New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-27
THE DRAMA.
Henry Ir0ing at the Broadrou.
DANTE

oozned Win a1ecuonate cordially and -esound-
rs ano ns-oon1inc-o plsodits by a great and
brilliant audience. Much has already n.e, -uh
rshed With reference TO the play % s-r,a-t." ans
% Henry lrT7rSs acting IN IL and little II s-v-
sAang. O. special import remains TO be SAID Tbe
purpose OF presenting Henry Irving n the charac-
ur of the nloss-ious Italian poet probably WIS
pnouptec by observation OF hts partial personal
-eser1blS5oe TO the accepted Dante r4o---ast +h.
racaella nnc likewise OF such other et-,llst-,aex
o. his p-ocig1ous mental activity his imaginative
VITA os11perA1e-s- his intense. invete-ate relis-
icuS allegiance 70 cauSeL and his spiritual soa-
sion from the mass % mankind: but however II
NAY have been prompted. the purpose was auspi-
csous and communicable. and Il has been fo-r,-
nstely arc nobly cUlane6-for 81 has resulted in
g-zcEg the stage with wonderful pageant ~ his
so-cal pictures romantic fiction ana dramatic
-aoveroeut- and II has enabled the foremost actor
az our tine 70 create immortal image OF intel
i>o-Uai supremacy passionate devotion heroic self
ss--1cce majesty and power
Tie poet Dante. he gliuners out % the misty
historical and Biographical records has always
seemed rather an incstinct and elusive being more
q spirit than q man. yet q man certainly he was
s-6. car readily be 6isce-red IN his Divine
Conecy. man OF intense. passionate nature. in
do-nirshle VIII. puisssnt character. snd he-y con
rruc-z-ed intellect.-the intellect that burns with
imagination and feeling. and consumes The body
r which 4 is lodged Not very many English
trea King persons attentive and apprecistive
readers o DG1te's poer-y.-this bard. like Milton.
having long been safe object o. that conventional
-~verence which takes great name trust--but
those persons who DO read think Q. the poet and
Ike SO 70 think OF him. auste7e lonely. nys-
-s-iCus figure. supreme above the desires tenapta-
---s sins. and follies OF humanity: Al image Of
Bl1-.us devotion, gauut. sorroE-st-1cken but i'm
morally triumphant Just visible and no more. on
the cloudy verge o. the spiritual world LATHE II
a-y heed. accordingly. is given 10 the scattered.
dubious. cold chronicles OF his actual life: and
Rightly sc-for q be denied that those chron-
ices not only dubious and cold but barren dis
cc-6a1t. and confused. Mention occurs that he
ea-lv 3 writer and that his early
a--c-ous: that his morals and conversation were
free. that he was. for little while SOL
der: that he Was ambitious. INSCRIPTIONS poll
t-izr. II Flo-ence-the city that he loved and
from which ne exiled: that he
vindlcttve hste-. who wrote from n1slgn wrath
ruch as from poetic inspiration; and that the
Bzsr-ice q his great poem. though undoubtedly his
F-S- love. was BY means his last There is even
s mention that he ha5 three wives The narrative
has been pieoed out from many sources, and X
ru1s C1bly through many books; but almost every
ce-aI CO Il Is qualified o. questioned Nobody
doubts however. that Dante was great creative
poet sn6 tha: his Beatrice. Untirnely snatched
away ~ death. the IDOL OF his youthful heart.
sn5.-po the last OF stormy. afflicted. miserable
sxsrence-the one sacred object Of his heavenly
hope. So much car be found in Dsntes poetry.
lie has been dead FOR nearly six hundred years
and. since ne tales and legends are al variance
and the reader can have fun liberty OF choice. il
surely IS that the should be sought II his
poetry, = he is 70 De sought Al all In that won
de-ful story OF a human soul the thought OF the
rlode-r world has found his genius, and by that
s-andard i has ratified his fame. Well has IL been
counselled that his 'coasolariols" sno his errors
should De passed ever II silence. and well was il
said BY ne poet Persons IN his noble rhapsody on
Dsnte's bust.
