1. This act from "King Lear" is the most masterful passage in all Shakespeare's work. The characters are all of them tense with emotion, either grief-stricken or insane. Lear himself, at first vexed, then infuriated (XI, 7), broken with anguish (11), and apprehending madness (16), collapses and goes completely insane (19). Kent, his faithful retainer, whom he had previously sent into exile, watches him with a sorrow that is almost more than he can bear. The Fool, crack-brained and simple, is the blending of idiocy and shrewdness sometimes known as 'an innocent.' Edgar, Gloucester's good son, cast out by his shortsighted father, feigns madness for the sake of disguise. Each of these four characters represents a different psychological condition. Such a task as the dramatic manipulation of these personalities has never been attempted before or since. Madness, though a common subject with Shakespeare's contemporaries, has not elsewhere been handled with success. The use of prose indicates disorder of the mind; thus Lear speaks in blank verse until his intellect gives way (19), and thereafter only when showing the power of reasoning, as in the speech (35) on which Edgar makes the comment: "O, matter and impertinency mix'd!" The Fool uses prose or nonsense rhyme throughout; Edgar while playing the madman does the same, and assumes blank verse when he drops the disguise. FROM "AS YOU LIKE IT" 1. How is the title of the play appropriately suggestive of its tenor? 2. Compare Rosalind of this play with Juliet of "Romeo and Juliet." 3. What is Rosalind's object in deceiving Orlando concerning her identity? 4. What part does Touchstone take in the play? FROM "ROMEO AND JULIET" 1. Select several lines which indicate the outcome of this youthful passion. 2. Both "As You Like It" and "Romeo and Juliet" have the same theme--young lovers; compare the style of treatment of each. 3. In each case does the language used suit the scene in which the play is laid? 4. What difficulties does Romeo have to encounter to see Juliet? FOR REFERENCE "Shakespeare, a Critical Study of his Mind and Art."--DOWDEN. "William Shakespeare."--WENDELL. "Introduction to Shakespeare."--DOWDEN. "Studies in Shakespeare."--COLLINS. "The Age of Shakespeare."--SECCOMBE AND ALLEN. "On Ten Plays of Shakespeare."--BROOKE. "Shakespeare" ("English Men of Letters").--RALEIGH. "Shakespeare."--SWINBURNE. "Tales from Shakespeare."--LAMB. JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE (1749-1832) The greatest literary genius that Germany has produced was born and spent his early years at Frankfort-on-the-Main, then capital of the German confederation. His later youth was spent in preparation for the bar at Leipsic and Strasburg.