New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-26
THE DRAMA.
MANSFIELD AS SHYLOCK.

was again given last night. at the New Amster-
( dam Theatre. has been known upon stage for
| nearly twelve years. He played the part for the
! first time October %, 1893 the house which
was then called Herrmanns Theatre. but is now the
Princess His original ideal of Shakespeares con-
| ception Of the Jew that OF the malignant.
cruel. implacable personal enemy and his present
performance does not disclose any material change
| in that ideal He exhibits Shylock Shakespeare
| has drawn him,-as a rapacious usurer and as
crafty, wicked man, passonately bent on revenge
This is true and therefore right-for Shylock is the
incarnation Of hatred and malice. He intends
murder, from the first. and he obtains his ad-
vantage by a trick being perfectly well aware,
at the time he devises the stratagem of the
merry bond.' of the purpose that he means TO &C
complish. Much amiable nonsense has been written
about the humanity and the religious grandeur of
Shylock, and, doubtless, the importation OF those
| attributes into embodiment of the character ma
terially augments the sympathetic effect OF H. on
the STAGE but those attributes are not distinctly
| asserted in Shakespeare's text Shylock hates An
tonic first because he Is Christian, but next ana
more" because he Is a practical opponent OF
usury and, lastly. out Of natural and Justtnaole
resentment for gross personal insult and INJURY
1t must, of course be allowed that racial antpathy
and religious fanaticisn present in the char
acter and that these deep. latent forces may
rightfuly manifest themselves in performance or
Shylock they would spontaneously do IN actual
ife-because human conduct is always impeued by
unconscious motives well conscious ones
Shylock would out the heart Of Antonio. would
kill him With his hand, because OF "a lodg
hate" and "a certain loathing; but also he has AN
oath in Heaven" and. not for Venice ITSELF would
he lay perjury upon his soul. He is mindful. more
over that Antonio hates the sacred nation: Mr..
Mansfield seemed to place more than usual stress
this pious aspect of the Jew, but 1t caused no
change In the nature of the impaired effect
These intiInations coupled with the allusion to
the turquoise ring (''I had it Of Leah when was
bachelor'). have exercised a formative influence
with certain great actors of earlier tne,--nota-
bly, Macready and the elder Wallack.-and have
established a tradition that Shylock should be
shown bereaved husband. afflicted father,
and austere personihcaton of Hebrew faith and
memorable Hebrew law. Wallsck exceptionally
representative OF this view. and indeed he seems to
have been the first among actors that ever por-
uayed Shylock a persscuted and injured man:
and he was the first that ever dressed the Jews
head with gray hair Douglas Jerrold has left the
written testimony that Edmund Kean's ShylocE
was like chapter Of Genesis. For the most part,
however, the obvious rather than the subtle hbres
of the character have been apprehended by the long
line it's representatives and the ideal most fire.
quently exhibited is that of Mackn.-the first great
Shylock Of the British stage, Henry Irving Is
the last. In Mr. Mansdeld's embodiment the
Macklin ideal reappears.-somewhat modified to
be sure. but not substantially changed That
ideal crystallizes into terrible image OF maugn
physical vitality the attributes of ferocious hatred
and hloodthirsty malice, these being for a time.
yelled under specious guise OF humble subserv-
presently let loose in frenzy of exultant cruelty
and murderous passion Now. on all previous
occasions Mr.. Mansfeld'e expression Of this ideal
is replete with fiery energy and splendid eloqusncs
nervous force. tremendous tumult of passion, and
great vocal power. His delivery Of the reply to An
tonic is memorably fecitous-and this. surely, is
OF the great ilIurninative passages OF Shake
speares text Here. for moment. the Jew is over
by the impulse Of revenge, and the internal
purpose of his dark soul flashes into views but with
fnSfo danfl
a deft ostentation Of affected hunpor-peouliarly
characteristic Of him. and provtdent, throughout
the comedy, OF the only relief that Is afforded TO
the darker aspect OF Shylooks nature. More action
the part OF Shyloc in the Street Scene and less
herculean vigor and copious sorority In the Trial
Scene, would enhance the splendid effect.
In the period before Maoklin's time, the Jew
played a comic part, but Shylock is not humor
ist-hewever griInly humorous may be the sound
of his sagacious speeches and his curt. tnosive.
ironicaI satrical replies Mr. Mansfield has always
been remarkably effective in giving point to turns
of caustic irony and polished shafts OF sarcasm
Still more remarkable has he always been in mo-
ments of turbulent vehemence-and so he Is now;
for IN the street scene with Tuba his passionate
utterance sweeps everything before It and moves
the auditor as with the blast Of tempest The
boundless rage. the vocal duency, the tnsensate
cruelty. the hideous. viperke exultation. and the
instantaneous changes from triumphant wrath to
historical anguish are in full accordance with the
spirit of the scene. and they are amply commensu-
rate with any standard Of great acting In the trial
scene Mr. Mansfield expresses relentless hate i'm
placable purpose and cold. malignant very horri-
BILE conviction OF success, and thus he rounds out in
embodiment OF part which, IN IT'S essence. is de-
testabIe but which. in its dramatic qualities and
functions is among the best that genius ever ore
ated or art displayed.
Tho elder Booth. in acting Shylock. spoke in
dialect, denoting the Jew a foreigner
IN Venice. This custom has long prevailed in Ger
many. The distinguished German actor Bogumil
Dawson, who visited America in 1866. exemplifed
It Mr. Mansfield uses sort Of cadence, productive
Of the same effect. 1t is notable that he has mod
fled his costume in the direction Of greater sim
pIcity. Gravity and decorum are among Shylocks
traits. The figure likewise. is emaciated. and the
face is haggard EVIL passions. at the roots OF the
mind corrode the whole being and their effect, in
evtably. becomes visible in the person. In his
arrangement of the comedy of 1.-The Merchant Of
Venice" Mr. Mansfield retains only of the
Casket scenes, and also the garden scene, at the
close but, by ruthless curtailment OF the text,
he has reduced the comedy to four acts In his exit
from the trial scene the business (Which is new
may be intended for suicide. which would be
radically wrong, or it may be meant as a denote
ment OF final collapse. II the Jew were depart
ing to die. This latter expedient would deepen
the effect OF pathos and tragedy. but the text Of
Shakespeare explicitly declares that Shylock SUBJ
mits to the Judgment of the court Of Venice. and.
after leaving the court signs the deed of be-
queathment TO Lorenzo and Jessica: that
inference of his death, utterly
ruined man. is not justified. Much interesting
speculation the ultimate fate of the Jew
has been provided by OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
larly by that famous actress Helen Faucit.
The field is one in which fancy can ramble at
pleasure. but the flowers that gathered there
fade. Shylock cannot be made lovable: but
shylock is much the most respectable man in the
play; he is meanly, dreadfully, and cruelty ILL
treated.