“ Then answering echoes of the music are heard, faintly, from the fireplace. There are rappings and murmurings underground, rumbling and patter of feet, and all the sounds of Nibelheim. As the music swells louder, the trap doors slide open, and MIMI appears, amid steam and glare of light. ESTELLE sees him, and recoils in terror. A company of Nibelungs emerge one by one. They peer about timidly, recognize HAGEN, and with much trepidation approach him. MIMI clasps his hand, and they surround him with joyful cries. He moves toward the fireplace, and the steam envelops him. ”
Summary
“Prince Hagen”, is a work by Upton Sinclair. It explores elements such as Nibelungs, Isman and Hagen.
Quotes from Prince Hagen (Upton Sinclair)
“ HAGEN. Who is to take up the power? Shall I hand it back to those who had it before? Are Plimpton and Rutherford better fitted to wield it than I? EST. [Vehemently.] Give it to the people! HAGEN. The people! Do you believe that in that mass of ignorance and corruption which you call the people there is the power to rule the world? EST. What is it that has made the people corrupt? What is it that has kept them in ignorance? What is it but your gold? It lies upon them like a mountain's weight! It crushes every aspiration for freedom... every effort after light! Teach them... help them... ”
“ HAGEN. Here's Plimpton, making speeches about American democracy! These fellows have got so used to making pretenses that they actually deceive themselves. GER. I've noticed that you make a few yourself now. HAGEN. Yes... don't I do it well? [Thoughtfully.] You know, Gerald, pretenses are the greatest device that your civilization had to teach me. GER. Indeed? HAGEN. We never made any pretenses in Nibelheim; and when I first met you, your talk about virtue and morality and self-sacrifice was simply incomprehensible to me. It seemed something quite apart from life. ”
“ HAGEN. I will not obey him! Mark what I say... I will kill him. Yes! I will kill him! [He is dragged off protesting.] ALB. [Sits, his head bowed with grief, until the uproar dies away; then, looking up.] Mimi! MIMI. Yes, your majesty. ALB. Let the earth-man be brought. MIMI. Yes, your majesty! ALL. The earth-man! The earth-man! [The call is heard as before. GERALD is brought on; the orchestra plays a beautiful melody, violins and horns. MIMI moves left to meet him.] GERALD. [Enters left with attendants; hesitating, gazing about in wonder. He sees MIMI, and stops; a pause.] ”
“ MIMI. You would like to see them dancing in the moonlight, and hear the clatter of their trinkets and shields? You would like to meet old King Alberich, and Mimi the smith? You would like to see that cavern yawn open... [points to right] and fire and steam break forth, and all the Nibelungs come running out? Would you like that? ha? GERALD. Indeed I would! MIMI. You wouldn't be afraid? GERALD. No, I don't think so. MIMI. But are you sure? GERALD. Yes... sure! MIMI. All right! You wear my magic ring! You wait till night comes! Then you play! [Puts away trinkets.] I must go now. ”
“ HAGEN. I claim that honor, sir. IS. The fact that you claim it prevents my ordering you into the street. But I will see my son, sir, and find out by what right you are here to insult my guests. [Turning.] Come, Plimpton. Come, Rutherford ... we will bandy no words with him! [They go off, centre.] HAGEN. [Alone.] By God! I touched them! Ha, ha, ha! [Grimly.] He will order me into the street! [With concentrated fury.] That is it! They shut you out! They build a wall about themselves! Aristocracy! [Clenching his fast.] Very well! So be it! You sit within your fortress of privilege! ”
“ You came to our civilization, and tried it, and found it a lie. Virtue and honor... justice and mercy... all these things were pretenses... snares for the unwary. There was no one you could not frighten with your gold! That is your creed, and so far it has served you... but no farther! There is one thing in the world you cannot get... one thing that is beyond the reach of all your cunning! And that is a woman's soul. [With a gesture of exultant triumph.] You cannot buy me! HAGEN. Estelle! ”
