The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1916. SHAKESPEARE AND THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1916, Page 29

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1916. SHAKESPEARE AND THE WAR

SQCORDIN G ;to a generally ' accepted tradikP’ tion Shakespeare was born on the 23rd . of j - April, 1564 and he died on the same, day ■ . of the same: month in 1616, so that we 5? are able on one anniversary to commemorate his birth and. his death. }: Throughout •• % I the English-speaking world Shakespearean t . ... v/- festivals are to be held during the week . following April"• 23/ and. the commemoration, of ■ the ‘ tercentenary , of the poet’s death -is very appropriately , to take a v form: in which the public will be giveni an opportunity to aid the funds of the British t Red i Cross Society,' the National • Committee - for Relief

in Belgium,'; and* the League of { Mercy. The tercen- . tenary falls in a year which witnesses the ! most -colossal and J most awful war history; and it is ; pertinent, and will’ perhaps prove not uninteresting, to inquire whether Shakespeare ' has any' message, either 7 ' for the belligerents, ’or for the world, or for both, in the heartsearching crisis through * ’.which we ! are 1 passing. *-.tQ We think ’he has; and though it i is true 'that -in Shakespeare, as in the Bible, ap e can s be found on which to hang any sort of sermon, we - believe that *it is possible without any undue pressing or straining of the poet’s words to find in them a ; definite o and- clearvisioned pronouncement' r on such a situation as that which faces us to-day. We believe that the Shakespeare message is one of stern insistence on the paramount necessity of a clear; conscience for all concerned in the great undertaking to which the nations have put, their hands—-of benediction and ; blessing 'to those who have, clean ; hands, and of 'heavy and deadliest woe to those -.* whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.’

Let us first, take the Shakespeare: { teaching strictly in relation to the : war, as it is , definitely ] set forth , for ns in the great tragedy of King Richard 111. ’ The scene is laid on Bosworth battlefield. ; There is the tent of Richmond, and here the .tent !of dh© bloodstained Richard. Shakespeare does not look through partisan lense§— is not a professional moralist—is no theologianbut his words are not the less telling on that . account. , v What are. these, forms that rise in the dead midnight , between the two tents ? ,; There are eleven ghosts, here., “ Shakespeare is behind every one of them. , They utter nothing ’ that he does not put into their lips; when . they speak, he speaks; and it is, perhaps,.. a pardonable exaggeration ’ to ’say that, when Shakespeare speaks. Nature speaks : — f;

‘Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow ! : Think how'thou stabb’dst me in my prime of youth . At Tewksbury: despair, therefore, and die!’ So speaks the first ghost at Richard’s tent. ■-.* Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls ’. ; Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf; ;. h ’ ■ King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comfort thee.’ So speaks the same ghost at Richmond’s tent, / When I was mortal, my anointed body ’By thee was punched full of deadly holes: ~. - i • Think on. the Tower and me; despair, and die ; ; Harry the Sixth bids thee.despair and die.’ j, . So speaks the second ghost at Richard’s tent..‘Virtuous. and holy, be , thou conqueror ! ’ || So speaks the .same ghost at Richmond’s tent. ’ ■; t * Let -me sit heavy on - thy soul to-morrow! I I, that was washed to death with fulsome wine,

Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death! To-morrow in the battle think on me,

:!f And fall thy edgeless sword; , despair and die!’ /X j So speaks the third ghost at Richard’s tent. V!: Good angels guard , thy battle! Live and flourish.’ | So speaks the same ghost .at Richmond’s tent. ;!,C 1 ‘ Let us sit heavy on thy ,soul to-morrow.’ ;. i; So speak, the ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, at Richard’s ; tent. ; o. .! ’,!• !■' * Awake! .and think;. our wrongs in ! Richard’s bosom Will conquer . him;: —Awake, and win the day ! ’ f

So speak the same ghosts at Richmond’s- tent. The ghost of Hastings rises. The ghosts s of the two young Princes . rise; ;' • ’• „ ‘Dream on thy cousins smothered 'in the Tower. | Let us be lead, within thy bosom, Richard, LX \ J And Weigh thee down- to; ruin, - shame ‘and death! ,! Thy ; nephews’ souls bid thee despair and die. v! Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace ■ and wake in- joy; * J Edward’s unhappy sons do bid f thee flourish.’- a I i

The .ghost of ; Queen Anne rises: ’ :> ./ ' ! ‘ Richard;! thy wife,' that wretched Anne, thy wife —■ That never slept a quiet hour with thee, > !■ Now fills thy sleep with perturbations: o i. j v To-morrow in the battle think on me.

