A Myth of Shakespeare

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Excerpt

The following verse was written, at the suggestion and largely on the plan of Mr. A. C. Ward, of the City Literary Institute, for a Shakespeare festival; the first part for the afternoon performance, the second for the evening. Its purpose therefore is only to provide a momently credible framework for representative scenes and speeches from the Plays. It does not pretend to be an episodical play, after Mr. Drinkwater’s model, and here and there–especially in the scenes relating to the Court–it allows itself a freedom of anachronism which its title may excuse. It contains no thesis of Shakespeare’s life, character, or genius, except that he was a born poet and working dramatist. The scenes included were intended, quite mythically, to represent barely possible incidents in his life, passages read to or by his friends, or performances in his theatre.

It was originally intended that the Myth should be produced upon a double stage, the inner being separated from the outer by curtains which could be withdrawn whenever an actual scene from the Plays was given, its movement occupying either the inner or the whole stage as seemed most suitable. Speeches or scenes supposed to be read aloud (as in the second scene of the first part) might either be so read by the speaker or delivered by one or more actors from the inner stage.

It is clear that the Myth is capable of a good deal of variation. Complete scenes from the Plays might be inserted between or instead of its own scenes–one from the great tragedies, for example, somewhere in the second part; those included here might be dropped in favour of others at the expense of a little ingenuity in altering the verse or providing additions to the Myth. For convenience of reading, the extracts printed have been reduced to their shortest, without any implication that each abridgement is all that it is desirable to give in that particular instance. Each is a matter for the producer to decide with the Plays before him. But the natural interest which the authors (and especially the writer of the verse) feel in their attempt cause them to reserve the dramatic rights; applications for permission to produce the Myth as it stands or to make any alterations should be made to the Publisher.

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Courteous and kind, hear what we do not do;
We are no learnèd wits, to bring to view
The outward Shakespeare, giving you to scan
London, the boards, the equipage, the man
In every point accoutred to the time;
Nor in the limits of a plausible rhyme
To bid yet more interpretations start
Out of the unknown point that was his heart.
This is but fabulous dreaming; take it so.
We tell you nothing that you do not know.
If you mislike it and are wroth therewith,
O think we call it nothing but a myth.
If here a month and there a name's awry,
O ask but if we do it prettily.
We to the imaging of him to-day
Bring nothing worthy to be called a play;
'Tis but a masque done in his honour--sit,
And if you rise too much displeased with it,
Too much offended by the cloudy sense
Wherewith we sully his magnificence,
Think that by so much you are less than he
Who would have ta'en our service generously.
The younger and the older Shakespeares would
Have willed at least to try to find it good;
Now, though excuse shall bid them be at odds,
Must churchfolk be more godlike than their gods?
Sit then and watch; and if you like our scene,
Say no more than Thus Shakespeare might have been.