The Fools of Shakespeare

Home , Fool (novel), Wise fool

T H E FO O L S O F S H A K ES P EA R E

ir it A n Interpretation of Tne W ,

Wis do m an d Pe rs o n a litie s

FR E D E R I CK W A RD E

NEW YO RK R M CB IDE, NAST 8: CO MPA NY I 9 1 3

tlze memo ry of tlzat g allant g entle

man o a rien and s en i ac to r , l y lf d pl d d , I ES L OU S 1 A M ,

in asso ciatio n will: wlwm were

spent the nappies! years of my fro/es

siandl e is e icate all titat ma be lif , d d d y o un wo rt/t in lite o o win a es f d y f ll g p g .

PREFACE

sir d e the the Foolery, , o s walk about orb like sun ; i t shines everywhere .

How far the above epigram may apply to the

o f . compiler this work, may be a matter of opinion Among the legion o f books dealing with the

I ma characters of Shakespeare , have found the j o rity to be devoted to his tragic andserious crea

to u tions , a few his h morous types, but none to his fools . In the course of a lengthy career upon the

d d to stage, which has been chieﬂy evote the plays o f I d Shakespeare , have witnesse the performance o f these fools by accomplished actors who se skill

d and has illuminate the text, whose abilities have vitalized the poet’ s creations till they livedin my d min , not as imaginary beings , but as real men

who d d and d . walke , talke , gambole before me

I d to d d have listene their wor s , laughe at their

d do n d and Wit, pon ere their wis om , have marveled ii PREFACE that their point and signiﬁcance have apparently escapedthe notice o fso many readers andstudents .

This must be my excuse, if not my j ustiﬁcation , b for the ook . The matter was the subj ect of one o f my lec

“ d and d tures , un er the title, The Wit Wis om

’ o f Shakespeare s Fools and included in my “ ” I d and . series Shakespeare His Plays foun ,

so d I d however, the material abun ant coul not include it in the limited time at my command o n I d the platform . have therefore elaborate the d d theme, enlarge the scope of the esign , and d d d I ivi e it into chapters , which hope will enter

d d and o f tain the rea er, instruct the stu ent, prove

some interest generally .

I no to and en make claim originality, have deav o re din all instances to credit the author with I d the thoughts have quote . I d have foun occasion in several instances , to differ with some of the well known Shakespearean scholars ;but it must always be remembered that

I - o f the fo r speak from the view point actor,

whom , and for whom alone the plays were written . PREFACE iii

I d d have not entere the literary issecting room , nor invaded th e realm of psychol ogy . The line of

and demarcation between humor imbecility, folly

and I to . insanity, leave the professional alienist I have taken the characters as they appear in the plays and as I conceive the author intended

due to thu them , with reference their relation to other characters . I d procee upon the fact that Shakespeare , being

to d. an actor, wrote these plays be acte That his purpose was to create or draw the characters as he saw or imagined them for dramatic presenta tion . I believe their literary quality was a mat

o f dff ter comparative in i erence to him , the cre

the ation of the plot, the conception of charac

and the d ters, arrangements of the inci ents being

no t d . his ﬁrst, if his only consi eration The beauty d d of iction , the elicate imagery , the exquisite

and the poetry, the sublime philosophy, were spontaneous expression of his transcendent but unconscious genius Scan the reco rds o the tho u hts o men f g f ,

On rav en s to ne o r a rus lea g , p py f;

On archm ent scro ll o r rinted a e p p p g , Thro ugh all the e o ns of the ages pas t To the high no o ntide of the passing day

Then add the sum and its rand to tal , g

Will be be ared b the enius o o ne name gg y g f , Shak espeare ! FR D RIC K WARD E E E . CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION THE FOOL IN L I FE AND L ITERATURE

Y ORI CK

TOU CH STONE TRIN CULO I N THE TEM PEST

“ ” FESTE I N TWELFTH NI GHT “ L AUN CELOT GOBB O I N THE MERCHANT OF VENI CE “ CITI Z EN I N JULIUS CESAR

“ THE CLOWN I N A N TON Y AND CLEOPATRA

“ ” THE GRAVE - DIGGERS IN HA M LET “ L AUN CE AND SPEED IN THE Two GENTLEM EN ” OF VERONA “ THE FOOL IN KIN G L EAR

I L LUSTRAT ION S

Frederick Warde as Cecco in The ’ Duke s Jester Fro ntispie ce FA OTNG P A GE ’ Edwin Booth as B ertuccio in The Fool s Revenge James L ewis as Touchstone in As You L ike It 34

as in The T . C . Cooke Trinculo Tempest 74

“ ” “ ” E in i . Y . Backus as Feste Twelfth N ght 96

“ ” Charles Charters as L auncelot Go bbo in The ” Merchant of Venice 1 1 6

“ ” L o uis James as Pepé in Francesco da Rimim 1 50

“ ” James L ewis andSidney Herbert as L aunce and “ ” Speed in The Two Gentlemen of Verona 1 70

FOOL S OF SHAK ESPEA RE

INTRODUCTION

was fool , however, exempt, upon the prin “ c iple that There is no slander in an allowed

his his fool . Usually a favorite with master, . inﬂuence was sought in many a state and court

fo r d o f db intrigue, un er the cloak folly he coul y could no rove or

' ridicule anys chem e or ro t r M wishes might desire . However plain his truths

‘ o r bitter his satire few were rash enough to re tali

and who ate , woe to that noble or courtier might

o r d o f incur the enmity ispleasure the fool , for he would become the target of his wit and the butt o f o f d o o r his j ests , with little hope re ress, or pp tunit y for revenge .

if o f o ne : was M mg a jester was a lonely he

Ca o f co n subject to the prices his master, d d d above the boar , hate below it, yet feare by

all . To play such a part successfully requireda man INTRODUCTION 3 o fmore than ordinary He couldnot be without le e must be a man Of great to take advantage Of every occasion for the cxr

o f his W it th o f the and cise , Wi j udgment time, discretion as t 0

and Times have changed. Progress evolution have brought new conditions ; folly no longer

and carries a bauble, the man who nough to wear the motley Of the medi the toga o f the statesman with dignity to tﬁce andhonor to himself .

The requirements of a court fool are well de “ ibed r Sc . 1 . by Viola in Twel fth Night, Act 3 ,

’ to the This fellow s wise enough play fool , A nd to do that well c raves a kind of wit H e d o n o he must Observe their moo wh m jests , The n and the quality of perso s, time , A nd the h a d at t , like agg r , check every fea her

a his e e is Th t comes before y . This a practice ' ’ As full of labor as a wise man s art ; Fo r he is folly that wisely shows ﬁt ,

men - e t . But wise , folly fall n, quite aint their wit 4 INTRODUCTION

Thea slress o f the fool was a motley or parti

d d and o f colore oublet hose, with the arms the house to which he belonged embroidered on the

d- d d breast or thigh ; his hea ress , a hoo parti

‘ C d an d rm d olore like his coat, su ounte by a cocks d comb ; his emblem, which he always carrie , was f d d a lath or short sta f, hea e by a miniature hood and cockscomb similar to his own called

and d a bauble , was as sacre to the fool as

to the d to the the sword sol ier, or the crest

d as knight . The bauble also serve a protection ,

who —fo r to was mh e mighto ffend h strike the fool

o nsider h f ward. L cds t e g , , s a t ov ag g g g g The cap bauble

’ andpoints o fthe j ester s dress were adorned with

d as d and small bells that j ingle he move , gave warning o fhis approach . “ J a ues As Y o u q , in Like It, thus enumerates the privileges o fa fool O I ! , that were a fool f I am ambitious o r a motley coat .

I must have liberty C rt d Withal , as large a ha er as the win , INTRODUCTION 5

To blow o n whom I please : for so fools have A nd t are d they hat most galle with my folly ,

. A nd wh sir t ? They must most laugh y, , must hey so “ ” The why is plain as way to parish church H e a d r hit , th t a fool oth ve y wisely , o t he m Doth very fo lishly, al hough s art, Not to seem senseless of the bob ;if no t ’ ’ The wise man s folly is anato m is d E the nd n th ven by squa eri g glances of e fool . Invest me in my motley : give me leave nd and and To speak my mi , I will through through the d the d d Cleanse foul bo y of infecte worl , m m d If they will patiently receive y e icine .

° n The ester was not usually a gentlema , but him m m mm

d and sometimes from esign or policy, sometimes because of physical inﬁrmities which rendered

o f d them incapable bearing arms, or prevente them from taking part in feats o f chival ry in ﬁeld o r

No t tourney . infrequently the jester was a

a eg r n r n a ceg ld rin t to s . ppp g l pgi hi satire “ ” . n Dr Dora , in his History Of Court Fools ,

d as gives us the following legen , the origin o fthe

C and e haracter, th office 6 INTRODUCTION

a d Once upon time , it happene that all Olympus

was d and d ull the go s were moping about, simply

b d as ored to eath . It w a warm summer day and in a distant valley below they could see a group o fGreek peasants disporting on the green turf in gala attire . The happy rustics were dancing and

and singing, enj oying the bright sunshine , the sounds o ftheir mirth ﬂoatedup faintly to the gods in a manner that was altogether offensive to them . “ ” o d - Omnip tent Father, crie Mercury , ill natur “ e dl d 0 d and y, it woul be rare Sport, king Of go s

to - d and men , scatter all these gaily robe revelers , ” by a shower spoil their ﬁnery and their fun . The suggestion was enthusiastically receivedby the assembleddeities . “ o d d I prop se an amen ment, exclaime Juno, “ o u d with feminine sympathy . Before y sen the

an rain , let your priest from the shrine below nounce to the people that a shower is about to ” d d . escen , but it shall wet only fools d d Zeus , approving, a slight soun of thun er was

d and d o f the hear , the priest stoo in front altar and made the requisite announcement to the peo INTRODUCTION 7

ple . Only one of the Greeks took the precaution d to go into his house . Every other man waite to se e d d and the fools renche , every man there was in two minutes wet to the skin . When the sun reappeared the man who had sought shelter came out o fdoors and laughed at his drenched anddis

d who d dr and concerte fellows , , angere at his y

d o and e him comfortable con ition , fell up n him b at “ and . severely, calling him a fool the like

dand d d d d as Bruise battere , he efen e himself well d “ as he coul , crying, Have patience but a moment, andI will prove to you that I am not such a fool

to rrnento rs d and as I look His pause , he , look in d : g upwar , fell on his knees , exclaiming

and dd O , Zeus , merciful j ust, sen own another shower ;wet me to the skin even as these fools are wet , make me as great a fool as my neighbors and to enable me , a fool , live at peace among ” fools .

the dfo r Down came shower praye , and the two

d and assemblies, the go s above the fools below,

d as d d d roare with laughter, he stoo there renche to “ ” the skin like the rest . This is unj ust, cried 8 INTRODUCTION

“ as s d an Juno, the laughter cea e d you have d d ’ spoile that goo fellow s robe . “ ” d “ True, replie Zeus , but with that shower I

d d and and bestowe upon him wit, wis om , humor,

have breathed that fact in to the ear o f the chief

d who of the istrict , will take this humorous philos

to d opher home with him, be at once his iverter ” and instructor .

That night at a banquet given by the chief, the

d o ut wise fool stoo near his master, pouring witty

d and truths as fast as his lips coul utter them , the

d dth e and d d d go s both envie fun a mire the wis om . ” d “ d That fellow , crie Zeus , shall be the foun er

o f H a race . enceforward each court shall have its fool ;and fools shall be the preachers and ad ” m o nishe rs o f . d dd d to the kings Chil ren , he a e ,

d and o dd go s g esses , raising a goblet of nectar,

“ ’ ” to here s a health the ﬁrst of fools .

1 0 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

h Ofthat brilliant spectacle . It is of Triboulet t at

had o f the following bon m o t is related. He

d da who fen e powerful nobleman of the court, , in

d to . retaliation , threatene hang him As the

’ was d nobleman a man of his wor , poor Triboulet s

was d so to life in anger, he went the king and

d o tol him f the threat . “ d Never fear, Triboulet, sai the king, if he

’ n o u ha gs y , I ll hang him ﬁfteen minutes after d war s .

’ To T d d this riboulet replie , Coul n t your Majesty contrive to hang him ﬁfteen minutes before ?” Two other French fools o f distinction were

' andlChiCOtl The former held the “ M ‘ W ' H Ld/ to j ester three kings , Henri II, Francis

II ‘ and I! was , Charles ; while the latter the friend and fool to Henri III . The most prominent English court fools o r j esters were : !Will the reign of " ch ttached to d Henry VIII ifai , the househol of Cardinal Wolsey ; at the court o f Q ueen Mary ;and at of Eliz IN LIFE AND IN LITERATURE 1 1 abe th d d . Heywoo , however, was also a rama tist o f d and o some istinction , Tarleton , a very p p

ﬁnd the period. Later we

“ thé co u rt and Archie Armstrong, at of James I ;

who d Tom Killigrew , besi es being j ester was “

to . Master of the Revels , Charles I The lat d d “ d ter is escribe by Pepys as a merry roll , but ” a gentleman o f great esteem with the king . Killigrew was probably the last of the licensed

and ﬁ d court fools , the of ce of househol jester

e d the d c ase to exist, character subsequently egen e ratin - d g into the itinerant merry an rew, a buffoon who appeared at country fairs and village festi

and no w vals, is seen only at Christmas time with the mummers that accompany the waits an dcarol

o ld- singers in fashioned English villages . d In romance the fool has prominently ﬁgure , always with picturesque and frequently with dra ff matic e ect .

Sir Walter Scott, in his romantic novel Ivan ” d d d an hoe, has escribe with much etail d ﬁdelity “ ” th e C and haracter of Wamba, has given us a very accurate and impressive picture o f the life 1 2 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE and characteristics of the j ester -minstrel o f the

f d o - de - time o Richar C eur Lion . d d H We are in ebte to Victor ugo, in Le Roi

’ ” s ammuse fo r and , a striking powerful picture

s of the Italian court fool . The character i more

d o f familiar, perhaps , in a ramatic version the d “ ’ ” same story, calle The Fool s Revenge , by Tom d Taylor, in which the late E win Booth gave such a wonderfully effective presentation o f the poor d d B e rtuccio d eforme j ester , concealing un er the motley garb and mocking tones o f the foo l the

’ intensity Of a father s love . The French court fool is most picturesquely “ ” d de M o nse re au presente in La Dame , in which the elder Dumas has woven a very interesting and exciting romance around the character o f “ ” Chicot, j ester to King Henry III . Chicot is

d and represente as a gallant soul , full of honor

as d d chivalry, rea y with his swor as with his

f . wit, both being equally ef ective The romance was d d d ramatize for me recently, un er the title

’ ” o f . The Duke s Jester, by Mr Espey Williams , who transferredthe scene of action from the court From an etc/ nu: by W . 1. " m an y In possession of The Players. New Yorl

“ “ ’ Edwin B o o th as B e rtu c c io in T h e Fo o l s R e v e n g e

IN LIFE AND IN LITERATURE 1 3

to of France that Of the Duke of Milan , in Italy ; “ ” “ ” and changed the name of Chicot to Cecco .

d o f m I playe the part the j ester with so e success , and retained the play in my repertoire for several years . In the drama we have an admirably constructed “ and dd di splen i ly written play, Francesca Ri ” we ﬁnd mini , by the late George Boker, where “ ” d d the fool Pepe , keen of wit, but eprave in “ ”

d r . min , a ve y Iago in motley His fun is ma licio us and , his humor mischievous his wit malev olent . A masterly performance of the character was d and d given by my frien comra e , Mr . Louis

be James , with whose name it will always d d i entiﬁe .

It who is Shakespeare , however, has given us

o f i d the best types fool , g which may be foun not W EM I have endeavored to e H e has left us

that make the characters live again in their true and d d perfect bo y an environment .

Of pertinent interest after this brief sketch o f 14 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE the historical position Of the fool is the inte rpre

’ tatio n of Shakespeare s fools contained in a post d humous work by Francis Douce, publishe in “ d 1 8 d Lon on in 39 , entitle Illustrations from S ” hakespeare . There I ﬁnd a chapter of about “

: . twenty pages with the caption Desertation I ,

’ ” The character of Shakespeare s fools . My knowledge Ofthis work was obtained from

. d so n o f Mr Wilfre Clarke , a the late eminent d d come ian , John Sleeper Clarke, who foun the

d the manuscript of the extracts , printe below, in property room Of the o ld Walnut Street Theater

d a in Phila elphi , while he was examining some

and o f d d papers effects his ecease father . The

. d MSS was written , I have subsequently learne ,

and d by Mary Ann Booth , is in a ﬁne han , on o ld- d d and fashione blue note paper, now soile d d a e and d - d iscolore with g , ogs care as if from

us and frequent e reference . In the printing Of the excerpts I have retained the capitalizing o f the words an d the punctuation

d M S c Of as I foun it in the S . as haracteristic the d writer and the perio .

1 6 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

n the a e Puttenham speaki g of l tt r , says buffo une d a him u f , or co nter eit - fa e to he r is like hims for such a ” maketh v al

' i wﬂic iated a All occ sionally as menial servants .

1: FOO1 n d rd PElo ge to this 3 class .

‘ f ate and disordinate joy became inco rpo body of a jcaster ;this fellow in person is in a earell in pp courtly, but behaviour a very and no m an his d to ; stu ie is coine bitter jests , or n n o r n baudie ad to shew a tique motio s , to si g ball s him n in his d he is give a little wi e hea , continually Hearing and making of mouthes : he laughs intemper and d the ately at every little occasion, ances about a o utski s d t house , le ps over tables , p mens hea s , rips u his m n n nd p co pa ions heels , bur s sack with a ca le. andhath all the feats of a lordof misrule in the coun tr : d him in his a a his y fee humour , you sh ll h ve heart, in d he hu in his m kisse meere kin ness will g you ar es , o n the and n an you cheek, rappi g out horrible oath, G d’ crie o s soul Tom , I love you , you know my poore t fo r hear , come to my chamber a pipe of tobacco, n an i there lives o t a m n this worldthat I more honour . In n h n his t and these ceremo ies you s all k ow cour ing , it is a ] him the a he and a speci l mark of at t ble , sits m a : no t n fo r in kes faces keep this fellow compa y, u lin him r wardro es be t d j g g with , you p shall was e , d c ro wnes m d and your cre its crackt, your consu e , time IN LIFE AND IN LITERATURE 1 7

( the most precious riches of the world) utterly lost . i the n a a This s picture of a real hireli g or rtifici l fool , “ ’ ” n t n d 1 . from a si gular ract e title Wit s miserie , 599 It is so ex ceedingly Clear that the terms Clown and d as n n fool were use , however improperly , sy o ymous of our Old writers that it would be an unnecessary o c cu ’ io n h d x pat of t e reader s time to ad uce e amples . Their confused introduction in the dramatis persona: might indeed render this po sition doubtful to any o ne who had no t well considered the matter ;but although the £0 0 1 Old a d d , 9 2q pl ys enote either a witty hireling o n d fo r the Of or artificial fo l , both retai e purpose n the d ce r maki g sport for their employers , own was — m v a H e o c tainly a Ch racter of much greater variety . “ — “ h fl h " — m w casio nally represented o ne o f the aho v e personages ; c w “ an” . sOmetim es he m t and O no was a ere rus ic , very ften a a h d an d are more th n s rew d witty omestic . There f fi w ; 3 v a r some instances in which anyl o w” ch}racte r in a play served to amuse the audiences with his sallies M al q m m Of buf and t e the C coarse foonery, hus becam lown of “ ~ n

the . t the t piece In _ , heatrical clown or fool s “ hor h w C N g ar-“ m u m a b land fhaéro eneo us h t seems to h ve een a g c arac er, “ ” dr w in 5& fr6m a C n d a n 5 re l life, but very o si erably heightened to produce stage effect ; an opinion that derives considerable support from what Shakespeare has ut the H he him p into mouth of amlet , when makes admonish those who play the clowns to Speak no

t is set d . d d the a more han own for them In ee , gre t dramatist himself cannot be absolved from the imputa tion o f having given too high a colouring to the Char acters in we is question, unless suppose , what ex 1 8 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE trem el t his y probable , hat plays have been very much interpolated by the extemporaneous nonsense of the players .

. a n the he Dr Fuller, spe ki g of Court Jester, whom n in his says some count a ecessary evil , remarks usual n it is an Oﬂice quaint man er, that which none but he wit can rm and he that hath perfo , none but that wants it will perform .

TH E CLOWN .

2 A ﬁ i ntstic. ttys

. e rv ant d and t 3 Any M s of a shrew wit y w 'fi fil m “ and who S a 113 17 in o ur , a imil r m “l t £ “ }? ike u was mad tOtreat h S maSte r w m l a e i“ ith great fa i i in t ff order to produce s age e ect . T ho nerall d III . he m o w e . fe ale fo l,_ was g ymi iot The onF f I . ity or o orati ool , whose o fice w V C ‘ C w rp m “ w a n in ss s p bl m s ahd pa a s . T t.o a i t at u ic entert in e t ge nt o ' ’ 15 n bet erha s the L d Ma t gF p or yor s s ate fool , an d the n o f d C d those employe by compa ies tra es & . re V . Tavern Fools . These seem to have been W e a taine d to amuse the customers . le rn from ’ of B en Jonso n s plays that they exhibited with

a n d o n n - and in no o f jews h rp, mou te a joi t stool , a ther them he has preserved the name o f such a character they were sometimes qualiﬁedto sing after the Italian n r d in the n man e . Fools were also employe commo

F o l the t t l m st s am hwe o of ancient hea rica erie ; ( y no A M i W k h m e s more properly spea ing , t e , IN LIFE AND IN LITERATURE 19

’ n r t d afi o rd m a si gular characte , hat woul atter for much better dessertatio ns than those of Warburton ’ n n n d d in a d U . pton Bei g ge erally resse a fool s habit , he appears to have been gradually and undistinguish ably blended with the domestic fool ;yet he was c er inl f ff H e a ta y a bu foon of a di erent sort. was lways n to the and r his a bitter e emy Devil , a pa t of employ ment consisted in teaz ing and tormenting the poor nd n r He d t be fie o eve y occasion . cease o in fashion the end h n r at of t e sixteenth ce tu y . The Po in he o ld d d VII . t umb shows exhibite at p} W W w w and ha n 1n whiéh he fairs , per ps at in s , was generally engaged in a struggle with death ;a fact that seems ’ d d t a in S a a allu e to more h n once h kespeare s pl ys . It is possible that some casual vestiges o f this species of entertainment might have suggested the modern Eng a lish p ntomimes . Th in th V III . e l e s l s and M r s Foo ‘ Whit un a e o ri m m u l -m W n a a. dan ce . ’ I! The M n n . M d ou teba k s fool , or erry An rew . There may be others introducedinto our o lddramas an nd t and d and no t d of i efini e irregular kin , re ucible to an the y of above classes .