“ HAGEN. You're Plimpton... Plimpton, the coal baron, I take it. I know you by your pictures. You shut up little children by tens of thousands to toil for you in the bowels of the earth. You crush your rivals, and form a trust, and screw up prices to freeze the poor in winter! And you... [to RUTHERFORD] you're Rutherford, the steel king, I take it. You have slaves working twelve hours a day and seven days a week in your mills. And you mangle them in hideous accidents, and then cheat their widows of their rights... ”
“ Isman! Plimpton and Rutherford! Estelle! I have them all! It is triumph! It is glory! It is the world! I am King! I am King! King! KING! [Seizes MIMI and starts centre; the music rises to climax.] To Nibelheim! To Nibelheim! [Stands stretching out his arms in exultation; a wild burst of music.] Make way for Hagen! Make way for Hagen! ”
“ Nibelungs! They are realer than anybody guesses. People who spend their lives in digging for gold, and know and care about nothing else. How many of them I've met at mother's dinner parties! Well, I must get to my work now. [Makes a few notes; then looks up and stretches.] Ah, me! I don't know what makes me so lazy this evening. This strange heaviness! There seems to be a spell on me. [Gazes about.] How beautiful these woods are at sunset! If I were a Nibelung, I'd come here for certain! [Settles himself, reclining; shadows begin to fall; music from orchestra.] ”
“ Hagen, the game is up! HAGEN. [In deep thought.] Yes. The game is up. [A pause.] Gerald! GER. Well? HAGEN. [Points to violin.] Play! GER. [Startled.] No! HAGEN. Play! GER. You will go? HAGEN. Yes. I will go. But I will come back! Play! [GERALD takes the violin and plays the Nibelung theme.] Louder! GERALD plays the Nibelung music, which is taken up by the orchestra and mounts to a climax, in the midst of which HAGEN pronounces a sort of incantation. Mimi! Mimi! Open the gates of wonderland! Bring back the mood of phantasy, and wake us from our evil dream! ”
“ HAGEN. I don't think of it. I simply happen to find myself on top, and I stay there and enjoy the view. [Seats himself at table.] As a matter of fact, Gerald, one of the things I intend to do with this world is to clean it up. Don't imagine that I will tolerate such stupid waste as we have at present... everybody trying to cheat everybody else, and nobody to keep the streets clean. It's as if a dozen mere should go out into a field to catch a horse, and spend all their time in trying to keep each other from catching it. ”
“ What is that? [An uproar is heard of left. Shouts and cries; music rises to deafening climax. Nibelungs flee on in terror.] HAGEN. [Rushes on, struggling wildly, and dragging several Nibelungs.] Let me go, I say! Take off these chains! ALB. [Rising in seat.] Hagen! HAGEN. I will not stand it, I tell you! ALB. Hagen! Listen to me! HAGEN. No! ALB. I have something new to tell you. The earth-man has suggested taking you up with him to the world. HAGEN. [A sudden wild expression flashes across his features.] No! [He gazes from one to the other, half beside himself.] ”
“ He runs to his violin, picks it up, and stares at it. Still the notes are heard, and he puts down the violin, and runs down stage, listening.] Why, what can it mean? [As the music grows louder his perplexity and alarm increase. Suddenly he sees a figure stealing through the shadows, and he springs back, aghast.] Why, it's a Nibelung! [Another figure passes.] Oh! I must be dreaming! [Several more appear.] Nibelungs! Why, it's absurd! Wake up, man! You're going crazy! [Music swells louder; figures appear, carrying gold shields, chains, etc., with clatter.] ”
