SHAKESPEARE'S TERCENTENARY

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 May 1916, Page 3

SHAKESPEARE'S TERCENTENARY

(.Specially Written for The Chronicle.; By H. B. FRAJNOE. Your leading article on Saturday waa a timely reminder of the teixwntenary of {Shakespeare. It will be safe to say that there will not be a hamlet or town in the English-speakug ivoiidi where this week some tribute will not be paid to this master mind. The tact that 300 years Jiave gone by and he still holds pride of place on the bookshelves ot cottage and (»alanco speaks for itself. It is a question worthy of consideration whether the age in which he lived, and the times a little latex', and tne vitile English race of whicn he was a unit, moulded the man and inspired his work; for we have with Sha'teh pen re: Milton, Bunyan, De Foe and Isaac Walton, and other writers who belonged to that golden age ot English literature who have had no superiors since. In Shakespeare's time men lived more in touch 'with nature; it. was a robust, strenuous, drinking, fighting time. Whille Shakespeare lived Drake sailed roundi the world, t.hroi;-h strange uncharged fens, in a small vessel, that some would not cross Cook's Straits in to-day. The English were movine out, colonizing and conquering. Political controversies were settled by beheadings and civil wars. The warmth of reliabus argument reached its height in this age and heretics were burnt at he stake (nowadays, the uncommonly good punish heretics by stopping their beer and preventing Sunday sport.s). Shakespeare knew, felt and understood the wihole gamut of Human joys, sorrows, loves, foibles ; and he had a divinely expressive pen. In him t'he power ot language reached supero heights. No need to quote any thing of his in this article. The Englishspeaking people (and. 1 many others; have read, re-read and quoted him He has been the model of a superexcellence. And yet if some unp*iolished gem of Shakespeare were placed side by aide with a cheque for £20, there can be no doubt which literary effort wonldi be reached for first! The practical side of life is the most important: realities before what is written about them. We all appreciate love more than a sonnet; and a valiant soldier more than an ode. To fr-m literature to art it is certain that a valuable oil-painting of the family cow would be less appreciated than the cow -herself, especia'ly if a look at the picture had to take the place of the milk for breakfast. To-day, Shakespeare's place on the stage is not what we might expect from the literary merit of his plays. Perhaps the reason is that tho taste of this generation has changed;, and prefers lighter and more sparkli.ig stuff of the musical comedy, revue, order. But Shakespeare will still be noted generations after the last copy of "Moths" and other plays of our lime have been eaten by the moths. Personally, I would prefer any time to read Shakespeare than see his plays acted, even by reputedly good Shakespearian actors; there is too often a traditional style of speech and gesture peculiar to the stage and some amateur declamatory efforts Which does not seem natural.