the colour of life(生命之色)-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
（manifest property； every one）； two or three translucent aspens； with which
the very sun and the breath of earth are entangled； have sometimes seemed
to wear a certain look … an extra…territorial look； let us call it。 They are
23
… Page 24…
THE COLOUR OF LIFE
suspect。 One is inclined to shake a doubtful head at them。
And the landowner feels it。 He knows quite well； though he may not
say so； that the Corot trees； though they do not dwell upon margins； are in
spirit almost as extraterritorial as the rushes。 In proof of this he very
often cuts them down； out of the view； once for all。 The view is better； as a
view； without them。 Though their roots are in his ground right enough；
there is a something about their heads … 。 But the reason he gives for
wishing them away is merely that they are 〃thin。〃 A man does not
always say everything。
24
… Page 25…
THE COLOUR OF LIFE
ELEONORA DUSE
The Italian woman is very near to Nature； so is true drama。
Acting is not to be judged like some other of the arts； and praised for a
〃noble convention。〃 Painting； indeed； is not praised amiss with that word；
painting is obviously an art that exists by its convention … the convention is
the art。 But far otherwise is it with the art of acting； where there is no
representative material； where； that is； the man is his own material； and
there is nothing between。 With the actor the style is the man； in another；
a more immediate； and a more obvious sense than was ever intended by
that saying。 Therefore we may allow the critic … and not accuse him of
reaction … to speak of the division between art and Nature in the painting
of a landscape； but we cannot let him say the same things of acting。
Acting has a technique； but no convention。
Once for all； then； to say that acting reaches the point of Nature； and
touches it quick； is to say all。 In other arts imitation is more or less
fatuous； illusion more or less vulgar。 But acting is； at its less good；
imitation； at its best； illusion； at its worst； and when it ceases to be an art；
convention。
But the idea that acting is conventional has inevitably come about in
England。 For it is； in fact； obliged； with us； to defeat and destroy itself by
taking a very full； entire； tedious； and impotent convention； a complete
body of convention； a convention of demonstrativeness … of voice and
manners intended to be expressive； and； in particular； a whole weak and
unimpulsive convention of gesture。 The English manners of real life are
so negative and still as to present no visible or audible drama； and drama
is for hearing and for vision。 Therefore our acting （granting that we have
any acting； which is granting much） has to create its little different and
complementary world； and to make the division of 〃art〃 from Nature … the
division which； in this one art； is fatal。
This is one simple and sufficient reason why we have no considerable
acting； though we may have more or less interesting and energetic or
graceful conventions that pass for art。 But any student of international
25
… Page 26…
THE COLOUR OF LIFE
character knows well enough that there are also supplementary reasons of
weight。 For example； it is bad to make a conventional world of the stage；
but it is doubly bad to make it badly … which； it must be granted； we do。
When we are anything of the kind； we are intellectual rather than
intelligent； whereas outward…streaming intelligence makes the actor。 We
are pre… occupied； and therefore never single； never wholly possessed by
the one thing at a time； and so forth。
On the other hand； Italians are expressive。 They are so possessed by
the one thing at a time as never to be habitual in any lifeless sense。 They
have no habits to overcome by something arbitrary and intentional。
Accordingly； you will find in the open…air theatre of many an Italian
province； away from the high roads； an art of drama that our capital cannot
show； so high is it； so fine； so simple； so complete； so direct； so
momentary and impassioned； so full of singleness and of multitudinous
impulses of passion。
Signora Duse is not different in kind from these unrenowned。 What
they are； she is in a greater degree。 She goes yet further； and yet closer。
She has an exceptionally large and liberal intelligence。 If lesser actors give
themselves entirely to the part； and to the large moment of the part； she；
giving herself； has more to give。
Add to this nature of hers that she stages herself and her acting with
singular knowledge and ease； and has her technique so thoroughly as to be
able to forget it … for this is the one only thing that is the better for habit；
and ought to be habitual。 There is but one passage of her mere technique
in which she fails so to slight it。 It is in the long exchange of stove…side
talk between Nora and the other woman of 〃The Doll's House。〃 Signora
Duse may have felt some misgivings as to the effect of a dialogue having
so little symmetry； such half…hearted feeling； and； in a word； so little
visible or audible drama as this。 Needless to say； the misgiving is not
apparent； what is too apparent is simply the technique。 For instance； she
shifts her position with evident system and notable skill。 The whole
conversation becomes a dance of change and counterchange of place。
Nowhere else does the perfect technical habit lapse； and nowhere at all
does the habit of acting exist with her。
26
… Page 27…
THE COLOUR OF LIFE
I have spoken of this actress's nationality and of her womanhood
together。 They are inseparable。 Nature is the only authentic art of the
stage； and the Italian woman is natural： none other so natural and so
justified by her nature as Eleonora Duse； but all； as far as their nature goes；
natural。 Moreover； they are women freer than other Europeans from the
minor vanities。 Has any one yet fully understood how her liberty in this
respect gives to the art of Signora Duse room and action？ Her
countrywomen have no anxious vanities； because； for one reason； they are
generally 〃sculpturesque；〃 and are very little altered by mere accidents of
dress or arrangement。 Such as they are； they are so once for all； whereas；
the turn of a curl makes all the difference with women of less grave
physique。 Italians are not uneasy。
Signora Duse has this immunity； but she has a far nobler deliverance
from vanities； in her own peculiar distance and dignity。 She lets her
beautiful voice speak； unwatched and unchecked； from the very life of the
moment。 It runs up into the high notes of indifference； or； higher still；
into those of ennui； as in the earlier scenes of Divorcons； or it grows sweet
as summer with joy； or cracks and breaks outright； out of all music； and
out of all control。 Passion breaks it so for her。
As for her inarticulate sounds； which are the more intimate and the
truer words of her meaning； they； too； are Italian and natural。 English
women； for instance； do not make them。 They are sounds e bouche
fermee； at once private and irrepressible。 They are not demonstrations
intended for the ears of others； they are her own。 Other actresses； even
English； and even American； know how to make inarticulate cries； with
open mouth； Signora Duse's noise is not a cry； it is her very thought
audible … the thought of the woman she is playing； who does not at every
moment give exact words to her thought； but does give it significant
sound。
When la femme de Claude is trapped by the man who has come in
search of the husband's secret； and when she is obliged to sit and listen to
her own evil history as he tells it her； she does not interrupt the telling with
the outcries that might be imagined by a lesser actress； she accompanies it。
Her lips are close； but her throat is vocal。 None who heard it can forget
27
… Page 28…
THE COLOUR OF LIFE
the speech…within…speech of one of these comprehensive noises。 It was
when the man spoke； for her further confusion； of the slavery to which she
had reduced her lovers； she followed him； aloof； with a twang of triumph。
If Parisians say； as they do； that she makes a bad Parisienne； it is
because she can be too nearly a woman untamed。 They have accused her
of lack of elegance … in that supper scene of La Dame aux Camelias； for
instance； taking for ill…breeding； in her Marguerite； that which is Italian
merely and simple。 Whether； again； Cyprienne； in Divorcons； can at all
be considered a lady may be a question； but this is quite unquestionable …
that she is rather more a lady； and not less； when Signora Duse makes her
a savage。 But really the result is not at all Parisian。
It seems possible that the French sense does not well distinguish； and
has no fine perception of that affinity with the peasant which remains with
the great ladies of the old civilisation of Italy； and has so long disappeared
from those of the younger civilisations of France and England … a paradox。
The peasant's gravity； directness； and carelessness … a kind of uncouthness
which is neither graceless nor； in any intolerable English sense； vulgar …
are to be foun
