Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-10
LECTURE BY PROF. EeAN.


new attitudes were advanced by Prof.
Maurice Francis Egan in his lecture,
"The Feminine Influence Of the Merchant
Of Venice" delivered before the Catholic
Reading Circle, in the New-Century Club,
last evening.
DR.. Egan said that the play, although
IL is a marvel of technique in dramatic
form and clothed in perfect blank verse,
he would not treat it as 10 its technique
or its poetry, but as a tragi-comedy in
which it stands alone among the plays.
The other plays are of three kinds-his-
torical, tragic and comic. The universal
quality which makes Shakespeare be-
loved and increasingly admired as time
goes on was treated by Prof. Egan. He
said that Shakespeare had a most won
derful and intuitive psychological in
sight. His knowledge was not profound
he cared little about pure objective facts,
lhe Is full Of anacronisms, such ~ the
clock IN Julius Caesarl but he had a
knowledge Of the universal mind.
Shakespeare, Solomon not excepted,
knew women as has no other man.
The two plots in the Merchant Of
Venice are absurd. Italian merchants In
the Sixteenth Century were more rich and
powerful than princes. Portia, as the
daughter of one, was, for her beauty,
wealth and learning, celebrated all over
the known world and it was absolutely
absurd for such a father to expect such
a daughter 10 accept a husband she did
not want, but Shakespeare throws such a
glamour over it all that we accept the
plot seriously. The other plot bringing
In Antonio and Bassanio is equally alb
surd. They, like all Of Shakespeare's
men, are Elziabethan Englishmen Bas-
sanio, having time on his hands and
needing money, decides 70 try his fortune
with the caskets. He naturally went TO
Antonio for the money 10 provide a reti-
nue., and Antonio having no ready money,
goes TO the despised, interest taking Jew.
Then comes in the absurdity, for the
bond, with its pound of flesh, could never
be a compact in Christian country;
yet in this psychological situation
Shakespeare shows his knowledge Of the
hatred Of which human nature is capable.
Shylock, a descendant of princes in his
race, looks upon Christians as noveau
richie, as upstarts and hates them for
this and for the scorn they put upon him.
Portia, as a type, was common in the
Seventeenth Century, which can boast Of
most learned and scientific women. Yet
Portia was altogether feminine. In the
trial scene it is not her legal knowledge,
but her womanliness, that held sway.
DR.. Egan said he hesitates 10 hold so un-
popular an opinion, but he thinks that
Portia did the greater part Of the WOO
ing that BassaniO chose the leaden cas-
ket because of hint from Portia. She
kept the letter Of her fathers will and
proved herself most womanly by break
ing the spirit of it. Again is she most
noticeably feminine IN her attitude TO-
ward Antonio. whom she has not yet
seen at the time of the wedding, but inn
mediately plans TO save as the noble
friend Of her husband. DIR. Egan said he
was again proclaiming himself hereto
when he beld that Portia has no definite
and valuable knowledge of the law. So
fetching was her appearance that the
case was practically hers when she en-
tered the court room. The law was moth
ing to herr right OF wrong, she would
save her husbands friend. All through
she is a woman.
Shylock's speech in the court room is
the ectasy of a life time. It shows that
he could both hate and love in violence.
With Jessoa eloped with a Christian.
and his duoats gone with her, he feels
that the curse is come upon him and
gloats upon his coming revenge. He is
inconceivably surprised that the new
lawyer should appeal to him for mercy.
Portals wonderful intuitive logic
makes her discover the flaw in the bond.
Hers is the permeating influence in the
play. She is wonderfully interesting and
charming, beyond all Of ShalSespeare's
women. Shakespeare is so universal be-
cause all his characters appeal vitality.
Every man at some time is Romeo OF
Hamlet and every woman ROsslind, or
Juliet, or Ophelia.
Rev. DR.. Temple announced that a
short musical programme, arranged by
st. PauPs choir, would preeede the lee
ture. when Evening Twilight Gathers
Round" was beautifully sung by quar-
tet composed of Mr. and Mrs. Preston.
Miss Cora Taggart and Mr. Joseph De
Luca. One of Reginald de Koven's songs
"Hell Ne, Where is Fancy Bred?" from
the Merchant Of Venice" was sung bv
Miss Cora Tagcart, accompanied on the
piano by win NJ S. Brown.
DR.. Temple very graeiously introduced
Prof. Egan. He said it was fitting that
the lecturer had just come from BaIti.
more, where Susan B. Anthony and her
crew are working strenuously for tbe
feminine quality" He alluded 10 prof
Egan as "Knight Of the Writing Table. .
and announced that the decoration which
the professor wore was recently conferred
upon him BY the King Of Belgium for his
distinguished literary services.
The evening, which win be remembered
for its intellectual delight and its musi,
cal numbers. closed with a selection bv
the quartet, Good Night"