The Oxford Companion to English Literature, 6Th Edition
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M MABBE, James (1572-71642), educated at, and fellow MACAULAY,Dame (Emilie) Rose (1881-1958), novelist, of, Magdalen College, Oxford. He became a lay essayist, and travel writer, whose many works include prebendary of Wells. He is remembered for his trans Potterism (1920), They Were Defeated (1932), both lations of Fernando de Rojas's *Celestina and of The fiction, and Pleasures of Ruins (1953). Her best-known Spanish Ladye, one of *Cervantes's 'Exemplary novels, The World My Wilderness (1950) and The Novels'. Mabbe Hispanicized his name as 'Puede- Towers of Trebizond (1956), appeared after a decade Ser' (may-be). in which she wrote no fiction, and followed her return to the Anglican faith, from which she had been long Mabinogion, The, strictly, the first four Welsh tales estranged through her love for a married man who died contained in the collection of Lady Charlotte Guest, in 1942. Her religious revival was inspired partly by the made in 1838-49. The four are preserved in two Welsh Revd J. H. C. Johnson, and her correspondence with manuscripts: The White Book of Rhydderch (1300-25) him was published after her death in two volumes, and The Red Book of Hergest (1375-1425). 'Mab' is the 1961-2, as Letters to a Friend. word for 'youth', but, even by the time of the medieval title, it is likely that the word meant nothing much MACAU LAY, Thomas Babington (1800-59), politician more precise than 'story'. In the four stories it is likely and historian, son of the philanthropist and reformer that the original common element was the hero Zachary Macaulay. After graduating at Trinity College, Pryderi; as they survive their subjects are (1) Pwyll, Cambridge, he was called to the bar, but his essay on the father of Pryderi; (2) Branwen, the daughter of Llyr *Milton for the * Edinburgh Review in Aug. 1825 and her marriage to the Irish king Matholwch; (3) brought him instant fame, and for the next 20 Manawyddan, the son of Llyr and his association with years he wrote many articles on historical and literary Pryderi; (4) the death of Pryderi in battle with the topics (Horace *Walpole, Chatham (*Pitt), Sir F. nephews of Math who had cheated him. There is no *Bacon, etc.) for the Review. In 1830 he entered mention of *Arthur in these four branches of the Parliament as a Whig, first for Calne (Wiltshire), Mabinogion proper; but five of the other seven tales then for Leeds, and took an active part in the passing published by Guest from The Red Book of Hergest deal of the Reform Bill. But in 1834, in order to achieve indirectly with him: The Lady of the Fountain; Peredur, financial independence, he took up a post on the Gereint, three romances from French originals; Supreme Council of India, where his Minutes on Law Culhwch and Olwen; and The Dream of Rhonabwy; and Education had a decisive influence on the devel the latter two native tales are perhaps the most opment of the subcontinent. On his return in 1838 he appealing of the collection. The other two tales in began to write a detailed history of England from the Guest's collection are The Dream ofMacsen Wledig and revolution of 1688. He was elected MP for Edinburgh Lludd and Llefelys. in 1839 and again in 1852; he was a secretary at war Trans, by Gwyn Jones and Thomas Jones (1949). 1839-41 and paymaster-general 1846-7. But by now Math vab Mathonwy by W J. Gruffydd (1928); I. L. his literary fame was such that everything he pub Foster, chs 4 and 16 in R. S. Loomis (ed.), Arthurian lished was a 'dazzling success', beginning in 1842 with Literature in the Middle Ages (1959). *Lays of Ancient Rome. His collected Essays Critical and macaronic verse, a term used to designate a burlesque Historical (1843) sold steadily down the century. form of verse in which vernacular words are intro * Acton called them 'A key to half the prejudices of duced into a Latin context with Latin terminations and our age'; but their urgent, declamatory style, their self- in Latin constructions and loosely to any form of verse confidence and biting wit, endeared them to the in which two or more languages are mingled together reading public all over the world. His History of [OED\. The chief writer of macaronic verse was England (vols i-ii, 1849; vols iii-iv, 1855) was more *Folengo. restrained and more deeply researched. Macaulay took an immense pride in the English constitution, and MACAU LAY, Catherine, afterwards Graham (1731-91), shared with many Victorians an exaltation at the republican historian, whose History of England in eight material advances of the 19th cent., under the shadow volumes appeared 1763-83, and in a French transla of