Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
ORIGIN OF HAMLET.
Shakespeare Was Indebted to Saxo
Examinations for the Tale.
AN EARLY NORsEMAN TRADITION.
Though Not So Refined as the Drama 1t is
Very Interesting.
THE OLD DANISH WRITER'S VERSION
WRITTEN Fer THE DISPATCH. |

The true legend of Hamlet is buried In
the obscurity of old Saxo Grammaticus'
Latin. Among the earliest of Danish ira
ditions, it forms part of the national chron-
icles collected by that indetatigable his
torian. Dating back to the days OF the gods
Odin and Thor, the tale itself is the most
probably one of the numerous semi-myths
born of the times, and dignifed later on
with historical characteristics of doubtful
value. Nor does that melancholy, subtle
minded, gentleman-like creation OF the
Shakespearian drama, much resemble the
original hero as portrayed by the Dane.
The Hamle: of the latter is the true off
spring OF his times-bold unscrupulous,
coarse and vengeful, comprising by his wits
that which he could not by force, and glory
ing in each treacherously secured success,
after the manner of all true Morse in the
primitive days of the year one; whereas. the
Hamlet of Shakespeare. was, as is well
known, largely drawn from the modlfed
version given by the French writer, Belle
forest, and its still more modified copy.
styled "The Hystorie of Hamblet," printed
In 1908.
IT POINTS A MORAL.
In the former, the inceptive idea OF the
ghost and the incident of Ophelia, are hrst
introduced, and the tale itself made to serve
distinctly moral purpose, illustrative of
the axiom that murder will out. One or
two old plays there were, also, preceding
Shakespeare's time, of all of which he
probably made use in moldlng his own
particular drama. E'ut not to enter upon
these later aspects of the subject, the origi-
nal story runs as follows:
IL ~ hara IL
son OF Hodor, who killed Baldwin, the son
of Odin, there reigned two brothers as joint
Viceroys over the province of Jutland. One
of these, Horwendil by name, slew the King
of Norway in single combat, and presented
King Ruric with so large a share of the
Norwegian plunder that that grateful
monarch forthwith bestowed upon him the
hand of the royal Princess Gerutha in mar
riage. OF this marriage Hamlet was the
result. Fengo, the other Viceroy, instead
of rejoicing in his brothers good fortune,
rises up in jealous wrath, Stays him out of
pure envy, and then incontinently marries
the widow. Whether Gerutha was herself
party to the bloody deed or not u nowhere
stated but subsequent events show her at
least reconciled to the change, state of
affairs justifying other dramatic liberties
with her character.
ACCOUNTED FOR TO RURIC.
Ruric, naturally enough, demands an ex-
PLANTATION for conduct so extraordinary on
the part of his Viceroy, whereupon the Of
Tending Fengo adroitly makes out a case of
wife abuse on the part of the deceased, and
justifes his murder on that score. In the
year one, as now, Princes often found itpolitic
not TO discredit each others word too much;
and SO, for reasons political, it suited King
Ruric to declare himself perfectly satisfied.
Eengo, therefore, goes on his wicked way re-
joicing.
But there was the boy Hamlet. He knew
his father had been murdered-all the world
knew it, for that matter, and it needed no
uneasy ghost to tell the tale-and Hamlet
knew, also, who the murderer was. Ham,
let, therefore, if he had the chance, might
take it into his head to avenge the deed. So
argued the guilty conscience OF Fengo. He
orders strict watch to be kept upon the do
ings of his promising young step-son and
nephew. Kill him outright, he dared not,
because of the mighty Ruric and the rough
sort of justice that occasionally prevailed,
even in the year one. Early conscious of
this espionage, the young Prince set his wits,
naturally keen, to work out counter plot
of his own.
HAMLET IN YoRICK'S ROLE.
To disarm Fengo's suspicious was
the first thing. For this he feigned the fool,
and that Hamlet and Yorick were originally
one and the same, there can be no manner of
doubt. Hamlet's jokes and buffooneries
were the daily subject of court mirth aud
! comment and Hamlet's eccentric conduct
was regarded as proof positive of an added
brain. But Fengo also has wits of his own;
Hamlet's fooleries are occasionally pointed
by too much sense; the royal fratricide be-
gins to doubt not only his nephew's madness,
but his purpose as we'll
Shares are set to force an expression of the
young mans real sentiments and character
-supposing, indeed, the ostensible and ap-
parent to be merely assumed. But, warned
by his foster brother-Horatio, in after days
the cunning princelet evades them all. Then
is arranged the interview with Gerutha an
obliging courtier concealing himself beneath
the straw on the floor of the royal apartment
carpets and tapestry alike being unknown
luxuries In the year one-as proposed
listener to the revelations naturally expected
in q private interview between the Prince
and his mother.
THE END OF PoLoNIoUs.
"But the sharp eyes of Hamlet at once
see something suspicious in that particular
| pile of straw in the corner, and true to his
character of fool, he Immediately jumps
upon it and dances thereon, growing like q
cock in the meanwhile, much to the discom-
fort of the complaisant spy beneath. Some
thing moves, OF course, and Hamlet's sword
is run through that something in thrice.
Vale, Poloniousl The dutiful son of his
father then proceeds to read his mother
lecture "marked," says our translator, "by
rufianly coarseness which could not be ex-
ceeded, and of which Shakespeare gives not
the slightest hint" This done, he boils
down the limbs of the murdered man, and
throws them to the pigs, deed of which he
openly boasts.
Fengo, now thoroughly alarmed, concocts
the plan of sending him to his death in
England. A couple of noble sycophants-
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, if you like
are detailed as bearers OF wooden billet,
the fashionable stationary of those days,
engraved with a message to His British
Majesty asking that he would, as neigh
borly act of courtesy, kindly dispatch the
, young man Hamlet, as person dangerous
.. alike to state and crown.
E THE TABLES TURNED.
As is preserved in the modern play, that
cunning prince abstracts the billet en- route,
and substitutes another requesting that his
two travelling companions be instantly put
. to death and that the King of Britain also
= obligingly bestow the hand of his royal
r daughter upon Hamlet in marriage. En-
D gland. contra the popularized tale, is safely
e reached by all concerned, and the fateful
I. billet delivered by the unsuspecting Danes.
: Pending the execution the British King
| Oivaa oaot hopnr of his