The Washington herald., 1907-12-10
The BelaseO-''The Fool Hath Said.
There Is No God,

Clumsy as the title of Mr. z. H. Soth-
ern's new play may see. It strikes one
after the play is over as most apt and
wonderfully expressive. The play was
made by Mr. Laurence Irving. and is
based on Dostoieffsk's novel, Crime and
Punishment" though II has little of the
sheer horror Of the Russian novel Last
night It was seen by an audience which
filed the theater. and which evidenced its
intellectual enjoyment of the play by ap-
plause az the end of each act which
called the star before the curtain again
and again
To the theater-goer who insists on TAX
ing his pleasure with gusts of laughter.
and who is not willing TO concede that
the stage, in its primary function, is in
very truth 10 hold the mirror UP 20 ma
ture." this play of Mr.. Sothern's will not
appeal. But thoughtfuny and earnestly
considered. il offers full measure of IN
tellectual enjoyment. stimulates to
thought. and brings TO mind in an ear
nest, dignihed, and tragic manner a prob
lem which some Of the best thinkers and
brightest minds in the world are bending
their every energy TO solve
1t has been called gloomy play. but
TO dismiss IL thus is to DO the pIav a
rank injustice 1t has gloom-the
gloom that clouds all Russian ntera-
ture' and which-as literature is IN
evitabiy a part of life-is an out
growth, a reflection OF the environ
ment in which that literature is born.
1t is faint and feeble-horrible
though 1t may seen-expression of the
centuries of oppression. wrong. con-
tumely, and injustice which have in
deed made the Russian peasant broth
er to the OK
IL would be strange indeed, if in
such an atmosphere there were not TO
grow up men like Rcdion Raskolnikoff.
the idealist whose theories and doc
trines are in advance of his world:
perhaps not only in advance but above
his world. We Of SNUG content may
be satified with things as they are.
may even in blind satisfaction with
things that are second best. believe
that this world is as good a world as
may be; its social ethics as perfect as
could be desired; its moral code strong
and fine.
But here IS a drama of protest, It
IS carried to the extreme perhaps as
protest against wrong often is but
he must be blind, indeed, who cannot
read a world Of truth and justice into
even the crime of Rodion.
Briefly, the story Is this: Rodion. the
student, pale-faced and a thinker. is
almost distraught over the problem of
rescuing the downtrodden from wrong
and oppression. His landlord is an utter
brute and up above him in his apartment
house live little family. Sonia. young
GIRL with her two orphan sisters. II
was Gromon, the landlord who had
driven their father 10 drink: who had
caused his death. 1t was Gromoff who
insults the young and helpless Sonia.
and threatens TO drive her into the street
unless she submits 10 his will. In her
agony-her little sister is very ill-Sonia
seeks advice and help from Rodion Al
ready he has advanced a theory in p
pamphlet just published. that under Ger
tam circumstances murder is iustifable
ana that men brave enough should starnp
out-at Whatever cost TO themselvee-
eVll Wretches who cause so much suffer
ing in the world Frenzied by Sonia's
distress. though he has never known her
before, and she is, 10 him. only a type
OF suffering in the abstract. he siezes an
ak and, going upstairs. slays Gromof
The rest of the play concerns itself with
the hunt Of the police for the murderer
Two poor wretches are arrested. Rodion
cohIeSSeS 10 Sonia what ne has done
and she comes TO believe. through the
earnestness of his argument. that he was
but an instrument of Justice But strong
man as he is, he breaks down-not his
viii. as he says, but "the physical ma
chine and. bit by bit, he leads the clever
magistrate, Bezak, on 10 his trail. In the
fourth act there is a most graphic scene
in which Bezak believes bv dragging
out the h9rorrs and re-enacting the crime
he viii get RodiOn to confess; but a time
ly and dramatic interruption comes-one
Ot the poor workmen accused. to save
the other, cOnfesses the crime. In a burst
or triumphant and sardOnlc laughter
ROdiOn walks out free
But in the last act he is nlone with
Sonia; she Of pure heart and simple faith
and she begs him to believe that in this
world the gospel of mercy preached by
Jesus Christ is the only safe gospel To
follow He begs her 70 go away with
him: he brings up his atheisuc batteries
against her. The faith that is in her-not
in the set sentences she speaks-move
him, and succumbing to her truth and
the eternal truth that is back of her-tbe
truth and faith which alone make this
gray old world tolerable-he calls in the
magistrate is led Off 10 prison. and Sonia
has promised to wait for him.
Strong and interesting and vital as this
play is polemically. il is, In spite of this.
wonderfully appealing on its dramatic
side. The height Of its polemics. as per-
haps the height Of its drama. is reached
IN The fourth act. where confronted bv
the magistrate Rodion voices not only
his own views Of discomfort. but is. one
may fairly say. the articulate voice of all
Russian discomfort and revolutionary
propaganda Says Rodion in a fine burst
You are Russian magistrate: the trade of vour
me Is 10 lie, and lie. and lie and inveigle reor,e
WHOM you ana me state which employs You choose
70 CAL criminals Criminals? The government tla+
employs yOu-this Russian coyernmeut-is the ,.pt
est fungus that fGttened on the inorano of th
subjects It willfully keeTs in darkness But there
are men, even In Russia, who beneath the lie /
OF al yolr tine pretensions II is these men yrho /
cannot sfe their cunscences or delude their minds
II Is such as they who m all ages have had 10 /
drag the chariot Of human progress and love ont Of
the deepening ruts into which you and ali your fe
low btreaucTats are forever sinking IT, These men
have TO do II with toll and gruauing and uerhars I
breaking their own backs in the effort such men 4
were Mahomet Moses. Peter the Great Julius /
Caesar. II Is true that humanity viii always tend /
70 slip back INTO other ults Then another powernll 4
man must put his shoulder 70 the wheel to rut the
chariot once more onto the clear high road of prog
ress. II Is thus. despite you and yours tina. hu-
maniiy stfl advances and improves
That is Rodion the thinker. the protes- |
tant. At other times he is ironical. /
satiric, waspish in his mirth, as when |
some one mentions Moses and the Ten /
Commandments he remarks: