He then in language alike true, impressive, and pathetic, concludes: "Would I had known no more! but she must die, To the ground, and all the world shall mourn her.” These noble words produce evidently the desired impression on the gratified king. At this moment, and indeed during all his reign, Henry seems to have felt little, if any, remorse, or even interest about his former friends and subjects. The noble Buckingham, the learned Wolsey, the virtuous Queen Katharine, all more or less the victims of his relentless and imperious will, seem alike soon banished from his memory. He is now with a new Queen and new confidants, as if beginning his royal life over again, and joyfully replies to Cranmer's eloquence: "O lord Archbishop! Thou hast made me now a man never before This happy child, did I get anything This oracle of comfort has so pleased me." He then seems to anticipate his own future with rather more than justifiable confidence: "That, when I am in heaven, I shall desire To see what this child does, id praise my Maker. I have received much honour by your presence, This day, no man think Has business at his house; for all shall stay: This little one shall make it holiday." These eloquent words to some extent came to pass, "this little one" became the proud Queen of England, and all written in this last scene serms meant to gratify her and her loyal subjects. With this christening of the Princess Elizabeth, Shakespeare ends his magnificent and really instructive Play. No hint is given of the terrible years that follow this beautiful scene. No reader ignorant of history could indeed imagine that the beautiful and honoured young queen, Anne Boleyn, together with many of her friends and relations were to be publicly executed at the pleasure of the vindictive and selfish tyrant who by Heaven's will presided over the fate of so many illustrious English men and English women at this period. Shakespeare leaves this despotic ruler, popular, if not loved, and certainly feared throughout all England, without the least murmur of revolt or even remonstrance against his sole undisputed authority. Probably no English sovereign, perhaps no sovereign in any country, was so thoroughly successful during a most eventful reign, obeyed by so many illustrious subjects and gratifying his capricious feelings and desires, not only with impunity, but with undiminished popularity. His reign in some respects was one of the most interesting as well as the most important in English history. Shakespeare only describes its early and most prosperous years and prudently abstains from alluding to most of the crimes which attended it. The curtain falls on this grand Play with the christening of the princess and the general rejoicing of the court and the nation now completely united. The chief characters seem all, or nearly all, described in a friendly, if not admiring spirit. The friends or relations. of the opposing queens and rival statesmen in this grand Play might read it with almost equal gratification. Henry himself, the terrible arbiter of their destinies in this world, is only described in his best moments, not a word against him is ever uttered, except one brief reproach by Wolsey, which being historical, Shakespeare had no hesitation in recording. 1 "He possessed indeed great vigour of mind, which qualified him for exercising dominion over men, courage, intrepidity, vigilance, inflexibility, and everyone dreaded a contest with a man who was never known to yield or to forgive. It may seem a little extraordinary that notwithstanding his cruelty, his extortion, his violence, his arbitrary administration, this prince not only acquired the regard of his subjects, but never was the object of their hatred. He seems even in some degree to have possessed to the last their love and affection." -Hume's "History," chap. xxxiii. This whole Play was evidently meant to please as well as to interest all loyal English readers. The many grand historical personages are shown as in a living panorama, arousing not only interest but usually admiration in all who read about them. The philosophic poet leaves Henry VIII. his Court and young Queen enjoying a most delightful and pleasing occasion, during one of those rare brief periods indeed of human life when to quote the words of an eminent novelist: "The brief sunshine of the world is blazing full upon them."1 1 Charles Dickens, in ending the "Pickwick Papers." KING LEAR. IN this most powerful and perhaps most pathetic of all Shakespeare's tragedies, he apparently has very little, if any, historical evidence to guide him. He depends almost entirely on his own unequalled mind for the production of this grandest of tragedies. Perhaps no other play shows such amazing contrasts in imaginary characters, yet unlike most of his works the interest of this tragedy depends largely, if not chiefly, on its female personages. It does not seem surely founded on any well-authenticated legend, but merely to rest upon a vague tradition, probably founded on some facts, which could not be altogether verified even in Shakespeare's time. This play in its true nature is well, though perhaps unintentionally, described, by one of our greatest modern English novelists in these expressive words: 1 "Shakespeare derived some of his plots from old tales and legends in general circulation; he brought within the magic circle of his genius, traditions peculiarly adapted for his purpose and turned familiar things into constellations which should enlighten the world for ages." These words of Dickens' young hero probably expressed that writer's own opinion of plays like King Lear, which, having no actual historic foundation owe their lasting charm and permanent value to Shakespeare's genius alone. Unlike Sir Walter Scott who often heads his chapters in the "Waverley Novels " with quotations from Shakespeare, Mr Dickens rarely mentions the poet, which may render the pleasing allusion to him in Nickleby, the more remarkable. Shake 1 "Nicholas Nickleby," ch. xvi. vol. ii. speare, to use Dickens' words, has indeed "enlightened the world for ages," and in King Lear his chief object seems to be to portray the fatal folly of yielding to violent temper or selfish vanity. None perhaps of Shakespeare's plays is in these respects more worthy of earnest study. King Lear himself is the almost despotic sovereign of a great part of England, if not all of it, but of England alone, no mention being made of Scotland or of Wales, and France is evidently both friendly and independent at this fanciful period of remote English history. The play begins with a short interview between the Earls of Kent and of Gloster, two noblemen in Lear's palace, and Gloster's illegitimate son Edmund. The few words that they say are important, considering the future of the play. King Lear has three daughters-Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, but no son, all about to be married, and Kent hears from Gloster that in the approaching marriages Lear's two English sons-in-law, the Dukes of Albany and Cornwall, are equally favoured by him, despite their opposite characters. Albany is a noble and generous man, and Cornwall a relentless tyrant. While these English nobles are about to wed Goneril and Regan, the younger sister Cordelia is proposed for by the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy. The names of these three princesses rather represent or indicate their characters. There is something harsh in the very names of Goneril and Regan, while Cordelia in its melodious sound expresses or indicates comparative amiability. Gloster in reply to Kent, who hoped Albany was more in favour than Cornwall with King Lear, says: "It appears not which of the dukes he, [Lear,] values most; for equalities are so weighed that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety." Then Kent, evidently impressed by young Edmund's handsome appearance, asks : "Is not this your son, my lord?” to which query Gloster rather dubiously replies: "His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. Do you smell a fault ?" ... |