Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-25
SHAKESPEARE AND GEORGE ELIOT.
Drama and HOveI-The Age of Faith and
the Age OF skeptfes

At the last meeting of the New Shakes-
peaTe lSocleiy IN London, Dr. Peter Bayne
read paper on "Shakespeare's Characters
Sontrasted with those of George Eliot
Claiming that though all our modern writers
had been influenced by Shakespeare, that all
were, to some extent his pupils. DIR. Bavne
noted the change from drama to novel as the
medium OF expression of popular writers.
Had Shakespeare lived now he youId have
written novels, not dramas; no strong man
since his time had made his chief
| appeal to his fellows through the
stage; the public of Dickens and Thscke-
| ray was to be sought, not that OF Robertson
and Burnand. Yet the best novel should be
ont the best drama writ large" To George
Eliot the experiences of Macbeth" who
could not say amen" or "Claudius,D who
could not pray, were akin. She dealt with
mixed Characters, like "Bulstrode" in Middle
| march. She could have written out Macbeth
and ALPs Vel into novels s.Helenan wonId
have suited her, for, like "Dorothea,"
"Helena's" object in life was to make the ioy
for another soul.
was Browning's view true-that woman's
supreme wish was TO absorb herself in the
man she would make noble, though he were
not so? Shakespeare belonged to the age
OF 1alth and no science; George Eliot 10
the age Of skepticism and science. His men
ana women were more broadly and perma-
nently human than hers. "Dorothea, % Gas
saubon" and "Will Ladislaw" were only nine
teenth century. She believed in The influ-
ence OF blood and race, as in "Fedelma," So
did Shakespeare; "Perdita" was a lady
though brought up on a desert island. She
felt the symbolism OF gems: Shakespeare
that Of flowers. He was i11irror to human
nature in stable equilibrium; she one to it
In unstable. She was the champion of wo-
men-"Anam Bsde" and 'fSavonarola" were
her only male heroes-aDd never showed the
mystery of feminine malignity." Her works |
were mainly an indictment of men in favor
oil women. This was not like Shakespeare |
truth and fairness TO both sexes Her mote" |
was the working out of neutral, indirect in |
huences 10 modify character, and her special |
power that Of tracing the imperceptible |
stages IN the progress OF evil; witness "Mag-
gle Tulliver" and "Tilo."
The origin OF evil with Shakespeare was
generally temptation, as with angelo and |
= n acbeth;' or deliberate madness, as with
IagoD and Richard Ill" In the drama there
was no time tor the gradual evolution of |
eRaracter that was fitted for the novel.
Many folk in reading of "Tito" felt that thev
must have taken the first step with him
and could not tell how they could have
stopped short. With George Eliot, man
was more oil drift-log swayed hither and /
tnlther by the tide Of circumstance. than
win Shakespeare. He knew the worth of |
viii IN man, that twas IN ourselves If we
were hireilngs. All his heroes had FEELING
Vi Poo, knew that there was q divine ven.
se.nee ana moral law. He apprehended
rs frssnsion lar more definitely than Goethe or
That he did had been better done bv Other
men and women; but, for the general. his
iargeness and greatness were incomDrehensi
DIE; he wore the crown of the literature of