The document provides background information on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, including:
1) An overview of the plot and characters in the play.
2) Details on the upcoming production by Shakespeare In The Ruins, including setting it in a magical woods.
3) Context on the play's themes of love, magic, and the relationship between the mortal and fairy worlds.
The document provides background information on William Shakespeare and discusses his sonnet 29 and play As You Like It. It summarizes that Sonnet 29 shows the poet feeling unlucky, shamed, and jealous as he curses his fate. As You Like It is summarized as a pastoral comedy following Rosalind who flees persecution and finds love in the Forest of Arden. Key characters and their traits are outlined.
This poem is a Shakespearean sonnet that explores the speaker's grief over the death of his wife. In the first quatrain, the speaker imagines finding his wife alive in their bedroom with her books, as if preparing for a holiday. In the second quatrain, he sees her watching him through a kaleidoscope, representing her in different forms. At the volta, the poem shifts tone as the speaker climbs the stairs daily to look into the room where she died, with his hands becoming a tray offering his own flesh in grief. The couplet expresses the speaker's inconsolable grief and desire for forgiveness, though not knowing why.
The document contains summaries of several poems including The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe, Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare, The Nymphs Reply to the Shepherd by Sir Walter Raleigh, and The Lamb by William Blake. It also includes the writer's original poems Fear, Cliché, and Pride. The document analyzes the themes, imagery, tone, and meaning of each poem in 1-2 concise sentences.
This summary provides an overview of 3 poems by Edmund Spenser from the document:
1) "Fair is my love, when her fair golden hairs" describes the physical beauty of a woman the author finds attractive, focusing on different parts of her appearance and body.
2) "Sonnet 34" uses a metaphor of the author feeling lost at sea without his lover's guidance, wandering in a storm until he hopes her light will shine on him again.
3) "Sonnet 26" lists several sweet but bittersweet things in nature, concluding that pleasures obtained with pain are more valued and desired.
The poem His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell is about a speaker trying to persuade his mistress to engage in a sexual relationship. In 3 sentences:
The speaker argues they should seize the day and make love now, before time runs out, rather than waiting for some hypothetical future with unlimited time. He uses vivid imagery of time's chariot hurrying near and her beauty turning to dust after death to convince her. The poem explores themes of carpe diem and the brevity of life through the speaker's passionate pleas to his coy mistress.
This document provides an overview of William Shakespeare and analyzes his sonnets 18 and 130. It discusses Shakespeare's biography, the structure and themes of sonnets, and characters that appear. For sonnet 18, it examines themes of beauty and mortality. For sonnet 130, it notes the poem parodies conventions of beauty by providing negative comparisons of the mistress. The document also references a film that features a scene where sonnet 18 is read.
The document provides learning objectives and assessment criteria related to studying modernism. It includes analyzing the cultural context of modernism, evaluating readings of texts, and commenting on style and format. The document also lists homework assignments involving analyzing modernist poems, essays, and song lyrics.
This summarizes a Shakespearean sonnet by R.S. Gwynn that represents each of Shakespeare's plays in a single line. It then analyzes the sonnet's form, theme, literary devices, and tones. It also briefly discusses two articles that mention Gwynn's use of humor and sonnets to comment on modern culture.
The document provides background information on William Shakespeare and discusses his sonnet 29 and play As You Like It. It summarizes that Sonnet 29 shows the poet feeling unlucky, shamed, and jealous as he curses his fate. As You Like It is summarized as a pastoral comedy following Rosalind who flees persecution and finds love in the Forest of Arden. Key characters and their traits are outlined.
This poem is a Shakespearean sonnet that explores the speaker's grief over the death of his wife. In the first quatrain, the speaker imagines finding his wife alive in their bedroom with her books, as if preparing for a holiday. In the second quatrain, he sees her watching him through a kaleidoscope, representing her in different forms. At the volta, the poem shifts tone as the speaker climbs the stairs daily to look into the room where she died, with his hands becoming a tray offering his own flesh in grief. The couplet expresses the speaker's inconsolable grief and desire for forgiveness, though not knowing why.
The document contains summaries of several poems including The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe, Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare, The Nymphs Reply to the Shepherd by Sir Walter Raleigh, and The Lamb by William Blake. It also includes the writer's original poems Fear, Cliché, and Pride. The document analyzes the themes, imagery, tone, and meaning of each poem in 1-2 concise sentences.
This summary provides an overview of 3 poems by Edmund Spenser from the document:
1) "Fair is my love, when her fair golden hairs" describes the physical beauty of a woman the author finds attractive, focusing on different parts of her appearance and body.
2) "Sonnet 34" uses a metaphor of the author feeling lost at sea without his lover's guidance, wandering in a storm until he hopes her light will shine on him again.
3) "Sonnet 26" lists several sweet but bittersweet things in nature, concluding that pleasures obtained with pain are more valued and desired.
The poem His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell is about a speaker trying to persuade his mistress to engage in a sexual relationship. In 3 sentences:
The speaker argues they should seize the day and make love now, before time runs out, rather than waiting for some hypothetical future with unlimited time. He uses vivid imagery of time's chariot hurrying near and her beauty turning to dust after death to convince her. The poem explores themes of carpe diem and the brevity of life through the speaker's passionate pleas to his coy mistress.
This document provides an overview of William Shakespeare and analyzes his sonnets 18 and 130. It discusses Shakespeare's biography, the structure and themes of sonnets, and characters that appear. For sonnet 18, it examines themes of beauty and mortality. For sonnet 130, it notes the poem parodies conventions of beauty by providing negative comparisons of the mistress. The document also references a film that features a scene where sonnet 18 is read.
The document provides learning objectives and assessment criteria related to studying modernism. It includes analyzing the cultural context of modernism, evaluating readings of texts, and commenting on style and format. The document also lists homework assignments involving analyzing modernist poems, essays, and song lyrics.
This summarizes a Shakespearean sonnet by R.S. Gwynn that represents each of Shakespeare's plays in a single line. It then analyzes the sonnet's form, theme, literary devices, and tones. It also briefly discusses two articles that mention Gwynn's use of humor and sonnets to comment on modern culture.