COST M U E. Whoever is desirous general and ac curate information concerning the g reat variety of dresses that belong to some of the characters in ques dff n d m t d n and tion at i ere t perio s , ust s u y ancient pri ts t n and the t t pain i gs , especially minia ures hat embel lished m anuscripts . These will furnish sufﬁ cient 20 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE specimens ;but the diﬂiculty of ascertaining how the ’ theatrical fools and clowns of Shakespeare s time a d is n n were always h bite , i superable . In some insta ces the plays themselves assist by peculiar references that leave but little doubt ;but this is no t the case in gen e raL

d the t It may be collecte both from plays hemselves , and r t the from various othe authorities , hat costume ’ of the domestic fool in Shakespeare s time was of two sorts .

H in ( ere follow some etchings pencil . )

On the first of these the coat was motley or parti d and d the d d coloure , attache to bo y by a gir le, with he n n t rt a d t o t . The bells at ski elbows , hough always and and a le breeches hose close , sometimes e ch g of ’ ff n d n . A d a i ere t colour hoo resembli g a monk s cowl , d it a n d n d which at a very early perio , was cert i ly esig e d d t and d to imitate, covere the hea en irely, fell own th a over part o f e breast nd shoulders . It was some ’ d d r n d in times ecorate with asses ears , or else te mi ate the and d o ld the neck hea of a cock, a fashion as as r had the fourteenth centu y . It often comb or crest only of the animal . The fool usually carried in his hand an official o r was r d sceptre bauble , which a sho t stick ornamente ’ the end t the o f d at wi h figure a fool s hea , or some instru times with that o f a doll or puppet . To this ment there was frequently annexed an inflated skin

dd the it d. no t or bla er, form of varie It was always

d air n d . ﬁlle with , but occasio ally with san or peas IN LIFE AND IN LITERATURE ‘ 2 1

The d and other ress , which appears to have been in the t S the more common ime of hakespeare, was n r d to the lo g petticoat . This originally appe taine d n i be e d i iot or atural fool . Why t came to us for h i n It h t e d o s o t . t e allowe fo l apparent was like ﬁrst, the o f of various colours , materials often costly , as and d d d o ne velvet, guar e or fringe with yellow . In d instance we have a yellow leather oublet.

I TRINC LO U .

The t n the d s charac er of Tri culo, who in ramati nae is d is 1 r well d ri perso calle a jester , isc m “23 , & ym inated in h h Kg h t e course of t e play itself. e is only ' M iaﬁ there was no opportunity of ex hibiting him in the legitimate characte r of a professed fool : but at the conclusion of the play it appears he was in the service of the K n S He m be i g of Naples as well as tephano . ust d d d d ff and d regar e as an allowe omestic bu oon, habite in the usual manner .

LA NC A ND SP D U E EE . The character of Speed is that of a M d witty

ant. L is n df n hibit w aunce somethi g i fere t, ex ing n is a mixture of archness a d rustic simplicity . There no to d no r an r a allusion ress , y othe circumstance th t m the d m arks them as o estic fool or jeste r .

TH E CLOW

d o the rv This clown is a omestic f ol , in se i H m “ d ce of Olivia . e is spe cially ter ed an allowe 22 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

’ and the t the L ad O a fool Feste, jester, hat y livi s ” m d in M father took uch elight . alvolio likewise “ ” him set Of his d is im speaks of as a fool . ress it ’ possible to speak m If the fool s ex pression “ w im etico at th reatilit be the I ill p y g y, original lan

d d Mr. guage, he must have been habite accor ingly . Ritson has asserted that he has neither coxcomb no r d d his the an bauble , e ucing argument from want of y to t Y et m r allusion hem . such an o ission may be a ve y fallacious guide in judging o f the habit of this char the be d d acter on stage . It must, however, a mitte that where this happens there can be no clue as to the m h d ed precise anner in which t e fool was ress .

M AS R FOR M AS R —TH E CLOWN E U E E U E .

M in lay o fﬁciates as the tapster of a ' ' " w brothel ;whence it has eén co ncluded that h e is ~ not d no r in the d o f a omestic fool , ought to appear ress A d that character . little consi eration will serve to the is is shew that opinion erroneous , that this clown d and he dbe altogether a omestic fool , that shoul hab ited d M n r in accor ingly . any ancie t prints fu nish stances of the common use of the domestic fool in brothels . r ’ ’ L a s LAB O R S LOST—TH E CLOWN ov U .

Th in is m n r e clown this play a ere cou t y fellow . “ ” Th t r d him in A ct Sc e m . e fool applie to V , II , means n n H e has no t othi g more than a silly fellow . suf ﬁcient n o no r wit simplicity for a atural fo l , enough for an artiﬁcial one .

24 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

TH WINT R ’ S TAL E E E .

The m clown is a ere country booby .

K IN L AR G E .

The foo l of this play is the genuine domestic buf foon ; but notwithstanding his sarcastical ﬂashes of

' wit we i d and , for which must g ve the poet cre it, ascribe them in some degree to what is called stage ff he is m n d e ect, a ere atural with a consi erable share n Ed him and of cun ing . Thus gar calls an innocent, o ne d d n r every will imme iateyl isti guish h_i__n from_ such a character as To uchsto nem s dress on the stage _ should hé partiEo lo uredfhis hood crested either with ’ he d a cock s comb to which often allu es , or with the ’ ad n n His d d co c k s he a d eck . bauble shoul have a hea like his own with a grinning countenance fo r the pur pose o f ex citing mi rth in those to whom he occasion n ally prese ts it . Y ORICK

’ The King s J ester

AMLET, a young Danish prince, aecom

anie d d p by his frien Horatio, stands by a lo w wall that encloses a graveyard watching an

ro fes o ldsexton who is digging a grave . With p sio nal unconcern the o ld fellow shovels out the

t earth , toge her with some human bones ;amongst

two k u o f them s lls , one which he strikes smartly

his d to d with spa e imbe it in the soft earth , and prevent its rolling away . Shocked at the apparent indifference o fthe o ld

to h d d d in man t ese ea relics , the prince a vances ,

e and t rru ts . p his work, engages him in conversation

- di e r ' is d d o ld The grave gg a quaint, in epen ent fel

’ lo w h , and answers the prince s questions wit

. T humorous bluntness he prince inquires , How

” long will a man lie in the earth ere he rot ?

to After replying the question , the sexton picks 25 26 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE up o ne o f the skulls from the mound o f earth

“ ’ and asserts, This skull hath lain i the earth “ ” - an - ? three dtwenty years . Whose was it

“ ’ s asks the prince . A whore on mad fellow s it “ was and d , replies the sexton , then a ds , A pesti

’ lence o n him for a mad rogue ! a poured a ﬁagon

o f o n d . T Rhenish my hea once his same skull ,

’ ’ ” sir , was Yorick s skull , the king s j ester . Gently taking the grim remainder from the

o f o ld -d irreverent hands the grave igger, and d gazing at it with loving ten erness , the prince ex “ : o —I claims Alas , po r Yorick knew him, Hora

: o f o f tio a fellow inﬁnite j est, most excellent fancy : he hath borne me on his back a thousand times ;and no w how abhorred in my imagination ! it is my gorge rises at it . Here hung those lips

d no t o ft. that I have kisse , I know how Where be your gibes now ? your gambols ? your songs ?

' ﬂashes o f me rrirnent your , that were wont to set the table in a roar ? No t o ne now to mock ” your own grinning ! quite chap- fallen !

Fo r three - and- twenty years that skull had la

t its erso nalii in the earth , till every ves ige of p Y ORICK 27 h d b d and the a een destroye , only experienced eye

' of the o ld sexton could recognize it . A chapless sk ull ! dust and bo nes tossed up d from the ecaying earth from which they sprang, and to which, by the inexorable law of nature, they had returned;a skull that once was covered

and with skin tissues , through which ran a myriad o f and the arteries veins , conveying blood to and from the active brain that lay in the no w empty

. k h had d shell A s ull t at crowne a frame , clothed

d t d like itself, intersecte wi h nerves that connecte

o f and the sensations heart brain , and canals that d d carrie the vital ﬂui s on their ceaseless course ,

and giving the entire structure a living entity, an

d d o in ivi ual personality ;the personality fYorick,

o f . j ester to the court Hamlet, King of Denmark ! Yorick what a merry, loving soul he must

o f . have been, how full fun and frolic What

d o n pranks he must have playe those big, good

d - d nature , long haire Viking warriors , as they sat at the banquet table in the great hall of the castle of Elsinore . In fancy, I can hear their laughter h at his madcap j ests , and the deep roar of t eir 2 8 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE voices as they j oin in the chorus o f his merry songs .

c an d I see him in the churchyar , serious for a moment, sitting on an ancient tombstone, gravely “ ” watching the o ld sexton digging a pit of clay ; the last resting place of folly and wisdom ; but his fun - loving soul cannot long be restrained by even such solemn environment ;so, furtively, the m ad rogue purloins the bibulous o ld grave

’ d o f h d -b and igger s ﬂagon R enish , stan ing near y, pours its contents over the head o fthe disco mﬁted

d s sexton ;then , ﬂeet as a eer he run away, leaps

d and o f the churchyar wall , the faint echo his

’ merry laughter is the only solace for the o ldman s wrath .

! and d Yorick the lines are few, the escription

o brief that Shakespeare has given us f the man ,

so but they are so pregnant with suggestion, sweet

and d in thought, so ten er in memory that he lives in our minds as completely as though he gamboled o n t and d ca the ear h again , laughingly j ingle his p

an dbells in our very ears . H o w happy must have been those early days Y ORICK 29 a was and t Elsinore, when Hamlet a child Yorick

- o his play fellow . H w they must have romped d together in the gar ens . What fun it was for the

’ little prince to climb upon the j ester s shoulders

’ and - race pick back along the terraces , the boy s

d and long fair curls blowing in the win , his merry

H o w laughter ﬁlling the air with music . pleas ant to sit in the shade o f o ne o f the big old trees

to the in the park, and listen j ester tell such inter esting tales o fthe folklore of the country ;o fthe

’ d o f and tra itions the prince s warlike race , the d T mighty eeds of his great Viking ancestors . hen

too d o b there were stories , , won erful stories , of g

and who did lins, sprites fairies such strange things that the relation o f them almost frightens d the little prince ;but he is reassure by a smile ,

’ and d d o ld , twining his arms roun ear Yorick s

’ and neck, kissing the j ester s lips , he nestles close to the breast of his motley friend in conﬁdent security .

Three -and- twenty years have passedsince then

o f o f ! years sorrow, years pain The prince is now

’ a man , with more than a man s share of doubts , 3 0 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE perplexities and cares : andyet at the sight of th

o f d d - bare, chapless skull his ea play fellow all

and d the sweet ten er past comes back again . What a tender pathos is mingled with

’ prince s philosophic reﬂections o n the remains 0

d d d as d his ea frien , memory recalls each wor

d d o f incident . It is in ee a reﬂex Yorick himsel as e t the prince utters the grim jest, Now g you

’ to d and my la y s chamber, tell her, let her paint ”

to she . an inch thick , this favor must come So must we all ! The king lies in his marble sepulcher, the j ester in his humble grave in the churchyard: but the ermine robe and motley

and d coat, the crown bauble will mingle their ust, and ﬁnd equality in the universal democracy of death .

3 2 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE the d and matter with j u gment, he is never at a

and loss for a reply that is apt to the point .

e rsiﬂa e ha il Touchstone scorns mere p g , is pp d

and d free from the punning habit, is sel om a c rupte r of words ;he makes his j ests by logical duc tio ns d d , with a goo premise, a soun argument a nda positive conclusion . This same happy quality may be found in hi encounters with the gentlemen of the court, d d d la ies in their isguises , the simple shepher s in

and u the forest, with the grave philosopher Jaq es

d d who in ee , it is the latter gentleman most accu ratel m and y su marizes the accomplishments , gives

’ to the keynote the j ester s character, when he pre “ him to : sents the Duke Is not this a rare fellow,

d d? t and goo my lor he is as good at any hing, yet ” a fool . The wit of Touchstone does no t scintillat e , but burns with a steady ﬂame ;it is no t like the Sparks d that ﬂy from the contact of tempere steel , but the bright and ruddy glow that radiates from

molten metal in the crucible . It is sententious

friv rather than brilliant, more philosophic than TOUCHSTONE 3 3

o lo us and . , invariably epigrammatic His humor

no r is never malicious , his satire bitter ;he shoots his wit at every mark that presents itself, but his shafts are harmless ;they have no barb and leave no sting. ff d Touchstone is not a bu oon , he oes not play practical jests nor indulge in such pranks as did “ ” ad that m ad rogue Yorick . H it been Touch stone in the churchyard at Elsinore when the sex

was d a d d ton igging grave , he woul not have poure

’ a ﬂagon of wine over the o ldgrave - digger s head; e wouldprobably have leaned against one of the o ld d d h yew trees , watche the procee ings wit quiet

and o ld had d d reﬂection , if the sexton a vance any o f d his socialistic theories , the j ester woul have

d to end and no d argue the matter the , oubt have

o wn him on his proposition .

There are no demonstrations o r expressions of f “ a fection by Touchstone , as by the fool in King ” is Lear, yet he not lacking in loyalty ;he leaves the court of Duke Frederick to follow the for ’ d tunes of Celia , the Duke s aughter, out of sincere

’ d o d regar , running the risk fthe Duke s ispleasure 34 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE andprobably of punishment if discovered;he ac cepts the fatigues o f the j ourney and the disc forts of life in the forest o fArden without hesi tion or complaint ; he readily adapts himself

his his new environment, keeps own counsel ,

as o f and d well that his mistress , hol s the sec o f the disguises o f Celia and Rosalind inv io l My ﬁrst acquaintance with Touchstone w

d a o En lan ma e many years g , at Manchester, in g “ A very elaborate production of As You Like I d ’ was presente at the Prince s Theater there . playedthe part o fOrlando to the Rosalindof th

and d beautiful incomparable actress , Miss A el

e as N ilso n . Mr . Compton w the fool . I cann imagine a more adequate andeffective perfo rrnan

o f t the part han Mr . Compton gave ;his qua

personality , his unctuous humor, his artistic i

stinc t dd d to d , a e his ripe experience, combine present a complete embodiment o f the poe

his d design . The mobility of features reﬂecte Spirit o fevery line he uttered;and though he s

do m d d o f ex ressi smile , un er the gravity his p yo u seemed to feel there was the keenest a Jam e s L e wis as T o u c h s t o n e in A s Y o u L ik e It

TOUCHSTONE 3 5

o f o f ation the humor the occasion, which laughter d wouldhave faile to convey .

’ The memory o f Mr . Compton s performance will ever remain with me as the living embodiment of Touchstone .

— ’ ItW im to c o njure up in one s d r ictu res tha es eare has d and min tl L Shak p rawn , gp —0

- h and . en give t em vitality, form color I have j , rst meeting o f Touchstone with the gloomy philosopher

J a ues m q , in m m eccentric gentleman .

’ ! I met the A fool , a fool a fool i forest , — A motley fool a miserable world! I do d I m et As live by foo , a fool ’ Who laid him down and bask d him in the sun ’ A nd rail d L d in d on a y Fortune goo terms ,

In d set t and et . goo erms , y a motley fool

d to The escription is brief, but it suggests the

and imagination a scene of rare sylvan beauty, striking human contrast . An opening in the trees

sun d d where the , unimpe e by the heavy foliage of j

d d and the eep forest brightens the lan scape , the ! atmosphere is redolent wi th the fragrance o f the 3 6 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d wildwoodﬂowers . The bees are humming row

d d to ily, the bir s ﬂit by on spee y wings reach thei

and nests , from their leafy homes trill out thei d j oy in sweetest melo y . Touchstone is lyi upon the soft green turf ;he imagines himself

l l uiz i d. is so i o be alone, unseen , unhear He q

d as speaking his thoughts alou , many thinkers possibly contrasting the beauties of nature

d o ffo which he is environe , with the frowns that have banished his mistress and himself fr the the luxurious life of court to the plain , horn existence in the primitive forest . But he is

. J a ues d alone q , wan ering through the forest, serves the motley ﬁgure reclining on thegrou and d hearing his voice but seeing no au itor, s

and . listens Noting his motley coat, Jaques d ﬁrst takes the fellow for an or inary fool , d which most people at that time, inclu ing Shake

had d speare himself, a profoun contempt ; b

’ Touchstone s railing is no ordinary abuse ;it is

‘ ” “ d d set such goo terms, such goo terms that the phil o sopher not only stops to listen “ ” is so d the motley fool , but entertaine that he

38 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE 0 that I were a fool !

I am ambitious for a motley coat .

But to return to that po rtion of this interesting d interview the poet has given us . It is narrate by J aques himself

“ G o d sir he o morrow , fool , quoth I . No, , quoth , ” m e no o a Call t fo l till he ven hath sent me fortune . A nd he d d his then rew a ial from poke ,

A nd o n it - e e looking with lack lustre y , “ ’ S is ten ays very wisely , It o clock ; “

m a we se e t he ho w the d . Thus y , quo h , worl wags ’ Tis an a o it n but hour g since was ine, ’ A ndafter o ne hour more twill be eleven ; And r we and so, from hour to hou , ripe ripe , A nd then from hour to hour we rot and rot ; ” A nd n ta id thereby ha gs a le . When I d hear The t the t m motley fool hus moral on i e, M n C n y lu gs began to crow like ha ticleer ,

d be d - n a That fools shoul so eep co templ tive , A nd I did laugh sans intermission A n hi d — hour by s ial . O noble fool ! ’ ! M the A worthy fool otley s only wear .

We are no t informed o fthe effect o fthe inter d d view on Touchstone but, oubtless , like a goo soldier that appreciates a foeman worthy o f his

d the steel , he esteeme the philosopher more after the combat o ftheir wits . TOUCHSTONE 3 9

Henry Giles , in his Human Life of Shake ” “ H speare , calls Touchstone The amlet of mot ” “ ” and d d and ley, ﬁn s a sa ness in his j ests in his mockery seem (s) to hear echo es from a solitary ” H e a heart . epigr mmatically summarizes the “ o ut o f character as follows : He is a thinker place, a philosopher in mistaken vesture , a genius by

’

d . nature , an outcast by estiny It may be pre sumption on my part to differ from so distin uished g an authority, but, while I approve the “ ” application o f the term Hamlet of motley as

’ j ustified by Touchstone s analogy to the Danish prince in his reflective philosophy on the mutabil “ to find d o f d ity of life , I fail any evi ence sa ness in his j ests or the “ echoes from a solitary heart”

his in sentiments or conduct . As I have before

d no t observe , his j ests are frivolous, but they are

o f and characteristic the man , quaint sententious , and never lacking in humor . On the arrival o f

o f d and the fool in the forest Ar en , with Celia

d an d ' Rosalin , he j ests at the love tale which he

d to and the la ies overhear Sylvius relate Corin , burlesques the amatory verses that Orlando has 40 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d and Au written to Rosalin . He meets courts d rey , the country wench , with the usual attentions

and o f and compliments a lover in his station , in

d to the thir act arranges marry her ; in fact, he

d d so d J a ues woul have one , but for the a vice of q , who urges him to postpone the ceremony till a

more favorable opportunity . This opportunity

o f and presents itself at the conclusion the play,

t Touchstone is there with his swee heart, eager, as “ d to and d he eclares , swear forswear, accor ing as ” d d marriage binds . These con itions o not seem

’ G iles s to indicate a solitary heart . As to Mr .

’ r ﬁnal summa y of Touchstone s character, his genius I admit ;but a thinker is never out o fplace there is no distinctive vesture fo r a philosopher and the j ester to so important a personage as the

can scarcely be termed an outcast . It would seem by the initial appearance o f Touchstone that Shakespeare intended to repre “ ” d o f d o and sent him as the or inary type a ull f ol , later endowed him wi th the wealth o f wit and

d so d and wis om that has enriche the character, d made it so conspicuous in the come y . TOUCHSTONE 4 1

This has causedso eminent an authority as Dr ‘ Furness to conclude that Shakespeare intended to present two separate and distinct characters : an ! “ “ d as or inary roynish clown or clownish fool , i

d and and he is calle in the ﬁrst act, the keen witty“ “ ” s t ﬁnd th philo opher, the wor hy fool we in e later acts .

d to dff dis Again , I am compelle i er with a

n h ti guis ed scholar .

ﬁnd the . I can nothing inconsistent in character .

w g: and In the ﬁrst act, To S a light ‘ friv o lo u th the duties o f fi to and his of ce , which were entertain amuse

' ‘ his m aSterT nd hiS household; and even that triﬂing example o f the knight and the pancakes “ is an apt illustration of his argument o n swearing ” by his honor ; while his sarcastic reference to

” “ ” breaking o fribs as sport fo r ladies is entirely fl ’ consistent with his philosophic satire in the late rl acts . T d he unities of the character are well preserve , and the s 1 link connecting Touch tone at the court , T d with ouchstone in the forest is clearly deﬁne . 42 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

I d and d d d Rosalin Celia, having eci e to leave the

an d d court seek security in the forest, Rosalin proposes :

’ What if we assay d to steal ’ The clownish fool out of your father s court ? Would he no t be a comfort to our travel ?

To this proposal Celia eagerly assents

’ ’ He ll go along o e r the wide world with m e ; L m him eave e alone to woo .

fo That her wooing was successful is obvious , the next time we meet them they are at the edge

and the forest, Touchstone is with them , li themselves wearied by the j ourney they ha

s made . The continuity is complete . The trenchant wit that satirizedthe breaking o fri th at the court, humorously exclaims against

o f and the d o fatigues the journey, iscomforts

the forest .

R o s O u iter l ho w are m ! . J p weary y spirits Tau no t m ifm no t I . I care for y spirits , y legs were r wea y . el m e o r C . I pray you bear with ;I cannot g fu ther . F r ha at n To u. o d t my part, I r her bear with you ha TOUCHSTONE 43 hear et d no if I did a you ;y I shoul bear cross be r you, I n n in fo r I thi k you have no mo ey your purse . d is the A . R o s . Well , this forest of r en o A no w in d the o ! T u . y, I am Ar en ; more fo l I n I in : whe was at home, I was a better place but b n travelers must e co tent . It is obvious to me that the characters developed in the mind of the author as he progressed in the

o f and construction the play, however clear may have been his ﬁrst conception of the part , he elab orated and perfected it as the possibilities pre sented themselves .

