CHAPTER XI SHAKESPEARE IN HIS PROSPERITY Shakespeare's growing confidence in his own powers is exhibited in the plays written during this time of prosperity. He produced not long before this the two long parts, really making one play, of "Henry IV.," which show a disposition to do away with the long established distinction between a drama all tragedy and one all comedy. "Henry IV." unites both comic and tragic elements, passing at will from one to another, treating both with assured power. Based upon the old play "The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth," a comparison shows Shakespeare transmuting the lead of a dull drama into golden humor, poetry, and pathos. Taking little more than hints from the characters, he has put into each of them life and power. The roistering Prince has become the fascinating Prince Hal to whom the most rigid moralist must grant pardon; Sir John Oldcastle has become the fat Knight Falstaff, one of the few great masterpieces of character-drawing in literature. But these two so predominate that we give to the other personages of the play hardly the attention rightly due them; the troubles of King Henry are forgotten in the pranks of his madcap son and the jests of Sir John. It seems as if Shakespeare, relieved from money anxieties, had been in such a frame of mind that he was more attracted by the humorous opportunities given by the escapades of the wild young slip of royalty than by the pathetic situation of the usurping father. Certainly, of all the amusing figures Shakespeare has created Falstaff has by common consent been considered the greatest. And what a triumph of art it is to win our affection for this truly despicable character! He is made up of characteristics universally despised. He is a liar, a braggart, a frequenter of low taverns. He is a coward and a cheat. He lacks all human sympathy for the poor wretches whom he picks up to be " food for powder." He can lay no claim to any quality worthy of our respect; and yet by his good-fellowship, his wit, his humor of mere speech, he makes himself welcome to us, and we can hardly wonder that Prince Hal loved his company. The Prince himself is less black as Shakespeare painted him than he is in the old play; in fact, the careful reader will see that Shakespeare never lets the reckless young fellow pass the line dividing mischief from crime. The First Part of Henry IV. shows the King busied in affairs of state, while the Prince is devising a practical joke at Falstaff's expense, pretending to join in a robbery and robbing the robbers. Thus we have great affairs brought into sharp contrast with the most frivolous, and Hotspur, the valiant young warrior, is introduced to make the careless idle Prince seem the more blameworthy for his indifference. But when Hotspur's hostility leads him to rebellion, Prince Henry becomes a man, putting away childish things, and makes good his promise to overcome the more punctilious Hotspur. Thus the young Prince regains the King's respect, and begins the glorious career that made him so long a popular idol. As Prince Henry rises, Falstaff falls when brought to the test by great events; and the Second Part carries Prince Henry to the throne, dismissing Falstaff to disgraceful retirement, in a scene of marvelous power and pathos. The warfare of the drama of Henry IV. makes only a background for the bringing out of the figure of the Prince. He is the hero both of the tragedy and the comedy; and one feels that the fortunes of this Harry of England should make one grand trilogy, a great play in three parts, " Henry V." completing the action of the two earlier and finishing the portraiture of him whom, we can not doubt, Shakespeare loved most of his romantic heroes. Even the part of "Richard III." offers no greater scope to the actor's powers, and Richard is more a villain than a hero, and has no lighter moods to win the affection of audiences or readers. Henry V." was written, it is believed, in 1599; for it contains, as the Chorus to Act V., lines referring to the absence of the Earl of Essex in Ireland, and the expedition began and ended in that year. It follows close upon the previous plays, and in its spirit has all the dash and power of the young king. The choruses introducing the acts are so marvelous in their picturesque imaginings that critics have been thankful the lack of scene-setting made this exquisite poetry necessary. We might well barter |