Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-05-29
THE MYSTERIES OF SHAKESPEARE

THE MYSTERIES OF sHAKEspEARE.
A Highly Interesting Dissertation ON the
Subject by Mrs. A. j. Kellar.
Among the most interesting and
scholarly papers read at the recent
anniversary meeting Of the Shakes
peare Club, of this city, was the follow
ing on 1.-THE Mysteries of Shakespeare
by Mrs. A. j. Kellar:
In music even Beethoven has his
rivals. In painting the world is divid-
ed between Raphael, Michael Angelo,
Frau Angelica and others. In oratory
Cicero and Demosthenes, of ancient
times, Clay, Webster, Burke and Phil
lips. of modern, equally divide the
honor. Shakespeare alone is without
a rival in his line. He is the master,
Eventhe splendor of Homer is obscured
by Shakespeare. He wrought into his
work the highest art. He left some-
thing for his readers to feed upon.
Clear and strong he yet sometimes
yelled his meaning and left the CEN
turtles after him not only the delight of
sunny, open plains, but deep caverns
filled with gems for those who search.
Only in one other volume is the same
outlet for mental research: only one
other volume surpasses Shakespeare's
plays Unveiled meanings; only one other
book is so many sided. That other is
the Bible.
The most widely and Familiarity dis
cussed of the Shakespeare mysteries is
Hamlet. He is a favorite creation.
The lythe, dark, graceful Edwin Booth,
with the fire of genius. was an ideal
Hamlet. Is Hamlet mad or only fem
ing madness: are the questions con-
stantly agitated. Profound students
differ strenuously OH this point. Some
prove clearly. to themselves at least.
that Hamlet was really insane. Others
prove triumphantly by Hamlet's own
actions that he only feigned insanity
for the accomplishment of his purpose.
The arguments for each theory seem
equally logical and satisfactory. and
like the different crceds evolved from
the Bible. are ardently believed in and
supported. In either case the real
meaning is no nearer solution than the
riddle oftheJuni letters, orthe identi-
ty of the man in the iron mask. Did
Hamlet really love Ophelia and wash
Indifference towards her assumed to
further the plans of his fertile brain?
Shakespeare loved his lovers and only
about Hamlet is thrown an eHasper-
ing Indifference in this role. We see
Ophelia's sweet young face and the
pretty, tlower-decked head. We hear
Hamlet's heartless command, sget thee
and we feel an indignant desire to give
the rude young man a sound lecture
when 10! some student of the play de-
clares Hamlet's GOODNESS only assumed
to further his plans. Perhaps Shakes
peare overheard him whispering his
true love thoughts in Ophelia's ear but
Shakespeare keeps the secret we'll and
leaves this a sealed jewel. We like to
know that whatever is the enigma here
that the gentle Opelia. believed Hamlet
to be really mad. so what a noble
mind is here o'erthrown'' she eXclaims
i'll tender pathos. "Now see thatnoble
and most sovereign reason like sweet
bells tangled out of tune and harsh s.
Nothing so beautiful was ever said on
the melancholy subject of insanity.
From the metaphysical Hamlet NUT
tering his ''to be or no. to be- we come
even more tenderly to King Lear, that
pathetic old man put in the storm, his
white head barred to the elements, his
mad. wild words blending with the
tempest. Was he insane when he so
weakly gave his whole kingdom to his
daughters. or did their cruelty and un-
filial conduct drive him to madness
afterwards? That Lear was an addle
pated old man to begin with is quite
clear, i'll the opinion of IN Accord
ing to others he was a tender, normal
Drained father, trusting his children
naturally, and that the cruelty of Re-
ron onl GNnopa1 coo,,ol l,se I,.o:, o-1
wrought it's work. What saw Lear's
creator? There is no doubt of Lear's
insanity, but at what period did he be-
come insane is the query.
Leaving the gentle, mad old king
with his dear, dead Cordelia, we come
to Macbeth, that play of blood and
horror. 1t. too, holds its mystery. Was
Lady Macbeth more cruel than her
husband? All admit her to be a wo-
man of exceptional vigor. determin-
alton. courage and ambition. The
qualities usually relegated to men were
hers. In this day she would perhaps
be a new woman. That she was not
only stronger in every human attribute
than her husband, that she was more
bloodthirsty, that she was continually
beside him urging him by her own
murderous nature, c%unningly working
on his very love for her. bidding him
to commit the deed. all seem to be be-
yond question. Nevertheless, clever
critics perceive it differently. They
declare that Macbeth not only con
ceived the murder, but by some curious
mental or physical black art, put the
spirit of evil into his wife and the
words into her mouth whereby she
urged and tempted him. Eminent
scholars also differ as to the reality of
Lady Macbeth's swoon after the muir.
der Of the grooms. Did she really faint
or was it but n more proof Of her
wonderful ability to encompass her
aims?
But it is in the character Of Prospero