Fum ess Dr . , however, is most emphatic against}

’ this view of Shakespeare s methods . He says : , “ — — f I cannot suppose it is unthinkable that fro rr j, the ﬁrst instant each character was not present before him in perfect symmetry andabsolute corri ” le teness p . This is the natural point of view of such an ac complished scholar and scientiﬁc literary critic as

’ had Dr . Furness ;but Shakespeare not the Doctor s

d o f d d a vantages a systemize e ucation , nor such profound literary culture . Shakespeare adopted h d met o s of his own , which were at variance with 44 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE conventionality ; he discarded the scientiﬁc rules o f d o f construction , followe the natural instincts

d and d d d his own min , establishe a new stan ar o f d ramatic writing. d d Such evi ence as we have, in icates that nearly

’ o f - d all the poet s play writing was hastily one , and h r as he then t ought, but for tempora y use on

n d o f the stage . We have o evi ence revision either

o r d for publication for subsequent repro uction , but much that j us tiﬁes the inference that he was indifferent to the merits of his dramatic work ; so that while his plots may have been carefully

d d ed prepare , the characters grew in etail impor tance as they developed in the mind o f the actor d and ro ramatist, the construction of the play p ceede d. It must also be remembered that Shake speare worked from more than one point o fview ;

d o f h he possesse the creative faculty the aut or, d the i eality of the poet, the constructive ability

’ the d o f of ramatist, as well as the actor s instinct d delineation . This con ition I assume to have “ ” d As existe in the construction of You Like It , andthe as result w the evolution of Touchstone .

46 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

” great heap o f your knowledge ? Ro salind ’ d “ A echoes her cousin s sentiment by ad ing, y,

’ 7

d . an marry, now unmuzzle your wis om For

the d d swer, Touchstone requests la ies , Stan you

and both forth now ;stroke your chins , swear by ” d do your bear s that I am a knave . The ladies d d as requeste , passing their han s over their faces , “ o u r d had Celia exclaiming, By bear s, if we them , ” d and thou art . Touchstone conclu es the story “ : the argument by asserting By my knavery, if

had I it, then I were ;but if you swear by that that

is . not, you are not forsworn No more was this

had knight, swearing by his honor, for he never

o r had had any ; if he , he sworn it away before ” ever he saw those pancakes o r that mustard. Learning from the fool that the story has ref

d o f erence to a frien her father, Celia threatens “ him with the whip , for taxation Touch

’ stone s reply is worthy o f the keenest satirist

“ The more pity , that fools may not speak wisely ” do when wise men foolishly . d The a vent of Le Beau , a courtier, puts an d endto the discussion . Le Beau invites the la ies to TOUCHSTONE 47

“ ee o d s some wrestling, which he terms g o sport, anddescribes with much detail the bouts that have d d alrea y occurre , in which Charles , the champion

t and wrestler, has over hrown broken the ribs of

who d three young men , brothers , have essaye to compete with him . Le Beau reports the young d men as having been apparently fatally inj ure , and that some of the more sympathetic spectators have j oined th e aged father of the boys in his lamentations at their hurts . At the conclusion of

’ Le Beau s narrative Touchstone gravely inquires , “ the d But what is sport, Monsieur, that the la ies ? ” “ ” have lost Why , this that I speak of, returns “ “ s the courtier . Thus , replies Touch tone , men may grow wiser every day! It is the ﬁrst time that ever I heard breaking o f ribs was Sport for d ” la ies .

d o f d In the early ays my ramatic experience . ” there was an unworthy gag introducedinto this

d ho scene by come ians w played Touchstone . At

t d the conclusion of the wrestling, which is wi nesse

d and by the la ies Touchstone , the champion is

d d and worste by Orlan o, thrown senseless to the 48 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d d. h groun The uke, wit whom the wrestler is “ a favorite, inquires with some anxiety, How ” d ? to ost thou , Charles in reply which Le Beau d “ ” d. shoul answer, He cannot speak, my lor

d d to a ro r1 Come ians , however, were permitte pp p

and d the d ate this line woul preface it with wor s,

“ ” He says , making the sentence in its entirety d “ d'” rea , He says he cannot speak, my lor

a poverty - stricken j est of which Touchstone

“ ’

d . a woul have been incapable Happily, this g g d is now omitte .

o f d andTo uchsto n The j ourney Rosalin , Celia to the forest o f Arden has been already refe

’ to , together with the latter s witticisms on the

’ t o ne o f subj ect, but here is passage the fool s I “ cannot refrain from repeating, Travelers must ” be content . Speaking from many years o f experience over

and d o f many miles in many lan s, I know no bit of

d -l wis om , wit, or philosophy in the realm of litera ! ture that expresses a more emphatic truth than those four words o fTouchstone . “ It is while resting in the skirt of the forest TOUCHSTONE 49

’ that the travelers , unperceived, overhear a lover s d complaint by a young shepher , Sylvius, to his

o f more mature friend Corin . The relation the passion o f the young shepherd brings from Rosa lind the acknowledgment that she is similarly affected;and Touchstone declares he too has suf fe red and d , humorously escribes his experiences d with Jane Smile , conclu ing with the sage aver “ ment : We that are true lovers run into strange

as so capers ; but all is mortal in nature, is all ” nature in love mortal in folly . The sentiment “ d d who is approve by Rosalin , remarks , Thou ” ”

t . speakest wiser han thou art ware of Nay , d “ ’ mo estly replies Touchstone, I shall ne er be ware o fmine own wit till I break my shins against ” it .

’ Touchstone s adaptability and good nature soon make him friends and in the third act we ﬁnd him in pleasant converse with the o ld shep

d who d has d her Corin , evi ently consi erable respect dd “ for him , for he a resses him ﬁrst as Master

” “ ” ’ chsto ne and subsequently as Sir . Corin s

o wit, however, is no match for that f 5 0 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d i Touchstone , but the latter is compelle , in j ust ce , to acknowledge that even in the limited Sphere of his pastoral life the shrewdobservations o fth o ld shepherd have made him a natural philos

d is and cha ac e r s c opher . The ialogue bright r t 1 t1 h d be t roughout the scene, but the passages quote

’ low are especially good examples o f Touchstone s

’ Co r A ndho w d M . like you this shepher s life, aster Touchstone ? To u d in it . Truly, shepher , respect of itself, is a ’ d in it is d goo life ;but respect that a shepher s life, i In t i i it t is . e t s a naught resp ct hat solit ry , I like in a it is a it is r very well ;but respect th t priv te, a ve y in i i in h d i . t s t e t vile life Now , respect ﬁel s , pleas eth m e but in it no t in the rt it is well ; respect is cou , i it m d . t te ious As is a spare life , look you, ﬁts y : t is no in it it humor well but as here more plenty , — m . c t goes much against y stomach Wast ever at our , Shepherd?

Co r. t . No, ruly

To w d m d. . Then thou art a ne

r Fo r no t n ? a . Ca . bei g at court Your re son o n Wh if t n T . y, hou never wast at court, thou ever ’ ’ saw st good m anners ;if thou never saw st go o d man n t th nn be d and d ers , hen y ma ers must wicke ; wicke

is sin and sin is d . ness , amnation TOUCHSTONE 5 1

and se A little more reasoning, Corin confes s himself unable to cope further with Touchstone :

’

Co r t wit m e . . You have too cour ly a for ;I ll rest T u t d n d? Go d a . Wilt hou rest am e help thee, shal ’ n d d t he d m an. o t t low If thou be st amne for his , evil no d himself will have shepher s .

It is evident that at this time Touchstone has not yet fallen a victim to the bucolic charms o f

d d o Au rey ; for he ri icules, with extemp raneous d oggerel , the very interesting love verses that d d s Rosalin has foun hanging on the forest tree , and so seriously offends the lady that he is sum d d marily ismisse from her presence .

’ Sho rtl after o f sad‘ y , however, in spite his ex

erience we ﬁnd p with Jane Smile , him paying d d assi uous court to the rustic maiden , Au rey ; ff “ ” o ering to fetch up her goats , plying her with

and the usual questions , awaiting her replies with

’ the usual anxiety o f a lover ;but the court fool s language andreferences to classic Ovidare beyond d d the un erstan ing of the simple country wench ,

s who ingenuously ask for further information .

to is is somewhat discouraging the motley lover, 5 2 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

’ and t : s he hus complains When a man s verse .

’ d d wit. cannot be understoo , nor a man s goo d d d d d secon e with the forwar chil Understan ing, it strikes a man more dead than a great reckoning ” in a little room . H e then expresses the wish that the gods had d ’ d . to o d ma e her poetical This , , is beyon Au rey s

and she comprehension , artlessly inquires , Is it ” honest in deed and word? Is it a true thing ? In spite of Touchstone ’ s desire that Audrey should

has be poetical , he apparently no very exalte

o f to opinion poetry, for in reply her query “ fo r replies , No, truly, the truest poetry is most feign ing ;andlovers are given to poetry ; what they swear in poetry may be said as love ” they do feign . I must confess that I ﬁnd almost as much difﬁ culty as Audrey in comprehending the argum

o f Touchstone in the following passages . To

’ “ d Do d Au rey s query, you wish then that the go s ” “ had d ? ma e me poetical Touchstone replies , I

’ do swe ar st : , truly ;for thou to me thou art honest

now, if thou wert a poet, I might have some hope

54 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

fo r h d ting a compliment, but wit refreshing can or “ d : am no t and there fo a mits Well , I fair, ” d ﬁnd pray the go s to make me honest . I in

’ drey s simple prayer andwomanly candor qualities indicating that in the choice of a wife Touchstone

has neither been unwise nor unfortunate . It would appear that Touchstone had little

d o f o f fo r oubt the success his suit, he not only d tells Au rey that he will marry her, but has antici d pate matters by engaging Sir Oliver Martext, “ o f to the vicar the next village , meet them in this

and . place in the forest, to couple us That Audrey approves o f this hasty wooing is evidenced by her characteristically implied co n “ d !” sent, Well , the go s give us j oy to which dd “ !” Touchstone a s, Amen

As the fateful moment approaches, however, Touchstone indulges in some self- communion : “ A man may, if he were of a fearful heart, stagger ‘ in this attempt ;for here we have no temple but

1 - d no s s . the woo , a sembly but horn bea ts But h ? what, t ough Is the single man therefore blessed? No ;as a walled town is more worthier TOUCHSTONE 5 5

so d d than a village, is the forehea of a marrie man more honorable than the bare brow of a bachelor ; and by ho w much defense is better than no skill by so much is a horn more precious than to want . d Having arrive at this conclusion , Sir Oliver

x d anx Marte t having arrive also, Touchstone is

d and s ious that the ceremony shall procee , a ks of “ d d the vicar, Will you espatch us here un er the ” o r o to ? tree , shall we g with you your chapel d “ For reply, the vicar, looking aroun , asks , Is ” there none here to give the woman ? to which the

who fool , is obviously unfamiliar with the mar ria e d g service respon s , I will not take her on gift ” o S d o f f any man . A this attitu e Touchstone

to d 1 seems liable postpone in eﬁnitely , if not prevent

Ja ues has the ceremony altogether, q , who been lis d tening unobserve to the entire scene , steps for

d and war offers his services . Having, however,

d d and acquire a profoun respect for Touchstone, perceiving that he is in earnest in his desire to b

d d Ja ues the marrie to Au rey, q urges him to have ; ceremony performedin a church by a properly o rj d d and d aine minister, the appropriate surroun ings 5 6 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE o f a gentleman ;rather than by a hedge -priest in

‘ the forest, like a beggar . Touchstone hesitates

d and before a opting this course , Shakespeare has

ut s d p an a i e speech into his mouth , which if taken sje rio usly would destroy much of o ur respect fo r him . Some of the commentators have taken it

rio usl and d d d y, have e uce the conclusion that o uchsto ne intendedto deceive Audrey ;but I can ' d l t . an xot hink it Every action of the fool , every h Other line that the aut or has given him , expresses d Sincere regard an indicates honorable intentions . The entire speech seems to me to be the spon an eo us o f t expression the humor of the situation , as it appears to the keen sense of Our motley I no t no r friend. The subj ect matter is new the treatment o f it original . Marriage has been the

d o f theme of j est at all times , to all con itions

and was to o people , Touchstone instinctively a

no t to o f j ester appreciate the possibility a j est,

o n even himself . The lines are as follows (Aside) I am not in the mind but I were better to d o f be marrie him than of another, for he is

to and not like marry me well , not being well TOUCHSTONE 5 7

d d marrie , will be a goo excuse for me hereafter ” to leave my wife .

and d However, Touchstone Au rey accompany

e d J aqu s to iscuss the matter further, leaving the

d d and despised Sir Oliver in high u geon, without

a fee . Jaques evidently succeeded in convincing

o fhis Touchstone of the propriety suggestion , but Audrey fails to comprehend the necessity of de

d d o n . To d e lay her limite un erstan ing, priest is

o f as goodas another . In the ﬁrst scene the ﬁfth

in act she emphatically expresses her impatience ,

dicatin she o f g that has an opinion , if not a will , “ and was d her own , protests , Faith , the priest goo

’ ” o ld . enough , for all the gentleman s saying Touchstone ﬁnds it quite a task fo r his wit to

d and d pacify the la y, is only successful by ivert ing her attention to the claims of another to her

affections ;a certain forest youth named William . is a shrewd piece of diplomacy on the part o f

andno t d e fool , new to the worl by any means ; terminate an argument by changing the sub

ffectin o r g reproach , of meeting one 5 8 TH EFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d accusation by making another . Au rey, however,

d and enies the soft impeachment, fortunately the bucolic gentleman referred to appears most o p

n po rtu ely on the scene . I d Touchstone regar s the newcomer critically, “ and co rn lacentl is and d p y observes, It meat rink

we to to w . me see a clo n By my troth , that have good wits have much to answer fo r; we shall d” we . be ﬂouting, cannot hol It is a curiously contrasted group we have be

us : d and fore now The country girl , awkwar

d o f embarrasse in the presence her rustic suitor,

and d her court traine lover ; the forest youth , ill

o ne at ease, nervously shifting from foot to the

t as d d and o her, he stan s , hat in han before her ;

- satisﬁed who the smug, self court fool , conscious

o f s and re posses ion , revels in his superiority,

o c es c ﬁ j i in the dis o m tu re of his unsuccessful rival . With what a delightful assumption of patron

a e g , Touchstone questions the simple William ,

d and encourages, embol ens , then confuses , ﬁnally drives the poor fellow from the ﬁeldwith the mo st

terrible threats o fdisaster and death . The scene TOUCHSTONE 59

d is rich in come y, but beneath the surface may be appreciated a deep satire on the world.

One passage especially, presents a most whole

h it fo r some truth , t at is superﬂuous me to em

hasiz e . p , but which I cannot forbear quoting

s t Among t o her questions , Touchstone asks of “ ” a ? inc au Willi m , Art thou wise William

’ tio usl A . y replies , y, sir, I have a pretty wit

’ i and re to rts This is Touchstone s opportunity, he i “ do : Why , thou sayest well . I now remember a

d is th saying, The fool oth think he wise , but ” n wise man k ows himself to be a fool . “ Touchstone is no w summoned by his master ” and d d d d mistress (Rosalin , isguise as Ganyme e ,

and who d Celia) , evi ently acquaint him of their

n and his matrimo ial intentions , approve of ; for “ the next time we meet the motley lover and his ” “ - o lass , the former tells her, To morrow is the j y ” da d - d ful y, Au rey ;to morrow will we be marrie , “ she dd and to which can i ly sensibly replies , I

do desire it with all my heart ;and I hope it is no ” d d to ishonest esire be a woman of the world. d ’ d Au rey s wishes are shortly realize ;Rosalind, 60 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d i d and o f the goo fa ry, waves her wan , the forest

Arden becomes a veritable Temple o f Hymen . d d d d All ifferences are a juste , all wrongs righte ,

d is ‘ and true love receives its rewar . It a j oyous

o f to u meeting their betters , which To chstone

s d and bring his prospective bri e , to which they are heralded by J aques in his characteristic “ : d d fashion There is , sure, another ﬂoo towar , and these couples are coming to the ark ! Here

o f comes a pair very strange beasts , which in all ” tongues are called fools .

o n However, their appearance he bespeaks a welcome for them from the Duke : Good my d ” h lor , like this fellow, to which the Duke our “ te o usl . y replies , I like him very well ’ d Touchstone s acknowle gment is characteristic, if not especially gallant ;but his self- abnegation

s i i scarcely consistent with his previously expressed d d d “ eclaration , that he woul not take Au rey on

o f his d gift any man . However, conclu ing epi

and e gram is convincing, his metaphor p rfect

’ G o d ield sir! d o f . you , I esire you the like I

sir o f press in here , , amongst the rest the country

62 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

o f and fi the cause a quarrel , the ef cacy of that “ ” - d and . re eeming, peace restoring preposition if

’ Jaques presentation o f Touchstone to the

and d : Duke, the subsequent ialogue is as follows

d idhim i h fa . G d b . s t e g oo my lor , welcome This motley - minded gentleman that I have so often met in

the he t n rt he . forest ; ha h bee a cou ier , swears Tau an m an d t let him ut m e . If y oubt hat , p to d e ﬂat my purgation . I have tro a m asure ; I have tered ad a d o a l y ;I h ve been politic with my frien , smo th with mine enemy ; I have undone three tailors ; I

had and to o o ne . have four quarrels , like have f ught ’ A nd ho w was t u ? J aq . that a en p au a we m et and d T . F ith , foun the quarrel was h upon t e seventh cause . Ho w did ﬁnd the J aq . you the quarrel on seventh cause ? Tau U lie m d— . pon a seven times re ove as thus , ’ sir did d the cut t r d. . I islike of a cer ain cou tier s bear H e m e d if I d his rd no t cut sent wor , sai bea was

he was in the nd it : is a d the well , mi was this c lle R him d it etort Courteous . If I sent wor again was no t cut he d dm e dhe cut it e well , woul sen wor to pleas M d it t is d the . himself, his calle Q uip o est If again, no t cut he d d d t is was well , isable my ju gment ; his h a it no t called t e Reply Churlish . If ag in was well cut he d n I no t is d , woul a swer, spake true ;this calle i no t cut h e o n . n t t e R pro f Valia t If agai , was well , he would say I lied;this is called the Countercheck TOUCHSTONE 63

Q uarrelsome : and so to the L ie Circumstantial and h L ie t e Direct . a An d ho w did his d no t J g. oft you say bear was well cut ? T I d o no rt the L ie au. urst g fu her than Circum stantial no r he d no t m e the L ie and , urst give Direct ; a n so we me sured swords a d parted. a n n d no w the d J g . Can you omi ate in or er eg rees of a lie ? u we in the Ta . O sir , quarrel print by book, as a d n you h ve bo o ks for goo man ers . I will name you the d : the the R t the sec egrees ﬁrst , etort Cour eous ; o nd the M d the d the R , Q uip o est ; thir , eply Churlish ; the rt the R n the the fou h, eproof Valia t ; ﬁfth , Counter the the L ie m check Q uarrelsome ; sixth , with Circu h n h L i t e t e e . stance ; seve th , Direct All these you may avoidbut the L ie Direct ;andyou may avoidthat ‘ ’ an If l I h d too, with knew w en seven justices coul no t t u the m et ake p a quarrel , but when parties were “ o ne t ifI themselves , of hem thought but of an as , If d d and nd sai so, then I sai so they shook ha s “ ” r if i h swore brothers . You s t e only peace “ ” r in e ;much virtue If .

The concluding compliment o f J aques is but a just tribute to the accomplishments of Touch

and to stone, well epitomizes what I conceive be

’ the poet s conception ;while the reply o fthe Duke indicates the vein of satirical truth that underlies 64 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

and the entire character, summarizes the motive ,

’ as well as the result of the author s clearly ex d presse intention .

’ no t m h ]a . d? e s q Is this a rare fellow , y lor as

d n and et . goo at a ything , y a fool uk e H e his a n and D . uses folly like a st lki g horse , d the a t he his wit un er present tion of hat shoots .

It was my privilege to take part in the great d d 1 88 ramatic festival hel in Cincinnati , in 5 “ ne o f d d O the plays pro uce was As You Like It . I played the part o f Orlando to the Rosalind of

a . that ﬁne actress , F nny Davenport Stuart

was o f and Robson the Touchstone the occasion, I recall with pleasure the unique and interesting d performance he gave o fthe character . His ress was that of the conventional jesters ;parti -colored d and o f e d d oublet hose the p rio , with the tra i

d and tio nal . hoo , cockscomb bauble His walk, o r d d perhaps I coul better escribe it as a strut, was like that o f the barnyard bird whose head d d o wn and a orne his , his carriage was in harmony

d H is : with the same i ea . voice what playgoer who has once seen and heard Stuart Robson in TOUCHSTONE 65 any of his humorous characters c an forget that voice ! The peculiar @with its ever changing

end o f inﬂections , rising to a high treble at the d each sentence, accompanie with a constant snap

o f and k ping the eyes , an abrupt j er ing of the

d d to d hea from si e si e, at almost every other word. d Mr . Robson was hel in high esteem so that

was d his appearance greete with hearty applause , and d almost every phrase he uttere , with roars

and of laughter . The story of the knight the

d so pancakes never seeme to me humorous , while

“ to and d d the request Celia Rosalin , to stan forth , ”

and d . stroke your chins swear by your bear s , etc as so ludicrous that the ladies themselves were ulsed with laughter and scarcely able to pro

with their lines . d Another scene in which Mr . Robson appeare to the greatest advantage was in Scene I of the d d Fifth Act ;locate in the forest of Ar en . The d characters are Touchstone , Au rey, his country

t and a swee heart, Willi m , a simple rustic . The

unim o r latter character, though comparatively p 66 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

was o n h d tant, t is occasion playe by Mr . William

. o ut o f to o ld d H Crane , compliment his frien and d comra e Mr . Robson , with whom he had d been so long associated. The elightful air o f superiority assumed by the court fool over the

who d bucolic youth , in his smock frock Stoo with vacuous stare and open - mouthed wonder in fear

was dd ful awe of his motley tormentor, a splen i

d d . contrast of iversiﬁe humor The keen , incisive

’ d and intelli quality o f Mr . Robson s come y the gent understanding and appreciation of the text underlying it was never better e xampled than d by his elivery of that potent truism , The d oth think he is wise , but the wise man kno ” to was d d em himself be a fool . It in ee , a g d wisdom in a setting o f gOl en comedy . d the assumption of anger, the ireful thre bloodthi rsty consequences with which he whelmed the terror- stricken William and d d him from the ﬁel , leaving the fool in full undisputedpossession of his lady love were simpl delicious . This scene was rendered doubly effective by TOUCHSTONE 67

d skill and sincerity with which Mr . Crane playe

o f . the part William Like a true artist, he gave this small bit o fcharacter work the same at tention to every detail as though it were the prin

c i al d . p part in the come y In appearance, he looked as if he hadsteppedout of an o ld English engraving of rural life ;his dialect was perfect and his ungainly walk andawkwardbearing reminded o ne o f the types that may yet be seen and heard in the remote villages of the midland counties in

England.