Edmund Spenser was an influential English poet born in 1552 who is best known for his works The Shepheardes Calender and The Faerie Queene. The Faerie Queene was a multi-part epic poem that used allegory to praise the Tudor dynasty and Queen Elizabeth I. Spenser worked as a poet for noble patrons and spent time in Ireland, where he wrote much of The Faerie Queene. He is considered one of the greatest English language poets of his time and a master craftsman of verse in the early modern period.
This poem parodies Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" by having the mistress respond to the speaker's advances. She questions his logic and wordplay, finding flaws in his arguments for intimacy. While he continues with metaphorical seduction techniques, she asserts her independence and skepticism towards his desires, ultimately rejecting his proposal in favor of calling a taxi.
Shakespeares sonnets - william shakespeareLibripass
This document provides biographical information about William Shakespeare and an overview of his works. It discusses that Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several other poems during his career between 1585-1613. Many of his plays were published during his lifetime and in a 1623 folio of his works. His plays and poems remain popular today for their sophisticated language, characters, and themes. The document also includes 3 sonnets by Shakespeare to provide examples of his poetry.
This document provides an analysis of the poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell. It includes a biography of Marvell, definitions of poetry and metaphysical poetry, an overview of the themes and meaning in the poem, and resources for further information. The poem uses the metaphor of time to persuade his mistress to engage in a physical relationship, as it argues life is short so they shouldn't wait to express their desires. The document examines both the surface and deeper meanings in the poem.
This document discusses narrative poetry and provides examples. Narrative poetry tells a story through verse. It contains elements of a narrative like a point of view, setting, and plot. The document provides a snippet from Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" as an example of narrative poetry, describing a bleak setting and the narrator's sorrow over a lost love named Lenore. Another example given is the opening verse to Robert Service's poem "The Cremation of Sam McGee" which describes strange tales that occur in the Arctic.
Shakespeare's sonnets were composed between 1593 and 1601 but not published until 1609 in a collection of 154 poems addressing themes of love, beauty, and the inevitability of time. The sonnets are divided into two sections, with the first 126 addressing a young man and the final 26 addressing a "Dark Lady"; through their exploration of themes like decay and immortalization in poetry, the sonnets seek to preserve beauty beyond the constraints of mortality.
This document discusses the evolution of the English language from Old English to Middle English to Modern English. It notes that Shakespeare had an unusually large vocabulary of 15,000 words and invented many phrases still used today. The document then provides examples of prayers from each era in English to demonstrate how the language has changed over time. It also defines some confusing words from Shakespeare's time and provides their modern meanings. Finally, it discusses similarities between Shakespeare's works and hip hop music.
This document summarizes a presentation on Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "Ulysses." The presentation provides background information on Ulysses, the Greek mythical character, and the origins of Tennyson's poem. It then explains and analyzes the poem, discussing figurative language. The presentation is delivered by Sharifa Bahri to 7th level students for their Poetry course. It covers topics such as the character of Ulysses, the origins of the poem in works by Homer and Dante, an explanation of the poem's themes and narrative voice, and an analysis of its metaphorical language.
The document discusses different forms of sonnets including the Petrarchan sonnet, Shakespearean sonnet, and Spenserian sonnet. It describes the typical structure of each in terms of rhyme scheme, form, and meter. The Petrarchan sonnet follows an octave-sestet structure with a rhyme scheme like ABBAABBA for the octet and CDE CDE or CDC DCD for the sestet. The Shakespearean sonnet has three quatrains and a rhyming couplet with a rhyme scheme like ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The Spenserian sonnet is a variation of the Shakespearean form.
This document provides context and analysis of Shakespeare's famous Sonnet 18. It begins with the full text of the sonnet, which compares the subject's beauty to a summer's day. The document then explains that a sonnet has 14 lines that typically presents a problem resolved at the end. For Sonnet 18, the theme is that the subject's beauty will not fade with time and will live on eternally through the poem. Evidence for this is found in lines that say her beauty and summer will not fade and the poem will give her life as long as it is read.
Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets around 1598 during an enforced break from theatre. The sonnets can be categorized into three themes: Sonnets 1-17 focus on persuading a young man to procreate; Sonnets 1-126 are addressed to this young man; and Sonnets 127-154 concern a "dark lady". The sonnets explore themes of love enduring beyond physical changes, the inevitability of death, and present a more realistic view of love than other contemporary love poetry. The sonnets provide insight into Shakespeare's views on topics like religion, human nature, and his criticism of other literary works.
The document provides an overview of the sonnet form, including its typical structure of 14 lines arranged in iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme. It also summarizes some key aspects of Shakespeare's sonnets, including that they are addressed to a young man and "Dark Lady" and explore themes of love, betrayal, and lust. Finally, it analyzes the structure and themes of several sample sonnets by Shakespeare.
This document provides analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18. It begins with background on Shakespeare and an overview that the sonnet uses nature imagery to praise the beauty of a young man and assert it surpasses a summer's day. The analysis then covers the structure of the Shakespearean sonnet form and provides a line-by-line breakdown and explanation of imagery and themes in the poem. It concludes that the loving tone and promise of eternal remembrance serve to ensure the beloved's beauty lives on even after death.
The document provides information about various forms and elements of poetry. It defines poetry as not being an expression of emotion but an escape from emotion. It then discusses different poetic forms such as lyric, narrative, and dramatic poetry. It also outlines various poetic devices like rhyme, meter, figures of speech, and stanzas. Specific poetic forms like the sonnet, villanelle, and haiku are also described.
This document provides an overview of Shakespearean sonnets including definitions of key terms used in analyzing poetry. It discusses the typical structure of a Shakespearean sonnet including the rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. As an example, it analyzes Shakespeare's Sonnet 18, breaking it down into its three quatrains and concluding couplet. It also briefly summarizes Sonnet 29. The document encourages writing an original sonnet using the typical structure and provides guidance on how it will be graded.
The document discusses Sir Philip Sidney's collection of poems "Astrophil and Stella" and how it both adheres to and departs from conventions of Petrarchan love. While some sonnets depict the themes of longing and frustration typical of Petrarchan poems, Astrophil's pursuit of the married Stella brings the morality of his actions into question. The document analyzes specific sonnets and songs that show how Sidney both incorporates typical Petrarchan devices but also subverts expectations by having Astrophil admire Stella's inner and outer beauty rather than using violent language of love. The document concludes Sidney aimed to inspire a more rational approach to love compared to the conventions established by Petrarch.
