E-text prepared by Bill Boerst, Juliet Sutherland, and Tonya Allen
Editorial note: "Shakspere" is the spelling used by the author and therefore was not changed
SHAKSPERE AND MONTAIGNE
An Endeavour to Explain the Tendency of 'Hamlet'from Allusions in Contemporary Works
BY JACOB FEIS
CONTENTS.
I.
INTRODUCTION
II.
THE BEGINNINGS OF THE ENGLISH DRAMA
THE STAGE A MEDIUM FOR POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES
SHAKSPERE'S POLITICAL CREED
FLORIO'S TRANSLATION OF MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYS
III.
MONTAIGNE
IV.
HAMLET
V.
THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN BEN JONSON AND DEKKER
MENTION OF A DISPUTE BETWEEN BEN JONSON AND SHAKSPEREIN 'THE RETURN FROM PARNASSUS'
CHARACTERISTIC OF BEN JONSON
BEN JONSON'S HOSTILE ATTITUDE TOWARDS SHAKSPERE
DRAMATIC SKIRMISH BETWEEN BEN JONSON AND SHAKSPERE
BEN JONSON'S 'POETASTER'
DEKKER'S 'SATIROMASTIX'
VI.
'VOLPONE,' BY BEN JONSON
'EASTWARD HOE,' BY CHAPMAN, BEN JONSON, AND MARSTON
'THE MALCONTENT,' BY JOHN MARSTON
I.
INTRODUCTION.
It has always been a daring venture to attempt finding out Shakspere'sindividuality, and the range of his philosophical and political ideas,from his poetical productions. We come nearest to his feelings in his'Sonnets;' but only a few heavy sighs, as it were, from a time oflanguish in his life can be heard therefrom. All the rest of thoselyrical effusions, in spite of the zealous exertions of commentatorsfull of delicate sentiment and of deep thought, remain an unsolvedsecret.
In his historical dramas, a political creed has been pointed out, which,with some degree of certainty, may be held to have been his. From hisother dramas, the most varied evidence has been drawn. A perfect maze ofcontradictions has been read out of them; so much so that, on thisground, we might almost despair of trustworthy results from furtherinquiry.
The wildest and most incongruous theories have been founded upon 'Hamlet'—the drama richest in philosophical contents. Over and over again menhave hoped to be able to ascertain, from this tragedy, the greatmaster's ideas about religion. It is well-nigh impossible to say howoften such attempts have been made, but the reward of the exertionshas always remained unsatisfactory. On the feelings which this masterworkof dramatic art still excites to-day—nearly three hundred years afterits conception—thousands have based the most different conclusions;every one being convinced of the correctness of his own impressions.There is a special literature, composed of such rendering of personalimpressions which that most enigmatical of all dramas has made uponmen of various disposition. Every hypothesis finds its adherents amonga small group, whilst those who feel differently smile at theinfatuation of their antagonists. Nothing that could give true and finalsatisfaction has yet been reached in this direction.
It is our intention to regard 'Hamlet' from a new point of view, whichseems to promise more success than the critical endeavours hithertomade