Life, 1894-05-10 · page 12 of 16
Life — May 10, 1894 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Drama Review: "Hannele" This page reviews a controversial New York stage production of "Hannele," a play depicting New Testament themes and the death of an innocent child. The review debates whether the play's merit should be judged on artistic or moral grounds. The piece notes the production's divisive nature: Catholics, Jews, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and "Infidels" might each react differently depending on their worldview. The reviewer compares it to Salmi Morse's halted "Passion Play," suggesting "Hannele" similarly challenges religious sensibilities by vividly presenting redemption themes, though less literally than depicting Christ directly. The two illustrations—"The Lady and the Tiger" and "Good Cause for Action"—appear to depict dramatic moments, likely from the play itself. The review concludes that while "Hannele" teaches "infinite, unselfish kindness to those who are oppressed," it remains ambiguous and "dreamy" rather than offering clear moral lessons, leaving audiences potentially confused about its ultimate purpose.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A STRANGE PRODUCTION. ee H* is one of the strangest, if not the strangest, production that has ever been put on the New York stage. The thing that determines its merit is not so much a question of artistic walue as of morals. Any Catholic, any Jew, any Episcopalian, any Presbyterian, or any Infidel, may go to this performance and come away shocked or pleased. It all depends on the point of view. “ Hannele ” may be taken seriously, or it may be ridiculed. It may be taken from the stand of the box-office as to whether it will pay or not pay, or it may be taken from the view of the person who wonders whether a stage presentation of certain New Testament facts will endure a modern stage production, Whatever the point of view, “ Hannele" is a piece which merits serious conside in. The whole thing seems to be a question of free thinking. When Mr. Salmi Morse wished to produce his “ Passion Play” it was stopped because it seemed irreverent. “ Hannele,” if it does not, should offend quite as much against the religious people who objected to the * Passion PI The actual scenes of the divine tragedy are not depicted so literally, but the whole question of the Redemption is brought quite as vividly to the audience. The Christ is there—there can be no doubt—but the presence is, to some extent, clouded over. THE LADY AND THE TIGER. “Hannele” is a play—if play it can be GOOD CAUSE FOR ACTION. called—which appeals in some way or other to every person who has had the slightest religious training. It would not be out of the way to say that Col. Robert Ingersoll would find in it much to appeal to his sympathies if not to his faith. Any one who has seen or known the death of an innocent child will recognize here certain fundamental faiths that come not from religion but from the superstition that is always handed down at the mother’s knee. Just what “ Hannele” teaches, it is difficult to determine. One might write columns of argument and the result would yet be chaos. It is dreamy, mystic, poetic, and seems to teach no definite lesson, moral or artistic, except that of infinite, unselfish kindness to those who are oppressed. One may well come aw: “ Hannele” confused, But no one can come away from comicbooks.com