LUCIFER. Of Vondel's voluminous works the favorite with the Dutch is 'Gysbrecht van Amstel,' but 'Lucifer' (1654) has a more universal interest because of its start ling subject matter, which combines the naiveté of the medimval religious play with ultramodern boldness of thought. Lucifer, the Stadholder of God, fearing the subjection of the archangels under man as a result of the Incarnation, revolts and is defeated. From revenge he tempts man and is plunged with • all his hosts into eternal perdition where he loses his original beauty to become the monster of popular tradition. The Catholic poet's dedi cation to Emperor Ferdinand III who "like Divine Majesty is seated in unapproachable light,* along with his political pasquinades, cause . his drama to seem a political allegory rather than a religious play. In his preface to the printed work he claims he was "the more eager to bring Lucifer upon the tragic stage since he stricken at last by the thunderbolt of God is thrust down to Hell as a signal example to all thankless and ambitious persons who audaciously dare to rise up.against consecrated powers and majesties and lawful authorities.* The pasquinade "To the Regicides)) and "Pro tector Werewolf* make of Croitnwell the "dissembling Lucifer* who wrested the sword from his sovereign in order to raise the Hellish Host to the Engelsch-English or angels' throne. Vondel's political satire, the drama
nearly cost him his head in 1625. Since this includes Prince Moritz of Orange in its targets, it is not impossible that King Philip's Stadholder William of Orange is also the original of 'Lucifer.' The drama was produced at Amsterdam on 2 and 5 Feb. 1654, and withdrawn in answer to the vehement protests of the Calvinistic clergy. It was printed in 1654 and 1661, but not once during the 18th century, though more than 20 editions appeared in the 19th. It is written in Alexandrines in powerful and picturesque lan guage often of Miltonic grandeur, but it lacks true dramatic quality, since all action of im portance is narrated, not presented.
George Edmundson has proved the indebted ness of Milton to "Lucifer* for his 'Paradise Lost,' the English poet stressing the fall of man, Vondel, the revolt of the angels. Edi tion: Vondel's J. van Lennep (Vol. XVII, Leiden 1894) ; Vondel's 'Treur spelen,) J. van Vloten (Vol. I, Historical In troduction, Schiedam 1875) • Eng. trans., C. L. van Noppen (New York 1898); 'Milton and Vondel,' George Edmundson (London 1885).