’ In spite o f Mr . Robson s success in the earlier

the was f scenes of play, I think he most ef ective d in the last act . It may be remembere that here the various threads of the plot are drawn together and o the fabric f the story completed. After d their a ventures in the forest, the several couples , by mutual arrangement, meet at a certain point dff d where their i erences are arrange , their misun de rstandings explained and their conciliations

d. and effecte Among them , come Touchstone d Au rey . Here Robson fairly reveled in the situ

. d d a d ation He strutte , he crowe , n to continue 68 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

S ﬁa ed the imile, he pp his wings with the tri umphan t satisfaction o f a barnyard rooster ; argued his right to be called a courtier with the

o f and d d d o f logic a lawyer, expoun e the egrees d a lie with the wis om of an oracle .

What o ldplaygoer does not recall the delic and ’ reﬁnement of Mr . James Lewis s p ance o f the Shakespearean clowns in the several

’

d . come y revivals at Daly s Theater, New York “ ” As You Like It was producedthere in the early

Ada d eighties , with Rehan as Rosalin , John Drew

O d and . as rlan o, Mr Lewis (Little Jimmie Lewis , as he was affectionately called) as Touchstone .

The cameo clearness of his conception , the quaint

o f d the o f incisiveness his elivery, signiﬁcance

an d d n o f his business, the elicate ﬁ ish the entire characterization left an impression never to be

had no t forgotten . The performance that

d o f u d brea th h mor given to it by some come ians,

o f was d nor the rich unction others , but it imbue

’ with the quaint little gentleman s own personal

7 0 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d and o ene step smiling face , the tenor f his thoughts apparently changed and brightened by the memory of the pleasures he had enj oyed by the performances o f the talented little gentleman

had so d and d he unexpecte ly met recognize . d d I relate the inci ent to Mr . Lewis later . It

d d and d gratiﬁe him excee ingly, he tol me he felt it to be o ne o f the most delightful compliments

had he ever received.

Another Touchstone worthy o f note was that d d presente by Mr . E win Stevens , the successor

’ as d . of Mr . Lewis the come ian of Daly s Theater dif was . Equally artistic Mr Stevens , but entirely fe rent in methods as he was in features and

d s physique . Mr . Stevens seeme to take his po i

an tion more seriously than Mr . Lewis d main d tained a greater personal ignity . He Spoke his lines with the deliberation of oracular wisdom

and rather than with spontaneous wit, among the courtiers carried himself as a social equal rather d than as a retainer . He wooe the humble

d and d co m Audrey with con escension , accepte TOUCHSTONE 7 1

as dation as a matter of course . It w a most ghtful performance of the character from the

o f and t view of Stevens , a worthy iev ement o f a versatile and intelligent artist . TRINCULO IN TH ETEMPEST

' ’ Wha a ied nzmz h t p y s t is.

N O RI CUL , in The Tempest, is the only

’ o ne of Shakespeare s fools who in the dram atis personae o f the play is called a j ester ; and is the one least worthy of the title .

o f Fool to the court Alonzo, King of Naples,

and Trinculo, while accompanying his master

se a d and others on a voyage, is shipwrecke cast,

and un with them , upon an unknown apparently

has d inhabited island. Here he won erful adv en

d and is tures , meets extraor inary beings , brought,

o f o f d by the art Prospero, the genius the islan ,

d and un er the inﬂuence of fairies , sprites , goblins,

’ other strange creatures of the author s imagination .

’ Whatever may have been Trinculo s ability as 72 TRINCULO 73

d a wit at court, he certainly oes not appear to d great advantage in that respect on the islan , d d d although , it must be a mitte , he is environe by

d and d an atmosphere of iscomfort anger, which

d to while affor ing amusement the observer, savors

o little fhumor to him .

o ut o n In his ﬁrst scene he is an open plain , ” with neither bush nor shrub in a heavy storm ; on his next appearance he is under the inﬂuence o f and d liquor ; the thir time we meet him , he has

d d - d and been pursue by ﬁen s through a horse pon , is saturated with its offensive contents . d d He is ominate in the ﬁrst instance by terror, d d in the secon by liquor, in the thir by anger and d and d d isgust ; is in turn cowar ly, mau lin ,

is o d silly and disgusting . His wit the po rest kin o f and his so punning, pranks , if they may be

d no t dr calle , are spontaneous fun , but unken folly .

and He is ungrateful treacherous . On being

d sea rescue from the , he exhibits no anxiety for

o f the safety his master, nor loyalty to his mem o r d and d y, when he is suppose to be lost ; he rea ily 74 TH EFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

j oins in the miserable plot with Stephano, the d d and runken butler, to mur er Prospero, gain pos

o f d session the islan .

- Even Caliban , the ignorant semi savage , has a “ and d contempt for him , in turn calls him a pie

” “ ” ( t and ninny , a j esting monkey, a scurvy ” n and patch ; while Stephano, his cou tryman

’ “ o d to h c an c mra e, in reply the fool s boast t at I d “ ’ swim like a uck, retorts , Though thou cans t d d ” Swim like a uck, thou art ma e like a goose ; and does no t hesitate to Strike him when he is d d offen e . The most pointed epigram made by Trinculo d e d is in the secon scen of the secon act, when , seeking shelter from the storm under the gaber d who d d ine of Caliban , is apparently ea , he says , Misery acquaints a man with strange be d ” fellows . His best retort is in the las t scene o f the last

d eﬂ'luv ium o f act, while still envelope in the foul

- o d d his the horse p n , when he is aske by Alonzo,

’ ” c am st t ? master, How thou in his pickle to “ : which he replies I have been in such a pickle, “ " “ T C Co o k e as T rinc ulo in Th e Te mp e s . . t

76 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

and the lips of the j ester, the quality of the latter

began to deteriorate from the witty retainer o fthe

ff s a court, to the coarse bu oon whose j est p

d to lo w and peale the the ignorant, rather than to

d and the cultivate intelligent . It was at this period of deterioration that “ ” and Shakespeare wrote The Tempest , possibly his conception of Trinculo may be basedupon the

d d and con itions that then existe , the character

made to present his o wn view of the coarseness o f expression and the poverty of wit exhibite y W the ro fessmnal o f p fools his time .

That Shakespeare was alive to the current events of the period in which he wrote is illus trated by a passage spoken by Trinculo in his

ﬁrst scene . A number o f American Indians had been brought from the newly establishedcolony o fVir

d a ginia to Lon on ; the novelty of their color, p

e arance and d d and p ress attracte great attention ,

d a caused consi erable excitement nd curiosity . One o fthe Indians succumbedto the rigors of the TRINCULO 77

andd d subse English climate, ie , the corpse being d quently place on public exhibition , many per sons paying a substantial fee to look at it . When Trinculo sees the apparently dead body o f d and d no t Caliban lying upon the groun , oes “ ” know whether it is a man or a ﬁsh , but from its d the foul o or believes it to be the latter, poet d satirizes the prevailing sensation , in the wor s of “ the fool : A strange ﬁsh ! Were I in England

as was andhad d now ( I once ) but this ﬁsh painte , not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of Silver ;there would this monster make a man ; any strange beast there makes a man . When

no t d they will give a oit to relieve a lame beggar,

to d d d they will lay out ten see a ea In ian . FESTE IN TWELFTH NIGHT

I am indeed no t her o al but her co rru ter o f , p f ” wards

N the list o f the characters in Twelfth

Night, the fool is not given a name . He is ” d and couple with Fabian , as Clown , together d “ O ” they are calle Servants to livia, but in Act

2 S , cene 4 of the play , he is spoken of by Curio , d “ ” a gentleman atten ing on the Duke, as Feste , “ and d d as is escribe the jester, a fool that the

’ ” e I ady Olivia s father took much delight in . H is a co mbinmmn o fg em mj nstrew a member o f the household o f them w ia a wealthy noblewoman of Illyria . Feste is not of the gentle disposition of Yorick nor o fthe mental ﬁber of Touchstone ;his wit has neither the spontaneous humor we c an imagine in

80 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

and d and eian history legen , is not unacquainted with the philosophy of Pythagoras . In spite o fhis ears to be tol h p r i and 51tho ugh he a ‘ d ‘ p e'c ate d d to o f and is a mitte the revels Sir Toby Belch , d Sir An rew Aguecheek, on a comparative equal ity , n account of his accomplishments as He associates with the servants

tress .

d to His best frien appears be Maria , the wait n - o d On his i g woman t La y Olivia . ﬁrst appear

1 ance in the play, in Act , Scene 5 , he is appar

d f he r. ently seeking her goo of ices with mistress ,

d d and l to excuse his evi ently unauthorize , engthy d absence from the househol . With feminine curiosity Maria endeavors to gain from him an

o d d account fhis truancy, but Feste shrew ly avoi s d m h any compromising a missions . Maria, so ew at

d t de irritate , expresses herself wi h characteristic cisio n and s m , warns him of the severe puni h ent he may expect . Feste assumes a recklessness, but realizes the gravity o fhis offense FESTE 81

M ar me e . Nay , either tell where thou hast b en, or I will no t open my lips so wide as a bristle m ay enter in way of thy excuse ;my lady will hang thee for thy absence . lo L et her n me he is d C . ha g ; that well hange in n d this world ee s to fear no colors . M o r M d . ake that goo . H lo e see n . C . shall one to fear M o r o d an I can . A go lenten swer ; tell thee where “ n n I no . that sayi g was bor , of fear colors Clo d M M r ? . Where , goo istress a y M ar the and ma be d . In wars ; that y you bol to in r say your foole y . Cl o d m d m it o . G Well , give the wis o that have ;

and t are let m use a . hose that fools , the their t lents M ar Y et be h d n ab . you will ange for being so lo g H m d m sent . ere comes y la y ; ake your excuse wisely , you were best .

and Maria leaves him , being alone Feste thus

“ ’ : i soliloquizes Wit, an t be thy will , put me nto

do : and thee , ver oft rove fools I that am sure says Q uina alus ? ‘Better a witty fool than a o m —m ’ foolish w1t. d The La y Olivia enters , whom he respectfully “ : G o d d salutes, with bless thee , la y 82 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d d d d and But the la y is evi ently much isplease , very promptly and indignantly commands : “ ” Take the fool away . With characteristic audacity the fool chal len es d d g the la y , in the following ialogue

Clo . no t ? the Do you hear, fellows Take away lady . ’ ’ Oli. Go dr no r to, you re a y fool ;I ll mo e of you ; d o besi es you g r w dishonest . Clo ad a d and d . Two faults , m onna, th t rink goo n d the dr d t cou sel will amen : for give y fool rink, hen is the fool no t dry;bid the dishonest man mend him if he d he is no n d n n self ; men , lo ger ishonest ;a ythi g ’ that s mended is but patched;virtue that transgresses is but patched with sin ;and sin that amends is but a The d d ta the p tchedwith virtue . la y ba e ke away I t he r fool ;therefore say again, ake away . ir d a Oh S I t . . , ba e hem t ke away you Cla Mis riso n in the d ! . p highest egree d m e ma onna, give leave to prove you a fool . Oli Can do it ? . you Clo x d m d n . De terously , goo a o na . Oli M r . ake you proof. r i d ma Cl I fo t. G a. must catechise you oo ’ d nn wh mo urn st ? o a, y thou ’ Oli G o fo r d d . . oo fo l , my brother s eath i in d nn Clo I n h s is . . thi k soul hell , ma o a

l I his is in a n . O i. know soul he ve , fool

84 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d a known iscreet man , though he do nothing but ” reprove . Feste is no t without gratitude to his mistress “ fo r d and : his efense, thus expresses it Now

d leasm Mercury en ue thee with g, for thou Speak ” s e t well o f fools .

o n o f d But the retirement Malvolio, the la y “ does not hesitate to rebuke the fool : Now yo u

sir ho w o ld and see, , your fooling grows , people ” dislike it . The dialogue is here interrupted by the adv ent

T o f d O of Sir oby Belch , a cousin the La y livia, who appears o n the scene in a very drunken co n d d d and de ition . The la y is properly in ignant, d f “ ’ d man s o Feste : What s a runken man like , fool ? ”

’ : d d m an Feste replies Like a rown , a fool and a madman ; one draught above heat makes

d d and a d him a fool the secon ma s him , thir drowns him . d ’ Olivia, please with the fool s epigrammatic

“ ’ : G o and humor, continues the pleasantry thou FESTE 85

’ the and o co z seek crowner, let him sit my ; for

’ ’ d d o f d d d he s in the thir egree rink, he s rowne

o g look after him .

and d : Feste obeys , retires with the wor s He

m ad d and is but yet, ma onna ; the fool shall look ” o d t the ma man .

’ In Marie Wainwright s production of this ex

uisite d she d q come y, in which toure the country

o a o was d some seas ns g , the part of Feste playe

ho elli . w int by Mr . E Y . Bachus, brought a keen

an to gence d appreciation his performance . In d the foregoing scene, Mr . Bachus mitigate the gross impertinence of Feste to his mistress by the introduction o f some business that I believe was entirely original with him . He carried in his po uch or pocket some little dolls in the form o f d d iminutive zanies , which as the ialogue pro gressed he proceeded with apparent unconscious

to d ness to dress . This business seemed ull the

d deness d d o f e ge his g by_ ivi ing the attention hishearers between his words and his actions . d d At the conclusion of the ialogue , Feste droppe 86 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

his little zanies o n the ground; and at his exit

d and Marie picke them up, contemptuously threw

them after him .

d o f 2 Feste next appears in the thir scene Act , j oining in the noisy midnight re v els p f Sir Toby

and d ih Sir An rew Aguecheek . He s gs them a

’ and t wit d love song, wi hout any special ri icules

f o f and the shallow egotistical af ectations the one,

the drunken folly o f the other . He improvises “ ” d a catch cleverly, but promptly isappears at

o the ﬁrst Sign ftrouble . F a minstrel is evidently known

a d iated fo r n n app rg in the fourth scene he is sent

- w a fo b he to o him who at r t O , s f , f Q yﬁ Duke rsino ing the conclusion o f the song gives him money :

’ h uke t . D . There s for y pains

Fes sir I a in n . . No pains , ; t ke pleasure singi g, sir ’

uk e a th . D . I ll p y y pleasure then Fes sir and d o ne t m . Truly , , pleasure will be pai , i e or another

A as . truism , as wise witty

’ The character as well as the compass o fFeste s capacity is well illustratedin the ﬁrst scene o fthe

88 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

“ and ness : I warrant thou art a merry fellow, carest for nothing.

h o The reply she receives , however, is neit er p “ : No t so do fo r lite nor encouraging , sir, I care

do no t something ;but in my conscience , sir, I care

fo r d for you ;if that be to care nothing, sir, I woul d ” it woul make yo u invisible .

d s Ignoring this iscourtesy, Viola ask : Art not thou the Lady Olivia’ s fool ? ” Again Feste j ustiﬁes his office by the descrip “ : No d d sir tion he gives of himself , in ee , ;the

d no she La y Olivia has folly ; will keep no fool ,

sir she d and as , till be marrie ; fools are like hus

’ bands as pilchards are to herrings ;the husbands

. d d no t the bigger I am in ee her fool , but her

’ ly to Viola s assertion that She saw Feste

o f o recently at the palace the Count Orsin , the j ester gives us the following terse but eloquent “ : o o le r d b truism F y, sir, oth walk about the o r

t who d as and At his , Viola, is isguised a youth ,

fo r o ne is mistaken by Feste , offers him a coin . FESTE 89

In way o f thanks the latter exclaims : Now d d Jove , in his next commo ity of hair, sen thee a ” be ard.

Viola is deeply in love with the Duke Orsino, who is ignorant o f her passion ;and at this sally

“ ’ o f o : the fo l , wittily rej oins By my troth , I ll

s fo r o ne tell thee ;I am almo t sick , though I would ” ll“ o n . a not have it grow my chin 2 ” . d allusjg n F no t u d r , este oes n e stand this ﬁ but

d has d d hol ing the coin he receive in his han , makes the pointed suggestion : Would no t a ” o f h d sir? pair t ese have bre ,

: h and Viola replies Yes , being kept toget er

o put t use .

and to Feste is resourceful , returns the charge d arme with a simile from Grecian legend. 0

Fer d L d d i . I woul play or Pan arus of Phryg a, sir, d t to bring a Cressi a to his Troilus . ’ Via if ti . I d d s s d un erstan you , , well begge .

Fes . I is no t a sir The matter, hope , gre t , , begging e d but a b ggar ;Cressi a was a beggar .

Finding his efforts to increase his bounty ine f “ fectual to d , Feste continues ally nicely with 90 TH EFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

” “

d and . d wor s , then retires My la y is within ,

o sir . I will construe t them whence you come ; who yo u are and what yo u would are o ut of my

sa d welkin ; I might y element, but the wor is overworn .

It is the preceding scene that suggests to Viola the passage that so aptly describes the require

o f d in ments a fool , which I have quote at length

d and the intro uction to this book, which I repro duce here to accentuate its signiﬁcance .

’ Thi s fellow s wise enough to play the fool ; A ndto do that well craves a kindof wit ; H e d he must observe their moo on whom jests , The n and the quality of perso s , time , A nd the h d , like aggar , check at every feather hi is a That comes before s eye . This practice ’ As full of labor as a wise man s art ; Fo r folly that he wisely shows is ﬁt ;

- men n t t . But wise , folly falle , quite aint heir wit

g "

he u T complications that arise in Act 4, co se

d o f and quent on the isguise Viola as Cesario,

ident1t her subsequent mistaken y for Sebastian ,

be d e . occur in rapi succ ssion Feste , of course,

d in and comes involve them , in the ﬁrst scene,

9 2 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

“ a is is am That th t , ;so I , being master parson, mas ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ‘ ’ ter is n parson, for what that but that ? a d is but ‘is ’

and He greets Sir Toby with a Latin salutation, bears himself wi th humorous gravity as Sir

. and thém Topaz He W , applies with a contrary meaning . He questions Mal volio as to his views on the Opinions of Pythag

d and oras concerning wil fowl , leaves him with assumed indignation when the alleged lunat1e

t o will not agree wi h the phil sopher .

Fer R i . t n h emain hou still darkness . T ou shalt d the e re I Of hol opinion of Pythagoras , will allow th and d dis y wits , fear to kill a woo cock, lest thou o the d p ssess soul of thy gran am .

d d and dd Feste then offs his isguise , a resses

his o wn d Malvolio in character, with assume

: sir ho w d sympathy Alas , , fell you besi es your ﬁve wits ? “ am h I as well in my wits , fool , as t ou art, replies Malvolio . “ ” mad ln Then, retorts Feste ; you are d d if ee , you be no better in your wits than a ” fool . FESTE 93

to d Feste continues plague the poor stewar , no w as Sir Topaz , now as himself, reveling in the

’ p r1so ner s disco mﬁture till the man is almost dis

d and fo r d and tracte , begs can le, ink, paper that

’ he may communicate with his mistress . These

to articles Feste promises obtain , but before going delivers a parting shaft

Fes no t ma d d? do . Are you din ee or you but coun te rfeit ? M m al e no t t . . Believe , I am ;I tell thee rue ’ ’ Fer. d I see Nay , I ll ne er believe a ma man till his brains .

And h wit a merry catch , the laughing fool d leaves the poor imprisone steward to his misery .

d and Malvolio evi ently obtains his ink paper,

and to fo r de writes his letter, intrusts it Feste livery ; the latter, however, pockets the missive ,

“ ’ and on the principle that A m ad man s epistles

no so no t de are gospels , it skills when they are ” d it t livere , keeps there ill inclination prompts , and opportunity provides a suitable occasion to

o present it t his mistress .

In the meantime, in company with Fabian , Feste 94 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE t encounters the Duke Orsino, for whom he la ely san e Duke asks if they belong to the d o f the La y Olivia . With his usual

r and effronte y lack of reverence, he answers , “

A . y, sir, we are some of her trappings

and in The Duke recognizes him , graciously “ ” : d d ? quires How ost thou , my goo fellow His reply and argument are worthy a wiser

and man than Feste , exhibit a philosophy as

d . soun , as it is wholesome

Fes sir the fo r m and the . Truly, , better y foes worse fo r my friends k e the r the fo r D u . Just contra y ; better thy d frien s . F h es . t e . No, sir, worse uk H o w c an be ? D e. that Fe M sir t me and ma s . arry , , hey praise ke an ass of me ;no w my foes tell m e plainly I am an ass ;so t sir I in the d m hat by my foes , , proﬁt knowle ge of y and nd I am d: self, by my frie s abuse why , then, the fo r nd and the m . worse my frie s , better for y foes d d Appreciating the shrew wis om of the fool , “ the Duke exclaims , This is excellent, which gives Feste an Opportunity fo r one o fthe cleverest retorts in the play :

96 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

Finding that any further effort to enlarge his purse at the expense Of the Duke would be use

fo r no t less, the present, Feste retires ; , however,

o without a parting hint f future po ssibilities .

M t Fes . o e arry , sir, lullaby your bounty till I com

. I o sir let again g ;but, as you sir, your bounty na I it an take a p, will awake

d 5 After much elay, an opportunity to d to eliver the letter of Malvolio his mistress . ” d to and d She comman s him Open rea it, which

to do ad he proceeds , prefacing his task with the monition

L diﬁed Fes . e ook, then, to be well when the fool d delivers the ma man .

But Lady Olivia has had enough of his folly and r d the inst ucts another to rea letter, which being done explains the trick that has been played o n and co m Malvolio, assists in unraveling the

t and Of plica ions , clearing up the mysteries the

° ’ O s ﬁ play. humiliation is suf cient pun

98 TH EFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d By swaggering coul I never thrive , the it raineth a For rain every d y.

d But when I came unto my be s , he ho the d and the With y, , win rain ,

t - had d d With oss pots still runken hea s , Fo r the it raineth da rain every y.

a o the d A great while g worl begun, he ho the d and the With y, , win rain, ’ o ne is d n But that s all , our play o e, ’ A nd r da we ll strive to please you eve y y.

