a midsummer night’s dream background information

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night’s DreamBackground InformationBackground Information

The PlayThe Play

Written in the 1590s. Marriage of Theseus &

Hippolyta in Athens. Four Athenian lovers. Amateur actorsFairies

Written in the 1590s. Marriage of Theseus &

Hippolyta in Athens. Four Athenian lovers. Amateur actorsFairies

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Themes in Midsummer

Themes in Midsummer

LoveIdentity Reality v. FantasyPastoralOrder v. Disorder

LoveIdentity Reality v. FantasyPastoralOrder v. Disorder

Shakespeare BioShakespeare Bio

1564-1616. The Bard of Avon. Plays, sonnets, longer

poems.King’s Men company at the

Globe Theater.

1564-1616. The Bard of Avon. Plays, sonnets, longer

poems.King’s Men company at the

Globe Theater.

HistoriesHistories

Mostly based on lives of English kings.

Richard IIHenry IV

Mostly based on lives of English kings.

Richard IIHenry IV



Comedy in Shakespeare

Comedy in Shakespeare

Greek/Roman concept for plays with happy endings.

Lighter tone. Often centers around

marriage, festivals, holidays.

Movement to a “green world.”

Greek/Roman concept for plays with happy endings.

Lighter tone. Often centers around

marriage, festivals, holidays.

Movement to a “green world.”



Themes in the Comedies

Themes in the Comedies

Separation, reunification, deception, misidentification, pastoral elements.

Separation, reunification, deception, misidentification, pastoral elements.



ExamplesExamples


Twelfth NightAs You Like It


Twelfth NightAs You Like It





Shakespearean Tragedy

Shakespearean Tragedy

Aristotle: tragedy should center around a flawed but admirable protagonist.

Free will -- bad decisions. Hamartia - missing the

mark. Realizing consequences of

actions.

Aristotle: tragedy should center around a flawed but admirable protagonist.

Free will -- bad decisions. Hamartia - missing the

mark. Realizing consequences of

actions.



Themes in TragediesThemes in Tragedies

Serious subjects: mortality, death, ethics, grief, love.

Serious subjects: mortality, death, ethics, grief, love.


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Examples of Tragedies

Examples of Tragedies

HamletKing LearOthelloMacBeth

HamletKing LearOthelloMacBeth







Shakespearean Romance

Shakespearean Romance

Later plays. Redemptive plotline with

happy ending. Magic & fantasy. Mix of civilized & pastoral.Often tragicomedy -

blending the two genres.

Later plays. Redemptive plotline with

happy ending. Magic & fantasy. Mix of civilized & pastoral.Often tragicomedy -

blending the two genres.



Examples of Romance

Examples of Romance

A Winter’s TaleThe Tempest

A Winter’s TaleThe Tempest





Modes of PrintingModes of Printing

Quarto: paper folded twice (into quarters), creating eight pages.

Folio: pages folded once to create two leaves.

Shakespeare’s First Folio (1623)

Quarto: paper folded twice (into quarters), creating eight pages.

Folio: pages folded once to create two leaves.

Shakespeare’s First Folio (1623)



The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

14th-17th c. EuropeResurgence of classicism.Search for realism in art. A humanistic movement.

14th-17th c. EuropeResurgence of classicism.Search for realism in art. A humanistic movement.





HumanismHumanism

Rather than train professionals in jargon and strict practice, humanists sought to create a citizenry able to speak and write with eloquence and clarity.

Humanities: logic, poetry, history, philosophy, art.

Rather than train professionals in jargon and strict practice, humanists sought to create a citizenry able to speak and write with eloquence and clarity.

Humanities: logic, poetry, history, philosophy, art.





Four Moral VirtuesFour Moral Virtues

JusticeTemperanceFortitudePrudence

JusticeTemperanceFortitudePrudence



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Three Theological Virtues

Three Theological Virtues

FaithHopeCharity

FaithHopeCharity





PtolemyPtolemy

Lived 90-168 AD. Roman citizen, wrote

Greek, lived in Egypt. Mathematician,

geographer, astronomer, astrologer.

Lived 90-168 AD. Roman citizen, wrote

Greek, lived in Egypt. Mathematician,

geographer, astronomer, astrologer.



Ptolemaic AstronomyPtolemaic Astronomy

Geocentric. Theorized concentric

spheres. “Music of the spheres” Astronomy & Astrology

Geocentric. Theorized concentric

spheres. “Music of the spheres” Astronomy & AstrologyQuickTime™ and a

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Excerpt from Troilus & Cressida

Excerpt from Troilus & Cressida

“The heavens themselves, the planets, and this centre.Observe degree, priority, and place,Insisture, course, proportion, season, form,Office, and custom, in all line of order....Take but degree away, untune that string,And hark! What discord follows..…”

“The heavens themselves, the planets, and this centre.Observe degree, priority, and place,Insisture, course, proportion, season, form,Office, and custom, in all line of order....Take but degree away, untune that string,And hark! What discord follows..…”



The PastoralThe Pastoral

A genre in literature, art or music that depicts shepherd life*, usually in an idealized manner and for urban audiences.

