Soldan High School - Scrip Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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4. - -Y -' Q ..'-E 'Af. 1.f : 1:5 57, :fx 'fr-E ' ' Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons, Which at the first are scarce found to distaste, But with a little act upon the blood, Burn like the mines of sulphur. When Shakespeare says that Dangerous conceits were in themselves diseases of the mind and takes into account of influence of the mind over our physical being, he uses his knowledge unerringly and far in advance of his time. We might go at great length naming the numerous channels that his mind had travelled. His knowledge of law is far too extensive to pass over. The trial scene in the Merchant of Venice is a typical representation. In Shakespeare the lofty ideas of abstract justice ap- pear together with his ideas of legal procedure. It is hatred that takes Shylock to court to demand the pound of flesh. He who dared pre- sume that the law would aid Wrong was himself crushed by the very defense of his own case. Portia acknowledged the validity of Shylock's bond, but taking it literally saved her husband's truest friend. Shakespeare's plays amaze the traveller by the accurate description of foreign cities, scholars by the knowledge of the classics, soldiers by the military knowledge, doctors by the knowledge of medicine and law- yers by the law. Carlyle's judgment in respect to Burns I think applies even more strongly to Shakespeare. He would have ':ached the sum- mit in any Field of endeavor. It was his untiring industry as a scholar more than inborn poetic temperament that made Shakespeare stand alone on the pinnacle of literature. -,Hllie Berglund. The Climax of Hamlei', ' AMLET, probably the best known of Shakespeare's plays, g f' ' is Without a doubt the greatest of them all. The play is I filled with topics which provoke discussion and subjects of such great interest that they are as largely debated as historical problems. Some of these topics, for instance the question of Hamlet's sanity, have given rise to many famous dissertations, but these subjects still remain unsettled. It is this kind of topic, I would bring before you to-day-the old question: Where is the climax in Hamlet ? Here the judgment of the student must be left to himself for no one can definitely say this or that is the climax and positively defend his claim. From a literary point of view I cannot defend my choice entirely, but from the dramatic side there can be little argument against it. Shakespeare did not write his plays with literary fame in view, but with ns

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, W 1771? .Q il ' -if-E ie 1:21 fi - ,751 li : ' 2 5 .b number of books printed in foreign languages also increased. No one with an intellect like Shakespearels would have passed over this oppor- tunity for study and profit. Shakespeare's information and exquisite judgment, we know ex- tended to works of highest art, sculpture, painting, and music. His des- criptions of statuary are so admirable for truth and beauty that it is nearly impossible to suppose that they are the gems of a poet's art alone. It is also quite evident that Shakespeare had seen pictures by the great masters. We are told that pictures were a frequent decoration in the homes of the wealthy. See what a grace was seated on this browg Hyperion's curls, the front of jove himselfg An eye like Mars to threaten and command, A station like the herald Mercury New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hillg A combination and a form indeed, Where every god did seem to set his seal To give the world assurance of a man. This is truly a poet's description, but still it has all the power and reality of a finished picture. Only one endowed with a painter's inspir- ation could describe this form as Shakespeare does. The Elizabethan Age was above all the age of song and Shakes- peare appreciated melody. He speaks of it with love and admiration. His sonnets are songs in themselves, and Lymond truly says, Shakes- peare stands alone and has no second even among the nest of singing birds who lived during this high tide of song. Shakespeare's military knowledge ranks far above the usual knowl- edge of a soldier's life as known by the Elizabethan. Although Eng- lish seamen had just defeated the Spanish, and English soldiers were even then aiding the Dutch nation, the English people had little concep- tion of a soldier's duties or of his characteristic habits an-.1 thoughts. Much less did they know of the actual military operations in the Held. But Shakespeare had in some way acquired a very extensive military knowledge. The duties of a sentinel are barely understood by persons outside of the military profession, but its importance was fully recog- nized by Shakespeare when he wrote the opening lines of Hamlet. That he knew also of the discipline, strategy, generalship, and engineer- ing, besides the habitual vices and virtues of the soldiers themselves can be easily seen in his great dramas. Shakespeare's knowledge of medicine, too, is exceedingly extensive. Othello furnishes many line examples in the sayings of Iago. In one instance he says, What wound did ever heal but by degrees? Iago also expresses the belief that, 117

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. K V ,. - 7 ' :Y gf 5.5 Y .rv -:T . -- the sole intention of presenting them on the stage. Thus it would be natural to suppose that his intended climax would be dramatically strong and have great influence on the minds of the spectators. On seeing Hamlet played one must surely feel the climax to be the play within the play. Here we find a small pre-planned drama serving as a mirror to the King, casting the reflection of his crime into the depths of his soul and thus accomplishing the result for which it was planned by Hamlet. It is the match which lights the lamp of the King's conscience and in turn enlightens Hamlet as to the reliability of the Ghost. But what is this play that marks the climax, why was it given, and how did it happen to be shaped with such a polish that it could cause such stirring reflections and results? Let us review the Hamlet play. Here we have Hamlet seemingly a normal man in all respects, but suffering keenly because of the untimely death of his father. Then suddenly the spirit of his father appears to Hamlet and tells Hamlet that his uncle, the King, allowing ambition to better his natural feelings, has murdered his own brother, Ham1et's father, and has taken that brother's crown and queen. The apparent fact staggers him, and already plunged into deepest grief and desiring to lay the cause at some one's door, he grasps the Ghost's words with eagerness. He burns for immediate re- venge. He cares not for his life or earthly pleasures. They are trifles if only he may satiate his burning thirst for the blood of his father's murderer. However, here a keener sense of reason comes to him. He pauses and weighs the matter. He realizes that he has been fired by the mere Words of a spirit. Perhaps he has been deceived! Others have been deceived by ghosts and have been led to their destruction. Shall he place his life andiearthly station at stake at a mere incentive from the spiritual world? No, he must have better proof and it can come from only one living witness, the person of the king himself. ' And now the question arises how to safely approach the king and obtain this desired confession. He feigns madness so that he may watch the king unnoticed. But at this the king's suspicion is immedi- ately aroused. He regards Hamlet with a guilty fear. He debates with himself even the wisdom of allowing Hamlet his liberty. He places spies around him to report his speech and actionsg and at last that fear rises to such a pitch that he decides to rid himself of Hamlet by sending him to England. Hamlet observes with satisfaction this evident mistrust on the part of the king. He guesses its meaning, but still this is not proof. -Impa- tiently he taxes his brain for a plan. And now the players arrive unknowingly just in time to aid him. us w r 5 l 1. 4 il 1 4 l 4 1 4 I i