College of St Marys of the Springs - Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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ww j nw! , M1415 gzwrc funn: kxwlf QWIQ Q twig j QW45 ' Edgar chasing the imaginary fiend. Laughter breaks forth in peal after peal as we watch poor Tom. The storm still rages violently and Lear asks if E.dgar's daughters have brought him to this, and he asks it in such a pathetic manner, that as we laugh our throats catch and what was once a laugh is now a deep-drawn sob. At this point ofintense action in Lear is reached the climax of the play and what better place could the poet have chosen? But the perfect type of the blending of the two elements and the climax of the drama occurring simultaneously is seen in the Merchant of Venice. Here is a play which has often been called a tragi-comedy. The comic element bal- ances the tragic element. Gratiano and Gobbo, principally, furnish the humor, while An- tonio, Bassanio, Portia and Shylock present the tragic element. The point of great perfec- tion in the blending of the two occurs at the climax, the Trial Scene. All hearts are stirred now by fearful expectation and now by youthful hope. Everyone longs for something to happen which will save Antonio's life and relieve their anxiety, but as the Jew steadfastly refuses to be paid, even to thrice the sum loaned when he refuses to be paid. except by the pound of promised flesh, all hope dies. What a strange scene follows! Our hearts are in a peculiar conflict of emotions as we hear the court-room echo the different voices. Now the Jew, with sharp, spiteful snaps calls for his pound of flesh, refusing all offers of money. An oath, an oath, he says, I have an oath in heaven. Shall I lay periury upon my soul? . No, not for Venice. Now the room is hushed as Portia pours forth her musical eloquence. begging for mercy. Now the atmosphere becomes holv with Antonio's breathings of true friendship and love: now rings with the fierce words of Gratiano and his fiercer speeches of sarcastic mirth. l-iere Shakespeare uses a powerful weapon, one dangerous in the hands of another, but trenchant and effective when fully warranted. Gratiano, ridiculinsz Shvlock, jeeringlv echoes his words. He hates the ,few for attempting to take the life of the friend he loves and he hesitates not a whit to show his hatred. Vfhen Portia asks, V7hat mercy can you render him Antonio? Gratiano answers quickly A halter gratis: nothing else for God's sake. V Wliat bade fair to be a tragedy and what would have been one had a single mis-step been taken tums our to the satisfaction of all: and Gratiano. who wishes but the Welfare of his friends is happy as the rest. Wino but Shakespeare could thug have braided together the light and the shadow of life -could have made us laugh and sob in turns? Even todav as we drop a tear to the memorv of this man so great among his fellows we reioice in the thought of the blessings with which he has enriched his race. ' ' L LAURA GALLAGHER. 'I 2. QT iqxx 9 . S K, . na f' H '. ,xlq !tJlLJQ.::f it terms 8

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:src we We We e We I We . we We we le How terrible Jaques makes it to grow oldl Truly, with him, the world is no more than a stage, and his fellow-creatures are merely players. What a strange world it would be if everyone thought as Jaques. Yet he has his place and purpose in the drama just as shadows have theirs in a picture. As Jaques is the only character throughout the comedy As You Like it who causes us to feel down-hearted and depressed, so in the tragedy Hamlet, the Prince himself is the principal character who enlivens and freslrens our minds. There are, it is true, minor char- acters who furnish us with cause for laughter, but it is almost entirely in their relations with Hamlet, through whom a vein of humor runs, even in the sorest trials, adding depth and mel- lowness to his most passionate strains of eloquence. He makes a fool of old Polonius, who unconsciously to himself becomes intensely amusing. The elder man believes Hamlet to be mad and treats him accordingly. Hamlet tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that Polonius is but a great baby and when he puts in his appearance, Hamlet turns his every speech so that the old chamberlain is made to appear ridiculous. Another scene illustrative of this dual power in Shakespeare is the grave-diggers' scene. Here are men who are engaged in performing the 'most gruesome task who yet joke and laugh. At first they talk of things of great moment in the world, their speeches being the more ridiculous because of their attempted adherence to formal rules of logic: but soon they come down to congenial jest and banter, and finally end in trying to satisfy the gross appetite. One says to his companion, Go, get thee to Yanghaug fetch me a stoup of liquor. Waiting for his companion's return, he digs and sings a youthful ditty of love. While he is singing Hamlet appears and between them there ensues a lively struggle of wit. The man who has fooled and puzzled the whole court by his strange quibbles, is now beat at his own game. If we had not this light side-play, the action of the tragedy would oppress us. The poet, feeling this, surprised us by introducing it at a time when we least expected it. -So it is with his best tragedies. If there were no humor to relieve the intense strain of heavy action, his tragedies would seem to lack something. Because the humor is unexpected, it forces us to laugh merrily and unrestrainedly. Again in Lear, a great tragedy like Hamlet. we find the most perfect example of Shakespeare's art in blending the light and the serious element. How many heavy burdens have been lightengd, and weary hearts refreshed by the fool and his merry banter. He may seem to babble to no purpose. vet if we look cl0Sely, we shall see that his words always do some good. Throughout dark and pathetic scenes we follow him as we would follow. with our eye. a beautiful golden thread woven in some dark material. True, he is but a fool. and his part is to keep before us the original idea. but he plays l1lS Dart so well, and even though his heart is breaking. he iests and iolces in such a bright manner' that we needs must l0VC the pathetic little fellow. What would the old king do Wlfheut the merry b0Y who calls him mme1e'g Indeed- I- mfs me Wmgd seem strange without his fool to cheer him. But it is in the tempest Scene that We find the best mixture of the comic and tragic ele- ment- what a fitting atmosphere for Such a scene! All external nature in war, and internal nature in battle The king, once so haughty and strong is now but a weak and senseless old man. Here in the Stormlbeaten hovelu wirh the madness of Lear. the feigned madness of Ed- gar, and the Witty Words of the fggl, we feel ourselves strangely out of place. We cannot keen from bursting into laughter when Edgar. 1105108 as POOY Tom. SHYS- Bless thy five wits: Tom's a-cold, 0, dg de, do de, do de--Bless thee from whirl-winds, star- blasting and taking! Do poor Tom some charity, whom the foul fiend vexes. There could I have him now, and there, and there again, and there, and away goes the blanket-clad 7

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CAMPUS ENTRANCE TO COLLEGE