This sonnet by Shakespeare compares his love to a summer's day, stating that his love is more beautiful and constant. Shakespeare describes how summer beauty is fragile and fleeting - blown by winds, dimmed by clouds, and declining with time. However, he asserts that his love's beauty will be preserved eternally through his poetry. The sonnet uses metaphors, personification and iambic pentameter to praise the beloved and Shakespeare's ability to immortalize their love through his verse.
This document discusses imagery in writing and provides many examples of imagery used in single sentences. It defines imagery as descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses. Short passages from poems, songs, and other works are presented to illustrate vivid imagery. Examples show how imagery can efficiently paint a picture or scene in just one sentence through creative word choices and metaphors.
In this summary of Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare:
The first two quatrains compare the speaker's beloved to a summer's day but note that the beloved is more lovely and constant. Summer is fleeting while the beloved's beauty will last eternally.
The third quatrain states that the beloved's beauty will never fade and will live on through the speaker's poetry.
The couplet concludes that as long as people can experience the sonnet, the beloved's beauty and memory will live on immortalized in the poem.
Edmund Spenser was an influential English poet born in 1552 who is best known for his works The Shepheardes Calender and The Faerie Queene. The Faerie Queene was a multi-part epic poem that used allegory to praise the Tudor dynasty and Queen Elizabeth I. Spenser worked as a poet for noble patrons and spent time in Ireland, where he wrote much of The Faerie Queene. He is considered one of the greatest English language poets of his time and a master craftsman of verse in the early modern period.
This poem parodies Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress" by having the mistress respond to the speaker's advances. She questions his logic and wordplay, finding flaws in his arguments for intimacy. While he continues with metaphorical seduction techniques, she asserts her independence and skepticism towards his desires, ultimately rejecting his proposal in favor of calling a taxi.
Shakespeares sonnets - william shakespeareLibripass
This document provides biographical information about William Shakespeare and an overview of his works. It discusses that Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and several other poems during his career between 1585-1613. Many of his plays were published during his lifetime and in a 1623 folio of his works. His plays and poems remain popular today for their sophisticated language, characters, and themes. The document also includes 3 sonnets by Shakespeare to provide examples of his poetry.
This document provides an analysis of the poem "To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell. It includes a biography of Marvell, definitions of poetry and metaphysical poetry, an overview of the themes and meaning in the poem, and resources for further information. The poem uses the metaphor of time to persuade his mistress to engage in a physical relationship, as it argues life is short so they shouldn't wait to express their desires. The document examines both the surface and deeper meanings in the poem.
This document discusses narrative poetry and provides examples. Narrative poetry tells a story through verse. It contains elements of a narrative like a point of view, setting, and plot. The document provides a snippet from Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" as an example of narrative poetry, describing a bleak setting and the narrator's sorrow over a lost love named Lenore. Another example given is the opening verse to Robert Service's poem "The Cremation of Sam McGee" which describes strange tales that occur in the Arctic.
Shakespeare's sonnets were composed between 1593 and 1601 but not published until 1609 in a collection of 154 poems addressing themes of love, beauty, and the inevitability of time. The sonnets are divided into two sections, with the first 126 addressing a young man and the final 26 addressing a "Dark Lady"; through their exploration of themes like decay and immortalization in poetry, the sonnets seek to preserve beauty beyond the constraints of mortality.
This document discusses the evolution of the English language from Old English to Middle English to Modern English. It notes that Shakespeare had an unusually large vocabulary of 15,000 words and invented many phrases still used today. The document then provides examples of prayers from each era in English to demonstrate how the language has changed over time. It also defines some confusing words from Shakespeare's time and provides their modern meanings. Finally, it discusses similarities between Shakespeare's works and hip hop music.
This document summarizes a presentation on Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "Ulysses." The presentation provides background information on Ulysses, the Greek mythical character, and the origins of Tennyson's poem. It then explains and analyzes the poem, discussing figurative language. The presentation is delivered by Sharifa Bahri to 7th level students for their Poetry course. It covers topics such as the character of Ulysses, the origins of the poem in works by Homer and Dante, an explanation of the poem's themes and narrative voice, and an analysis of its metaphorical language.
The document discusses different forms of sonnets including the Petrarchan sonnet, Shakespearean sonnet, and Spenserian sonnet. It describes the typical structure of each in terms of rhyme scheme, form, and meter. The Petrarchan sonnet follows an octave-sestet structure with a rhyme scheme like ABBAABBA for the octet and CDE CDE or CDC DCD for the sestet. The Shakespearean sonnet has three quatrains and a rhyming couplet with a rhyme scheme like ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The Spenserian sonnet is a variation of the Shakespearean form.
This document provides context and analysis of Shakespeare's famous Sonnet 18. It begins with the full text of the sonnet, which compares the subject's beauty to a summer's day. The document then explains that a sonnet has 14 lines that typically presents a problem resolved at the end. For Sonnet 18, the theme is that the subject's beauty will not fade with time and will live on eternally through the poem. Evidence for this is found in lines that say her beauty and summer will not fade and the poem will give her life as long as it is read.
Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets around 1598 during an enforced break from theatre. The sonnets can be categorized into three themes: Sonnets 1-17 focus on persuading a young man to procreate; Sonnets 1-126 are addressed to this young man; and Sonnets 127-154 concern a "dark lady". The sonnets explore themes of love enduring beyond physical changes, the inevitability of death, and present a more realistic view of love than other contemporary love poetry. The sonnets provide insight into Shakespeare's views on topics like religion, human nature, and his criticism of other literary works.
The document provides an overview of the sonnet form, including its typical structure of 14 lines arranged in iambic pentameter with a rhyme scheme. It also summarizes some key aspects of Shakespeare's sonnets, including that they are addressed to a young man and "Dark Lady" and explore themes of love, betrayal, and lust. Finally, it analyzes the structure and themes of several sample sonnets by Shakespeare.
This document provides analysis of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18. It begins with background on Shakespeare and an overview that the sonnet uses nature imagery to praise the beauty of a young man and assert it surpasses a summer's day. The analysis then covers the structure of the Shakespearean sonnet form and provides a line-by-line breakdown and explanation of imagery and themes in the poem. It concludes that the loving tone and promise of eternal remembrance serve to ensure the beloved's beauty lives on even after death.
