New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-24
THE DRAMA.
MANSFIELD as SHYLoCK.
New Amsterdam Theatre.

- sy1npatheuc audience that filled the house in
e,-rr part M. Mansfield acted Shylock This i'm
-.-s,nation has been. more than once fully de-
-,,ss in this place, and. as il remains unchanged
49, recurrence is not suggestive OF much new re-
ark Mr Manshelds Shakespearian parts are
CHESTER Shylock Brutus, and Henry V. and I'm
IN Of them ne has dominated by dramatic power:
t.r since 70 Is in characters OF imagination that
az fine genius obtains the widest scope his en-
,-i-,ert Of clio ster j. naturally he accounted
I'D Greatest achievement In Shakespeare Brutus
.-s,ls next: Shylock and Henry are much upon
~ same leye-Vhich is that Of fact Shylock IS
m, imaginative. No phantoms haunt that revenge
81 Jew 80 spiritual misgivines distress the soul
!. ,fat crafty usurer. Massive austere inhexible
.s-itle he iS the man OF scheming incessant dill
s-t uiCkedness. bidirg its time TO break into de-
-r.ive action. the incarnate image Of ruthless
-rscty. the representative type OF hatred cru
~ and retrirutiNe vengeance There has long
tssr STAGE theory, and. since the time Of Edmund
Eesn more or less stage custom that would
rseHt Shylocl as "a creature OF religious grandeur;
2 psrsolidcatian NJ Hebrew faith and Hebrew law.
s sot If Moses on Mount Sinai; a yiceregent Of
Divine justice. ayengIng upon the Christian the
accumulated injuries suffered by the whole tribe
Z Israel Jorrola said that Keans Shylock was
ss @ chapter n Genesis That is poetcal view
end therefore d. Is a!Iuring 10 the poetic taste: nor
CAL be dcaled that the character tmplicates re-
Egi0E ls-auci~m as well as racial antnathv:
~, as drawn in Shakespeare Shvlocly is neither
zssle human lie distinctly and explicitly de-
tares that De hates Antonio. first for being a
Christian, nu- al0rC for being practical foe to
us1T and c-aTing consciously obtained his merry
bond by a clever. deccitful stratagem) that he
Vl c-, the heart out OF him II he can get the
opauunity OF doing so. He has endured personal
i1s-t from Antonio, and he openly avows "a
a5gl hate and "a certain loathing for that
annE" Christian. He never feels the curse upon
Dis sacred nation until he has lost his money
and bis gems The curse never fell upon our
usdll th now. never felt il till nowr' The
rsgence no Antonio's hatred OF the chosen peo-
De is instantly followed by mention Of a stn
rtatsr oneuee-that Antonio has rallied upon Shy
EE and upon his bargains and his thrift and has
i-e this ln The most public place possible, where
RE merchants most do congregate' Cursed be
~ Tribe u / forgive him. His motives, thus
ratsd are natural and comprehensive HIS daugh-
~ Jessicar a particularly offensive young woman
t-t credible, SAYS that she has often heard her
athsr say, 10 his friends. Chus and Tubal that he
would rather have AntOnios flesh than twenty
tines the money that Antonio has borrowed Bear
ING m mind, however. his oath IN heaven; his
reference 10 our sacred nation; his vehement
tssTerauon that he viii neither eat nor drink with
CHRISTIANS (Which does not later prevent him
from going 20 supper with Bassanio); and his la
Hed Tor The turquoise ring that he had OF Leah
Fhsa he was bachelor. il has pleased more than
1Hs Ector ~ Shylock 10 display him as a bereaved
/ husband an afflicted father. and a grandly re-
agols Incarnation In that way the character is
lzde more sympathetic. The elder Wallack in
'zrticular land a great actor he certainly was)
Zz1e the Jew essentially a prosecuted. injured
zEn,-and. indeed, was the first 20 set that exam
Pc M Mansfield 20 some extent. has taken the
Eze course making emphatic the austere piety
g shy-ock, and also ardent affection for his
ulgtter- who. nevertheless, testihes that their
hne rs hell" Yet the concrete embodiment re-
l1s as it always has been, the massive, poten-
Z aHHH r
1gerols. teerning and seething with hatred and
s1czted 10 revenge. That ideal Is right Shy
eA must possess enormous physical vitality: a
s-sc1 and countenance eHnaciated and scared by
ne rayages Of evil passion mind that exists and
eK1N IN ferocious hatred and in. the passionate
purpose q, revengeful and profitable murder; and
d spec.ous demeanOr Of humility, which presently,
bursts INTO frenzy, and finally subsidies into a
s-A intense, resolute implacable. deadly COM
losle Of malignant purpose. Mr. Mansheld's ex-
preston Of that ideal while ii somewhat lacks
'eerity q movement, IN the Street Scene, and,
physically and yocally, Is a little overweight in
ne Trial Scene. is remarkable for eIoquence, fiery
'lsrgy. and The tumult OF tremendous passion HIS
lnsrance OF Shylocks caustic irony and sarcasm is
l-leel His delivery Of the reply 10 Antonio "a
iaisage most iIluminative OF the Jews nature) IS
alecaIy hne-the associate manner allowing the
.sFs dark purpose for Just one moment to show,
1plga his si'keu assumption Of obsequious defer
no and then yelling il beneath a sudden affecta-
i- q huUQr His treatment Of the Street Scene
@ q The most eXacting episodes IN all Shake
fAis-is better than ever before, and IN many
~ potential, the uumitigated wrath, the cruelty.
shdeous ozgltation. the fluctuations Of emotion
n Triumphant Joyous hatred and now hysteri-
~ seany--aud an involved IN torrent OF fluent
2-sns being completely harmonious with the
I-llon and completely adequate 10 the artistic
i-fsmelr Iu the tra! scene Mr.. Mansfield
----l4les ty a cool conviction Of imminent sue
FA which IS essentially horrible and fearfuIly ex-
'sFe n reptile venom and fatal force. The
-safss with the knife, 10 intimate that Shy
A commits suicide, IN order 10 avoid signing the
r and becoming an ap0state in religion. is in
F24 and IS indicative Of exalted ideal OF
Jews nature. but IL is also fantastic. incorrect,
-' 19- warranted by the text; for Nerlssa, in the
i aei producing legal document says to
'is1z0 and Jessica.
Per Per- Or. o. . give 70 you and Jessioa
1'" f' death, - al be dies possessed o.
~ IS they are TO inherit after the Jews death
..sk lived. and signed that bond. He Is not
-. 10y IS be in any immediate danger Of death;
-f sun retains half OF his fortune, and he is
-''-ss te obtain mOre,-fettered only by the
---l21 that he shall not disinherit his daughter
Ills sor-.H-Iaw- Perhaps such a would
- sailp1.oIs care 10 leave nothing, at his death.
~ Ee away lls riches. while yet alive.-en-
--a some Convenient TubaI or Chus with the
-N ~ ESTABLISHING theatrical syndicate and
lz1
.aRei as whole the impe-sonation Of shylock
p gwen ay Lr. Mansfield is sngularly mas
i''-'-i- clear, rounded. authoritative, and com
p may NOT satisfy every standard Of judg-
IL may not az every point, seem common
-i- certain surprising presentments Of
-" '-at shine .u the records Of history or glow,
-s.l' halo, in the memory Of old men Some
- world have been done well that.
I5't Emerson wrote. about the cathcdTals
siala. Nature has adopted them into her
1901. Iot since the prime ~ Edwin Booth
audience heard the tremendous speech be-
- it..- not Jew eyes2" spoken a. Richard
4 tta spoke ir lasI night HIS performance Of