Masculinity, Femininity, and the Tragic Sublime: Reinventing Lady Macbeth

Masculinity,Femininity,and theTragicSublime: ReinventingLadyMacbeth HEATHERMCPHERSON InspeakingofthecharacterofLadyMacbeth,weoughtnottopass overMrs.Siddons'smannerofactingthatpart.Wecanconceiveof nothinggrander.Itwassomethingabovenature.Itseemedalmostas ifabeingofasuperiororderhaddroppedfromahigherspheretoawe theworldwiththemajestyofherappearance.Powerwasseatedon herbrow,passionemanatedfromherbreastasfromashrine;shewas tragedy personified. —WilliamHazlitt1 Ofallthetragicheroinessheembodiedinacareerspanningalmosthalf acentury,SarahSiddons(1755-1831)wasmostcloselyidentified withLadyMacbeth.Ashernineteenth-centurybiographerJamesBoaden remarked,thecharacterofLadyMacbethbecameMrs.Siddons'salmost exclusivepossessionbecauseshealoneseemedtohavepenetrateditsmys- tery.2Fromherawe-inspiringLondondebutasLadyMacbethatDrury LaneTheatreon2February1785untilhermovingfarewellperformance atCoventGardenon29June1812whensheofficiallyretiredfromthe stage,Siddonsseizedtheroleandmadeitherown.3Herstriking,original interpretationofLadyMacbethmadeanindelibleimpressiononhercon- temporariesandexertedapowerfulinfluenceonnineteenth-centuryac- tressesfromIsabellaGlyntoEllenTerry.4Writingin1884MadeleineLeighNoelobservedthattheprevalentconceptionofLadyMacbeth 'scharacter 299 300/MCPHERSON wasderivedmorefromSiddons'srepresentationofitthanfromShake- speare's text.5 ThisessayreconsidersSiddons'sdramaticreinventionofthecharacter ofLadyMacbeth,focusinginparticularonhowshetranscendedtheissues ofgenderandmoralcharacterraisedbyShakespeare'sunnaturalprotago- nist,metamorphosingherfromamurderousviragointoatragicheroine andexemplumvirtutis.InadditiontoconsideringSiddons'sownanalysis ofthecharacterofLadyMacbeth,theessaywillexaminecontemporary commentariesonShakespeare,suchasthewritingsofAnnaJamesonand WilliamHazlitt,theatricalcriticism,andvisualrepresentationsofSiddons asLadyMacbethbyartistssuchasWestall,Beach,Fuseli,andHarlow, imageswhichthematizehergrandeurandmajestyandinvestherwithsub- limity.Finally,IshallarguethatinhermagisterialreinterpretationofLady Macbeth,Siddonsbothproblematizedtraditionalnotionsaboutthelimita- tionsofgenderandintroducedacompellingnewparadigmofthetragic sublime.Asaprominentactress(andwifeandmother),Siddonswaskeenly awarethatsafeguardingherpersonalreputationwasofparamountimpor- tance.Shecarefullyselectedtherolesinwhichsheappearedandassidu- ouslycultivatedherdomesticimage.6Actresseswereproscribedfromthe BritishstageuntiltheRestoration,ofcourse,andhadtraditionallybeen viewedasdissolute"publicwomen."7Thestatusoftheactressimproved substantiallyduringthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcenturyasacting becameamorerespectableandlucrativeprofession.However,thepublic displaywhichactingnecessitatedclashedwitheighteenth-centurynotions offemininityandfemalemodesty,andactressescontinuedtobeassoci- atedwithsexuallicense.8Moreover,foractressesinparticulartherewasa tendencytoconflatetheperformerwiththecharactersthatsherepresented onstage.Siddonsmanagedtoachievepreeminenceastheleadingtragic actressoftheGeorgianerawithoutcompromisingpublicmoresbecause ofherabilitytoimbueallthecharacterssheplayedwithheroicgrandeur, andbecauseherunassailableprivatelifekeptherabovereproach.9As Boadenobservedinbeginninghis1827biographyofSiddons,theprofes- sionofactingwasnolongeradisgracefulmetier.Thestage,hegoesonto remark,providedtheonlypublicarenaforfemaleeloquence.Inhis1834 