The document provides information about various forms and elements of poetry. It defines poetry as not being an expression of emotion but an escape from emotion. It then discusses different poetic forms such as lyric, narrative, and dramatic poetry. It also outlines various poetic devices like rhyme, meter, figures of speech, and stanzas. Specific poetic forms like the sonnet, villanelle, and haiku are also described.
This document provides an overview of Shakespearean sonnets including definitions of key terms used in analyzing poetry. It discusses the typical structure of a Shakespearean sonnet including the rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. As an example, it analyzes Shakespeare's Sonnet 18, breaking it down into its three quatrains and concluding couplet. It also briefly summarizes Sonnet 29. The document encourages writing an original sonnet using the typical structure and provides guidance on how it will be graded.
The document discusses Sir Philip Sidney's collection of poems "Astrophil and Stella" and how it both adheres to and departs from conventions of Petrarchan love. While some sonnets depict the themes of longing and frustration typical of Petrarchan poems, Astrophil's pursuit of the married Stella brings the morality of his actions into question. The document analyzes specific sonnets and songs that show how Sidney both incorporates typical Petrarchan devices but also subverts expectations by having Astrophil admire Stella's inner and outer beauty rather than using violent language of love. The document concludes Sidney aimed to inspire a more rational approach to love compared to the conventions established by Petrarch.
This sonnet by Shakespeare compares his love to a summer's day, stating that his love is more beautiful and constant. Shakespeare describes how summer beauty is fragile and fleeting - blown by winds, dimmed by clouds, and declining with time. However, he asserts that his love's beauty will be preserved eternally through his poetry. The sonnet uses metaphors, personification and iambic pentameter to praise the beloved and Shakespeare's ability to immortalize their love through his verse.
This document discusses imagery in writing and provides many examples of imagery used in single sentences. It defines imagery as descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses. Short passages from poems, songs, and other works are presented to illustrate vivid imagery. Examples show how imagery can efficiently paint a picture or scene in just one sentence through creative word choices and metaphors.
In this summary of Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare:
The first two quatrains compare the speaker's beloved to a summer's day but note that the beloved is more lovely and constant. Summer is fleeting while the beloved's beauty will last eternally.
The third quatrain states that the beloved's beauty will never fade and will live on through the speaker's poetry.
The couplet concludes that as long as people can experience the sonnet, the beloved's beauty and memory will live on immortalized in the poem.
Bilder till arbetsbladet Perspektiv på Romantiken från Nationalmuseums hemsida. Finns att ladda ner på http://nationalmuseum.se/sv/Skola/Arbeta-med-konsten-pa-egen-hand/Gymnasiet/Romantiken-Caspar-David-Friedrich/
HTNG North America Conference 2015 - Micromarketing Building BlocksRobert Cole
The document summarizes a conference session on micromarketing building blocks. It discusses how personalization requires understanding the complex travel landscape and guest preferences. It then overview presentations by executives from RockCheetah, Oracle Hospitality, ReviewPro, and IDeaS on their platforms for personalization, CRM, reputation management, and revenue management, respectively. Integrating these systems and gaining insights from guest data across channels were highlighted as important for effective personalization.
Electronic Music Teaching System (EMTS) found defects on live performance by singer and show them as visual graphic and musical notes in real-time singing.
EMTS has database with correct tunes of songs. During live singing, system compare current voice note with original one. It shows final result about how better singer sang a song by percentage.
Electronic Music Teaching System planned for vocal students, music schools/collages/conservatories.
On the other hand, we use this system as "Intellectual Karaoke" for fun. It's planned for entertainment, karaoke studios and etc.
Project was presented in Silicon Valley, Massachusetts University in the USA, Ireland, Moldova, Moscow, Turkey.
William Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. He wrote plays and poetry that are still popular today. Some of his most famous plays include Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing. His 154 sonnets explore themes of love, beauty, and the passage of time. Shakespeare had a deep understanding of human nature that allowed him to create vivid characters and use language creatively in his literary works.
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote over 30 plays and 154 sonnets throughout his career. Some of his most famous plays include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of 52 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.
This document provides biographical information about William Shakespeare and summaries of some of his most famous plays. It discusses that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and had a career as an actor and playwright in London between 1585 and 1592. It summarizes some of Shakespeare's most popular plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Richard III. The document also includes images related to Shakespeare's life and works.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright and poet widely considered the greatest writer in the English language. He wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets throughout his career. Some of his most famous plays include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth. Though little is known about his personal life, Shakespeare was a member of an acting troupe in London called the Lord Chamberlain's Men and later the King's Men after the ascension of King James I. His plays were performed widely and brought him fame during his lifetime. After his death, friends and colleagues published his collected plays in the First Folio of 1623, which helped preserve his works for future generations.
This document lists and provides examples of different types of poetry, including slam poetry, narrative poetry, ballads, lyric poetry, sonnets, limericks, free verse, and odes. It discusses characteristics of each type and provides examples to illustrate them.
This document provides context and objectives for studying William Shakespeare's play Othello. It discusses Shakespeare's portrayal of love and tragedy in the play. It introduces themes like the roles of women and marriage in Elizabethan times. It includes activities like analyzing passages from the play and sonnets, and discussing characters. The document aims to have students closely read and discuss the play to understand its themes, characters, and Shakespeare's presentation of love.
William Shakespeare had a profound impact on the English language. He coined over 2,000 new words and popularized countless phrases that are still used today. Shakespeare typically wrote in iambic pentameter, using blank verse for most of his plays. He also used rhyming verse and prose. His mastery of language and wordplay allowed him to manipulate syntax to fit poetic structures. Shakespeare's works had a significant influence in expanding the English vocabulary and shaping modern English.
William shakespeare's the forest of arden cannot be merely a golden worldRituparna-Shehanaz
The document provides an in-depth analysis of William Shakespeare's romantic comedy 'As You Like It'. It discusses several key themes of the play, including how the Forest of Arden represents different states of mind for the characters. It also analyzes how the play uses multiple love stories and subplots, as well as themes of nature, fortune, and the presentation of different types of love. The Forest of Arden takes on symbolic significance beyond just being a setting.
