared, surrounded by the (%loomy

'alls o! a "rison( 'ith a (mind 'ounded by disa""ointment, and

harrassed by s#enes o! sorro' almost in#redible(. 5 "rolo%ue

en!or#es the distressin% ima%e2 she is (a #a"ti$e stran%er in her

nati$e land,) While by her 'ido'(d side t'o Or"hans 'ait(. ere

Maria Barrell insists on makin% her o'n sorry situation "art o! her'ritten "lay te&t, a less #ommon habit amon% dramatists than

amon% no$elists and "oets, 'ho o!ten "resented themsel$es as

distressed "arents or sensiti$e re#luses in rural retreats.

Co'edy

5s in tra%edy, sentimental 8ualities #re"t %radually into #omedy,

E #3


24/28

Era'a #3#2 Sensibil ity

\

'hi#h be#ame a "o"ular sentimental !orm sin#e dramatists seemed

to en?oy re'ardin% $irtue materially, as Ri#hardson did ina'ela)

1he 8ualities early a""eared in the 'orks o! the #anny dramatist

Colley Cibber, 'ho e&tolled "lays de"i#tin% (1ruth and uman

i!e( and "ro$okin% tears in the audien#e. 5lthou%h many o! the

humorous and titillatin% elements o! Restoration #omedy #on

tinued in this drama, he stated that his "rimary aim 'as to re!orm the

s"e#tators throu%h e&am"le, and he "ro$ided many sententious ta%s

!or them to take a'ay and memori3e. In the dedi#ation o! TheCareless >usband H4@0 and in his Apology H4@0, he stressed that

he had al'ays had (the interest and honour o! $irtue in $ie'(. 1o

'hi#h end $irtue in mis!ortune had been "re!erred in his "lays to

%reatness in distress. Aor readers 'ho 'ish to ?ud%e and mo#k

"redominantly sentimental #hara#ters 'ith naturalisti# and "sy#ho

lo%i#al #riteria, Cibber "ro$ides 'onder!ul e&am"les. 5 !amous one

is a s#ene in The Careless >usband H4@0 in 'hi#h a $irtuous 'i!e,

!indin% her husband aslee" in an adulterous and #hilly situation,

#on$erts him to $irtue 'ith an a#t o! sel!lessness, 'hereby she

"la#es her o'n %arment on his bared head- thus she "rote#ts him

!rom the #old and at the same time lets him kno' she kno's.

Po"e made Colley Cibber the main tar%et o! The Eunciad but he

s"ared some abuse !or other semi+sentimental "lay'ri%hts su#h as

Susanna Centli$re. ike Cibber, Centli$re 'as transitional, $a#il

latin% bet'een lau%hin% satiri# and sentimental #odes. In 4@00 in

the "re!a#e to her !irst "lay, The erjur$d >usband, !or e&am"le, she

#ha!ed a%ainst Collier(s demands !or #haste lan%ua%e in the

theatre, notin% the absurdity o! makin% a le'd 'oman s"eak (in the

Words o! a Psalm(- in the same year she 'rote in a letter that the

(main desi%n o! Comedy, is to make us lau%h(.D 1hree years later in

the "re!a#e to !o;e$s Contri;ance, Centli$re !ollo'ed o"inion and

a!!irmed that she (took "e#uliar Care to dress my 1hou%hts in su#h

a modest Stile that it mi%ht not %i$e O!!en#e to any(. In The

&a'ester H4@0>, a "artial rela"se into the lau%hin% mode, she yet

ho"es (to di$ert 'ithout that Ti#ious Strain, 'hi#h usually attendsthe Comi#k Muse( and she aims to (re#ommend Morality(. 5s in

many sentimental #omedies, Centli$re(s #hara#ters suddenly re

!orm throu%h e&am"le, and the audien#e learns a""ro"riate

res"onse to the !inal "atheti# sho' o! re"entan#e.Po"e no doubt des"ised Susanna Centli$re !or her sentimental

attitudes and Whi% "oliti#s. But he had an added reason !or)

#ontem"t in her se&. e linked her 'ith other 'omen 'riters o!

