A Midsummer Night’s Dream Background Information.
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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
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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.”
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Themes in the Comedies
Themes in the Comedies
Separation, reunification, deception, misidentification, pastoral elements.
Separation, reunification, deception, misidentification, pastoral elements.
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ExamplesExamples
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Twelfth NightAs You Like It
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Twelfth NightAs You Like It
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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.
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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
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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.
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Examples of Romance
Examples of Romance
A Winter’s TaleThe Tempest
A Winter’s TaleThe Tempest
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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)
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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.
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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.
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Four Moral VirtuesFour Moral Virtues
JusticeTemperanceFortitudePrudence
JusticeTemperanceFortitudePrudence
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Three Theological Virtues
Three Theological Virtues
FaithHopeCharity
FaithHopeCharity
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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.
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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..…”
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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AuroraAurora
Roman goddess of the dawn.
Commonly depicted in romantic art.
Roman goddess of the dawn.
Commonly depicted in romantic art.
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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.
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