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J
is a fervent plea for religious tol
erance. Short-sighted, stupid intol
erance is openly manifested only
by the bigoted patriarch of Jeru
salem who, hearing of Nathan’s
kindness and wisdom, insists that
"No matter what, the Jews shail
burn,” a quotation that has become
famous for designating ridiculous,
uncompromising bigotry.
The play takes place during the
third crusade (end of the 12th cen
tury). From the stage, a fearless
Lessing tells the world that the
crusades were far from being mere
religious struggles, but that the
despoiling of the Jews were much'
more activiated by the bottomless
greed of the despoilers rather than
by true religious hatred, even
though the latter was used to ef
fectively further such spoliation.
When Sultan Saladin was in dire
need of funds to carry on his cost
ly war against the Crusaders, he
devised a sly stratagem for wealthy
Nathan’s spoliation. He would sub
mit to him the tricky question:
'Which of the three major religions
(Catholic, Jewish, Moslem) is the
true one,’’ in the gleeful expecta
tion that—whatever answer could
be given—would furnish him with
the welcome excuse to confiscate
wealthy Nathan’s properties.
The great serenity and unbounded
optimism of the Age of Enlighten
ment is shown in the solution of
the problem of intolerance by the
famous parable of the three rings,
which forms the central point of
the play and by which the wise
Nathan effectively foils Saladin’s
strategem.
This is the story of the dying
father who had three good sons,
but only one valuable diamond
ling: and who, in order not to give
preference to the one or the other,
had two identical rings made. Call
ing in one son at a time and giving
each ‘'the true ring,” the wise
Nathan puts the following plea in
the judge’s mouth (to whom the
three bewildered sons have sub
mitted their problem):
"He loved you all and loved you
all alike—
Would not have one exalted,
one oppressed—
Mark that! and be it yours to
emulate
His free, impartial love! Strive
each of you
To show the ring’s benignant
, might his own;
Yet help the mystic power to do
its kind
With gentleness, with loving
courtesy.
Beneficence, submissiveness to
God ...”
Here Saladin objects:
“Rings, foresooth!
Trifle not with me thus, I should
have thought
The three religions which I
named to you
Were easy to distinguish, if
alone .:
By difference of dress and food
and drink.”
Upon which Nathan answers
promptly:
"But not by fundamental
difference."
Thus is stern dogma disposed of
and religion placed on an equal
basis. For all religions are essen
tially alike and the differences his
torical and unessential.
Nathan continues:
Let each believe
His own to be the true and
genuine ring.
Perhaps your father wished to
terminate
The tyranny of that especial ring
Mid his posterity. Of this be sure
He loved you all and loved you
all alike.
Since he was loathe to injure of you
That he might favor one alone;
well, then.
Let each now rival his unbiased
love,
His love so free from every
prejudice;
Vie with each other in the
generous strife
To prove the virtues of the rings
you wear."
In an Age of Reason, the solu
tion was simple. The historical
trappings of religion being unessen
tial and the essence of religion
“true benevolence," religion, as a
divider of men and the cause of
warfare among them belonged to
the dark night that was a tragic
past; now people looked hopefully
and trustingly to the rising sun of
Enlightenment and Freedom.
GRACIOUS GREETINGS
for the
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The Southern Israelite
17