“ How do you do, Lord Alderdyce? MRS. B.-W. Good evening, Lord Alderdyce. Good evening, Gerald. LORD A. Good evening, Mrs. Bagley-Willis. Good evening, Mr. Riggs. GERALD. Good evening, Wiggie! [DE W. R. and MRS. B.-W. move toward left.] I suppose that old lady's taken to herself all the credit for this evening's success! LORD A. Well, really, you know, wasn't it... ah... quite a feat to make society swallow this adventurer? GERALD. How can anybody stay away? When a man spends several millions on a single entertainment people have to come out of pure curiosity. ”
“ You cannot come here! [Stares at him, then abruptly exit, centre.] HAGEN. [Laughs.] Humph! [Hearing voices.] Who is this? RUTH. [Off right.] I don't agree with you. IS. Nor I, either, Plimpton. [Enters with PLIMPTON and RUTHERFORD; sees HAGEN.] Oh... I beg your pardon. HAGEN. I am waiting for your son, Sir. IS. I see. Won't you be seated? HAGEN. I thank you. [Sits at ease in chair.] PLIM. My point is, it's as Lord Alderdyce says... we have no hereditary aristocracy in this country, no traditions of authority.. . nothing to hold the mob in check. ”
“ We owe it as a public duty... the man is a menace to society. Rutherford, you are with me? RUTH. By God! I am! IS. You're mad! PLIM. You don't agree with me? IS. It's not to be thought of! You're forgetting yourself, Plimpton... PLIM. [Gazing about.] This is no place to discuss it. But I tell you that if there is no support from London... RUTH. [Starting.] Come... perhaps there may be word! [They start left.] We may beat them yet... who can tell? [PLIMPTON, RUTHERFORD and ISMAN go off.] HAGEN. [Emerges with GERALD from shadows, shaking with laughter.] Hat ha! ha! ”
“ Candles are so expensive! And why do you want to see it? We never look at our art treasures. GER. Never look at them! ALB. No. We know what they are worth, and everyone else knows; and what difference does it make how they look? GER. Oh, I see! ALB. Perhaps you would like to see our vaults of gold? [Great excitement among the Nibelungs. The music makes a furious uproar. ALBERICH gives a great key to MIMI, who opens the iron doors.] Approach, sir. MIMI. Hear the echoes. [Shouts.] GER. It must be a vast place! ALB. This particular cavern runs for seventeen miles under the earth. ”
“ GER. Good evening, your majesty. ALB. [After along gaze.] You play our music. Where did you learn it? GER. Why... it's in Wagner's operas. He composed it. ALB. Humph... composed it! GER. [Aghast.] You mean he came and copied it! ALB. Of course! GER. Why... why... we all thought it was original! ALB. Original! It is indeed wonderful originality! To listen in the Rhine-depths to the song of the maidens, to dwell in the forest and steal its murmurs, to catch the crackling of the fire and the flowing of the water, the galloping of the wind and the death march of the thunder... ”
“ HAGEN. You've said it! Set the parsons after them! Teach them heaven! Set them to singing about harps and golden crowns, and milk and honey flowing! Then you can shut them up in slums and starve them, and they won't know the difference. Teach them non-resistance and self-renunciation! You've got the phrases all pat... handed out from heaven direct! Take no thought saying what ye shall eat! Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth! ”
“ The music plays the Hagen motives, with suggestions of the Siegfried funeral march. Voices are heard in the distance, and at the climax of the music PRINCE HAGEN and his keepers enter. He is small for a man, but larger than any of the Nibelungs; a grim, sinister figure, with black hair, and a glowering look. His hands are chained in front of him, and eight Nibelungs march as a guard. He has bare arms and limbs, and a rough black bearskin flung over his shoulders. He enters right, and stands glaring from one to another. ”
“ The countless millions of your people, the wealth you have piled up... it seems like a huge bubble that may burst any minute. And the one device by which it is all kept together... is pretense! GER. Why do you think that? HAGEN. Life, Gerald, is the survival of the strong. I care not if it be in a jungle or in a city, it is the warfare of each against all. But in the former case it's brute force, and in the latter it's power of mind. And don't you see that the ingenious device which makes the animal of the slums the docile slave of the man who can outwit him.. . is this Morality... ”
