BERNARD SHAW AS MOLIERE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 22 August 1908, Page 12

BERNARD SHAW AS MOLIERE.

"Mr. Bornard Shaw is a-new SJoliore," writes. Augustin Hamon in the "Nineteenth Century" in an article, entitled "Un Nouvoau Molierc," which gives a French idea of the dramatist. " " Although Shaw writes in English, : his constitution of mind is veTy different from that of the Englishman, sinco he is an Irishman. In this difference may 110 doubt be found one of the causes of his incomprehensibility to his compatriots.- Bernard Shaw is an Irishman, and therefore ouo feels no astonishment iii noting his intellectual relationship to Swift,' Storno, Sheridan, and Goldsmith. Like them, he is refined and vulgar, subtle'and. trivial,'witty, original and sublimo. I hava no doubt whatever that, in French, Bornard Shaw's drama is dostined to achieve brilliant success, because it is not national but human drama. His comedies arc not an imago of Euglish society, but an image of contemporary human society. There are, of course, a few traits relating to habits and ways peculiar to tho English, but they are so general that all cultured peoplo in the world know them and aro interested in them. Franco will Love Shaw. '' France, the country which gave tho world Moliere and Beaumarcliais, will necessarily love Shaw, their intellectual son. The Frenchman, whilst laughing a.nd ' se dilatant la rate,' to uso the Rabelaisian expression, will understand tho bitterness and the justice of tho criticism with which Bernard Shaw lashes society. To sum up in one word,, tho dramatic woric of Bernard Shaw is moro French than English, although it was written in tho English language. " To secure success for plays of this character m England it was needful to possess tho tenacity, the audacity, and, let us sav tho word, the cheek of Bornard Shaw. There wore so many bonds to bo broken!—cant, religious scruples, etc. In Franco, liono of theso trammels exist. It is only required to overcomo tho inertia of tho directors of theatres, oconomio competition, and the benumbing misoneism of tho playgoers. Tho extreme clearness of the drama of Bornard Shaw will ondear him to French minds, which aro imbued by nature with a predilection for clearness of thought to us Frenchmen, this is tho great point of superiority'of this drama ovor that of the Scandinavians and the Ger•mans, which is always somewhat misty, somewhat confined owing to tho. very naturo of the country, in which it moyos. I'ranco ia tlio

boulevard of nations, the point of confluence wllero mingle the social rivers of all nationalities, and by this vory fact it comprehends in a greater degrco the general human elements which abou;id in our author's drama. "The influence of Moliero has been considerable 011 authors of all countries, and there seems littlo doubt that Bornnrd Shaw will likewise have a considerable iniluence on futuro French, and other dramatists. The renovation of tlio dramatic art, tlio dawn of which we thought wo saw in the years 188994, has led to such meagre results that they may almost bo passed over. It seems to me that Bernard Shaw will bo the initiator of this renovation, when his drama becomes known in Franco. In England, as wo have seen, his • possible disciples are under too, many trammels to allow them to conquer and forco themselves on tho public. Shaw Infiuenco in Franco. "The German and Scandinavian minds from certain points of view are too greatly differentiated from Shaw to admit of finding those who will follow in his footsteps and continue his methods. Spain groans under tho terrible rulo , imposed by religion and prevents any expansion of tho indiyidual beyond traditions. One must live in a free country to produce a work of beauty and thought. Russia is exhausting her powers in her revolutions, and lives in a state of nervousness which renders her incapable of producing men of sufficiently healthy intellect to create a new drama. Italy, with its traditions and its addiction to the pathotic and the redundant, appears too remote from the timo when it will bo able to givo birth to dramatists, disciples of Shaw. In my mind, everything suggests that Bernard Shaw's drama will call forth inany_ disciples in France and Belgium as soon as it is known, being so closely akin to the French mind in the nature of its technique and its substanco."