This song has caused such an amount of con

ﬂic tin so its c p nclusio ns g comment , opposite in , that I append a few excerpts to assist the reader in his consideration of its intention and sig

niﬁc ance . d d George P . Goo ale , the ramatic critic , incor po rates the view of Charles Knight in one o f a

o f d series essays on the subj ect, publishe recently , “ ” under the caption Of The Kaleidoscope in The “ e ro re es : o f D t it F e Pr s . He says The song the

Clown , originally given as an epilogue , though no t d d o f retaine in the acting e itions the hour, is j udiciously regarded as the most philosophical

d o n d r Clown song on recor , the iscove able wis FESTE 99

do m o f which a treatise might be written .

d d so to Charles Knight, in ee , goes far as charac

e riz e d t it as the history of a life , from the con ition

’ o f , to de a little tiny boy, through man s estate,

n a e co nclus1o n 18 t cayi g g . The hat what is true o f d d r o f and the in ivi ual is t ue the species , that what was Of yesterday was also o f generations — ‘ long passed away for a great while ago the

’ world begun . Howard Staunton takes another view of the

and o f song, quotes Stevens , in support his theory,

“ : d in his notes on the subj ect It is to be regrette , ‘ d ’ S perhaps , that this nonsensical itty , as tevens

d d d to terms it, has not been long since egra e the

- o . was d o ne Of fo t notes It evi ently those j igs , with which it was the rude custo m of the Clown to gratify the groundlings upon the conclusion of d d . d a play These absur compositions , inten e only as a vehicle for were usually im

ro v 1z at1o ns d o a p of the singer, tagge to s me popul r

- — balladburden o r the ﬁrst lines Of various songs d strung together in lu icrous juxtaposition, at the end of each of which, the performer indulged in 10 0 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

‘ d and hi eous grimace , a grotesque sort Of Jump

’ ” Jim Crow dan ce . Weiss takes a more sentimental view Of the

and song, , in a somewhat lengthy essay , attaches

d a d d to it a eep signiﬁc nce , conclu ing with a ten er

to FOO1 reference the in King Lear, who uses some

o f o f dif the lines the same song, but with a far

f r n e e t . W hen motive E the play is over,

Feste is left alone upon the stage . Then he sings a song which conveys to us his feeling Of the

’ worlds partiality : all things proceed according to

law ;nobo dy is humored;people must abide the

‘ fo r 1t consequence Of their actions, the rain

’ ‘ ’ raine h da t every y. A little tiny bo y may have his toy ;but a man must guard against knavery

“ and thieving : marriage itself cannot be sweetened

‘ ’ by swaggering ;whoso drinks with toss -pots will

‘ ’ et d n d : Old d and g a ru ken hea it is a very worl , began so long ago that no change in its habits c an be loo ked for . The grave insinuation Of this d song is touche with the vague , soft bloom Of the d play . The note is har ly more presageful

’ than the cricket s stir in the late silence o fa sum

1 0 2 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE the greatest amu ” others . Fo r my part I think the song is the co nv en tio nal conclusion of the play, appropriate, but with no special signiﬁcance .

“ ’ ’ The same design is followedin Love s Labor s

” “ ’ ” and the d Lost, Mi summer Night s Dream ;

o n they both terminate with a song. Epilogues c ‘ “ ” “ ” c lu de A s You Like It and Henry v m ;and

s d Chorus closes the historical play . The trage ies alone close with the culminating incident . I recall when almo st every form of dramatic “ ” d Ta and o ne composition close with a g, it was o f d the superstitions of the ramatic profession, that to speak the tag at rehearsal augured failure . LAUNCELOT GOBBO IN THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

“ A M erry D e v il

d d that elightful come y, The Merchant Of ” o f the d Venice , we have a type shrew but

d o n the ignorant serving man , or boy, rawn same lines as Launce and Speed in The Two Gentle ” “ men and D ro mio s of Verona, the two , in The ” d o f and Come y Errors , but apparently younger less matured than either of them .

His name is Launcelot Gobbo , a fact Of which d d he is somewhat prou . He has a cru e philos H bi d Ophy anda rude kindof wit . e uses g wor s nd a misapplies them most ingenuously . He is

d- d and rac goo nature , full of fun, rej oices in a p tical j est .

Launcelot is the servant to Shylock, a wealthy

and d Jewish merchant money len er Of Venice, 10 3 10 4 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE with whom he lives and of whom he stands in

- . H is ho w wholesome awe fun loving nature,

d to ever, has serve brighten the dull and dreary

and home of that stern revengeful gentleman , a ’ d fact that Jessica , the Jew s aughter, frankly d acknowle ges in her ﬁrst interview wi th the boy .

Our is and d house hell , thou a merry evil ’ d it t d Di st rob of some taste of e iousness .

Launcelot does not appear till the second scene o f d o f d ﬁnd the secon act the come y, when we

’ his him stealthily leaving master s house . We learn that he feels aggrieved at some apparent

d and d wrong at the han s of his employer, is ebat in o r g whether to remain in his service, to run

- o n away . His soliloquy or self argument the d point is most entertaining. He woul be j ust,

ff and d d but being both plainti efen ant, as well

d and d as a vocate j u ge of the question at issue, he can scarcely be credited with impartiality .

ackno wl However, the motives that he frankly d and s d e ges, the rea ons he a vances are most de

and lightfully human , most humorously ex

d T and presse . he entire passage is a quaint, by c

1 0 6 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d d n ff m but a kin of har conscie ce , to o er to counsel e to stay with the Jew : the ﬁendgives the more friendlv n ! run nd are m cou sel I will ;ﬁe , my heels at your co d n run man me t, I will .

d d However, Launcelot oes not run ;he is spare that violence to his conscientious scruples by the

d d Of h Old unexpecte a vent his fat er, an Italian

is d dis peasant, whose voice hear calling in the

and d- be tance, halts the woul runaway .

’ Launcelot s decision o f character is not very

d his fo r marke , nor resentments very strong, in a

his and de moment wrongs are forgotten , he is

a d signing practical j est on his age parent . “ ” “ 0 ! is heavens he exclaims , this my true d begotten father ; who, being more than san

d - - nd — W 111 blin , high gravel bli knows me not I try confusions with him .

Old a e d Gobbo, bent with g , almost blin , and

aid f feeling his way by the of a staf , hobbles on the scene ; he carries a small basket on his arm , “ ” “ and in a voice of childish treble cries : M as ter young gentleman , I pray you , which is the way to master Jew ’ s LAUNCELOT GOBBO 1 0 7

Launcelot takes the Old fellow by the shoul d and to the ers , turns him ﬁrst right, then to the

and d left, ﬁnally completely roun , giving him

d : the following, somewhat confusing irections “ Turn up o n your right hand at the next tum in g, but at the next turning of all , on your left d marry, at the very next turning, turn of no han , d ’ but turn down irectly to the Jew s house . Small wonder that the Old man exclaims

’ ’ ” o d d to . By G s sonties , twill be a har way hit

to However, he is seeking and most anxious

ﬁndhis so n and o i d , as s on as he has recovere from the jolting he has received at the hands Of his demo nstrat1v e 1nfo rmant , he asks him the follow ing most extraordinary and confusing question “ o ne Can you tell me whether Launcelot, that ” d d no ? wells with him , well with him , or This is excellent matter fo r the bo y to try con

so fusions with , he answers question with ques d tion, prefacing it, however, with an asi e , Mark me now ;no w will I raise the waters . Talk you ” of young Master Launcelot ? But the Old man will no t admit that his so n 1 0 8 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

“ ” is entitled to the dignity o f Master Launcelot so g who that eccentric youn gentleman , certainly

Of has a novel sense humor, tells him that his son is dead. The sincere grief of the Old man evi dentl y shames the boy, for he quickly changes “ ” and ° o o u ? his tone, asks D y know me, father “ Old : sir Gobbo pitifully replies Alack, , I d d am san blin ;I know you not . This induces some shrewd observations from “ o f : o u Launcelot, which are worthy note If y had Of k : your eyes , you might fail the nowing me ” it is a wise father that knows his o wn child. Launcelot then kneels down with his back to “ and : his father, continues Give me your bless in to d g : truth will come light, mur er cannot be

’ hid lOn end g, a man s son may, but in the truth ” o u will t. The Old man has been deceived once and hesi tates ;upon which Launcelot exclaims with some

“ ’ : no impatience Pray you , let s have more fool ing about it, but give me your blessing ; I am

t was is Launcelot, your boy hat , your son that , ” your child that shall be .

1 1 0 TH EFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

Italian peasantry . Having established his iden

d o tity with his father, Launcelot procee s t tell

’ him o f his intention to run away from the Jew s

and his to service, we gather reason be, that he does not ge t sufficient food to satisfy his youthful appetite ;but perhaps the fact that the LordB as “ and sanio is engaging servants , giving them rare ” new liveries , may be the temptation . The contemptuous reference to the Jewish race

and un by this ignorant boy, his vulgar p on the wordJew are signiﬁcant indications of the general prej udice against the Jews at this period;not only

o f d d. in Venice , but in all parts the civilize worl

fo r o wn set Well , well ;but; mine part, as I have u to run I no t t I p my rest away , so will rest ill have ’ n M ew him ru some g round. y master s a very J ;give a present ! give him a halter ;I am famish in his serv ic e ;you may tell eve ry ﬁnger I have with my ribs . a I d o u are m e F ther , am gla y come ;give your present o ne M n who nd d new to aster Bassa io , i ee gives rare if no t him I run as Go d liveries ; I serve , will far as — has any g round O rare fortune ! here comes the m an — him a fo r I ew if I the to , f ther ; am a J serve n Jew any lo ger . LAUNCELOT GOBBO 1 1 1

Old so n and The interview between Gobbo, his , the Lord Bassanio is delightfully entertaining .

’ Launcelot s usual volubility halts in the presence

’ o fthe n and you g nobleman , his father s assistance becomes necessary to prefer the suit “ impertinent” “ to and d o f himself, express the very efect the

’ d and matter . However, the suit is grante , Launcelot is instructed to take leave of his o ld

and d master, report at the lo gings of his new em

- ployer . The self satisfaction of Master Launce

at d lot his success is most humorously expresse , and with an egotism equally amusing ;while his

o f d optimistic views the future , obtaine from the d d d lines in his han , in icate a conﬁ ence in the d science of palmistry , which the author evi ently d oes not share .

’ n —I n i . et o Father , cannot g a service , ;I have ne er t in h ad— an man in a a a ongue my e Well , if y It ly h ve a d t ff r o ! a fairer t ble , which o h o e to swear upon a bo k ’ —I a d t e —Go sh ll have goo for un to, here s a simple ’ line of life ;here s a small triﬂe of wives ;alas ! ﬁfteen wives is nothing ! eleven widows and nine maids is a ’ simple coming - in fo r o ne man ; and then to scape d and to in o f rowning thrice, be peril my life from 1 1 2 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE h d b d — ’ t e e e . e ge of a feather , here are simple scap s ’ be oo d n Well , if Fortune a woman, she s a g we ch ’ r — for this gea . Father, come ; I ll take my leave of h i h n n t e Jew n t e twinkli g of a eye .

Notwithstanding his scruples o fconscience that

d so cause him much anxiety, when we ﬁrst met

to him , Launcelot has not been entirely loyal his

s and we ﬁnd ma ter, on leaving him secretly bear

’ in the d g a letter from Jessica, Jew s aughter, to her young Christian lover, Lorenzo . The mis sive requires a reply which Launcelot Obtains ver

and the bally, cunning young rascal cleverly man

to ewess ages convey it to the young J , while bear n to i g an invitation her father, from his new mas

d no t ter, Bassanio . His wor s are brilliant, but serve to indicate his ingenuity .

M d fo r istress , look out at win ow , all this ; i a There w ll come Christian by, ’ e e Will be worth a Jewess y .

Launcelot accompanies his new master to Bel

we ﬁnd mont, where on our next meeting him

d and comfortably installe ; very much at home ,

is d d in a new livery . He still ban ying wor s with

1 14 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE d amned. There is but one hope in it that can do you an d y goo .

ess . A nd is ? J what hope that, I pray thee L au M r n. ma ar y , you y partly hope that you are ’ no t the d Jew s aughter . s th Je s . So e sins of my mother should be visited

o n m e .

L a uu . Truly then I fear you are damned both by and S r father mother ; thus when I shun cylla, you I n d father, fall i to Charyb is , your mother ;well , you are gone both ways . es a be d m d he l s . I sh ll save by y husban ; hath d m e ma e a Christian . L u h he e a n. t e w Truly , more to blame ; were ’ Christians enow before ; e en as many as could well

i o ne . l ve , by another This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs ;if we grow all to be pork we no t t the eaters , shall shor ly have a rasher on coals for money .

The entrance o f Lo renzo puts an end to

’ d and . Launcelot s calamitous pre ictions , that gentleman having little appreciation Of the lat

’ “ d himf G o ter s verbal fooling, irects in , sirrah b ” idthem prepare for dinner . To which the irrepressible Launcelot replies ”

d . That is one , sir ;they have all stomachs

With some impatience, Lorenzo exclaims LAUNCELOT GOBBO 1 1 5

d d wit- ! Goo ly Lor , what a snapper art thou then ” bid them prepare dinner .

d d re This oes not iscourage the boy , who “ s o nds : d to o sir p That is one , ;only , cover is the ” word.

to Lorenzo, with some irritation , seeks bring

o to and this equiv cation a close , now gives his “ d : d irections with emphasis I pray thee , un er standa plain man in his plain meaning ;go to thy bid fellows , them cover the table , serve in the ”

and d . meat, we will come in to inner The imperturbable self- esteem andgood- nature o f Launcelot is proof, however, against censure or sarcasm ; and with unruﬂled gravity he replies

° “ with humorous iteration For the table , sir, it

d sir shall be serve in ; for the meat, , it shall be

d to d wh covere ; for your coming in inner, sir, y let it be as humors and conceits shall govern .

And d d having thus elivere himself, Launcelot makes a digniﬁed exit from the scene . Lorenzo’ s apostrophe to Launcelot’ s discourse d d is an a mirable summary of the shallow min , f that mistakes the mere j ugglery o words for wit . 1 1 6 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

’ It was a favorite method o f Shakespeare s to “ ” and furnish humor in his simples serving men, andprovedan amusing diversion in their mouths but, in others , it is the unconscious tribute that ignorance and incapacity pays to knowledge and d istinction .

L ar. O d d ho w his d are d ear iscretion, wor s suite ! The fool hath planted in his memory A n army of good words ;and I do know m t a a d in e r A any fools h t st n b tte place , ’ Garnish d him fo r ri d like , that a t cksy wor the Defy matter .

Launcelot makes one more brief appearance , to announce the early return of Bassanio to Bel

and d d s we mont, as a harbinger of gla ti ing leave him 1n the service o f a noble master and a gra clous mistress . The business o f the Shakespearean clowns is

has dd d traditional . It been han e own by come

was dians from generation to generation . It

o f familiar to every stage manager experience, in the days o f the resident stock company ;and any departure from the conventional business of these

LAUNCELOT GOBBO 1 1 7

was d sa parts , until recently, viewe with di p and d d proval , regar e as presumption .

A mo st interesting and unique performance of

Launcelot Gobbo was given some years ago by that sterling character actor, Mr . Robert Peyton

so d Carter, long associate with Miss Maude

d was A ams . I the Shylock of the performance to

’ which I refer . Mr . Carter s Launcelot was no t a

and boy, but a humorous mischievous young man .

no d At time uring the performance , even when

was trembling with fear before his master, a smile d absent from his face ;with this result, the au ience were smiling all the time Launcelot was in view . d d You knew, as you looke at him uring his self

d and argument between uty inclination , that his

d d d and min was alrea y ma e up to run away , that his conscientious scruples (if he really ever had

is any ) were overcome before he utteredthem . H d practical j est with his father, when he mis irects ’ d d h him to the Jew s house, in icate t at it was but a sample o fthe pranks the young man hadplayed 1 18 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

and k upon him all his life , the bright twin le in “ his eyes as his young mistress calledhim a merry devil ” connoted a thousand tricks that the young rascal hadplayedduring the term o fhis service in

’ the Jew s house and robbed that somewhat dreary “ ” residence of its taste o ftediousness .

’ ’ o n d o f Mr . Carter s business the elivery Jessica s letter to Lorenzo was original andgood;his exag geratedobeisance to the several friends in company with that gentleman being particularly character

l and . s d to o ist e happy In the la t act of the come y,

’

d . r frequently omitte in representation , Mr Carte s appreciation of Shakespearean humor was mani

Of fest . The importance his new employment, “ ” and d his vanity in his rare new livery, conﬁ ence o d d f privileged service were elightfully presente , and rounded o ut a performance as notable as it was consistent andeffective .

The Merchant o f Venice held an important

o f place in the repertoire the late Mr . Richard d Mansﬁeld. In iscussing the various characters

t d d in the play wi h that istinguishe gentleman , he

1 20 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE v eyed naturally and without effort : the result being a well proportioned and artistic perform ance . CITIZEN IN JULIUS CZESAR

“ ” HE tragedy of Julius Caesar is so exalted

so andso in theme, heroic in sentiment noble

d a in principle, that humor woul scarcely be an p

ro riate i p p factor in ts composition . The magni tude of manhood that the author has brought into such striking contrast andj uxtaposition is so com le tel d and o f p ysustaine , the elements lofty patriot ism and d so civic virtue are preserve exclusively, that the lesser qualities and conditions o flife are d d nsi n ﬁc n warfe into i g i a ce .

The characters of Marcus Brutus , Cassius , Marc

ae and Antony, C sar, Casca, Trebonius the others, “ ” d t are cast in such heroic mol , that they rep e “ and sent the highest heaven of invention , like ” Chorus , in the prologue to Henry V, we might well ask 1 22 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

n d act A ki g om for a stage, princes to A nd monarchs to behold the swelling scene !

However, before the great personages in the d rama make their appearance, Shakespeare has given us an illustration of the character o f the

and d d d Roman populace , has intro uce an episo e d d that serves as a foun ation for the later inci ents , andat the same time furnishes an excellent exam

d d n ple of broa come y a d wholesome humor .

o f It is in the ﬁrst scene the play , which is ”

d . simply escribedas Rome . A Street A num ber o f citizens are assembled;a typical crowd o f

- and d who mechanics , artisans , serving men , i lers , are awaiting the advent of the procession to the ceremonies of the feast o f the Lupercal . They are good- naturedly but somewhat boisterously

and j ostling, shouting, when they are interrupted by the approach of two of the tribunes , Flavius

‘ and M arullus who and , in turn silence , reprove question them . The dialogue between the characters brieﬂy in forms us o f th e sumptuary laws o f Rome at that

d and d and perio , in icates the sentiments relations

1 24 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE times ready for a verbal passage at arms with any o ne who to has the temerity challenge them . This

no t o ne type is rare, but occasionally meets a wi h natural t w o is both mellow and keen . Such an o ne I imagine the individual to be who appears “ ” “ under the title o fthe SecondCitizen in Julius

Caesar .

d and wit The man is a cobbler by tra e, a by nature ;his replies to the questions of the tribunes h d are respectful , but eac of them is accompanie by a j est which in the presentation o fthe play is

d to followe by a hearty laugh from his fellows ,

d and in icate their appreciation, his popularity with them .

d and The scene, as I before observe , is brief largely self- explanatory ;I therefore give the text in full without further comment :

l i H d et av us . ! F ence home, you i le creatures , g you

home . d ? ! n no t Is this a holi ay What k ow you , n m no t Bei g echanical , you ought walk, U n da the n pon a labori g y, without sig ? S t d Of your profession peak, what ra e art thou ? CITIZEN IN JULIUS CZESAR 1 25

‘ ir t i ir s C t.. s F Why , , a carpenter . M l arul us . is th and th Where y leather apron, y rule ? What dost thou with thy best apparel o n ?

Sll‘ t d are ? You , , what ra e you Se c d Cit sir in ﬁn o n . e Truly , , respect of a work man am d . , I but, as you woul say , a cobbler M arullus t d ? m . But what ra e art thou Answer e d irectly . Se co nd Cit d sir a ma . A tra e, , th t , I hope, I y use d d d with a safe conscience ;which is in ee , sir, a men er o f bad soles . M arullus d t n ? . What tra e , hou k ave thou naughty d ? knave, what tra e Se co n it n d C . be o t Nay , I beseech you , sir , out m e : et be can d with y , if you out, sir , I men you . ’ M a l u m an t ru l s . e s ? M d What thou by that en me , thou saucy fellow ? Se co d it h n C . W . y, sir , cobble you lav ius r art ? F . Thou art a cobble , thou Se c i ir i h aud C t. s s t e Truly , , all that I live by with ’ : dd no d m t no r awl I me le , with tra esman s at ers , ’ d d ir a . s women s m tters but with awl I am in ee , , a o ld are in d n surgeon to shoes ;when they great a ger ,

- n I re cover them . As proper m e as ever trod upon m a —at d e ts le her have gone upon my han iwork .

lav iu art no t in - da F s . But wherefore thy shop to y? Why dost thou lead these men about the streets ? 1 26 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

S c a e ud Cit. r sir to to T uly , , wear out their shoes ,

et . d d sir we m g myself into more work But in ee , , ake d see ae and in his m holi ay to C sar to rejoice triu ph .

’ The cobbler s reply brings even a more severe d reproof from the tribunes , but trumpets are hear

d the in the istance , procession is seen approaching, andthe censures Of the patrician s are unheeded as the citizens disperse in the direction o fthe coming spectacle . An amusing incident occurred in a notable per “ ” fo rmance o f Julius Caesar given some years ago

in San Francisco . As a matter of interest I mention the cast o f

o f the principal characters , all the actors having

since passed away .

u d B rut s Mr . E win Booth

Mr . Barton Hill

o Cullo u h M r nt n M r. M c a c A y. . John g

sa d d J ulius Cae r Mr . Henry E war s

o f r All these characters , with othe s , enter on the ﬁrst scene in a procession returning from the games

o f and d d the Lupercal , are followe by a crow of

1 28 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

r ff c memo y, but it is still a ectionately herished in

the sphere in which they lived. The citizens appear on several occasions during d the progress of the trage y, notably, in the Senate

ae and scene at the assassination of C sar, later, in the - dd d market place , where they are a resse in turn by Brutus and Marc Antony . Their lines are merely acquiescent to the sentiments o f the prin cipal characters ;but there is o ne line that always struck me as humorous in the extreme . It occurs

Ac t 2 Ah in 3 , Scene , after the ﬁrst part of Marc

’ d o d d f ae . tony s a ress over the bo y C sar Antony,

apparently overcome by emotion , pauses in his

d o f d d d eloquent argument in efense his ea frien , “ when the First Citizen sagely remarks : Me

thinks there is much reason in his sayings . To

Old d the d : which our frien , Secon Citizen replies “ d Cmsar If thou consi er rightly Of the matter, d ” hath ha great wrong.

ab It is to this last spe ech that I refer . His surdly inadequate expression o fsympathy for the

who so d d and great man has been foully mur ere ,

whose bo dy lies before him covered with wounds , CITIZEN IN JULIUS CESAR 1 29 always seemedto me to carry with it a sense of

d d o the ri iculous , that I coul never c mpletely over

d to d come ;although I am prepare a mit that, per se d in elli , it is not inappropriate to the limite t

o f e gence the sp aker . There is a brief episode in the next scene of the

e same act in which the citizens again app ar, that has d o f o c a elightful touch satirical humor . It curs after the people have been aroused to venge ance against the conspirators by the address o f

and Marc Antony, are seeking the assassins in the streets o f the city . Among many suspicious

d d is persons accoste by the crow Cinna, the poet, who is seized and assailed by a perfect volley o f questions from the excitedmultitude ;to which he “ replies : What is my n ame ? Whither am I go ing ? Where do I dwell ? Am I a marriedman o r a bachelor ? Then to answer every man di rectl and and sa y, brieﬂy , wisely, truly ;wisely I y,

I am a bachelor .

