Johan Willem Kaiser

Introduction to the Study and Interpretation of Drama

Open Field Books

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 JohanWillem Kaiser, 1929 Edited by Lenore Dittmar and Rogier Fentener van Vlissingen, 2 1

First !"blished in 1929 at #$V$ %&ets ' (eitlinger, )msterdam$ *riginally, the se+tions ,-he .nter!retation o/ Drama, and ,-he .nter!retation o/ 01yrano de 2ergera+0, a!!eared as arti+les in Internationale Zeitschrift fr Individualpsychologie, 3$ Jahrgang, #r$ 2$ 1929 4Verlag %$ 5ir6el, Lei!6ig7$ 8resent edition !"blished by *!en Field 2oo9s, #e& :or9, an im!rint o/ #e& :or9 1itiWor9s;-he 1o"rse .n -ong"es$ Royalties held in tr"st /or the legitimate holders o/ the +o!yright$

*riginal so"r+es "sed by Kaiser /or te<t o/ !lays +ited in this st"dy= The Comedies of Shakespeare, by 5"m!hrey >il/ord, *</ord ?niversity 8ress$ @Pellas et lisande, by >a"ri+e >aeterlin9, E"gAne FasB"elle, 8aris$

@Cyrano de !ergerac, by Edmond Rostand, E"gAne FasB"elle, 8aris$

#ote that generally B"otes have been "!dated, and in English, rather than in the original lang"ages, as in the /irst edition o/ this &or9$ )lso minor editing o/ the te<t has ta9en !la+e to )meri+ani6e the s!elling, and to bring +a!itali6ation and !"n+t"ation in line &ith +"rrent !ra+ti+e$ .n some +ases, s"bheadings have been introd"+ed to ma9e the te<t more readable$ *++asionally /ootnotes have been added, and mar9ed by sB"are bra+9ets 4CD7and the notation Eds$ 2

Johan Willem Kaiser 41E93F19G 7 Johan Willem Kaiser &as born in 5oorn, 5olland on Febr"ary 23th, 1E93, and died on #ovember 1Gth, 19G in 5attem$ 5e &as a !ro/o"ndly original a"thor on s!irit"ality, symbolism and the tea+hings o/ Jes"s in !arti+"lar, &ho !"blished his most im!ortant &or9s in the /i/teen years a/ter World War ..$ -he !resent boo9 seems to be a !re+"rsor to the s!irit"al integration &e /ind in his later &or9$ While this !"bli+ation is +ertainly more than a mere Hsin o/ yo"th,I it is es!e+ially his handF&ritten dedi+ation o/ it to the memory o/ his brother, &hi+h ma9es it +lear ho& m"+h this &or9 &as at the very /o"ndation o/ that inner &or9, and +ertainly +ontains many im!ortant +on+e!ts that +an hel! +lari/y m"+h o/ &hat he &rote later$ )bsent the integration o/ his later &or9, the !resent &or9 might seem "nsatis/a+tory, b"t it adds a lot &hen seen in +onte<t$

*n the /ollo&ing !age is a re!li+a o/ a hand&ritten dedi+ation o/ a +o!y o/ the boo9 by Kaiser to the memory o/ his brother$

This was conceived in 1926/27. It signified the beginning of the awful period of 30 ears! which in its s "bolical value is hinted at in the #ospels as $esus% &age.' (ra"a is not a true representation of )ife. It is in fact what "an "a*es of his earthl e+istence when he does not accept )ife as it is &graciousl given' to hi". The ver act of introducing his &interpretation!' his replacing spontaneous response with a s ste" of ai"ing at fulfill"ent of an &i"age' instead of fulfilling the uni,ue un*nown! renders his e+istence to a (ra"a! in which his consciousness of self is the -rotagonist. The great blunder "ade b .estern civili/ation is caused b inade,uatel inheriting both the fatal #ree* "isrepresentation of life and the teachings of $esus. 0nconsciousl ! $esus was conse,uentl "isunderstood as the greatest of &heroes!' whereas he was intrinsicall pure and i""une fro" this funda"ental "isunderstanding and "isinterpretation of )ife. It is onl to the &ill' outsiders that the )ife of $esus and the )ife preached b hi" appears as the #ospel (ra"a. Dedicated to the memory of MY BROTHER 1pringti"e 1926 $.3

"or no# #e see in a mirror$ dimly$ %ut then #e #ill see face to face& 'o# I kno# only in part( then I #ill kno# fully$ even as I have fully %een kno#n& 41 1or$ 1J=127 #e& )meri+an %tandard 2ible

1*#-E#-%
8)ME

.ntrod"+tion$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$9 N -he .nter!retation o/ Drama$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$11 N -he .nter!retation o/ ,1yrano de 2ergera+,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$21 -he .nter!retation o/ ,-he >er+hant o/ Veni+e,$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$JL 2ibliogra!hy$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$32

N *riginally !"blished in Internationale Zeitschrift fr Individualpsychologie , 3$ Jahrgang, #r$ 2$ 1929 4Verlag %$ 5ir6el, Lei!6ig7$

"or though the Poet)s matter 'ature %e$ *is +rt doth give the fashion& 42en Johnson7

Introduction
he obOe+t o/ the !resent e<!loration is to demonstrate that a tr"e st"dy o/ literat"re +annot restri+t itsel/ to the mere gathering o/ /a+ts +on+erning the /orms "sed in literary &or9s and the history o/ the develo!ment o/ literary re!resentation, +hara+teri6ation, and so /orth, along &ith an artisti+ a!!re+iation o/ the e<isting &or9s and biogra!hies o/ the !rin+i!al a"thors$ Every st"dy sho"ld aim at "nderstanding its obOe+t$ ?nderstanding literat"re &ill add to o"r "nderstanding o/ those &ho +reated it and o/ h"man nat"re in general$ 5o&ever, s"+h a st"dy is in+om!atible &ith the +ommon tenden+y to !er+eive a &or9 o/ art as sim!ly a mysterio"s !rod"+t o/ some s"!erh"man /a+"lty$ -he !e+"liar +hara+ter that the st"dy o/ literat"re has ass"med is the res"lt o/ the desire to remain ignorant o/ the true val"e o/ artisti+ +reation in general and +onseB"ently o/ the essen+e o/ literary art, too$ 5o&ever s+ienti/i+ in a!!earan+e, !resentFday st"dy o/ literat"re merely aims at the develo!ment o/ o"r /a+"lties in order to enOoy literary &or9s emotionally, artisti+ally$ 8resentFday st"dents o/ literat"re neither loo9 /or, nor aim at "nderstanding, the essential val"e and /"n+tion o/ their obOe+t= literary art$ :et, in negle+ting to do so, they lose the !ossibility o/ seeing thro"gh a!!earan+es and a+B"iring insight into the nat"re and str"+t"re o/ a literary &or9 as a do+"ment o/ h"man "tteran+e$ -h"s, st"dents o/ literat"re remain &ill/"l strangers to the &or9s they admire and to the so"ls &ho +reated those &or9s$ .n s!ite o/ des!erate attem!ts at obOe+tivity and s+ienti/i+ treatment, literary +riti+ism and literary st"dies in general are imb"ed &ith the same !artiality that is +hara+teristi+ o/ artisti+ +reation itsel/= the desire to 417 ma9e 4and have7 things be &hat they may seem to be, yet are notP 427 s"bstit"te the real nat"re o/ things &ith a s"bOe+tive, tendentio"s eval"ationP and 4J7 re+reate the &orld along the lines o/ an individ"al style o/ li/e rather than a++e!t it as it is$

-he great obOe+tion to this a!!roa+h to Hst"dyingI literat"re is that, &hile &ill/"lly ignoring the true nat"re o/ artisti+ +reation, it pretends to lead to its tr"e nat"re and a more h"man estimation o/ the val"e o/ &or9s o/ literary art than an investigation o/ the !sy+hologi+al val"e o/ s"+h &or9s +o"ld !ossibly do$ -his &ill/"l ignoran+e leads to a general blindness as to the /"ndamental str"+t"re and /"n+tion o/ any &or9 o/ art, and is the !rimary +a"se o/ "n+ons+io"s arbitrariness in artisti+ +riti+ism o/ it$ .t is the great so"r+e o/ dis+ord among artists and +riti+s ali9e &ith res!e+t to the merits o/ !rod"+ts o/ art$ F"rthermore, it &or9s as a /atal barrier bet&een artists and the !"bli+$ )nd its only raison dQRtre is that it allo&s the !"bli+ and the artists themselves to H!ro/itI /rom the !ers"asive !o&er o/ art, i$e$, by "sing a &or9 o/ art as a stronghold o/ a tendentio"s, individ"al vie& o/ li/e= !ers"asive in that it s"ggests tr"th by bea"ty, li/e by rhythm and !rogressP strong in that its "n+ons+io"s Hval"eI es+a!es the O"dgment o/ +ommon sense$ 5o&ever !ermissible this attit"de o/ both artists and admirers o/ art may be, it is obvio"sly a /"ndamental mista9e on the !art o/ those &ho &ant to ma9e art an obOe+t o/ st"dy$

)rt serves a !"r!ose, &hi+h it /ain denies and there/ore +on+eals$ )rt is a!!re+iated /or many reasons, b"t above all be+a"se it s"its a !"r!ose$ -he &ord ,art, itsel/ betrays the /a+t that it reB"ires s9ill, and its origin@Latin artem, nominative ars@reveals that it is !reeminently that &hi+h is /it$ -hose &ho &ant to "nderstand art &o"ld do &ell to try to +om!rehend the nat"re o/ the Hs9illI reB"ired as &ell as the H/itnessI aimed at$ -hen, and only then, &ill they see /a+eFtoF/a+e the essential !"r!ort o/ a &or9 o/ art$ -hen, and only then, &ill they /ind the la&s that r"le the str"+t"re o/ artisti+ +reation and no longer either try an arbitrary set o/ r"les or idly maintain that there are none$ 2y "nderstanding his &or9, &e shall "nderstand the artist$ )nd by "nderstanding him, &e shall do the artist better O"sti+e than by merely tolerating him as a vol"ntary o"t+ast in an attem!t to relieve the monotono"s boredom o/ o"r so+iety$

The Interpretation Of Drama

rama is the !rod"+t o/ a !sy+he that "n+ons+io"sly !roOe+ts its arrangements 4&ith re/eren+e to a +ertain !roblem o/ li/e7 into an a!!arent m"ltiF!ersonal demonstration o/ Li/e$

2orn o/ a /eeling o/ in/eriority and the desire to !revail, the dramatist aims at a !roo/ o/ the a!!ro!riateness o/ his individ"al style o/ li/e$ -o the artist himsel/, the "n+ons+io"s val"e o/ the drama he +reates lies in its O"sti/i+ation /or his behavior !attern$ .n reality, ho&ever, this O"sti/i+ation is &orthless, /or it is /ramed &ith the !artiality o/ the a"thor himsel/$ .n the +reation o/ his &or9, the artist !retends to re!resent ,the &orld,, b"t in reality he re+reates it$ What he !resents is an inter!retation along the lines o/ his individ"al attit"de to&ards li/e$ .n his ,!roo/,, he /reely ado!ts the very !rin+i!les he &ants to !rove$ .n other &ords, the artist O"sti/ies his attit"de and behavior not in regard to the &orld o/ reality, b"t in regard to the s!e+ial &orld o/ /i+tion that he himsel/ +reatesS -his e<!lains ho& a &or9 o/ art, es!e+ially drama, shares &ith dreams the !e+"liar /"n+tion o/ ,training, the !sy+he &ith res!e+t to a !roblem o/ li/e, en+o"raging the individ"al attit"de by s"+h a tendentio"s a!!li+ation as !roves its e<+ellen+e in the attainment o/ the s"!eriority desired$

*n the strength o/ the above, Drama, the !ortrayal o/ Li/e, is essentially a !ortrait o/ the dramatist himsel/$ .t reveals= 417 his +on+e!tion o/ himsel/P 427 ho& the e<igen+ies o/ real li/e are e<!erien+ed as threatening to both his individ"al style o/ li/e and the s"!eriority he ho!es to gain by itP and 4J7 ho& he imagines ,to over+ome the di//i+"lties,, rising tri"m!hantly to indis!"table s"!eriority in s!ite o/ all$1 -he heroes o/ all dramas are ever so many rein+arnations o/ the a"thors &ho +on+eived them$ -hey are s"!erior +reat"res &ho tri"m!h, tho"gh their vi+tory be bo"ght &ith their livesP they are e<am!les to be /ollo&ed, g"ides &ho lead to&ards a goal o/
1

C%ee s"bse+tion on ,First )+t= E<!osition,, &hi+h /ollo&s$ Eds$D

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dominan+e$ ) drama is a stronghold /or the artist0s +om!ensating str"ggle, and the degree o/ enth"siasm o/ a+tors and s!e+tators greatly de!ends on &hether or not they, too, /ind in it a O"sti/i+ation /or their individ"al style o/ li/e, a +on/irmation and an en+o"ragement, albeit !erha!s only in some s!e+ial res!e+t$ ?nderstanding the /"n+tion o/ drama th"s, it is not di//i+"lt to re+ogni6e its inner str"+t"re, &hi+h &e shall no& +onsider here$ 2 First o/ all, in s!ite o/ all a!!earan+es, a Rising Line r"ns thro"gh the &hole o/ ea+h and every drama$ -his line +onne+ts the initial mood o/ the drama &ith that o/ the 1on+l"sion$ .t is the line along &hi+h the dramatist rea+hes his "ltimate aim$ -his aim is= Re+ognition and %"!eriority 4sel/F +on/iden+e, dominan+e, e<+ellen+e7$ First Act: Exposition

t is only nat"ral that the initial mood o/ the drama be one o/ general "n+ertainty, di//iden+e, omino"s e<!e+tation, reali6ed in/eriority$ -his is &hat &e a+t"ally /ind @ sometimes disg"ised, sometimes B"ite "nveiled$ .t is indeed the mood o/ the /irst a+t, generally +alled the E<!osition$ -he term ,e<!osition,, tho"gh it is "sed by those &ho restri+t their attention to the +ons+io"s 4a!!arent7 +ontents o/ a drama, may be ado!ted here, be+a"se it is in the /irst a+t &here &e /ind a dis!lay not only o/ the
2 C-o s"mmari6e /or the reader, note here that Kaiser hen+e/orth identi/ies and des+ribes /ive !sy+hologi+al stages that +om!rise the str"+t"re o/ drama= 417 E<!osition, 427 Rising )+tion, 4J7 1risis, 4K7 Falling )+tion, and 4L7 1on+l"sion, &hi+h are generally, b"t not al&ays, +ontained in )+ts ., .., ..., .V, and V, res!e+tively, de!ending in !art on the total n"mber o/ a+ts in the !lay$ .n addition, he des+ribes the role, /"n+tion, or !"r!ose o/ +ertain vario"s elements that he identi/ies as +hara+teristi+ o/ drama= 417 main +hara+ter 4or ,hero,7 o/ the !layP 427 Rising Line 4a!!arently not to be +on/"sed &ith the Rising )+tion o/ the /irst a+t7P 4J7 a dis!lay o/ the dramatist0s "ltimate aim, or goal, as &ell as his s+heme o/ li/e, or idea or !lan @ in the /orm o/ some a+t, o++"rren+e, or de+ision 4a!!arently not to be +on/"sed &ith item G, the 8re/eren+e7, &hi+h "s"ally a!!ears at the end o/ the /irst a+t @ /or a+hieving that aimP 4K7 an antagonist element, or o!!osing element, &hi+h a!!ears in the +hara+ter o/ a /riend or rival 4antagonist7 early in the !layP 4L7 -"rning 8oint 4a /eat"re o/ the thirdFa+t 1risis7, in &hi+h the t&o diverging lines o/ the ambig"o"s se+ond a+t meet to +onverge in the /o"rth a+tP 4G7 8re/eren+e 4a hidden, or se+ret, +hoi+e or de+ision @ a +on+ealed vi+tory @ embodied in the -"rning 8oint7, &hi+h event"ally reB"ires a!!li+ation and ada!tation to the &orldP 437 state o/ Re+ognition and %"!eriority 4sel/F+on/iden+e, dominan+e, e<+ellen+e7, the dramatist0s "ltimate goalP and, /inally, 4E7 Fate and 1han+e 4,a++idental, o++"rren+es7$ Eds$D

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a"thor0s +on+e!tion o/ himsel/ and his style o/ li/e b"t also the !roblem that arises /rom the ne+essity o/ meeting the e<igen+ies o/ reality in s!ite o/ his di//i+"lties$ .n other &ords, the E<!osition +ontains the s!e+ial reason /or the a"thor0s !resent tort"red /eeling o/ in/eriority$ -his essential val"e o/ the +ontents o/ the /irst a+t is, in most +ases, so obvio"s that one &onders ho& the artist +an remain "na&are o/ it$ ) good e<am!le o/ the initial atmos!here o/ vag"e sadness and e<!e+tation o/ sorro& and mis/ort"ne is /o"nd in the o!ening lines o/ %ha9es!eare0s The erchant of ,enice, as /ollo&s 4main character, or ,hero,, o/ the !lay@the mer+hant o/ Veni+e@s!ea9ing7J=
Antonio: In sooth, I know not why I am so sad: It wearies me; you say it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, That I ha e much ado to know myself! "Act I, #cene $%

)nother e<am!le, one dis!laying above all a /eeling o/ "n+ertainty and inadeB"a+y, is s"!!lied by >a"ri+e >aeterlin+9 in the o!ening lines o/ his !lay Pellas et lisande, as /ollo&s 4Mola"d, hal/Fbrother o/ 8ellTas, s!ea9ing7=
&olaud: 'e ne (ourrai (lus sortir de cette for)t!*+ieu sait ,us-u'o. cette b)te m'a men/! 'e croyais ce(endant l'a oir bless/e 0 mort; et oici des traces de sang! 1ais maintenant, ,e l'ai (erdue de ue; ,e crois -ue ,e me suis (erdu moi-m)me*et mes chiens ne me retrou ent (lus*,e ais re enir sur mes (as2 3I cannot find my way out of this forest!*&od knows where that beast has led me! 4et I thought I had wounded him to death; and here are traces of blood! But now I ha e lost sight of him; I belie e I am lost myself*and my dogs can no longer find me*I shall retrace my ste(s25 "Act I, #cene $%

[Kaiser des+ribes this s+ene in greater detail in the +ha!ter on the inter!retation o/ this drama, later in this
boo9$ Eds$D