biography,ThomasCampbellgoessofarastoassertthatthetheatercould actuallyimprovepublicmorals,andappropriatelyincludesapre-Siddons genealogyofBritishactresses.10ForcontemporariessuchasMrs.Pilkington itwasthecombinationofSiddons'stragicgrandeuronstageandherex- emplarydomesticitythatmadehersuchapotentfemininerolemodel." Ineighteenth-centuryLondonleadingactorssuchasDavidGarrick, JohnPhilipKemble,andSiddonswereprominentpublicfigures,person- Masculinity,Femininity,andtheTragicSublime/301 alitieswhowereadmiredbyintellectualsandpoliticians,takenupbyfash- ionablesociety,andwhoseactivitieswerewidelychronicledandsome- timescaricaturedinthepress.SiddonswasapplaudedbyJohnson,Burke, andGibbonandpaintedbythemostprominentartistsoftheday—Reynolds, Gainsborough,Romney,andLawrence.12Moreover,theroyalfamilyfre- quentlyattendedherperformances.Shewasappointedpreceptressinread- ingtotheprincesses,anunprecedentedhonorforanactress.13Duringthe secondhalfoftheeighteenthcenturythecultoftheactordevelopedrap- idlyandtheatricalportraitsproliferated.Thepublicbecamefascinatedwith theatricalbiographyandpublishedcriticismfocusedincreasinglyonthe individualactor'sinterpretationandperformance.14Garrick,whowases- peciallyfamousforhisinterpretationsofRichardIIIandHamlet,fur- theredhiscareerbyactivelypromotinghisaffiliationwithShakespeare.15 GarrickestablishedhisreputationbyrestoringShakespeare'stextsaswell asbyperformingthem.Moreover,Garrick'scultofShakespearewassymp- tomaticofthetheater'sowneffortstogainrespectability.Infact,Garrick's relationshipwiththeBardcanbestbedescribedasproprietorial—as Gainsborough'sportraitofGarrickwiththeBustofShakespeare(1769) clearlyattests.16Garrick'sidentificationwithShakespearereacheditszenithwiththeerectionoftheShakespeareTempleatHampton ,astructure featuringastatueofGarrickasShakespearesculptedbyL.F.Roubiliac (1758),andwiththe1769Jubilee."AccordingtoJohnBrewer,Garrick's stagingoftheJubileein1769showstheextenttowhichShakespearehad becomeintimatelyassociatedwithBritishnationalidentity.18Moreover, bythesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcenturyShakespearehadbecomea modelforartisticemulationwhoseworkswerediscussedintheDiscourses ofSirJoshuaReynolds.19Shakespeare'sconsecrationasEngland'snational poetcontributedtothegrowingpublicfascinationwithShakespeareanchar- actersanddramaticimagery,culminatingintheinaugurationofBoydell's ShakespeareGalleryin1789.20InShakespeareSacrificed;ortheOffering toAvarice,publishedon20June1789,justsixweeksafterBoydell'sfirst exhibitionofShakespeareansubjectsopenedattheShakespeareGallery inPallMall,Gillraysavagelycaricaturedthepretentiousnessandgreedof AldermanBoydell.21 FollowingGarrick'sexample,SiddonsalsohitchedherstartoShake- speare.InhersecondseasonsheappearedasIsabellainMeasureforMea- sure,herfirstShakespeareanroleontheLondonstagesinceherunsuc- cessful1775-76seasonatDruryLaneTheatre.22Siddons'swidelyac- claimedShakespeareanroles—ConstanceinKingJohn,QueenKatharine inHenryVIII,HermioneinWinter'sTale,andLadyMacbethinparticular —enhancedhercriticalreputationandenshrinedherastheembodiment 302/MCPHERSON ofdramaticgeniusandBritishpatriotism.Macbeth,whosedramaticcon- ceptionandscenicrepresentationposedachallengetoactorsandaudience alike,wasrestoredtothestagebyGarrick.23Garrick,whorestoredmuch oftheoriginaltextfromthefirstFolio,wassensitivetothedistinctivelan- guage,metaphors,andrhythmsofShakespeare,featureswhichhadlargely