The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-20
FOB" AS A DRAMA.
An English Clergyman Considers its
 Merits as a Problem Play.

An English Clergyman Considers its
 Merits as a Problem Play.
 The author of "Job," with great dar- ing, but with realistic and human touch, introduces a comedy scene into situation of surpassing pathos. You have the hero staggering under success siye blows, smitten with sore bolls and in pitiabIe condition, and upon this scene come Allpnaz, Blluad and Ao- pnaf. 1ney Cone, too, W4tu the pro- cidfmed Intention or comforting nm 1ne nrst note o1 comfort they Strike Is to annouAue tndL ne b 50 altered they uo not recognize hlnl' 4A.s MouId scarcely ada anything of tne nature comIoILing to Jo0 III HIS state of mlnu.
 lie meets tnIs With sIlence, ana Very masterIy lnaeed Is Lnat sllehce Wltn Whlcn these men regard each other. One appreciates the tenslon or 1t all, and the situation IS agan solemn ana impressive. But the master IS genus Tor nght ana snaae. The men Who come 10 comfort remain to argue that, after all It Is Jop's own Iault, ana i'll so many words tell hlnl that It serves him ught. 1hey are shocked at his language, and al once you are plunged lnlo the depate, and nere the author or the drama explolts to the full his pro-
 b4em; Why do the righteous suIter?"
 The aeDate is systematically planned. We nave frsC one and then another up agalnst JoD, All have been tralned in a school which taught that ahicuons are Gous testimony for sin; but Job Is conscius that ne is not q sinner to the extent of merlting such punlshments as nave come upon hlm; hence you have a me situation. lie must hold to a belief which IS impossi- ble, or deny the justice of his Maker. Further, that God who knows hun to be innocent punishes him as if he were guilty and IS therefore regardless of justice in the cosmio ordering of things. The author gets his chance now to attack the accepted beliefs of his day, of advancing ideas that are outside popular theology, and he does so with daring that proceeds on it's way building up a strong story
 In the first cycle of speeches his friends occupied themselves with pre- senting what, we may take it. is the accepted theology of the day, God dis pensing to every man according to his morals, not arbitrarily but with math- ematical accuracy, giving each man what he deserves, Therefore, Job in his suffering is the mark of Divine pleasure, What, then, has Job done2 They urge him to confess, Job meets this with q denial, and protests his in- nocence. They imply blindy that he is liar. Here is the dramatlst's art in perfection. The audience is admitted 1 into the secret, the actors are not. Any tstage manager who knows anything about his art would say: This is good | work; this Is drama" The situation Is Inc mere house of cards. All the char acters are strong and the dialogue of each is to the point and vigorous. At i the same time there are just those touches which one expects In a play.
 The men are no mere puppets repeat l ing speeches You have real eharac- ters of flesh and blood, diverse and of different temperament. Eliphaz Is most courteous and inclined to be con ciliatory, while maintaining his own position Blldad is arbitrary and ac- cusing. zophar is insinuating and pro- voking. Job is as some philosophie IT. tan who would scale the heights where ] God is enthroned, and tear away the well that conceals Him from mortal gaze The characterization is excel lent. but it is the characterization of public presentation. Again and again you get expressions which imply hot interruption which would be natural in spoken debate Behold now" Hear 1t and know it" ''Be content Look upon me" Blldad complains of Jobs long speeches-'H How long wilt thou speak these things?" and, again, Hold your peace; let me alone," and Suffer me that l may speak" Look straight at me! Is 1t likely 1 shall lie to your face?" Chap. vi, 2s
 Every now and then the high tide of eloquence Is broken by some humorous or ironic allusion which only drama tist would use, and use with the dis tinct object of providing fresh interest for his audience. Job asks: "Am a whale or sea that thou settest a watch over me?" And there would be ripple of laughter when Job remarks to his antagonists. "No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom will die with you And an outburst of merri- ment when he adds, Miserable com forters are ye all."-Rev. Forbes Phil l line in Inc Nineteenth Century