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./ the tort"ro"s /eeling o/ in/eriority is 4or has been7 s"+h that orientation has been tem!orarily lost, the /irst a+t o!ens &ith either 417 a +atastro!he or 427 the immediate +onseB"en+es o/ a +atastro!he$ 1om!are, /or e<am!le, 417 the storm at sea in the o!ening s+ene o/ %ha9es!eare0s +omedy The Tempest and 427 the immediate a/termath o/ a shi!&re+9 in the o!ening s+ene o/ his +omedy T#elfth 'ight$ or -hat .ou -ill$ -he E<!osition invariably not only dis+loses the nat"re o/ the in/eriority reali6ed 4again, the dramatist0s +on+e!tion o/ himsel/ and his !er+e!tion o/ his !roblem or di//i+"lty7 b"t also ends &ith some act, decision, or occurrence, &hi+h e<!resses 417 the desire to over+ome that sit"ation as &ell as 427 his scheme o/ li/e, that is, ho& he imagines to over+ome his !roblem and to attain the ,blessed state, o/ Re+ognition and %"!eriority$ -his is ni+ely ill"strated in the aboveF+ited line /rom Pellas et lisande= ,Je vais revenir s"r mes !as, 4,. shall retra+e my ste!s,7$ Second Act: Rising Action

he Rising )+tion, "s"ally +ontained in the se+ond a+t, embodies the develo!ment 4/urchfhrung7 o/ the de+ision rea+hed at the end o/ the /irst a+t$ .t o/ten a!!ears solely as the +om!li+ated +onseB"en+e o/ that s!e+ial act or occurrence, &hi+h +orres!onds to &hat in other dramas is o!enly !resented as a decision$ -he Rising )+tion is +hara+teristi+ally ambig"o"s in its d"al nat"re$ What appears to be the +ase is that the ,hero, is threatened by the +onseB"en+es o/ his o&n meas"res$ -hat is, some ,invited, or tolerated B"ality, "s"ally 4b"t by no means al&ays7 !ersoni/ied in one o/ the dramatis personae, seems to thrive at the +ost o/ the main character$ -h"s &e are led to believe that this main character, or ,hero,, is a!!roa+hing /ail"re 4and thereby giving a !roo/ o/ his in/eriority7$ 2"t in reality, it is not so$ For the mind o/ the dramatist, &hi+h, as a Lord *mni!otent, r"les over the develo!ment o/ the &hole drama, has deliberately +reated and;or tolerated that antagonist 4rival7, or antagonistic 4or opposing7 element, /or the very !"r!ose o/ enhan+ing the val"e o/ the hero0s "ltimate tri"m!h, indeed, even to give it any a!!earan+e o/ val"e at all$

1K

Third Act: risis

t is no &onder that the d"ality o/ the se+ondFa+t Rising )+tion @ and the divergen+e o/ the t&o lines re+ogni6able in it @ sho"ld lead to &hat is +ommonly +alled the 1risis and may indeed be /ittingly +alled that$ -he 1risis is generally +ontained in the third a+t$ .t is the +"lminating !oint o/ the antagonist, and the nadir o/ the main character, or ,hero$, 2"t be+a"se o/ its d"al nat"re 4li9e that o/ the se+ondFa+t Rising )+tion7, the /ormer0s a!!arent s"++ess and the latter0s seeming /ail"re +annot be sim!ly !resented as s"+h$ -han9s to the opposing element0s +hara+teristi+ de!enden+e on the &ill and desire o/ the dramatist and +onseB"ently on the &ill and desire o/ his ,hero,, his seeming s"++ess is essentially a /ail"re /or him &hile signi/ying a s"++ess /or the ,hero,S -hat is the -"rning 8oint o/ the drama$ -he -"rning 8oint, in t"rn, embodies a 8re/eren+e, a hidden or se+ret choice, a decision@a +on+ealed vi+tory /or the ,hero,@ho&ever veiled it might be behind the a!!arent state o/ things$ ) +lear ill"stration o/ this me+hanism is o//ered, again, in The erchant of ,enice$ )ntonio assists his /riend 2assanio in trying to &in the hand o/ 8ortia$ 5e s"//ers in +onseB"en+e be+a"se he &ants the money he has lent be/ore 2assanio renders it$ -he e<+ellen+e he enOoys is threatened by 2assanio0s &inning 8ortia$ )nd yet 2assanio is not really s"++ess/"l, be+a"se in sele+ting 8ortia he sa+ri/i+es his essen+e by +hoosing the +hea!est, least desirable, and "gliest +as9et$K )nother e<am!le is /o"nd in Edmond Rostand0s heroi+ +omedy Cyrano de !ergerac$ 1yrano, the story0s ,hero,, !rote+ts his rival 1hristian$ 5e assists him in ma9ing love to Ro<ane, the obOe+t o/ their a//e+tions$ .n the third a+t, he enables 1hristian to marry Ro<ane, thereby a!!arently s"//ering de/inite /ail"re himsel/, b"t in reality he !re!ares /or his o&n s"++ess, as &e shall see in the inter!retation o/ this drama, /"rther on$ Fo!rth Act: Fa""ing Action
K C-he ,+as9et story,, another s+ene that Kaiser e<!lores in greater detail in his inter!retation o/ this drama, /"rther on$ Eds$D

1L

-he /o"rth a+t +ontains the Falling )+tion, the develo!ment o/ the 8re/eren+e embodied in the -"rning 8oint o/ the thirdFa+t 1risis$ -he /a+t that the 1risis indeed +ontains a 8re/eren+e 4again, a hidden or se+ret choice, decision@the hero0s +on+ealed vi+tory7 and that, as s"+h, it is the -"rning 8oint in the develo!ment o/ the !lay is the reason &hy the Falling )+tion 4/o"rth a+t7 sho&s "! as the o!!osite o/ the Rising )+tion 4se+ond a+t7, that is, a +onvergen+e @ reversal @ o/ the diverging d"alisti+ lines re+ogni6ed in the se+ond a+t$ #e<t, the 8re/eren+e, &hatever it !"r!orts, reB"ires application$ 5en+e, the develo!ment o/ the Falling )+tion in the /o"rth a+t m"st be +onsistent &ith the hidden +hoi+e 48re/eren+e7 o/ the third a+t$ )gain t"rning to The erchant of ,enice, in the 1o"rt %+eneL o/ the /o"rth a+t, &e see 2assanio +on/irm his hithertoFveiled 8re/eren+e /or the /riend, by s&earing=
Bassanio: But life itself, my wife, and all the world, Are not with me esteem'd abo e thy life: I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all 6ere to this de il, to deli er you! "Act I7, #cene $%

)nd in Pellas et lisande &e have another good e<am!le$ .n this drama, &e /ind the 8re/eren+e in the very beginning o/ the /o"rth a+t 4instead o/ third7, be+a"se the third a+t has been devoted to the !re!aration o/ the 1risis and is there/ore essentially an e<tension o/ the Rising )+tion o/ the se+ond a+t$ )s &e see here, the a+ts into &hi+h the !lay is divided and arranged need not !er/e+tly +orres!ond, in n"mber or seB"en+e, to the /ive !sy+hologi+al stages mentioned and inter!reted here$ .t is remar9able ho& o/ten they do +orres!ond to them$ .t is also obvio"s that three a+ts instead o/ /ive +an meet the drama0s str"+t"ral reB"irements very ni+ely$ .ndeed &e o/ten /ind a+ts one and t&o as &ell as three and /o"r 4or /o"r and /ive7 +ombined, and there is nothing strange in this$ )gain, by &ay o/ e<am!le, the 1risis in Pellas et lisande is /o"nd in the /o"rth a+t 4again, instead o/

CKaiser e<!lores this s+ene, too, in greater detail in his inter!retation o/ this drama, /"rther on$

Eds$D

1G

the third7, as &e see in the &ords o/ the re+overing /ather, &ho !ro!hesies 4as the dramatist #ished him to do7 that 8ellTas is going to die=
8ell/as: 'e sors de la chambre de mon (9re! Il a mieu:! ;e m/decin nous a dit -u'il /tait sau /!3<5 Il m'a reconnu! Il m'a (ris la main, et il m'a dit de cet air /trange -u'il a de(uis -u'il est malade: =>st-ce toi, 8ell/as?2,e ne l'a ais ,amais remar-u/, mais tu as le isage gra e et amical de ceu: -ui ne i ront (as longtem(s! Il faut oyager; il faut oyager2= @'est /trange; ,e ais lui ob/ir2 3Aotation in brackets is Baiser's!5 3I ,ust left my father's bedside! 6e is getting better! The doctor said he's going to reco er! 6e recogniCed me! 6e took my hand and, with that strange air he has had e er since he fell ill, said: =Is it you, 8ell/as?2I ne er noticed it before, but you ha e the gra e and wistful look of those who will not li e long! 4ou must tra el; you must tra el2= It is strange; I shall obey him25 "Act I7, #cene $%

)nd this se+ret 8re/eren+e is applied in the third s+ene o/ the /o"rth a+t &hen 8ellTas is m"rdered by his brother Mola"d$ -his e<am!le is the more interesting o/ the t&o be+a"se it ill"strates the ingenio"s &ay in &hi+h the dramatist +on+eals his absol"te !o&er$ Fifth Act: onc"!sion

he /i/th a+t, &hi+h +ontains the 1on+l"sion, brings &hat the /o"rth a+t aimed at already, that is, the adaptation o/ the applied 8re/eren+e to &hat a!!ears as ,the &orld$ , -his adaptation stands /or an a!!arent re+on+iliation bet&een the &orld and the behavior !attern as !ersoni/ied in the ,hero$, )s s"+h, it yields Re+ognition, the "ltimate aim o/ the dramatist$ -his is very obvio"s in %ha9es!eare0s Comedy of 0rrors, &here the &orld at last re+ogni6es the )nti!hol"sFd"ality as a /a+t, be+a"se the one &ith &hom they did not re+9on, )nti!hol"s o/ %yra+"se, is at last seen and a!!re+iated as e<isting at the side o/ their )nti!hol"s o/ E!hes"s$

13

2y &ay o/ another e<am!le, the /i/thFa+t tas9 is &onder/"lly a++om!lished by %ha9es!eare, again, in The erchant of ,enice, in the sol"tion o/ ,the ring !roblem$,G

aving dra&n this ro"gh o"tline o/ the !sy+hologi+al /"n+tion and str"+t"re o/ drama, it &ill be &ell to +on+entrate /or some moments on the !e+"liar ,!ossibilities, o/ dramati+ e<!ression$

?sing the myth as a !rototy!e, &hen &e /ollo& the thread o/ )riadne3 thro"gh the labyrinth o/ the mani/est +ontents o/ a !lay, &e see that there are not a+t"ally t&o ,stories, b"t rather a +ons+io"s story and an "n+ons+io"s arg"mentation, both o/ &hi+h share the idiosyn+rasy o/ the a"thor, di//ering only in the val"ation o/ the ideas e<!ressed$ What m"st be ta9en as /a+ts in the /ormer o/ten has an e<+l"sively allegori+ meaning in the latter$ 2"t by no means al&ays$ *n the +ontrary, the greater !art o/ the te<t is deliberately ambig"o"s, serving both the e<ternal story and the "n+ons+io"s reasoning at the same time$ >"+h the same o++"rs in dreams, b"t in drama the reB"irements to &hi+h the o"t&ard /orm m"st ans&er are m"+h more rigid$ F"rthermore, the !artiality o/ the a"thor may in/l"en+e the develo!ment ad li%itum as long as it is +on+ealed$, &hi+h in itsel/ might be eno"gh to se+"re /or his ,hero, the "ltimate vi+tory$ .n addition, Fate and ,a++idental, o++"rren+es 41han+e7 are e//e+t"al servants to the dramatist, relieving him entirely o/ an other&ise "ndeniable res!onsibility$ -he advantage o/ the heroF!osition is enormo"s$ .n him, the a"thor enOoys the attention and a//e+tion desired$ 5e is the +enter o/ all that ha!!ens, or rather &hat ha!!ens to him is im!li+itly o/ the greatest im!ortan+e$ -he other +hara+ters in drama are !artly s!e+imen 4Father, >other, >an, Woman7 or +ombinations o/ !ro!erties or B"alities that the ,hero, does not !ossess$ ) stri9ing e<am!le in this res!e+t is the +hara+ter o/ 1hristian in Cyrano de !ergerac, &ho stands almost entirely /or !hysi+al bea"ty %ecause
CKaiser e<!lores this s+ene, too, in greater detail in his inter!retation o/ this drama, later on$ Eds$D Cin Mree9 mythology, )riadne, da"ghter o/ King >inos o/ 1rete, aided -hese"s in over+oming the >inota"r and later be+ame the +onsort o/ the god Dionys"s$ Eds$D
G 3

1E

1yrano is all the rest$ Li9e&ise, in The erchant of ,enice, 2assanio loves a Woman %ecause )ntonio does notP 8ortia sim!ly re!resents -he Woman$ %ervants in drama are generally +hea!er editions o/ their masters$ .t is interesting to note ho& o/ten@es!e+ially in %ha9es!eare@their e<!erien+es are analogo"s to those o/ their masters and ladies$ -heir a+tions, then, have the val"e o/ +on/irming the a+tions o/ the !eo!le they serve$ 1om!are, /or e<am!le, the marriage o/ 8ortia and 2assiano to that o/ #erissa 48ortia0s &aitingFmaid7 and Mratiano 42assanio0s /riend7 E in The erchant of ,enice$ -hat /riends in drama are o/ten mere servants or shado&s o/ the main character betrays, o/ +o"rse, the a"thor0s sel/F e<altation, his la+9 o/ so+ial /eelingP in /a+t, this idea &o"ld go /ar to !rove the im!ossibility o/ O"sti/ying his individ"al style o/ li/eU i/ he 9ne& &hat he &ere doing$ .t is not !ossible to give more than a s9et+hy o"tline in a brie/ st"dy li9e the !resent$ What has been said may s"//i+e, it is ho!ed, as an introd"+tion to the !sy+hologi+al inter!retation o/ Drama$ ) boo9 in &hi+h the !rin+i!les mentioned here are more /"lly develo!ed is "nder !re!aration$ 9 For the time being, these !rin+i!les may O"sti/y themselves in their a!!li+ation to Edmond Rostand0s Cyrano de !ergerac and William %ha9es!eare0s The erchant of ,enice, to &hi+h &e shall no& !ro+eed$

C%ee the +ha!ter on the inter!retation o/ this drama, &here Kaiser inter!rets this dynami+ in detail$

Eds$D C-his is seemingly a re/eren+e to the boo9 version o/ this arti+le, and hen+e sho"ld !robably have been edited o"t, on+e this material &as !"blished in boo9 /orm$ -his boo9 &as the +"lmination o/ Kaiser0s a+ademi+ &or9 V he had &anted to be+ome a do+tor /irst, &hi+h &as /r"strated by /amily +ir+"mstan+es, then managed to st"dy !sy+hology /or a &hile, and this material &as his only 9no&n !"bli+ation /rom that time$ )/ter World War .., the !eriod o/ his ins!ired &riting in the +onte<t o/ his +ollaboration &ith >s$ >argaretha 5o/mans begins$ 1learly, at the end o/ his li/e, he m"st have reali6ed that this essay +ontained +l"es to m"+h o/ his later &or9, sin+e he e<!li+itly /ootnoted it in one o/ his last !"blished essay, )s+ent, in the b"ndle )s+ent to Li/e 4Levenso!gang7, &hi+h +ertainly does deal &ith this material on a m"+h dee!er level$ Eds$D
9

19

The Interpretation of "Cyrano de Bergerac," French heroic comedy by Edmond Rostand1

yrano de 2ergera+, nobleman, o//i+er, !oet o/ great talent, !ro/i+ient s&ordsmanP !o&er/"l by his oratori+al gi/tP s"!erior by his h"mor, his inde!enden+e, the strength o/ his &ill, his +o"rage$$$ 5e is &onder/"l &hen he alone o!!oses the !er/orman+e o/ a silly !lay, de/ying the a+tors and a theater /"ll o/ !eo!le@in+l"ding a +ardinal and a host o/ noblemen@+riti+i6ing them allP &hen he alone ma9es verses d"ring a d"elP &hen he alone +ommands res!e+t and admiration o/ his ,vi+tims, by thro&ing all his money at them as an indemni/i+ationP and, /inally, &hen he alone !rote+ts a miserable /ello& +reat"re /rom the violen+e o/ a h"ndred 9naves$ 5e is able to do everything and he dares to do everything and he +onB"ers everybody and everything$ 2"t, alas, there is one thing that "ndermines his sel/F+on/iden+e, bars him /rom ha!!iness, and threatens to s!oil his li/e$ .t is his la+9 o/ !hysi+al bea"ty, &hi+h disheartens him and ma9es him des!air o/ his +han+e to &in the love o/ a &oman$ .t is this /eeling o/ inadeB"a+y that overshado&s his li/e$ .t has destroyed his sel/F esteem and has driven him into a /ier+e stri/e /or +om!ensation$ .t has made him /rame a style o/ li/e that is one restless str"ggle /or s"!eriority and re+ognition$ )nd &hen he is as9ed to state his aim in li/e, he may tr"ly say=
@yrano: 1ais le (lus sim(le de beaucou(! ''ai d/cid/ d')tre admirable, en tout, (our tout< 3Aone but the most sim(le of all! I ha e decided to e:cel in all things<5 "Act I, #cene D%

C-he !lay /irst o!ened in 8aris in 1E93, be+oming an overnight sensation$D

21

2"t there remains that !lainness, &hi+h in his mind he has +ome to e<aggerate to "gliness, to monstro"sness, and &hi+h still seems to remain a /atal barrier bet&een him and his ha!!iness$ -his /la&, this limitation, has the /"ll val"e o/ a /ail"re and thereby o/ a !roo/ o/ his in/eriority in s!ite o/ all his vi+tories$ -h"s, the B"est to &in the love o/ Woman has ass"med the val"e o/ a +onB"est, the last and indis!ensable vi+tory be/ore he +an rea+h his goal o/ dominan+e= ,d0Rtre admirable, en to"t, !o"r to"tS, 4,to e<+el in all thingsS,7$
@yrano: Eegarde-moi, mon cher, et dis -uelle es(/rance 8ourrait bien me laisser cette (rotub/rance< Fh< ,e ne me fais (as d'illusions< 3;ook at me, my friend, and tell me what ho(e This great (rotuberance could e er allow me? Fh< I ha e no illusions<5 "Act I, #cene D%

5e +on+eals /rom the &orld ho& he s"//ers=

@yrano: "tressaillant, et se redressant i ement% +e ant ce monde?2 "#a moustache se h/risse; il (oitrine!% 1oi souffrir?2Tu as oir< 3"with a start, and -uickly straightening u(% Before this mob?2 "6is moustache bristles; he throws out his chest!% 1e? #uffer?24ou shall see<5 "Act II, #cene G%

5is e<treme !ride /orbids him to a++e!t any o//er o/ !rote+tion or +oo!eration$ When an o//er is made 4)+t .., %+ene 37, it a!!ears to him as a disgra+e/"l bargain$ What he a++om!lishes m"st be the res"lt o/ his endeavors@and his alone@be+a"se !ro/iting /rom somebody else0s !o&er or money &o"ld +om!el him to share the honor and re+ognition &ith others, and, again, to him this means disgra+e$
@yrano: Bref, d/daignant d')tre le lierre (arasite, ;ors m)me -u'on n'est (as le ch)ne ou le tilleul, Ae (as monter bien haut, (eut-)tre, mais tout seul< 3Briefly, scorning to be the clinging ine, > en when you are neither oak nor linden tree,

22

@limb not so high, (erha(s, but all alone<5 "Act II, #cene H%

-his resolve is !"t as an a++e!table ma<im, and it does not so"nd alarming$ 2"t the a!!li+ation given it to 1yrano0s style o/ li/e is +ertainly alarming$
@yrano: +/(laire est mon (laisir! ''aime -u'on me haIsse! 1on cher, si tu sa ais comme l'on marche mieu: #ous la (istol/tade e:citante des yeu:< 3To dis(lease is my (leasure! I lo e being hated! 1y friend, if you but knew how much better one treads Jnder the cross-fire of hostile eyes<5 "Act II, #cene H%