beenexpungedfromthecurrentstageversion,Davenant's1674adapta- tion.24Eventheso-calledrestoredversioncutsomelines,however,and alsoaddedadyingsoliloquyforMacbethcomposedbyGarrickhimself. TheGarrickversionalsoomittedLadyMacbeth'sappearanceinAct2,Sc. 4whenshefaintsatMacbeth'sdescriptionofthemurderedgrooms.Al- thoughnotentirelyfaithfultoShakespeare,Garrick'sversionresurrected thetragicgrandeurandpsychologicalcomplexityofMacbethforeighteenth -centuryactorsandplaygoers.Withitspotentcombinationofmur- der,thesupernatural,andthedescentintoterroranddespondency,Macbeth particularlyengagedtheimaginationofeighteenth-centuryartistsinclud- ingRomney,Fuseli,Reynolds,andBlake,andthetragedyfiguredpromi- nentlyinBoydell'sShakespeareGalleryaswell.25 DuringtheeighteenthcenturythebalanceofpowerbetweenMacbeth andLadyMacbethshifted;asMacbethwashumanizedandrenderedmore gentlemanlyandlessfearsome,LadyMacbethcametoplayanincreas- inglydominantroleasdramaticprotagonist.26AlthoughLadyMacbeth's aggressivenessandmurderousambitionmakeheroneofShakespeare's mostpowerfulfemalecharacters,theseunnaturalattributesclashedwith dominantconstructsoffemininitymakingherdifficulttoaccept,especially fornineteenth-centuryaudiences.EventhoughLadyMacbethisnoton stageformuchoftheplay,sheplaysaseminalroleinthedramaticaction andfunctionsasacatalystandpsychologicalfoilforMacbeth.Sheisthe drivingforceandpsychologicaltouchstonewhobolstersMacbeth'sre- solvetomurderDuncan,assailshismanhoodandattemptstoexorcise Banquo'sghost,anddescendsintomadnessinthefinalact.Hannah Pritchard(whoappearedwithGarrickinMacbeth)wasparticularlyre- nownedforherfearsomeinterpretationofLadyMacbeth.27Contemporar- iessuchasDavieswerestruckbythepowerfuleffectofherperformance, especiallyheragonizedhorrorfollowingDuncan'smurderandhercon- temptandindignationinthebanquetscene.Pritchard'sLadyMacbethwas afierce,implacablefigurewhodominatedhervacillatinghusbandand experiencednoremorse. Byherownaccount,SiddonsundertooktheroleofLadyMacbethwith considerablereluctance(eventerror)becauseofMrs.Pritchard'stowering reputationandtheunnaturalnessofthecharacter.28Siddonsfirstappeared asLadyMacbethon2February1785,withWilliamSmithplayingtherole Masculinity,Femininity,andtheTragicSublime/303 ofMacbeth.Inher"RemarksontheCharacterofLadyMacbeth,"Siddons recountsthatSheridan,fearingthatherinnovationswouldbedeemedpre- sumptuous,cametoherdressingroomandbeggedhertomodifythesleep- walkingscenejustmomentsbeforeshewastogoonstage.Breakingwith precedent,Siddonshadputdownthecandleduringthesceneinorderto freeherhands.SiddonsdisregardedSheridan'spanickylastminutead- vice,andherinnovativeinterpretationofLadyMacbethwasaresounding personaltriumphthatdefinitivelyestablishedherpreeminenceasthelead- ingtragedienneontheBritishstage.AsCharlesLambwrote,"Wespeakof LadyMacbethwhileinrealitywearethinkingofMrs.S,"andintheannals ofthetheatereverafterSarahSiddonsandLadyMacbethbecamesynony- mous. 29 HowdidSiddonsovercomeherinitialreluctanceandtakepossessionof therole,transformingLadyMacbethfromabloodthirstyviragointoalofty, almostsupernaturalbeingwhowillbecometheverypersonificationof tragedy?ThemostvaluablefirsthanddocumentationisprovidedbySiddons herselfinher"RemarksontheCharacterofLadyMacbeth."ForSiddons actingwasanintellectualprocess,aproductofjudgmentandobservation asmuchasfeeling.Siddons,whotheorizedandcarefullypreparedher roles,possessedextraordinaryconcentrationandself-discipline.YetSiddons alsothoroughlylivedherroles,bringingtothemaspectsofinterpretation