The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-02-07

the lyrical poet is generally to be
found: the sentiments which are put
upon the lips of his actors must net
be put upon his own lips; he does not
reveal himself in the direct definite
and concrete fashion in which the max
eTs of some other kinds of literature
often reveal themselves; but no one can
study the plays Of Shakespeare without
becoming aware that thee disclose a
general conception of life; that they
are constructed on the theory that Ger
tain results follow certain causes. IEo
keynote of those plays is to be found
liz the word character, as the keynote
of the Greek plays was to be found in
the word destiny. Shakespeare be
lieVed profoundly in the moral order Of
the world. He believed also in social
and political order; he believed in or
der in the Individual life, in the bal
ance Of qualities, in the subOrdina-
ton of the lower to the higher. It is
easy to see that he was not a cyn5c;
that he had not an impure mind, al
though the CoaTsSneS5 of his time is
sometimes reflected in his work; that
he was not a morbid man. In a word,
it is not difficult to find the spiritual
man behind the work The order in
which the plays were entered at the
statOner's is known. It is therefore
DOS1iUlE 10 LIdCC AllE GLOW II VI Ills
mind. Many facts about his personal
life are known, in spite of statements
to the contrary. Stratford is full of
Shakespearean associations Ali this
material can be found in a few good
books like Mr.. Lees Life of Shakes
peare.' Professor Barrett WendelIs
William Shakespeare, Professor
DOwdeEGs Mind and Art of Shakes
peare" and Georg Brandes' William
Shakespeare: A Critical Study"
Having gotten the image Of Shakes
paare in ONES mind the student viii do
well to take 10 the plays and study
them more critically. With the aid Of
a good text, good notes and introduce
tions he ought to understand the back
ground of each play; THAI is to shy.
the sources from which il was derived,
the time in Shakespeare life in which
it was written, and any peculiar cir
cumStances attending either its Gre
alton or its production.
This knowledge is not difficult of ac-
cess. It is idle for the man who does
not intend to be a Shakespe sThOl-
ar to attempt to master all the Shakes
pearean literature. The general stu
dent needs to put himself in possession
Of such facts as will enable him TO
group the plays in the order Of their
production with reference to the growth
Of Shakespeare mind, to understand
the sources from which the plots or
paris Of the plays were derived. and the
Immediate historical BACKGROUND.
! When he has done this. in addition to
the other things which have been emu
meTated. ne is in a position to read and
enjoys the plays to the full From this
point he may so on indefinitely to study
the philosophy of life behind the plays.
which he may discover for himself, or
which he may take from half a dozen
authorities, among them Mr.. Denton
Snider, whose very suggestive com
mentaries need not be wholly accepted
in order to be thoroughly enjoyed At
ter all, the best way to know Shakes
peare is to possess a good edition in
small volumes; such an edition, for in
stance, as the Temple Shakespeare, to
carry a volume in ones pocket: to cut
. down Ora's newspaper reading and TO
/ devote ones time. as one travels in
street cars. railway trains and ferries.
to the reading Of Shakespeare.