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unimpressive in it that you scarcely noticed the act of its delivery。
Perhaps this happened because the sumptuous and sombre melancholy of
Shakespeare's thought was transmitted in phrases that refused it its
proper mystery。 But there was always a hardness； not always from the
translation； upon this feminine Hamlet。 It was like a thick shell with
no crevice in it through which the tenderness of Shakespeare's Hamlet
could show； except for the one moment at Ophelia's grave； where he
reproaches Laertes with those pathetic words
〃What is the reason that you use me thus？
I loved you ever； but it is no matter。〃
Here Mme。 Bernhardt betrayed a real grief； but as a woman would； and not
a man。 At the close of the Gonzago play； when Hamlet triumphs in a mad
whirl； her Hamlet hopped up and down like a mischievous crow； a
mischievous she…crow。
There was no repose in her Hamlet； though there were moments of leaden
lapse which suggested physical exhaustion； and there was no range in her
elocution expressive of the large vibration of that tormented spirit。
Her voice dropped out； or jerked itself out； and in the crises of strong
emotion it was the voice of a scolding or a hysterical woman。 At times
her movements； which she must have studied so hard to master； were drolly
womanish； especially those of the whole person。 Her quickened pace was a
woman's nervous little run； and not a man's swift stride； and to give
herself due stature； it was her foible to wear a woman's high heels to
her shoes； and she could not help tilting on them。
In the scene with the queen after the play； most English and American
Hamlets have required her to look upon the counterfeit presentment of two
brothers in miniatures something the size of tea…plates； but Mme。
Bernhardt's preferred full…length； life…size family portraits。 The dead
king's effigy did not appear a flattered likeness in the scene…painter's
art； but it was useful in disclosing his ghost by giving place to it in
the wall at the right moment。 She achieved a novelty by this treatment
of the portraits； and she achieved a novelty in the tone she took with
the wretched queen。 Hamlet appeared to scold her mother； but though it
could be said that her mother deserved a scolding； was it the part of a
good daughter to give it her？
One should； of course； say a good son； but long before this it had become
impossible to think at all of Mme。 Bernhardt's Hamlet as a man； if it
ever had been possible。 She had traversed the bounds which tradition as
well as nature has set； and violated the only condition upon which an
actress may personate a man。 This condition is that there shall be
always a hint of comedy in the part； that the spectator shall know all
the time that the actress is a woman； and that she shall confess herself
such before the play is over； she shall be fascinating in the guise of a
man only because she is so much more intensely a woman in it。
Shakespeare had rather a fancy for women in men's roles； which； as
women's roles in his time were always taken by pretty and clever boys；
could be more naturally managed then than now。 But when it came to the
eclaircissement； and the pretty boys； who had been playing the parts of
women disguised as men； had to own themselves women； the effect must have
been confused if not weakened。 If Mme。 Bernhardt； in the necessity of
doing something Shakespearean； had chosen to do Rosalind； or Viola； or
Portia； she could have done it with all the modern advantages of women in
men's roles。 These characters are； of course； 〃lighter motions bounded
in a shallower brain〃 than the creation she aimed at； but she could at
least have made much of them； and she does not make much of Hamlet。
III。
The strongest reason against any woman Hamlet is that it does violence to
an ideal。 Literature is not so rich in great imaginary masculine types
that we can afford to have them transformed to women； and after seeing
Mme。 Bernhardt's Hamlet no one can altogether liberate himself from the
fancy that the Prince of Denmark was a girl of uncertain age； with crises
of mannishness in which she did not seem quite a lady。 Hamlet is in
nothing more a man than in the things to which as a man he found himself
unequal； for as a woman he would have been easily superior to them。
If we could suppose him a woman as Mme。 Bernhardt； in spite of herself；
invites us to do； we could only suppose him to have solved his
perplexities with the delightful precipitation of his putative sex。
As the niece of a wicked uncle； who in that case would have had to be a
wicked aunt； wedded to Hamlet's father hard upon the murder of her
mother； she would have made short work of her vengeance。 No fine
scruples would have delayed her； she would not have had a moment's
question whether she had not better kill herself； she would have out with
her bare bodkin and ended the doubt by first passing it through her
aunt's breast。
To be sure； there would then have been no play of 〃 Hamlet；〃 as we have
it； but a Hamlet like that imagined； a frankly feminine Hamlet； Mme。
Bernhardt could have rendered wonderfully。 It is in attempting a
masculine Hamlet that she transcends the imaginable and violates an
ideal。 It is not thinkable。 After you have seen it done； you say； as
Mr。 Clemens is said to have said of bicycling： 〃Yes； I have seen it； but
it's impossible。 It doesn't stand to reason。〃
Art； like law； is the perfection of reason； and whatever is unreasonable
in the work of an artist is inartistic。 By the time I had reached these
bold conclusions I was ready to deduce a principle from them； and to
declare that in a true civilization such a thing as that Hamlet would be
forbidden； as an offence against public morals； a violence to something
precious and sacred。
In the absence of any public regulation the precious and sacred ideals in
the arts must be trusted to the several artists； who bring themselves to
judgment when they violate them。 After Mme。 Bernhardt was perversely
willing to attempt the part of Hamlet； the question whether she did it
well or not was of slight consequence。 She had already made her failure
in wishing to play the part。 Her wish impugned her greatness as an
artist； of a really great actress it would have been as unimaginable as
the assumption of a sublime feminine role by a really great actor。 There
is an obscure law in this matter which it would be interesting to trace；
but for the present I must leave the inquiry with the reader。 I can note
merely that it seems somehow more permissible for women in imaginary
actions to figure as men than for men to figure as women。 In the theatre
we have conjectured how and why this may be； but the privilege； for less
obvious reasons； seems yet more liberally granted in fiction。 A woman
may tell a story in the character of a man and not give offence； but a
man cannot write a novel in autobiographical form from the personality of
a woman without imparting the sense of something unwholesome。 One feels
this true even in the work of such a master as Tolstoy； whose Katia is a
case in point。 Perhaps a woman may play Ham