lessamenabletotheintellect,asherremarksaboutplayingLadyMacbeth clearlyattest.30AlthoughSiddons's"Remarks"providevaluableinsights aboutherinterpretationofLadyMacbeth,theyarenotentirelyconsistent, asvariouscommentatorshaveobserved,andalsodiffersignificantlyfrom contemporarydescriptionsofherperformances(apointtowhichIshall return).31Withher"Remarks,"forexample,SiddonsunderscoresLady Macbeth'sbeauty,femininecharm,andfragilityratherthanheroverriding ambitionandsuperhumanresolve—gender-codedcharacteristicswhich havetraditionallybeenassociatedwithmasculineheroism.32Thisissomewhatsurprisingsincecontemporarydescriptionsandpictorialdepictions ofSiddonsasLadyMacbethforegroundhermajesty,superhumanpower, andsublimityratherthanherfemininefrailty.Siddonsalsoinvestedthe characterofLadyMacbethwithanewlevelofpsychologicalcomplexity andtragicgrandeurbyemphasizingherhumanfrailtyandherdramatic transformationduringthecourseoftheplay.Siddonsexplainsthatitwas thecombinationofbewitchingfemininelovelinesswithenergyandstrength ofmindinLadyMacbeththatcreatedacharmpotentenoughtocaptivate thebraveandhonorableMacbeth.33WhenLadyMacbethappearsinAct1, Sc.5,sheisdevouredbyambitionuponreadingMacbeth'sfatefulletter. Evenwhensheassailsherhusband'smanhood,Siddonsinsiststhatshehas 304/MCPHERSON onlybecomedemonicthroughambition,citingherchillingallusionto tearingasucklingbabefromherbreastasevidenceofheressentialfemininity .34Inthethirdactaftershehasbecomequeen,LadyMacbeth'sten- dernessandafflictioncometotheforeasshesuccorsherhusbandand attemptstoreducehissuffering,notablyinthebanquetscene.Breaking withtradition,SiddonssuggestedthatLadyMacbethalsosawBanquo's ghost,althoughthisisnotevidentfromthewaythescenewasplayed.35For Siddonsthesleepwalkingscene(Act5,Sc.1)wasthemostdecisivemo- mentbecauseithighlightedLadyMacbeth'sdelicatefemininenature. Higher-mindedyetfrailerthanMacbeth,sheisoverwhelmedbytheun- bearableweightofhercrimes.36UltimatelyforSiddons,itwasLady Macbeth'sgrandeurofcharacter,coupledwithheralltoohumansuffering ,thatredeemedherandplacedheraboverecrimination. InCharacteristicsofWomen:Moral,Poetical,andHistorical(1832), theprotofeministwriterAnnaJamesonlikewiseemphasizedLadyMac- beth'spositivecharactertraits,refashioningherasanexemplarofcontem- porarywomanhood.37AccordingtoJameson,LadyMacbeth'scharacter resolveditselfintoafewsimpleelements.Althoughherpowerfulintellect, overwhelmingdetermination,andsuperhumanstrengthofnervemadeher characterasfearsomeasherdeedswerehateful,Jamesonnevertheless insiststhatLadyMacbethwasnotmerelyamonsterofdepravitybutre- mainedawomantothelast.38ColeridgelikewiseinsistedthatLadyMacbeth wasnotamonster,butratheravisionary,whowastorturedbyhercon- science.Moreover,inJameson'sview,ifLadyMacbethbecamethedomi- nantagent,itwasnotasignofhergreaterdepravitybutratheranindicationofhermoralsuperiority .JamesonalsoapplaudedthescopeofLady Macbeth'sambition,whichsoaredabovewomanishfeelingsandscruples. AtthesametimeshepraisedLadyMacbeth'ssupportofherhusband's weaknessandheraffectionforhim,whichwasrevealedintender,redeem- ingtouches.ForJameson,asforSiddons,thesleepwakingscenewasthe transformativemomentwhichawakenedtheaudience'ssympathiesand redeemedLadyMacbethbymanifestinghermoralsuperiority.Mrs. JamesonconcludedthatLadyMacbethwasapoeticconception,steeped inGothicgrandeurandrichchiaroscurowhere,asinLeonardo'sMedusa, thehorrorofthesubjectisexaltedbythemagicaleffectsoflightandshade. InhercommentaryMrs.Jamesonsketchesacompellingpsychological