Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-11-12

At the matinee yesterday Mr.. Mansfield
appeared as Shylock in THE Merchant of
Venice" for the first time in a number of
years at an Omaha theater. Those who
can recall the last appearance of this emil
nent actor locally in the role note with
much satisfaction the changes for the bet
| ter Mr.. Mansfield has made in his coneep-
ton Of the part. He does not now under
| take to make Shylock the avenger Of racial
wrongs. but rather let's him feed a private
vengeance-''a certain lodged and fixed
! hatred and loathing toward Antonio. His
bond, conceived in Jest, was intended first
to show his contempt for the Christian
| methods OF doing business; later. when the
sanctity OF his home had been invaded and
his daughter stolen away by one of An
tonio's friends, and the misfortunes OF the
| merchant crowd upon him. the bond be-
| comes an instrument for revenge. 1t could
not be that Shylock drew that bond with
| any president knowledge of the miscarriage
of the argoses from Tripoli, Mexico and
| England. 1t must therefore be concluded
that he made the loan to Antonio expect
ing to be repaid promptly and in kind.
Previous sights and insults had not awak-
ened I'm Shylock's breast any positive de-
gree of hatred for Antonio or any other
of the Christian crew; Il was only when
his daughter was stolen away and became
the bride Of one of the despised sect that
he gave way under his grief and thought
Of retaliation. To encompass the death
OF Antonio opened to him a way to be
even with his tormentors In body This
idea is made clear by Mr.. Mansfield. and
seems a very reasonable one
Shylock. under the Mansfield treatment
is a dignifed, educated gentleman, a
man of substance and affairs His seen,
with Antonio. when the loan is negotiated
Is made business transaction, a certain
degree of ironieal comment entering int,
IL, but no more than would be expected
anywhere under like conditions In tn,
scene with .Tubal, when Shylock is tori
between grief for the loss OF his daughte
and the money she took along and hi
dawning opportunity for revenge, Mr.
Mansfield gives a delightfully."- clear Inter
probation Of the conflicting emotions tina
rack him. In the trial scene he rises [,
greatness Shylock is here a man, ben
on one great, fxed purpose. His bon,
! gives him the life OF Antonio. and tina
he is determined to have. His own grea
wrongs are enough to shut out from hin
any thought Of mercy. and the process o
: the law is to serve his purpose, Il is wit
, hne effect that he delivers his lines in thi
i scene. His scorn. his whitening sarcasm
his hatred for the men who have 5
: cruelty misused him, all are expressed /
: | the sentences that come crisp and sharT
E with that incisiveness OF utterance tina
only Mansfield among all our actors ha
{ mastered Not for a moment does he los
: his dignity. never does his passion ris
: above the hxed level OF his determination
He Is not a ravening wolf: he is simpl
y vengeful man, certain OF his position
! and exultant in his power. When he ha
i been baked by the judgment pronounce
by Portia. and has been Inundated by n
y Christians, having thrown back 10 him
q portion Of that which was his own on n
: hardest OF conditions. Il is = mental rath,
\ than a physical collapse that sends hi
{ lettering from the dukes court room. A
" in all, Mr.. Mansneld's ShylOck is mo-