the Restoration and ueen 5nne years, 5"hra Behn, Uelari$iere

Manley and li3a ay'ood, 'ho seemed to be im"ro"erly

"enetratin% male #ulture. Su#h "enetration si%nalled !or Po"e a

breakdo'n o! traditional standards, 'hile sentimentalism itsel!,

im"li#ated in this breakdo'n, 'as re%arded as an un!ortunate

!emini3ation o! #ulture. 1he asso#iation o! 'omen(s $alues and

'omen(s 'ritin% 'ith sentimentalism 'ould be a #ause o! an&iety

!or male dramatists throu%hout the sentimental "eriod, and there is

mu#h "rotestation that tears and #om"assion are a#tually si%ns o!true manliness.

Steele !a$ourably re$ie'ed both Centli$re and Cibber. In his

noti#e o! The Careless >usband in the Tatler H4@0 he "raised the

sentimental #lements, es"e#ially the ele$ation o! domesti# a!!e#

tions and $irtuous inno#en#e2

It has in it all the re$erent o!!i#es o!li!e, su#h as re%ard to"arents,

.husbands, and honourable lo$ers, "reser$ed 'ith the utmost

#are, and at the same time that a%reeableness o! beha$iour, 'ith

the intermi&ture o! "leasin% "assions, 'hi#h arise !rom inno

#en#e and $irtue inters"ersed in su#h a manner as that to be

#harmin% and a%reeable shall a""ear the natural #onse8uen#e o!

bein% $irtuous.

1he %reat "romoter and "o"ulari3er o! sentimental moral #omedy

and the Sha!tesburian notion o! $irtue, Steele e&hibits his o'n

"redile#tions and habits as a "lay'ri%ht in his "raise o! Cibber.

5lthou%h !indin% Jeremy Collier o$erharsh in his #riti#ism o! the

#ontem"orary sta%e, Steele like'ise atta#ked its ba'dry and

immorality and in The !ying !o;er H4@0= he #laimed that he

intended (to 'rite a Co'edy in the Se$erity CollierV re8uired(.

Tatler arti#les blamed Wy#herley !or abettin% adultery in his "lays

and there%e !or 'ritin% a 'ork 'ith (nothin% in it but 'hat is

built u"on the ruin o! $irtue and inno#en#e(. Instead, Steele asked

!or e&"li#itly dida#ti# "lays 'hi#h 'ould en#oura%e $irtue and

(stri" Ti#e o! the %ay abit in 'hi#h it has too lon% a""ear(d(. WhatSteele es"oused has somethin% !ormally in #ommon 'ith tra%i

#omedy as theori3ed by the Italian /iambattista /uarini in 4042 a

theatre that deals 'ith "ri$ate a#tions, and demands the emotional

"arti#i"ation o! the audien#e, 'hile es#he'in% the sub?e#tion to

tra%i# #atharsis. Su#h theatre also "ulls a'ay !rom the lau%hin%

res"onse2 #omedy, Steele #onsidered, need not al'ays be #omi# +

indeed he "re!erred a #omedy o! (?oy too e&8uisite !or lau%hter(.

Era' #"## Sensibility


25/28

Era' #"## Sensibility

Steele(s last "lay, The Conscious !o;ers, #ontains both 8ui#k and

li$ely dialo%ue and the dida#ti# thrust he demanded o! #omedy. It

"ro$ides the audien#e 'ith e&em"lary ty"es2 oun% Be$il, (an

obedient and %rate!ul son(, Indiana, a ('ret#hed, hel"less ...

or"han(, Sealand, an honest kindly mer#hant, and um"hrey, a

!aith!ul old retainer, (more like an humble !riend than a ser$ant(.

1he "lot is the lon%+lost #hild one, endin% in the tableau o!

!ather+dau%hter reunion. 1he lo$ers( #om"li#ations are unthreat

enin%, sin#e almost all in$ol$ed ha$e %ood hearts, the seemin%ly

harsh !ather 'orkin% only to test his son and the sus"i#ious aunt

a#tin% "rimarily !or the "rote#tion o! her nie#e.