portraitofLadyMacbeth,steepedintragicgrandeurandsublimity,which reflectedtheoverpoweringemotionalimpactandpsychologicalcomplexityofSiddons 'sperformances.AsWilliamHazlittsuccinctlyputit,"To haveseenherinthatcharacterwasaneventineveryone'slifenottobe forgotten."39 Masculinity,Femininity,andtheTragicSublime/305 InacharactersketchofSiddonscomposedafewdaysafterSiddons's deaththatappearedinVisitsandSketches,Mrs.JamesoneulogizedSiddons —boththeactressandthewoman—intermsrecallingheranalysisofLady Macbeth.40Inparticular,JamesoncreditedSiddonswithenrichingtheEn- glishlanguagewiththeepithet"Siddonian"andmakingitsynonymous withallwecanimagineoffemininegraceandgrandeur—inshort,with embodyingafeminineversionofthesublime.Moreover,sheassertedthat asanartistSiddonspossessedallthefaculties—bothmentalandphysi- cal—whichconstituteexcellence.Toreinforceherpoint,Jamesoncited SirWalterScott:"Therewasnotapassionwhichshecouldnotdelineate; notthenicestshade,notthemostdelicatemodificationofpassion,which shecouldnotseizewithphilosophicalaccuracy,andrenderwithsuchim- mediateforceofnatureandtruth,aswellasprecision...notaheightof grandeurtowhichshecouldnotsoar."JamesonalsopraisedSiddons's moralandinnatebeauty,hergrandeur,andherprodigiousintellectualpow- ers.Mrs.JamesonobservedthatitwasSiddons'sgenius,coupledwithher powerfulmoralinfluence,whichexcitednoblerfeelings.41Notsurpris- ingly,JamesonhailedLadyMacbethasSiddons'sgreatestachievement andtheneplusultraofacting.42Inhercharactersketch,Mrs.Jameson, likeHazlittandScott,investedSiddonswithalltheattributesofsublim- ity—asublimitythatIwouldsuggesttranscendedtheconventionallimita- tionsofgender. Thegrandeur,majesty,andpassionthattransfixedSiddons'saudiences areforegroundedinthevisualrepresentationsofherasLadyMacbeth. Theatricalportraitsarebydefinitioncomposite,multilayeredimageswhichrepresenttheindividualactororactressincharacter,thussynthesizingthe particularityofindividualportraiturewithdramaticnarrativeandthecon- ventionsofhistorypainting.Intheatricalportraitureasinastageperfor- mance,inotherwords,theactorandtherolethatheorsheisplayingtend tobecomeconflated.Althoughnotintendedasliteralrecordsofherperformances ,thedepictionsofSiddonsasLadyMacbethinvokeherpow-erfulstagepresenceandattempttotranscribethroughvisualsignsthe distinctiveaestheticeffectsanddramaticshadingsofhergroundbreaking interpretation.Theatricalportraits,whichalsofunctionedascommercial commoditiesandpublicitydevices,arecomplexculturallycodedresponses intendedtoevokeratherthandocumentaparticularperformance.43 ThemajorityofpaintingsandprintsrepresentthemostdramaticscenesinwhichLadyMacbethappears—Act1,Sc.5,theletterscene;Act2,Sc.1,thedaggerscene,andAct5,Sc.1,thesleepwalkingscene—sceneswhich wereuniversallyacclaimedbycritics.Oneofthemostpowerfulimagesis RichardWestall'spictureofLadyMacbethintheLetterScene(1800; 306/MCPHERSON GarrickClub,London;fig.I).44WestalldepictsLadyMacbethasavenge- fulfuryofAmazonianproportions,glaringbalefullyattheheavens,her righthandclenchedinafist,herlefthandclaspingthefatefulletter.Her fierceregard,knittedeyebrows,anddisdainfulexpressionarereminiscent ofLeBran'sphysiognomicschemarepresentingangerorhatred.45Lady Macbeth'spathologicalambitionandterrifyingdeterminationfindexpres- sioninthisphysicallyoverpowering,menacingimage.Clothedinavaguely classicizingwhitetunicoveradarkunderdressandwearingsandals,sheis framedbyaGothicarch.LadyMacbeth'stimeless...