Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-02-28
COMMUNICATIONS.
Professor Lounsbury's Lectures on
Shake eSpeare.

shakespeare.
To the Editor OF the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
The course of Shskespearean lectures
now being given by Professor Lounsbury
bids fair to develop new and wider inter
eat in Shakespsare's writings and a closer
study of his plays.
There was some evidence of this In the
large attendance at the Modjeska represen-
tation of the Merchant of Venice last Fri
day evening, and also In the comments and
criticisms of the play and actors made
since by those who attended.
Perhaps In meditation upon the play the
thought has come to others, as well as to
the writer-'fs this play of such char
acter as to exclude any nationality from its
performance, or does Its influence tend to-
wards any class distinctionf
We have in our city land the fame is
trus of every city, Hebrew citizsns, many
of them being among our leading business
men, and many others occupying promi-
nept political and social positions. They
are honorable in their lives and dealings
and command our respect and esteem In
just about the same degree as we gentiles
regard one another. We buy, sell, talk,
walk and also eat with them, and when the
rabbi 10 invited to our ministers meeting,
we by proxy, at, least, pray with them.
Now, when we are all invited TO zee the
Merchant of Venice" on the stage is there
necessity that the ways of Hebrew and
GENTLE should parti Did Shakespeare
have any intention, when composing the
play, of putting q stigma upon the Israel
ties, or did he completely misunderstood
and misinterpret the Hebrew character, as
/ 9 rabbi has recently sssertedf
l believe even q superficial study OF this
play will prove that Shakespeare did not
| dream of using Shylock IS a representative
/ of the controlling spirit of Hebrews or as
| an Interpretation OF their character. Per
hsps Shakespeare never knew the play ss
/ the Merchant of Venice" for the title
"Bsssanio and Portis, or the VIII Of q
| Wise Man." would describe the play better
| as be wrote 1t.
The stage edition now used cuts out COM
| pletely the princes of Morocco and ARA
| gon, and slights the gold and silver csskets
| and thsir contents, while no word OF Shy
Il lock OF tDc CJAbcCico WAN
him are omitted, with the exception of the
short scene 8, act I'LL.
ShyIock's lines are also emphasized, snd
| even exaggerated; as, for instsrcs, when
/ Tubal tells Snylock that "Autonio's srgosy
| is cast away coming from Trlpolrs," /" he re-
peats, Thank God" three times, falling
upon bis knees in q kind of ecstscy, and
also when Sslsrnio says "Thou wilt no
| take his flesh. What's that good foIf
Shylock, In his reply, plays upon the wort
revenge, giving to IL q prominencs which
much exceeds that in Shskespesre's text
In short, the stage edition centers all in
terest around the jew, while Poriis snC
Bassanio are minor characters, excvp
when such an actress SIS .Modjeska take
Portia, and the merchant is of still less i'm
portsnce, the part being generally takel
| by the poorest actor In the company.
| AS Shakespeare wrote the play, Shylocl
and Antonio have the same relation to tn
theme of the plsy-vhich centers in tn
choice of husband for Portis by means o
the csskets-ss the rival houses of Mon
tague and Capulet have to the love of Ro
mso and Juliet, yet Sbylock Ia capable o
much greater dramatic development thai
the feuds of the Aontsauss and Cspulets
although the latter have more trsgics
ending.
If Shakespeare could have foreseen al
the changes which have been made In pro
ducing this play, which partly retire Por
tia, while making the Jew more promi
nent, perhaps he would have disowned 1
altogether.
But" the Hebrew may say, '4f Shakes
peare's idea Of the play has been somevha
mutilated and Shylock emphasized, ther
is still greater reason why the play Is dis
tasteful to u.s." This is not necessarily &C
for the play, even in Its present form,
not an Interpretation of the Isrselite.
Shakespeare naturally chose Q Jew a th
lender of money to Antonio, not as Q M
J tional type-for Shylocks are numerous Il
every natiou-but because Jews mopopo
lized at that time the loaning of money u
such borrowers as Antonio, who hsvinI
many ventures abroad" was not resll.
J "suficient," If the only object was to &c
the money back with ''ussuce."
, This was not Shylock's object, for th
] controlling motives which held him TO n
purpose were hatred and revenge, not gree
: and gain, although these fed the Ore OF III
: passion and spurred him on. he hate'
! Antonio because he WAS hated In return
/ called Q misbeliever, cut throat dog. an
: had been spit upon, mocked aad spurne'
, | In the market place, all of which Antoni
aokuovledses ard almost promises to n
: peat. How natural is Shylock's reAsonin
. in reply to Sslsrnio.
Q "If you prick us, do We not bleedi
. ron tickle us, do We not Taught II 70