DRAMA OF RELIGION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 270, 16 November 1909, Page 3

DRAMA OF RELIGION.

FALSE GODS OR NO GODS

(N.Z. Times Correspondent.)

LONDON, Oct. 1

One of the most powerful plays seen in London for years is "False Gods," an English translation by Mr Bernard Fagan of M. Brieux's "La Foi."

Ostensibly it is a story of ancient Egypt, but the old-time setting is but an artistic veil which covers a keen and subtle attack on the supernatural element in all religions. It is the story of a modern sceptic in an ancient setting, and only the simpleminded will fail to note its application to the life of to-day. The case for the "false gods" of ancient Egypt is presented so powerfully, and the result of their destruction is painted in such tragic colours, that one finds all sorts of estimable and pious people drawing from this play the moral that it is better to have false goda than no gods. Needless to say, M. Brieux intends no such cynical and dishonest moral. The, real lesson of this deeply interesting drama is contained in the closing words of the last act. A woman bends over the dying sceptic, who has been stabbed by a poor dupe of the priests. "To sacrifice ourselves is an instinct of the human heart," she says, "and if there are no gods, to whom then shall we give ourselves in sacrifice?" And the dying man replies, "To those who suffer." In those words you have the author's motif, the drama's keynote.

OVERTHROWING THE GODS

Satni, the young agnostic, is a priest of Amon.who has returned to Egypt from a two-years' journey in foreign lands with many revolutionary ideas. As the old High Priest grimly observes, "it is dangerous to travel, one learns too much." Satni returns to find his betrothed about to be sacrificed to the gods of the Nile; her vanity at the thought of being chosen out of all the daughters of Egypt is stronger than her love, stionger even than_the fear of death. Hf» pleads with her, and tells her the gods of the Nile are false, and the sacrifice vain. '

But neither the girl nor the people will listen to the reasoning of the eloquent young priest, until a thunderstorm intervenes to stop the sacrifice. Then they all lump to the conclusion that Satni has caused the storm, and that his gods .must be more powerful than theirs. There is a thrilling scene in which young Satni harangues the people on the folly of superstition, -and then deliberately topples the foremost of the sacred images over the balcony. Nothing happens ! He is neither struck blind nor felled to the ground by lightning. The gods are powerless! In a violent reaction the people lay hands upon their'gods and hurl them to the ground. The gods are dead. Satni has triumphed.

HIGH PRIEST'S CHECKMATE

But not for long. The - people promptly worship Satni until he, in his hatred of deception, is able to convince them that he.has no gods and no supernatural poiver. ; Then the wily Chief Priest plays on the young man's feelings. Bringing him a prisoner to the temple,, he shows him the trick, by which the head of the great stone goddess is made to bow- Satni shall himself make the goddess bow, and so convince the people that the gods still live. Of course he refuses, but the High Priest knows his man, and the result justifies his shrewd reasoning. This is what happens.' The sick, the maim, the blind, the leprous—a terrible array of human suffering—r flock to the temple to implore the goddess to have pity on them, and bow her head in token that their sores will be healed and their wrongs redressed. It is a sort of ancient Lourdes—the same blind faith in the healing powers of the unseen, the same pitiful lamentations, the same awful spectacle of misery. Poor Satni's heart is wrung-with pity for the sufferings of these poor deluded fellowrcreatures. He knows they are bowing down to wood and stone, but he realises nW, as never before, what a consolation it would be to them if the goddess inclined her head to their prayers. It will give hope to the hopeless, joy to the joyless. He sees the mockery of such false hopes and joys, but he cannot ressit the appeal that their misery makes to his heart. His resolution gives way. He moves the secret lever. The goddess bows! The gods live again, and the people rejoice.

But Satni has played false to his convictions. He realises that he has plunged the people back into further centuries of superstition and false gods. It was not his pity that they need, but his courage; and he has failed them at the crisis. And the penalty he pays is great. His bride gives hei'self in sacrifice to the gods of the Nile. The High Priest pronounces banishment on Satni, whom the people now revile as a man who attacked their gods and failed. A slave steals up behind and stabs the yoirng agnostic ,and he falls, mortally wounded.

The false gods have triumphed, because pity made Satni weak at the moment when all his courage and all his moral strength were most needed on behalf of the deluded people.