The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-22
Tho Grnnd Drnma.

In his third essay on "lbe Nature ana Eie-
,,onfs Of Poefrv.r in the Century Maga<ihe'
,,,do- the ,i,le of creation and Seii-bNpfes-
sion Mr.. Edmund G. Stcdman saws ....
~ have often thought upon the Ie'aVfe
stations Of the various classes OF Pve'l! "'v
am disposed 90 deem emlnehce lh VIC N'""U
drama the supreme emInence; ana TINS ne
ramse ~ lis highest. he drama includes an
ofber forms and classes, whether c0nsldeIeu
facnnicallv or essentially. IT. dol requires
az much inventive and constructive lachll9
as any epic or other narrative, httV" - 10
gfOrq and Characterization must ue Us N@iiVu7
and vivid as life itself The dialogue -
written ia the most noble, yet flexible meas
ure of a language; il English, in the Diank
verse that combines The freedom Of prose with
the siateluess OF accentual rhythm. Inc
erayest speech. the lightest and sweetest ma
their best vehicle in our unrnymed penta-
meter: again. poetic drama contains songs
and other mteTludcs which exercise the
lyrical gift SO captivating IN the WORKS, Tor
example, OF our English playwrights-the
IliZabethians having been lions in their
herOics. eagles in their wisdom aud skyiarks
IN their rare madrigals and part-sOugs.
Tragedy and comedy alike are unlimited with
respect 10 contrasts OF incldentand uttelance,
lichtand shadow of experience; the! embrace
whatsoever is poetic i'm mirth, woe, learning
law. religion above all, IN passion ana ac-
ton. SO that the drama Is like stately
architectural structure; cathedral mat IN
cludes every part essential 10 minor buildings,
and calls upon the entire artistic brotherhood
for its shape and beauty; upon the carver and
the sculptor for IFS relics and imagery; upon
the painter and the decorative artist for lis
walic0i0r and stained glass: up0n the molder
TO fashion IFS altar. rail. and the founder 10
cast the bells that give out It's kuell OF pecan
TO the land about. The drama is thus more
inclusive than the epic. There is liitle ln
Homer that is not true TO nature. but there Is
no phase of nature that is rot ln Shakespeare.
Analyze the cOmpOnents of "a shakespearian
play. and you VIII see tnat i make no over
statement
The Tempest" romantic play, is as no
table as any for poetic quality and varied
conception. 10 takes elemental nature for its
scenes and background, the unbared sky,
the sea in storm and calm, the enchanted
iowery isle, so
Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and
hurt not.
Thepersonages comprise many types-kiug,
noble, sage. lOw-born sailor. boistcrOus vaga-
bond. youth and maiden la the heyday of their
innocent love. 10 them are superaddcd
beings of the earth and air, Callban and Ariel,
creations of the pulest imagination All
these reveal their natures By speech and ec-
ton with q realism impossible % the tanner
method Of narrative poem. Consider the
poetic th1Hght and dictOn; what can excel
ProsperO's vision 6 the worlds dissolution
that shall leave mot rack behind" or ms
stately abiuratiOn Of the magic art? Listen,
here and there. TO the songs Of his trlcksy
spirit. his brave chick, Ariel; Come unto
these yellow sands "Ful fathom five thy
father lies" "Whcre the bee sucks, there
suck 1" Then We nave play within p ny,
tightening and decorating it, the masque of
Iris. Ceres and Juno. ] recapitulate thee
details 20 give perfectly familiar illustration
of the scope OF the drama. True, this was
Shakespeare, but the ideal should be studied
ina a masterpiece; and such q play as tie
Tempest" shows the possibilities OF invention
and Imagination IN the most sympathetic
poetic form over which genus has extended
its domain.