New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-10
LECTURE ON GREEK DRAMA.
sOPHOCLEs's ANTIGONE AS A TYPE OF
STRONG AND PERFECT WOMAN
PROFESSOR BEvIDA OF RUTGERS COLLEGE
GIVES AN ADDRESS BEFORE THE EMMA
TURE COMPARED.

GIVES AN ADDRESS BEFORE THE EMMA
WILLARD Assoc1ATIoN-LIrERA-
TURE COMPARED.
A fun attendance OF the Emma Willard Associa-
ton found yesterday afternoon at the business
meeting held at the Windsor. After reports had
been made and pronounced upon. Mrs. Russell
Sage the president. read a letter from Miss Sara
Willard, a niece Of Mrs. Willard. describing a
marble bust Of her aunt which Is In the possession
Of the family, and from which II is proposed TO
make a copy be ordered by the association. and
placed In the library Of the Capitol at Albany.
| A letter read from Mrs. Vann bearing a sus-
| gestion that a communication be made concerning
this matter to the Governor and Melvill Dewey.
who expressed wish that the bust should be
made and placed
Mr.. Dewey suggested that resolution be taken
and the idea presented to the Board Of Regents
The resolution was proposed and adopted.
One member said that Mrs. Willard was a
business woman 1t would not be inappropriate TO
contemplate this movement from business stand
point, and ascertain the cost OF such work OF art
before assuming an unknown expense. Mrs WASH
ngton moved that the association should rely upon
the presidents good Judgment In the matter and
leave her to make the proper response, commun-
eating the result at a future meeting. The motion
was carried
The president then read vote Of thanks from
the National Society Of NewEnglen nd Women to
the association for aid rendered in the selling or
tickets for the historical entertainment given IN
the autumn The business meeting was then ao-
journed, and Professor Louis Bevter. jr. OF Rut-
gers College, New Brunswick was introduced.
His lecture on Sophocles the feature Of the
afternoon.
In introducing the speaker Mrs. Sage said that
she felt his subject to be one particularly in the
line of advance on old ideas. That with her
own graduation from school. full fifty years back.
she had felt IL not strange that she must look up
something about Sophocles and when she was re-
minded that he writing nearly five hundred
years before Christ she did not feel that 1t was
wonderful that the present should want TO join
| hands with great and beautiful past
Professor Bevier. in beginning his subject, said
| that Antigone, a type of strong and noble woman
hood together with the life Of her creator. seemed
| to him particularly apr opriate theme upon
which to speak TO nineteenth century audience or
women But he wished first to allude to the rise
of the Greek drama Of which, in its perfection the
writings of Sophoces are true exponents. The en-
| vronment In which art has developed is, he
said. OF Importance to know. and unless one under
stands how the origin Of the drama was adapted
In the literature Of the Greeks one cannot appre-
cate its full Significance In manner OF develop
ment there had been no parallel In the history OF
| Each type" Professor Bevier declared grows
out OF the antecedent type, and proceeds by the
OF It's o growth Ike e hT tempe PEea sads
of epic, lyric and dramatic verse on the one SIDE
ana on the Otner the three UOnOntnS Ol pIoSc
reared by mems hands.
| The competition with which the Greciaps ad-
vanced and sustained the keen interest In all tho
arts spoken OF. and that this spirit OF emuia-
ton shown by them Is not found in modern
times deplored. The Greek theatre was de-
scribcd, built II hillside. as seen in
the ruins disclosed last year In Asia Minor when
showed construction antedating the time Of
Alexander the Great In these theatres the au-
dience was seated three sides and scenes were
provided appropriate to the play. such as the noun
| tain-s side which would be the proper setting for
"Prometheus." There was no curtain and none or
the Illusions OF modern stage
Sophocles as q boy OF seventeen sang in chorus
OF boy dances the festival in honor OF the vic
tory Of Saam.s In the competitive feasts he
twenty four times the prize OF the four
dramas submitted each occasion Ninety-six or
his works were thus honored, and greatly was
his name and talent revered that the enemies OF
Athens who surrounded the city at the time Of his
death, gave passage for his funeral cortege from
the gates the little town Of COonus, a mile dis
tant where the poet was laid rest: and Aris-
tophanes who rdlcued all men. said OF him, gen
tie he" 'q.~@
OF Sophocless writings Professor Vevier said they
are the best in tho Greek literature or n great
age Several extracts were read, and the stories
OF Ocdipus and Antigone wsre told