Sentiments in the "lay are deli$ered mainly throu%h oun% 7

Be$il, many o! 'hose utteran#es, like those o! The !ondon

Merchant, are #learly not intended to #ontribute to his #hara#ter but .

to "resent a"horisms dire#tly to the audien#e + (to #on$in#e is

mu#h more than to #on8uer( + or "ress on them so#ial ad$i#e about

ho' to treat ser$ants and in!eriors and to a$oid duellin% 'ith

honour. oun% Be$il also tea#hes the s"e#tators the sentimental

do#trine o! "leasure throu%h $irtue2 (ho' %reat a "leasure is it to

him 'ho has a true taste o! li!e to ease an a#hin% heart, to see the

human #ountenan#e li%hted u" into smiles o! ?oy.( &"ressin% the

#ommon an&iety that su#h bene$olent $irtue may seem e!!eminate,Steele !irmly announ#es that nothin% in !a#t #ould be more manly.

Within The Conscious !o;ers an o"era is a""ro$ed #alled

(/riselda(, 'hi#h #on#erns (the distress o! an in?ured, inno#ent

'oman(. 1his is the ar#hety"al situation !or the lady o! sensibility

and it is not an es"e#ially #omi# one. So the "lay has some di!!i#ulty

#ontainin% 'ithin its #omi# bounds the si%hin% or"han Indiana,

'ho res"onds to bodily rather than $erbal e&"ressi$eness and 'ho

insists on li$in% entirely #ontin%ently2 (5ll the rest o! my li!e is but

'aitin% till he #omes. I only li$e 'hen I(m 'ith him.( 1o'ards the

#lose o! the "lay 'hen she thinks she may be balked o! her lo$e,

?ust be!ore the sentimental re$ersal that 'ill brin% e$eryone into

tear!ul !amilial #ommunity, Indiana suddenly breaks the li%hthearted tone o! the "lay to dis"lay hersel! as a sentimental $i#tim

adri!t in a she+tra%edy, and she "re"ares to embra#e the im

moderate !ate en$isa%ed by Monimia and Calista, to (si%h and

'ee", to ra$e, run 'ild, a lunati# in #hains or hid in darkness, toV

mutter in distra#ted starts and broken a##ents(. 5nd she moans that

all her #om!ort (must be to e&"ostulate in madness, to relie$e 'ith

!ren3y my des"air, and shriekin% to demand o! !ate 'hy + 'hy 'as

I born to su#h $ariety o! sorro's)( 1he stress on "ro$idential

a#ti$ity that #loses the "lay #annot entirely obliterate this #li#heed

but #onte&tually strikin% outburst, 'hi#h %i$es to The Conscious

!o;ers as a 'hole somethin% o! the uneasiness o! a min%led rather

than mi&ed %enre and "oints to the instability o! sentimentalism

itsel! 'hen embodied in the #omi# "lot.

Clearly Steele 'as a'are o! the sentimental !ra#tures in the #omi#

sur!a#e o! his "lays, !or he 'rote o! su#h a !ra#turin% in his !ying

!o;er, in 'hi#h a man belatedly re!orms2

1he an%uish he there e&"resses, and the mutual sorro' bet'een

an only #hild and a tender !ather in that distress are, "erha"s, an

in?ury to the rules o! #omedy but I am sure they are a ?usti#e to

those o! morality.

1he morality 'hi#h is seemin%ly in?urious to #omedy is deli$ered

throu%h the dida#ti# and undramati# sentiments, su#h as those o!

oun% Be$il, s#attered throu%hout Steele(s "lays, to su#h an e&tent

that a3litt termed them (homilies in dialo%ue(- it also #omes

throu%h the "athos o! the distressed Indiana and o! the !ather in The

!ying !o;er, 'hi#h ?erks $irtuous tears !rom the audien#e. 1he

theory here, a #om"li#ated one, su%%ests that this tear!ul res"onse

to "athos %i$es to the s"e#tator a sense o! sel!+'orth, o! sel!

a""ro$al2 (%enerous "ity o! a "ainted 'oe6 Makes us oursel$es both

more a""ro$e and kno'( He"ilo%ue o! The !ying !o;er1) 1his sel!

a""ro$al based on "ity is de#lared to be ultimately out'ard

lookin% and unsel!ish, !indin% e&"ression in a#ts o! bene$olen#e.

au%hin% #omedy in #ontrast, Steele ar%ues, %i$es an audien#e a

sense o! (sudden sel!+esteem( 'hi#h in time leads to sel!+#ontem"t.

