The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12

lines Of the play Is brought into sharp
relief in this essay; and the thesis Is
successfully maintained. that OpheIid,
instead Of being a part to be tricked out
by means of dress or mannerism to a
snowy but unjustified prominence, has
an important contribution to make tow
ard the sequential logic Of the plot.
Impersonators Of the unhappy girl are
not to depend on the charm Of their own
personalities. not to rely upon their
beauty, their grace. their command OF
the pathos of tears we'll shed: not to
expect to triumph by acting ~ they
would In playing "a sympathetic vii
lage idiot weeping over q dead canary"
Did Portfd win her case by sophistryf
II has been said. and II the saying Is
true then Shakespeare bungled q
great scene This actress speaks Of the
sense actors have in working up
the closing scenes Of the Merchant"
that "the act does not swing UP to It's
climax with the usual Shakespearian
ease" Childish sophism" IL the term
employed by so learned q commentator
as Prof Brandes for this device by
which the lady lawyer accomplishes
the undoing Of the Jew. Tho most fas-
cinating Of her sex" the "one and only
impersonator Of Portfd," regretted her
victory by bubble" and suggests that
Portid went into court with no plan OF
procedure. trusting to luck, sudden In
spiration or feminine intuition. to carry
her through. Never an actress" says
the one who wrote this book. never
an actress with tho part TO handle but
goes through the inevitable problem.
Was the "jot Of blood" a spontaneous
idea or did Portfd come into court with
that ingenious obstacle up her sleeve.
as result of her consultation with
Berldrtop'" A melodramatic BIT Of
sensationalism she considers II, sex
pected to stagger and dazzle the
masses"
The construction Of the climax IL I'M
usually difficult, for Portid has three
long speeches In a row ANY one oil
which Is elevated enough to be the def
mite climax OF the scene" And the "Jot
OF blood" speech comes first. so that II
that "sophistic" expedient Is made the
turning point Of the trial the two fol-
lowing speeches can only be regarded as
anti-climactic. Tradition compels one
to give the first speech for all that II
Is worth; and are we not glued. In all
main points. to tradition" But what
sense is there in the tradition that loads
Nerissd, lawyers clerkwise. with big
volumes OF law and has her proffer the
pleader the one volume with the very
act that Portid cites and even reads out
from the folio opportunity handed out
by her companion? THE trial scene
is chef d'puvre Of art" but over
emphasis Of the "Jot OF blood" has OBJ
scured the dramatist's brilliant handling
OF the case.
Suppose Porttd and Nertssd 30 know
what they are about. to have that
particular folio there for a particular
purpose: then II becomes necessary
that Portid shall make Shylock publicly
incriminate himself and betray his muir
derous motive" The lawyer pleads for
mercy, with argumentum ad hominem
But the Jew Is all for the law, the terms
OF the bond. To lull ShyIock into a
sense OF security that shall ultimately
betray him she reexamines the bond,
finds II as he says II Is and as she and
all present know II to he. Are there
balances here TO weigh the fiesh?"
Groans and Kisses from the bystanders;
warning clank OF spear butts from the
court attendants. And Portid:
Have by some surgeon, shyiock. on your
charge.
To stop his wounds. lest ne DO bleed to
death
with stress not on 'breed" but on
death" No confusion of end and
means INSTRUCTED the mental processes
of Mistress Portid: she knew where she
wanted to go, and had a pretty good
idea how to get there. "She has uttered
the words on which hangs her whole
case in such n manner that they are
impressed on the minds OF the court I'M
consciously, and have not awakened
the caution of the Jew" Is 1t so nomi'
mated in the bond, the merchant slyly,
sneeringly asks There is never a doctor
limited at in the document. as none
knows better than he. Portid under
lines: Not for charity? Shylock puts
his head into the moose "Tis not in the
bond" Colby the lawyer reads from
bond and relevant law; the mob is
futile furious. And now. the "quibble":
larry a little there is something else.
This bond doth give thee here no jot OF blood
The words expressly are, "a pound OF flesh. :
The crowd roars where before 4,
growled; roars with huge delight. Take
then thy bond" but see to II that II b,
not more than thou desirest!" The
letter OF the law Is no longer sweet to
the Jew: PAY the bond thrice. and lei
| the Christian CO." But he Is to swallow
his own medicine: It is the letter OF the
Venetian law that indirect attacks as
well as those overt against the life OF
any citizen earn penalties in goods, and
leave the offender dependent for his
life upon the mercy of the Duke only
gainst all other voice" And so the
"anti-climaX" becomes n smashing
speech, bigger than its predecessor: not
indeed, as the words are now writer
down, with elaborated tautology." blu
as the author holds 1t reasonable TO be-
lieve that Shakespeare had the scene
played. She says:
| To "cut" Shakespeare nowadays is no
considered profane. Alas! Often his scene
and characters are cut down without an
more reason than to super star a well know
London or American name. When, there
| fore I produce the trial scene" I shall
with the utmost respect, rectify that obvi
| Gus misversion and restore the original bal
ancs to that thrilling climax.
| Shakespeare was an actor: he no doub
wrote and rewrote. and probably mail!
amalgamated tho two speeches into one. cut
| ting out tho superfuous and retarding detail
OF cutting, this actress speaks else
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