My task will have advanced considerably, if I have succeeded in convincing my readers that the Serious Drama exists, that it is a good form, that its interest is lively, that it contains a direct and profound appeal to the moral sense, that it can have but one style, that of nature; that, besides enjoying the advantages common to other dramatic forms, it possesses a beauty all its own; that it blazes a new trail in the realm of the drama, where genius may soar to heights unknown before, because the form treats all sides of life, and therefore contains every possible situation therein. And once again the dramatist will be able to succeed by utilizing the great figures of comedy, which have by now been nearly exhausted because the situations in which they have figured are out-worn. Finally, the Serious Drama is an endless source of amusement and morality for society in general.…A theory of art may evolve as the result of study and reflection, but the production of a work of art belongs only to genius, which cannot be taught.
Mobile users, click here to return to the main page.