Ob$iously su#h an ethi#al+"sy#holo%i#al dramati# theory #ould

be atta#ked as #om"la#ent sel!+?usti!i#ation or e$en hy"o#risy, but

John /ay in The resent State oj Jit H4@44 "ays tribute to 'hat he

a""rehends as the a#tual moral e!!e#t o! Steele(s "lays on his

#ontem"oraries outside the theatre2

It 'ould ha$e been a ?est, some time sin#e, !or a Man to ha$e

asserted that any thin% Witty #ould be said in "raise o! a Marry(d

State, or that Ue$otion and Tirtue 'ere any 'ay ne#essary to the

Chara#ter o! a !ine /entleman . . . . Instead o! #om"lyin% 'ith the

!alse Sentiments or Ti#ious tasts o! the 5%e ... SteeleV has boldly

assur(d them, that they 'ere alto%ether in the 'ron%, and

#ommanded them, 'ith an 5uthority, 'hi#h "er!e#tly 'ell

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#+ Sensibility Era'a #*

be#ame him, to surrender themsel$es to his 5r%uments !or

Tirtue and /ood Sense. H"". =+OB

et, des"ite the de#ided moral em"hasis in Steele(s "lays, the

s"eedy de$elo"ment o! sentimental e&"ression soon made e$en

these 'orks a""ear insu!!i#iently sentimental. I! The Tender

>usband H4@0> ends in the s"e#ta#le o! a 'ee"in% and submissi$e

lady, it none the less be%ins 'ith a trans$estite s#ene and a "romise

o! adultery. Ri#hardson(s Pamela did not at all a""ro$e o! the "ie#e

and thou%ht ill o! the summary nature o! the re"entan#e it deli$ers-

in Clarissa a #o"y o! Steele(s "lays has !ound its 'ay into the library

o! the $illainous ba'd Mrs Sin#lair.

By the mid+ to late ei%hteenth #entury #omedy 'as !elt to ha$e

abandoned the satiri# !or the sentimental mode. et on a #line !rom

sentiment to satire, most "lays 'ould rest some'here in the

middle, 'ith many seemin%ly o""ositional ones like She Stoops to

Conuer and The School or Scandal en#losin% sentimental #lements,

and many "rimarily sentimental "ie#es in#ludin% some satire. 5s in

tra%edy, so in #omedy, Cumberland #an e&em"li!y the "redomin

antly sentimental mode, 'ith #omedies mo$in% to'ards, i! ne$er

a#hie$in%, sentimental "urity.

Cumberland(s #omedies su#h as The Car'elite H4@ or The JestIndian H4@@4 are aimed at the heart. 1hey dis"lay their morality at

the e&"ense o! #hara#teri3ation and o! any attem"t at realism o!

"lot. 1hey "resent emotional o$er narrati$e #om"le&ity, and turn

less on e$ents or "sy#holo%i#al disturban#es than on tableau& o!

!amilial sorro' and ?oy, o! the re#o%nition o! mother, !ather and

son, and o! the ha""y reali3ation o! the !ilial bond. In the "lays o!

Cumberland and others, the hero and heroine are !re8uently

inno#ents !rom the #ountry or !rom !orei%n "rimiti$e "arts 'here

they ha$e es#a"ed the #orru"tion o! metro"olitan so#iety. 1hey

e&"erien#e a someho' ennoblin% "o$erty as a test o! 'orth and

they es#a"e it not throu%h a#ti$ity but throu%h a sudden "ro$iden

tial inheritan#e. O!ten the re$ersal is brou%ht about by the %oodmer#hant, a !i%ure mu#h ideali3ed in sentimental drama, as