Here are the key details Benvolio provides about Romeo that give an impression of his character:
- He is lovesick and silent, having recently been rejected by a girl he was pursuing
- He is depressed and refuses to talk about what's troubling him
- He spends his time alone, sighing and grieving rather than joining in social activities with his friends
This paints Romeo as melancholy, moody, and privately pining after a lost love rather than engaging with others. He seems deeply affected by rejection and heartbroken.
2. How does Romeo's character develop over the course of the play? What do we learn about him through his interactions with other characters like Juliet?
PUN OF USING THE WORD ARDEN AS A-DEN OF SHAKESPEARE'S DRAMA AS YOU LIKE IT--Rituparna Ray Chaudhuri
http://youtu.be/ZWMb_rmZKsM ..PUN OF USING THE WORD ARDEN AS A-DEN OF SHAKESPEARE'S DRAMA AS YOU LIKE IT--Thanks in making the writing as a legendary-document.
The document provides an overview of different branches of literature including prose, poetry, and drama. It defines various genres such as novels, short stories, sonnets, epics and plays. Examples are given for many genres to illustrate their key characteristics in only a few lines or stanzas.
Love through the ages texts overview student workLee Butler
The document provides an overview of how representations of love developed through two literary periods in English literature - the Elizabethan/Jacobean periods (1509-1642). It discusses two core traditions that emerged in Middle English - the Romantic tradition, which portrayed love in an idealized manner, and a more realistic earthy tradition. In the Elizabethan/Jacobean periods, these traditions were sustained, with authors like Shakespeare combining the high romance with low bawdy elements. Other developments included the emergence of the love sonnet and metaphysical conceits used by poets like Wyatt, Donne and Marvell to explore physical and philosophical aspects of love.
Christopher Marlowe's Contribution to English DramaDilip Barad
Christopher Marlowe made significant contributions to English drama in the late 16th century. He introduced higher level heroic subjects, brought characters to life with realistic qualities, refined the use of blank verse, and brought more unity to plays. Marlowe's works are characterized by their pictorial quality in vividly depicting scenes, ecstatic expressions of passion, and a vitalizing energy that animated his stories and characters. Overall, Marlowe advanced drama as an art form and influenced later playwrights like Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare - About the PlaywrightDilip Barad
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote around 38 plays and 154 sonnets over the course of his career. Some of his most famous plays include Macbeth, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet. Though highly acclaimed as the greatest writer in English, some scholars question whether Shakespeare truly authored all works attributed to him and have proposed other candidates.
This document discusses William Shakespeare's sonnets. It notes that sonnets occupied a unique social and intellectual space in early modern England, addressing individuals and themes of fidelity. While not confessional, the sonnets raise many questions about their author, occasions, and addresses. The sonnets stand after Shakespeare's name on the 1609 title page, but their purpose is unclear - were they Shakespeare's personal thoughts or literary experiments? The document also explores how the sonnets may relate to Shakespeare's plays in terms of themes, tones, and pushing language to its limits. It notes the sonnets were not widely read at the time, likely due to changing fashions for sonnet sequences.
This document discusses William Shakespeare's sonnets. It notes that sonnets occupied a unique social and intellectual space in early modern England, addressing individuals and themes of fidelity. While not confessional, the sonnets raise many questions about their author, occasions, and addresses. The sonnets stand after Shakespeare's name on the 1609 title page, but their purpose is unclear - were they Shakespeare's personal thoughts or literary experiments? The document also explores how the sonnets may relate to Shakespeare's plays in terms of themes, tones, and pushing language to its limits. Overall, the document provides context around Shakespeare's sonnets and debates their intent and relationship to his career.
In Sonnet 130, Shakespeare subverts the conventions of love poetry by refusing to compare his
mistress to unrealistic ideals of beauty found in nature. Instead, he provides an honest description of
her imperfections while still expressing his love for her. Through this sonnet, Shakespeare challenges
the superficial comparisons typically used in love poems and advocates appreciating one's partner for
their true qualities rather than only physical beauty.
1. The document provides a summary of characters from Victor Hugo's novel Les Miserables. It includes the protagonist Jean Valjean, an ex-convict who reforms his life and cares for the orphan Cosette. It also includes Inspector Javert, who pursues Valjean, and Monseigneur Myriel, the bishop who helps reform Valjean. Additional characters summarized are Fantine and her daughter Cosette, the unscrupulous innkeepers the Thenardiers, and student revolutionaries including Enjolras, Combeferre, and Courfeyrac.
Este documento presenta el marco teórico para un proyecto que involucró a estudiantes traduciendo, analizando e interpretando el musical Les Miserables como método para mejorar el aprendizaje del inglés. Explora cómo el teatro puede motivar a los estudiantes y cómo el musical en particular se puede usar en el aula. También discute el uso de la traducción y actividades multidisciplinarias para apoyar el aprendizaje cooperativo y basado en tareas.
El documento presenta un poema dividido en varias secciones que narran la historia de Jean Valjean desde su encarcelamiento injusto hasta su redención al cuidar de Cosette. Las secciones incluyen su liberación de la prisión, su encuentro con el obispo que lo inspira a reformarse y su protección de la joven Fantine y su hija Cosette.
El documento resume los conceptos clave sobre el sacramento del matrimonio. Explica que el matrimonio es un sacramento porque representa la unión entre Dios y los hombres, y que está formado por tres personas: el hombre, la mujer y Dios. También analiza la película Crepúsculo, resumiendo que Edward y Bella no tienen relaciones sexuales antes del matrimonio para no destruirse, y que gracias al matrimonio pueden unirse sin daño. Finalmente, explica que para Bella tener un hijo es una bendición y que decide intent
El libro de Jueces trata sobre libertadores militares especialmente llamados por Dios para liberar a Israel de sus opresores. Resume los principales jueces mencionados: Débora, una jueza que convenció al general Barak de liderar al ejército israelita a la victoria sobre el general enemigo Sisera; Gedeón, quien destruyó un altar a Baal y luego derrotó a un ejército enemigo mucho más grande con solo 300 hombres; y Sansón, quien usó su gran fuerza para luchar contra los filiste
El documento describe la conquista de Jericó por parte de los israelitas liderados por Josué. Josué guió al pueblo alrededor de las murallas de la ciudad durante seis días, y al séptimo día, cuando sonaron las trompetas, las murallas cayeron y los israelitas tomaron la ciudad, excepto a Rahab la prostituta y su familia que ayudaron a los espías israelitas.
