New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22
THE DRAMA.
HAMLET.

Mr. Wizard. who Is acting in Boston as Hamlet.
appears to lay much emphasis on the fact that he
has based his acting copy of Hamlet" the First
Folio The text of that Folio is full Of errors and
In many Enthusiastically in five.-that Folio
Is merely reprint Of earlier Quartos. All editions
OF Shakespeare. however, based. a greater or
less extent on the First Folio. To follow 1t i'm
plicitly would be to go wrong. There is no actor
living who might not profit by the patient and picus
labor that Shakespeare schoars.-such as Dyce and
Furness and the Cambridge editors-have bestowed
upon the duty of ascertaining the correct text Of
Shakespeare. An appeal to the First Folio, II meant
as an authoritative settlement. seems, to the
Shakespeare scholar merely comic.
Mr. Willard II is said has adopted. from the First
Folio, the reading of the innobled queen"
instead of the mobled queen" That choice
of the text is good but 1t is not new, and
therefore especial stress properly be laid
upon it as discovery. Edwin Booth adopted that
reading, at least sixteen years ago. and always
used 1t. from that time until he ceased to act The
reading, "innobled queen" appears in Booths
Prompt-Book of Hamlet" published in 1878. The
word 'nnobed" means of course, 'ignobled'-
that Is to say, degraded. And the comment made
in Booths Prompt-Book explains that the Players
ausion to the innobled queen,"-Hecuba,-is, in
the mind of Hamlet, Immediately suggestive Of
his mother, Queen Gertrude who has indeed been
degraded. and upon whom Hamets thoughts are
continually fixed. Hence his interruption OF the
Players speech The propriety OF that reading was
suggested to Booth by William Winter, who edited
his Prompt-Book series Of plays, in fifteen volumes,
in lS77-7S. Booth himself a fine Shakespeare
scholar and he introduced much suggestive and
valuable business into the play of Hamlet
especially for example the business" of the clown,
with the skulls and FOOLS cap. Adequate embodi-
ment of the Dane. however, requires something
more than readings and business"
Mr. Willard. it is said, has abolished front scenes
and. in particular has given Caudius "a full set
for that wonderful speech which follows upon his
vain attempt at prayer That also has been done
and, with a competent actor in the character or
Claudius (Which is great part and one OF the
best in Shakespeare. 1t ought always to be done
The most prominent of Mr.. Wizards innovations
ton of 'rapier and dagger" That is a trife. Ham
satire: o Thats two Of his weapons" The King
says For your raper most especially ana an
is the "bated' rapier,-the rapier with the button
ing scene Is always tedious, no matter what wedp
taken. and the main purpose should be
to bring 1t to an end as soon as possible All cues
tions Of historical accuracy In the treatment OF
Hamlet are more or less vain. That great
be dressed and embelllshed with due consideration
Of antique environment: the essential necessity
made. conscientious and worthy effort to put an
old classic on the stage In an Impressive manner
Indicated him a possible Hamlet, there seems
to be no good reason why he should not play the
part 80 az 10 VIII popular tllllleiiou
full respect. Public knowledge of Hamlet has
always been small. but public interest in 1t con-
tinues TO be lively and extensive. Somebody must
play Hamlet. and whoever plays 1t will be heard
One comment that has been printed on Mr. VIII
ards embodiment OF Hamlet Is exceedingly funny
the comment. namely, that the melancholy mood
was much strongly emphasized" That is simply
impossible. The melancholy mood of Hamlet has
yet. upon the stage. been emphasized strongly
enough. Hamlet is misery-and he Is nothing else.
In one OF Shakespeare implied scenes he goes into
weeping Mysteries. He weeps for what Is done. In
several OF them he is melancholy mad. Look at
him. for example. in this picture, painted by the
poor. fragile, frightened Ophelia. who mas loved
him:
My Lord. as | sewing In my chamber,
Lord Iiamlet.-with his doublet all unbracd;
No hat upon his head: his stockings fould;
Ingarter'd and down-gyved TO his ankle;
Pale as his shirt: his knees knocking each other;
And with a look piteous In Its purport,
As II he had been loosed out Of hell
To speak of horrors.-he comes before me-"