The threshold theory must not be pushed to a disregard of the clear evidence for a certain amount of interior action. We have already come across examples of shallow recesses, such as a tent, a cave, a bower, a tomb, a shop, a window, within which, or from within which, personages can speak. There are also scenes which must be supposed to take place within a room. In dealing with these, I propose to distinguish between spacious hall scenes and limited chamber scenes. Hall scenes are especially appropriate to palaces. Full value should no doubt be given to the extension in a palace of a porch to a portico, and to the convention, which kings as well as private men follow in Elizabethan plays, especially those located in Italian or Oriental surroundings, of transacting much important business more or less out of doors.[1] The characteristic Roman 'senate house', already described, is a case in point.[2] But some scenes must be in a closed presence chamber.[3] Others are in a formal council room or parliament house. The conception of a hall, often with a numerous company, cannot therefore be altogether excluded. Nor are halls confined to palaces. They must be assumed for law courts.[4] There are scenes in such buildings as the
- [Footnote: yard, where he has been locked up; James IV, III. ii (stable); Looking
Glass, V. ii. 2037, 'Enter the temple Omnes'. Selimus, sc. xxi. 2019, has
Thy bodie in this auntient monument,
Where our great predecessours sleep in rest:
Suppose the Temple of Mahomet,
Thy wofull son Selimus thus doth place.
Is the third line really a s.d., in which case it does not suggest realistic staging, or a misunderstood line of the speech, really meant to run, 'Supposed the Temple of great Mahomet'?]*
- ↑ Patient Grissell, 755-1652, reads like a threshold scene, and 'Get you in!' is repeated (848, 1065, 1481), but Grissell's russet gown and pitcher are hung up and several times referred to (817, 828, 1018, 1582). Old Fortunatus, 733-855, at the palace of Babylon, must be a threshold scene as the Soldan points to 'yon towre' (769), but this is not inconsistent with the revealing of a casket, with the s.d. (799) 'Draw a Curtaine'. We need not therefore assume that M. V. II. vii, ix, in which Portia bids 'Draw aside the Curtaines' and 'Draw the Curtain', or III. ii are hall scenes, and all the Belmont scenes may be, like V. i, in a garden backed by a portico; or rather the hall referred to in V. i. 89, 'That light we see is burning in my hall', may take the form of a portico.
- ↑ Cf. p. 58, n. 2.
- ↑ Thus in Rich. II, V. iii, iv (a continuous scene), Aumerle has leave
to 'turne the key' (36). Then The Duke of Yorke knokes at the doore
and crieth, My leige . . . Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there'.
Cf. 1 Troublesome Raigne, sc. xiii. 81:
He stayes my Lord but at the Presence door:
Pleaseth your Highnes, I will call him in. - ↑ Famous Victories, scc. iv, v (a continuous scene), 'Jayler, bring the prisoner to the barre' (iv. 1). . . . 'Thou shalt be my Lord chiefe Justice,