To this o ur ever- humorous friend the Second

who o f d Citizen , is one the foremost in the crow , and d d d evi ently a marrie man , respon s in charac 1 3 0 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

“ ’ te ristic : to fashion That s as much as say, they

’ are fools that marry ;you ll bear me a bang fo r ” that, I fear . Further questioning reveals the name of the d capture man to be Cinna, which being also the

o f name one of the conspirators , for whom he is “ d : to mistaken , the crow cry Tear him pieces, he is a conspirator !”

: The poor fellow , however, protests I am

Cinna, the poet ;I am Cinna, the poet .

’ Cinna s poetry does no t appear to be highly

d o r appreciate by the people , he has unfortunately d encountere an unsympathetic critic, for one Of “ the citizens exclaims : Tear him for his bad ” bad verses ;tear him for his verses . “ the : no t Again poet protests I am Cinna, the ” conspirator . Whatever j ustice there may have been in the fate adj udged the poor poet by the enragedpo pu

o u r d d lace, ingenuous frien , the Secon Citizen , is “ and : not without mercy, he proposes It is no

’ matter ;his nam e s Cinna ;pluck but his name out

o f and . his heart, turn him going

THE CLOWN IN ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA

N that most excellent work entitled “ Studies in ” d Shakespeare , by Richar Grant White , the author gives some sound advice to students and

d o f d : rea ers the poet, which I most heartily in orse

“ ’ as Don t skip small parts , such servants , clowns ,

”

d . rustics , etc . rea them all

This suggestion cannot be to o emphatically im

d d o f d presse upon the min s young rea ers , who, eager for the development of the plot o r for the main points of the story, frequently neglect or

d no n- omit the minor parts , eeming them essential d d to the interest o fthe play . This is to be eplore ; for Shakespeare has placed many of his best thoughts andmost pointedepigrams in the mouths o f comparatively unimportant characters ;so that to pass over or neglect these passages is to lose 1 32 IN ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA 1 3 3

re many beauties of thought, much philosophic

ﬂ i n an d ec t o d . , a fun of characteristic humor

o fhis d From the rich mine transcen ent genius , the poet has drawn such a wealth of wit and wis do m he d d as , that has en owe the peasant liberally as and as the prince, the clown the courtier ;the ﬂashes of brilli ancy that sparkle in the repartee of the prince become bits of homely humor in the

d and simple ialogue of the peasant, the compli ment of the courtier is bluntly expressed in the

d beco m rugge honesty of the clown . The garb , in and d g appropriate , is ﬁtte to the wearer ; the d oublet to the one, the smock to the other .

and In all of his rustic humorous characters , Shakespeare has been most conservative of their possibilities ;probably from the fact that prior to his and d time, also uring his early career on the

d Of stage , the clown monopolize the attention the audience to the exclusion of the serious interest o f the and a d play , was usually a most ex ggerate cari c atu re without sense or signiﬁcance . Shakespeare felt this condition keenly and ex pressedhimself emphatically o n the subj ect ;espe 134 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

’ c ially in the prince s instructions to the player in

Hamlet (Act 3 , Scene He set himself about

and the to reform the evil , by keeping the clown “ comedian within the limits o f the modesty o f ” nature . “ The brief sketch of the bucolic clown in An ” tony and Cleopatra is distinctly Shakespearean

and d in character, it is to be regretted that he oes no t appear at greater length in the play . While d d the trage y is locate in Egypt, the clown is essen

tiall and . y English , is a capital type of the country

d o f clo hopper, many whom still survive in remote

- da and as saw English villages to y, such the poet d bo aily at Stratford when a y.

- dd - d This clown is a stockily built, ru y face man,

d o f d d with a shock hea hair, resse in a homespun d or coarse canvas smock, awkwar ly stamping into d d d the apartment, stoli ly in ifferent to con itions or

o f his environment, bent only on the execution “ o f commission , which is to bring the pretty worm ” and no t d Nilus , that kills pains , conceale in a

in basket o f ﬁgs to some unknown lady . He is

1 3 6 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d d shoul esire you to touch him , for his biting is immortal ; those that do die o f it do seldom o r ” never recover . The perversion of language in the above is de licio us and to d , my min equal to anything that ” Dogberry says in Much Ado About Nothing ;

’ and is another example of Shakespeare s favorite method o f expressing humor by the misuse o f d words by his clowns an fools .

o f Ignoring the warning the clown , the queen

“ ’ eagerly inquires : Rememb rest thou any that

’ ” have died on t ? To which the garrulous o ld

d : an d fellow respon s Very many, men women ,

to o . I heard of one o f them no longer than yes

te rda y a very honest woman , but something given

as d do to lie, a woman shoul not but in the way

she d d o fit - of honesty ;how ie of the biting , what

she she d re pain felt . Truly makes a very goo port o fthe worm ;but he that will believe all that

sa d they y, shall never be save by half that they

do . The unconscious but direct reference to Cleo

s d patra herself in the above is pa se without notice, IN ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA 1 37

o f and or in the extremity her grief, unperceived ; the clown is dismissed. But the fellow is not to be gotten rid of so

o d easily ;he starts to g , but returns repeate ly with continued warnings as to the dangerous character “ o f : k to the worm Loo you , the worm is not be ” d and G truste , ive it nothing, I pray you , for it ” is not worth the feeding . d To this last a monition , Cleopatra inquires Will it eat me ? ” The clown takes this question as o n and a reﬂection himself, replies with some “ emphasis : You must no t think I am so sim

k d no t ple, but I now the evil himself will eat a woman ;I know that a woman is a dish for the d d d . go s , if the evil ress her not But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women , for in every ten that they make, the d ” evils mar ﬁve . An d with the parting saluta “ ” : o u o f tion I wish y joy the worm , the clown

ﬁnally takes his departure .

Ordinary students of Shakespeare must have noted that in spite o f the fact that the poet has 13 8 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d given us some of the noblest i eals of womanhood , t here are passages in his plays of the keenest satire, and d o f bitterest enunciation women . H o w far his o wn unfortunate experience with

sex d d the may have inﬂuence his min , it is not my purpose to discuss here ;but in the two passages d spoken by the clown , that I have quote above, I cannot but think there is an echo from the heart of

d - the man , that as the poet soun s the key note of an uncongenial marriage, an unappreciative mis d ’ an d d . tress , a frien s uplicity

to It is interesting note, that in the two great “ ” “ d Cmsar and and trage ies , Julius Antony Cleo ” o f h patra, the only scenes humor, in bot instances

d be equally brief, are place , in the former at the

o f and the ginning the play, in latter almost at its conclusion .

1 40 TH EFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

The circumstances are these : A young lady attachedto the court of the King o fDenmark has

been drowned. The general opinion being that

she d committe suicide . In the time of Shake

and speare, prior thereto, such unfortunates were d enied Christian burial . Their remains were in te rre d outside of consecratedground without serv

o r o f . ice any of the rites the Church In fact, it was not unusual to bury them at the intersection

d and d of the highways , very eeply , to rive a strong

d o f stake through the bo y . The Obj ect this bar

d to and d barous procee ing being, empale estroy t the evil Spirit, which the prevailing supersti ion

o d supposedt be in possession of the suici e . In the d d present instance , the King has comman e that the remains o f the unfortunate lady should be buried in the consecrated ground of the church d yar .

’ nd The King s comma , violating all the ancient and d d accepte tra itions of the church , arouses the

d o ld in ignation of the sexton , who combines the

- office o f grave digger . To this personage Shake

has d d speare given such a strong in ivi uality , such THE GRAVE- DIGGERS 14 1

o f and a pungency wit wealth of humor, together

d o f with such elightful touches nature , making it so n true to life , that I can ot but think the poet must have hada prototype in his o wn observation andexperience . In the list of characters in the play this person “ age and his assistant are set down as Two ” - d d d Clowns as Grave iggers, but mo ern e itors

d and d h have separate them in the cast, calle t em ” d - d First andSecon Grave diggers . This metho

d d d and has been a opte in all the acting e itions , in the following observations I shall so designate them .

The ﬁrst grave - digger is of a type that may be

d o u r to - da foun in many of country villages y, “ a quaint sententious o ld fellow dressedin a little

1 )

and his . brief authority , full Of own importance

H e n d o f has a little k owle ge law, quotes one or two and legal phrases in Latin incorrectly , preaches a crude idea of socialism to his younger

to and d assistant , much the awe a miration of that

d d who dd ac kno wl simple in ivi ual , a resses his d d “ d e ge superior as Goodman elver . 142 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

I picture the o ld fellow in my mind as robust dd d d of ﬁgure, ru y of feature, with istinct evi ences o f and bibulous taste on his nose cheeks , a humor o us d twinkle in his eyes, in spite of an assume

d d o f severity, resse in the homely smock the

and d and peasant of that place perio , about ﬁfty

has o f co n years of age . He the courage his v ic tio ns for he has seldom found any one to co m

so d his bat them , he a vances arguments with the authority o f one whose dictum is not to be ques d d tio ne . Shoul these fail him , however, he can command the respect of his fellows by a ready

and d dia tongue homely wit, as example in his

d and logue with his subor inate, later with Prince

Hamlet . He is no respecter o fpersons : his replies to the questions o fHamlet being as straightforward and

as h blunt t ose to his peasant companion , while his replications in the exchange o f wit with the former indicate so much irreverence and indepen d d the si niﬁ ence , that it raws from the Prince g “ d cant observation : By the Lor , Horatio ,

144 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

Now comes the inherent love o f argument in “ Old ' c an the man How that be, unless she drownedherself in her own defense ? ” The younger man has no reply to this proposi tion , but contents himself with reiteration

“ ’ d so o d Why, tis foun . T the or inary peasant o f d d the time this would have conclu e the matter,

who but the sexton , has small respect for the

’ d and ver ict of the crowner s quest, perceiving an

to dhis d d Opportunity expoun wis om , procee s with his argument . It requires little imagination to realize the po m o sit d o ld fo r d as p y of the stur y stickler tra ition , he emphasizes his points ;o r to note the syllabic orotundity with which he utters the Latin phrase that he has probably heard in some legal proceed

and d fdr use ings , memorize at a future time , to awe his adversary with his learning ; and to o b serve the originality o fhis logic in the conclusion

’ “ o that the lady s death was n t accidental . It

‘ ’ o r must be se offendendo ; it cannot be else . F

: d here lies the point if I rown myself wittingly , it argues an act : and an act hath three branches ; THE GRAVE- DIGGERS 145

to o and to : she it is , act, to d , perform argal , ” n l drownedherself w1tt1 g y. His assistant is no t without some self- assertion

o f and and in spite Latin logic , makes a valiant

’ attempt to enter a protest against the o ld man s

d d . o u prej u ice conclusions Nay, but hear y , ” d goodman delver . But the goo man will not be silenced with flattery nor does he propose to honor his youthful disputant with more contro v e rs d to d y, but procee s emonstrate his theory in d a practical fashion . Taking his spa e he lays it d o n - d own the smooth turf of the church yar , ex “ plaining : Here lies the water ; good. Then at some little distance from the spade he stands “ the pick or mattock on end: Here stands the ” d and man , goo , taking a position between the two d d implements , with j u icial gravity, he elivers “ himself as follows : If the man go to this water and d rown himself, it is will he , nill he , he goes ; mark yo u that ;but if the water co me to him and d d no t : rown him , he rowns himself argal , he that is no t guilty of his o wn death Shortens not his ” own life . 146 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE This demonstration almost convinces the rustic

d as to skeptic, but he is still in oubt the legal “ ” s and : a pect of the case, inquires But is this law ? “ A ’ ’ ” d y, marry, is t ;crowner s quest law, conclu es

o ld the man .

d u to Fin ing no arg ment combat this conclusion, the young fellow falls back on the elemental “ socialistic question of human inequality . Will

’ ’ yo u ha the truth on t ? If this had not been a

’ she d d 0 gentlewoman , shoul have been burie out ” l Christian burial . The o d fellow fully indorses

and this proposition , emphasizes it with a still more forcible example, though , perhaps some may not recognize the advantages of the special d “ . : and privileges quote Why , there thou sayest the more pity that great folks should have coun tenance h dto d in t is worl rown or hang themselves ,

- more than their even Christian . Come, my

h d e d . o ld is spa e The man takes Spa e, but befor

d to d u procee ing work, asserts the natural ig i

d and d a e his tra e, bemoans the egeneracy of the g ; which provokes the following bit o f delightful equivoque

1 48 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE sizes with his index ﬁnger the question that is to confuse the wits o f his younger assistant ; the other leaning o n the mattock listens with parted

d and lips , eager to catch every wor , match his wit

the against that of veteran humorist . “ What is he that builds stronger than either ? ” the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter d The young man is puzzle for a moment,

d o f scratches his hea , then with a look triumph , , “ answers quickly : The gallows - maker ; for that d ” frame outlives a thousan tenants . It is a good answer and the o ld fellow is not

to d no t slow acknowle ge it, but it is the correct

so o f one, the momentary satisfaction the young

d and d man is turne to chagrin , his wits spurre to

o ld another effort . H o w the fellow chuckles as the young o ne wrestles with the knotty problem, and how deliciously is the patronage o f the o ld

’ egotist s superior wisdom expressed in the passage

th o d that follows : I like y wit well , in g o faith : The gallows does well : but how does it well ? It does well to those that do ill : now thou dost ill to say the gallows is built stronger than THE GRAVE- DIGGERS 149

the church : argal : the gallows may do well to thee .

’

To t . again, come “ The young man repeats the proposition : Who

d o r buil s stronger than a mason , a shipwright, a ” carpenter ? and ruefully struggles to ﬁnd another d ﬁtting reply . But his mental faculties are ull ,

d has to and o ld it is beyon him , he confess it, the d fellow oes not spare him , but accentuates his

’ and m humil triumph , co pletes the poor fellow s i

and d ation by giving the answer, then ismissing

o him t fetch a stoop of liquor . “ d no Cu gel thy brains more about it, for your d ass no t d and ull will men his pace with beating, d ‘ when you are aske this question next, say a

’ grave - maker : the houses that he makes last till d d . G O et ooms ay , g thee to Yaughan , fetch me a ” o o f st op liquor . The traditional business at this point was fo r the o ld grave- digger to remove with great delib cration a number of vests or waist-coats of various

and d and colors patterns , carefully fol lay them

o ne d and at si e, then roll up his sleeves before descending into the uncompleted grave to proceed 1 5 0 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

’

W Ith . d his work This absur piece of business has ,

d d d and however, long since been iscar e , the actor of to- day plays the part wi th more appro

riate and p action , consistent with the character,

within scope of human possibility . Laying his spade and pick by the side o f the grave he gradually lowers himself into it with the natural

f o f his a e e fort of a man g , then in a work man - like manner proceeds ﬁrst to loosen the earth

t to wi h his pick, then throw it out, together with

and as d fo r the skulls bones the ialogue calls them , chanting the words of the o ldballadat the proper

and cues , emphasizing the effort, punctuating his

o f and singing with the strokes his mattock, the work o fthe spade . It is at this point that Prince Hamlet and his friend Horatio appear outside o f the low wall

- d o ld that encloses the grave yar . Seeing the

’ and man s grim occupation , hearing his humorous

t o f d song, the incongrui y the procee ing surprises

who d: the Prince, inquires of his frien Has this fellow no feeling of his business that he sings at ” grave -making ? To which H oratio sagely re

THE GRAVE- DIGGERS 1 5 1 plies : Custom hath made it in him a property ” of easiness .

s co n Unconscious of ob ervation , the sexton tinues and his work his song, throwing out the

h andtwo eart , some human bones, chapless skulls ; while the Prince and his friend look on and philosophize on the gruesome relics that are so

d d ld c irreverently han le by the O man . The se o nd skull thrown from the grave is about to roll

the away , when sexton strikes it sharply with his d d Spa e to imbe it in the soft, fresh earth . This apparent brutal indifference to the grim remains o fpoor mortality is the subj ect of further Specula

who tive philosophy on the part of the Prince, d d ﬁnally steps over the wall , a vances to the si e

and dd - d ask of the grave , a resses the grave igger,

“ ’ ’ ” in : ? g Who s grave s this , sirrah I imagine the o ld man has been asked this

so and e o question frequently , by all manner of p

has and ple , that he grown impatient at the query, with scarcely a glance at his questioner he answers

“ ” sir and abruptly , Mine , , continues his work and his song. 1 5 2 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

I recall when I was a very small boy, liv in o ld g in an English country village, an cobbler,

o r was o n d whose shop , rather stall , the si e of the street by which I went to school . He was a

d- d o ld and d fre quaint, goo nature fellow, I woul

and k quently stop, watch him at work tal to him .

o f d d All his work was one by hand. He use to sit at the end o f a low bench o n which

o f and were all his materials tools , in little

o f square compartm ents . He wore a large pair

and d spectacles with horn frames , woul bend

d d to over a woo en last, hel fast his knee by a

circular leathern strap from his foot, make holes

andd end with an awl , insert raw the wax tightly, as he attached the upper to the sole of the shoe

o d he was making . I used t regar him with great

and d d and d . interest, won er at his exterity rapi ity

d and I knew practically everybo y in the village, with boyish curiosity would ask the o ld cobbler d who the shoes were for . He woul invariably “ ’ 1 d W earem . reply Mr . This puzzle me for

as no some time, I knew one of that name ;but ultimately I comprehended: it was a reproof to

1 54 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

H m n i a . What ma dost thou dg it for ? Gra F r n man ir . o o , s . H am ? . What woman then Gra Fo r . none neither . ’ H am Who is be din t ? . to burie

Gra. One m her that was a wo an sir, but, rest soul , ’ d d she s ea .

H ur Ho w n - ? o . lo g hast thou been a grave maker

The answer is given with characteristic lo qu ac

o ld who ity, by the man, still maintains his repu

- tatio n as a wit snapper . The most casual reader of Shakespeare cannot } but Observe how much is connoted as well as expressed in many o f the brief passages o f the poet . In answer to the above simple question ,

o f and the valor the late King, the martial char acter o f the Danes is suggested;we are told the

’ day of Hamlet s birth ;we learn of the gossip of the people and the general impression of the ’ d d Prince s mental con ition, the suppose reason of d d his espatch to Englan , together with some satir

o f and ical allusions to the people that country ; , while the Old man ingeniously reveals the age o f THE GRAVE- DIGGERS 1 55

d . Hamlet, he inci entally suggests his own I

and bo have been sexton here , man y, thirty years .

o ld This , granting he was about twenty years

- and when he began his work as a grave maker, it is improbable to suppose that he would be en

d a e truste with such serious work at an earlier g ,

d be woul make him ﬁfty at this time , as I have fore suggested.

’ Hamlet s next question : How long will a man lie in the earth ere he rot ? ” provokes more punning by the Oldman andsome very plain and original reasoning as to the time and process o f the decay of mortal remains ;those of a tanner in particular . The dialogue is terminated by the selection of one o f the Skulls by the grave - digger to illustrate

o ld his arguments , which the man asserts is the

’ skull of Yorick, the late King s jester . “ d H o The property of easiness , suggeste by

d and ratio, is again example by the irreverence familiarity with which the grave - maker handles this skull . As he recalls the pranks of the dead 1 5 6 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

o f j ester, he laughingly slaps the hollow temples

as the unconscious remnant, if he were boxing the

Of and ears the living j ester, gleefully chuckles

“ ’ ” as memory revives the m ad rogue s wit and

d to . humor, before han ing it the Prince This incident diverts the mindof Hamlet from his catechism of the grave- digger to tender mem

’ o ries C d d d and so of his hil hoo s frien playmate, d that the sentiment of the scene is change , but to this I have referred at some length in a former chapter .

- d The funeral procession enters the church yar , the sexton assists in lowering the body of the um

d to and fortunate la y its last resting place, with

d d - d that uty one, the character of the grave igger

d d o ur in the play is conclu e . But if we permit

we imagination a little scope, might see, after the

o ld funeral party has left the scene, the fellow shoveling the earth back into the newly- tenanted

and grave, hear the refrain of his quaint song borne upon th e stillness o f the early morning air :

- ax e and d d A pick , a spa e, a spa e, Fo r and a shrouding sheet :

1 5 8 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

was d d gray hair, that always ishevele . He dressed the part in a dark brown tunic o r smock ;

and his arms were bare, but his legs feet were

d an d encase in rough buskins d san als . He looked the part to perfection ;he did not have to

and o ld act, only to Speak the lines , he was the

- - m d . grave igger The self i portance , the grave as “ i d and sumpt on of knowle ge, the air of brief authority over his fellow - worker were ﬁnely given ;while his surprisedexpression at the audac ity of the younger man in questioning his j udg ment was a Splendid illustration o f the assurance

n - o fignorance a dself conceit . At the time o f which I speak ( 1 876) very

and little, if any, scenery few properties were d carrie by touring dramatic companies . We car

d d d d o n o f rie none, but epen e the stock the

d and ed theaters we visite for the scenery, borrow

and iv the properties furniture from local stores , g ing in return complimentary tickets to the pe r o f rm ance . The two human skulls were espe cially difﬁcult to obtain in the smaller towns . THE GRAVE- DIG GERS 1 59

- was d Our property man , however, of consi erable experience and full of resource in an emergency and when unable to obtain the real article inv ari

a d h ably found substitute that serve t e purpose .

