Delphi Collected Works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe \(Illustrated\) pdfdrive com

CHAPTER IX.

The  necessary  preparations  for  scenery  and  dresses,  and  whatever  else  was

requisite,  were  now  proceeding.  In  regard  to  certain  scenes  and  passages,  our

friend  had  whims  of  his  own,  which  Serlo  humored,  partly  in  consideration  of

their bargain, partly from conviction, and because he hoped by these civilities to

gain Wilhelm, and to lead him according to his own purposes the more implicitly

in time to come.

Thus, for example, the King and Queen were, at the first audience, to appear

sitting  on  the  throne,  with  the  courtiers  at  the  sides,  and  Hamlet  standing

undistinguished  in  the  crowd.  “Hamlet,”  said  he,  “must  keep  himself  quiet:  his

sable  dress  will  sufficiently  point  him  out.  He  should  rather  shun  remark  than

seek  it.  Not  till  the  audience  is  ended,  and  the  King  speaks  with  him  as  with  a

son, should he advance, and allow the scene to take its course.”

A  formidable  obstacle  still  remained,  in  regard  to  the  two  pictures  which

Hamlet so passionately refers to in the scene with his mother. “We ought,” said

Wilhelm,  “to  have  both  of  them  visible,  at  full  length,  in  the  bottom  of  the

chamber, near the main door; and the former king must be clad in armor, like the

Ghost, and hang at the side where it enters. I could wish that the figure held its

right  hand  in  a  commanding  attitude,  were  somewhat  turned  away,  and,  as  it

were, looked over its shoulder, that so it might perfectly resemble the Ghost at

the moment when he issues from the door. It will produce a great effect, when at

this instant Hamlet looks upon the Ghost, and the Queen upon the picture. The

stepfather may be painted in royal ornaments, but not so striking.”

There  were  several  other  points  of  this  sort,  about  which  we  shall,  perhaps,

elsewhere have opportunity to speak.

“Are  you,  then,  inexorably  bent  on  Hamlet’s  dying  at  the  end?”  inquired

Serlo.

“How can I keep him alive,” said Wilhelm, “when the whole play is pressing

him to death? We have already talked at large on that matter.”

“But the public wishes him to live.”

“I will show the public any other complaisance; but, as to this, I cannot. We

often  wish  that  some  gallant,  useful  man,  who  is  dying  of  a  chronical  disease,

might yet live longer. The family weep, and conjure the physician; but he cannot

stay him: and no more than this physician can withstand the necessity of nature,

can  we  give  law  to  an  acknowledged  necessity  of  art.  It  is  a  false  compliance

with  the  multitude,  to  raise  in  them  emotions  which  they  wish,  when  these  are

---

not emotions which they ought, to feel.”

“Whoever pays the cash,” said Serlo, “may require the ware according to his

liking.”

“Doubtless, in some degree,” replied our friend; “but a great public should be

reverenced, not used as children are, when pedlers wish to hook the money from

them.  By  presenting  excellence  to  the  people,  you  should  gradually  excite  in

them  a  taste  and  feeling  for  the  excellent;  and  they  will  pay  their  money  with

double  satisfaction  when  reason  itself  has  nothing  to  object  against  this  outlay.

The  public  you  may  flatter,  as  you  do  a  well-beloved  child,  to  better,  to

enlighten, it; not as you do a pampered child of quality, to perpetuate the error

you profit from.”

In  this  manner  various  other  topics  were  discussed  relating  to  the  question,

What  might  still  be  changed  in  the  play,  and  what  must  of  necessity  remain

untouched? We shall not enter farther on those points at present; but, perhaps, at

some  future  time  we  may  submit  this  altered  “Hamlet”  itself  to  such  of  our

readers as feel any interest in the subject.

---