And fall thy edgeless sword; despair and die I

0 f Thou quiet ; soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep; Dream of success and j happy victory ; '■ v :■> r r Thy adversary’s wife doth pray for thee.’

The ghost of Buckingham rises:

■ The first was" I, that helped thee to the crown ; Oh ! in ! the battle think l on Buckingham, ' ■ j ' * And die in terror of r thy guiltiness tit ' God : and good angels; fight on Richmond’s side, And Richard ■ falls in height of all his pride.’

The - ghosts. vanish. .. Finally, "Richard wakes in his tent: ■ .11*“ \ t :‘ ' . r a ■ ■

‘ O coward conscience how, thou dost afflict me ! , X ’ The lights burn blue.—lt is now dead midnight. ,j Cold fearful drops stand on my. trembling flesh. lam a villain; yet I lie, lam not. -. r ’'- Fool, of r-t self, speak well; fool, ,do not flatter. ” „ My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, . And every’tongue brings in a different tale,- ;V ’• , And every tale convicts me for a villain.-. '; Perjury, perjury in the high’st degree; ’ Murder, stern murder, in the dir’st degree; ' 1 ‘ ! All several sins,' all us’d in each degree, Throng ? to the bar, crying all,—Guilty Guilty ! ' I shall despair’!—There is no creature loves me: -And, if I die, no soul will pity, me— r; .; ; Nay, wherefore ! should they, since that I myself Find in myself no pity to myself? ; Methought, the souls of all that I had murdered, Came to my tent; and every one did threat ’’’’ To-morrow’s vengeance on the head of .Richard !’ , —King ; Richard 111., Act v., Scene 3.

' Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow.’

So speaks Shakespeare; so, the ghosts; so, natural law; so, that great Being Who .is behind natural law.

This is the Shakespeare teaching generally. Take the massive and commanding tones in which he sounds the strength and beauty of a good conscience:

‘ In the great hand of God I stand.'

Why ? Because I am following my conscience in opposing a bloody ; tyrant. ,!

‘ And thence

Against the undivulged pretence I fight Of treasonous malice.’

— Macbeth, Act ii, Scene 3.

Here are the peaceful cheering notes again : ■ 1 What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted ! Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just, And he but naked, though locked up in steel, , Whose conscience with; injustice is corrupted.’ , , — Second Part, King Henry VI., Act iii., Scene 2.

*Be just, and fear not; ' - •; Let all the ends thou aimest at, be thy country’s, Thy God’s,-.and .■ truth’s; . ..then", if thou fall’st, O ; Cromwell, nj : V Thou fall’st a blessed, martyr.’ . x. King Henry VIII., Act iii., Scene 2. ‘ Now, for our consciences, the arms are fair, When the intent of bearing them is just.’ .■ x—King Henry IV

*My wooing mind 1 shall be expressed ■: v-. w; j > .v- ---, In russet Yeas and’ honest 'Kersey Noes.’l 1 J/r —Love’s Labor Lost, Act v., Scene: 2. j ‘ That which you - speak .is in your conscience washed.’ h '■{?■/.' . -—King Henry V., Act i., Scene *2:j

V * What motive may xx,hii p'J . Be stronger with thee than the name ■ of wife? j j That which’ upholdeth him, that thee upholds,;; ■ : His < honor. Oh Kthine honor, ; Lewis; thine honor.’ ■?s£ —-Kina John, Act hi., Scene !. .

. ixit.’jiuv-v .r r - r •-‘-■‘A, Vvi ■ , .i. .. ... l ;,*;A. 1 peace above, all earthly dignities, v« ? . ■ * A still ■ and quiet ‘ conscience;’ < l^'^ns'doiow -' —Henry VUI, t 'Act iii., Scene 2.

