Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-31
ROMEO AND JULIET.
FINAL RESULT AND LESSON OF THE
TRAGEDIES OF sHAKEspEARE.
GARDNER, THE SWEET SINGER.
Thc Popular German Comedian VIII
Present His New Play, "Father-
land" Here This Wcck-NotabIe
Attractions Coming.


shakespeare cxpends his Intellectual
force somewhat moro lavishiy upon the
study and analysis OF man than upon
the study and analysis Of woman.
Hamlet. Lear, Macbeth Othelo. Iago,
Rnltus. Cassius. Coriolanus. shylock
Falstafr, each is an elaborate, compre-
hensive profound, completed study.
There Is scarcely one OF Shakespeare's
women who. in close comparison with
either OF these men, seems more than
sketch Imogen. Cleopatra, Portia.
Dcsdomona. and Rosalind are, perhaps.
the most specifically depicted Of his
heroines. Juliet. drawn with a few bold
touches and placed In few representa-
tive situations seems rather TO be out
lined than minutely portrayed. In
that beautiful. lamentable image Of
passionate devotion. and still more pas
sionate sorrow, the poets object seems
10 have been to declare what a true
womans heart feels and suffers when
81 loves and loses it's love. Such an ut
toranco. no must have felt. would be
sage 70 the human race He gave it,
however, before he had attained to a
complete mastery Of himself and his
literary implements. and before his con-
quest OF the entire domain Of hui
man thought and feeling had been &C
compNshed. He was only u when he
first touched that subject, and. al
though ne returned TO il in later years.
Lis work was not wholly relieved of a
ford strain en- artificial use Of rhymed
lines. and q somewhat sketch-like treat
mont of character which are indi-
cations of immaturity. Romeo and
Juliet is a powerful. eloquent exposi-
ton of passion and misery: but. some
what unlike the greater tragedies OF
Shakespeares perfect maturity, 1t does
not entirely and profoundly display the
character through the emotion. When
he came 10 depict Lady Macbeth and
Cleopatra he could show human pas
sions inextricably blended with the di-
versifed attributes Of definite human
personality. lie did not do that with
Juliet When that afflicted woman IS
separated from her passion and her
misery she fades almost into the realm
Of conjecture. When first presented.
she is beautiful, sweet, innocent, artless,
obeaent; her heart has not been
awakened, and her mind and will, con-
tented in the physical JOY of blooming.
youthful life. are pleased and passive.
Throughout her first scene. which Is not
a short one. she speaks only about fifty
words. It IS not till her eyes have looked
into the eyes OF Romeo, and her heart
has leaped TO his. that she becomes
woman. and begins to reveal in her
words and conduct the attributes of her
individual nature.
In "Romeo and Juliet the poet writes.
as in lines Of white fire upon a midnight
sky. that hopeless word which is the
final result and comprehensive lesson OF
the tragic plays Of Shakespcare-misery.
For that is where his thought ended.
That poet reflected the evanescent.
mournful pageant of human life as he
saw II. and he suggested no relief TO the
picture He may not have put forth all
mis- power in Romeo and Juliet but,
I'm so far as he did exert that power, he
exerted IL in the direction Of truth.
Misery. and not happiness, is the pre-
dominant theme of that play, as 10 al
terward was Of Hamlet" and kindred
works This world is not a rose-garden,
and happiness is not the earthly destiny Of
man. The great men and women in
"Shalrespeare" are those that the com
mon mind would invariably regard as
failures Hamlet, Macbeth, Lear, Othel-
10. Coriolanus. TimOn-they all drift into
ruin. Romeo fails, not only because fate
Is against him. but because Of perverse
melancholy, ingrained, enerYatng deiec
ton which taints his spirit. and would
inevitably defeat his life. Juliet. thrilled
and absorbed with passionate idolatry
OF another human being, overwhelmed
with emotion that heeds no reason and
brooks no restraint. is the personifcation
OF needless love; and, therefore, is fatal
10 herself The glittering Mercutio, the
choleric gallant Tybalt; the fair and
gentle Paris the gay and amiable Ben
volio-they perish I'm their youthful
primes. Romeos mother dies Of broken
heart. All through the wool Of life runs
"a thread of perversion and calamity.
But az the basis Of Juliets personality
and experience. equally with those of
Romeo. there is deeper and darker
truth-a prcordination Of evil, which is
% spring from the sovereign emotion OF
humanity. All great passion isolates the
heart by which IL is possessed. Ger
tain natures are born 10 sorrow and the
impcrGing calamity Of n malignant fate
Carkens with sombre presentiment even
their dawn of life. and seQuesters them
in a mOurnful strangeness from their
fellow-croatures Of the earth. The key
note IS sounded by Juliet the moment
hor heart awakens: "rOO early seen UNI
known. and known. too late The same
rresentiment has already settled upon the
sou1 of Romeo: "My mind misgivos
some consequence. yet hanging in the
stars"
Morning and midnight touch their lips
I'm that brilliant desolate tragedy. NO
one who has had youth can think or 10
without remembering a sacred time /
when the flowers We're swecter than now.
and the winds were softer, and in the
lush OF the night there was ceIe.
mystery. and the stars seemed friends /
and me affairs Of human beings were
ionniteiv remote and trivial. Then one
rsf~ ~ ewes was wOrshipped. and one
1,ofce was All there is Of music, and life
vs. oxalte8 into sanctity. That time can
,,,ver hoe called back. In the turmoil OF
~ world memory can scarce realize that |
A eve~ existed. But Shakespeare knew
A. and he could sure arge his mind with !
us spirit. and he has poured that spirit |
through the current Of his exquisite poem !
az love disappointment. and hopeless !
Grief Sometimes. whether in reading !
rboee scenes or I'm viewing Them the |
zyorid-worn dreamer feels a sudden throb |
of main. and seems to hear in his heart !
q rnournful voice speaking unintelligible |
words Not 10 all comes that subtle |
message; but that nature is not TO be |
onvied which, under the stress Of this |
tragedy rs not made more sympathetic |
with the terrible earnestness Of love. |
more tender toward youth, more wishful |
10 sWeoton and prolOng it's period OF ro- |
nance. and 10 shield il from contact !
with the dreary selshness and common |