-hose &ho are /amiliar &ith the !rin+i!les o/ .ndivid"al 8sy+hology Csee item one in the 2ibliogra!hy, Eds$D need no +ommentary on these linesP they s!ea9 /or themselves$ :et there is sel/F9no&ledge, &hi+h in the !erson o/ a /riend 4Le 2ret7 &his!ers to 1yrano=
;e Bret: "a(r/s un silence, (assant son bras sous le sien% =Kais tout haut l'orgueilleu: et l'amer, mais, tout bas, +is-moi tout sim(lement -u'elle ne t'aime (as<= 3"after a (ause, taking @yrano's arm% #(eak (roudly and bitterly out loud to the world, but softly Tell me -uite sim(ly that she lo es thee not!5 "Act II, #cene H%

-his is the !lay0s e<!osition@the dis!lay o/ the hero0s 4dramatist0sS7 style o/ li/e and the s!e+ial /eeling o/ inadeB"a+y that /orms the !roblem$ )nd the ,motori+ moment,, &hen he e<!resses his desire and de+ision to over+ome this inadeB"a+y, is /o"nd in the /ollo&ing lines=
@yrano: 2Il m'interdit ;e r) e d')tre aim/ m)me (ar une laide, @e neC -ui d'un -uart d'heure en tous lieu: me (r/c9de; Alors moi, ,'aime -ui?21ais cela a de soi< ''aime*mais c'est forc/<*la (lus belle -ui soit< 32It is forbidden me The dream to be lo ed e'en by the least fa ored, This nose that goes a -uarter mile before me where'er I go; #o whom do I lo e?2That goes without saying<

2J

I lo e*but it is forced<*the fairest one of all<5 "Act I, #cene D%

,La !l"s belle B"i soit, 4,the /airest one o/ all,7@that is Ro<ane$ 2"t ho& +an he ho!e to &in her loveW )/ter the advent"res o/ the /irst night o/ the drama ta9e !la+e, the t&o meet, and he +annot s"!!ress some ho!e that she may have &ished to see him be+a"se she li9es him better than he tho"ght$ 2"t then he 9no&s that this ho!e is vain, /or a &oman li9e Ro<ane o/ +o"rse only loves a handsome man, a ,bea"$, -his 9no&ledge@or, rather, this fear@on the !art o/ the a"thor is ni+ely e<!ressed in the nat"re o/ the +onversation bet&een Ro<ane and 1yrano$ %he does not /or a moment s"s!e+t &hat 1yrano ho!es /or$ 5o& +o"ld sheS 2"t she sim!ly +omes to him as to a /riend$ )nd she +omes to tell him that she loves a very handsome yo"ng man$ 4*/ +o"rseS7 )nd she adds that she loves him es!e+ially /or his bea"tyS .t is evident that the a"thor &ants his /ear to be +on/irmed by /a+t and there/ore gives a /a+t$ 5is arg"mentation is very sim!le= i/ he is o/ little val"e be+a"se o/ his "gliness, she is very val"able be+a"se o/ her bea"ty$ ./ he ho!es to be+ome ,val"able,, he &ill have to !rove that he is handsome, or at least as good as handsome$ ./ he /ails in this res!e+t, all his e<+ellen+e in other res!e+ts &ill be &orthless$ 5e &ill not have been ,admirable, en to"t, !o"r to"t$, .t is "nder the in/l"en+e o/ these tho"ghts that the dramatist +reates a being@a +om!lementary +hara+ter, the ,o!!osing element, des+ribed earlier@&hose essential B"ality is that &hi+h he 4his hero7 does not !ossess$ )nd tr"ly, &hat he +reates is his o&n@again, the !rod"+t o/ his o&n !sy+heS -he being he th"s +reates shall not get the s"!erior B"alities that he himsel/ !ossesses$ -his arrangement is only nat"ral$ -he more im!ortant he is himsel/, the less val"able and interesting his +om!ensatory +hara+ter shall be$ 2"t it shall, nevertheless, !ossess !hysi+al bea"ty, and it shall &in the love o/ Woman there&ith$ -hro"gh this arrangement, the +hara+ter o/ 1hristian, baron de #e"villette, /riend o/ 1yrano, is born$ -hat he is the very man &hom Ro<ane has +on/essed she loves !roves the essential val"e o/ the +onversation bet&een 1yrano and Ro<ane, as mentioned above$ ?nderstanding 1hristian th"s, &e begin to s"s!e+t that

2K

his de!enden+e on 1yrano &ill be !ra+ti+ally total, "nlimited$ )nd this indeed is &hat &e shall see$ 2"t &e shall have to loo9 thro"gh the veil o/ artisti+ e<!ression to /ind the reason /or this de!enden+e and the mer+iless "se that is made o/ it by the invisible@b"t omni!resent@s!irit o/ the dramatist$ -he !lay0s rising a+tion o/ the se+ond a+t is, o/ +o"rse, the !oint &here 1yrano and 1hristian meet$ Why sho"ld 1hristian /ear to s!ea9 o/ 1yrano0s "gly noseW 5e has nothing to /ear so long as 1yrano &ants him to rea+h his aim$ )nd is it not in his o&n best interest that 1yrano shall !rote+t and assist him as m"+h as he +anW .t +annot s"r!rise "s, there/ore, to see that the t&o be+ome ,/riends, 4)+t .., %+ene 1 7$ 2"t +omradeshi!, /riendshi! bet&een them@is it anything b"t an o//ensive and de/ensive allian+e, &hi+h 1yrano may annihilate &henever it s"its his !"r!ose to do soW .t is an e<am!le o/ dramaF/riendshi!, inh"man be+a"se o/ its "tter de!enden+e on the interest o/ one !arty$ -his e<!lains the diaboli+al atmos!here$ .t e<!lains the strange light in 1yrano0s eyes &hen he ma9es his !ro!osal$ 5e has seen in a glim!se the o!!ort"nity /or rea+hing his "ltimate goal o/ s"!eriorityS 5e, the monster, shall be in a !osition o/ a handsome manP he shall be at his /riend0s side and, as he assists him, shall have at his very dis!osal his /riend0s s!e+ial B"alities that he himsel/ la+9sS Ro<ane e<!e+ts a letter /rom 1hristian$ Who sho"ld 9no& this better than the man &ho &rote his letter, yet dared not hand it to herW 2"t 1hristian shall la+9 the s!irit"al gra+e that is ne+essary=
@hristian: "a ec d/ses(oir% Il me faudrait de l'/lo-uence< 3"with des(air% I need elo-uence<5 @yrano: "brus-uement% 'e t'en (r)te< Toi, du charme (hysi-ue et ain-ueur, (r)te-m'en: >t faisons 0 nous deu: un h/ros de roman< 2 Eo:ane n'aura (as de d/sillusions< +is, eu:-tu -u'0 nous deu: nous la s/duisions? 7eu:-tu sentir (asser, de mon (our(oint de buffle +ans ton (our(oint brod/, l'Lme -ue ,e t'insuffle?2

2L

3"abru(tly% I shall lend it to you< 4ou will lend me your charming and con-uering comeliness: And together let us make a hero of romance< 2 Eo:ane shall ne er ha e any disillusions< Tell me, why not both of us together woo her? Will you feel my soul, (assing from my leather doublet, Through your embroidered doublet, instilled in you?25 "Act II, #cene $M%

1hristian is nat"rally alarmed by 1yrano0s seeming disinterestedness, by the "n+o"th enth"siasm that he betrays=

Christian:

Quoi! cela te ferait Tant de plaisir? [What! Will that give you Such pleasure?]

)nd li9e a tr"e >e!histo!heles, 1yrano +ontin"es=

Cyrano:

Cela !a userait! C!est une e"p#rience $ tenter un po%te& 'eu"(tu e co pl#ter et )ue *e te co pl%te? Tu archeras+ *!irai dans l!o ,re $ ton c-t#: .e serai ton esprit+ tu seras a ,eaut#& [That /ill a use e! !T is an e"peri ent to te pt a poet& Will you co plete e and let e co plete you? 0ou /ill arch victorious+ 1 shall /al2 in the shado/ ,y your side: 1 shall ,e your /it+ you /ill ,e y good loo2s&] 34ct 11+ Scene 567

.t is Moethe0s Fa"st reversed$ 2"t in this ,+ontra+t,, the threatening +ondition@that 1yrano0s servi+es shall be "ltimately !aid /or by 1hristian0s sa+ri/i+e@is not inserted$ .t is the more devilish by this +ir+"mstan+e= &ith 1yrano as the hero, the me+hanism had to remain

2G

+on+ealed@"nreali6ed by the dramatist, "nreali6ed by the a+tors and the a"dien+e@or the drama &o"ld miss its aim$ -he agreement is immediately a!!lied= 1yrano0s letter, in &hi+h he +on/esses his love /or Ro<ane, is dis!at+hed by 1hristian$ -he loveFs"it +omes a!!arently /rom 1hristian, in reality /rom 1yrano$ Ro<ane is delighted$ When she tells 1yrano o/ this letter and her rea+tion to it, !raising 1hristian0s ,es!rit,, 1yrano listens &ith /eelings o/ satis/a+tion mi<ed &ith Oealo"sy$ Every indire+t s"++ess !res"!!oses a!!arent /ail"re in this stage o/ the develo!ment$ -he more 1yrano s"++eeds in s"!!lying 1hristian &ith the s!irit"al B"alities o/ &hi+h 1hristian has none, the more he seemingly s!oils his o&n +han+es$ -he more he assists 1hristian in &inning Ro<ane0s hand, the more ho!eless, it seems, be+omes his o&n !osition o/ a lover$ 1hristian0s s"++ess and ha!!iness &ill mean 1yrano0s /ail"re$ 2"t this +"lminating !oint o/ 1hristian0s !ros!erity, &hi+h &ill be the +risis o/ the drama, shares &ith all other dramati+ +rises the essential +hara+teristi+ o/ ambig"ity$ Whatever is a!!arently attained shall be intrinsi+ally lost$ -he a!!arent a+hievement &ill la+9 the very essen+e o/ an a+hievement be+a"se it +ontains the re+ognition and !re/eren+e o/ the a!!arently /ailing !rin+i!le4s7$ -hose &ho !itied 1yrano &hen he &at+hes the ho"se in &hi+h Ro<ane and 1hristian are married have not reali6ed that even there he &at+hes his o&n interestS -his s"++ess o/ 1hristian, li9e his /ail"re &hen he tried to s"++eed &itho"t the hel! o/ 1yrano, is a s!lendid demonstration o/ 1yrano0s s"!erior val"e$ 1hristian attains all he +o"ld ho!e to attain and even more than that, b"t it is obvio"sly more than he deserves$ 1yrano, on the other hand, seems to lose all, b"t he gains the satis/a+tion that his B"alities &ere indis!ensable to 1hristian0s s"++ess$ .n reality, 1yrano has a !roo/ o/ Ro<ane0s a!!re+iation o/ his s!irit$ Re+ognition de!ends on the revealing o/ the se+ret ,servi+e, rendered$ %"+h revelation, i/ it shall +ome, &ill be shame/"l /or 1hristian b"t &ill add to 1yrano0s honor$ .n other &ords, /rom the +risis on&ard, 1yrano has only to gain, 1hristian only to lose$ )nd he shall lose$ For, as &e have seen, the /alling a+tion o/ the /o"rth a+t, &hi+h embodies an application o/ the hidden !re/eren+e 4the hero0s +on+ealed vi+tory7 embodied in the thirdFa+t +risis, a!!ears as the very o!!osite o/ the rising a+tion in the se+ond a+t$ 23

-he siege o/ )rras is "!on them$11 -he Fren+h are starved$ -he Fren+h +om!lain and gr"mble$ 2"t there is one among them braver than the bravestP one &ho end"res his h"nger and /atig"e better than all the restP one &ho never loses his ho!e/"l b"oyan+y, tho"gh the others are near des!airP one &ho has the !o&er to ma9e them all /orget their misery$ -hat 4o/ +o"rseS7 is 1yrano$ 5e has !romised Ro<ane that 1hristian shall &rite, and letters are sent@t&i+e a day$ 1hristian no longer sees them$ 2"t no& this is the only +omm"ni+ation that e<ists bet&een Ro<ane and her lover$ )nd Ro<ane is ha!!y$ -o her, these letters +ome /rom ,the handsome man,, &hom she adores /or his bea"ty, yes, b"t &hom she is learning to love more and more /or the bea"ty o/ his so"l$ .n ea+h letter, &hi+h she 9ee!s as !re+io"s /ragments o/ his s!lendor, she "n9no&ingly +oddles a !art o/ 1yrano0s so"l$ )nd altho"gh she is entirely ignorant o/ it, it is only 1yrano /or &hose !resen+e she is longing@so m"+h so that, at last, she travels to )rras= in the %ervi+e o/ the Mod o/ LoveS -he "n+ons+io"s arrangements made by the dramatist are interesting and e//i+ient$ -here shall be a /atal assa"lt$ 1yrano 9ne& 4S7 that it &o"ld be so, and he has &ritten a bea"ti/"l letter o/ /are&ell$ 5e o//ers this letter to 1hristian, and he has good reason to do so, /or here the mer+ilessly e//i+ient in/l"en+e is at &or9$

Christian:

4u oins+ *e voudrais ettre Tout l!adieu de on c8ur dans une ,elle lettre! [4t least+ 1 /ould li2e to put 4ll y heart!s fare/ell into one final s/eet letter!]

Cyrano:

.e e doutais )ue ce serait pour au*ourd!hui& 3Il tire un billet de son pourpoint.7 9t *!ai fait tes adieu"& [1 had no dou,t it /ould ,e today& 3He takes a letter from his doublet.7 4nd 1 have ade your fare/ells for you!] 34ct 1'+ Scene :7

11

C-he a+t"al ,2attle o/ )rras, &as /o"ght in 1GLK bet&een the Fren+h and %!anish armies, the Fren+h the vi+tor$ -he /irst /o"r a+ts o/ 1yrano are set in 1GK , so in the !lay, Edmond Rostand has 1yrano !arti+i!ating in a 1GK ,%iege o/ )rras,, in &hi+h the Fren+h are de/eated$ 4-he /i/th a+t o/ the !lay is set in 1GLL$7 Eds$D

2E

.t is another &ay o/ !ro!hesying somebody0s death &hen yo" are /ree to dis!ose o/ him and intend to 9ill him$ )nd 1yrano may &ell betray his emotion as long as it s"its his !"r!ose to do soS Ro<ane arrives$ When 1yrano and 1hristian as9 her ho& she s"++eeded in !assing right thro"gh the army o/ the enemy, she e<!lains=

;o"ane:

4lors *e r#pondais: <.e vais voir [Then 1 /ould say: <1 a lover!<]

on a ant&< y

going to see

34ct 1'+ Scene =7

2"t 1hristian is her h"sband and 1yrano her lover$ .n this ambig"ity, &e may have a hint at the tr"th$ -he general sym!athy /or the lover at the +ost o/ the h"sband is ingenio"sly a!!lied in /avor o/ 1yrano=

;o"ane:

.!ai dit: on a ant+ ouipardonne! Tu co prends+ si *!avais dit: on ari+ personne >e !e?t laiss# passer! [1 said+ @ y lover+A yesforgive e! 0ou understand+ if 1 had said @ y hus,and+A >o one /ould have let e pass!] 34ct 1'+ Scene =7

#o& she has +ome to her h"sband and to her lover, and 1yrano has to tell 1hristian that he &rote /ar o/tener than 1hristian 9no&s=

Cyrano:

Ba e! .e !en #tais charg#: *!interpr#tais ta fla e! .!#crivais )uel)uefois sans te dire: *!#cris! [1ndeed! 1 too2 it upon yself: 1 /as your spo2es an! So eti es 1 /rote /ithout telling you so!] 34ct 1'+ Scene C7

-he ne&s that 1yrano &rote a letter t&i+e a day and dis!at+hed it himsel/ re+alls to 1hristian0s mind the strange, disinterested eagerness 29

a!!arent in 1yrano &hen he made his !ro!osal$ 5e is alarmed, and there is good reason /or it$ -hat made Ro<ane go to )rras, and #ho made her goW )s soon as he /inds time to !"t that B"estion to Ro<ane, the great disill"sion sets in=

;o"ane:

C!est $ cause des lettres! [1t /as ,ecause of your letters!] 34ct 1'+ Scene D7

)nd she +ontin"es, e<!laining ho& she grad"ally sa& his so"l reveal itsel/=

;o"ane:

Eon Bieu+ *e t!adorais+ c!est vrai+ depuis )u!un soir+ B!une voi" )ue *e t!ignorais+ sous a fenFtre+ Ton G e co enHa de se faire connaItre [Ey goodness+ 1!ve /orshipped you+ !tis true+ ever since that night+ With a voice un2no/n to e+ ,eneath y /indo/+ 0our soul ,egan to a2e itself 2no/n to e] 34ct 1'+ Scene D7

)nd ever sin+e that night, &hen reading ,his, letters, she tho"ght she heard that very same voi+e$ Ea+h o/ those small sheets o/ !a!er seemed li9e ,a !etal /lo&n a&ay /rom his so"l$, %o she has learned to love him /or his inner bea"ty, and she has +ome to as9 his !ardon /or ever having loved him /or his mere handsomeness$

;o"ane:

.e viens te de ander pardon 3et c!est ,ien l!heure Be de ander pardon+ puis)u!il se peut )u!on eure!7 Be t!avoir fait d!a,ord+ dans a frivolit#+ J!insulte de t!ai er pour ta seule ,eaut#! 9t plus tard+ on a i+ oins frivole+ KLiseau )ui saute avant tout $ fait )u!il s!envoleK Ta ,eaut# !arrFtant+ ton G e !entraInant+ .e t!ai ais pour les deu" ense ,le!

[1 co e to as2 your forgiveness 3and !tis the hour To as2 for forgiveness+ since death is close at hand!7 Mor the insult done to you /hen at first+ in y frivolity+ 1 loved you solely for your loo2s! 4nd later+ dear friend+ less frivolous+ KJi2e a ,ird that can only hop ,efore he can flyK 4rrested ,y your ,eauty+ led astray ,y your soul 1 loved you for the ,oth at once!] Christian: ;o"ane: 9t aintenant? [4nd no/?] 9h ,ien! toi( F e enfin l!e porte sur toi( F e+ 9t ce n!est plus )ue pour ton G e )ue *e t!ai e! [Well! you yourself have in fact gotten the ,etter of yourself+ 4nd it is for your soul alone that 1 love you no/!] 34ct 1'+ Scene D7
-here is no mer+y /or this vanB"ished manS Ro<ane no longer loves him /or &hat he is, b"t /or &hat he is not and yet seems to be$ -here is sadness /or 1hristian and glory /or 1yrano$ ./ the se+ret &ere 9no&nS@Ro<ane &o"ld love 1yrano, even tho"gh he &ere "glyP she has said so and has tort"red him &ith these &ords$ -hen 1hristian /lies to 1yrano and tells him that Ro<ane loves him 41yrano7, and him only$ 1hristian re/"ses to +ontin"e this se+ret agreement$ 5e &ill go to the end o/ the !ost and then ret"rn, and mean&hile 1yrano shall tell Ro<ane all and she shall de+ide bet&een them$ When Ro<ane is alone &ith 1yrano, she re!eats &hat she has said=

J1

;o"ane:

Lui+ oui+ *e l!ai erais F e 3Elle hsite une seconde.7 [0es+ yes+ 1 shall love hi + e!en 3She hesitates a second&7]

Cyrano:

3souriant tristement7 Je ot vous gFne Bevant oi? [3smiling sadly7 The /ord e ,arrasses you 1n front of e?]

