VENICE PRESERVED, or A PLOT DISCOVERED.
More than any other work of this time 'Venice Preserved> draws its inspiration from Elizabethan tragedy. Here again are the re venge motives of the tragedy of blood. But these have now turned to conspiracy and in trigue. The conspiracy that in 'Julius Cmsar' occupies a scene or two becomes the theme of a play. The play secured and maintained its popularity largely through the three effective parts which offered scope to the genius of suc cessive generations of actors. Pierre and Jaffeir are closely studied figures of conspirators bound by oath of loyalty. Pierre is simple, trustful, direct. Jaffeir is irresolute, a lover-warrior.
Belvidera is one of the favorite women char acters of the 18th century stage. She is the lov ing wife (shining through tears, like April suns in showers) for love of whom the fatal diffi culty first grows and who Cleopatra-like hangs upon her soldier's arms and will not let him go. The two men come from Otway's source book, but Belvidera is his own creation. The play is marred by some vulgar comedy of a type dear to Restoration audiences.
The author, Thomas Otway, crowded his 33 years full of tragedy, the written ones hardly more painful than the tragedy of his own life. The story is taken from an historical novel 'Conjuration des Espagnols contre la Venise en 1618,) which existed in an English transla tion of 1675. It was presented in February 1682, the part of Belvidera being taken by Mrs. Barry, to whom Otway had given his hopeless devotion. As an acting play it was popular down to the freeing of the theatres, the part pf Belvidera being assumed by Mrs. Siddons and Miss O'Neill, and the parts of Pierre or Jaffeir by Betterton, Quin, Garrick, Kemble, Macready and Phelps. Editions: Noel, R., ed. 'Mermaid Series> (1888) ; Gollanz, I., ed., 'Temple Dramatists> ; McClumpha, C. F., etl., 'Belles Lettres Series> (1908). Consult Gosse, E., 'Seventeenth Century Studies.>