Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-04-30
MRS. Guy REVIEWS
HISTORY Of DRAMA
FOR W0MAN'S CLUB
Time Is Ripe for New Dramatic
Literature to Be Developed
in America.

Until recently drama has been re-
garded as an expression of advanced
civilization. However, modern investi-
cation has shown that it is one of the
Oldest of the arts, movement and ges-
ture doubtless ~antedating the spoken
language. In the old classification of
poetry, according to its supposed pro
cess of growth, drama following the
epic and lyric is somewhat misleading
unless the perfected drama alone is
signified. No literary form has greater
majesty of thought, solidity of struc-
ture and beauty of phrase than the
Greek tragedy. nor is any literary form
more remote from our modern way OF
expression.
The Greek play seems to us highly
artificial and conventional kind OF
drama and yet it grew naturally out
| of the ways and habits of country life.
Greeks were the first to produce a per-
fected drama although in the beginning
theirs had the same crude origin as
the rest-song, dance and revelry
made in honor Of a deity who was be-
lieved to be pleased with such demon
strations.
Whatever the Greeks attempted they
accomplished better than their on
temporaries. Such ideas as were theirs
by inheritance or contact. they passed
| on to others-but so beautiful, so
TRANSPORTED with their own touch that
it is often hard to recognize their
earlier forms.
Worshipping beauty. inspired to
make beautiful every art by the divers
flied land in which they dwelt. their
drama astonishes and gratifies us
today by its blended simplicity and
mastery perfection.
Romans Essentially Rhetorical
The Roman drama was largely an
imitation of the Greek. Rome took
over much of the civilization which the
older country has developed. She could
not supply nor acquire the delicate
sense of proportion of the fitness of
things nor appreciation of the beauti-
full. so natural to the Greeks. The Ro-
mans wrote real comedies but their
gifts were essentially rhetorical.
Italy was the first of the modern
countries to recover classical art and
the classical tradition. Spanish liter
allure was epic rather than dramatic.
Lope de Vega was the most prolific
writer of original quality in the his
tory of literature. He was a great i'm
provisor rather than a great writer.
The early French drama showed
sense of proportion and order, that
inner logic of good taste which is of
the essence of the French genius.
Symbolism writer's are not afraid of
silence and solitude. Emerson was
mystic to some extent and each age
has produced minds that have found
greatest consolation in reaching out TO
the world just beyond our grasp and
which we feel rather than see.
English Tragedies Best
Maeterlinck says. Speech is never
the medium of communication of real
and innermost thoughts. Silence alone
can transmit them from soul to soul.
Silence is so truth telling, so illumin-
alive that few have the courage TO face
il. Mankind fears silence worse than
the dark" This is beautifully ex-
pressed in 1.-THE Bluebird."
In England from the very start. dra-
matte writer's composed with a free
hand, especially in tragedy. They Gre
ated q dramatic literature of great
irregularity of form and richness OF
substance. Shakespeare wrote com
edies of unsurpassed charm but his
supreme work was in the field of
tragedy .
So after generations of makeshift
upon the stage drama at last zones
into q renaissance. Constant demand
for amusement or divesion has long
been met by such substitutes for plays
opera and farce. The advent of Ibsen
marks the beginning of the revival. He
sounded a new note.
Others have appeared. While we
are too near these writer's to correctly
estimate them and although it is not
possible at the present time to make
predictions for the drama of the future
many will agree with those critics who
have said that it is possible even now
to point out certain qualities that the
coming drama will not possess.
Drama of The Future
II will not be a story thrown into
the form of a play on the supposition
that a successful book means an &C
ceptable drama. Novels and plays are
written with different purposes. are
subjected to different treatment and
intended for entirely different needs.
The future drama will not be brilliant
conversation devoid of plot and action.
The scenery will not be the frame in
which the picture is set and will be
subservient to the play. The play will
not be lost in the setting.
The stage is one of the most potent
factors of civilization. 1t mirrors life
and can WELD power granted TO neither
pulpit nor platform, if only it be wor-
thily served.
Primarily the theater is to supply
diversion and entertainment. However
this can be done in ways which shall
strengthen, build up. inspire and en-
noble. Vaudeville fills q necessary
place in our present civilization and
the ends they serve have been met in
some form for hundreds of years. Pic
ture shows are pleasing and i%nstruc-
tive and have their part to fill. MusI-
cal e~xtravaganzas are always popular
and ft into ais Soc;o1 ctrYcturp |