The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-06
STEPHEN PH|LL|PS'S ULYSSES"
Some Interesting Facts About How the New
Poetic Drama Came to Be Written.
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
stephen Phillips. playwright and poet,
was born on the banks of the Avon and
| received part Of his early schooling at
Stratford. He went to London as Shakes
peare did. and also became an actor at the
GLOBE Theater. in the company organized
ny MS cousin, Frank Benson. In the course
OF six years stage experience he achieved
success In various ro.es notably that OF
the Ghost In Hamlet"
Lyric poetry. principally upon classical
ana biblical themes. occupied the serious
attention of Mr.. Phillips long before he
quit the stage to make literature his pro-
iession; In 1897 high critical acclaim
greeted his "Marpessa,' which abounds in
such passages as
Thy face remembered is from other dnys:
l. mas been died for. though know not when;
u mas been sung OF. though know not where:
~ mas the strangeness Of the Turing West
And OF sad sea horizons
Then George Alexander, tho London ac-
tor-manaser. commissioned the poet to
write him play. The result was "Paola
and Francesca" which chronologically is
the first Of Mr.. Phillips's dramas, Mr..
Alexander's holiness. however. seems to
have faltered when 1t came to producing
the piece: and during the four years or so
that he hesitated Mr.. Phillips wrote
"Herod" and Ulysses for Herbert Beer
nohm Tree. 30 1t came about that Mr..
Trees presentation Of "Herod. at Her
Matesty's Theater last season preceded
that Of "Paola and Francesca" now run
ming at Mr.. Alexander's St James's Thea
ter.
Richard Mansfield. It Is understood, ac-
CURED Herod" for America, but subse-
quently his artlor must have cooled. His
discovery that Marianne. the leading fe-
male part. was nearly as strong II not
quite as strong as the title role Is said
to have decided him in not producing the
piece. Charles F,rohman acquired the
rights to the play and later on William
Fayersham will be seen in the part
Ulysses" ran a long career in London.
"Paola ana Francesca and 'Herod'' are
both tragedies. Ulysses" the third and
latest Of Mr.. Phillipss dramas to emerge
In theatrical production In London and
the first in this country. is a poetic
comedy. A prologue in rhymed heroic
couplets shows the gods in session on
Olympus. whilst Athene pleads with Zeus
for her protege Ulysses.
Calypso this long while
Detains him " her dangerous ocean islA
Ogysia, green on the transparent deep.
There did she hush his spirit Into Sleep
And all his wisdom swoons beneath the charm
OF her deep bosom and her gllmmcring arm.
Zeus permits Athens to go to Ulysses
and offer him the choice OF remaining
with Calypso or returning home through
desperate trails, in which he must go
from dalliance to the dolorous realms
below" heavily winning his way back to
Ithaca. In adjourning this Olympian
meeting. Zeus genially calls out:
The cup. bright Ganymede!
An. from the first
The guiding OF this globe engendered Thirst
Ulysses, being aroused from his spell.
does not hesitate. His yearning is ex-
pressed In splendid outburst, beginning:
All. that might see Gaunt Ithaca stand UP
out Of the surge.
You dashed and streaming rocks. and sobbing
crags,
The screaming seagulI and the flying cloud
To smell far out the gebe Of my own farms
To spring alive upon her precipices
And hurl the singing spear Into the air:
To scoop the mountnin torrent in my hand
And plunge into the midnight OF her pines
Calypso. offering to make him immortal,
like himself. II he will but stay. Ulysses
nobly replies:
would not take life but on terms Of death,
That sting In the wine Of being. salt in It's
feast.
To me what rapture in the ocean path.
o Death. thou hast becl,on to the brave.
Thou last sea Of the navigator. last
Plunge Of the diver. and last hunters leapi
The descent into Hades, with Hermes
for mentor. follows the heros departure
from Calypso's Isles. and in the final act
his return, in the disguise Of a beggar, to
his faithful wife Penelope in the Palace
at Ithaca Is said to be wrought out with
aphic effect.