ABSTRACT
One of the prime mysteries of Shakespeare’s plays is their actability. When characters have been delineated and their traits numbered, when dramatic structure has been analysed as form or ‘imitation,’ when the linguistic and musical subtlety of the dialogue has been assessed and themes or meanings have been deduced, the quality which makes his plays eminently actable may yet escape definition. Shylock could sustain Chekhovian attention to detail, and could evoke pathos without sentimentality, intensity without theatricality. Shylock’s intellectual superiority is nicely established by this elaboration, and by the ironic tone of ‘good’ and ‘sufficient.’ The Christian deals shortly with Shylock to good purpose, because he hates his avarice and cruelty and because he is thinking of his friend, but little is said or done to draw the audience’s attention to this; the handling of the scene makes the audience follow Shylock, for he most fully, consecutively and immediately responds to the situation.