;o"ane: Cyrano:

Eais [Nut] 1l ne e fera pas de peine! KEF e laid? [!T/ill not hurt K9!en ugly?] e!

;o"ane:

EF e laid! 3mousqueterie au dehors7 4h! tiens+ on a tir#!< [9!en ugly! 3musketry outside7 4h! there!s a shot!]

Cyrano:

3ardemment7 4ffreu"? [3ardently7 Oideous?]

;o"ane:

4ffreu"! [Oideous!] 34ct 1'+ Scene 567

J2

-his is eno"gh$ .t is eno"gh to satis/y 1yrano$ .t is eno"gh to ma9e 1hristian s"!er/l"o"s$ .t is eno"gh to O"sti/y his death$ )nd behold, he has died alreadyS 5e has /allen, even d"ring Ro<ane0s testimony$ -he Fatal %isters12 serve the artistS With him rests the "nsha9able !o&er, &hi+h they merely !"t into o!eration$ *e governs their s!inning and &eavingP /ate and +han+e intervene a++ording to his &ill$ *e determines the moment &hen )tro!os1J shall +"t o// the threads o/ li/e$ -he !oet has +reatedP the !oet has destroyed$ Who shall O"dge himW 1hristian has been +reated to serve him, to hel! him !rove his s"!eriority$ 5e has given him all and has ta9en it a&ay /rom him$ 5e has made him !lay his !art$ -hat !art is /inished$ 5e has yielded him &hat he &anted$ 1hristian is no longer ne+essary$ 5e may disa!!ear no&$ )nd he conse1uently dies$ .mmediately$ 1yrano is vi+torio"s$ 2"t &hat he gains is a vi+tory in a!!earan+e only$ 5e does not ma9e "se o/ it, e<+e!t as a !roo/ o/ his e<+ellen+e$ With a noblesse that s"its his behavior !attern &ell, he does not tell Ro<ane the real state o/ a//airs and he sets the mind o/ the dying 1hristian at ease &ith a lie$ >ean&hile, the enemy0s assa"lt gro&s terrible, the de/ense ho!eless$ -he Mas+ons /all, one a/ter another$ 2"t 1yrano s"rvives$ %"+h is the end o/ the /o"rth a+t$ .n s!ite o/ the s"ggestiveness o/ dramati+ e<!ression, some so"nd B"estions might be !"t here, even by one &ho has not /ollo&ed the !sy+hologi+al str"+t"re des+ribed in this st"dy$ For instan+e= Why doesn0t 1yrano !rote+t Ro<ane &hile she is in danger o/ death, b"t leaves her "nder the !rote+tion o/ de M"i+he, their m"t"al enemyW Why doesn0t he
12

C-he ,-hree Fates,, goddesses o/ /ate and destiny, da"ghters o/ #y< 4#ight7, in Mree9 mythology$

Eds$D C)tro!os, the eldest o/ the -hree Fates, +hose the me+hanism o/ death to &ield her !o&er$ Wor9ing &ith her sisters, &ho s!"n the thread and meas"red its length, she 9illed ea+h mortal by +"tting his thread o/ li/e &ith her ,abhorred shears$, )t a +ertain !oint, the three +eased to be +on+erned only &ith death and be+ame those !o&ers &ho de+ided &hat might be/all mere mortals$ %o"r+e, Wi9i!ediaD
1J

JJ

tell her that he loves her, no& that 1hristian is dead and no& that he may ho!e that his "gliness &ill not !rove to be his /ail"reW 2e/ore ans&ering these B"estions, &e sho"ld remember 1yrano0s aim in li/e= ,Rtre admirable, en to"t, !o"r to"tS,$ We sho"ld remember ho&, &ith him, a vi+tory has lost the val"e o/ the means to rea+h a state in &hi+h li/e is shared better and more /"lly &ith one0s /ello&F+reat"res$ We sho"ld reali6e ho&, in other &ords, &ith him a vi+tory has the val"e o/ a mere gesture o/ s"!eriority$ */ all the !ers!e+tives &ith &hi+h vi+tory +an be inter!reted, there is only one that ma9es it val"able to him, and that is the !ers!e+tive o/ Re+ognition$ -here/ore he does not ta9e any o/ the /r"its that his vi+tories yield, e<+e!t that one /r"it= an addition to his /ame and glory$ 1yrano does not desire that Ro<ane be+ome his &i/e$ 5e only &ants to ma9e s"re that he +an &in her loveS 1onseB"ently, he does nothing to &in her, tho"gh he !ossesses indire+tly a +on/ession o/ her love$ .n the very moment o/ his vi+tory, he t"rns to yet ne& vi+tories, see9ing military glory 4as al&aysS7 in the des!erate str"ggle o/ one against a h"ndred enemies, and that is &hy he leaves her &ith de M"i+he$ -he heavier the tas9, the greater the glory$ Fame and glory it is, &hi+h he gathers a/ter the &ar, &hen, &ith his mighty !en, he alone atta+9s his literary rivals$ Ro<ane has ta9en the veil$ .t is a +lever arrangement o/ the dramatist, &ho &ants to e<em!t his hero o/ any /"rther obligation to&ards her$ When at last 1yrano /alls by the hand o/ a 9nave, &ho is !aid by his enemies, he /alls as the e<am!le o/ a hero$ Wo"nded to death, he !ays his &ee9ly visit to Ro<ane$ )nd then at last he +on/esses that he loved her all the time$ 2"t not by a++ident, as &e are led to believeS -here is no longer any reason &hatever /or 1yrano to be !r"dent, to avoid +onseB"en+esP nor is there any time le/t to attain more /ame and glory$ )nd there/ore, g"ided by the invisible hand o/ the a"thor, he at last betrays@as i/ by a++ident@his love /or Ro<ane$ )nd he reveals !art o/ his li/e0s ha!!enstan+es=

Cyrano:

.!ignorais la douceur f# inine& Ea %re >e !a pas trouv# ,eau& .e n!ai pas eu de s8ur& Plus tard+ *!ai redout# l!a ante $ l!8il o)ueur&

JK

.e vous dois d!avoir eu+ tout au oins+ une a ie& QrGce $ vous une ro,e a pass# dans a vie& [1 ne!er 2ne/ /o an!s 2indness& 9!en y other Thought e not fair& 1 never had a sister& Jater+ 1 feared s/eethearts /ith their oc2ing eyes& With you+ at least 1!ve had a friend& Than2s to you a /o an!s char has passed through y life&] 34ct '+ Scene R7
-r"th rings in these &ords$ -hey a++o"nt /or his style o/ li/e$ -hey a++o"nt /or his ambition$ 5e has met Woman as a /riend, and it s"ited his s+heme o/ li/e to &in her love and to love her &itho"t any /"rther res!onsibility$ .t has s"ited him to let her remain a /riend, again, &itho"t any res!onsibility$ -h"s he is /ree to devote his li/e to the a+B"iring o/ an endless series o/ vi+tories as !roo/s o/ his s"!eriority$ When Death rea+hes o"t its hand, 1yrano still /inds an o!!ort"nity to /ight, des!erately b"t glorio"sly$ #ot against a h"ndred, b"t against a tho"sand enemies=

Cyrano:

KQu!est(ce )ue c!est )ue tous ceu"(l$?K'ous Ftes ille? [K0ou there+ /ho are you?K4 thousand thronged a,out e?] 34ct '+ Scene R7

)nd he /ights till he sin9s do&n$ ) vision o/ des!erate ambition$ ) glori/i+ation o/ the denial o/ the Reality o/ Li/e /or the sa9e o/ an )!!arent Vi+tory$ )n "n+ons+io"s training /or /i+titio"s s"!eriority$ -he momentary !ortrait o/ a 8oet0s attit"de to&ards Li/e$ #evertheless a s"blime /orm o/ h"man "tteran+e, deserving reveren+e$

JL

8a"l Fa"re, in his ,ingt ans d2intimit avec 0dmond 3ostand CT#enty .ears in the Private 4ife of 0dmond 3ostandD, tells "s o/ a sentimental e!isode in &hi+h Rostand a+t"ally !layed the !art o/ 1yrano and one o/ his /riends 4!robably Jean 8ayo"d7 that o/ 1hristian$ -his sho&s "s that a drama, &hen histori+al, may be so in more &ays than one$ .n /a+t, the !lay has been /o"nd to +ontain several hints o/ the a"thor0s reminis+en+es o/ his yo"thS ooo

JG

The Interpretation of "The !erchant Of "enice," comedy by #i$$iam %ha&espeare

Jessica5 -hy$ 2tis an office of discovery$ love( +nd I should %e o%scured&1K

he 9no&ledge that a drama is +on+eived "nder the stress o/ /eelings o/ im!er/e+tion O"sti/ies o"r e<!e+tation that the introd"+tory lines o/ the !lay +ontain a +om!laint o/ sadness, a strange &eariness, the reason /or &hi+h is "n9no&n to the !erson in B"estion$ ./ this sadness +orres!onds to the de!ressed state mentioned in the introd"+tory +ha!ters, by &hom +o"ld it be more nat"rally e<!erien+ed b"t by him &ho stands /or the dramatist0s ideal sel/, his &o"ldFbe sel/, &hi+h has been /o"nd im!er/e+t and &ith &hi+h he nevertheless !rovisionally +ontin"es to identi/y himsel/W -his man is )ntonio, the mer+hant o/ Veni+e, +om!laining as /ollo&s=

4ntonio:

1n sooth+ 1 2no/ not /hy 1 a so sad: 1t /earies eS you say it /earies youS Nut ho/ 1 caught it+ found it+ or ca e ,y it+ What stuff+ !tis ade of+ /hereof it is ,orn+ 1 a to learnS 4nd such a /ant(/it sadness a2es of e+ That 1 have uch ado to 2no/ yself& 34ct 1+ Scene 57

.t has been o/ten stated that these lines serve to e<!ress )ntonio0s !resentiment o/ +oming evil and that they are "se/"l in !re!aring the a"dien+e /or the things that are going to ha!!en$ -hey ill"strate +learly the harmony bet&een +ons+io"s and "n+ons+io"s e<!ression$ .t goes &itho"t saying that this a+t"al e<!ression o/ sadness is by no means +ommon to the
1K

[Da"ghter o/ %hylo+9, )ntonio0s antagonist 4)+t .., %+ene G7$D

J3

/irst s+ene o/ a drama$ )s dis+"ssed in the introd"+tory +ha!ters, &hat &e reg"larly /ind is the e<!ression o/ a +ertain event, or a +ertain +oin+iden+e o/ +ir+"mstan+es, that /orms a t"rning !oint in the everyday li/e o/ the +hara+ters introd"+ed, es!e+ially that +hara+ter &ith &hom the dramatist identi/ies himsel/ most +onstantly$ *n+e having as+ertained the +hara+ter &ho, &hether he 4or she7 be the hero 4or heroine7 or not, is o/ s!e+ial interest to "s be+a"se o/ his "n+ons+io"s /"n+tion, &e m"st +onsider his idiosyn+rasy$ .n the !lay "nder dis+"ssion, this +hara+ter, )ntonio, /"rnishes "s &ith im!ortant data /or the !ortrait &e are going to dra&$ 5e is not the hero &ho !revails by strength o/ mind or body, gaining o"r sym!athy by great a+hievements /or the sa9e o/ some ideal or !rin+i!le$ ./ &e e<!e+t him to do brave deeds, to be strong and a+tive and obvio"sly res!onsible /or the develo!ment o/ the !lot, &e shall be intensely disa!!ointed$ :et he +ontrives to e<ert !o&er/"l in/l"en+e on the a+tions o/ others, and his strength, i/ on+e re+ogni6ed, !roves to be no less than that o/ any other dramati+ hero$ 5ere is a genero"s and tenderhearted man, bro"ght into danger o/ death by the +onseB"en+es o/ his 9indness to&ards his /riends$ 5e delivers "n/ort"nate +iti6ens /rom the !o&er o/ +r"el "s"ryP he is &illing to !rote+t the &ea9 and to hel! the !oorP he enables his /riends to enOoy li/e better than their o&n means allo&s them$ )nd by this 9ind and noble attit"de, he has attained great re+ognition$ 5is /riend 2assanio +alls him=

Nassanio:

the 2indest an+ The ,est(condition!d and un/earied spirit 1n doing courtesies+ and one in /ho The ancient ;o an honour ore appears Than any that dra/s ,reath in 1taly& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

%"rely s"+h a man, i/ he sho"ld get into tro"ble, &ill not have to admit that it is all thro"gh his o&n /a"ltS

JE

)nd this is &hat %ha9es!eare &ants "s to +on+l"de$ 5o& +om/ortably this good and &ealthy mer+hant +o"ld have !assed thro"gh li/e in his state o/ re+ogni6ed s"!eriority had it not been /or the +onseB"en+es o/ assisting his /riend to &in a &omanS -his /riend 4or ,9insman,, as he is +alled in the !lay itsel/7, 2assanio, has !romised )ntonio that he &o"ld tell him &hi+h is the lady to &hom he ,s&ore a se+ret !ilgrimage$, )ntonio is interested in his /riend0s intention$ 2"t it is not be+a"se he shares his /riend0s desire$ .n /a+t, the 9ey to 2assanio0s "n+ons+io"s /"n+tion lies in his di//erent to"+h &ith li/e$ 2assanio re!resents that &hi+h lies beyond the restri+ted e<+ellen+e o/ )ntonio$ 5e !ersoni/ies the attrib"tes &ill/"lly !re+l"ded in )ntonio0s s+heme o/ li/e, attrib"tes that are nevertheless indis!ensable to the reali6ation o/ the state o/ indis!"table s"!eriority$ .n this light, &e begin to see the nat"re o/ the /riendshi! bet&een )ntonio and 2assanio$ *"r introd"+tory statement, that the drama starts /rom a /eeling o/ in/eriority, is +on/irmed in the +onsideration o/ other !ossibilities and in the &illingness to tolerate@and even to +reate@the being in &hi+h they are !ersoni/ied$ -h"s 2assanio be+omes &hat &e might +all the +onditional +reation o/ a ne& idealFsel/, a sho"ldFbe sel/$ .t is +lear that the +reation o/ this ne& ideal is eB"ivalent to a +onsidered sa+ri/i+e o/ the old one 4)ntonio7$ .nso/ar as the sho"ldFbe sel/ t"rns o"t to be !re/erable, it &ill be ado!ted, the identi/i+ation &ill be trans/erred to it, and the old ideal &ill dro! /rom e<isten+e$ #o &onder, there/ore, that 2assanio is re!resented as greatly de!endent on )ntonio0s generosityS 2earing in mind that, not&ithstanding his a!!arent &illingness to sa+ri/i+e his interests /or the sa9e o/ his /riend, )ntonio is bo"nd to !revail be+a"se o/ his "n+ons+io"s /"n+tion, &e +an even no& !ro!hesy that &hatever the a!!arent +on+l"sion o/ the !lay may be, it &ill +ontain the veiled sa+ri/i+e o/ 2assanio /or the sa9e o/ )ntonio$ 2e/ore !ro+eeding &ith o"r inter!retation o/ the te<t, it &ill be desirable to +on+entrate on the !e+"liarities o/ )ntonio0s state, be+a"se their "ltimate +ontin"an+e ma9es them o/ the "tmost im!ortan+e$ .t is not in+om!leteness that made the artist !resent )ntonio in lo/ty loneliness$ 5is s"!eriority is,

J9

rather, the /r"it o/ e<+l"siveness$ 5en+e his alarming isolation$ .n the /i+titio"s &orld o/ )ntonio, a /ather, mother, brother, or sister need not be !resent be+a"se they are not allo&ed really to share his li/e$ #either do &e meet a &i/e and +hildren in this s!here o/ e<+ellen+e$ )ntonio is a man &ho has strayed so /ar /rom the tr"e +omm"nal sense that &e may +om!are him to the /ool &ho &anted to be 9ing at any !ri+e, &ho in his h"rry and la+9 o/ insight tried to rea+h his aim by lo+9ing himsel/ "! in his room and limiting his so+ial inter+o"rse to those &ho &ere his mere shado&s$ For s"+h is the B"ality o/ %alanioF%alarino$ .ndeed a so"l +hoosing )ntonio as an ideal is bo"nd to be at least vag"ely a&are o/ the /atal limitations im!lied in this e<+ellen+e and &o"ld +om!lain o/ general &eariness=

4ntonio:

1 hold the /orld ,ut as the /orld+ QratianoS 4 stage /here every an ust play a part+ 4nd ine a sad one& 34ct 1+ Scene 57

-he sentiments other&ise a+tive in the inter+o"rse bet&een man and &oman /ind no other o"tlet in )ntonio b"t in a 9ind o/ /riendshi!, a genero"s sym!athy /or those &ho are obvio"sly his in/eriors 42assanio, Mratiano, Loren6o, %alanio, %alarino7$ -hey are too /ar beneath him b"t that he +o"ld hate them as rivals$ -he more interesting be+omes the +hara+ter o/ 2assanio$ 8ersoni/ying )ntonio0s &orst enemy 4/rom the )ntonio stand!oint7, he is re!resented as having )ntonio /or his best /riend$ -ho"gh being s"!erior to )ntonio, he is re!resented as de!endent on him and as de+idedly less noble$ -his enables the dramatist to e<!ress in 2assanio0s !ros!erity both the gaining o/ Woman and the loss o/ /riendshi!$ .t is remar9able that, as soon as 2assanio ,enters,, %alanio and %alarino &ithdra& &ith the &ords=

Salanio:

<We leave you no/ /ith ,etter co pany&< 34ct 1+ Scene 57

2assanio a!!ears in the +om!any o/ Loren6o and Mratiano, t&o +ontrasting elements$ Mratiano0s noisy, s&aggering e<!ressiveness does not re!resent an essentially mas+"line element, b"t rather the a//e+tation o/ it$ .t re+alls the &onder/"l song at the end o/ T#elfth 'ight 4)+t .V, %+ene 17, the smallest@b"t !erha!s also the tr"est@o/ all sel/ !ortraits, &here the ,Fool, sings=

Nut /hen 1 ca e+ alas! to /ive+ With hey+ ho+ the /ind and the rainS Ny s/aggering could 1 never thrive+ Mor the rain it raineth every day&
Loren6o sho&s B"ite another as!e+t$ 5is highly re+e!tive, !oeti+al nat"re, &hi+h se+"res /or the dramatist the a!!li+ation o/ his o&n !oeti+al vie&, 9ee!s him strongly lin9ed to the )ntonioF+hara+ter$ ?nli9e Mratiano, &hose e<!erien+e is merely !arallel to that o/ 2assanio, Loren6o /inds his o&n +hara+teristi+ &ay to the married state and 4+onseB"ently7 to 2elmont 42ea"ti/"l >o"ntain@Woman7$ Mratiano and Loren6o are anti!odes by means o/ &hi+h the dramati6ing !sy+he s"++eeds in +on+eiving the 2assanioF+hara+ter$ When )ntonio and 2assanio have been le/t alone, 2assanio introd"+es his reB"est by !raising )ntonio /or all he has done /or him, and indeed his &ords