Después del diluvio, la humanidad vuelve a corromperse creyéndose más sabia que Dios y queriendo reemplazarlo. Al intentar construir la torre de Babel para hacerse famosos, Dios confunde sus lenguajes para que no se entiendan, desperdigándolos por la tierra y deteniendo la construcción.
Dios decidió destruir a la raza humana y a todos los seres vivientes debido a la maldad de los hombres. Solo Noé, un hombre justo, merecía salvarse junto con su familia. Dios le encargó a Noé construir un Arca para salvarse del Diluvio que duraría 40 días y noches, el cual eliminaría toda criatura viviente de la tierra, excepto los que estuvieran en el Arca.
Este documento presenta una línea de tiempo que resume la vida de Jesús de Nazaret desde su nacimiento hasta su ascensión. Comienza con el anuncio del ángel a María, el nacimiento de Jesús, y su presentación en el templo. Luego describe algunos eventos clave como el bautismo de Jesús, las tentaciones en el desierto, la transfiguración, y la última cena. Finalmente, concluye con la muerte, resurrección y ascensión de Jesús.
El documento habla sobre tres historias bíblicas: Abraham, a quien Dios le prometió una vida plena y con sentido; Moisés, a quien Dios envió para liberar al pueblo de la esclavitud y la tristeza; y David, a quien Dios amó a pesar de sus humillaciones. Explica que la Biblia contiene mensajes de Dios sobre el valor y propósito de cada persona.
Dios elige a Abraham, un hombre fracasado de 75 años de edad en Ur de los Caldeos, y le promete hacerlo padre de una gran nación y darle la tierra de Canaán. Dios le muestra a Abraham las estrellas y le dice que su descendencia será tan numerosa. Este encuentro marca el comienzo de la relación especial entre Dios y su pueblo elegido de Israel, que culmina con la venida de Jesucristo y la salvación para toda la humanidad.
El documento discute dos tipos de personas y su perspectiva sobre la religión y la existencia de Dios. Algunas personas creen que los eventos son puramente casuales, mientras que otras creen que hay un ser superior que cuida de ellos y envía "señales". La película Señales sugiere que Dios permite cosas como enfermedades y fracasos para el bien mayor, y que Jesús murió pero resucitó para darnos vida plena.
Este documento presenta 14 figuras o temas de Jesús que se han inspirado en el Evangelio y se han representado en películas, incluyendo la llamada, las tentaciones, el bautismo, las parábolas, los milagros, las relaciones, la Última Cena, el lavatorio de pies, Getsemaní, el juicio, la muerte, la resurrección y la experiencia de la Pascua.
El documento habla sobre la necesidad humana de pertenencia y trascendencia. Explica que buscamos ser aceptados por un grupo y encontrar el sentido de nuestras vidas. Luego resume la trama de la película "La Ola" sobre un experimento social que muestra estas necesidades. Finalmente, presenta un extracto de la declaración de la Iglesia Católica "Nostra Aetate" sobre las relaciones con otras religiones.
El documento trata sobre el sentido de la vida y presenta tres enfoques principales para darle sentido: 1) enfoques humanistas que no dependen de una realidad superior, 2) ciencias ocultas que se basan en fuerzas universales externas, y 3) religiones que involucran una relación personal con un ser superior como Dios. También discute actitudes como negar el sentido de la vida, ser indiferente a él, reducirlo a lo terrenal o verlo sólo en términos de consumismo.
La muerte física es cuando dejamos de respirar y nuestros órganos dejan de funcionar, mientras que la muerte ontológica significa la muerte del ser, experimentando soledad y falta de sentido. Según la Iglesia, la muerte es consecuencia del pecado original que nos separó de Dios, quien da sentido a la vida. Jesucristo vino a destruir la muerte para que podamos vivir plenamente.
Este documento presenta el orden de la celebración del sacramento del matrimonio en la Iglesia Católica, incluyendo los ritos iniciales, la celebración del matrimonio con el consentimiento y bendición de los anillos, la liturgia eucarística con la bendición nupcial, y la despedida final.
2. INTRODUCTION
In the last few years Shakespeare In The Ruins has traveled from a country
monastery to a downtown rooftop to an urban oasis and, now, to a magical woods within
the Conservatory at Assiniboine Park for this year’s production of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream. I know that you and your students will be delighted by this performance in this
very special place.
The story begins with a common teen-age dilemma: to obey one’s parents or to
follow one’s heart. There are wonderful characters in both the mortal and the fairy world,
and, as always, there are 400 year-old comments which can enlighten us in our modern
lives.
This is a play with which many of our middle school and high school students are
somewhat familiar. There is a film of not too many years ago, and fans of Neil Gaiman’s
Sandman series may have seen his dark comic book version from a while back. It is also
a play that a few brave elementary school teachers tackle with their classes, an
experience which the students remember for many years.
As we’ve come to expect, SIR Artistic Director Arne MacPherson has an original
take on the Bard. One thing he is doing differently is to break with the usual double
casting, in which traditionally Hippolyta and Titania are played by the same actor, as are
Theseus and Oberon. According to MacPherson, “this brings out the resonances in
terms of the similarities in the two sets of relationships, the power dynamics, etc. We are
double casting Hippolyta and Titania, but have two actors playing Theseus and Oberon.
What effect this might have is that the journey of the female Queens will resonate
differently. The audience will follow the same actress through the two rolees. Also,
having the actor who plays Theseus also play Snug the Joiner will allow that actor to
relate to Hippolyta with a completely different power dynamic.”
Original interpretations aside, what MacPherson (and I would guess most of us!)
really loves about A Midsummer Night's Dream “is that Shakespeare was in the mood to
charm and delight! The darkness, cruelty, and preoccupation with death which cloud so
many of his comedies are nowhere in evidence. He seemed to be saying, ‘Let's all just
have a great time, shall we?’ I love the good-natured, generous spirit of the play. It looks
at the foibles of human love through a magical glass and finds a wonderful truth therein:
Reason and love keep little company these days. Oh, how true!”
