New-York tribune., 1922-11-26
The Nobel Prize Winner
BY Ernest Boyd

uU1 So. A'f thS tWe Volumes OF QndeF-
hills TRANSLATION. Here he has got far
away from the satire Of the Boulevard
school of dramatists, and finally es-
tahlishcd himself as serious drama
tist with the Spanish public, hitherto
slow to adnait him as anything moro
than local substitute for ths impor-
ed French novelties.
Having achieved this Benavsnte has
shown gradual tendency to taks him-
self seriously, tendency which be-
game marked after the success Of "IIos
lntereees Crcados" In 1907, which, IL
will be recalled, was the work With
which the Theater Guild was launched,
as "The Bonds Of Interest" In this
play. deliberately cast in fantastic
form and written for marionettcs, the
author undertakes q criticism of So
ciety symbolized by his puppets, and
eyIIldently sII his intention was to gid the
cent sequel to it, "La Ciudad alegre Y
confada," the apostolic note Is clearer,
the symbolism more pronounced and
the falling off In dramatic interest
only too plain. The frst piece
showed how vested interests establish
their sway: In the second we see the
system at work. Harlequin, Poli-
chinelle and Crispin have conquered,
and the good public Is enjoying to the
full the benefita of government by de-
ceit Of the governed. A symbolical
and mystical figure, the 0utcast, plays
the part Of the apostle Of truths who
tears the masks from tho appearances
Of things and opens up the whitsd
great deal Of fine writing, Of eloquent
denunciation, of ingenious symbolism,
but there is no drama, nor any funda-
mental idea, beyond the commonplace
that politics is corrupt.
Benavente is too profound skeptic
to succeed with thesis play, even
though it be disguised as puppet
show. His adventures OF lata into this
field, that dramatic No Mans Land.
once so tempting as the "theater Of
IDEAS" cannot be called fortunate,
though it is not unlikely that it was
Just this later appearance of solemnity
matist to the Nobel Prize Committed.
Such moralizing Ibsenism as peeps
through such recent works as "The
Necklace of Stars" brings US back to
Eehegaray and completes the cycle Of
Benaventes evolution.
His initial success vas based upon d
definite break with the Echegaray ira
dition, and although 1t is hardly likely
that the Sardoedledum of that dra-
matte piatitudinarian can be restored,
Benavente has resuscitated some Of hls
peculisrities, notably the use Of desc
lating and far-fetched philosophy ex-
"The Necklace of Stars, il a typical
specimen. The theme Of this play is
Humanitarian; love Of cne'a nejghbof
is its text. and the title refers to the
stars In the heavene to which the
human family are likened.
Needless to say, these later plays
have captured the general public, and
the author need no longer complain
that in all that has been wyitten about
the Spanish theater there are scarcely
twenty expressions of opinion favor
able to him" "La Ciudad alegre y
confisda," with its scriptural title and
was the occasion Of veritable tri.
umph for the author, who, according to
eyewitnesses, was hailed by the crowd
as genius. The Nobel Prize comes as
the final conservation of this conquest
by Benavente of public which, as he
once said. "had TO be made for his
plays and not his plays for the public"
happy precept, which is true Of al
most every great work Of genius. but
hardly an accurate statement of the
facts in Benavente's case. AS one Of
the characters In ia Ciudad aiegre y
eonfiada" says, Nothing is easier than
TO pc 8 propaganda Of ideas and to
lead the mob. All that is necessary is
TO proclaim what one knows the public
thinks" That Is rather what Bana-
vente has been doing Of late, to the
detriment Of the real qualities of his
talent.
lie is not writer with fundamental
Ideas, with definite philosophy, like
Shaw or Brieux, to name both q good
and mediocre dramatist, whose aim
has been TO create a public for the
drama of ideas, the play with criti-
clsm OF social and econ omie eoaditio,as 8.
Benaavente's lack Of equipment fer such
role is evident in "'rhe Bonds Of
Interest" where ne endeayors 60 satiF.
ize and expose the vested interests Of
the existing order in Spain without
reference to the three basic factors of
religion, capitalism and monarchy. His
real function is that of q genial and
skeptical sstirist of manners, who deft-
ly and discreetiy strips the gilt OF che
surface of society and reveals the ster-
nal imbecilities and hypocrisies of the
conventional world. His art Is that Of
the niniaturist. and he often lacks the
broad strokes which are effective across
the footlights.
Until he began to conceive Of his
plays as having miss A. the worst
that could be said Of hi - as to de-
scribe his plays as opera .soretti, be-
cause Of their rich array of dukes and
princes and emperors. of courtessns
and rufsians. That charge has been
made by Perez dc Ayaia. brilliant
and witty novelist and critic. But that
sin Ia vanial, and ene could pardon
it in an author whose world was so
largely one OF the imagination. In
which he moved with ironte and ele-
rant gestures of amused seeptieism.
However, It 10 not given to more than one
Anatele France to be true to his ewn
civilized philosophy and yet win the
approval Of those whose task II IL 20
execute the incongruous designa Of
Nobel, the munition-makins champion
~ dfaa Yssfs "a va ART