Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-25

form for his own time the service
which the earlier Brutus had per-
formed for his community. But
it was not so. A new world had
developed; and if Caesar was
wrong in trying to establish die
tatorship, Brutus was likewise
morally obtuse in trying to pre-
serve an outworn oligarchy call
ing itself a Republic. The moral
problems of Rome in his time
arose from her world power; and
had to be resolved not by return
to the past, but by imaginative
planning for the future. OF this
Brutus was incapable. Error led
to error; his agreement to MUIR
der Caesar led to revulsion Of
conscience in which he spared
Antony whom he allowed to speak
at Caesars funeral, and who in
famed the people against Brutus
and the conspirators. War en-
sued; and Brutus had no alterna-
tive but to die at his own hands.
The Defects Of Hamlet
Hamlet represents a totally diff
ferent type of person, but with
equally astonishing defects of
character, despite his nobility and
attractivenesS. Hamlet finds it al
most impossible to resolve his
moral dilemmas. Seeking guidance
in sheer intellectual brilliance, he
finds the problems presented by
life almost incapable of solution.
In his despair. he turns from in
tellect to impulse. numbering the
innocent Polonius and driving his
beloved Ophelia to insanity.
When he ultimately decides that
he must slay his uncle, he Stays
a whole series of other people, in
Guiding himself, with him.
Macbeth is a loyal and brave
warrior, whom, however, the ap-
partition of witches is able to
transform together with his wife,
into rebels and regicides. His 10y
atty and devotion to his King Is
q ritual. unable to Withstand the
onslaught of the passion for pow
er. One murder leads to others;
rebellion leads to tyranny, and
ultimately, Macbeth, who might
have ended his life honorably,
dies disgraced and heartbroken.
King Lear, perhaps the most
tragic figure of all, wants to be
loved and wants to be sure that
he is loved. He wishes to bequeath
his kingdom not according to the
love he feels, but according to the
love he persuades himself he re-
ceives. And in the quest for Ger
tainty Of being loved - a quest
necessarily vain-he diSinherits
the daughter who loves him most.
Ingredients of Chorocter
Although these characters diff
fer markedly from one another,
they have several traits in COM
mon, leading to their disasters.
All of them share a certain
naivete in the affairs Of life. None
Of them is really moved by COM
passion for individual human suf-
fering and weakness. Three are
moved to commit murder, and the
fourth to the Punishment of his
youngest child. Shakespeare seems
to be telling us that wisdom and
compassion are indispensable in
gradients of character and are
basic to any true ethics. Com
passion may not be adequate. To
pity a child in such a way as
not to wake him in time
for school. is to hurt, not to help
him. To indulge a weak person in
his weakness. is to do him a dis
service. There is need for COM
passion beyond compassion, as
there is need for law beyond law
But we cannot dispense with
sheer compassion If we desire to
achieve right decisions.
The four tragic Shakespearear
characters have another fatal
quality in common. They all reach
their disastrous decisions without
consultation.
Shakespeare seems to be telling
us that none of us is so perfect
as to be able to rely solely or
his individual judgment in mora
issues, especially those which in.
volve his deepest emotions. Com.
passion would have saved each
Of these characters from the
harsh action he took; but doubt
less so would consultation with
people of high integrity. not per.
sonally involved in the problems
The need for consultation Is q
recognized principle Of legal pro-