Identifier: ArenaMagazine-Volume04 (find matches)
Title: Arena magazine - Volume 04
Year: 1891 (1890s)
Authors: B.O. Flower (ed.)
Subjects: Progressivism -- United States liberalism reformism social reform Christian Socialism Gay 90s political commentary Benjamin Orange Flower Progressive Era social gospel
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and little Lena on the Common. Seepage 567. Digitized by VjOOQIC MR. AND MRS. HERNE. 559 reading so intel-lectually powerfuland penetrating.She seems to beall of the woman,and something ofthe seer, as shestands there asMargaret whoseblindness hassomehow given herinward light, andconviction, a n dstreng th. Sheseemed to bespeaking for allwomankind, whosesorrowful historyAve are only justbeginning to readtruthfully. It isno wonder thatMrs. Heine ap-pealed with suchp o w e r to thethinking womenof Boston. Neverbefore has theirciuse been so statedin America. ()ne of the mostnotice able andgratifying resultsof Mr. and Mrs.Hemes perform-ance was the forcedabandonment by the critics of conventional standards of crit-icism. Every thoughtful word, even by those most severe,was made from the realists standpoint. It forced a com-parison with life and that was a distinct gain. The critics got at last the point of view of those who praisean imperfect play simply for its honesty of purpose, and its
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Margaret. Act V. It is simply impossible for me tolive with you again. . . . Ring that bell. Seepage 567. Digitized by VjOOQIC 560 THE ARENA. tendency. My own criticism of Margaret Fleming is thatit lacks the simplicity of life. It has too much of plot.Things converge too much, and here and there thingshappen. Measured by the standard of truth it fails attwo or three points in its construction, though its treatmentis markedly direct and honest. Measured by any play onthe American stage, it stands above them all in purpose, inexecution, in power, and is worthy to stand for the newdrama. It was exposed to the severest test, and came outof it triumphantly. What the effect will be upon theAmerican drama, it would be hard to say. Certainlywhether great or small, that influence will be toward prog-ress, an influence that is altogether good. Already it has precipitated the discussion of an indepen-dent American theatre, where plays of advanced thoughtand native atmosphere can be produced. It

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