Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-29
TALK On THEDRAMA
Prof Demmon Discusses the
Rise of the Play
BEFORE SHAkESPEaRE'S TIME
The Evolution Of the Modern Drama
From the Old Religious Ceremonies.
LIS Essential Elements.


\. DemmOn showed their appreciation
of the eftorts Of the officers OF the
University Extension association IN
getting the professor 10 give the firss
course Of this year. Notwithstanding
the storm and rain, the leeture-room OF
tue Fountain Street Baptist church was
we'll filled with an appreclanve su-
alence. Most of them were the same
persons that heard Professor Demmon's
lectures last year. The subject of lsst
nights lecture Was "The English Drama
Before Shakespeare"
President Butteriield thanked those
present for coming out In such weather.
He then introduced Professor DEM
mon, who spoke as follows: ''You have
in your hands a syllabus OF the lecture,
and as you look at II you Will see
| have mapped out blk task Tor one
lecture. 1t seems deslrableln taking a
course in Shakespeare that something
should be said regarding the drama
| before his time. While Shakespeare
was marvel IN literature yet there are
many things in Shakespeare that may
\ Dt uuQtietObu IL NOA huOW tAC SOiAHA-
| tons under which ho wrought.
| The word drama 10 from the Greek
and means TO act. 1t still retains its
original meaning. The drama Is
| written to be acted on q stage. The
| length of the drama is therefore fixed
| by the time needed TO represent it on
| the stage. From it's nature the dia-
| logue must enter largely into 1t, while
] no NIT ad IN n
extent. Like the epic there is story.
but IN the drama the story Is told by
| the characters. In the epic the author
is always present telling the story.
| Library Dramas
| Recently dramas have been written
! that are intended for the library IN
stead of the stage. The matter of
| length in these is not observed. Some
/ of them would make half dozen stage
| dramas"
The speaker explained the essential
! qualities Of the tragedy and the
comedy. In the tragedy the villain Ia
infinitely hateful. In the comedy the
villain is to be laughed at. In tragedy
the result is the death of the pin
clpal characters. In comedy the
result is the rescue of the
principal characters from some
dilemma in which they have been IN
VOWED. lie explained that the hero Is
the central figure, the character tor
whom the play was usually named.
Shakespeare departed from the classical
style Of his predecessors. His critics,
DR.. Johnson, Sidney and others, pro-
tested against this, but he departed
nevertheless.
The plot is the soul of the drama.
On it depends the success of the piece.
In case an under plot or by play enters
IN 1t should have q close connection tC
the man plot. The drama must possess
action, unity, completeness. There
must be m inception to the plot, Al
ENHANCEMENT, climax, an unrsveling
a catastrophe. These five portions OF
the drama are the foundation for II!
being presented in five acts.
The plot is the essential soul of the
novel," said the speaker, "but we have
some realistic novels of modern writer
which have no beginning and no end
They just stop and after a time you dis
cover there Is no moro to 1T. You dc
not feel that they are complete"
He said characterization is one of tn,
most difficult tasks OF the dramatlst
-
words and thoughts of the author snC
we crltIcise them as real persons in res
life. The language should be adapted
TO the characters. In some modern
dramas the characters all talked tn,
same.
The Three Unities
"By the three unities is meant" hs
said, "the unity of action, of time anC
- haA N,
naught the unities of time and place
His predecessors, Kyd and Marlowe
had done go even to a greater extent
Shakespeare was aware that he dc
this, for the critics mentioned 1t IN hl
day.
The drama had its origin in religion
ceremonies. The celebration of tn,
mass in the Catholic churches possessed
the elements OF the drama. Man WA
most interested IN his early develop
ment in religion and mystery. Their,
Ia no doubt of the sacred origin OF the
play. Al first, after the mass was said
pantomlnes were acted at certain sea
sons IN the churches. From this The
play became popular and the large at
tendance compelled in Rome the build
ing of theaters. At nrst the play,
in the churches were literary
rather than popular. When the 70
man empire went down the actors scat
tered over Europe and pursued
their calling N other cite.
They were strolllng players. They are
heard of through the ecclesisstics'
laws passed against them. Priests were
forbidden TO take part ia any church
plays and the drama passed from tho
control of the church. He spoke OF
the miracle PLAYS and told how they
were acted in movable stages. One &C
would be gwen on one street corner
aud the next act on another corner
These PLAYS were taken from the SCRIP
lures. They usually started with the
fall of LaClfer, or the creation and
closed with the judgment. Hs
Rad from one OF the plays enough "a
give good ldea of their character
He told how the authorities forced
the movable stages out OF London. Al
Black Frsrs. Up the Thames, ana a.
Temple Bar fheaters were erected. tn,
( Old Globe theateT. n which Shakes
pesre owned stock ga. homelv affair
' octagonal, with no roof. except ovel
the sage and the boxes. There wer,
TO seats IN the center, or DIT, and ths
audience stood or ioungsd on thl
ground
The next lecture VII he gwen in ~,
weeks IN the same plsce, the suhieC
I vii be Richard IL.