Nassanio:

To you+ 4ntonio+ 1 o/e the ost+ in oney and in love+ 4nd fro your love 1 have a /arranty To un,urden all y plots and purposes Oo/ to get clear of all the de,ts 1 o/e& 34ct 1+ Scene 57

K1

are no e<aggeration$ -hen, be/ore 2assanio /orm"lates his reB"est,

)ntonio e<!resses his &illingness to sa+ri/i+e himsel/ /or the sa9e o/ his /riend=

4ntonio:

4nd if it stand+ as you yourself still do+ Within the eye of honour+ ,e assured+ Ey purse+ y person+ y e"tre est eans+ Jie all unloc2!d to your occasions& Then do ,ut say to e /hat 1 should do That in your 2no/ledge ay ,y e ,e done+ 4nd 1 a prest unto it: therefore+ spea2& 34ct 1+ Scene 57

and /"rther=

2assanio s!ea9s, and his &ords do not merely +onvey the des+ri!tion o/ a &oman and his de+ision to &in her, b"t &e re+ogni6e in them the image o/ the .deal Woman and >an0s !ilgrimage to&ards the reali6ation o/ her being=

Nassanio:

1n Nel ont is a lady richly leftS 4nd she is fair and+ fairer than that /ord+ Lf /ondrous virtues: so eti es fro her eyes 1 did receive fair speechless essages: >or is the /ide /orld ignorant of her /orth+ Mor the four /inds ,lo/ in fro every coast ;eno/ned suitors+ 4nd any .asons co e in )uest of her& L y 4ntonio+ had 1 ,ut the eans To hold a rival place /ith one of the +

K2

1 have a ind presages e such thrift+ That 1 should )uestionless ,e fortunate! 34ct 1+ Scene 57
-he more signi/i+ant it is that )ntonio is "nable to give &hat he !romised to besto&$ 5e does not have the means that 2assanio &antsP he may have it a/ter some time, b"t not no&$ )nd it is only be+a"se he is generally ta9en to have ,means, eno"gh that he 9no&s he +an borro& /rom it$

4ntonio:

Thou 2no/!st that all y fortunes are at seaS >either have 1 oney nor co odity To raise a present su : therefore go forthS Try /hat y credit can in 'enice do: 34ct 1+ Scene 57

)ntonio0s means are "nreali6able be+a"se they are invested in his trade$ )nd o"r +on+l"sion is that this ,trade, +onseB"ently is one that does not re+9on &ith the !ossibility that, at anytime, love may +laim ,ready means, 4/reedom o/ a+tion7 ,to hold a rival !la+e, &ith one o/ the many ,Jasons, that ,+ome in B"est, o/ 8ortia, the .deal Woman$ )ntonio, there/ore, does not have &hat is indis!ensable to a man$ 5e is, ho&ever, e6pected to have it, and his ,+redit,,@i$e$, others0 /aith in him@ may /et+h it /or him$ -he !sy+he that is &illing to +onsider the +reation o/ a ne& idealFsel/, &hi+h is to ans&er the reB"irements o/ reality, the reB"irements o/ an ideal man, is obliged to endo& that sel/ &ith the !ro!er attrib"tes$ ?rged by the +ons+ien+e o/ re+ognition, he is bo"nd to remain ,&illing, to !romote the interests o/ the ne& ideal, tho"gh these are o!!osed to his o&n$ )nd in the KJ

!ortrayal o/ this meditation, +alled Drama, the /ostered !resent ideal is to demonstrate this &illingness, as &e shall see thro"gho"t the !lay, in order that its noblesse and the inno+en+e o/ its event"al tri"m!h may be readily a++e!ted$ */ +o"rse the develo!ment o/ the ,!lot,, &hi+h moves to&ards the sa+ri/i+e o/ the old ideal /or the sa9e o/ the ne& one "ntil the +risis and the dTno"ement, +annot a!!ear to the old ideal as a +hange /or the better$ 1onseB"ently, &e +an dete+t B"ite a n"mber o/ &arning voi+es$ -hat %hylo+9 is the man to &hom they go /or ready money leads "s to the /"n+tion o/ this +hara+ter$ We m"st not try to a++o"nt /or 2assanio0s remar9able +hoi+e by saying that it is sim!ly a !roo/ o/ his re+9less haste$ #o sensible man &o"ld &al9 straight to his /riend0s enemy to borro& money &hile the /riend is to be his s"rety$ -he tr"e e<!lanation m"st sho& that it is natural that 2assanio goes to %hylo+9, O"st as nat"ral as the /a+t 4the signi/i+an+e o/ &hi+h is al&ays overloo9ed7 that )ntonio, too, goes to %hylo+9$ .n the inter!retation o/ Drama, it is essential to e<!e+t &hat is !er/e+tly nat"ral, and as soon as the develo!ment a!!arently deviates /rom this nat"ral +o"rse, &e sho"ld immediately +onB"er the s"ggestive in/l"en+e o/ the dramatist and /ind the hidden reason that ma9es things nat"ral$ ,)++idental, events disg"ise the dramatist0s !"r!ose and try to mislead "s by !retending that there is no motive behind them$ 2assanio and )ntonio go to the man &ho !ossesses &hat they do not have$ -his man is %hylo+9$ ./ )ntonio is a &ealthy mer+hant, beloved and esteemed by a great n"mber o/ !eo!le, &hy then does he not go to a ri+h b"siness /riendW -he only ans&er to this so"nd B"estion is that a ri+h mer+hant +annot be )ntonio0s /riend, be+a"se he is too m"+h o/ a rival$ -o )ntonio, /riends are those &ho are his in/eriors, mere shado&s o/ him and, as s"+h, de!end on him and serve as a setting to his e<+ellen+e$ 5is attit"de e<+l"des /riendly /eelings to&ards those &ho are his eB"als$ -h"s, +olleag"es, instead o/ being his +omrades, be+ome his enemies$ -hreatening his im!li+it s"!eriority, they are "nited into one mighty enemy and !ersoni/ied in %hylo+9$ #o &onder, there/ore, that the dramatist, "nder the in/l"en+e o/ his identi/i+ation &ith )ntonio,

KK

re!resents %hylo+9 as a s!e+imen o/ all that is &rong and evil$ %hylo+9 +annot be allo&ed to share any o/ )ntonio0s virt"es b"t is !i+t"red as the in+arnation o/ the vi+es that are their anti!odes$ 5e is !resented as so entirely the o!!osite o/ )ntonio that &e sho"ld almost /orget &hat he really is= the 3ival seen through the eyes of his rival$ 2"t this /"ndamental /"n+tion +o"ld not be entirely s"!!ressed by tendentio"s re!resentation$ 5e is a man 4tho"gh not a 1hristian7 and a mer+hant 4tho"gh in a di//erent trade7, and he is hindered by )ntonio, &ho 4a++ording to %hylo+97U

Shyloc2:

lends out oney gratis and ,rings do/n The rate of usance here /ith us in 'enice& 34ct 1+ Scene U7

5e is mo+9ed and treated li9e a dog by )ntonio, and, ho&ever +ommon 1hristian intoleran+e may have been in the Eli6abethan age, the "n/airness &as at any rate /elt "n+ons+io"sly by %ha9es!eare, &ho introd"+es a Je& as a +reat"re hated /or a h"ndred reasons, b"t none so /ier+e as the "n+ons+io"s reason that he is a !o&er/"l rival$ -here/ore, the di//eren+e in nat"re and the a!!arent ens"ing hatred is beyond all !ossibility o/ re+on+iliation$ -he tri"m!h o/ the one is the "tter de/eat o/ the other$ -he rival is !i+t"red as "n/avorably as !ossible$ ./ 4in a 1hristian &orld &here intoleran+e is a virt"e7 yo" +an sho& that yo"r enemy is a Je&, the maOority is on yo"r side$ )nd that is !re+isely &hat %ha9es!eare &anted /or his )ntonio$ >oreover, the t&o /aiths are !arti+"larly /it /or the dramatist0s !"r!ose$ )ntonio is 4at least in name7 a /ollo&er o/ the mer+i/"l, sinF /orgiving %avior, the Son o/ Mod, the mee9 !rote+tor o/ erring &ea9lings$ %hylo+9 is r"led by Jehovah, the Oealo"s and revenge/"l tyrant, fatherF symbol long be/ore the imma+"late +on+e!tion$ -h"s &e get the analogy= )ntonioF%hylo+9, 1hristianFJe&, %onFFather$ -he advantage o/ )ntonio0s !osition is obvio"s$ . do not thin9, ho&ever, that %ha9es!eare0s "se o/ this +ontrast is im!ortant eno"gh /or the str"+t"re o/ the !lay to O"sti/y a /"ller dis+"ssion than the above in+idental remar9s$ -hese brie/ +omments are s"//i+ient in e<!laining that %hylo+9 is bad be+a"se )ntonio is good$ )nd be+a"se )ntonio is a 9ind, genero"s, !hilanthro!i+ yo"ng 1hristian, KL

%hylo+9 is a s"rly, illFnat"red old Je&$ 2"t there is more$ %hylo+9 has had a &i/eP she is dead, b"t she le/t him a da"ghter 4Jessi+a7, and that da"ghter tends his ho"sehold$ %he does &hat his ho"se&i/e did$ #o &onder, there/ore, that %hylo+9 demonstrates the 9no&ledge that things +hange$ -hat Jessi+a is !resented as %hylo+90s da"ghter sho"ld not mislead "s$ %he is the &oman &ho ta9es the !la+e o/ the &i/e$ When he loses her Cto her marriage to Loren6oD, nothing remains$ -hat she is yo"ng s"ggests that she is "n/it /or the old Je&$ )nd i/ good, &hom sho"ld she s"it better than a yo"ng 1hristianW -h"s it be+omes easy to "nderstand that %hylo+9 is the man to &hom )ntonio and 2assanio sho"ld go /or ready money, ne+essary to set o"t on the !ilgrimage to Woman$ -hey go to him and borro& that &hi+h brings 2assanio nearer to 5er$ )nd &hat b"t !er/e+t manliness sho"ld bring him nearer to herW Whether it be symboli6ed in money, means, /reedom o/ a+tion, or an eB"al !o"nd o/ /lesh nearest )ntonio0s heart, its val"e remains the same$ What &e &ant to /ind is the dramatist0s "n+ons+io"s meaning, not the !rimitive val"es /rom &hi+h h"man tho"ght evolved$ 1om!rehension o/ a man0s !sy+he nat"rally reB"ires the 9no&ledge o/ his individ"al val"ation o/ things and +an never be arrived at by as+ertaining the +orres!onding nonFindivid"al val"es o/ his +aveFd&elling an+estors$7 1L *n+e having reali6ed the meaning o/ )ntonio0s borro&ing /rom %hylo+9, &e "nderstand that it is &hat enabled Jessi+a0s elo!ement$ .t &as )ntonio &ho borro&ed the money /or his /riend 2assanioP 2assanio &ill try to &in the hand o/ 8ortia$ Dramati+ e<!ression allo&s /or d"al mani/estation, and &e see that another /riend o/ )ntonio@Loren6o@&ill be the man &ith &hom Jessi+a elo!es$ Where a single re!resentation &o"ld "nsatis/a+torily demonstrate the many as!e+ts o/ the develo!ment o/ "n+ons+io"s reasoning, +om!li+ated e<!ression 4i$e$, the almost sim"ltaneo"s a+tions o/ several +hara+ters, ea+h in a++ordan+e &ith his !ersonal +hara+teristi+s7 serves the !"r!ose$ -h"s the a+t o/ /"rnishing 2assanio &ith %hylo+90s money not only brings him to 8ortia, b"t also Mratiano 42assanio0s /riend7
5=

1t is evident that our argu entation is not deter ined ,y Mreudian sy ,ology& KG

to #erissa 48ortia0s maid7 and Jessi+a 4da"ghter o/ %hylo+97 to Loren6o 4/riend o/ 2assanio7, and &ill even !rom!t La"n+elot 4the /ool7 to /ly /rom the Je& and to enter the servi+e o/ 2assanio$ La"n+elot, the /ool, stands /or the mind that attains a +ertain s"!eriority over the la&s that &o"ld govern his a+tion, by !ro/essed sim!li+ity, &hi+h ma9es him /ree o/ res!onsibility$ 5is is the &isdom that !ro/essed la+9 o/ 9no&ledge, !ro/essed la+9 o/ logi+ motives, go /"rthest in es+a!ing the +onstraint o/ re+ogni6ed a"thority$ )!!arently "tterly de!endent on the master he serves, he is !ra+ti+ally /ree to /ollo& his o&n &ill$ %"+h is the attit"de +hosen by the yo"ng 1hristian +alled La"n+elot in the servi+e o/ the old Je&$ 5e is introd"+ed in the se+ond a+t 4s+ene 27 a/ter the bond has been signed and he is there/ore +onsidering the !ossibility o/ /lying /rom the Je&$ .t is +hara+teristi+ that the tenden+y that bids him stay is embodied in his +ons+ien+e, &hile his desire to /ly is +alled ,the /iend,=
;auncelot: 2=away<= says the fiend; =for the hea ens, rouse u( a bra e mind,= says the fiend, =and run!=

)nd he de+ides=
2I will run, fiend; my heels are at your command; I will run! ">nter Fld &obbo, with a basket% "Act II, #cene N%

-his is an interesting e<am!le o/ the r"le that the "n+ons+io"s develo!ment determines the ,enter, o/ a +hara+ter$ )t the very moment La"n+elot has de+ided to /ly /rom the Je&, his ,old man, 4Mobbo7 a!!ears to o!!ose his !lan$ 1ons+ien+e, ass"ming the /orm o/ reality, sends his /ather as a s"bstit"te /or the old Je&, and Mobbo +omes &ith a !resent /or %hylo+9 to +on/irm La"n+elot0s servile state$ La"n+elot0s resistan+e against this tenden+y is a!!arent /rom his dis!araging treatment o/ the old man$ 5e !revails and s"++eeds in ma9ing Mobbo o//er the !resent to 2assanio$ Joining 2assanio0s servi+e, La"n+elot adds to 2assanio0s !o&er$ -he "n+ons+io"s attention th"s /i<ed on the in+rease o/ 2assanio0s !osition, Mratiano enters$

Qratiano:
K3

1 have a suit to you&

Nassanio: Qratiano:

0ou have o,tain!d it& 0ou ust not deny to Nel ont& e: 1 ust go /ith you

34ct 11+ Scene T7

)nd he, too, is a++e!ted$ )+t ., s+enes J, K, L, and G !i+t"re the !re!arations /or Jessi+a0s elo!ement and des+ribe the elo!ement itsel/$ -he +on+l"sion that she &as more /it to be the real &i/e o/ a yo"ng 1hristian than the ho"se9ee!er o/ an old Je& is met &ith obOe+tion$ )s the da"ghter o/ a Je&, she is ni+ely !resented as !reeminently /it /or a yo"ng man, yet /orbidden to a 1hristian and thereby someho& "n&orthy o/ Loren6o and, in a &ay, "ndesirable$ .n the +reation o/ this sit"ation, &e easily re+ogni6e )ntonio0s vie&$ Jessi+a reali6es that she +an solve !art o/ the !roblem by +hanging her religio"s /aith=

.essica:

L JorenVo+ 1f thou 2eep pro ise+ 1 shall end this strife+ Neco e a Christian and thy loving /ife& 34ct 11+ Scene U7

2"t o/ +o"rse she remains the da"ghter o/ a Je&$ %he is the /irst &oman to be &on by one o/ the several !arallel +hara+ters$ -ho"gh a!!arently en+o"raged in K3their enter!rise by the dramatist0s main +hara+ter and a!!arently +ontrasted to him, they are all !ervaded &ith the !e+"liarity that 9ee!s )ntonio a&ay /rom Woman$ -he story o/ their enter!rises sho&s tra+es o/ a la+9 o/ a!!re+iation o/ Woman, &hi+h ma9es their o"t&ard s"++ess a de+ided /ail"re$ -he elo!ement ta9es !la+e d"ring a masB"e$ 8eo!le are disg"isedP they seem to be &hat they are not$ D"ring the masB"e, one &o"ld reali6e he &on &hen, in disg"ise, he is !re/erred &hile seeming to be &hat he is not$ What is !res"!!osed in the +hara+ter o/ )ntonio /inds e<!ression in Loren6o and his a+tions= the resolution not to desire -oman$ or rather not to make any attempt to recogni7e in her the desira%le partner in life$ unless she appears in the shape of a youth$ i&e&$ on no account8

KE

Dramati+ e<!ression enables the !sy+he to re!la+e the &ord ,"nless, &ith ,"ntil,, so that Loren6o +annot reali6e his bride until she a!!ears in the sha!e o/ a yo"th$

JorenVo:

Mair .essica shall ,e ,earer&

y torch(

34ct 11+ Scene :7

-his is the +ondition on &hi+h she may be+ome Loren6o0s ,loving &i/e$, -he +ondition is /"l/illed$ .t is &orth&hile to note that Jessi+a !lays the a+tive !art in this /"l/illment$ .t is she &ho leaves her /ather, she &ho be+omes a 1hristian, she &ho be+omes ,trans/ormed to a boy$, D"ring the masB"e, Jessi+a a!!ears in boy0s +lothes=

.essica:

Mor 1 a uch asha ed of y e"change: Nut love is ,lind and lovers cannot see The pretty follies that the selves co itS Mor if they could+ Cupid hi self /ould ,lush To see e thus transfor ed to a ,oy& Bescend+ for you torch(,earer& ust ,e y

:DJorenVo:

34ct 11+ Scene R7

)nd gentle Jessi+a remar9s shre&dly=

.essica:

What+ ust 1 hold a candle to y sha es? They in the selves+ good sooth+ are too too light& Why+ !tis an office of discovery+ loveS 4nd 1 should ,e o,scured&

Loren6o0s re!ly

K9

JorenVo:

So are you+ s/eet+ 9ven in the lovely garnish of a ,oy& 34ct 11+ Scene R7

is o/ a s"btle ambig"ity$

-hey then Ooin the ,masB"ing mates$, 2"t there is no reason to !rolong the masB"e$ -he develo!ment o/ the !lay goes on, be+a"se the develo!ment o/ the "n+ons+io"s reasoning goes on$ ,-he &ind is +ome abo"t, 4)ntonio, )+t .., %+ene G7$ 2assanio is going to leave Veni+e, and Mratiano m"st at on+e go on board$ -he above inter!retation o/ Loren6o0s reali6ation o/ his love ma9es it +lear &hy Jessi+a and he do not Ooin 2assanio, altho"gh his shi! &o"ld have served them e<+ellently in es+a!ing the &rath o/ %hylo+9$

Salarino:

Why+ an+ 1 sa/ Nassanio under sail: With hi is Qratiano gone alongS 4nd in their ship 1 a sure JorenVo is not&
U

Nesides+ 4ntonio certified the du2e They /ere not /ith Nassanio in his ship& 34ct 11+ Scene D7
-he /irst and se+ond a+ts +ontain the !re!aration o/ 2assanio0s enter!rise, the /irst a+t ending &ith )ntonio0s de+ision to enable him to go on his Oo"rney &ith borro&ed money, the se+ond giving the beginning o/ the s!irit"al e//e+t o/ this borro&ing$ .n the third a+t, 2assanio is !"t to the test in the &orld o/ Woman, gains the image o/ 5er, and by his s"++ess brings )ntonio into danger o/ death$ We here&ith K9+ome to the ,+as9et story$, .n this story, &e have again a stri9ing e<am!le o/ the advantage o//ered by dramati+ e<!ression= the !ossibility o/ re!resenting +onse+"tively, &ith the hel! o/ !arallel +hara+ters, several attit"des o/ one and the same individ"al$ .nstead o/ an e<+eedingly +om!li+ated attit"de, in &hi+h no +om!arison +o"ld be made bet&een the several lines o/ +ond"+t o&ing to the sim"ltaneo"s a+tion o/ so L

many +ontradi+tory tenden+ies, the dramatist o//ers a series o/ attit"des that are mere as!e+ts o/ one and the same !sy+hi+ entity$ Ea+h o/ these seemingly inde!endent individ"als /ollo&s a leading !rin+i!le and rea+ts a++ordingly to the sit"ation given, and the /ail"re e<!erien+ed by one enhan+es the +han+e o/ s"++ess /or another$ J"st as the three da"ghters o/ King Lear are three as!e+ts o/ one da"ghter, so the +hoi+es o/ >oro++o, )rragon, and 2assanio are three !ossibilities revolved in one mind, &hi+h, +ommenting to itsel/, bene/its by a three/old e<!erien+e$ %eeing that the +hoosing o/ the +as9ets is intrinsi+ally 2assanio0s +hoi+e, &e sho"ld bear in mind that, &hatever the nat"re o/ the +hoi+e shall !rove to be, &e shall /ind in it the /"ll in/l"en+e o/ the s!irit o/ )ntonio, this time &holly +on+ealed in the dramatist0s molding o/ the story, as )ntonio is not !resent$ *"r /irst B"estion is= What is it they +hooseW -he !lay itsel/ ans&ers this B"estion$ 1hoosing the right +as9et &ill mean +hoosing the right &oman, b"t this does not lead "s to the /"ll !sy+hologi+al signi/i+an+e o/ the sit"ation$ .t is the !lay itsel/ that also gives the additional ne+essary in/ormation in order to dis+ern the a+t"al meaning$ 2e/ore they +hoose, the three s"itors have to s&ear that, i/ they +hoose &rongly, they m"st 4in the &ords o/ 8ortia7=

Portia:

>ever to spea2 to lady after/ard 1n /ay of arriage: 34ct 11+ Scene 57

-he three@>oro++o, )rragon, and 2assanio@ m"st +hoose among a golden, a silver, and a L leaden +as9et and have nothing to g"ide them b"t the metal o/ the +as9ets and the +ry!ti+ ins+ri!tions they bear$ From this it /ollo&s that they have to res!ond "n+ons+io"sly, to their intrinsi+ val"e$ -hey +annot +hoose as they #ish b"t as they must$ .nstead o/ !laying an a+tive !art, they are &eighed in the balan+e$ )nd a/ter being &eighed, they are either made ha!!y by /inding the image o/ 8ortia, the ideal &oman, &hi+h entitles them to marry her, or they have to &ithdra& at on+e /rom 2elmont, ,never to s!ea9 to lady a/ter&ard in &ay o/ marriage$, 5e &ho +hooses the &rong +as9et +onseB"ently /ails to reali6e her as the desired !artner in li/e, and his /ate is to go /orever &itho"t her, &hatever may be e<!ressly stated in the +ontents o/ the &rong +as9ets$

L1

5aving th"s re+ogni6ed the &isdom laid do&n in the tas9 o/ +hoosing, &e &ill no& +onsider the +hara+teristi+ /orm in &hi+h it a!!ears$ .n everyday li/e, everybody 9no&s that O"dging /rom a!!earan+es is not &itho"t dangerP &e also 9no& that +hoosing in spite of a!!earan+es o/ten brings s"++ess$ -he sa+ri/i+e o/ o"r !re/eren+e /or &hat is a!!arently 4and there/ore originally im!li+itly7 ,best, is o/ten re&arded$ )nd so strong o"r belie/ in this re&ard has be+ome that, &herever it is im!ossible to reason o"t the !"66le o/ a +hoi+e, many o/ "s are a!t to +hoose &hat is a!!arently the &orst, ,Ooy be the +onseB"en+eS, 42assanio, )+t ..., %+ene 27$ */ gold, silver, and lead, gold is im!li+itly the ,best,, silver the ,ne<t best,, and lead the least !re/erable, or &orst$ %etting o"t /rom the 9no&ledge that o"r !re/eren+e 4determined by o"r vie& o/ li/e7 e<!resses itsel/ in the a!!re+iation o/ a!!earan+es, &e shall e<!e+t mental re+ti/i+ation to be+ome obvio"s in its disregard o/ a!!earan+es$ )gain, i/ &e a!!ly o"r inter!retation o/ the )ntonio and 2assanio +hara+ters, &e shall re+ogni6e in a!!earan+es both )ntonio0s and, in the mental +orre+tion, 2assanio0s tendenL1tio"s vie& o/ things, and +onseB"ently &e might assign one o/ the +as9ets to either o/ them as im!li+itly his o&n +hoi+e$ 2"t the dramatist !resents three +as9ets, and his +on+e!tion is slightly more +om!li+ate$ We shall there/ore +onsider the +as9ets, their ins+ri!tions, and their +ontents in the order in &hi+h they are +hosen, i$e$, reali6ed$ -he Molden 1as9et is >oro++o0s +hoi+e 4)+t .., %+ene 37$ .ts ins+ri!tion reads 4>oro++o reading7=

<Who chooseth desire<S

e shall gain /hat

any

en

-his seems !"66ling at /irst, /or, tho"gh &e are to ded"+e that the golden +as9et res!onds to )ntonio0s vie& o/ things, &e do not at on+e see the mood that !rom!ted the +hoi+e /or this de/inition$ -his is +a"sed by the /a+t that the &hole +as9et story, tho"gh +on+eived by the mind that identi/ied itsel/ &ith )ntonio, is the +on+e!tion o/ the +hara+teristi+s o/ another state o/ mind$ >oro++o and )rragon are +riti+i6ed and reOe+ted !ossibilities, +on+eived only to arrive at the +learest !ossible o"tline o/ 2assanio and his a+tion$ 2"t in the +hoi+e o/ all three, the tenden+y to +orre+t and im!rove the immediate 4emotional7 !re/eren+e is easily tra+eable$ L2

-he leaden +as9et is reOe+ted by >oro++o as threatening$ -he silver +as9et is not +hosen, be+a"se silver is ,ten times "nderval"ed to tried gold,, and &hat is the sim!lest +on+e!tion o/ &oman i/ it is not=

Eorocco:

</hat any en desire&< Why+ that!s the ladyS all the /orld desires herS Mro the four corners of the earth they co e+ 34ct 11+ Scene C7

%o it ha!!ens that >oro++o, &ith his ,golden mind,, +hooses the golden +as9et$ .t is the +hoi+e nearest )ntonio0s o&n im!li+it +hoi+e, b"t it is the least desirable one /or 2assanio$ ?nlo+9ing the +as9et, >oro++o /inds a s+roll=

=TEorocco:

4 carrion Beath+ /ithin /hose e pty eye There is a /ritten scroll! 4ll that glisters is not goldS Lften have you heard that told: Eany a an his life hath sold Nut y outside to ,ehold: Qilded to ,s do /or s infold& etc& 34ct 11+ Scene C7

)nd the s+roll reads 4>oro++o reading7=

J"st as the !revio"sly /ormed and "nsha9en +onvi+tion is e<!ressed by ma9ing this +as9et the golden one, so too the resol"tion to +onsider other vie&s ind"+es the dramatist to !i+t"re him &ho +hooses it as most "n/it /or 8ortia=

Portia:

Jet all of his co ple"ion choose

e so&

34ct 11+ Scene C7

Li9e&ise, the +ontents o/ the +as9et is +al+"lated to attain the most deterrent e//e+t$ -he golden +as9et brings deathP in essen+e, it seems to say= LJ

,things are di//erent /rom &hat they seem to beP yo" &ho !re/er me O"dge by the o"t&ard semblan+e o/ thingsP yo" do not 9no& that a!!earan+es de+eiveP &hat yo" thin9 to be most desirable is in reality the &orst thing imaginable$, -h"s &e /ind the initial &illingness to +onsider a ne& attit"de strongly at &or9 against the old !re/eren+e, and &e reali6e something o/ the enormo"s mental energy s!ent in elaborating the /ormer in order to ma9e the latter !revail$ .n the +hoi+e o/ the golden +as9et, mental +orre+tion to ,taste, is not a!!lied, b"t its ne+essity is demonstrated$ .n the ne<t +hoi+e, it is a!!lied$ -he %ilver 1as9et is +hosen by )rragon 4)+t .., %+ene 97$ .t bears the /ollo&ing ins+ri!tion 4)rragon s!ea9ing7=

<Who chooseth deserves&<

e shall get as

uch as he

./ a!!earan+es are no s"re g"ide in this s!e+ial +hoosing, he &ill not +hoose the golden +as9et$ 5e &ill be &ise, too &ise to +hoose ,&hat many men desire$, 2"t taste is dee!ly rooted and tena+io"s o/ li/e$ )/ter LJall, lead is only lead and it shall ,loo9 /airer, be/ore he +hooses it$ -hen he de+ides to +hoose the silver +as9et, and he obvio"sly +hooses it be+a"se it is the ne<t best$ )nd &hen he +hooses the ne<t best, has he not done his best to ta9e the lesson o/ the golden +as9et to heartW What +an he e<!e+t o/ the res"lt b"t that it shall be a re+om!ense, a re&ard /or his e//ort 4,shall get &hat he deserves,7W

4rragon:

4nd /ell said tooS for /ho shall go a,out To coVen fortune and ,e honoura,le Without the sta p of erit? 1 /ill assu e desert& Qive e a 2ey for this+ 4nd instantly unloc2 y fortunes here& 34ct 11+ Scene W7

LK

2"t he is the man &ho &o"ld re+on+ile t&o +ontrary !rin+i!les by meeting both hal/&ay, and, instead o/ seeing that thereby he m"st needs lose the o!!ort"nities o/ either, he ho!es /or a re&ard$ )nd "n+ons+io"sly he /eels that ,&hat he deserves, may !rove to be a !"nishment=

4rragon:

What!s here? the portrait of a ,lin2ing idiot+ Presenting e a schedule! 1 /ill read it& Oo/ uch unli2e art thou to Portia! 34ct 11+ Scene W7

)nd o/ +o"rse the s+hed"le tells him that, on+e he strives /or t&o o!!osite aims, it no longer matters &hat he does$ 5e &ill al&ays remain a /ool$

4rragon:

What is here? 3reads7 The fire seven ti es tried this: Seven ti es tried that *udg ent is+ That did never choose a iss& So e there ,e that shado/s 2issS =:Such have ,ut a shado/!s ,liss: There ,e fools alive+ 1 /is+ Silver!d o!erS and so /as this& Ta2e /hat /ife you /ill to ,ed+ 1 /ill ever ,e your head: So ,e gone: you are sped& 34ct 11+ Scene W7

and he goes a&ay a greater /ool than he &as$

Remar9able is the &isdom derived /rom these t&o /ail"res= LL

Portia:

Thus hath the candle singed the oth& L+ these deli,erate fools! /hen they do choose+ They have the /isdo ,y their /it to lose& The ancient saying is no heresy+ Oanging and /iving goes ,y destiny& 34ct 11+ Scene W7

>erissa:

.n this &ay, 2assanio0s +hoi+e is !re!ared$ )nd as he !ro+eeds to&ards his aim, the dramatist !ro/its by the 9no&ledge gathered /rom those &ho &ere be/ore 2assanio and by the 9ind dis!osition o/ those &ho a&ait him at 2elmont=

Servant:

1 have not seen So li2ely an a ,assador of love: 4 day in 4pril never ca e so s/eet+ To sho/ ho/ costly su er /as at hand+ 34ct 11+ Scene W7

#o &onder, ho&ever, that 2assanio lives ,"!on the ra+9, and that he is tort"red by ,that "gly treason o/ mistr"st$, 5o& +an he s"++eed i/ 8ortia does not hel!W

Nassanio:

L happy tor ent+ /hen y torturer Both teach e ans/ers for deliverance! 34ct 111+ Scene T7

-hen, a/ter 8ortia has reminded him o/ the tr"th that to him she &ill ,live, only i/ he is s"++ess/"l and that LLshe there/ore ,stands /or sa+ri/i+e,, 2assanio 4and &ith him %ha9es!eare7 ,+omments on the +as9ets to himsel/,

LG

and hears the %ong, and the %ong +ontains both his B"estion and an ans&er to it=

Song:

Tell e /here is fancy ,red+ Lr in the heart or in the head? Oo/ ,egot+ ho/ nourished? ;eply+ reply& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

-r"ly, these are the &ords o/ a +reat"re &ho &ishes to be in love and is notS -he song seems to say= ,1an there be love only &hen it is rooted in the heart 4emotional a!!re+iation7, or 4and this . &ished7 +an it also be o/ !"rely intelle+t"al originP and, i/ so, ho& +an . +reate it and ho& +an . 9ee! it alive 4/or even i/ . +o"ld +reate it, . do not really believe that it +o"ld live7W, )nd the re!ly is, o/ +o"rse, bo"nd to /"l/ill his desire

Song:

1t is engender!d in the eyes+ With gaVing fedS and fancy dies 1n the cradle /here it lies& Jet us all ring fancy!s 2nell: 1!ll ,egin it+KBing+ dong+ ,ell& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

&hi+h seems to say=

,:o"r &ish is /"l/illedP love is greatly de!endent on vis"al and intelle+t"al a!!re+iationP a/ter all, the eyes are in the head, so yo" +an ta9e it that love is 0bred0 in the 0head0 and no"rished there too, b"t this /r"it o/ a"toF s"ggestion, this +hill, this sel/Fen+o"raged sym!athy, is nothing +om!ared to real love, and indeed it &ill die very soon$, )nd all see that it has died already=

4ll:

Bing+ dong+ ,ell& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

#o &onder, on+e more, that 2assanio begins his +omment &ith the +on+l"sion=

L3

Nassanio:

So ay the out/ard sho/s ,e least the selves: The /orld is still deceived /ith orna ent& The see ing truth /hich cunning ti es put on To entrap the /isest&

LG5e &ill absol"tely disregard a!!earan+esP he &ill have nothing o/=

)nd he &ill not +hoose the golden +as9et=

Therefore+ thou gaudy gold+ Oard food for Eidas+ 1 /ill none of theeS
#either &ill he ta9e the silver +as9et=

>or none of thee+ thou pale and co on drudge !T/een an and an: 34ct 111+ Scene T7
5e &ill do his "tmost, and &ith des!erate +o"rage he &ill +hoose &hat is obvio"sly the &orst and least attra+tive 4lead7 and thereby ,give and ha6ard all he hath,, as the ins+ri!tion reads$ )nd then he has a right to ho!e=

Nassanio:

,ut thou+ thou eagre lead+ Which rather threatenest than dost pro ise aught+ Thy paleness oves e ore than elo)uenceS 4nd here choose 1S *oy ,e the conse)uence! 34ct 111+ Scene T7

5e &ins 8ortia, be+a"se he +hooses the +as9et that +ontains her !ortrait, b"t the s!irit o/ )ntonio that +on+eived the idea o/ !"tting that !ortrait in the leaden +as9et reigns in 2assanio0s !raise=

Nassanio:

Mair Portia!s counterfeit! What de i(god Oath co e so near creation? etc&

LE

34ct 111+ Scene T7

Uand even in these lines o/ !raise he sees ,s&eet /riends, in her ,sever0d li!s$, )nd the s+roll is imb"ed &ith )ntonio0s sar+asm= From this s+roll, he sim!ly demands that it !ro+laim that 417 his artificial +hoi+e is a natural +hoi+eP 427 the ,in+om!leteness, o/ his /ort"ne m"st be ignoredP and 4J7 i/ he is really !re!ared to ta9e his s"++ess /or his ha!!iness, he sho"ld no& ,t"rn, to his lady and +laim her &ith a loving 9iss=

=CNassanio:

3reads7 0ou that choose not ,y the vie/+ Chance as fair and choose as true! Since this fortune falls to you+ Ne content and see2 no ne/& 1f you ,e /ell pleased /ith this 4nd hold your fortune for your ,liss+ Turn you /here your lady is 4nd clai her /ith a loving 2iss& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

)/ter all, the &orst has been +hosen be+a"se it &as the ,se+ond best,, and the silver +as9et is introd"+ed only to divert the O"st +riti+ism that it re+eives /rom the leaden +as9et$ -he idea ,Woman, has al&ays been synonymo"s &ith ,se+ond best, in the heart o/ that gentle !oet &ho &rote ,s"gred sonnets among his !rivate /riends, and &ho a /e& years later +on/essed 4%onnet 1KK7=

T/o loves 1 have of co fort and despair+ Which li2e t/o spirits do suggest e still: The ,etter angel is a an right fair+ The /orser spirit a /o an colour!d ill&
We no& "nderstand &hy 2assanio, /a+ing the res"lt o/ his +hoi+e, stands and +ontin"es reading=

L9

Nassanio:

Ji2e one of t/o contending in a priVe+ That thin2s he hath done /ell in people!s eyes+ Oearing applause and universal shout+ Qiddy in spirit+ still gaVing in a dou,t Whether those peals of praise ,e his or noS 34ct 111+ Scene T7

-hen 8ortia gives him a ring=

Portia:

This house+ these servants and this sa e yself 4re yours+ y lord: 1 give the /ith this ringS Which /hen you part fro + lose+ or give a/ay+ Jet it presage the ruin of your love 4nd ,e y vantage to e"clai on you& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

-he !ossession o/ this ring be+omes in this &ay the !roo/ o/ 2assanio0s gen"ineness, and losing it or LEor giving it a&ay &ill li9e&ise be the !roo/ that 2assanio has sa+ri/i+ed his essential sel/$ )nd 2assanio 9no&s this=

Nassanio:

Nut /hen this ring Parts fro this finger+ then parts life fro hence: L+ then ,e ,old to say Nassanio!s dead! 34ct 111+ Scene T7

)t the same time, it be+omes the means /or )ntonio to !revail, and &e shall see ho& he ma9es "se o/ it$ -he !arallel nat"re o/ Mratiano0s /"n+tion is most obvio"s in his marriage to 8ortia0s &aitingFmaid, #erissa$

Qratiano:

