Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

37
This is a typical Wildean paradox, invertinc the relationship
between art and life, but it is based on some acquaintance with
stn.ge technique - the familiarity revealed in th/3 letter to
Mary Anderson.
The contention that Shakespeare was a practical dramatist
is taken up in the long article "The Truth of f/Jasks", which sets
out to demonst; "be the playwright's concern with costume and,
by an extension of the i rfjument, with archaeological accuracy
in costume. In this: it takes issue with, a remark nn.de by Lord
Lytton, Duly or Lytton' e oon, in his article "f'irjs /-nderson's
Juliet", a defence of T'ary Andersen's Lyceum production
published in Ths ?Tiaeteenth Century in December loC4. In a
footnote Lyistou hnc 1. procl.v.imedt
I'hc attempt to nrchaeolo.^i^e the Sh?Ae;..-nerirean
drama is one of the stupidest pedantries of this
age of prif-'s. Arch.-eology ;vo old not be more out
of pi 3.ce in a fairy tale than it is in a ^lay of
Shako .ypeare. Tho first scene of the production
is beautiful and miu.-ted, and tlic.t ic ell that
ir- v/cinted.
(XVI (1884) 879-900; p.886). 12
wilde replies that Shakespeare rhows in the matter of dress
on st£.v;c the, iwformc-ti tr.cte ,r,r;^ocir.ter \ ith r-ioclorn artists,
and tha'c
.hero is absolutely no cirraiatic-t of the French,
English or A»heninfj:i st^~G v:ho relics so *mch
for hie illusionist effects on the drees of Iiin
actors o._ olia};eL. occ^re doou liinself.
(l r; 91) p. 218).
i'hc independence of uiio tra;jnolc of v.orldly coiiciderations,
;;hich one uieht expect the publicise L of Aectheticism to find
in ohake.-pearc'^ ; .rbistic temperament, i.^ located in the
dramatist's uco of 'uasqucs and uu^cos, purely for the sake
of ~cho. -olcastire which they :;iVG the eye", 'vrchaeolo^ical
expertise ic cubordina.ted to the production of t. cse effects:
Art, and art only, can rnclie arena cole £7 beautiful;
cine the -tiicE'tric cz-t, c^r, urc it nort r'-^-ectly
and r'.ost vividly, for it can combine in one exouisr.te
^i-esentc.tion the iilurion of ^c'bu; 1 life
wiU-ii tliv. v;onc.er of ^;lio unrcrl vorlcl.
P 235 )
Thic in tiic ^ar^rloxicp-l coinbination of iiir.t'ir/cn.l -precision
tiiu "la-u-eal world" v/hioh constituted t v->, E'/o^nnl of Altnr-