Fo r d the skulls he use two large turnips , shaping

d the them like the human hea , excavating eye

s and and socket , hollowing the j aws mouth , then d . d coloring them with brown paint In ee , they looked remarkably well and few of the audience could detect the imposition from the front o f the

. One . theater night, however, when Mr Mc

as - d d d d Vicker, the grave igger, han e the suppose

as skull to Mr . Booth , Hamlet, the latter gentle man failed to grasp it securely and it fell with a d d heavy thu to the stage . The eception was then

and d d . obvious , the au ience roare with laughter

But worse consequences followed. The con d d d d foun e turnip rolle own to the footlights , knocked o ff one of the tips of the gas j ets (elec tric it was no t bi y then in use) , a g ﬂame rose from

! was d and the broken jet, a cry of Fire raise , a panic in the audience was only averted by the 1 60 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

the d o f who prompt action of lea er the orchestra, reached over and smothered the ﬂaming gas-j et d with his pocket han kerchief .

On d another occasion uring our Southern tour,

M cVic ke r d o ne d e Mr . calle me on si e prior to th

and whis beginning of the last act of Hamlet, d “ d pere in my ear, Watch me when I hand E win

- to d. the skull night . I watche

It appeared that our property- man had been unable fo obtain even turnips with which to

fo r - d so had fashion skulls the grave yar scene, he

d o f d procure a couple very large Bermu a onions , c ut and perforated them as he had done the

d and turnips , colore , placed them in the grave

M cVicker Mr . alone being cognizant of the char

- d t acter o f the remains . The grave igger hrew t o u t and d hem at the proper cue, the eception

d d o ld d d passe unnotice , but, when the sexton han e d the supposed skull o f poor ead Yorick to Mr .

who had Booth , a particular aversion to onions in

o f d any form , the aroma that mutilate Sphere,

d d o f a mingle with the o or the paint, bec me offensive to him that he was seized with naus

LAUNCE AND SPEED IN THE TWO GENTLEM EN OF VERONA

HERE seems to be little doubt but that the “ comedy o f The Two Gentlemen o f Ve

’ rona was one of the earliest o f the po et s dra

no matic works . There is authentic record of its

ﬁrst presentation , but it is the general impression among the commentators that it occurred in 1 59 1

o r 1 2 . d ac 59 Si ney Lee, probably the most

and curate reliable authority on Shakespeareana, places it second in order of production . It was

’ d no r not printe in the author s lifetime, was it pub lishedtill it was includedin the First Folio edition

d d 1 62 of collecte plays that appeare in 3 , seven

’ years after the poet s death . There is a crude conventionality in the co n d struction of the plot, inexperience in the evelop

162 LAUNCE AND SPEED 1 63

o f and its ment the characters , immaturity in de

v d r ducti e philosophy . These con itions conﬁ m

- and t the view point taken above , are en irely con

was sistent with the kn own facts . Shakespeare

- o f a e had at this time but twenty seven years g ,

d six and been in Lon on but or seven years , though study and observation had given him some idea o f d o n ramatic composition , it was conventional lines only ; experience had not yet developed his powers o r given him any marked individ

ali u ty.

d s as to Mrs . Cow en Clarke goes o far suggest d that the come y was probably one of the MSS . that Shakespeare took with him to London . d d This is isprove , I think , by his references in the

to and o play historical mythol gical characters , with which he wouldhardly be familiar before his d a vent into the metropolis . I doubt if Shakespeare did any literary work o f a dramatic character before he went to Lon do n was . It his association with a company of d professional actors , in a varie repertory of plays , with the environment o f a regularly equipped 1 64 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d o f theater, that reveale to him the possibilities

d d and d d the rama, inspire his ambition, evelope his genius . “ There is no originality in the story of The ” o f Two Gentlemen of Verona , nor in any the d d inci ents of the come y . The characters are but

d and prototypes of those which appear, elaborate

d had complete , in his later plays , after experience matured his powers and given him a deeper in

sight into human nature .

is o f and d This particularly true Launce Spee ,

two d who the clownish servants in the come y , are “ d d as B d repro uce the two romios , in The Come y ” “ ” o f as and and Errors ; Peter, in Romeo Juliet, “ as Launcelot Gobbo, in The Merchant of Ven ic ; but with far more consistency o f purpose anddetail Of character .

and d : to Launce Spee are servants born serve ,

d to be contente serve , with little or no ambition

d V al yond it . They are personal atten ants on entine and and Proteus , two young noblemen , accompany their respective masters o n their d travels , obeying their or ers without question ,

1 66 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE d and a egree , vie with each other in mphibolous repartee .

the two wit and Of , Launce has the keener d s eeper philosophy . He i also more resourceful

d d ac when Occasion eman s ;witness , his prompt ceptance of the punishment that had been im “ ” d On do pose his ungentlemanlike g, Crab, which would have ended the career of that canine ;and the substitution o f the same ill - bred cur fo r the “ little j ewel ” he was commissioned to carry to

had Mistress Sylvia , which been stolen from him

- by the boys in the market place . Speed is the ﬁrst of these two worthies to ap

o pear in the play . It is in the ﬁrst scene f the

and d ﬁrst act, in his secon speech he begins a cor ruption of words in a succession o f the most

and atrocious puns ingenious transliterations , that positively appall by their audacity : and he co n inues o n t it throughout the scene . The play the

d S and d and d and wor s , hip sheep , poun pinfol ,

no d o f d and the evolution from a the hea , the “ ” “ ” a to d dd exclamation y the wor No y, fully

to j ustiﬁes the term Proteus applies it, silly . LAUNCE AND SPEED 1 67

In fact, there is but one bit of repartee in the entire dialogue worthy of note : Proteus ex “ : claims with obvious sarcasm Beshrew me, but

” to d who you have a quick wit , which Spee , has

re been unable to extract a gratuity from him ,

“ plies : And yet it cannot overtake your slow purse .

d 2 1 d The ialogue in Act , Scene , between Spee and Sir Valentine , is in the same vein as in the ﬁrst act ;but Speedseems to have some advantage

fo r to d in it, travel appears have sharpene the wit

has d d o f of the servant, while love ulle the spirit

d d o f the master . In Spee there is evi ence more observation both o f incidents and circumstances ;

and o f d co m a clearer brighter expression i eas, bined d d with a shrew ness that approaches wis om , — ’ e spec1ally in his reﬂections on Sir Valentine s love - lorn condition ; while there is a dimness of comprehension that amounts almost to density in d the lack o funderstanding displaye by his master . d’ Spee s critical philosophy , however, never per mits him to lose sight of the demands of his

o r . stomach , the perquisites of his position 1 68 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

This scene is so admirable in its commingling of

and humor satire, that I quote it at length

al. W h a in V y, how know you th t I am love ? S e d M r e . t a t p ar y , by hese special m rks . Firs , you ’ learn d Sir to t have , like Proteus , wrea h your arms ,

- n like a malcontent ;to relish a love so g , like a robin d o ne had the es re breast ;to walk alone, like that p tilence had his ; to sigh, like a schoolboy that lost n n had d A B C ;to weep, like a you g we ch that burie he r nd o ne a d g ra am ; to fast, like that t kes iet ; to o ne n watch, like that fears robbing ; to speak puli g , H n like a beggar at allowmas . You were wo t, when ’ ’ lau h d d you g , to crow like a cock ;when you walk , to

‘ o ne the n a d it walk like of lio s ;when you f ste , was ’ d lo o k d d it presently after inner ;when you sa ly , was for want of money ;and no w you are metamorphosed t o o u can a d with a mistress , hat, when I lo k on y , I h r ly n ar thi k you e my master . A r d in m e ? Val. e all these things perceive d e e are . Spe d. They all perceive without y are and t These follies within you , shine hrough you the no t an e e like water that y that sees you , but is to o n r d a physician comment you mala y .

d Later, in the same scene the ialogue is note

and d o bse rv worthy, again illustrates the shrew

d and the o f ance of Spee , privilege speech per mitted him by his master .

417 0 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

most attentive observer and listener to the inter

and d view between the lover the la y . Sylvia has apparently commissioned Sir Valentine to write “ ” fo r some appropriate lines her to one she loves , “ d a secret nameless frien . Sir Valentine, hav in g written the lines , in the form of a letter, now

d to d who h elivers it the la y, t ereupon returns it “ d : to the writer, pointe ly exclaiming They are

’ 3 d a . no t for you Sir Valentine, however, . oes p

reciate s d d and d p her meaning, look bewil ere stan s

and ad disa o mted in great perplexity ; the l y, pp at

° ' Of n his lack comprehensio , abruptly takes her

leave with considerable Show o fanger . Sir Valen d d tine stan s in speechless astonishment, but Spee ,

’ who has realizedthe full signiﬁcance o fthe lady s d evice, exclaims

O n jest unsee , inscrutable, invisible, ’ no m o r a e As a se on a an s face, a we th rcock on a steeple ! M he r and she t t he r u y master sues to , ha h aught s itor,

H e her to her . being pupil , become tutor x as d t r 0 e cellent device ! w there ever hear a bet e , e n m d That my master b i g scribe , to hi self shoul write the t le ter . am e L e wi s and Sidn e H e rb e r as L “ J s y t au n c e and S e e d “ p in T h e T w ” o G e n tle m e n o f V e ro n a

1 7 2 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

“ d d : A earnestly elivere protest y, but hearken , sir: Though the chameleon Love can feed o n

’ o ne no u rish d air, I am that am by my victuals , n d ! a d woul fain have meat . 0 be not like your

: d d. mistress be move , be move Launce does not appear till the third scene o f th e d d secon act, when he intro uces himself, his

and do ac sentiments , his g Crab, by whom he is

d and o f companie , with much humor , as with all

’ Shakespeare s characters , his mental , sentimental and social status is at once established;while the d d d o f o ld omestic rama playe with a pair shoes ,

and ff a hat, a sta as representatives of the family

d to Of the Launces , gives us an intro uction them as e ﬂectiv ely as if we hadmet them all in person .

’ One can easily understand that Crab s failure to

and appreciate the importance of the j ourney , the pathos o f parting with such a family is a source

h e i of great disappointment to is master . The p sode is describedwith so much delightful original ity o f expression and humorous detail that the reader must be dull indeed who cannot see the d scene enacte before his eyes : the weeping women, LAUNCE AND SPEED 1 73

d and the wailing father, the howling mai , the

“ ” d d do d perplexe househol ;while the g, unmove , stolidly watches the entire proceedings with a boredexpression o fcanine indifference .

’ be h e re d n Nay , twill t is hour I have one weepi g h n h r all t e ki d of t e L aunces have this ve y fault . I a d the d so n h ve receive my proportion , like pro igious , ’ and a n ir h r m goi g with S Proteus to t e imperial s cou t. I think Crab my do g be the sourest- natured do g that : r n n lives my mothe weepi g , my father waili g , my sis te r n o ur a d n o ur cat n n he r cryi g , m i howli g , wri gi g a d and in et did h n s , all our house great perplexity , y no t - d c ur d o ne : he is this cruel hearte she tear a stone ,

- andhas no in him t a very pebble stone , more pity han a do g : a Jew wouldhave wept to have seen our part in : wh d n no g y, my gran am , havi g eyes , look you , wept ’

d t n . Na the herself blin at my par i g y, I ll show you n it : is —no man er of This shoe my father , this left m no no is shoe is y father ; , , this left shoe my mother —t n be n : e s is it is it hat ca not so either y , it so, so ; h in it t t e . ha h worser sole This shoe with a hole , ’ is andt . n : my mother , his my father A ve geance on t ’ t is : no w sir t ff is there , , his sta my sister ;for, look she is and d: you , as white as a lily , as small as a wan t hat is Nan d the do —no the do his , our mai ;I am g , g

is and am the do - O the do is m e and himself, I g , , g ,

am a . c t I myself ; y, so, so Now ome I to my fa her ; no w d no t the Father, your blessing ; shoul shoe speak 1 74 THE FOOL S OF SHAKESPEARE a word fo r weeping ;no w should I kiss my father ; he —no w O well , weeps on come I to my mother , ( , she d no w d n that coul speak , like a woo woma . ) ’ ’ ’ he r there t is well , I kiss ;why, ;here s my mother s breath up and down ;no w come I to my sister ;mark the moan she makes : no w the do g all this while sheds no t t no r d see ho w a ear, speaks a wor ;but I lay the dust with my tears .

The misuse of the words prodigious and ” has d and perplexity a most familiar soun , may be readily recognized as a favorite comedy device o f e d and the po t, to provi e humor for his clowns

- serving men .

In an interesting work by Dr . A . O . Kellogg,

o f the State Lunatic Asylum , at Utica, New York, d “ ’ entitle Shakespeare s Delineations of Insanity, ” andS d d d Imbecility, uici e, that istinguishe alien

s and i t places Launce among the imbeciles , by

way of preface to an able analysis Of the char d d acter, in which is inclu e Crab, the constant com

o f panion the boy, he makes the following con crete summary

Another shade of mental obtuseness and imbecility has be en exhibited by the poet in the character Of

1 76 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d d have before allu e in this article, as well as to the same practice by similar characters in previous chapters , I again quote Dr . Kellogg

His humorous punning and pl ay upon words is also and a t m a quite characteristic , shows th t his faculty y be possessed in quite an eminent degree by those of n a L very inferior me tal c liber, like aunce .

H o w completely Shakespeare realized this con s d d d ition is evi ence , not only by the countrymen and d clowns in his come ies , but also by the char ac te rs o f inferior rank and humble station in his “ ” d : b and trage ies nota ly , Peter, in Romeo Juliet

“ “ ” ae - d the Citizens, in Julius C sar ;the Grave iggers , “ ” “ m and the d in Ha let ; runker Porter, in Mac beth . “ The Two Gentlemen of Verona is unfo rtu

m d d . ately sel om presente on the stage , but Mr Augustin Daly made a production of the comedy in his series of Shakespearean revivals at Daly ’ s

a o . . Theater, New York, some years g Mr

d and a James Lewis playe Launce, while I c nnot d d recall the entire performance in etail , I istinctly remember his ﬁrst appearance on the scene . He LAUNCE AND SPEED 1 77

came upon the stage slowly, with an expression o f d d do extreme isgust on his face , lea ing his g

who had Crab by a cord. The property man procured the do g for the production had been

fo r co m most fortunate in his selection , a more “ ” - ple te specimen of a lo w down cur I never saw . It would have puzzled the most experienced do g

o fancier to name his breed r trace his ancestry .

the Most animals , when they appear upon stage ,

d the become frightene by the glare of footlights , andstartledby any applause that may come from

d do d the au ience , but this g that playe Crab was absolutely oblivious to his surroundings . Crab received even a more cordial greeting than his

the d d popular master, but while latter acknowle ge the do d compliment gracefully , the g looke on with complete indifference as if the entire proceedings d bore him . Launce began his ﬁrst speech , which

’ included a mild reproach o f Crab s lack o f sym

d o n pathy , but it ma e no impression the cur : he thefi led do the g to the base of a statue, or foun

d o n tain on the scene, seate himself the steps ,

cur d and d the by his si e, enacte the domestic scene 1 78 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE described in the text with a droll humor that the

d d had no au ience foun irresistible , but it effect

who sat d on Crab , upon his haunches , looke at

’ . and Mr Lewis manipulation of the shoes , lis tened to his detailed description of the parting o f

the family of the Launces as if, like Baron Grog, “ ” d had in The Gran Duchess , he always been “ to taught observe an impassive countenance . I regret that I cannot remember more of the

o f fo r did performance Mr . Lewis, everything he was worthy of memory : but the picture o f the do d do n d and g, Crab, is in elibly impresse my min , the memory of that frowsy cur that was such an

to appropriate companion his master, tempts me

again to quote Dr . Kellogg :

Next to the human associates whom a man takes n his n d n t n i to co ﬁ e ce , no hi g seems to furnish a more correct index to his character than the species o f the n n The canine race which he selects as his compa io s .

i - n d is d the gr m looking , fighti g bull og foun at heels z —fi h r The d d ff o f the bully and pri e g te . ignifie masti and n n nd nd a d the ge tlema ly Newfou la , gu r n The ndis ndin the a stately ba ker . gaunt hou fou tr in

- o f the fo x n . The active , vigorous , hunti g squire is the d d and poodle or spaniel combe , washe ,

1 80 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

S e d p e . What thou sayest ? L A ’ aunce . and do : o y, what I too lo k thee, I ll but and ff nd nd m e lean, my sta u ersta s . S t d nd e d. e t d d. p It s an s u er hee, in ee

L a h n - - unce . W d d and nd d is y, sta un er u er stan all

o ne .

In the ﬁrst scene of act third a new phase o f d d the character of Launce is evelope . He is in

. o wn d o f love We have his a mission the fact, “ with the addenda : But a team of horse shall

’ who and not pluck that from me ;not tis I love,

’ : yet tis a woman but what woman , I will not tell

’ ” myself ; and yet tis a milkmaid. Launce does not give us his reasons fo r the secrecy that he so

and ingeniously negatives , we might attribute it

to the d bashful mo esty of a lover, but this is again negatived by his subsequent interview with d d d. m Spee The na e of the la y is withhel , but “ we are frankly informed of The cate -lo g o f her

’ 7 Of dand conditions . Launce is a man metho has carefully collatedboth the virtues andvices of the

d and set d d rand la y, them own in a sort of ebto

d no t cre itor arrangement, which he only carefully

d o o rtu consi ers himself, but on a convenient pp LAUNCE AND SPEED 1 81 nit d d y submits to the j u gment of his friend Spee , r eserving, however, the privilege of making the d ﬁnal ecision himself . The merits of the lady are set down somewhat as follows

She can and r fetch ca ry . She can m ilk . She al brews good e . She n ca sew.

She can knit . She can and wash scour . She can spin . She n hath many ameless virtues .

Andher demerits

She is no t be d n to kisse fasti g . Sh e hath a sweet mouth . She d in he r oth talk sleep. She is in d slow wor s . Sh is d e prou . She no t hath eeth . She is curst . She her will often praise liquor . She is liberal . She at a wit and m h h more h ir than , ore faults than

irs and m t . , ore wealth han faults 1 82 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

One c an easily imagine the sapient andj udicial

“ a u d S d d air ss me by Launce, as pee rea s the cate ” lo g to him ;but I shrewdly suspect that the deci sion of the j udge had been made before the trial d d began , or the evi ence was presente . The virtues he appreciates at their practical value, the vices he ingeniously transforms into virtues, and like many in real life of far greater social and intellectual pretensions , ﬁnally permits the possession o f money to be the deciding factor in his choice . With Launce , wealth appears to have been a cloak whose ample folds are suﬂicient to d o f fo r cover a multitu e vices, “ ” though she have more faults than hairs her

“ wealth was all powerful to make the faults d gracious . I am very much incline , however, to think that the affectation of prudence was an other o fthe practical j ests of this exuberant youth with his friend Speed;that he himself concocted ” - lo and had the cate g, the entire matter its exist ence only in the vivid and picturesque imagina

tion o fo u r friendL aunce ;for later we learn that

the bo y has voluntarily taken upon himself both

1 84 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

union , might avert many an unhappy marriage , and considerably diminish the congestion in our courts of law . The brief dialogue concluding the scene bears

o ut t . d s the above sugges ion Spee , who e name by the wa to d y appears be a misnomer, is waite for

h s by i master at the north gate o f the city .

n and Launce k ows this , out of sheer mischief, as

d d . he inferentially a mits , is etaining him This would seem to indicate that the milkmaid with “ ” her cate-lo g of conditions is pure imagination o n and d the part of Launce , his apparent in e cisio n a mere device to detain the already dilatory

d nd o f o n Spee . The solo a exit speech Launce

d o f d the hasty eparture Spee , accentuates the

“ ’ view : Now will he be swing d for reading my letter . An unmannerly slave , that will thrust

’

i . to himself nto secrets I ll after, rej oice in the

’ ” boy s correction . Scene 4 of Act 4 in the comedy brings the char actor o f Launce to its conclusion . Crab seems to and be as incorrigible as impenitent, Launce entertains us with a most diverting account of the LAUNCE AND SPEED 1 85

’ dog s misdeeds and his own self- sacriﬁce in the

’ To the cur s behalf. appreciate thoroughly

d the d to humor of the scene , I commen rea er a full perusal o fthe same in the play itself .

to By the irony of fate , Crab seems be the fac

’ has tor ln his master s undoing . Launce been

d de commissione by his master, Sir Proteus , to “ ” liver a little j ewel o f a do g to Mistress Sylvia

and as a present . Launce loses the little j ewel , in this dilemma substitutes his o wn do g Crab . d d The la y in ignantly rej ects such a present, and returns a most sarcastic response to the advances of the amorous Sir Proteus , whose anger on learn ing the details of the adventure may be better d d d imagine than escribe . The explanation of Launce is characteristic o f

and the boy, while his humor, love of mischief, “ d ” his o l vice o fpunning is sustained to the last .

P ro d . Where have you been these two ays loiter ing ? L aunce M sir d M S the . arry , , I carrie istress ylvia do g you b ade me . P ro A nd a she ? . what s ys to my little jewel L aunce M she do cur and . arry , says , your g was a , 1 86 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

is d o r tells you , currish thanks goo enough f such a n prese t . P r she o . But received my do g ?

L aunc e . d d did no t : No, in ee , she here have I him brought back again . P ro dd ff he r m e ? . What, i st thou o er this from

L au nce. A sir the was o e y, ; other squirrel st l n ’ from me by the hangman s boys in the market- place : and ff d he r n o wn is do bi then I o ere mi e , who a g as g

ten and the the r. as of yours , therefore gift greate

Poor Launce narrowly escapes the whip at the

d o f d and dis han s his outrage master, is angrily

o f bo missed from his presence . The future the y

o u id ? is left to r conj ecture . D he lose his place Did his master restore him to favor ? and did he wed the lady whose qualiﬁcations were the Source of so much careful calculation ? The author

d . us oes not tell us Let , however, express the hope that an indulgent master forgave the ex

and uberant humor of his youthful servant, per

r d and do mit e Launce his g Crab, with possibly

d to o wn the la y Launce has chosen , share in his felicity so completely expressed in the concluding “ d One lines of the come y, feast, one house, one mutual happiness .

1 88 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

utterance come from the loving heart of o ne Whose

t has and un affection ime tried fo d sterling . “ ” His s call him B o h o ma ter s y, but t at is fr m custom rather than fact ;in the same sense that a “ ” negro serv ant in the South is call ed a boy till

Olda e he dies of g .

