威廉·沃恩·穆迪 《伟大的分歧》简介

诗人兼哈佛大学教授威廉·沃恩·穆迪（1869～1910），他写了《大分水岭》（1906）和《靠信仰治病的人》（1909）两出问题剧，前者反映美国东西部两种不同文化思想之间的冲突，被视为第一部现代美国戏剧；后者描写信仰和爱情之间的冲突，与易卜生的现实主义戏剧形式颇为相似。RUTHJORDANandherbrother,Phil,haveinvestedwhatlittleremainsofhermother'swealthinaranchinsouthernArizona.Onenightwhensheisunavoidablyleftalonethreehalfdrunkmenforcetheirwayintothecabin.Theyareabouttothrowdiceforpossessionofthegirl,whensheappealstothemostlikelylookingofthelottosaveher,promisinginreturntomarryhimandgoawaywithhimthatnight.StephenGhentbuysofftheMexicanwithastringofgoldnuggetsandshootsitoutwith"Shorty,"theremainingclaimant.Ruthleavesanoteindicatingthatshehasgoneofherownfreewillwiththemanofherchoice.Sheasksthemnottosearchforher.RuthandStevearemarriedbyajusticeandgotohisprospector'scabinhighupontherimofthecanyon.DuringthemonthsthatfollowStevebecomeshalf-ownerofoneofthefabulouslyrichminesintheWest.HearrangestobuildawonderfulhouseasasurpriseforRuth.She,meanwhile,hasbeenweavingbasketsandmakingrugswhichshesellstotouristsatthehotel.Bythismeanssheisearningenoughmoneytobuybackthestringofnuggetswhichherhusbandhadpaidforher.SheisseenatthehotelandrecognizedbyPhil,Polly,hiswife,andafriend,WinthropNewbury.Whentheyseekheroutshepretendsperfecthappinessandclaimstheweavingismerelyherhobby.SheshowsthemtheplansforthenewhouseandStevebelievesthatatlastshehasreallycapitulated.Assoonastheothersgo,however,hercoldnessreturns.SheasksStevetoletherbuybackherfreedomwiththenuggetsshehasfinallyredeemed,notforherownsakebutsothatthechildthatisabouttobeborncanbebroughtupinthemoresuitableatmosphereofBoston.Steveconsents,buthesecretlyfollowshertoBostonattheriskofbeingcheatedoutofhishalfofthemine.InBostonhewinsoverMrs.JordanandPolly,perhapsbysavingthehomesteadfromforeclosure.AtlasttheyrevealhispresencetoRuth.AfterconsiderableinternalstruggleherloveforSteveconquersherfeelingthattheyshouldbothdopenancefortheunconventionalcircumstancesoftheirmarriage.SheisfinallyconvincedthatitisonlythelastremnantsofherPuritanheritagethathavebeenfightingherdesireforhappiness,andthatStevehasbeenrightfromthebeginning.TheGreatDivide wasfirstproducedonOctober3,1906,atthePrincessTheater,NewYork,withMargaretAnglin.TheLondonproductionpremieredonSeptember25,1909,attheAdelphiTheatreandfeaturedEdithWynneMathison.TheGreatDivide isapsychologicalcharacter-studywithaWesternbackgroundduringpartoftheaction,anditsveryantithesis--NewEngland--fortherest.Asin KingLear, thefirstactofthisplaycontainsaclimacticscene,afterwhichthereisadecidedfall,arelaxingofdramatictension,andanexplanation.Thecasecomesfirst,thenthediscussionandtheproblem.InShakespeare'splaytheactionrisesagaintoastillhigherpitchoftension;isthissoin TheGreatDivide? WilliamArcher,in Playmaking,criticizestheplaybecause,"afterthestirringfirstact,"it"isweakenedbyoursensethatthehappyendingisonlybeingpostponedbyaviolenteffort.Wehavebeenassuredfromtheveryfirst--evenbeforeRuthJordanhasseteyesonStephenGhent--thatjustsucharoughdiamondistheidealofherdreams...theauthorhastakensuchpainstoemphasizethefactthatthesetwopeoplearereallymadeforeachother,thattheanswertothequestionisnotforamomentindoubt,andwebecomeratherimpatientoftheobstinatesulkinessofRuth'sattitude."Thecriticismisjustenough,butthereisagraverone:notonlyistheaudienceimpatientastothepsychologicaldevelopment,buttheactiondrags.Howcouldthedramatisthaveremediedthedefect?Itisnaturalthattheproseworkofapoetshouldbearsomeimpressofhisfeelingforthebeautyoflanguage.Thestyleofthisplayisonthewholeliteraryinthedramaticsense:thatis,itisinaccordancewiththecharacterofthespeakers.IntothemouthoftherefinedRuththedramatisthaslegitimatelyputmanybeautifulspeeches,butasthesearerevelatoryofhermindandtemperamenttheyarenotoutofplace.Thissenseofliteraryeffecthasbeenadmirablycombinedwiththepurelytheatricalinthefirstact:Whatalovelynight!Whowouldeverthinktocallthisadesert,thismoonlitoceanofflowers?Whatmillionsofcactusbloomshaveopenedsinceyesterday!Andlateron;aftershesingsthethreeversesofthesong:Bestill,youbeauties!You'lldrivemetodistractionwithyourcolorandyourodor.I'lltakeahostageforyourgoodbehavior.(Sheselectsaredflower,putsitinthedarkmassofherhair,andlooksoutattheopendoor.)Whatascandalthemoonismakingoutthereinthatgreatcrazyworld!Whobutmecouldthinkofsleepingonsuchanight?(Shesitsdown,foldstheflowersinherarms,andburiesherfaceinthem.)Addtothistheeffectivecontrastofthefollowingscene,andtherecanremainnodoubtthatthisistheworkofamanofthetheater.Aftersuchanacttherecouldcomeonlyananti-climax;theexplanationanddevelopmentfollowingthebigscenewouldprobablyhavebeenmuchmoreinterestinghaditnotbeenforthegraphicandexcitingfirstact.Howdoestheauthorseektoarouseinterestandcreatesuspenseagain?Istheendofthesecondactsufficientlytensetoforcetheaudiencetoawaitimpatientlytheriseofthecurtainonthefinalact?Whatofthelastactitself?Isthehappyendinglogical?Compareitwiththeendingsof YoungMrs.Winthropand TheWitchingHour.