The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-10
THE STUDY OF A BOOK
FORTY-THREE YEARS SPENT IN
READING sHAKsPEARE's PLAYS.
The Reader Gives Some Advice to
others Who Can Spare Less Time and
Labor-A Mine of wealth.
d. p. Baldwin. in Loeansport Journal.

D. p. Baldwin, in Logansport Journal.
1 began reading Shakespeare in the fall OF
1853, and have just completed the last OF his
thirty-seven plays. Forty-three years read
ing one book. During that time have col
lected over a hundred volumes OF Shakspear-
can Illustration and criticism-good bad and
indifferent-mostly indifferent-and have seen
about twenty of his plays acted by some OF
the greatest artists Of the world. Some or
these dramas 1 have read fifty times, and
yet they are as fresh, beautiful and grand
when they first dawned upon me over
generation ago. 1t is the purpose of this
article to make some suggestions as to how
TO read the great poet at less expense Of
time and labor than it has cost me. In
general way his plays may be classed into
histories, comedies and tragedies. His best
and greatest work is in his tragedies, but his
comedies are always delightful; indeed the
Merchant of Venice and Midsummer
Nights Dream are in their way equal to
Hamlet and Lear"
"King John" and Henry VIII can be read
separately and independent of all his other
plays. All the other English historical plays
must be read consecutiveiy to get the best
results. 1t is the universal practice TO read
king Henry w. by itself but without first
reading its predecessor, Richard II" the his
torical parts of this great drama are sadly
misunderstood. There are eight of Shak-
speare's plays wholly given up to the Wars
of the Roses; the first four Richard III"
king Henry " and W are devoted to the
House of Lancaster. and the last four. Hen
ry VIZ (three parts) and Richard III TO
the House of York.
Before attacking these historical plays the
student should read some outside history
giving a brief account of these five kings
and especially of the great lords and fami-
lies and the events and characters OF their
a good deal diluted, and am not ashamed
to own that gladly set aside the ponderous
Hume and ngsrd in favor Of sos SO elementary es
his Richard H." introduces to the New
lilies, Percys and Warwicks, and then unrav-
e.s the tangled skein of the houses OF Lam
toward enjoying these plays is 10 read care
fully u. J. Snider's volume. entitled THE His
before or just after attacking the plays them
selves. I use the word Attacking advised
ly, for this is hard reading-these plays are,
as Shakespeares historical style is very in
trcate and must first be mastered. To do
this advise first studying one or both of the
detached pays, King John" or Henry
VIII, before either of the tetralogies or Lam
caster or York. Do not be in a hurry. 1t Is far
better to spend three months upon single
play and master 1t than 10 rush from one 10
another without a clear idea of either. Crit
les say that Shakespeare didn't write Rich
ard IT. or Henry W." but only edited them.
adding line or paragraph OF his own here
and there. 1t is a most excellent plan 10 as
sumo this TO be so, and TO pick out those
portions which you think ShakSpeare'S and
afterwards consult the critics 70 see now lar
you are right. This will improve your Shak-
| spearean judgment wonderfully. study
| characters as well as situations. After you
have mastered play, read over and over
| again all that a certain character says or
| does or all that is said about him or her;
| for example. Cleopatra-and then write out
| and only read criticisms until you have
| formed your own judgments. Fully one-half
| of so-caEed Shakspearean criticism is so
much nonsense.
THE COMEDIES.
These are an endless delight, If you only
| know how to enjoy and husband them.
warn against reading them all at one time
and against reading them too fast. Every
body reads the Merchant OF Venice" and
"As You Like IT, because they are so much
| played upon the stage. And they are both
| of them excellent specimens Of Shakespeare
best style and method in treating light sub
| jects. One great drawback TO the enjoy
ment of these comedies is the long drawn
| out and dreary pages Of puns and, quilp:
| and all sorts OF conceits which Shakespeare
! delights TO put in the mouths OF his clown:
| dreary indeed, and in spite OF ones self viii
| put you to sleep or are forgotten. Wher
| staged these passages are always left out
| Another drawback is the great poets gross
| ness But IL is always the indecency Of
| chastity, for Shakespeare is always moral
| even when at his worst.
| After reading two or three OF the comedies
| ii is a good idea 10 carefully read Snider':
| volume upon them before proceeding any
further. and then TO verify his criticisms o!
| studying for yourself the original play anC
| making your own application OF his sugges
| lions. And here comes in the study. OF char
| acters again. These are very delightful, es
| pecially the minor females Hermione, Hell
| ena, Hero, Viola, Rosalind, Portia, Beatrice
each and all furnish infinity in variety ant
The ideal, comedies" Midsummer Night:
| Dream and THE Tempest'-are as wonder
N FL pen RTGdasts Of fancy wefi
an excellent plan TO do good deal OF writ
| ing as you go along In your Shakspearear
studies and still better idea to get to-
| and make p Shakespeare club when your
reading will be both mutual and methodical
with the advantage of different minds anC
| modes Of thought.
| 1t is good thing to begin this practice
| early in your reading. These passages are
| simply endless. and their beauty will come
effects and results of Shakespeare at odd
| moments and in unexpected places. The
| entirely familiar to you and finding un-
| noticed delicacies is very enjoyable In this
respect Shakespeare is like the New Tesla
ment. Its splendors are best appreciated
not when we sit down deliberately to study
| them, but rather when we open upon them
| by accident. And I may remark here that
| both books require maturity of mind to mas
| ter, and while youths of both sexes may
| read and enjoy them, yet ii requires in each
| case age and experience to fully appreciate
their treasures.
One should begin early to acquire a work
! ing knowledge of Shakspeare's meters. This
will often enable one to unravel a knotty
passage and 10 place runaway verb OF
4 noun in the right place. Shakspeare's gram
mar. or rather. hopeless disregard of al
| grammar. should receive good deal of att
| tention at an early stage in your studies.
THE TRAGEDIES.
Here we come into the wonders of the
great poets genius. In the tragedies we
see the titanic and elemental. reminding us
of the creation or destruction OF worlds
Nothing can possibly be more sublime
Shakspcare's tragedies either historical
| or ideal. IL is good idea to begin with thu