, 1877-06-10
JULIUS CESAR.


N ths EdstoF w 1ht Tribune.
CnlcAno. .1uuc o. friend, who commented.
with somo degree Of commendatfon. upon my paper
on "Macbcth, +" IN TnE TntnuFE Of May @. cslls
MT attention to IT. closing wusda, which are:
"ycL II va study ehnkspcarcs greater plays
thoroughly dnd thai In their movement Spirit
ualtsttc influences arr thu pivotal eauses, md ma.
teriaatic exhibitions and srcntB The effects, upon
which their action hinges" liz considers this
assertion too sweeping, and Asks me how II can
possibly apply 10 tls great historical plays. Creek
Roman, aud EhE1ish.
Permit me, III answering my friend, tho privilege
Of proving that ny assertion s as true Of sumo Of
tic best OF the poets historical plays ~ II II Of
the greatest Of thoeo tragedies which mar be styled
lia original creations.
Take the play Of 'JnlIus crsas," This drama
IL enriched and vtMlfxcd by ideas, thonRhH, and
sections, which. for strength had nsasslsenets,
not be cxcelcd; which dilste the Imagination, aud
cause It to spring Upward Into tho resy subllmi.y
Of moral anl Intellectual conception; sud which
dl tho heart with passionate tenderness for tone
Of the leading characters, whose actions arc the
mRinsprlngf OF lu various and diverse movements.
Nevertheless. this gscas play has been very puz.
xle TO the hundreds OF commentator and crtlca Of
tho authora works. It's, 10 nparly all Of them,
Sphinx and an enigma. Says Coler!dge, speaking
Of the character Of Urasas: ~ do not at prcsent
sec Into shaGspeases motive, his rationale or Ia
what polnt Of view lie meant Hrafas character to
appear" Eays Dr.. J. O. Ilal!!wrI!, member Of
tic Council Of Tho Shakespeare Society: mot
Ca,ar, but BrufHs. IL The hero Of the dsama."
/. eva arc disappointed that CRsar disappears
SO soon, and would willingly that Tho play had
commenced With m earlier period Of his life. and
That ha remainsd shs hs5o s,o to IT, conclu' tu
IL e5fsn dfam. f0s ms
~ p5et, " @ hs iatsnasd "a make the attempt Of tic
itcpabllcans hts main themc, could not havs ven.
ground, .na 10 present tAst view Il hln Which saye
asrs 5as e %ae f
woEss shortly before his death. and Shakespeare ias
represented hi,a according to tas sugsMsstl9n'" M r.
+ xn,' E @ :%iar s''.n: e. II fass - ssias. %
asas 1 - ps eisx . e. 81 q II va
deed hut ~ hs .nust have appeared 10 the con.
spirators; 10 make us acc hlu il they saw lsm. ln
| judgment at onr hands. Fer Cafar w. literally
too great 10 be srcn bJ them, aaye ~ children cftcn
e. .rs y oeeea Viii
believes tat he san .'de.ee. teanea aad snDsie e!
St9s 9s1 t issh ss s:s,s :Ssss e os Il:
sysI % ~ I'D hs'o no Other thu" an ''onIea zig:
drama of. '.jul,us crsaf." Viewed from NJ very
oy e.astIS .s;dpont whoqt t1 sos s..se
aud standard rules oi dramatic composition. thy
coRtfuctIUu Of tho plAy IL not uittY faulty, but
/ serlnrsiy dHfcctiyo. Ii H. pnr 1plainrd Ia some
ma,nrr occn}t 10 tbs general rcsder llkr the plhY
OF "ifamjct" with iho part of NaplA omitted.
Iuftas CItar srnsars In only three Of its 4ccncs.
In ts sst scens Of thc tniTi &c. be f,es Nj pniy
| 40. but WHO'RE he docs appear tho poet seems
nnrinms to jualal up1n his WtAknrts, fHlhnt than
! III strength, lie swpons when Antony olcrs Him
the crown. up1n hta recovery be enatts piece Of
slnsey hrroTstn. liz il aallcted With epilcpllo
:; '4 Fssn t' .aS tns ittss as asy .aR
SICKNESS jie i deaf Ilis body has LOST lis early
yIvor, ills rods 0f tpcceh II pompoua and arro.
cxnt, lie seeks nattery. Nay, he accepts Il ~
Wc.kusss, ii ihc samc tlnc, he pompously boaata
IN great pars bs has los hi. glf Of pcrcvIylng and
nsetas %ea an INV sye"ts' "''' - ''A''' @~ VIVA
| ""Vhx + thIs d" aakp Prof Doyden s+sDd ,sby
| ,x tha nlax mt otnlthatan ntlinr ..|niluy ETtar u
| Wh1 SId Hhnksncarc fpcido 10 rcnrcscnt In such a
i,aEt fha chief man Of t}e Roman wur1df raeeaEea
n obcr nsnya proys that shsksDcarc had not reaIlY
ntsrnncriYci .ihe michliest juitus.' 'btoad.
fronten EJsdr, tnc connueror over whom sf)eath
msne, no rnnnucst.
vi wtii be nv taxE 10 endeayor to answer these
nrevran, nue.tions. hui bcforc proceeding to do
70. and ~ necessaty TO Ay purpose, ltt nv rive
| hrief sketcbss oi tho chsrscters Of three Of tho
1nost prominent peJsopa:es in ths arsQa4-Brutut.
Tassjsy. sna Wark daioHg,
! Huiatisnlnr idcas for fudlvtduals. thctS tbFca
nsrso1s aro rsapcctyelY tbc Ideal, the intellectual,
md msteriailstc living {eprrae gstyes and moylps
snTince u Inc pIay Of :sJullvs Crsas." Uu, III