1 do ,eseech you+ 9ven at that ti e 1 ay ,e too& With all a /ife&

arried

Nassanio: Qratiano:

y heart+ so thou canst get

1 than2 your lordship+ you have got e one& Ey eyes+ y lord+ can loo2 as s/ift as yours: 0ou sa/ the istress+ 1 ,eheld the aidS 0ou loved+ 1 loved for inter ission& >o ore pertains to e+ y lord+ than you& 1 got a pro ise of this fair one here To have her love+ provided that your fortune 4chieved her istress& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

With 2assanio0s remar9, ,*"r /east shall be m"+h hono"r0d in yo"r marriage, 4)+t ..., %+ene 27, &e arrive at the t"rning !oint o/ 2assanio0s !ros!erity$ )s the /ort"nate +hooser, he has be+ome the ha!!y h"sband o/ 8ortia$ 5e is thereby lost to )ntonio /rom &hom also Mratiano is ta9en by his marriage$ )s the ideal >an &ho /inds the ideal Woman, 2assanio has entirely !revailed over the ideal re!resented by )ntonio, and the latter +annot be maintained in the dramatist0s !sy+he "nless things ta9e a t"rn$ )ntonio !rovides this t"rn$ L9 .mmediately a/ter 2assanio has said that Mratiano0s marriage does honor to his o&n, Mratiano e<+laims=

Qratiano:

Nut /ho co es here? JorenVo and his infidel? What+ and y old 'enetian friend Salerio? 34ct 111+ Scene T7

G1

5ere are messengers /rom )ntonioS )s /or Loren6o, he did not intend to go to 2elmont 4as &e sa& above7=

JorenVo:

Nut eeting /ith Salerio ,y the /ay+ Oe did intreat e+ past all saying nay+ To co e /ith hi along& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

)nd %alerio +on/irms it, saying that )ntonio +ommends him to 2assanio$ 5e then delivers a letter /rom )ntonio$ .n this &ay, the attention is dra&n to )ntonio=

Nassanio: Salerio:

9re 1 ope his letter+ 1 pray you+ tell e ho/

y good friend doth&

>ot sic2+ y lord+ unless it ,e in indS >or /ell+ unless in ind: his letter there Will sho/ you his estate& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

When also Mratiano inB"ires a/ter )ntonio0s health and states that he and 2assanio are the Jasons &ho have &on the /lee+e,1G it is /or %alerio to remar9 dryly=

Salerio:

1 /ould you had /on the fleece that he hath lost& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

5e is indeed a messenger sent by )ntonioS -he +ontents o/ the letter ,steals the +olo"r /rom 2assanio0s +hee9,, as noti+ed by 8ortia 4)+t ..., %+ene 27, and 4than9s to the imagination o/ the everF&at+h/"l )ntonio s!irit7 she +on+l"des=

Portia:

So e dear friend deadS else nothing in the /orld R6Could turn so uch the constitution Lf any constant an&

5R

[The Qree2 yth of <.ason+ the 4rgonauts+ and the Qolden Mleece+< one of the oldest yths of a hero!s )uest&] G2

34ct 111+ Scene T7

)nd 2assanio has to +on/ess=

Nassanio:

1 should then have told you That 1 /as /orse than nothingS for indeed+ 1 have engaged yself to a dear friend+ 9ngaged y friend to his ere ene y+ To feed y eans& 34ct 111+ Scene T7

2y 2assanio0s !ros!erity and his marriage to 8ortia, &hi+h is abo"t to ta9e !la+e, he has be+ome the rival o/ all real men, and these, !ersoni/ied as /rom the beginning in %hylo+9, a!!ear the more /"rio"s and "nrelenting no& that 2assanio has almost rea+hed his aim$ 2"t the hatred o/ %hylo+9 and the ens"ing danger /all in the /irst !la+e on )ntonioS )nd this is only nat"ralP /or it &as he &ho enabled 2assanio to go to 2elmont, or, loo9ing more dee!ly, it &as he &ho is entirely res!onsible /or the very e<isten+e o/ 2assanio$ Li9e&ise, it is only nat"ral that %hylo+9 no& does not &ant !ayment o/ the money advan+ed, b"t rather the !o"nd o/ )ntonio0s /lesh$ -he rival +annot be !"t o// &ith /air &ords 4+/$ )+t ..., %+ene 2, lines 23 F2E 7, nor +an he be soothed &ith the retrib"tion o/ the attrib"te borro&ed /rom him by &hat &e may +all ,+o!ying the essen+e o/ his being$, *e has to give up that #hich made him a rival from the %eginning& This is the pound of flesh& )nd there/ore does %hylo+9 s&ear 4as re+o"nted by Jessi+a7=

.essica:

That he /ould rather have 4ntonio!s flesh Than t/enty ti es the value of the su That he did o/e hi : 34ct 111+ Scene T7

.t is &orth&hile to note ho& %hylo+90s hatred has been 9indled by )ntonio and his /riends$ 5e &as )ntonio0s rival, and he had earlier &ished )ntonio gone=

Shyloc2:

1 hate hi for he is a Christian+ Nut ore for that in lo/ si plicity R5Oe lends out oney gratis and ,rings do/n

GJ

The rate of usance here /ith us in 'enice& 1f 1 can catch hi once upon the hip+ 1 /ill feed fat the ancient grudge 1 ,ear hi & 34ct 1+ Scene U7
-his &as nothing serio"s to )ntonio, &ho rated him !"bli+ly abo"t his ,"san+es,, treated him &ith s+orn, s!at on him, and +alled him misbeliever and +"tthroat dog$ .t is only a/ter )ntonio en+o"rages 2assanio0s advent"re, and even in doing so, that he be+omes v"lnerableS )t the same time, %hylo+90s hatred is stirred "! by the !arallel a+tion o/ Loren6o 4and o/ La"n+elot7, and the old Je& O"stly im!"tes his mis/ort"ne to )ntonio$ )/ter Jessi+a leaves him, ta9ing &ith her his t"rB"oise 4the ring he got /rom his Leah &hen he &as a ba+helor137, then at last he be+omes the monster abo"t &hi+h %alerio re!orts=

Salerio:

>ever did 1 2no/ 4 creature+ that did ,ear the shape of an+ So 2een and greedy to confound a an: 34ct 111+ Scene& T7

.t is remar9able ho& s"++ess/"l dramati+ e<!ression has been here to +reate the desired attit"de in the a"dien+e$ 5o& +ommon is the o!inion that %hylo+9 is a mean +reat"re and ho& &ea9 the voi+es that +laim mitigation and d&ell on the Je&0s vie& o/ li/e to ma9e his a+tions a!!ear more nat"ral, more h"manS )mong !eo!le &ho are not thoro"ghly a+B"ainted &ith the !lay, one &ill maintain that )ntonio is the mer+hant o/ Veni+e, &hile another "nhesitatingly asserts that %hylo+9 is the mer+hantP and even here they have e<!ressed their se+ret sym!athyS 2"t the great
13

Cthe e<a+t B"ote 4%hylo+9 s!ea9ing7= ,*"t "!on herS -ho"

tort"rest me, -"bal= it &as my t"rB"oiseP . had it o/ Leah &hen . &as a ba+helor= . &o"ld not have given it /or a &ilderness o/ mon9eys$,D GK

maOority detest %hylo+9 and lovingly /ollo& )ntonio0s trib"lations$ %"+h &as the desire o/ the dramatist, and the res"lt is that not only the )ntonios among the a"dien+e b"t even the greater !art o/ the G2%hylo+9s among it sym!athi6e &ith )ntonio and his /riends$ -hey /ail to see that %hylo+9 is in the /irst !la+e the antagonist o/ )ntonio be+a"se )ntonio &ants to dominate all &ho live in Veni+e in order to !rove his s"!eriority$ -hey /ail to see that o/ the t&o +hara+ters %hylo+9 is the more nat"ral one, and they are &illingly led to the +on+l"sion, at &hi+h the a"thor "n+ons+io"sly aimed$ .t is !art o/ the dramatist0s a+hievement to sho& that his hero is good be+a"se his rival is bad$ -he ne<t !art o/ this sel/Fset tas9 is to !rove that, by resha!ing his !sy+hi+ attit"de, he &ill in+rease the rival0s hatred and &ill /all into his mer+iless hands$ -his &ill mean his death, /or he has serio"sly ,engaged, himsel/ ,to his enemy,P and "nless he s"++eeds in ,!aying ba+9, 4i$e$, in !ossessing himsel/7 the attrib"tes he borro&ed, his maleness &ill be /or/eited$ .nstead o/ +oming nearer to re+ogni6ed s"!eriority, he &ill be !roved to la+9 &hat he sho"ld have, and his in/eriority &ill be irrevo+ably established$ ./ anything, this &ill !ers"ade him not to resha!e his style o/ li/e in the &ay +onsidered and !rovisionally ado!ted in order to ans&er the reB"irements o/ realityS We shall no& see the ,&ay o"t, he !rovides /or himsel/$ .n his adversity, )ntonio sends his /riend 2assanio a letter in &hi+h he tells him that all has gone &rong and that he 42assanio7 shall have to die be+a"se the bond is /or/eit, b"t that he ardently desires to see him be/ore he dies$ .t is the most s"btle method imaginable to +om!el his /riend to leave ,2elmont$, 8ortia 4o/ +o"rse7 does not obOe+t to 2assanio0s Oo"rney=

Portia:

Mirst go /ith e to church and call e /ife+ 4nd then a/ay to 'enice to your friendS Mor never shall you lie ,y Portia!s side With an un)uiet soul& 0ou shall have gold To pay the petty de,t t/enty ti es over:

GL

When it is paid+ ,ring your true friend along& 34ct 111+ Scene U7
GJ .n other &ords, the sooner 2assanio marries, the sooner he shall have !lenty o/ &hat )ntonio la+9s$ 8ortia, &ho is immediately ready to hel!, is by no means overa&ed by 2assanio and s!ea9s o/ !aying the ,!etty debt$, Verily, many serio"s things in the World o/ >an are tri/les in the World o/ WomanS %he is en+o"raged in her &illingness to assist )ntonio by Loren6o0s eloB"ent !raise=

JorenVo:

Nut if you 2ne/ to /ho you sho/ this honour+ Oo/ true a gentle an you send relief+ Oo/ dear a lover of y lord your hus,and+ 1 2no/ you /ould ,e prouder of the /or2 Than custo ary ,ounty can enforce you& 34ct 111+ Scene :7

)nd greatly in the interest o/ )ntonio, 8ortia ans&ers=

Portia:

1 never did repent for doing good+ >or shall not no/: for in co panions That do converse and /aste the ti e together+ Whose souls do ,ear an e)ual yo2e of love+ There ust ,e needs a li2e proportion Lf linea ents+ of anners and of spiritS Which a2es e thin2 that this 4ntonio+ Neing the ,oso lover of y lord+ Eust needs ,e li2e y lord& 1f it ,e so+ Oo/ little is the cost 1 have ,esto/!d 1n purchasing the se ,lance of y soul Mro out the state of hellish isery! 34ct 111+ Scene :7

GG

-hen she ma9es her ingenio"s !lan$ Where men +annot inter/ere &ith their o&n la&s and Woman may not enter, there shall her s!irit !revail in the disg"ise o/ a man=

>erissa: Portia:

Shall they see us? They shall+ >erissaS ,ut in such a ha,it+ That they shall thin2 /e are acco plished R:With that /e lac2& 1!ll hold thee any /ager+ When /e are ,oth accoutred li2e young en+ 1!ll prove the prettier fello/ of the t/o+ 4nd /ear y dagger /ith the ,raver grace+ etc& 34ct 111+ Scene :7

When in the +o"rt s+ene 4)+t .V, %+ene 17 the d"9e tells %hylo+9 that they all ,e<!e+t a gentle ans&er, to his B"estion &hether or not %hylo+9 is !re!ared to +onsider )ntonio0s "nha!!y sit"ation and not to e<a+t the !enalty, &e "nderstand that he m"st ans&er=

Shyloc2:

,y our holy Sa,,ath have 1 s/orn To have the due and forfeit of y ,ond: 1f you deny it+ let the danger light Xpon your charter and your city!s freedo & What if y house ,e trou,led /ith a rat 4nd 1 ,e pleased to give ten thousand ducats To have it ,aned? What+ are you ans/er!d yet? 34ct 1'+ Scene 57

and he !ro+eeds, stating that the reason /or his hatred, li9e that o/ so
many other /eelings, +annot be given be+a"se it is inherent to his nat"re=

Shyloc2:

So can 1 give no reason+ nor 1 /ill not+ Eore than a lodged hate and a certain loathing

G3

1 ,ear 4ntonio+ that 1 follo/ thus 4 losing suit against hi & 4re you ans/er!d? 34ct 1'+ Scene 57
-he s!here o/ an<iety +reated by the Je&0s re/"sal to sho& mer+y betrays the "nderlying !sy+hi+ tension$ -he d"9e, )ntonio, his /riends, and all &ho are !resent are !o&erless, mesmeri6ed by the Je&0s right/"l !ersisten+e$ .t is then that the yo"ng do+tor 2althasar /rom Rome and his +ler9 48ortia and #erissa7 are "shered in$ GL )s soon as the yo"ng do+tor has heard %hylo+9 and )ntonio, 8ortia +on+l"des=

Portia:

Then

ust the .e/ ,e

erciful& 1'+ Scene 17

2"t %hylo+9 re/"ses=

Shyloc2:

Ey deeds upon y head! 1 crave the la/+ The penalty and forfeit of y ,ond& 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

)nd he shall have the la&$ )ltho"gh in reality %hylo+9 has not even the ghost o/ a +han+e, to him it seems that he has almost rea+hed his aim$ )ntonio m"st lay bare his bosom, /or the !o"nd o/ /lesh that is /or/eit is 4in the &ords o/ %hylo+97=

Shyloc2:

<>earest his heart<: those are the very /ords& 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

4#ote the in+onsisten+y o/ /ig"rative lang"age, /or at /irst the !hrase ran= ,.n &hat !art o/ yo"r body !leaseth me, C)+t ., %+ene JD$7 #o& )ntonio, ,that noble mer+hant,, has be+ome mee9 eno"gh to say that it &ere best /or him to die=

4ntonio:

1 a a tainted /ether of the floc2+ Eeetest for death: the /ea2est 2ind of fruit

GE

Brops earliest to the groundS and so let e: 34ct 1'+ Scene :7

2"t this +on/ession o/ in/eriority is &orthless, be+a"se it only serves to state ho& &rong he has been in en+o"raging 2assanio0s enter!rise at his ris9$ -hat he really means this a!!ears /rom his &ords o/ /are&ell to 2assanio=

4ntonio:

Qrieve not that 1 a fallen to this for youS Mor herein Mortune sho/s herself ore 2ind Than is her custo : it is still her use To let the /retched an outlive his /ealth+ To vie/ /ith hollo/ eye and /rin2led ,ro/ 4n age of povertyS Co end e to your honoura,le /ife: Tell her the process of 4ntonio!s endS RRSay ho/ 1 loved you+ spea2 e fair in deathS 4nd+ /hen the tale is told+ ,id her ,e *udge Whether Nassanio had not once a love& ;epent ,ut you that you shall lose your friend+ 4nd he repents not that he pays your de,tS 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

%"+h an end &o"ld !rove his s"!eriorityS 5e &ill have died /or his /riend$ ./ that /riend s"++eeds in +onvin+ing his &i/e that he 42assanio7 on+e G9

had a /riend &ho loved him so m"+h that he &illingly died /or his sa9e, that &i/e shall have to admit that she has not given s"+h a strong !roo/ o/ her love, and the &orld &ill be ind"+ed to &onder &hi+h o/ the t&o loved 2assanio the betterS -his s!ee+h se+"res )ntonio0s tri"m!hP it moves 2assanio to +hange his ,+redo, by sa+ri/i+ing his essential element, the love o/ &omen, and by giving the !re/eren+e to &hat is +alled ,/riendshi!$,

Nassanio:

4ntonio+ 1 a arried to a /ife Which is as dear to e as life itselfS Nut life itself+ y /ife+ and all the /orld+ 4re not /ith e estee !d a,ove thy life: 1 /ould lose all+ ay+ sacrifice the all Oere to this devil+ to deliver you& 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

.t is an absol"te /ail"re on the !art o/ 2assanio$ >ost deliberately he "ndoes everything by o//ering his ,li/e,4S7, his &i/e, and all the &orld to %hylo+9S Verily, even Jessi+a sho"ld have gone ba+9 to the Je&S Mratiano, as a &orthy !arallel +hara+ter, sho&s a similar &illingness=

Qratiano:

1 have a /ife+ /ho + 1 protest+ 1 love: 1 /ould she /ere in heaven+ so she could 9ntreat so e po/er to change this currish .e/& These ,e the Christian hus,ands& [!] [>otation in ,rac2ets is Yaiser!s&] 34ct 1'+ Scene 57

Shyloc2:

G3 -hen 8ortia !"ts /or&ard a !re+ise des+ri!tion o/ &hat the +o"rt a&ards= a !o"nd o/ /lesh, b"t no blood, and i/ %hylo+9 ta9es more or less

than a !o"nd, be the di//eren+e ever so little, he shall die and his goods shall be +on/is+ated$ .n other &ords, no& all at on+e %hylo+90s +laim, altho"gh O"st, !roves to be "nreali6able$ When th"s the adversity o/ ,the 1hristians, has +ome to an end, it is remar9able to see ho& their la&s 4the la&s o/ Veni+e7 ordain=

Portia:

1f it ,e prov!d against an alien That ,y direct or indirect atte pts Oe see2 the life of any citiVen+ The party !gainst the /hich he doth contrive Shall seiVe one half his goodsS the other half Co es to the privy coffer of the stateS 4nd the offender!s life lies in the ercy Lf the du2e only+ !gainst all other voice& [italics Yaiser!s] 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

-he di//eren+es among the 1hristians0 interests having disa!!eared, they are all o/ one s!irit, the )ntonioFs!irit$ -here/ore, %hylo+9 is not !"t to death=

Bu2e:

That thou shalt see the difference of our spirits+ 1 pardon thee thy life ,efore thou as2 it: Mor half thy /ealth+ it is 4ntonio!sS The other half co es to the general state+ Which humbleness ay drive unto a fine& [italics Yaiser!s] 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

2"t %hylo+9 remains tr"e to his nat"re=

Shyloc2:

>ay+ ta2e y life and allS pardon not that: 0ou ta2e y house /hen you do ta2e the prop That doth sustain y houseS you ta2e y life