My students are delighted to study a comedy for a change, a rare literary treat in
most high schools these days. As Hippolyta says during the play-within-a-play, “This is
[some of] the silliest stuff that ever I heard” (V.i.210). ENJOY!
~ Pamela Lockman
for Shakespeare In The Ruins
(April 2006)
3. Time Line of Shakespeare’s Life
1564 William Shakespeare is born to Mary and John Shakespeare.
1582 William Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway; he is 18 and she is 26.
1583 Daughter, Susanna Shakespeare, is born.
1585 Twins, Judith and Hamnet, are born.
1589-94 Shakespeare’s first plays, Titus Andronicus, The Comedy of Errors, and Henry
(circa) VI are written.
1592 Shakespeare makes a name for himself as an actor and arouses resentment
from rival dramatists.
1593 Shakespeare begins writing the Sonnets (he writes a total of 154).
(circa)
1594 Shakespeare acts in several plays before Queen Elizabeth. His acting company,
The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, is formed.
1595 (or 96) A Midsummer Night’s Dream written and first performed.
1596 Shakespeare’s only son, Hamnet, dies.
1597 Shakespeare’s name first appears on printed plays. He purchases New Place, a
large house that enables him to acquire a coat of arms and use the term
gentleman after his name.
1598 A critic announces Shakespeare as the best author of both tragedy and comedy
for the stage.
1599 Shakespeare becomes a stockholder in the new Globe Theatre.
1599-1608 The peak of Shakespeare’s career. He writes many famous plays, including
As You Like It, Hamlet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Othello, and King Lear.
1603 Queen Elizabeth I dies, and James VI ascends the throne. Shakespeare’s acting
troupe establishes royal patronage and becomes The King’s Men.
1610 After writing at least 37 plays, Shakespeare retires to his home in Stratford.
(circa)
1613 The Globe Theatre burns to the ground during a production of Henry VIII. It is
eventually rebuilt on the same grounds.
1616 Shakespeare dies from mysterious causes and is buried at the Church of Holy
Trinity.
1664 The clergy finally have their way; the Globe Theatre is torn down.
4. BEFORE THE PLAY:
1. Create an Anticipation Guide. Some discussion statements (true/false) might
include:
- Children should always obey their parents.
- Parents should be allowed to choose their children’s spouses.
- Loyalty is owed first to a boyfriend or girlfriend rather than to an old childhood
friend.
- There is more to the natural world than meets the eye.
- Lunatics, lovers and poets have much in common.
- Magic exists.
2. Read and discuss the following sonnets:
LET me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
William Shakespeare (116)
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
I love her for her smile--her look--her way
Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of ease on such a day--
For these things in themselves, Belovèd, may
Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheek dry,--
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou may'st love on, through love's eternity.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (14)
5. HOW do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, -I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! - and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (43)
3. A bit of oral history!
Have students interview their parents, grandparents, other relatives or family
friends about how they met and fell in love with their “first love” or current spouse. These
can be shared in class discussion, or turned into a writing project.
4. Read the original version of Pyramus and Thisbe (from http://www.stjohns-
chs.org/english/shakespeare/midsummer/dream.html)
One of the important 'sources' for A Midsummer Night’s Dream is from the Fourth Book of Ovid's
Metamorphoses concerning the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe. Note the genre and form of the
tale; then determine why Shakespeare chose it for the "play within the play." What changes did
he make and why?
The Story of Pyramus and Thisbe
In Babylon, where first her queen, for state
Rais'd walls of brick magnificently great,
Liv'd Pyramus, and Thisbe, lovely pair!
He found no eastern youth his equal there,
And she beyond the fairest nymph was fair.
A closer neighbourhood was never known,
Tho' two the houses, yet the roof was one.
Acquaintance grew, th' acquaintance they improve
To friendship, friendship ripen'd into love:
Love had been crown'd, but impotently mad,
What parents could not hinder, they forbad.
For with fierce flames young Pyramus still burn'd,
And grateful Thisbe flames as fierce return'd.
Aloud in words their thoughts they dare not break,
But silent stand; and silent looks can speak.
6. The fire of love the more it is supprest,
The more it glows, and rages in the breast.
When the division-wall was built, a chink
Was left, the cement unobserv'd to shrink.
So slight the cranny, that it still had been
For centuries unclos'd, because unseen.
But oh! what thing so small, so secret lies,
Which scapes, if form'd for love, a lover's eyes?
Ev'n in this narrow chink they quickly found
A friendly passage for a trackless sound.
Safely they told their sorrows, and their joys,
In whisper'd murmurs, and a dying noise,
By turns to catch each other's breath they strove,
And suck'd in all the balmy breeze of love.
Oft as on diff'rent sides they stood, they cry'd,
Malicious wall, thus lovers to divide!
Suppose, thou should'st a-while to us give place
To lock, and fasten in a close embrace:
But if too much to grant so sweet a bliss,
Indulge at least the pleasure of a kiss.
We scorn ingratitude: to thee, we know,
This safe conveyance of our minds we owe.
Thus they their vain petition did renew
'Till night, and then they softly sigh'd adieu.
But first they strove to kiss, and that was all;
Their kisses dy'd untasted on the wall.
Soon as the morn had o'er the stars prevail'd,
nd warm'd by Phoebus, flow'rs their dews exhal'd,
The lovers to their well-known place return,
Alike they suffer, and alike they mourn.
At last their parents they resolve to cheat
(If to deceive in love be call'd deceit),
To steal by night from home, and thence unknown
To seek the fields, and quit th' unfaithful town.
But, to prevent their wand'ring in the dark,
They both agree to fix upon a mark;
A mark, that could not their designs expose:
The tomb of Ninus was the mark they chose.
There they might rest secure beneath the shade,
Which boughs, with snowy fruit encumber'd, made:
A wide-spread mulberry its rise had took
Just on the margin of a gurgling brook.
mpatient for the friendly dusk they stay;
And chide the slowness of departing day;
In western seas down sunk at last the light,
From western seas up-rose the shades of night.
The loving Thisbe ev'n prevents the hour,
With cautious silence she unlocks the door,
And veils her face, and marching thro' the gloom
Swiftly arrives at th' assignation-tomb.
