The Washington herald., 1911-10-22
VITAL NATIONAL WILLIS
NEEDED DTOPRODUCEDRAMA
Lack of Spiritual Struggles in America Is One Reason
Why We Have No Masterpieces.

entail nations have no vital drama, be-
cause they do not. as a rule, believe in
that freedom Of will without which dra-
matte action is impossible. Even Sans
krit which seems to be the richest in
dramatic literature, contains not more
than sixty dramas, of which scarcely
dozen would be considered of strong
human interest according to modern cri-
teriOns. Chinese drama, in the words IF
one of the historians, is simple in con-
struCtOn and weak in plot" while the
Japanese is hardly any better-a Condi-
tion that is partially explained by the
fact that the original Japanese drama
was largely of Chinese Importation.
On the other hand, if the law has true
psychological basis, the drama should
flourish nightly in strong willed, asser-
tive nations, and flourish with especial
fertility during periods when the national
will is strongest. History again con-
firms the theory.
The MONDAY of Greek dramatic Htera-
ture was contemporaneous with Mara
thon. Salamis, and Platea. Aeschylus,
the father of Greek tragedy, fought in
all three of these historical conflicts, and
seven years after the repulse of the Per-
slams off SaIamis we find him, as a
dramatist, satirizing his defeated enemies
on the Athenian stage Classical Spanish
drama is contemporary with the dis
covery of the New World and the Span
ish conquests in Mexico and Peru. The
English drama reached the zenith of its
glory with Shakespeare and the Eliza
bethans during that unparalleled period
of national renaissance when England
rose in her might against Spain, hurled
back the almost invincible armada, and
took a foremost place among the proud
est nations of the world. And IT is
a significant fact long since observed
and emphasized by students of human
nature, that men of firm will and vIgor-
Gus action, like Richelieu and Napoleon
have ever been enthusiastic patrons of
the dramatic art.
SchlegePs observation now reads dou-
bly, true, and moro than one acute critic
has expressed his firm belief that the
unhealthy state of the French stage dur
ing the latter part Of the nineteenth CEN
tury can be traced to certain social and
political conditions that benumbed the
will of the people and stifed the feelings
of personal responsibility among those
who catered to public amusement. Such
process. has an inevitable reflex in a
feeble, languid, and decidedly porno-
graphic stage.
Law and English Drama.
But II the law or the drama demands
as the basis of dramatic action some
operation of the human will, why has
not the English and American stage
produced more masterpieces during the
nineteenth century? Surely energy of
character, vitality, and self-assertion
find notable exponeuts in these sturdy
peoples. Where, then, are the dramatic
fruits according to the law? II the results
of the last few decades shave not been
proportionate TO the intellectual powers
of these two kindred nations, the answer
is to be sought in the engrossing impe-
tary and naval armament on the part of
Great Britain. and in an equally absorb
ing commercialism on the part of the
Americans Their productive powers
have been diverted almost exclusively
into more material channels. With our