The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-16
Fame of Shakespeare Rounded Out by
Three Centuries Of Study and Expert
Criticism---All Races Join in
Praise of the Supreme Poet

speare-so 10 speak-from his friends. Ia
"taer words. from those vino persist in
praisinG him for the possession Of uuali-
ties the very absence Of which in him is
one of his chief claims 10 our regard.
Mr.. shaw IL perfectly risht: Shakespeare
has no definite philosophical propaganda.
and only n race OF academic critics So
s'np'd!y morslistic as our own, ar so
ra.vely pcdant!c as our adNersaries across
IN" North Sea. could possibly have sup
posed that he had The Frenchman Tame.
with that clear logical insight into &s-
theft, problems which the Latin mind
alone possesses. sets US upon the right
track here by his emphasis upon the per-
sorsl and imaginative aspect of Shake
speare's work, and his light Guessing over
of the definitely philosophical"
The point at issue between Mr., Shaw
and Shakespeare is indeed a poin, fun Of
interesting psychological controversy. 1t
is nothing more nor less than the eternal
conflict between the puritan and the ar
tist. The pathetic thing is that there are
still innumer8ble puritans-and they often
occupy professional chairs in our universe
ties--who still fancy, in their conventional
innocence, that Shakespeare il what they
"naively" call "a great thinker"
4 great thinker he certainly is. and q
great philosopher too. perhaps; but his
thought is the thought Of an artist rather
than a metaphysician, and his. philosophy
naturally and properly understood would
All these p,ous souls with indignant dis
may
The more one analyses Shakespeare's ul-
innate attitude toward the world the more
completely does one understand the pecu-
liar thrill OF rage.whlch it is bound to excite
in the typical puritanic mind; that is to
say, IL such a mind is honest with itself
and clear headed ~enough-as Mr.. Shaw
himself-to see through the fogs aud mists
OF academic hypocrisy. The conventional
notion Of Shakespeare thrust down the
threats OF our unfortunate infants by de-
signing moralists is Of course the typically
English notion OF a shrewd and somewhat
jocular preacher-p poet. full OF his little
''auips and cranks and wanton wiles,' but
profoundly and gravely set upon delivering
his moral message to a bewildered and lam
entsbly erring world. This, We need
scarcely point out, Is the very last thing
Shakespeare was. Shaw IL absolutely
right: Shakespeare had neither a definitely
articulated philosophy nor a definitely ar
ticulated ethical system. 1t is for this rea-
son that he Is so supremacy great. He is
with the artists and the saints. not with the
prophets and the schoolmasters.
There IL, however, yet another modern
eS A'tto z am
on quite different grounds-this is the ia
nous criticism of TOlstoy. summed up in
the great Russians fantastic and III bal
anced attack upon King Lear. Tolstoy's
contention is that Shakespeare's work az "A
great artist suffers from a certain obvious
and fragrant insincerity. the result Of his
lack Of sympathy with the masses of the
people, and "A sort Of ~cringing hunkylsm
in the presence OF royal and noble blood
in other words. according to Tolstoy's view,
Shakespeare is a social snob with an absurd
and inartistic mania for INDUCING In lauda
tons OF the upper classes at the expense
Of natural humanity and Christian pity.
Such a view. especially when king Lear
of all plays is brought forward in evidence
of II, condemns itself as ridiculous even in
the utterance.
Certainly Shakespeare, like all great ar
fists and noble, fastidious spirits. has u deep
rooted loathing for the meanness and vul-
gar hckleness OF the mob. In 'C'Oriolanus'
and Julius Cesar" as well as In many
other INSTANCES, he permits himself to utter
weary, bitter, ironical protests against the
stupidity and brutality OF the common
herd" but to regard these indignant out
c~ries-outcries with which every man OF
sense. however revolutionary his feelings
must surely sympathize-as a solemn ex-
preston OF contempt for the people, as OPP
posed to the peoples rulers. IL to press the
natural reaction OF u sensitive artists