Evening star., 1932-05-07

ShakeSpeare's place in this, as well
as past centuries, is atteSted to in the
tributes from the press following the
dedication, in England and the United
States of three memorials to the great
dramatist-the Henry Clay Folger Lii
brary in Washington, the new theater
at Stratford-on-A Avon and the Horace
Howard Furness Building at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania. The dedica-
tions marked an unprecedented OBJ
servance of the birthday anniversary
of Shakespeare and served to invite
estimates of his contributions to lit
erary and dramatic art during the
years of use of his works in the de-
velopment of the stage. Greater op-
portunity for study and appreciation
of Shakespeare's works is promised
through the facilities OF these me-
MORALS.
THE white marble building of ex-
ceptional beauty at Washington" says
the Springfield (Mass) Republican,
while serving as an impressive me-
mortal to Shakespeare for the public
at large, will foster study Of the poets
life and works and the theater of his
day The Memorial Theater at STRAIT
ford, replacing a much smaller struc-
ture that was burned, is intended to
keep alive on the contemporary stage
the whole repertory of ShakeSpeare's
dramas. DR.. FurneSs' working library
of Shakespeare material was given to
the University of Pennsylvania for
scholarly use The cost of the
Stratford Theater was about 81 100000
of which about half was subscribed by
Americans. The Folger Library, though
smaller, is more costly and the collec-
tion is valued at more than $4,0OO,OOO.
Thus. in a period of acute economic
stagnation, America and England join
hands in dedicating to Shakespeare
and to the people offerings from the
surplus wealth of recent years"
X 4
"The world could not honor this mind
and soul beyond their deserts, proclaims
the Columbia IS. c. State, observing
that "a vast memorial is raised at Avon
and for all time" The State continues:
Even Sappho could truthfully say of
herself that she would be remembered
and this in remote time. Shakespeare
is far greater poet and will be immor-
tai But happily for those of us who
love the LeSbian, she will live longer
than even Shakespeare-having been
born some thousands of years earlier
thing that counts even in eternity
But Shakespeare will have the greatest
memorial the world can create, and
this despite the rebuke of Milton:
d" What needs my Shakespeare for his
honored bones,
The labor of an age in piled stones,
When he already has monument in
our hearts
And so sepulchered in such pomp dost
lie
That kings for such a tomb would wish
to dieo'"
x x * x
Neglected and unsung for over a
century after his death, even in his
home town, the poet is now Stratford's
chief industry" records the Oakland
Tribune, while the Nashville Banner
concludes as to the new memorials
that there has been created in each in
stance "an agency that will mean per-
manently expanded opportunities for
the study and understanding of Shake
speare" and that lin each case pledge
was given to posterity that it would be
able to take advantage, under the most
favorable conditions, of the knowledge
and wisdom this and former genera
tions of scholars have gathered"
The characters in ShakeSpeare's
plays" according to the Charleston
IS. c. Evening Post, make up world
that is alTost as real as that in which
we move every day. We think of them
not as fictional beings, but as actual
persons. Somewhere in his dramas one
will discover himself, his neighbor. his
friend, his enemy. Man is portrayed
with his loves and hates, his virtues and
his vices, his problems and his aspira-
tions. And Shakespeare continues to
serve as refuge to the orator and
writer who needs an apt quotation to
drive home an essential point. Concede
his faults as a poet, philosopher, his