The Washington times., 1903-12-31
Interpretation the Best the
Stage Has Ever Known.
The Jew Disclosed as a
Fine Type-False Sym
pathy Avoided
lnvestiture Picturesque and
Appropriate = A Strong
Cast-MiSS Hackney, as
Portia. a Moderate Sue
cess.

Mr. Irv.ng's Shylock was added last
night to the list Of characters he has
assumed in the course of his current
engagement in the National Capital.
1t proved TO be the greatest OF his four
impersonations so far disclosed. and at
the conclusion of his stay in Washing
ton will probably be held to be the most
notable accomplishment of this visit
That II was worthy of this actors great
talents seems and is very high praise
That II surpassed his own portrayal of
Louis Tuesday night is TO say that this
performance ranked high among the
greatest achievements of the greatest
actors.
No role could better illustrate the wide
scholarship TO which this actor has at
tained. and In which SO much confidence
Is reposed. The Merchant of Venice"
mas been made the subject OF almost
endless concentrations. Thick folios
have been published as TO the date of
its authorship, and after much and long
controversy a considerable body of stu
dents has announced that it was written
in the year 1894 Analysts have disputed
the number of plots and minor plots OF
which it consists. Enough ESSAYS have
In the dramatis personae to eat up more
type than the entire text Of the play.
And Of all this disputation Shylock has
inevitably been the chief contention.
until every schoolbOy has written of
the curious reading given Venetian law
TO circumvent the Jew, and debated long
resolutions announcing that Shylock
was or was not more to be pitied than
censured.
The ShylOck of the Text.
Through this maze Mr.. Irving has
walked confidently. AS was to be ex-
pected. many theorists liave opposed
his estimate of the Jew As was also
TO be expected only ftW have indorsed
il without qualification. Yet for many.
many years it has delighted not only
broad circles OF Anglo Saxon playgoers.
but has enlivened this comedy for these
students themselves Mature and mel
low as it now is. Mr.. Irving's view Of
the character is like that which Edwin
Booth entertained Of Brutus-rather the
judgment OF a scholarly actor than the
judicial. disDassioned conclusion Of a.
scholar in acting
Shylock represents TO him the impene-
trable dignity Of the Arabian race.
stanch citizen in a noble and long op-
pressed nation. a representative of
Judaism against the apostate Cialiiean
nan entitled by every element oil
power. character, and culture TO the
glad friendship of his fellows in Venice
Shakespeare, in the opinion Of this
student. intended Shylock to be essen
tally a tragic figure-a figure bound up
in tragic interest Of such a kind that
our sympathies must be irresistibly
aroused.
False Sympathy Avoided
The Jew is exhibited. not so much as
man grievously wronged i'm his own
person as the representative Of great
ration at one time aIl-powerful and now
reduced TO impotence. II will be noted
there is no attempt from the first meet
ing with the ncedfUl merchant to the
final victory of the Christian to exalt
the money-lender or mitigate the
noney-lenders low purposes. On the
contrary. these are the very aspects OF
the character which the actor most en-
phasizes-the sealing Of the merry
bond with a purpose Of vengeance dis |
closed i'm ShylOcks second speech OF
the play: the aversions for the daugh-
ter whose home he had made "a hell:
his quick forgctfulness Of Leah. he
wife-whOse death is recalled to him |
only by the loss Of a ring she had given /
her spouse as a memento-in glee AZ the |
rfv vs. OF AntOnios disaster and dIsdain /
OF Jessica. and in his quiet exultatioa /
when he refuses the repayment OF his l
principal while Antonio stands near 10 !
pay the forfeiture i'm human flesh
Booth once wrote OF the disposition /
90 forget these proofs OF Shylock's char |
acter:
Il think Macready was the first 70
lift the uncanny Jew out of the dark
ness OF his native element OF revengefuI !
seliishness into the light ofthc venerable
Hebrew. the martyr the avenger lie
has had several followers. and I once
tried TO see him i'm that light but he
doesn't cast a shadow sufficiently strong
10 contrast with the sunshine OF the
comedy. To heighten tine brilliancy for
Us a heavier cloud is necessary. and IL I
takes the form Of Shylock-'an inhuman
wretch. Incapable OF pity. void and /
empty from any form Of mercy.
Awful Conception of Evil.
Maiignity. inveterate resentment
lOdg'd hate ard certain loathing
are thus conspicuous elements in Mr.
Irving,s stimate of Shylock They ar,