Q me whose v--eicss mock our cT1
That poor old exile sad and one.
Before rs name TIE nations bow:
Deer Z Thoss h.sr1s e 2. his s,, s50r
It's in The likeness Of g man and not OF a spirit
a. emblem. o. q mystic symbol that NJ sa-dou.
~ Noreau and their faithful and judicious
a6spce- RI Laurence Irving have Reproduced
Dante. IN the d-ama.-g1ving free rein to fancy.
and duplicating the hero IN tragic and pathetic
story q love sin sorrow expistion, and inexorabe
fate Il this way il possible &c utilize the
Italian poet as & dramatic chsracter.-in this way,
sn6 il no other. The license Ct invention that has
been used may, perhaps. disturb the Dante en-
-husiast with sense q incongruity. for Dante is
displayed not only almost pErenetic prophet
and sve1ger. oUt the lover OF another mans
vie. the father Of an llegtrate daughter. and
thu expeditions a5ventu-er sometimes manifest and
sometimes disguised. IN scenes % strife blood and
re-l and II realms q nameless horror and IN
-ea able dread Il should. however. be considered
--Et The stage treatment Of historical charac-
tiers while the essential truth should be respected,
. strict conformity ascertained facts is neither
a-zavs possible nor always desirable; for. II the
r---.aI environment - any such character happens
% have been rnonotonoUs. the result OF fidelity IN
rs -0rr~avsl VIII be nsipid while y the environ
--e-- ha-pers 70 have been filthy the result viii
- cSious- ard L should also be considered that
r-e a-r~ibures q character and the alterations as
vel as he-oisrs = conduct imputed 70 Dante are
-o- s- amy wy ciscordsrt with the best ideal %
r.~ tra- ever formed by reason Or justified
by ---.-h In the rventy-1ourth canto G. the Pur-
rs-o-v there is q -cIled a.lusion 70 woman whom
So Is believed d. met and loved, ano won long
aerer the EPISODE cf Beatrix Portraria had ended,
src acre- his exile from Florence hac mace MIN the
warrant uaIf q misfortune and sorrow. The city o.
inca Was her home and her name was Madonna
C7e--u-.a Upon this hint. and upon other intinna-
---e ~ -re Divine Comedy. together with such In
c-r--s cf Italian history serve 70 indicate the
.-- rre q hgorry despotisn. cruelty. and vice In
vr.-r Darte's lot was cast TIE oraEnAusls haNe
-e--es choir elaborate fabric Of romantic picture
AID -.r~ul--ous deed. and. while their MECHANICAL
s--s.e is -onspcuous. their Theatre device some
viz f,--a-toIicaL their detaI exuberant, their
s---1Sraere eauguinary. their bounty q horror ex-
~ee-rl and their style more executive tnan eN-
Hr--@ --ef- play shows great wealth Of resource
rr---r-- bic ingenuity. excellent judgment IN the
PRACTICAL display q difficult theme a-lc aoiraDie
rs~sl-eee and 5elicacy o. feeling IL the portrait
--e q q noble character. The play lacks FORM a
l--e because it is overloaded with material but
se-e--sll- II is q great pay.-becaUse necessarily
vibrant and trernulous with action that Illustrates
great e,srfect-and il affords spectacle OF vast
rrse-se.e~oe The supernatural element OF H. IN
particular is employed with conEuEnrnate skill
Dante 1escen5inE into hell and making 4 progress
through that under world which his age De-
Ae-el. in order 10 obtain the guidance q spl.iN -
h.e search for his daughter, forcibiy seized anu
Imprisoned by ms enemies upon earth
This guest il the vertebra of the drama Dante
cl--. 1ttt-s1x n ths play he s a man OF nloo4e