Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-27
SHAEESPElRE'S king LIAR
No. l..



ture. and exists in romance and popular
fiction. and is told in poem, ballad, and
chronicle IN many forms, aud is familiar
~ every student OF English literature. IL
is told by Godfrey OF Monmouth, in his
Yistorid BrifOaUH', who SAYS that Lear
was the eldest son Of Bladub, and nobly
governed his country for sixty years, and
died about 600 years q. G. by Layamon
in his Brat by Robert OF Gloucester ;
by Fabyan in his Chronicle 10y Spen-
ser in his Faoric Quceno, Book H., Cauio
10; by John Higgins in his Quec5'e Cor
diId, published IN the Mirror for Mag
istrates by Holinshed, in his Second
Book of the History Of England in
Warmers Al6fons England, and in
other verse and prose productions.
And there was also an ante-Shakespearlan
play of "Lcir," the author OF which is
unknown, and which was entered in
.Hationcrs' Registers on May IA, 1894,
and reprinted IN 1905. Shakespeare S
Kfng Lear" was first published IN
ousrto form in 1905. The ante-Shake-
spearian play OF King Lefr" is in no
sense 10 be compared with Shakespeare
immortal production bat Campbell The
poet has said OF it-viz. The elder
Tragedy OF King Leir is simple and
touching. There is one entire scene IN
il. the meeting of Cordelia and
her father in tho lonely forest,
which. with Shakespeare's Lear IN
my memory and heart, / could scarcely
read with dry eyes This Lc1r Is a
pleasing tragedy. and though ii pre-
cedes our poets Lear, II is not Its pro-
totype, and It's mild merits only show us
the WIDE expanse OF difference between
respectable talent and commanding III
spirstion." 1t is difficult to tell the ex-
set source from which Shakespeare took
his suggestion for his sublime work, nut
from q thorough comparison OF facts
and all the information accessible l
think he drew facts for his tragedy from
Holinshed. the Queene Cordtta by
John Higgins, in the Mirror for
MAGISTRATES" and the ante-'ohake-
spearian play; and the story OF
the "Paphlagonian unkinde hlng
and his kinde some" contained IN Book
H.. chapter 10. OF Sir Philip sydney S
Arcadia, furnished the material from
which was constructed that part OF
Shakespeares play which relates TO
Gloster and MS sons. Unlike either
OfHeHo or H0mict. Shakespeare hfn2
Lea. is a play of du0t GcttpIt-that Is TO
eny. il embodies n double story, one re-
laiing TO Lear and the other to Gloster.
Scnlegel saws in commenting on this
play: "Ihe incorporation OF two
Stories has been ocnsured as destructive
OF unity of action, but whatever
contributes 10 the intrigue OF a.
noumcm must always possess
unity" In this view o. Schlcgel S
] thoroughly concur. The dramatic
uui'y Of this play is in no sense marred
hv the introduction OF the story OF Clos,
ter aud his sons, but indeed so thorough
" is it done 10y Shakespeare that the hsr-
monies Of the play are perfectly pre-
served, it, interest greatly heightened
its plot elaborated, and chakspeares ca
pacltv for dramatic construction most
powerfully illustrated. With such per
iect skill is tue story Of Gloster and his
sons embodied in the play that 1t be
comes as thoroughly part OF 1t and Is
as essential 10 It's working and to the
denOuencut as the story of Lear him.
self. And as the great passion
which is embodied in Hing Lear is iilial
ingratitude, Shakespeare has so con-
structed this play as to make the stories
Of both Lear and GtoSter eD'bOdy fhi'
passion, one IN his daughters and the
other IN his son, and TO make them the
instruments of reUenge upon odch
other, as t0eU as TO shoW f(tdt toue m
Edgar for his father GtoSter, and N
Cordelia for KING Lear, and in this MOI
OnLy is dramatic unity maintained, ana
there is no defective dramatic con
strliction, but the highest order II &C.
MUS in dramatic art is deUct0ped. Tn
like Macbeth or Hanlie', but like Ofhct
10. no supernatural agencies are used IN
King Lear, but the passions which II
deals with are those engendered by hhal
ingratitude, and which might find place
in a drama even IN our own day.
Taine, the celebrated French author,
in his work on English literature says
OF Shakespeare Lear: "A marvellous
creation, the supreme effort OF pure I'M
ngination, disease OF reason, which
reason could never have conceived
and Sardou, the distinguished French
PLAYWRIGHT, indeed the ablest play
wright living, has declared the story o,
Lear dividing his kingdom unreal and
absurd. Ii Is fair TO suppose that nelthel
Tame nor Sarlou knew of the cid Eng
lish fable on which the play IS founded
bat Sardou shows in his criticism meagrt
knowledge OF history, for when Charlie
magne died in Sl4 he was succeeded by
his son Louis. who divided the franklsf
dominion between his three sons. They
ouarrelled bitterly, but the treaty Of
Verdun. in S43, confirmed the partition
and thus out of Charlemagne Empire
grew three States-Germany, France
and italy. 1t Is true that Louis was bet
tor adapted TO the cloister than to being
ruler. but that does not affect the his
torical parallel as to Lear, and destroy
Sardou's ignorant criticism.
Although Cordelia occupies but {
small part Of this play, being in it,
opening and closing scenes only. not one
OF Shakespeare female characters hai
elected more critical discussion. One
phase OF this discussion is the suficiency
or insuiiiciency Of Cordelia's reply to hel
father, in Act l., scene ], when ques
toned by her father as TO her love fol
him. The scene is as follows:
Lear: What can you say 70 draw
A third more opulont than your sisters? Speak
Cordelis; Nothing, my lord.
Lear: No'hinRG
Cordelia: Nothing.
Lear: Nothing viii come Of notnfng. speAi
again.
Coraells: Unhappy that am. cannot heavo
My heart into my mouth love
your Majesty
According 10 my bond; no more nor
lAsA
Lear, How, how, Cordeiai mend your speech q
little,
Lest IL may mar your fortunes
Cordsha: Good my lord;
You have bogot me. bred me, loY'd
rae;
Return those duties back as are right
1t:
Obey you, love you, and most honor
You.
Why have my sisters husbands II they
Say
They love you all, Happy whom l
shall wed,
That lord whose hand must take my
plight shall carry
Halt my love with him, half my care