Certain New Elucidations of Shakespeare 53 



another visit of the misprized and distressing Hymen. One could, 

 we think, sit through the phantasmagoria of Posthumus's vision, 

 m Cymheline, after that. And, for banahty, one suspects that 

 Shakespeare would himself admit that this Epilogue, spoken by 

 the stately Prospero, his superman, had no ' fellow ' in all' his 

 works besides. 



V 



It is far from pleasant to be reminded continually, as one reads, 

 of the name an author has given to his work. But we have come 

 to a vital chapter, 'The Story of Falstafif,' in Quiller-Couch's 

 volume, and it gives us pause at the very opening. From the 

 promise of the title-page, and the example of fulfillment with 

 Macbeth, we have warrant to expect a study of the workmanship 

 in the handling of the character now reached, the most extraordi- 

 nary of all Shakespeare's creations. 



But the manner of this lecture, as in fact of the three lectures 

 which precede this one, differs radically from the method fol- 

 lowed in Macbeth. There the purpose was to discover * How it 

 could lie within the compass even of Shakespeare, master-work- 

 man though he was and lord of all noble persuasive language, to 

 make a tragic hero of this Macbeth — traitor to his king, mur- 

 derer of his sleeping guest, breaker of most sacred trust, in- 

 grate, self-seeker, false kinsman, perjured soldier.' And the 

 purpose was consistently and fairly carried out. If in this lec- 

 ture the intent were similarly formulated, it would run. How 

 could it lie in the compass even of Shakespeare to present a 

 * rotter,' a coward, a debauchee, a criminal in such a light as to 

 make us condone, have sympathy with, and in an indeterminate 

 degree, approve and like? 



Shakespeare's discomfiture of our prejudices and capture of 

 our favor in the two ' Parts ' of Henry IV that deal with Falstafif 

 make up the crowning psychological feat of his career. A Fal- 

 staf¥ in real life would not perhaps have seemed an altogether 

 repulsive figure to sixteenth century folk. Life was harsh and 

 coarse and cruel. But that this same ' tun of man ' should have 

 been so conceived and presented three hundred years ago as not 

 to offend the best refinement and delicacy of modern days is the 



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