Dramatic Technique Part 52

_A._ It may not be right to say so, but his decision seems to have been taken because of his jealousy.

_B._ Yes, that is true. I wonder why he has commanded us to prepare only one cross.

_A._ Perhaps it is his plan to save one of them.

_B._ I don't think that could be done very well.

_A._ But someone said the master told the girl that he would save her life if she would only desert the young man for him.

_B._ That may be so. Perhaps he intends to crucify the young man first in the presence of the girl so as to break her obstinate spirit and thus gain her love.

_A._ That may be so.

_B._ It is said that the young man has already repented of his love for the girl. But she was not at all frightened when the punishment was announced and she was informed that she was to be crucified. The man, on the contrary, at once turned white and almost fainted when he heard the judgment pa.s.sed upon him.

_A._ But a woman is much braver in love affairs than a man.

_B._ You speak as though you had had experience!

_A._ Ha! Ha! Ha!

_B._ Perhaps the master wishes to kill the young man in as cruel a manner as possible.

_A._ Hush! The lord is here! We are now obliged to remain silent and witness a living drama.

_B._ And we have a dreadful task to perform.[1]

Though this omits nothing in the way of necessary information, how colorless it is! When we note how perfectly either A or B could speak the lines of the other, we see where the difficulty lies. The lines lack all characterization. The history of the drama shows that while the facts of a play may be interesting in themselves, they are much more interesting to an audience which hears them as they present themselves to well-defined characters of the story. It is axiomatic that sympathy quickens interest. Take a much better known ill.u.s.tration of the same point. The left-hand column gives the opening lines of the first quarto, _Hamlet_. The right-hand column shows the opening of the second quarto.

_Enter Barnardo and Francisco, _Enter two Centinels_ two Centinels_

_1._ Stand: who is that? _Barnardo._ Whose there?

_2._ Tis I. _Francisco._ [Nay answere me.]

Stand and unfolde your selfe.

_Bar._ Long live the King.

_Fran._ Barnardo.

_Bar._ Hee.

_1._ O you come most carefully upon your watch. _Fran._ You come most carefully upon your houre.

_Bar._ Tis now strooke twelfe, get thee to bed Francisco.

_Fran._ For this relief much thanks, [tis bitter cold,] And I am sick at heart.

_Bar._ Have you had quiet guard?

_Fran._ [Not a mouse stirring.]

_Bar._ Well, good night: _2._ And if you meete Marcellus If you doe meete Horatio and and Horatio, Marcellus, The partners of my watch, bid The rivals of my watch, bid them them make haste. make hast.

_1._ I will: See who goes there.

_Enter Horatio and Marcellus_ _Enter Horatio and Marcellus_

_Fran._ I think I heare them, stand ho, who is there?

_Horatio._ Friends to this _Horatio._ Friends to this ground. ground.

_Marcellus._ And leegemen to _Marcellus._ And leegemen to the the Dane, Dane.

_Fran._ Give you good night.

O farewell honest souldier, who _Mar._ O, farewell honest souldiers, hath relieved you? who hath relieved you?

_1._ Barnardo hath my place, _Fran._ Barnardo hath my give you good night. place; give you good night.

(_Exit Francisco._)[2]

The first of these extracts, without question gives the necessary facts of the changing of the watch. It busies itself only with this absolutely necessary action. The second quarto identifies the speakers, and, by a different phrasing with additional lines, both characterizes them and gives the scene atmosphere. Study the re-phrasings and bracketed additions of the second scene--"Nay answere me," "Tis bitter cold," "Not a mouse stirring"--and note that this dialogue gains over the first in that it interests by what it adds as much as by the essential action.

A second quotation from _Hamlet_ in the two quartos ill.u.s.trates the same point even better. The text in the left-hand column, merely stating the facts necessary to the movement of the scene, leaves to the actor all characterizing of Montano, and gives the player of Corambis only the barest hints. The second quarto text, in the right-hand column, makes Polonius so garrulous that he cannot keep track of his own ideas; shows his pride in his would-be shrewdness; indeed, rounds him out into a real character. It even makes Reynaldo a man who does not yield at once, but a person of honorable instincts who is overborne. Can there be any question which scene holds the attention better?

_Enter Corambis and Montano_ _Enter old Polonius, with his_ _man or two_

_Corambis._ Montano; here, _Polonius._ Give him this money and these letters to my sonne, these notes Reynaldo.

And this same money with my blessing to him, _Reynaldo._ I will my Lord.

And bid him ply his learning good Montano. _Pol._ You shall doe marviles wisely good Reynaldo Before you visite him to make inquire Of his behaviour.

_Montano._ I will my lord. _Rey._ My Lord, I did intend it.

_Cor._ You shall do very well _Pol._ Mary well said, very well Montano, to say thus, said; look you sir, Enquire me first what Danskers are in Parris, And how, and who, what meanes and where they keepe, What companie, at what expence, and finding By this encompasment, and drift of question That they doe know my sonne, come you more neerer Then your particular demands will tuch it, Take you as t'were some distant knowledge of him, I knew the gentleman, or know As thus, I know his father, and his his father friends, To inquire the manner of his And in part him, doe you marke this, life, Reynaldo?

And thus; being amongst his acquaintance, _Rey._ I, very well my Lord.

You may say, you saw him at such a time, marke you mee, _Pol._ And in part him, but you may say, not well, But y'ft be he I meane, hee's very wilde, Adicted so and so, and there put on him What forgeries you please, marry none so ranck As may dishonour him, take heede of that, But sir, such wanton, wild, and usuall slips As are companions noted and most knowne To youth and libertie.

_Rey._ As gaming my Lord.

At game, or drincking, _Pol._ I, or drinking, fencing, swearing, or drabbing, swearing.

You may go so farre. Quarrelling, drabbing, you may go so far.

_Mon._ My Lord, that will impeach his reputation. _Rey._ My Lord, that would dishonour him.

_Cor._ I faith not a whit, no not a whit, _Pol._ Fayth as you may season it in the charge.

You must not put another scandell on him, That he is open to incontinencie.

That's not my meaning, but breath his faults so quently That they may seeme the taints of libertie, The flash and out-breake of a fierie mind, A savagenes in unreclamed blood Of generall a.s.sault.

_Rey._ But my good Lord.