Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-06-03
SHAKESPEARE,
His Influence on the Drama.
AND

His Iafluence on the Drama.
The history of the English Drama
presents some wonderful transforms
tons. About the close of the twelfth
century, a time when knowledge. as
| embodied in ecclesiastie erudition
was employed to dupe an ignorant
laity, there were exhibited the "Mys-
teries," species of semi-solemn and
semi-farcical representations. The os-
tensible object of these was to diffuse
among an uncultivated people the
principles Of religion whilst in reality
they served to strengthen the oppres-
sion and thraldom there exercised by
an INSCRIPTIONS and tyrannical priest
hood. The .' Mysteries - were super
ceded by system of dramatic repre-
sensations termed moralities,n some
what similar in point of sacredness.
/ though quite different in aim. They
were conducted partly by those of the
clergy not too renowned for ortho-
doxy, and partly by influential Law
men, having for their object monetary
aggrandiZement rs well as spiritual
culture. These were extremely popu-
lar for nearly century. after which
they declined in interest, on account
of long continuation of repetition and
great proHxity, Then came the sea-
son for the popularity of " InterIudes, ~
either comical or satrical. They were
intended, primarily to occupy the time
between the acts of play, but soon
became SO popular that they usurped
the whole time OF exhibition.
| 1t is striking fact that these species
1 fNf DroT oil
giOus ends: the two first to the pro-
| ty, the latter, By both Catholics and
| early Refor Iiers to cast odium and
ridicule upon the religious tenets of
each other. But every age must have
| its past times. The Greeks had their
magnificent Olympic games the Ro-
mans, the gore-stained arena of the
ampitheatre; the Spanish Epll-fghting
| ard the jousts, and at this age in Eng
land, as almost all the pomp and luxu-
ry was lodged in the hands OF Church.
men, it was natural that they should
establish some diversions from the
ceaseless recurrence of monotouoaS
| devotional exercises. So they imper-
sonated Good Faith, Charity, Youth,
Repentance and other abstract quail
ties both vicious and virtuous. His
majesty, Satan, was aftogather too
popular as q Jester and buffoOn to be
omitted, so he was also Invariably in
troduced to eAliven tie interest and to
inspire terror into the audience. 1t
was thus that stage-acting held an in
creased popularity for more than three
centuries, while the drdnadtis person.
ae were not men of every day life, but
merely abstract principles displayed
in human form and garb. They ac-
ted not as men but as supernatural be-
ings, each one exhibiting in a pre-
eminent degree his or her peculiar
quality.
This condition, however. was des-
tined to an oblivious end; for though
almost imperceptible were the transit
tons of taste for the three centuries
preceding the time of Shakespeare,
yet when the meteoric burst of bis ge-
MUS spread the effulgence OF bis god
like intellect before their view, The
whole populace yielded their tastes to
his opinions, and he swayed the infat-
uated multitude with the ease of De-
mOsthenes charged, though he was
with the electricity of spirit-stirring
eloquence. Shakespeare led the field of
the pernatural-except so far as was
absolutely ecessary-desoended a.
mong men and took his character from
natures mOulds, and thus we find lis
impersonations to be conceptions sims
liar to the men we meet in every day
transactions. His copies of Nature
are so accurate in outline and minu-
triae that one who hadsnever had in
tercourse with animate beings as they
walk this mundane sphere could know
their characters, their habits, their
passions, their customs. The whole
beauty of animate and inamimate
creation paid court to his facile pen, as
if its touch impaired Increased mag
nificenee and duplicate sublimity.
Tie modest violet, the chaste hare
bell, the dewdrops, diamonds of morn
ing's gaudy attire. Everything which
was beautiful, confined with the
grand, the sublime virtues of hcroism,
patriotism, filial devotion, friendship,
resignation to fate, as displayed in hui
manity, were the familiar compan-
ious of his mighty mind. The music
of nature as heard in the tremendous
roaring and rafting crash of the peal
ing founder; or Warbled by the tiny
bird in the sequestered vale at sunset
whispered by the wavelets of the dim
mutive brooke, singing their chorus to
the silence of midnight /; sounded from
the roaring wind, or the plant breeze
which gathers fragrance from every
flower, kisses the mountain top and
leaves tokens of affection with the lit
tie spring bubbling from its base, in
the wild and ceaseless rise and swell of
the oceans turbid billOw; In fine as
chanted from all the harmonies of
earth and the symphonies of the skies,
were objects observed by his scrutiniz-
ing intellect and applied to his wri-
tings. There was no phase of inani-
mate existence which he knew not, |
and no quality, tendency, faculty or
passion by which animate beings were
actuatsd that he had not clear con-
ception of knowing then, perfectly the |
virtues of the soil of circumstances, it |
is quite natural that he could divine /
what kind of men this soil would |
make. Shakespeare never shows us
like all other dramatists do, mere mo-
biographies of avarice, ambition. jeal-
ousy, ETC.; but his representations are /
real men Influenced by their passions.
He exhibits characters affected by the
deepest emotions. stimulated or de-
pressed by the intense ragings of over
mastering passions, and still at no time
is he perplexed to- know their exact
manner and action. He has painted
the hovel; has described the splendor
of the palace; has conversed, with fool
and philosopher alike in theone as the
other: exhibited monarch enthroned
in the gorgeous nagnificence of polnp, |
ROYALTY, and importance, and he has
made the aged Lear, frosted with |
times unmelting frost, stand I'M
unhoused, and call cataract,
sulphurous fires, and oak
thnndefbofts to rage on him
aefeneeIess. The stern, Othello's rea-
son has been turned to madness by I,
jealousy "the .green-eyed monster I
which doth make the meat it feeds ;
IN" Precept for sceptred king and
sage counsel for peasant, prince, hus- |
1andman, lord. soldier and general are
ound in his volume OF priceless wcrlh ,