From The Library of Literary Criticism of English and American Authors, ed. Charles Wells Moulton, 8 vols. (London: Moulton Publishing, 1901), 1: 482.
HENRY VI., PART II
1594-5
Margaret of Anjou, as exhibited in these tragedies, is a dramatic portrait of considerable truth and vigour, and consistency -- but she is not one of Shakspeare's women. He who knew so well in what true greatness of spirit consisted -- who could excite our respect and sympathy even for a Lady Macbeth, would never have given us a heroine without a touch of heroism; he would not have portrayed a high-hearted woman, struggling unsubdued against the strangest vicissitudes of fortune, meeting reverses and disasters, such as would have broken the most masculine spirit, with unshaken constancy, yet left her without a single personal quality which would excite our interest in her bravely endured misfortunes, and this too in the very face of history. He would not have given us, in lieu of the magnanimous queen, the subtle and accomplished French woman, a mere "Amazonian trull," with in every coarser feature of depravity and ferocity; he would have redeemed her from unmingled detestation, he would have breathed into her some of his own sweet spirit -- he would have given the woman a soul. -- JAMESON, ANNA BROWNELL, 1832, Characteristics of Women.
I am certain that "Henry VI." is in the main not Shakespeare's, though here and there he may have put in a touch, as he undoubtedly did in "The Two Noble Kinsmen." -- TENNYSON, ALFRED, LORD, 1883, Some Criticisms on Poets, Memoir by His Son, vol. II, p. 290.
Ah yes! Even Shakespeare is guilty of injustice towards this noble maiden who saved her country, and he treats her in an unfriendly and unloving manner, even if he does not proclaim himself her decided enemy. And even if she saved her country with the aid of hell, she still deserves respect and admiration. Or are the critics right, who hold that those passages in which the maid makes her appearance, as also Parts II. and III. of "Henry VI." are not by Shakespeare? They maintain that he only revised this trilogy which he took from older plays. I would gladly be of their opinion for the sake of the Maid of Orleans, but their arguments are untenable. In many parts these doubtful plays bear the full impress of Shakespeare's genius. -- HEINE, HEINRICH, 1838-95, Notes on Shakespeare Heroines, tr. Benecke, p. 84.
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