THE BOOKSHELF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22320, 18 January 1936, Page 12 (Supplement)

THE BOOKSHELF

ENGLISH DRAMA A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY The significant feature of Dr. Pollizzi's study of "English Drama" is that it is written by an Italian who, by long residence in England, has thoroughly assimilated tho English character, but has not lost his Latin and Catholic traditions. Thus he is in a position to take a comprehensive and external survey of his subject, while yet being favoured with an intimate scat in the inne'r circle. This qualifies him to hunt both with the hare and with tho hounds—he is ablo to criticise without offence the people among whom lie dwells, and he is able to stand off and let thoso same pcoplg seo how they appear in the eyes of an interested outsider.

"It is really a novel in which the central character, so to speak, is tho English soul," says Dr. Pellizzi himself. He shows how most English drama springs from the great English characteristic of compromise. "There must be a way out," "says the Englishman in times of crisis, and it is when his attempts fail, and he is sorely troubled, that his imagination springs to life, and turns for consolation to drama. Its most fruitful cycles occur during such periods.

Dr. Pellizzi deals with the revolt of the middle classes and its great bearing on modern drama. "Descendants of yesterday's rebels, these new and scattered middle-class aristocracies, live almost exiled in a world they ought to be guiding and ruling; they cannot openly command, having denied the superior necessity of command; and having accepted economics as a cause, rather than an effect of historical events, their continued state of irritation against the economic slavery of our time remains vain and useless, even in the field of art."

After analysing the various ingredients from which English drama has sprung, Dr. Pellizzi gives a lightning survey of the dramatists in the English field, attempting a short description and classification of every dramatist of importance from Shaw, Galsworthy, Barker, ,-to Barrie, Ervine, Maugham, Milne, O'Casey, Van Druten, Coward, and even including such Americans as O'Neill, Wilder and Rice. Both as an interesting study and as a useful handbook of information, "English Drama" will fulfil a useful purpose, "English Drama,' by Camillo Pellizzi. (ilacmillan.) FAITH AND PITY REACTION AGAINST MACHINERY t Mr. Francis Stuart's "The Angel of Pity" is a sincere and thoughtful attempt to turn a superficial and disillusioned age back to the healing virtues of faith* and pity. Two soldiers, one on each side, are left alive and facing each other after a world war of the future has swept across the land, turning it into a barren wilderness. In the shock of surprise and revulsion, they are thrown into an emotional intimacy 'not attainable at normal times. They are led to lay bare their innermost feelings and beliefs to each other, and to put into words a credo, One of them, representative* of a nation of economic efficiency, which has Teduced life to the terms of the Machine, had been caught by the onsweep of war in the company of a member of the women's corps, and for greater safety he had locked her in a redoubt, and there she still was. He had found that she was mad—none of her views had fitted in with the gospel of the Machine, yet they did not greatly differ from tlioise which the other soldier propounds u.s his credo. Gradually the two soldiers find themselves profoundly affected by the influence of this woman, even in love with her memory. They set off to seek her, and when they find her the lllusiou or feeling persists. She is a woman wh'o has suffered, a woman of boundless compassion, who becomes hallowed the sacredness of a female Christ. Her death and defamation at the hands and feet of the returning soldiery is a counterpart of the Cross. Her suffering and infinite pity touch with beauty all who como in contact with it, and her sacrifice lives on after her. It is, of course, an allegory, and the allegory is a literary form which should never be used Qxcept to reach the minds of young and old children. 'Io p<;ople of intelligence it is better to say things hard and straight. Grown-up allegories are the sign of a befuddled mind, a mind not.'yet made up, which sees its visions vague' and illusionar.v. Mr. Stuart considers that pity is the gift the world most needs, which sounds like sentimental and pessimistic nonsense. The significant note about the book is that it marks one of the first signs of reaction against economic efficiency and the worship of the Machine. "The Angel of Pity." by Francis Stuart. .(Grayson.) STORY FROM NEW ANGLE ENTERTAINING EXTRAVAGANZA "Tortilla Flat," by John Steinbeck,' has a spontaneity and sophistication that holds the attention. Hero at last is a story told from a new angle, a story, moreover, that is really entertaining. It is the story of Danny and his friends. It has for some time been the fashion to sentimentalise over hobos and gaolbirds, and in this. Mr. Steinbeck follows the fashion, but Danny's like has never graced the pages of a book before. There is nothing of the supertramp about him, nor is there much of misery in his experiences. Ho is throughout a figure of Mr. Steinbeck's delightful imagination. He presents a group of some halfdozen men—the riff-raff of the town; men who live gloriously and spend in drink every penny they can come by; men who strain their brains and imagination to breaking point in order to devise some scheme to acquire cash without working for it; riff-raff, but still men,' and from the rich and varied stuff of their natures this author devises a tale that makes excellent entertainment. Danny, when his fortunes were at their lowest ebb, had a couple of cottages left to him. He took possession, and his friends, the rascals of the town, joined him. They lived merrily enough, and if they wero a menace to the neighbourhood, among themselves they observed a very str>ct code. There was honour among the thieves. In a communistic spirit they shared everything and were glorious in their Gargantuan wine drinking. They had a very merry time, and Mr. Steinbeck shares it all iwith the reader—a very merry time indeed. , "Tortilla Flat." by John Steinbeck. (Heine- ' .Cnann.)