' ' He has been a long tim e in the service o ft he

a and m a s n e " his tr in , is i patient of his b e ce ;for aft r

a him ou t he repeatedly c lling for with reply, “ abruptly dem ands : But yzherg l my him ” have not seen two days.

l as a u -oldm an I pi Foo yo ng ,

as the n c e old ki g, of ours ;spare of body

" e t ea in me s e o f. hom ly fea ures, w k fra but hr wd

11 2 t a ul 1111 92 gen le he rt, f l of kindness andconsideration at THEFOOL IN KING LEAR 1 89 barbaric master ; seeing with silent concern th? gradual decay of a powerful personality ;app alled

’ b the s t o f his in d mad king disposi ion ﬂ g y k'

' e but a a impot nt to save, ste df st to sooth e subsequent sorrow and remorse of his delude II “: m aster . (Sdme of the recent commentators hav e found so much love and tenderness In the FOO1 for the

h av e e king as to be almost ﬁlial;and. advanced th theo that Cordelia and the fool are o ne and the ryﬂ

e n \ st s am e person . This vi w I do o t think i§ j u i

d t . T ﬁe , either by the language or condi ions he only p assage in the pl ay that affords any author i far r the s _5y the theo y is found in la t scene

r the in Lear enters , ca rying body of Cordelia

. s the his arms He lay it upon ground , and as

the he bends over lifeless form of his daughter,

e s h utters in his grief a number of broken phra es , “ among them the words : And my poo r foo l is

a . T s d hnged hi may refer to Cor elia, for “ h e o S akespeare frequ ntly uses the words , po r ” as endedrment am Of fool , a term of , but I the

n e . T opi ion they hav a literal meaning . he 1 90 TH E FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

n m s o f the e e ie king, knowing the loyal ty and af fectionate the Fo o l fo r his m devotion of . aster. have h anged him ; adding another sorrow to the

e - the e - ov r burdened heart of gri f stricken king.

s t the e In repre en ing play, I have always had th ; Fo l resent , a s 5 00 g n p in the opening scene ilent 9 tator of the disposition of the realm by the aged

h c s e t the king, w i h seem to me consist n with sub sequent di alogue . I directed him to run upon the scen e following the entrance of the king and his co u rtp bu t before

e n u t th begin ing of the dialog e , and wi h a merry salutation to his master to throw himsel f down

e t at the foot of th throne . I instruc ed him to

e t r watch eve ry motion, to list n in ently to eve y word, and by facial expression silently but elo quently to reﬂect his emo tions as the action of the

’ r k n s . e at the i scene proceeded First, surpris g di

awe at the e e ass o f vision of the realm , t rribl p ion

s s at at the s s his aged ma ter, con tern ion di mis al of

and at the nun a and Kent, horror de ci tion banish

. T es t ment of Cordelia his busin s , toge her with his hardly suppressed gestures of protest and ap

1 92 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

’ ’ d in . an g one s part that s out of favor Nay, thou

' ans sd f ihg w t t ’ h c t not ind si s , hou lt catc cold hkfé “ t : t . shor ly , take my coxcomb Why, this fel

’ banish dtwo his s low has of daughter , and did the

° third ablessing againsL his will ; if thou follow ” if s . E him , thou mu t needs wear my coxcomb ,

. The scene that follows is full of the deepest

s . T t e r igniﬁcance , he con rast between th g adually

s clm s increa ing anger of the king, that u inate in

- cu e the terrible rs hurled on his daughter Goneril ,

" and u i ent wit who wh l h e is the p rg , of the Fool , , i e

ns arin wit the sh Of- i u g la keenest sat re , softens hﬁ p w

wim i sed and each blow _g pg@i lines of humor,

‘ snatches of song (themselves the very quintes

“

a e most l n . a sence of s tir ) is g gigi g Epigr ms, each more pointed than its predecessor, follow in rapid

the a sequence , while applic tion of the couplets and

et doggerel to the situ ation is perfect and y , h in through it all t ere is a veiled tenderness , an deﬁnable sympathy that as we laugh at the wit,

T . wit d and he scene is so full of , wis om sound

as t philosophy, phr e following the o her with TH EFOOL IN KING L EAR 1 93

t I such cumulative precision , hat quote it almost in its entirety .

l w no w ? I ha co x o o . Ho d d F , nuncle Woul two and da ! combs , two ughters L a Wh m e r. y, y boy ? ’ o o l I t i I d m F . If gave hem all my liv ng, keep y ’ coxcombs myself ;there s mine ;beg another of thy daughters .

L ear a d a : the . . T ke hee , sirr h whip ’ o l do nne he Fo . Truth s a g must to ke l ; must be ’ whi d n the ad and the pp out, whe l y brach may st by ’ M ﬁre . S a a . irrah, I ll te ch thee speech ark it nuncle

H a sho west ave more th n thou , S a t o n pe k less than h u k owest, L e d a h n less th n t ou owest, R d e an i e mor th thou goest, L e a o tro west earn mor th n th u , Set less than thou thro west ; A nd thou shalt have more a t a Th n two ens to score .

K nt i n e . s This nothi g, fool . ’ ’ o l e tis i e the Fo . Th n l k breath of an unfee d law ’ er a me n o a y ;you g ve othing f r t . Can you m ke no ? use of nothing , nuncle

L ear. no n n can be d Why , , boy ; othi g ma e out of n othing . ’

o o l. Pr thee t l him the en his d F e l , so much r t of lan to no t a comes ;he will believe fool . 1 94 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

L ear A t o ! . bit er f ol

o ol. n the dff m b F Dost thou k ow i erence , y boy, e tween a bitter fool anda sweet one ? lad me No, ;teach . ’ Fo o l. That lord that co un sell d thee to give away thy land m a him me do t u Co e pl ce here by , ho for him stand; The sweet and bitter fo ol will presently ap pear ; — The o ne in motley here the other foundo ut

. o intin t h Kin there (p g o t e g . ) L ear t . me ? Dost hou call fool , boy l All th o t t Fo o . y ther itles hou hast given away ;

t n . me an hat thou wast bor with Nuncle , give ’ d o e an tw o . gg, I ll give thee cr wns L r a t o n e a . Wh t w crow s shall they be ? ’ o o l cut the e the dde F . Why, after I have gg i mi l ,

and eat u m the two the e . p the eat, crowns of gg ’ When thou clo v est thy crown i the middle andgavest o a t u t n o n th a away b th p rts , ho borest hi e ass y b ck ’ ’ the d t : h d in d r o er ir t ou ha st little wit thy bal c own, a d n o ne when thou g vest thy gol e away . ’ ( singing ) Fools had ne er less grace in a year Fo r wise men are grown foppish ; A nd n no t r to e r k ow how thei wits w a , a n r Their m n ers a e so apish . L ear e o u to be so l o f . When wer y wont ful songs , sirrah ? ’ i madst o o l. d n F I have use it, uncle, ever s nce thou

196 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

“ ” x d - e presse , the all licensed Fool accurately sums

e up th situation .

0 0 1 u F . Tho wast a pretty fellow when thou hadst no need to care for her frowning ;no w thou art an 0 without a ﬁgure : I am better than thou art no w : I m n a art . a fool , thou nothi g Mum , mum ,

He a e no r no r m th t k eps crust cru b , ar all an me We y of , shall w t so .

’ Goneril s wrath now breaks forth in a most

and bitter vituperative speech to her father, the insolence and audacity of which strikes the o ld

m d . T 0 0 1 is king mo entarily umb he F , however,

t d f d i s nei her surprise nor af righte , but excla m

o o l n nunc e F . For you k ow, l ,

The ed - fed the c h ge sparrow cu koo so long, ’ That it s hadits headbit o ﬁ by its yo ung.

mm has With consu ate art, the poet gradually eliminated the humor andsatire as the tragi c pas sion of the situation increases ;but he has reserved one line to the FOO1 that to me is awful in its

i and m t . sign ﬁcance, connotes li itless possibili ies of

and . d at thought conj ecture Lear, appalle the

his d audacity and disrespect of aughter, doubts THE FOOL IN KING LEAR 1 97

e n his his th evide ce of eyes and his ears , person “ i and i ality, his very ex stence ; excla ms : Does any here know me ? Who is it that can tell me who I am ?”

( ’ To which the FOO1 replies : Lear s shadow? “ The words seem to carry corroboration with I them;for instead of the powerful monarch whose

and d m we Will was law , wor a co mand, see before which nothing but a shadow ;realizing but too 1 fatal error that robbedhim of the power he is no w

re ai . i his impotent to g p) Someth ng, however, of o ld self returns as insults accumulate on his rev erendhead;the limit of even paternal endurance

d and d is reache , the outrage father hurls on the

d a hi d i hea of his th nkless c l a curse, the terr ﬁc force of which is probably unequaledin literature;

andleaves her .

the F0 0 1 : Goneril orders to follow him You ,

n sir, more k ave than fool , after your master .

T 0 0 1 his he F obeys , leaving, however, compli d ments behin him . 1 98 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

n A fox, whe one has caught her, A nd a d er such aught , S d the l r houl sure to s aughte , If my cap wouldbuy a halter ; So the fool follows after .

Loyally the faithful Fool follows his master ;

s b i and with tender solicitude he strive , u‘ yu q p

a d qu int reply, to ivert the remnant of the poor

’ n m env elo s it ki g s ind from the deep grief that p , “ and by folly labors to outj est his heart- strook

. T ff inj uries he e ort , however, is but partially successful ; the deep sorrow beneath absorbs the rippling laughter on the surface and dissolves it into tears . ﬁ rth] How pathetic are the steadfas t e Eo rts of

’ F0 0 1 to change the cu rrent of the old king

and d thoughts , ull the constantly recurring mem

o ne su es o ries of his wrongs . As witty gg

the 0 0 1 ﬂits fails to hold his attention , F to

h dd a i ot er ;a jest, a ri le, pun, anyth ng that

e isob d the d stiﬂe th , hol back tear, or eaden

’ ai memory . Not folly for folly s sake, but to

i Is the pain of a breaking heart . Th s brought in to such close relation with z o o THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

B ut the Foo l ch anges the current of his thoughts by another question

o l Ca l ho Fo . nst tel w an oyster makes his shell ?

L ear . . No 0 0 1 No r but can te wh a F . I neither : I ll y a sn il has s a hou e . L ear Wh ? . y

0 01. ut d no t t a a F Why , to p his hea in ; o give it w y to his da and s u a a e . ughters , leave his horn witho t c s

o A the m r and gain me ory of his g i ef tetums , again the F0 0 1 provides a diversion :

L r r e m — a e ! ea . o n a I w ll g u . S i d — i fo t y nat re k f th r B e my ho rs es ready ? ’ Th a e are a The ea o o e em . F o ol. y ss s g n bout r s n why the s even stars are no more than s even is a pretty n r easo . L ar e a e e are no t e ? e . B c us th y ight l Y es deed d m e a o d Fo o . , in ; thou woul st ak go fool .

However Lear might h av e appreciated this

doubtful compliment, in his norm al mental con

him no w an d t are di tion, it is lost on , his though s

once more on his wrongs '

’ L a To a a a n er ce l—M ter n rat e r. t k t g i p for ons i g i tude ! “ ’ " THE FOOL IN KING LEAR 20 1

Once more the F00 1 recalls him fromhimsel f

l th m ’ o o . o u w ert I d e F If y fool , nuncle, hav thee

ea o ld re m . b ten for being _ befo thy ti e ’ —“t " L ear H thaw . ow s l u d e o ld Fo o . Tho shoul st not hav been till thou hadst been Wise .

he s T hor es are now brought out , and the king,

he d with t Fool , and his re uced train of ﬁfty fol

—‘ o lowers start n their j ourney . With untiring devotion the F0 0 1 follows the

n k wanderi g way of the ing, hovering near his side and lightening the j ourney with j est and song, di

’ verting his old master s mind from its heavy sor

o s the the r w by numberle s devices, till y reach

’ s ca tle of where Regan , the king s second daughter, and her husband, the Duke of

w i . Corn all , are v sitors

’ T the d hough king s visit is not unexpecte , the a g tes are closed, no preparation is made for his

and d reception , his arrival is unheralde . His

- w messenger, the disguised Kent hom he had sent e befor to announce his coming, is set in the stocks before the entrance to the c astle ; a degradation 20 2 THEFOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE and punishmen t reserv ed- only for the basest of

- men . The F0 0 1 is the rs se e h s and ﬁ t to ob rv t i , i realizing-at once theoutrage on the dignity of the

in the his mes e e a o s~ k g by of seng r, nde v r to dwarf the affront by turning it to folly:

o ol Ha ha he r art ! Ho es are F . , ; wears c uel g ers rs tied by the head;dogs and bears by the neck ;mo n keys bythe loins ;andm en by the legs ;when a man is

“ atle - de - ove r lusty gs then he wears woo n nether stock s.

B ut the s a the a e in ult is too app rent, outr g too

n an ﬂagrant, to be overlooked ; the ki g demands

m a e explanation fro his serv nt, which being giv n ,

‘ n s furthei ndi iti and o w indicate i gn es , prov kes fro the FOO1 the following égge reﬂections

’ 1 Win s no t e et the ld e e ﬂ $30 . ter gon Y ;if wi g es y ‘ - J - hat - : t way. Fathers that wear rags do make their chil a n d dren blind;

‘ ‘ M athew that b ear bags shall see their il n ch dre kind.

a c mma i his ai em a L e r, o nd ng tr n to r in without

castle see . st l enters the to k his daughter Kent, i l

c s ti the r m the in the sto k , no ng educed nu ber of

’ king s atten dants -t as ks :

THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

And the m leave thee in stor . ar the l But I will t ry ; fool wi l stay, A ndlet the wise man ﬂy: The knave turns fool that runs away ; The no kn d fool ave, per y .

‘ T a ake the above, phrase by phrase, note its p plication and signiﬁcance ;the bitter reﬂections of

’ the FOO1 on the disloyal ty o f the king s former friends ; the doubts of his present followers ; the tm isms o f wisdom and folly ;the more than sug gestion of knavery ; an d the declaration of his d h own evotion , that in anot er might appear ego tisticall f and y ef usive , but in the fool is natural sincere .

i t the But I w ll arry ; fool will stay, A n e an dl t the wise m ﬂy.

’ The reply to Kent s query is certainly true .

“ ’ T s d the he les on was well learne , but Not i ” stocks , fool .

0 n d the The F0 1 is sile t uring scene that follows, and allows the indignation of the king to have full Sway without interruption , till passion gives way to grief ;this he tries to stay with the j est of THE FOOL IN KING LEAR 20 5

’ the and the cockney and eels the butter d hay, but

’ the great ﬂoo d of an outraged father s wrath is d beyond his power to stem . Awestricken an d d umb he stan s , impotently watching the sturdy defense of his aged master agains t the combined attack of his unnatural daughters . Powerless to d him i ' shiel from a s ngle blow, he sees his

and strength waning, his reason totter, till the

d d and o ld limit of human en urance is reache , the

d d and d man , exhauste in min bo y, falls into the

d . arms of his humble frien with the agonizing cry, “ ” m ad! O , fool , I shall go “ the o f The gates , like hearts his pernicious d ” aughters , are closed against him ; night falls , “ and the storm desc ends . The fretful elements ” “ d to - and- t i d and conten , the fro conﬂic ing w n ” fo r and rain , struggle supremacy, vent their fury

t . on the ear h a The FOO1 is not consistent ;he has not taken his “ own advice to Let go thine when a great ” d c wheel runs own a hill , but ing and revolving disk as it rolls to destruction :

d the The rain renches him to skin , the wind 20 6 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

' chills his blood to ice , and the flashing fire and rolling thunder fill his heart with fear ; but the combined fury of the elements cannot drive him

’ o his master s Side fr m , or shake the loyalty of his O t love . Pa iently he follows the aim less footsteps d of the distracte king, clinging to his dripping

and a garments , , ﬁrst by suggestion and then p

the - man peal , endeavors to guide grief stricken old to shelter . I

- 0 0 1. O dr e F nuncle, court holy water in a y hous ’ t - G d nuncl bet er than this rain water out 0 door . oo ’ ’ in ;ask thy daughters blessing ;here s a night piti m en no r neither wise fools .

d im etuo u Yet both are abroa , exposed to its p blas ts .

ntras t How well our poet knew thatﬁ go was

. d and is, the very essence of the rama ; and strikingly the contrasts of life are here presente

in al Great nature the maj esty of its wrath , we hum anity at its mercy ! The deep philosophy 0

ch - t a ild changed fa her, motley clown and yet these

20 8 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

ﬂ nd fo o l andt he x knav e lead‘ him some shelter, the ﬂ a“ a m M M

n he unresisti gly to t hovel .

The art o f is n e our necessities stra g , can ma n That ke vile thi gs precious .

Foul straw that has bedded cattle is the pallet

and of a king, his chamber a hovel that a swine herd would despise ;yet the royalty of his nature

h and h reigns wit in his heart, regal grace still s ines about him . In his great extremity the ﬁdelity of his friends is not forgotten ; nothing could be more tender th an his gracious acknowledgment of

and c the his love appre iation , ere he seeks humble shelter they have found for him

and n o ne r m t Poor fool k ave, I have pa t in y hear ’ r That s sor y yet for thee .

Oh ! faithful F0 0 1! unselﬁsh friend ! thou

’ / p eedst no t the sunlight of fortune to develop thy

love ;storms may fright thee ;cold may chill thy

and finv ade t blood ; fear thy heart, but hou art

steadfas t . m The elements the selves approve thy ﬁdelity,

s and abate their fury , for the storm grows le s THEFOOL IN KING LEAR 259 severe ; and above the soughing of th e wind the d t i sweet melo y of thy gen le song, nfected with thy tears ﬁlls the air with the soft tranqu illity of a

’ mother s lullaby, and soothes the vexed spirit of thy much loved master .

He tha and a t e in t has lit l t y wit, he ho the nd and the a With y, , wi r in, M ak e o n en his n e ust m c t t with fortu s ﬁt, h r i eth er a Though t e rain it a n ev y d y.

How true to nature is the reaction . The king

d i s his is sheltere , at least for a t me ;for him elf or

wn case FOO1 o the has no thought, so the keen edge of his wit is directed to the world and its O injustices . H W bitterly cynical his arraignment

d in l t of fortune, an in ictment that its qua i y is so

and t d comprehensive prophe ic, it woul seem as if

’ had ti and the poet s vision pierced the veil of me, named the wrongs and corruptions of the present

The F0 0 1 is alone and his thoughts are pressedin the nature of a soliloquy

’ I ll speak a prophe cy ere I go : When priests are more in word than matter ; 2 10 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

When brewers mar their malt with water ; ’ When nobles are their tailors tuto rs ; ’ ’ e ru d but en sui No her tics bu , w ches tors ; When every case in law is right ; NO ui in d no r no i t sq re ebt, poor kn gh When slanders do no t live in tongues ; Nor cutpurses come not to throngs ; ’ When usurers tell their gold i the ﬁ eld Andbawds and wantons churches build Then shall the realm Of Albion Come to great confusion ’ en om e the m who es to see t Th c s ti e , liv , ’ h n s a be us d i ee T at goi g h ll w th f t.

J L EIL bsfi lfifl si EhEL thsj hw e - iM he—firsp

the FOO1 s the rs soliloquy of , in other word , ﬁ t t ha i a he his g u hts ime t t, be ng lone, has spoken th g

we mi h o t h that g t kn w em .

As a l a u a e s ru e, I h ve fo nd in Sh kespear the ﬁr t soliloquy to be the keyn ote to the character ;but

The I think the present instance is an exception . shrewd satire of the parabolical epigrams that the

F0 0 1 th m at o u has uttered wi so uch deliber i" n wo ld ”i f !

‘ ’ indicate a worldly wisdom and émbittered sar

' h s distin shin c a e t and h ch s ems i gln g har ct ris ic, w i e

2 1 2 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d ddi i who in ee ff cult to determine is sane , andwho

no t and the d t th is , eclara ion of e Fool seems to “ ’ and be apt appropriate . He s m ad that trusts in ’ ’ the tameness of a wolf, a horse s health, a boy s

’ ” e lov , or a wanton s oath . —w m “w “ -w ‘ : T i Of in he compos tion the court of j ustice, the o ld h farm ouse, of a serving man , a beggar, and

o co s ne d a Fo l on the bench , mmis m by a madking “ ito ff d a try imaginary O en ers , forms most honor ” as andis d able sembly, indee a grim satire on the a dministration of j ustice .

d h has It may be observe , that w ile Shakespeare

d i V and treate the Chief Just ce in Henry I , the i d in his h gher j u ges , if so I may term them sev and d t eral plays , with respect igniy, he is very severe o n the ignorance andarrogance of the petty f j ustices and local magistrates H o w far this ’ may be due to his o wn experience with several i m d Warwicksh re j ustices , who it is sai he became somewhat tly familiar in his

an d a s . m te youth , ag in t who he appears to have

l tained e t all ain some res n ment his life, I not pre pared to say; THE FOOL IN KING LEAR 2 1 3

T da and ff he long, long y of sorrow, pain su er “ ” end d ing comes to an at last . Oppresse nature “ d m d a has reache the li it of its en ur nce , her foster ” “ ” s i nurse, repose, has clo ed the eye of angu sh, “ and compassionate sleep , the balm of hurt ” i fo d r t . min s , br ngs oblivion , a ime at least

‘ Fhe n d d T ki g falls asleep , his clou e mind mur

“ ’ ’ ” o and muring, We ll g to supper i the morning,

0 0 1 d d the faithful F , his limbs benumbe with col , his eyes wearied with watching and his heart

“ ’ d An d o bed heavy with grief, respon s , I ll g to at r These are the last lines spokenby the FOO1 the litter to carry the king to a place o fsafety is pre

’ the FOO1 a d the pared ; , at Kent s comm n , assists

t and o hers to bear away his sleeping master, is ’ o h seen no more . iN furt er reference is made to him and we o f if , are left in ignorance his fate we except a brief passage spoken by the king in " the last scene of the tragedy : Andmy poo r fool d” is hange .

as df , Commentators I have said, if er as to the ’ S application Of these words . 3 ome claim that 2 14 THE FOOLS OF SHAKESPEARE

d d they refer to his dea daughter Cor elia, but I prefer to regard them as informing us of the fate

the h of poor Fool , w ose life has been sacriﬁced

; to J

s in It is but a natural conclu ion , and perfect d harmony with the tragic inci ents of the play .

o s i Such l ve , such un elﬁsh devot on could not sur

' was e . vive its obj ect . It in vitable Life with ’ such tragic memories would be impossible to en

. o d dure . No One fate enc mpasse them both . The g entle Spirit of the faithful friend has gone

and fo r d before, patiently waits the poor torture soul of his loved m aster to share the peace that he has found .

i e in With he gh, ra ; the r it raineth da Though ain every y,

h the ind the d andthe . O w , win rain

T H E END