*Shepherds and other farm workers that are often romanticized and depicted in a highly unrealistic manner.

Often idealizes simplicity and leisure.

A genre in literature, art or music that depicts shepherd life*, usually in an idealized manner and for urban audiences.

*Shepherds and other farm workers that are often romanticized and depicted in a highly unrealistic manner.

Often idealizes simplicity and leisure.





Pastoral Style from Christopher Marlowe

Pastoral Style from Christopher Marlowe

Come live with me and be my Love, And we will all the pleasures prove /That hills and valleys, dale and field,And all the craggy mountains yield.There will we sit upon the rocks / And see the shepherds feed their flocks,By shallow rivers, to whose falls / Melodious birds sing madrigals.

Come live with me and be my Love, And we will all the pleasures prove /That hills and valleys, dale and field,And all the craggy mountains yield.There will we sit upon the rocks / And see the shepherds feed their flocks,By shallow rivers, to whose falls / Melodious birds sing madrigals.



Gender RolesGender Roles

the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time

the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time



MasqueMasque

16-17th century festive courtly entertainment

Music, dancing, singing, stage design.

Often complimentary to nobles or royalty

Often allegoricalA dumb show is a variation.

16-17th century festive courtly entertainment

Music, dancing, singing, stage design.

Often complimentary to nobles or royalty

Often allegoricalA dumb show is a variation.



Elizabethan EraElizabethan Era

Associated with Queen Elizabeth’s reign (1558-1603).

England’s golden age. Height of English

Renaissance. Internal PeaceAge of Exploration &

Expansion

Associated with Queen Elizabeth’s reign (1558-1603).

England’s golden age. Height of English

Renaissance. Internal PeaceAge of Exploration &

Expansion



Jacobean EraJacobean Era

1603-1625. King James VI of Scotland,

inherited English crown in 1603.

Initial New World settlement.

1603-1625. King James VI of Scotland,

inherited English crown in 1603.

Initial New World settlement.



Aristotle’s UnitiesAristotle’s Unities

action: a play should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots.

place: a play should cover a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography.

time: the action in a play should take place over no more than 24 hours.

action: a play should have one main action that it follows, with no or few subplots.

place: a play should cover a single physical space and should not attempt to compress geography.

time: the action in a play should take place over no more than 24 hours.



Teatro MundiTeatro Mundi

The “world as theater.” People are actors, and “all

the world’s a stage.”

Common Shakespeare convention.

The “world as theater.” People are actors, and “all

the world’s a stage.”

Common Shakespeare convention.



DianaDiana

Roman goddess of the moon.

Virgin goddess. Also known as goddess of

the hunt. Emblem of chastity. Associated with nature.

Roman goddess of the moon.

Virgin goddess. Also known as goddess of

the hunt. Emblem of chastity. Associated with nature.





Theseus & HippolytaTheseus & Hippolyta

Theseus: mythical founder of Athens; traveled with Hercules.

Hippolyta: Queen of the Amazons.

Theseus: mythical founder of Athens; traveled with Hercules.

Hippolyta: Queen of the Amazons.





VenusVenus

Roman goddess of love, beauty & fertility.

Roman goddess of love, beauty & fertility.


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The MetamorphosesThe Metamorphoses

Roman narrative poem by Ovid.

Most read of all classical works during the Middle Ages. Favorite work of reference

for Greek mythology. Recurring theme of love.

Roman narrative poem by Ovid.

Most read of all classical works during the Middle Ages. Favorite work of reference

for Greek mythology. Recurring theme of love.



Pyramus & ThisbePyramus & ThisbeStory of ill-fated lovers. Told in Ovid’s

Metamorphoses. A classic Romeo & Juliet

plot set in Babylon.

Story of ill-fated lovers. Told in Ovid’s

Metamorphoses. A classic Romeo & Juliet

plot set in Babylon.



AuroraAurora

Roman goddess of the dawn.

Commonly depicted in romantic art.

Roman goddess of the dawn.

Commonly depicted in romantic art.



May-Day & SolsticesMay-Day & Solstices

Midsummer = Summer solstice: June 25th (now June 21st).

Pagan, Celtic, Roman festival.

Midsummer = Summer solstice: June 25th (now June 21st).

Pagan, Celtic, Roman festival.





a midsummer night’s dream background information

Documents

pastoral style

pastoral elements

civilized pastoral

specific sex

idealized manner

specific culture

happy endings

unrealistic manner