New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-29
A GREEK DIVERSION
Mr.. Maurice Hewlett's "Ariadne
in Naxos."

crary FORM ana lyrlcal passion WitHou'
dramatic movement. That was COM
prehensive judgment on his first work.
Pan and the Young Shepherd" and II
might be repeated respecting the more
ambitious Greek play, "Ariadne in
Naxos," which has been produced by the
Poets Club at the Little Theatre. The
blank verse is melodous when detained
by Mr.. Claude King as Theseus, by Mr..
Godfrey Tearle az Donysus and by Miss
Grace Lane as Ariadne; and the chorus
Of maidens led by Miss Margaret Morris
reveals n substantial glow OF Dionysiac
fervor in song and dance when be-
witched by the pleasure loving god; and
yet there is nothing like real drama
The old story Of the abandonment or
Ariadne by Theseus and OF her subse-
quent awakening 10 Joy and rapture
when Dionysus gazes at her with ad-
miration and seductive grace Is told
anew: and neither the pathos OF neglect
and ingratitude nor the revival or pas
sionate ardor moves the spectator. rms
is because the poet is not interested In
the conflict Of wills, but in the psyche
logical study Of what is human and
what is immortal and Of the limitations
OF whatsoever is incarnate.
Dionysus speaks in the prologue when
the curtain rises on a sandy blight or
Naxos with a howery vale and back
ground of blue sea; and half dozen
Cretan maids with white arms and bare
feet are dancing graceful measures and
posturing like figures in the Elgin mar
bles. When the pipes are hushed Theseus
appears in shimmering armor after hay
ing slain the monster Minotaur with the
help of Ariadne and brought her with
him to Naxos as his bride. Speedily the
magic OF the enchanted island is work.
ing. Handsome Dionysus, with his Loop
ard skin, chaplet of vine leaves and
heaming eyes, sends Theseus away In
quest OF political adventure, and draws
fororn, despairing Ariadne to himself
when her lover has deserted her No
less infatuated than she is herself, the
Cretan girls are in the maddening Whlrl
of a wild Bacchic dance, with heads
thrown back in frenzy. with locks dis
ordered. and with arms and legs keeping
time with the shrill pipe. Artadne has
reverted from dependency to rapture
and the romantic maidens have become
reckless bacchan;es; and yet the amor
Gus god has no power over their hearts
He fascinates them with the glamour of
his beauty and joyous nature but cam
not make them love him.
There is something here that was not
I'm the Greek myth, although the ship
may return TO Athens with the black In
place Of the white sail, and Ariadne may
receive from Dionysus as a wedding GIT
a crown, which can raise her 10 place
among the brightest stars In heaven. IL
is the modern materialistic idea that
gods and mortals will inevitably fail
when they attempt TO exchange natures,
since the divine cannot be implanted and
developed in man nor the human be eN-
allied into companionship with I'M
mortals. The Greek dramatists could
express feeling for beauty and render
homage to the great natural powers
without sinking into the depths Of ma
terialism and pessimsm. Hellenic HUI
manity could find itself mirrored In the
glorifled myths and legends OF heroes
and gods. Types Of character were not
degraded, but were left on the heights
among the inspired, even when the old
faith was impaired. The choral worship
OF Dionysus never degenerated into
wanton dances Of satyrs. Something
divine remained I'm man, and there was
no tragedy among the Olympians so
poisnant as conscious knowledge that
they could not reveal themselves to hu-
manity and upllft It. Among the ago
nists Of Mr.. Hewlctt's mystic triogy OF
gods and men the restful feeling Of con-
tcntment with human lot and divine or
der is lacking.
The desertion OF Ariadne and the re-
awakening of love, as told by Homer
and Catullus. are wildly portrayed In
the modern version. Dlonysus blows cold
upon unstable Theseus and spirits him
away, and he blows with hot breath
upon Ariadne's tresses and she follows
him. while her maidens dance for JOY.
Responsibility for human conduct disap-
pears, and the Kings daughter is hope
lcsslv enmeshed I'm the DEGREES Of the
Fates and I'm the caprices Of gods. The
hclplessness Of the mortal figures makes
ii a Greek play, and the simplicity of the
setting and the beauty Of the costumes
determine it's character. DiOnysus,
Youthful. languishing and devoted to the
pursuit Of evanescont pleasures. seems
10 have stepped out Of the painting at
Pompeii. Ariadnc. I'm blue and white,
Int without the red eirdle, has an air of
detachment. as i'm Titan's picture, and In
place OF the frenzIed mob of Satyrs.
Pans, Sileni and drunken jewellers, there
is the cluster Of rudy maidcns I'm blends
of red and brown. Stalwart Theseus,
sailor and a manad complete the group
Of characters, and beyond the sands of
Naxos is the bluest OF seas.
"Ariadne in NaXos' e not one Of those
classic masterpieces through which
schooIboys are condemned to plod their
way laboriously, and. in Byron's phrase
Ito understand, not feel the lyric blow
II lacks many Of the characteristic feat.
ures of Greek drama, simplicity Of style
and dignity Of treatment among them;
and vet is it a pleasing and stimulative
work. with poetic imagery of singular
beautv and with melody I'm the verse.