The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-22
MOULTON TALKS
ON SHAKESPEARE
CHICAGO PROFESSOR ABLY IN.
TERPRETs PHILOSOPHY OF
BARD OF AVON.

In spite OF the inc;ement evening.
the chapel of Richmond College was
packed last night with those who
came to hear Professor Richard Green
Moulton, Phi. D., of Chicago. interpret
the philosophy of Shakespeare. II is
not too much to say that each one
felt amply repaid. Studies of the
philosophy OF Shakespeare are no new
thing. Lectures. magazine articles.
and books have been devoted to quot
ing from Shakespeare TO show the
philosophy of Shakespeare but the
lecturer showed that this involved A
gigantic fallacy. For by this method
the most that could he gained would
be the philosophy Of Shakespearc's
characters but not that or the ORA
naatist himself Different characters
hold diametricaliy opposite views"
said DIR. oMuiton. Only by study of
the plots can we come to know
Shakespeare philosophy, and by plot
one must not think merely of the mys-
terry that n writer may employ but OF
the whole microcosm which Shake
speare was able to use with such up-
prccedented mastery.
As the first study of plot. the lee
turer took Richard Ill. AT first the
play Is study of villainy and there is
enough for half dozen sensational
well as quantity for there is no mo-
tive except villiany itself. Ambition
made Macbeth a william and Iago liz
villain because he believes that
othello has wronged aim. We are all
ambitious exccpt when We have the
grippe 1t In said, but II Richards am
billion was at fault. villtany--the
means TO the end--had become the
end itself: 80 we have villainy as a
- t.. I.l~ u l.
stone Is to the sculptor. He kills the
husband of Lady Anne and then her
husbands father. but stoops the lat
ter's funeral with drawn sword in or
der to WOO the recent widow. He
boasts that he has sothing with which
to win her. but his >illainy and as n
snake fascinates and charms the help
less bird SO he wins her unwilling con-
sent.
Now comes the great idea of the
play which liz retributi, Pm. The dra-
matist takes the world 10 pieces and
puts 1t together again with this So the
one theme. One character triumns
but TO suffer retrihution In turn. IN a
seemingly endless chain OF retribution
Of which the Queen. Hastings, and
Buckingham are but links. Tfhe Wars
OF the Roses furnish setting for the
play and they too Illustrate this law
OF retribution. In each of villainy
Richard adds a touch and yet he alone
escapes the law of retribution which
envelopes all the others. Here is the
great stroke OF genius of the dramat-
ist 1t is the problem of nnpnished
evil In the world. The ancient pro-
phets puzzled over this problem. Chal-
dea of old WAS allowed TO trample
down nations which were certai niy 40
less wicked. Why could God allow
that jeremiah said that they wc-s
the hammer of God TO punish the
evil. but as soon as their work vas
done the hammer Itself was broken.
Richard was the hammer and he hal
to be broken. hut this retrihuticn Lad
! to- como la. a Way to. give poetic JUS
tee. wf,f.it III not 1t.cessartfy spretty
jnstice. In this case justice came slow
~ in what was first only suggested.
viz: that Richmond was to be KING.
This haunts Richard and tortures him.
In the battle on Bosworth Field Rich
ard has none of bis old and charac-
teristic imperturba bility. Rut there
In always enough good news which
comes to him to keep hts despair
warm aud thus his final rctribution is
accomplished. in the most poetic man
yaer. sss #ssss M gs ~ A,
Professor Mouiton is ~ charming
reader. and keeps his audience SPELL
bound. Ills cnunciAtion Is so peri.
that no syllable Is lost by any one. Al
though an Engitshman by birth ana
training he has given his best years
In Interpreting world literature to
Americans for which he IL justly ia
nous Hia Modern Readers Bible
enjoys widespread and growing ropu-
larity. His lecture this evening will
take, Tor its subject: Romeo and Jul
let: The Moral Significance OF Acct
dent II