su%%ested by The !ondon Merchant and The Conscious !o;ers, and

!riendshi" is a%ain hi%hly e&tolled. Morality is #learly e&"ressed as

%enerosity and bene$olen#e in men, and as $ir%inity and #om"as

sion in 'omen, and a !eelin% heart and deli#ate sensibility are "ri3ed

in both. Tillainy hardly e&ists sin#e, i! the heart is ri%ht, a "erson

#an re!orm sim"ly by bein% mo$ed at an a!!e#tin% si%ht, and !aults

#an be !or%i$en on the sho' o! a tear. 5lthou%h the early

sentimental o""osition o! !amilial and se&ual is less e$ident and

more deli#ately su%%ested in Cumberland, his "lays #ontinue to

ena#t the old "lot o! sentiment, the de!eat in li!e or death o! the

'i#kedly #yni#al by the sim"ly $irtuous- mean'hile a !re8uent

denouement is the rene'ed assertion o! the !ilial tie and the

assuran#e that the hero, des"ite irre%ularities, has (a heart beamin%

'ith bene$olen#e(.

5lthou%h a 'oman "lay'ri%ht 'as no oddity by the #lose o! the

ei%hteenth #entury, the sentimental matter and its asso#iation 'ith

!emininity ensured that an a""ealin% issue #ould be made o! the

'riter(s %ender. So /eor%e Colman(s e"ilo%ues to li3abeth In#h

bald(s "lays insist that the author is a 'oman and use the !a#t

de#orously to #laim e8ual literary treatment and o""ortunity !or

!emale 'riters. Indeed, i! !eelin% is the basis o! art, as many #riti#s

!rom Uennis on'ards held, then 'omen 'hose $>eart ))) 'ith

Passions is stor(d( should be the best !itted !or 'ritin% and their

'orks should ha$e sin#erity, the true tone o! sensibility. Colman,

ho'e$er, #at#hes the ambi%uous status o! the !emale 'riter in the

#onte&t o! the sentimental #onstru#tion o! 'oman + endo'ed

'ith su"erior sensibility but ad$ised to be utterly subordinate +

'hen he both asserts the 'oman(s "re+eminen#e in !eelin% and"athos, and yet terms the !emale author a ('eak Woman(.

In#hbald(s I$ll Tell -ou Jhat H4@ min%les elements in a 'ay

$ery similar to Steele(s Conscious !o;ers at the be%innin% o! the

#entury. 5lthou%h it has li$ely 'omen, one errin% and !inally

re"entant and the other $irtuous and s"irited, it also dis"lays a true

sentimental lady in distress, 'hose misery, like Indiana(s,

thorou%hly disturbs the #omi# mode. 1his lady es#he's the

"ertness o! her sisters and instead re$eals (sensibility in her

#ountenan#e . . . blushes on her #heek + tears in her eyes . . . a

tremor in her $oi#e(. She is animated by "atheti# tenderness and

"re"ared to sa#ri!i#e her $irtue to maternal de$otion, a sa#ri!i#e that

'ould in this late sentimental 'ork be deemed !or%i$able sin#e it'as ins"ired by sensibility, (the sudden starts ... !ormed by the

eessi$e an%uish o! the sour. Be#ause o! the de!le#tion !rom

traditional intri%ue #omedy, the denouement is less #on#erned 'ith

sortin% out #omi# mistakes and di!!eren#es than 'ith the !amilial

tableau& that marked sentimental drama !rom the start ++ o! !ather

and son and o! husband and 'i!e, #au%ht in an e#stasy o! 'ee"in%J and kneelin%- lest the s#enes seem too !eminine, there IS, as 444

# Sensibility


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y

Steele(s and #ountless other "lays, stress on the manliness o!

mas#uline tears !lo'in%, unlike 'omen(s, (!rom so dee" a sour#e(.

1he sentimental elements in In#hbald(s "lays and in her ima%e as

a !emale 'riter are obtrusi$e, and yet in these later o!!erin%s there

are modi!yin% tenden#ies. I$ll Tell -ou Jhat, !or e&am"le, "raises

sentimental domesti#ity and the distressed lady, but allo's another

$irtuous heroine to be su"erior in sense and #ommon sense as 'ell

as sensibility- she a""roa#hes less the !emale $i#tim than the ne'

heroine emer%in% in the anti+sentimental no$els o! Jane 5usten and

Maria d%e'orth.

