The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-10-04

under consideration by the COMMITTEES In
charge OF these arrangements
II may be Of interest to briefly retsl the
story OF Hamlet as Shakespeare found Il
when IN search OF material for the Danish
play he had in mind.
In the time OF King Rorfck. Gervendm
was Governor OF Jutland He had two
sons. Harvendnl n Fengo. both seeking
the hand OF Gerutha- daughter Of Rorick,
the King.
Harvendm went forth upon a Viking ex-
petition and returned loaded with spoIs
70 be received with many honors by King
Rorick, who further signihed his an.
pnovel OF Harvendnl by giving him the
hand o. Gerutha in marriage.
Jealous Of his brothers good fortune.
n possessed OF a lasting passion for
Gerutha, Feugo for many years nurtured a
hatred for HarvendlL. which was intensi-
Red BY the birth OF a son 70 Harvendnl
and Gerutha- This son was Amleth.
When Ameth had grown 10 young man
mood, Fengo's Jealous hatred eliminated
In his numbering his brother. Haryendm.
With his own hand. Shortly after. by ira.
ducins his character 70 Gsrutha. Fengo
succeeded IN persuadins Der 70 -'1rry him.
Fearing now lest he sho fan the
next victim % his uncie's I'd. Am
leth feisn@d 10 be an imbecIie.
sent 10 England by his uncle-stepfather
Tor treatment O. his malady. Amleth dis
covered a Encouragement between Fsngo
and the English King to compass bis
Death Returning at once 20 Jutland. he
slew Fengo with the latter's own sword
which he obtained in substitution FOR his.
which was locked In It's scabbard.
such was the brutal and ather unln-
spirug story which the genius CIR shak =
pr1Te made into a Noble tragedy. opulent
with every treasure OF the Imagination
which hs Intellect could lavish upon IN.
printed page.
In connection with this story Il Is in
terestins TO note. In support OF the theory
% 4 historical basis for the play Of
Hamlet that near Randers. In Jutlsna.
there i a place called Amelhede Ham.
lets Heath. a reach OF water called
feggeas Sund CFengo's sound and a de-
ciylty known as FeEse's Klint CFengo's
These are all local names. retained un-
changed frOm an original IN the remotest
past; and such Is the hold OF the char
Hcter upon the Imagination OF men one
likes 10 think that they are true relies o.
a real Hamlet
Regarding the statue and It's future sur
r~oundingS. the photographs printed with
this article speak better than words
The statue IS a finely Characteristic
piece OF Danish art: unaffected IN concep-
ton. ruSged mastery and yet with the
stamp CT exquisite imaginative Insight In
the denotement OF character In the por-
uaiturs itseh.
The rough foreground OF old hewn stone
In the picture OF krOnboFg Castle Is the
ancient batuement upon which Shakes
peare ibid the scene o. Hamlet's meeting
with his fathers ghost. and the grave OF
Hanet n ''Ophelia's spring" have
been for % many generations known as
such hat for al any man wiz ever know
they actually figured In the real life story
OF these two Characters
L hope they dd; n not there II no harm
done ~ they got their names In a fiction.
There are many instances OF the cree
ton OF statues far from the birth lands
OF famous men who have delighted and
enriched the world by their works Shakes
peGre II alrsadg represented IN Paris. Wei
mar and many American cities. Goethe
In Vienna. Lnnaeus In Antwerp and IN
Palermo. ThorWaldsen IN Rome and IN
New York. Hans Christian Andersen In
Chicago and Dante In Berlin
But this erection OF a statue OF Shakes
peare on the very scene OF his and the
worlds greatest play Is the outcome %
as happy a thought as ever inspired the
p-erpetuation OF n great mans menory
The names OF TIE original committee AZ
Elsinore comprise almost the whole lit
erary and theatrical world OF Denmark.
Those wishing 10 contribute 10 the COM
mittc0's fund for casting the statue IN
bronze may do 90. through J. = v. Leer-
bech. ESQ, Lieutenant colonel, Consul
General for Denmark. New aork