. „TT ■'"-v:s^aJ 1 ; .v ■ ,'yj T|7 . . Then we have the contrasted: bf«a ; bad or ...

hesitating or doubting conscience:

‘ First' Murderer. —So when he opens his 1 piirse to give us our reward, thy conscience flies out. ' : : , Second Murderer.— Let ‘it go. : There’s few or none will entertain it. ieaft : ,*s2i-f.si-sjk’i fS'- v.> llk'tQ- k-if-* -

. ‘ First Murderer.—How if.{it come to thee, again ? - ‘ Second Murderer-- —-I’ll not meddle with it. It is a dangerous thing. It makes a man a coward. /A man cannot steal, but it accuseth him; he cannot. swear, but it - checks ' him. i ,’Tis, a blushing,;, shamefaced spirit that mutinies in«a , man’s bosom. - It fills one full of obstacles; it ' made me once restore a purse iof gold that I found; it beggars any man that keeps it; it is turned out of all towns and' cities for a dangerous thing. w>a t r,, ;rib : d 1 First Murderer .—Zounds, it lis even now at ; my elbow.’. ' •- f

-—King Richard. 111., Act i., Scene 4.

‘My conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says, very, wisely to me: “ Budge not.” ‘‘Budge,” says the fiend. _ Budge' not;”'says, my conscience.’ /V'- ■;.> , ■

—Merchant of Venice, j Act ii. Scene *2l

‘I, 1, myself,* sometimes, leaving,the fear of God on the left' hand, and hiding mine honor., in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge, and to lurch.’ ' Merry Wives of Windsor, Act ii., Scene 2.

1 Put up thy sword, traitor, ' . • Who mak’st a 'show, but durst not strike, thy : conscience’i :> - -'i' -y.yijn’-'i

Is so possessed with guilt. Come from thy ward, For I can here disarm thee with this stick, And make thy weapon drop.’ — Tempest, Act i., Scene 2.

‘ O Heaven ! put in every honest hand a whip To lash the rascals naked through the world.’ — Othello, Act iv., Scene 2. ‘ The color of the, king doth come and go Betwixt his purpose and his conscience. Like heralds ’twixt two dreadful battles set. His passion is so ripe it needs must break.’ —King John, Act iv., Scene 2.

‘ The grand conspirator. With clog of conscience and sour 'melancholy, ■>? Hath yielded up his body to the grave. • The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labor. With Cain to wander through the shades of night.’ King Richard 11., Act v.. Scene 4.

r The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul.’ * —King Richard 111,, Act i., Scene 3.

- Is there a Divine voice in conscience ? Shakespeare, at least, has not any doubt. \ ‘Methinks in thee some blessed spirit doth speak His powerful sound within an organ weak. ’ — All’s Well that Ends Well, Act ii.. Scene 2.

'I hold you as a thing ensky’d and sainted; By your renouncement, an immortal spirit; And to be talked with in sincerity, As. with a saint!’

Measure for Measure , Act i., Scene 5

■ ? This, ; then,, is the Shakespeare message: the supremacy of conscience, and the recognition of God in conscience. There is / abundant scope for r these principles in these troublous times, and the application "of them is obvious. ~ It is related that *in Venice there -was .once, a princely merchant whom intemperance had conquered. During one of his wassails with his companions in his own palace, his sons resolved to make a .last effort to - break , their. . father’s chains. Before the company, gathered they wrote in «large lettering acro§s one of the walls of the room in which -the revel , was to take place, using : for .their pencil phosphorus, the mark bf which can be seen only in the dark, the words : ‘Prepare to meet thy ; . God.’ The revel went on; the merchant’s companions late at night 1 lay in the stupor

,kT - •9* ion r beneath r the massy _ mahogany .of .the table, and he himself was asleep, drunk in bis chaifl

Waking towards morning, when-the lights had burned out, his own benumbed, senses aiding the deception, the only, thing visible in ; the room was,. the = letters throbbing jon the. wallopposite him: ‘ Prepare to meet thy: God.’; He was so moved; that, his chains from that 'hour; fell off him. Years after, in describing his emotions, at,, the time, he said : That round O in the word.Gfid b-.i That round O !Jl think it is yet -burning .upon i the > substance of my .brain !’. ’ We are' able to -say,. in the - name - of. history as well as of, religion, that ,the. whole rim of the universe, is such , a round O. Let the world see it and be saved. - . , . • "■■