5nd the author hersel! is not al'ays "resented 'ith (eart(. In

Maria Barrell(s The Capti;e, the ima%e o! the "lay'ri%ht 'hi#h 'as

deli$ered in the "rolo%ue 'as suitably #onstru#ted !or the"atheti#

material to !ollo' in the drama, but o!ten ei%hteenth+ #entury

"rolo%ues 'orked a%ainst not 'ith the "athos o! a "lay

by, !or instan#e, %i$in% a kno'in%ness and im"lied #yni#ism to the

a#tress "layin% the "atheti# "art and s"eakin% the e"ilo%ue. In

In#hbald(s /;ery @ne >as >is Fault H4@E=, the sentimental mask is

snat#hed o!! the 'oman author by the male "rolo%ue 'riter 'ho

be%s that she may not be (Con!in(d entirely to domesti# arts(6Pro

du#in% only #hildren, "ies and tarts(. With its e&altation o!

domesti#ity and sa#red motherhood, the true sentimental s"irit'ould be a%hast at su#h a mo#kin% mis#ellany o! bakery and

o!!s"rin%.

IV Poetry

By the 4@0s a "oetry asso#iated 'ith morali3in%, 'ith naturaldes#ri"tion and #lose delineation o! mental states, es"e#ially the

melan#holi# and the an&iously "ious, had %ro'n e&tremely "o"ular

in n%land. Sin#e the "eriod 'as an e&"ansi$e and a#ti$e one in

e#onomi# and "oliti#al terms, this sort o! in'ard+lookin%, sel!

#ons#ious $erse be#ame an es"e#ially suitable medium !or mar%inal

'omen, 'ho 'rote it in in#reasin% numbers, and !or men 'ho, in

their hy"o#hondria, melan#holia, slee"lessness or la3iness, 'ere in

some 'ay at odds 'ith the ener%y i! not the $alues o! their so#iety.

Ee;otional and 'editati;e ;erse

Sentimental habits and te#hni8ues entered reli%ious $erse o! allkinds, es"e#ially the ne' %enre o! the $erna#ular #on%re%ational

hymn de$elo"ed throu%h Uissent and Methodism. 1he hymns o!

the Methodist re$i$al are less #on!essions or son%s o! "raise than

e!!orts "ro"erly to ali%n the emotions o! the sin%ers and tea#h the

!eelin% heart, "resumed in e$eryone, a #orre#t res"onse + rather in

the manner o! #ontem"orary sentimental drama. Many o! Charles

Wesley(s E000 hymns are e$an%eli#al tools aimed at #on$ersion,

"% Sensibility oetry "?


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I 'ant 1hy lo$e to kno'. 4

In su#h $erse /od be#omes a !riendly Sha!tesburian, 'hile Jesus J

In the ei%hteenth #entury, the disorder o! melan#holy 'as

e&"lained and des#ribed throu%h a $ariety o! biolo%i#al #onstru#

a#8uires the kindly 8ualities o! the Man o! Aeelin%.2 tions, in all o! 'hi#h, !rom bla#k bile to a#id $a"ours, there is

Protestant de$otion 'as also dis"layed in a rha"sodi#al kind o! em"hasis on darkness. 5s Mi#hel Aou#ault 'rote in Madness and

"oetry, in tone resemblin% the 'ork o! Madame /uyon, 'ho Ci;iliLation, in ei%hteenth+#entury melan#holy the s"irits 'ere

e&ulted in her sensational humility be!ore /od, and o! Ja#ob thou%ht to be

'ritten not !or re%ular #hur#h ser$i#es but !or the emotionalha""enin%s o! !ield meetin%s. is hymns tell o! sudden, e&treme

transitions !rom des"air to e#stasy and they e&"ress emotions in the Ibroken s"ee#h "atterns ty"i#al o! sentimental literature. Aeelin% is Ie&alted in these hymns as both "ro$okin% and res"ondin% to 1sal$ation- it is a means o! %ra#e and a method o! dire#t

#ommuni#ation 'ith /od 'ho is a !elt "resen#e in the human si%h

and in the (inner %roanin% and #ryin%(2

1hy tender eart is still the same,5nd melts at uman Woe2

JS

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