31

When you do ta2e the /here,y 1 live&

eans

34ct 1'+ Scene 17

GE )nd then at the reB"est o/ )ntonio, the d"9e +hanges the !enalty, meaning that all the Je&0s money goes event"ally to Loren6o and %hylo+9 be+omes a 1hristian, and, i/ he re/"ses, he &ill be !"t to death$ Either &ay, it amo"nts to the same thing= by be+oming a 1hristian, he ado!ts )ntonio0s +reed$ -he old antagonist is "tterly de/eated$ .nstead o/ being sa+ri/i+ed, as at /irst seemed the "navoidable +onseB"en+e o/ the +om!li+ate a+tion in &hi+h he &illingly got involved, )ntonio has tri"m!hed by the very essen+e o/ his nat"re$ 5is e<+ellen+e has been !"t to the test$ ) ne& idealFsel/ has been +onditionally +reated, endo&ed &ith the elements not in+l"ded in )ntonio0s reali6ation o/ li/e$ -o +onvin+e himsel/ and his a"dien+e o/ his good &ill, the dramatist has !resented this ne& ideal as the intimate /riend o/ his !resent sel/$ -he latter has nat"rally been in danger o/ death by the ,/ort"nate enter!rise, o/ the ne& ideal$ -he )"thorF)ntonio identi/i+ation in/l"en+es the develo!ment o/ the drama so as to be+ome a +on/irmation o/ )ntonio0s e<+ellen+e, a !roo/ o/ the desirability o/ +ontin"ing that vie& o/ li/e$ -he ne& ideal0s a!!re+iation o/ the old one is so strong that it +ontains the a//e+tion, !ro!er to the old ideal, and it is /o"nd ready to sa+ri/i+e its essen+e$ -hereby it be+omes a mere d"!li+ate o/ the old ideal, e<+e!t in o"t&ard a!!earan+es$ 2assanio0s sa+ri/i+e o/ his essen+e 4his li/e7 and his &i/e is symboli+ally +on/irmed in 2assanio0s giving 8ortia0s ring to the yo"ng do+tor &hen entreated by )ntonio to do so=

4ntonio:

Ey lord Nassanio+ let hi have the ring: Jet his deservings and y love /ithal Ne valued !gainst your /ife!s co and ent& 34ct 1'+ Scene 17

-his leads "s to ,the ring !roblem,, the ada!tation o/ real li/e to the !re/eren+e o/ the )ntonioFattit"de= 32

Portia:

3to Antonio7 Qive e your gloves+ 1!ll /ear the for your sa2eS 3to Bassanio7 4nd+ for your love+ 1!ll ta2e this ring fro you: 34ct 1'+ Scene 57 3aside to Nerissa7 We shall have old s/earing That they did give the rings a/ay to enS Nut /e!ll outface the + and outs/ear the too& 34ct 1'+ Scene T7

Portia:

2assanio shrin9s /rom giving that ring, remembering 8ortia0s &ords= ,Whi+h &hen yo" !art /rom, lose, or give a&ay, let it !resage the r"in o/ yo"r love,U, 4)+t ..., %+ene 27$ 2"t )ntonio !revails, as he !revailed be/ore$ 1ontrary to the symboli+ val"e o/ 2assanio0s 9ee!sa9e, )ntonio0s gi/t, his gloves, is merely that in &hi+h he appears to the &orld, not his essen+e$ -hese gi/ts not only symboli6e the sa+ri/i+e o/ the marriage, b"t they also ni+ely e<!ress the re!la+ement o/ the &i/e by the !o&er/"l yo"ng la&yer, the &ise, strong, and amiable yo"ng man$ .t is 8ortia &ho obtains this gi/t$ 1ertainly$ 2"t she gets it on the +ondition that she +an !lay the !art o/ the /ine yo"th$ Li9e Jessi+aS -hey &ho are li9e )ntonio do not tolerate &omen "nless they be+ome men$ -he +on+l"sive meeting o/ the +hara+ters and the sol"tion o/ the ring !roblem are introd"+ed by +om!aring the +ir+"mstan+es 4a moonlight night7 to similar nights and re+olle+ting &hat ha!!ened, or is said to have ha!!ened, in s"+h nights 4)+t V, %+ene 17$ Fo"r mythologi+al events are th"s remembered &ith the introd"+tory &ords ,in s"+h a night, 4Loren6o7$ 3J

-he series is 3 +ontin"ed &ith three &aggish remar9s o/ Loren6o and Jessi+a, ea+h again introd"+ed &ith ,in s"+h a night$, -he meaning thereby be+omes "nmista9able= it is s"ggested that similar events ta9e !la+e "nder similar +ir+"mstan+es and &e have to e<!e+t that &hat is going to ha!!en stands in some relation to the events mentioned in those mythologi+al /ragments$ What is remar9able in these /ragments is that they all re/er to love stories &ith "nha!!y endings= 1ressida &as sent a&ay in e<+hange /or )ntenor and deserted -roil"s /or the Mree9 DiomedesP 8yram"s and -hisbe +ommitted s"i+ideP Dido stabbed hersel/ &hen )eneas deserted herP Jason deserted >edea, &ho sent her rival a !oisoned robe and 9illed her o&n +hildren by Jason$1E .nstead o/ /orming a s"itable !rel"de to a ha!!y +on+l"sion, these /ragments hint at /ail"re, b"t the !oeti+al +harm yields s"//i+ient satis/a+tion to ma9e "s !leasantly eager to 9no& &hat &ill ha!!en no&$ While the /irst messenger arrives to anno"n+e that those &ho &ere absent are ret"rning, Loren6o e<!resses the essential desire@the desire /or harmony@that is a+tive here$

JorenVo:

Oere /ill /e sit and let the sounds of usic Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night Neco e the touches of s/eet har ony& Sit+ .essica& Joo2 ho/ the floor of heaven 1s thic2 inlaid /ith patines of ,right gold: There!s not the s allest or, /hich thou ,ehold!st Nut in his otion li2e an angel sings+ Still )uiring to the young(eyed cheru,insS Such har ony is in i ortal soulsS Nut /hilst this uddy vesture of

1E

roilus and !residda+ tragedy ,y Sha2espeareS the others are all references to Qree2 ythology& 3K

decay Both grossly close it in+ /e cannot hear it& 34ct '+ Scene 57
-here has been sadness and s"//ering, animosity and stri/e, and no&, in the +on+l"sion, the drama has to /"l/ill its vo+ation, the +reation o/ a satis/a+tory 31+om!romise that shall !ass as a sol"tion and is to restore the dramatist0s !sy+hi+ harmony$ >"si+ is ordered to +reate a s!here o/ harmony, and !oetry e<!lains the harmony that governs the "niverse, harmony that is in ,immortal so"ls,, altho"gh !oor mortals o/ten /ail to reali6e it$ D"ring the +risis in the third a+t, &e /o"nd the most deliberate disharmony bet&een reasoning and desire, originating in the initial &illingness to meet the reB"irements o/ reality &itho"t reali6ing the nat"re o/ the !rin+i!les that &ere the +a"se o/ the ,distan+e, /rom reality$ -h"s instead o/ +riti+i6ing and reOe+ting these !rin+i!les, the !sy+he enabled them to e<ert their /"ll in/l"en+e, &hile only the a+tions in &hi+h they res"lt &ere +o"ntera+ted$ .t is di//erent no&$ -he old attit"de has !revailed$ -he ne& !ersonality does not essentially di//er /rom the old one$ :et in a!!earan+es it has maintained something o/ 2assanio0s nat"re$ Fa+ts remind it o/ its !ast$ )nd /a+ts have to be /a+ed$ *n+e they have been a++ommodated to the )ntonioFattit"de, they &ill be+ome ,harmless,, li9e the 2assanioF+hara+ter itsel/$ %"+h is the !sy+hi+ val"e o/ the meeting at 2elmont$ .t is the tas9 o/ ada!tation, &hi+h the /i/th a+t reg"larly /"l/ills$ -he !raise o/ m"si+ as the mani/estation o/ harmony, &hi+h is in immortal so"ls, leads to the +on+l"sion that=

JorenVo:

The an that hath no usic in hi self+ >or is not oved /ith concord of s/eet sounds+ 1s fit for treasons+ stratage s and spoilsS The otions of his spirit are dull as night

3L

4nd his affections dar2 as 9re,us: Jet no such an ,e trusted& 34ct '+ Scene 57
.t s"ggests that the man &ho is /ond o/ m"si+ +an be tr"sted to have harmonio"s@,bright,@a//e+tions$ CT 8ortia0s &ordsU

So doth the greater glory di the less: 4 su,stitute shines ,rightly as a 2ing Xntil a 2ing ,e ,y+ and then his state 9 pties itself+ as doth an inland ,roo2 1nto the ain of /aters& 34ct '+ Scene 57 &ith regard to her +andle and the moon, and her enth"siasm /or the
distant m"si+ in the night, ma9e her +on+l"de=

>othing is good+ 1 see+ /ithout respect:

and=

Oo/ any things ,y season season!d are To their right praise and true perfection! 34ct '+ Scene 57
.t is obvio"s that an atmos!here is +reated in &hi+h an e<traordinary +on+l"sion &ill a!!ear B"ite ordinary and nat"ral$ D"ring a night, &hi+h is almost a day, i$e$, at a time &hen all things seem to be &hat they are not, and, &ith the ass"ran+es that ,nothing is good &itho"t res!e+t, and ,many things by season season0d are to their right !raise and tr"e !er/e+tion,, the +om!romise +ontained in the last s+ene o/ the drama has the greatest +han+e o/ seeming &hat it is not= a++e!tableP o/ being ta9en /or &hat it is not 4a sol"tionS7$ 3G

-hen 2assanio, )ntonio, and Mratiano arrive$

Portia: Nassanio:

0ou are /elco e ho e+

y lord& y

1 than2 you ada & Qive /elco e to friend& This is the an+ this is 4ntonio+ To /ho 1 a so infinitely ,ound&

Portia:

Sir+ you are very /elco e to our house: 1t ust appear in other /ays than /ords+ 34ct '+ Scene 57

3J )nd immediately there"!on, the im!ossibility o/ Mratiano and 2assanio0s d"al !arts be+omes a!!arent$ 2"t the attention is /o+"sed on 2assanio and Mratiano and their short+omings as !ro!er to them, not on )ntonio0s tri"m!h$ )nd )ntonio0s &ords

4ntonio:

1 a the unhappy su,*ect of these )uarrels& 34ct '+ Scene 57

are not ta9en as the bare tr"th$

.t t"rns o"t that Mratiano has given his ring to the +ler9 %ecause 2assanio gave his to the yo"ng la&yer$ -hat both 8ortia and #erissa de+lare that they &ill not be the &ives o/ 2assanio and Mratiano "ntil they see the rings ba+9 is B"ite +lear$ %!e+ial stress is laid on the val"e o/ 8ortia0s ring as &ell as on the &orthiness o/ him for #hose sake it &as given and to #hom it &as given$ .n /a+t, the /ollo&ing lines +ome near to being a !lain statement o/ the sit"ation=

Nassanio:

S/eet Portia+ 1f you did 2no/ to /ho 1 gave the ring+ 1f you did 2no/ for /ho 1 gave the ring 4nd /ould conceive for /hat 1 gave the ring 4nd ho/ un/illingly 1 left the ring+ When nought /ould ,e accepted

33

,ut the ring+ 0ou /ould a,ate the strength of your displeasure& Portia: 1f you had 2no/n the virtue of the ring+ Lr half her /orthiness that gave the ring+ Lr your o/n honour to contain the ring+ 0ou /ould not then have parted /ith the ring& 34ct '+ Scene 57
)nd 2assanio stands ashamed, li9e the man &ho said that he &as the "nha!!y s"bOe+t o/ the B"arrel$ For s"rely it is im!ortant to &hom the ring &as sa+ri/i+ed, and for &hom$ -he !re/eren+e o/ the /riend has been sho&n both in the /a+t that the rings &ere given to men and in the /a+t that they &ere given /or the sa9e o/ a man$ 2"t are they men &ho got the ringsW 5as the &i/e really 3Kbeen sa+ri/i+ed /or the /riendW 2assanio is !re!ared to s&ear by his ,do"ble sel/, that he &ill be tr"e to 8ortia$ -his, as &e "nderstand, means a /alse +on/irmation o/ his being and !res"!!oses 4as in the beginning o/ the !lay7 )ntonio0s eB"ally /alse &illingness to ,be bo"nd, /or him$ )nd indeed this is &hat &e see=

4ntonio:

1 dare ,e ,ound again+ Ey soul upon the forfeit+ that your lord Will never ore ,rea2 faith advisedly& Oere+ Jord NassanioS s/ear to 2eep this ring& Ny heaven+ it is the sa e 1 gave the doctor! 34ct '+ Scene 57

)nd via +ntonio, the ring ret"rns to 2assanio=

4ntonio: Nassanio:

3E

)nd then #erissa0s &ords, ,)y, i/ a &oman live to be a man,, are "nderstood$ 8ortia &as the do+tor, #erissa his +ler9$ Woman, altho"gh she at /irst a!!ears as a /atal !artner, bringing one into the !o&er o/ the dangero"s rival, a !artner +hosen &hen +hoosing &hat is a!!arently ,&orst,, is tolerated, seeing that she does not demand the sa+ri/i+e o/ the /riend and that she hersel/ +an be a /riend$ .n other &ords, )ntonio need not /ear that he m"st either /all short o/ s"!eriority by e<+l"ding Woman or !lay his sad !art in the &orld and give "! his +herished attit"de$ ) ne& !ossibility has been /o"nd= that o/ the h"sband &ho o!enly sa+ri/i+es his &i/e /or the sa9e o/ his /riend and yet s"++eeds in giving her &hat is d"e her$ -hen dissatis/a+tion, sadness, disharmony, and str"ggle +ome to an end$ )ntonio and 2assanio are no longer reali6ed as alternativesP they merge into one idealFsel/$ )ntonio is &el+ome in the World o/ Woman, 3Ltho"gh he remains &hat he is$ -h"s his &ealth is restored=

Portia:

4ntonio+ you are /elco eS 4nd 1 have ,etter ne/s in store for you Than you e"pect: unseal this letter soonS There you shall find three of your argosies 4re richly co e to har,our suddenly: S/eet doctor+ you shall ,e y ,edfello/: When 1 a a,sent+ then lie /ith /ife& Mro the rich .e/+ a special deed of gift+ 4fter his death+ of all he dies possess!d of&

Remar9able are 2assanio0s !arado<i+al &ords=

Nassanio:

)s a &orthy !arallel +hara+ter, Loren6o gets 4#erissa s!ea9ing7U

>erissa:

-hat &onder/"l night is almost !ast= 39

Qratiano:

Nut /ere the day co e+ 1 should /ish it dar2+ That 1 /ere couching /ith the doctor!s cler2& Well+ /hile 1 live 1!ll fear no other thing So sore as 2eeping safe >erissa!s ring& [9"eunt] 34ct '+ Scene 57

With these &ords the drama ends$ Why sho"ld it go on, no& that the !roblem has been solvedW Where shall they go, these g"ests o/ 2elmontW 2assanio remains the h"sband, )ntonio the mer+hant o/ Veni+e, Mratiano the s&aggerer, Loren6o the roving !oet$ -hey are no&here, they are every&hereS -he mer+hant &ill be in the big +ity, in Veni+e, in the &orldP the h"sband &ill be at home, at 2elmont, &here his &i/e is$ -he "nion o/ these +hara+ters &ill mean the re+onstr"+tion o/ the a"thor0s m"lti!le !ersonality$ .t &ill serve divers !"r!oses$ Li9e 8a"l o/ -ars"s, he says= ,. am made all things to all men, and, li9e 8a"l, believes that it is so$ 5ere &e have a momentary !ortrait o/ William %ha9es!eare$ .t is generally a++e!ted that the !lay &as &ritten in 3G1L9L;1L9G$ ./ this is +orre+t, the !ortrait bears the ins+ri!tion= ,)et= J1$, .t &as !ainted "n+ons+io"sly and, at the same time, &as embodied in and +on+ealed by the te<t o/ the !lay, &hi+h the artist +om!osed /rom e<isting stories$ .nso/ar as . have s"++eeded in revealing the hidden /eat"res o/ this !ortrait, the /oregoing !ages sho& a man o/ a gentle, genero"s, and !oeti+ nat"re, living e<tremely isolated, in a large +ity$ -he /riends &ho save him /rom "tter loneliness are mere shado&s, &ith the e<+e!tion o/ one, &hose +on/idant he is$ 5e is e<tremely ambitio"s$ .n /a+t, his isolation is the s!here in &hi+h he /led to es+a!e the /ear o/ /ail"re and to a+B"ire a"thority, i$e$, re+ogni6ed s"!eriority$ 5e is a man &ho ignores the tr"e val"e o/ Woman, rel"+tantly admitting that she may be +hosen as a !artner in li/e, seeing in her the least attra+tive +hoi+e$ Friendshi!, ho&ever, is all and everything to him$ 8arting /rom his /riend means dee! sorro&=

Salarino:

4nd even there+ his eye ,eing ,ig /ith tears+

Turning his face+ he put his hand ,ehind hi + 4nd /ith affection /ondrous sensi,le Oe /rung Nassanio!s handS and so they parted& 34ct 11+ Scene D7
-here shall be misery and danger o/ death /or him &hen he shall try to &in the love o/ a &oman$ .t &ill !"t an end to the /rail ha!!iness o/ /riendshi!, &hi+h +ro&ned his e//orts to gain 4/i+titio"s7 s"!eriority$ -he !ilgrimage to Woman &ill serio"sly threaten the +ontin"an+e o/ his !resent attit"de to&ards li/e$ 2"t he /inds a &ay o"t o/ this di//i+"lty= he may ind"+e Woman to a!!ear as a /riend$ .t is tr"e that this !re/eren+e o/ /riendshi!, o!enly demonstrated, &ill entitle Woman ,to e<+laim, 48ortia, )+t ..., %+ene 27 on her h"sband$ 2"t they &ill !rove that, sin+e she +an a!!ear as a /riend, she &ill be able to get &hat /riendshi! besto&s 4the ring7$ )nd the +on+l"sion is that the triad@/riend, h"sband, and &i/e@&ill not ne+essarily mean /ail"re and misery$ -he +orres!onden+e bet&een the !sy+hi+ tenden+ies 33dis+losed in this !lay and the histori+al data +on+erning %ha9es!eare is evident$ .n /a+t, those &ho do not &ill/"lly +lose their eyes to the in/ormation that the sonnets o/ %ha9es!eare yield &ill not re/"se to +onsider the val"e o/ this inter!retation$ 2"t those &ho !re/er to sha!e their +on+e!tion o/ the man %ha9es!eare a++ording to their taste and !reO"di+e, and +onseB"ently are &ill/"lly blind to the gen"ineness o/ the /eelings revealed in the sonnets, &ill also sho& the ,+o"rage, to resent the ideas e<!ressed in this st"dy and the light they thro& on the individ"ality o/ the !oet$ 41om!are 2ernard %ha&0s Preface to the /ark 4ady of the Sonnets and Emil L"d&ig0s essay on %ha9es!eare in his boo9 9enie und Charakter$7 ) series o/ inter!retations o/ %ha9es!eare0s dramas along the lines o/ the theory given here &ill go /ar to dis!ose o/ the arbitrariness in literary +riti+ism$ -he End

E1

E2

Bi#"iography 1$ Dr$ )l/red )dler, Pra6is und Theorie der Individual: psychologieP J$ F$ 2ergmann, >Xn+hen, 1923$ Dr$ )l/red )dler, >ens+hen9enntnisP %$ 5ir6el, Lei!6ig, 192E$ Ed&ard Do&den, LL$D$, Shakespeare$ + Critical Study of *is ind and +rtP Kegan, 8a"l, -ren+h, -r"bner ' 1o, London$ Ri+hard M$ >o"lton, Shakespeare as a /ramatic +rtistP 1larendon 8ress, *</ord, 19 G$ Emil L"d&ig, 9enie und CharakterP Ernst Ro&ohlt Verlag, 2erlin, 1923$

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