“The work of Newman Howard which has but lately made its way to us, though published first some years ago in England, evinces a dramatic talent of a high order, but a talent not yet wholly disciplined.” Jessie B. Rittenhouse.
| + − | Putnam’s. 2: 350. Je. ’07. 360w. (Review of v. 1–3.) |
v. 1. Kiartan the Icelander: a tragedy.
The motif of the first part of the trilogy is the introduction of Christianity into Iceland.
“In ‘Kiartan the Icelander’ his very care for local colour and characteristic expression makes his meaning sometimes not easy to follow. Possibly in the theatre this difficulty would disappear, though we cannot help feeling that he has been so intent on making his people tenth century Icelanders that they lose something of their probability as men and women.”
| + + − | Acad. 71: 469. N. 10, ’06. 390w. |
v. 2. Savonarola: a city’s tragedy.
A drama filled with the “forlorn anti-pagan hope of Savonarola.” Its interest is centered in “the public career of the Frate, the dramatic incident of the Trial by fire and the tragic spectacle of the Execution.”