The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-29
WAR AND LITERATURE.

One effect of the war will undoubtedly be
to give more virile character to literature
than it has lately possessed. Signs of this
change are already noticeable. It is too ear
ly yet to find manifestation in the exclu-
such magazines, like the programmes of
women's clubs, being made up a year in
advance, but it is found in the newspapers
of the country. Fiction writer's have not yet
responded to the dominant element of in
terest, though they will, of course, do so
in time, but the poets have felt the inspira-
ton, and, not content to await the tardy
appearance of their verses in the accus-
toned places, have given them to the near
est daily papers in order that they might
go to the public in the white heat of utter
ance. A striking instance of this sudden de-
velopment of force and feeling is that of
Miss Edith Thomas. For years she has been
a writer of verse, classic, cold and abstract,
as far removed from warm, living interests
as the stars. The human note has been al
most wholly lacking in her work, yet in the
past few weeks she has produced some of
the most stirring and impassioned of poems
bearing upon the war. A similar case is that
of Robert Underwood Johnson, of the
Century editors, a man who has written
some beautiful verses, but on themes so
apart from the common interest that it is
not remembered. He, too, has been thrilled
by the events of the time, until he has been
forced to speak. These are but two ex-
amples out of many that might be named,
the present generation of writer's needs is
something to draw it out of its libraries and
studies into the swift current of human
happenings In this instance the happening
is war; but there is never a time when life
does not offer opportunity for vigorous lit
erature to writer's who are in touch with it.
1t is an old saying that a singer cannot
move her audiences and be truly great I'M
til her heart has been broken. Mrs. Fiske,
the actress, in a recent interview, advances
a similar theory as to stage people. To be
great actor, she says, one must have had
wide experience in suffering. Whether this
is applicable to writers Or not, it is at least
true that to be able to move their readers
they must be able to comprehend the emo
tions they describe, to feel their own rela-
tionship with those who do aspire and
strive, and love, and suffer; to know their
kinship to those who fail in life's struggle
as well as to those who win. They must be
in touch with humanity, and to be so de-
mands sympathy and insight that may come.
no doubt. from acquaintance with their fell
loV-men as we'll as from their own personal
experience. In great writer's. the Shaks-
peares, the Balzacs. the Eliots, the Dick
enses. this insight is genius. These, verify,
look into their hearts and write. but the
lesser tribe needs the shock of other mems
emotions, needs to come in contact with
life as other men live it. 1t is the war that
has brought this shock to school of writ
ers who were becoming too self-absorbed
or too taken up with trivialities. 1t has Civ
en- them sudden realization of what life
may be-of great world movements, of cour-
age. daring, self-sacr!fce-and they are
thrilled. as theater audience is thrilled, By