The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-22

outcome; IL is not necessary that this
"tern' OF the action shall be made mani
fest in one specific incident or resolving
force
The resolving force in Julius Caesar
is the speech Of Antony 10 the populace:
IN "Otheilo' It Is the wonderful third
scene OF act 3. In which Iago artfully
conyinces otheilo OF the guilt Of Dssde-
mona 1 consider the killing OF PoIontus
to be the resolving force in Hamlet"
though some would find 1t in the failure
of Hamlet TO kill the king when ne comes
upon the monarch engaged in prayer. In
Macbeth IL seems TO me that the tragic
force, the beginning Of the falling action.
is the escape OF Fleaace In the third
scene Of act g. At this point. FOR the first
time, Macbeth strives to prevent the full
hllrnert OF solemn prediction OF the
weird sisters and 10 defeated. Some look
upon the appearance to Macbeth OF the
ghost OF Barquo, in the fourth scene OF
the same act. as the resolving force; but
these two opinions are not so different as
they may seem. The first incident seems
to mark the real turn In the course OF the
action; but the scene with Bsnquo's
ghost shows US for the irst time that
the spirit of Macbeth is beginning to give
way. Perhaps we may call the first In
cident the outward and the second the
inward turn OF the action.
1t IL hardly practicable in AS You
Like IT. TO insist on finding any very
distinct resolving force. When Shake
speare brings Orlando and Rosalind into
the same forest we see what Is going TO
come OF II: this becomes palmer when
they actually meet: and when Rosalind.
protesting to be a boy Ganymsde. ar
ranges that Orlando shall practice WOO
ing her, the supposed boy, as IL Hosalind
we're really present. we see the quick
witted heroine grasp the rudder. and We
feel confident that she will bring her
craft into the desired haven.
The following figure will represent In a
general way the threefold division OF the
action OF a drama into Introduction. COM
piication and resolution which has been
discussed. The point A marks the leca-
ton OF the exciting force; b denotes the
turn OF the action-ihe resolving force
IL any single incident seems to deserve
that title.
We commonly speak OF the closing part
OF the resolution OF tragedy as the
in the case ~ a comedy we
call the last portion simply the close or
the conclusion. In a similar way the last
part of the complication. just preceding
the turn or resolving force. Is sQnetimes
called the climax OF the play. This term
IL not fortunate one, since the word
climax. IL often understood TO mean
simply the incident which begins the res
oiution--the resolving force. Perhaps We
may well call that portion OF a drama
Just preceding the turn OF the action the
middle OF the play. whenever II is help
full or convenient TO designate 1t by a
separate name. The term Is colorless
but Is at least free from misleading sus-
gesfions. Julius Caesar is a play that
can be divided with some fitness into the
i've divisions just indicated. The artfui
tempting of Brutus by cassius marks
the close OF the introduction and the be-
ginning OF the complications; the death
OF Caesar would begin the middle of the
action or climax; the speech OF Antony
TO the Roman populace starts the resolu-
ton. and the appearance 10 Brutus OF the
ghost OF Caesar may fairly be taken as
the beginning of the catastrophe. The
threefold division indicated by the aboNb
figure, however. IL the one OF funda-
mental Importance.
The word climax" is often employed In
dramatic criticism IN still a third mean
ing, and since the term is much used
feel that | shall be doing my readers a
service IL l call attention TO this The
point OF greatest emotional intensity In
play is sometimes called the climax.
and very naturally: but this point may
not fall at or near the turn of the action
In "Othello" for example, our interest
constantly increases up to the tremen-
dons catastrophe. In this third meaning
of the word. therefore. the climax OF
'Otheilo" comes al the close OF the play
few words OF warning must be given
before I close this subject. Shakespeare
frequently has several more or less fully
developed actions. or stories. In the same
play. especially In his comedies In such
a play u is only the main action OF which
am speaking. For example, "As You
Like IT. contains half dozen different
stories; but | have referred I'm my divi-
sion OF the play only 10 the principal one
the love story of Orlando and Rosaiind.
The reader must not suppose for q mo
ment that these divisions OF the action
are as distinct and separate as have
made them seem In my discussion.
Shakespeare skiiifuiiy prepares hts read
ers for every important development that
IL TO come, Though We may be Some
what surprised now and then at thu
exact turn which the action takes. yet
In the CASE Of an attentive spectator or
reader the great dramatist appeals mitch
more 20 expectation than 20 surprise
We are led to anticipate each succeeding
stage OF the aetien before IL begine per-
haps even 10 see that II Is a necessary
% what has preceded. 1t il
especially true OF ,hs tragedies that tho
characters and circumstances are so put
before us early TN the play as 20 .niiate
tn general way what the outcome ID 10
be; and then the mighty masterpiece
moves steadily on 70 It's inevitable end