Note 196 — Chapter I · POSITION OF THE PLAY AFTER THE GREAT TRAGEDIES. SHAKESPEARE’S INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT

It is rather strange that Shakespeare, whose “accessories” are usually relevant, should choose such a subject for the decoration of Imogen’s room. Mr. Bradley, in a note to his essay on Antony and Cleopatra says: “Of the ‘good’ heroines, Imogen is the one who has most of [Cleopatra’s] spirit of fire and air.” This is one of the things one sees to be true as soon as one reads it: can it be that their creator has brought them into association through some feeling, conscious or unconscious, of their kinship in this important respect?

I regret that Mr. Bradley’s admirable study, which appeared when I was travelling in the Far East, escaped my notice till a few days ago, when it was too late to use it for my discussion.