CONTENTS

PAGE
[Preface]vii

[I]

Shakespeare and the Modern Stage

[I.]The Perils of the Spectacular Method of Production[1]
[II.]The Need for Simplifying Scenic Appliances[4]
[III.]Consequences of Simplification. The Attitude of the Shakespearean Student[7]
[IV.]The Pecuniary Experiences of Charles Kean and Sir Henry Irving[9]
[V.]The Experiment of Samuel Phelps[11]
[VI.]The Rightful Supremacy of the Actor[12]
[VII.]The Example of the French and German Stage[16]
[VIII.]Shakespeare's Reliance on the "Imaginary Forces" of the Audience[18]
[IX.]The Patriotic Argument for the Production of Shakespeare's Plays constantly and in their variety on the English Stage[23]

[II]

Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Playgoer

[I.]An Imaginary Discovery of Shakespeare's Journal[25]
[II.]Shakespeare in the rôle of the Ghost on the First Production of Hamlet in 1602[27]
[III.]Shakespeare's Popularity in the Elizabethan Theatre[29]
[IV.]At Court in 1594[31]
[V.]The Theatre an Innovation in Elizabethan England[36]
[VI.]Elizabethan Methods of Production[38]
[VII.]The Contrast between the Elizabethan and the Modern Methods[43]
[VIII.]The Fitness of the Audience an Essential Element in the Success of Shakespeare on the Stage[46]

[III]

Shakespeare in Oral Tradition

[I.]The Reception of the News of Shakespeare's Death[49]
[II.]The Evolution in England of Formal Biography[51]
[III.]Oral Tradition concerning Shakespeare in Theatrical Circles[57]
[IV.]The Testimonies of Seventeenth-century Actors[61]
[V.]Sir William D'Avenant's Devotion to Shakespeare's Memory[69]
[VI.]Early Oral Tradition at Stratford-on-Avon[73]
[VII.]Shakespeare's Fame among Seventeenth-century Scholars and Statesmen[78]
[VIII.]
Nicholas Rowe's Place among Shakespeare's Biographers.
The Present State of Knowledge respecting Shakespeare's Life
[79]

[IV]

Pepys and Shakespeare

[I.]Pepys the Microcosm of the Average Playgoer[82]
[II.]The London Theatres of Pepys's Diary[85]
[III.]Pepys's Enthusiasm for the Later Elizabethan Drama[90]
[IV.]Pepys's Criticism of Shakespeare. His Admiration of Betterton in Shakespearean rôles[93]
[V.]The Garbled Versions of Shakespeare on the Stage of the Restoration[102]
[VI.]The Saving Grace of the Restoration Theatre. Betterton's Masterly Interpretation of Shakespeare[109]

[V]

Mr Benson and Shakespearean Drama

[I.]A Return to the Ancient Ways[111]
[II.]
The Advantages of a Constant Change of Programme. The Opportunities offered Actors by
Shakespeare's Minor Characters. John of Gaunt
[113]
[III.]The Benefit of Performing the Play of Hamlet without Abbreviation[116]
[IV.]Mr Benson as a Trainer of Actors. The Succession to Phelps[119]

[VI]

The Municipal Theatre

[I.]The True Aim of the Municipal Theatre[122]
[II.]
Private Theatrical Enterprise and Literary Drama. The Advantages and Disadvantages of the
Actor-Manager System. The Control of the Capitalist
[123]
[III.]Possibilities of the Artistic Improvement of Theatrical Organisation in England[127]
[IV.]Indications of a Demand for a Municipal Theatre[129]
[V.]The Teaching of Foreign Experience. The Example of Vienna[134]
[VI.]The Conditions of Success in England[138]

[VII]

Aspects of Shakespeare's Philosophy

[I.]The Conflicting Attitudes of Bacon and Shakespeare to Formal Philosophy[142]
[II.]Shakespeare's "Natural" Philosophy. Concealment of his Personality in his Plays[148]
[III.]His Lofty Conception of Public Virtue. Frequency of his Denunciation of Royal "Ceremony"[152]
[IV.]The Duty of Obedience to Authority[161]
[V.]The Moral Atmosphere of Shakespearean Drama[164]
[VI.]Shakespeare's Insistence on the Freedom of the Will[166]
[VII.]His Humour and Optimism[169]

[VIII]

Shakespeare and Patriotism

[I.]The Natural Instinct of Patriotism. Dangers of Excess and Defect[170]
[II.]
An Attempt to Co-ordinate Shakespeare's Detached Illustrations of the Working of
Patriotic Sentiment. His Ridicule of Bellicose Ecstasy. Coriolanus illustrates the Danger of Disavowing Patriotism
[172]
[III.]

Criticism of One's Fellow-countrymen Consistent with Patriotism. Shakespeare on the
Political History of England. The Country's Dependence on the Command of the Sea.
The Respect Due to a Nation's Traditions and Experience

[179]
[IV.]Shakespeare's Exposure of Social Foibles and Errors[184]
[V.]Relevance of Shakespeare's Doctrine of Patriotism to Current Affairs[187]

[IX]

A Peril of Shakespearean Research

[I.]An Alleged Meeting of Peele, Ben Jonson, Alleyn, and Shakespeare at "The Globe" in 1600[188]
[II.]The Fabrication by George Steevens in 1763 of a Letter signed "G. Peel"[190]
[III.]
Popular Acceptance of the Forgery. Its Unchallenged Circulation through the Eighteenth,
Nineteenth, and Twentieth Centuries
[194]

[X]

Shakespeare in France

[I.]Amicable Literary Relations between France and England from the Fourteenth to the Present Century[198]
[II.]
M. Jusserand on Shakespeare in France. French Knowledge of English Literature in Shakespeare's day.
Shakespeare in Eighteenth-century France. Eulogies of Victor Hugo and Dumas père
[201]
[III.]French Misapprehensions of Shakespeare's Tragic Conceptions. Causes of the Misunderstanding[206]
[IV.]Charles Nodier's Sympathetic Tribute. The Rarity of his Pensées de Shakespeare, 1801[211]

[XI]

The Commemoration of Shakespeare in London

[I.]Early Proposals for a National Memorial of Shakespeare in London[214]
[II.]The Cenotaph in Westminster Abbey[215]
[III.]The Failure of the Nineteenth-century Schemes[217]
[IV.]The National Memorial at Stratford-on-Avon[219]
[V.]Shakespeare's Association with London[226]
[VI.]The Value of a London Memorial as a Symbol of his Universal Influence[228]
[VII.]The Real Significance of Milton's Warning against a Monumental Commemoration of Shakespeare[230]
[VIII.]The Undesirability of making the Memorial serve Utilitarian Purposes[235]
[IX.]The Present State of the Plastic Art. The Imperative Need of securing a Supreme Work of Sculpture[236]
[Index][245]

[Footnotes]