“ GER. But, your majesty, one thing at least. Even his enemies granted him that! He invented the invisible orchestra! ALB. [Laughing.] Have you seen any orchestra here? [Siegfried motive sounds.] GER. I hadn't realized it! Do you mean that everything here happens to music? ALB. If you only had the ears to hear, you would know that the whole world happens to music. GER. [Stands entranced.] Listen! Listen! ALB. It is very monotonous, when one is digging out the gold. It keeps up such a wheezing, and pounding. ”
“ HAGEN. I used to wonder at it down there on the Bowery. The poor are a thousand to your one, and the best that is might be theirs, if they chose to take it; but there is Morality! They call it their virtue. And so the rich man may have his vices in peace. ”
“ MRS. IS. What is more likely, my dear? You know that Mrs. Bagley-Willis has been spending millions every season to entertain at Newport; and their fortune will never stand that! Oh, I must give it to Van Tribber... he'll see that the papers have it! LORD A. But hadn't you better make sure that it's really... MRS. IS. It doesn't make the slightest difference! Everybody will know that it's true! GER. They are ready to believe anything about Prince Hagen. MRS. IS. Certainly, after a glimpse of this palace. Did you ever see such frantic money-spending in your life? ”
“ You were business men! Practical men! Don't you know the phrases? Money talks! Business is business! The gold standard... ha, ha, ha! The gold standard! Now someone has come who has more gold than you. ”
“ HAGEN. I don't know. It seems to be a congenital disease. GER. Some people believe it was implanted in man by God. HAGEN. [Shrugging his shoulders.] Perhaps. Or by a devil. Men might have lived in holes, like woodchucks, and been fat and happy; but now they have Morality, and toil and die for some other man's delight. CAL. [Enters, right.] Are you at leisure, sir? HAGEN. Why? CAL. Mr. Isman wants you on the 'phone. HAGEN. Oh! All right... [Goes to 'phone.] GER. [Rises.] Perhaps I... HAGEN. No, that's all right. [Sits at 'phone.] Hello! Is that Isman? How are you? ”
“ Isman. RUTH. Good evening, Mrs. Isman. MRS. IS. You managed to tear yourself away from business cares, after all! PLIMP. It was not easy, I assure you. MRS. IS. Won't you come in? RUTH. With pleasure. [Exit, right, with MRS. ISMAN, followed by PLIMPTON.] GER. [Enters, left.] That pious old fraud! [Sits in chair.] Well, I'm safe for a while! [Sprawls at ease and reads.] HICKS. [Enters, centre.] A gentleman to see you, Mr. Gerald. GER. Hey? [Takes card, looks, then gives violent start.] Prince Hagen! [Stands aghast, staring; whispers, half dazed.] Prince Hagen! ”
“ Left centre is a heavy iron door, opening into a vault. Throughout this scene there is a suggestion of music, rising into full orchestra at significant moments. The voices of the Nibelungs are accompanied by stopped trumpets and other weird sounds.] [At rise: The stage is dark. A faint light spreads. A company of Nibelungs crosses from right to left, carrying trinkets and treasures. Clatter of shields, crack of whips, music, etc. Another company of Nibelungs runs in left.] FIRST NIB. [Entering.] The earth-man has come! ”
“ HAGEN. That music! What is it? EST. It's some of the Nibelung music. Gerald had it here. HAGEN. Don't play it! [Hesitating.] Music jars on me now... I've too much on my mind. EST. [Rising.] Oh... very well. It is time for tea, anyway. Have you talked with father today? HAGEN. Three times. He is in the thick of the fight. He plays the game well. EST. He has played it a long time. HAGEN. Yes. ['Phone rings.] Ah! What is that? [Takes receiver.] Hello! Yes... oh, Isman! I see' More trouble in Fifth Avenue, hey? Well, are the regulars there? Why don't they fire? ”
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