the French Revolution, and the purpose of the tion 1791-2. Dr ^Johnson mocked her radical views, History was strictly defensive—to demonstrate that but she was much admired in France. Mary *Woll- revolution on the continental model was unnecessary stonecraft praised her highly, and *Lecky was to write in England because of the statesmanlike precautions with respect of her ability. taken in 1688. He used a wide range of manuscript 02 1 MACBETH I MACCAIG sources with great skill. He also affected an interest in causes Lady Macduff and her children to be slaugh social history, though this was focused on his super tered. Lady Macbeth goes mad and dies. The army of ficial and discredited chapter III, on 'The Condition of Malcolm and Macduff attacks Macbeth; passing England in 1685'. He acknowledged a great debt to Sir through Birnam Wood every man cuts a bough and W. *Scott, which is evident in his habit of exploring on under these 'leavy screens' marches on Dunsinane. the ground all the places in which his narrative was set. Macduff, who was 'from his mother's womb I Untimely His descriptive power was one of his great assets; ripp'd', kills Macbeth. Malcolm is hailed king of another was the narrative momentum he was able to Scotland. achieve. The History was one of the best-sellers of the MacBETH, George Mann (1932-92), poet, born in century, and it has never since gone out of print. It Lanarkshire, but educated in England. From 1955 to brought him wealth and, in 1857, a peerage. He at first 1976 he produced programmes on poetry and the arts intended to take the History up to 1830, but when he for the BBC, and he has also edited various anthologies. died in 1859 he had only reached 1697. Macaulay was He was a member of the *Group during the 1950s, and always criticized for his philistinism and his over in the 1960s was associated with the vogue for poetry weening self-confidence; Lord Melbourne once said, T in performance. His early work was experimental, and wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is at times macabre and violent in its preoccupations; of everything.' Certainly his literary brilliance has later collections show (in his own words) fewer 'comic always been such as to disarm criticism, which ex and performance and experimental elements' (fore plains Lord Acton's paradoxical judgement: 'He re word to Poems from Oby, 1982). His works include A mains to me one of the greatest of all writers and Form of Words (1954), The Colour of Blood (1967), and masters, although I think him base, contemptible and Collected Poems 1^58-i^yo (1971). He has also pub odious.' lished novels. He was the subject of one of the best Victorian biographies, by his nephew, Sir G. O. *Trevelyan Macbeth, Lady, ambitious wife of Macbeth in Shake (1876). See also John Clive, Thomas Babington Ma speare's play; a favourite role among 18th- and 19th- caulay: The Shaping of the Historian (1973). The best cent. actresses, for example Mrs *Siddons. L. C. literary study is by Jane Millgate (1973). His letters *Knights's essay 'How many children had Lady have been edited by Thomas Pinney (6 vols, 1974-81). Macbeth?' (1933) is a teasing riposte to the sort of biographical speculation favoured by A. C. *Bradley. Macbeth, a tragedy by * Shakespeare, probably writ McCABE, Patrick (1955- ), Irish novelist. A year after ten and first performed at the *Globe in 1606, but not publishing a children's story, The Adventures of Shay printed until the First *Folio (1623). The text is an Mouse ( 1985), McCabe published his first novel, Music unusually brief one, and has often been thought to on Clinton Street (1986), set in rural Ireland during the contain some non-Shakespearian material, probably 1960s and 1970s, a time when Irish life was beginning by *Middleton. Two songs certainly by him were added to feel the encroaching presence of American culture. to the play. It may have been performed before James I, This was followed by Cam ( 1989) and The Butcher Boy who had a strong interest in witches and was sup (1992), a disturbing story told in the voice of Francis posedly a descendant of Banquo. Brady, an engaging but disturbed (and ultimately Macbeth and Banquo, generals of Duncan, king of homicidal) boy in an unnamed small town in Ireland; Scotland, returning from a victorious campaign we follow his loosening hold on reality and increasing against rebels, encounter three weird sisters, or inability to respond appropriately to the society into witches, upon a heath, who prophesy that Macbeth which he was born. McCabe's virtuoso use of his shall be thane of Cawdor, and king hereafter, and that character's voice plays back and forth between humour Banquo shall beget kings though he be none.