For still the fearful sex can fearless prove;
Boldly they act, if spirited by love.
When lo! a lioness rush'd o'er the plain,
Grimly besmear'd with blood of oxen slain:
7. And what to the dire sight new horrors brought,
To slake her thirst the neighb'ring spring she sought.
Which, by the moon, when trembling Thisbe spies,
Wing'd with her fear, swift, as the wind, she flies;
And in a cave recovers from her fright,
But drop'd her veil, confounded in her flight.
When sated with repeated draughts, again
The queen of beasts scour'd back along the plain,
She found the veil, and mouthing it all o'er,
With bloody jaws the lifeless prey she tore.
The youth, who could not cheat his guards so soon,
Late came, and noted by the glimm'ring moon
Some savage feet, new printed on the ground,
His cheeks turn'd pale, his limbs no vigour found;
But when, advancing on, the veil he spied
Distain'd with blood, and ghastly torn, he cried,
One night shall death to two young lovers give,
But she deserv'd unnumber'd years to live!
'Tis I am guilty, I have thee betray'd,
Who came not early, as my charming maid.
Whatever slew thee, I the cause remain,
I nam'd, and fix'd the place where thou wast slain.
Ye lions from your neighb'ring dens repair,
Pity the wretch, this impious body tear!
But cowards thus for death can idly cry;
The brave still have it in their pow'r to die.
Then to th' appointed tree he hastes away,
The veil first gather'd, tho' all rent it lay:
The veil all rent yet still it self endears,
He kist, and kissing, wash'd it with his tears.
Tho' rich (he cry'd) with many a precious stain,
Still from my blood a deeper tincture gain.
Then in his breast his shining sword he drown'd,
And fell supine, extended on the ground.
As out again the blade lie dying drew,
Out spun the blood, and streaming upwards flew.
So if a conduit-pipe e'er burst you saw,
Swift spring the gushing waters thro' the flaw:
Then spouting in a bow, they rise on high,
And a new fountain plays amid the sky.
The berries, stain'd with blood, began to show
A dark complexion, and forgot their snow;
While fatten'd with the flowing gore, the root
Was doom'd for ever to a purple fruit.
Mean-time poor Thisbe fear'd, so long she stay'd,
Her lover might suspect a perjur'd maid.
Her fright scarce o'er, she strove the youth to find
With ardent eyes, which spoke an ardent mind.
lready in his arms, she hears him sigh
At her destruction, which was once so nigh.
The tomb, the tree, but not the fruit she knew,
The fruit she doubted for its alter'd hue.
Still as she doubts, her eyes a body found
Quiv'ring in death, and gasping on the ground.
8. She started back, the red her cheeks forsook,
And ev'ry nerve with thrilling horrors shook.
So trembles the smooth surface of the seas,
If brush'd o'er gently with a rising breeze.
But when her view her bleeding love confest,
She shriek'd, she tore her hair, she beat her breast.
She rais'd the body, and embrac'd it round,
And bath'd with tears unfeign'd the gaping wound.
Then her warm lips to the cold face apply'd,
And is it thus, ah! thus we meet, she cry'd!
My Pyramus! whence sprung thy cruel fate?
My Pyramus!- ah! speak, ere 'tis too late.
I, thy own Thisbe, but one word implore,
One word thy Thisbe never ask'd before.
At Thisbe's name, awak'd, he open'd wide
His dying eyes; with dying eyes he try'd
On her to dwell, but clos'd them slow, and dy'd.
The fatal cause was now at last explor'd,
Her veil she knew, and saw his sheathless sword:
From thy own hand thy ruin thou hast found,
She said, but love first taught that hand to wound,
Ev'n I for thee as bold a hand can show,
And love, which shall as true direct the blow.
I will against the woman's weakness strive,
And never thee, lamented youth, survive.
The world may say, I caus'd, alas! thy death,
But saw thee breathless, and resign'd my breath.
Fate, tho' it conquers, shall no triumph gain,
Fate, that divides us, still divides in vain.
Now, both our cruel parents, hear my pray'r;
My pray'r to offer for us both I dare;
Oh! see our ashes in one urn confin'd,
Whom love at first, and fate at last has join'd.
The bliss, you envy'd, is not our request;
Lovers, when dead, may sure together rest.
Thou, tree, where now one lifeless lump is laid,
Ere-long o'er two shalt cast a friendly shade.
Still let our loves from thee be understood,
Still witness in thy purple fruit our blood.
She spoke, and in her bosom plung'd the sword,
All warm and reeking from its slaughter'd lord.
The pray'r, which dying Thisbe had preferr'd,
Both Gods, and parents, with compassion heard.
The whiteness of the mulberry soon fled,
And rip'ning, sadden'd in a dusky red:
While both their parents their lost children mourn,
And mix their ashes in one golden urn.
Thus did the melancholy tale conclude,
And a short, silent interval ensu'd.
9. READING THE PLAY
Nothing takes the place of actually reading the play, and the best way for
students to do this is to get up on their feet! In some classes (my own included),
students are assigned to one of five groups, and each group is assigned one
complete act of the play. Students read the act and scene summaries to put their
assigned section in context with the whole play, and then have several days in
class to prepare their specific act. We start with Act I and read all the way
through, stopping at the end of each scene for questions (often in the form of “hot
seat”, explained below) and discussion. Some teachers also like to give a variety
of quizzes during the reading to check comprehension.
Hot Seat: At the end of a scene, several students are assigned the role of a
character within that scene. Teacher and other students ask questions to the
selected students about what’s going on in the scene just read. These students
must answer the questions in the persona of whichever character they have been
assigned. In other words, the students must speak “in the shoes” of the selected
character.
For example, at the end of I.i.: Helena, is it really worth jeopardizing your
long friendship with Hermia for Demetrius? Demetrius, why do you want a girl
who cannot even stand you? Egeus, would you really rather see your daughter
put to death than marry the person she loves? Hippolyta, do you really love
Theseus, even though he won you in battle?
Hotseat is an excellent technique for delving into the characters and plot,
and it is also a way to deal with specific lines and to explore varying
interpretations. For example, I.i.134: Lysander, what do you mean when you say,
The course of true love never did run smooth? Do you really mean NEVER?
What do you think, Hermia? And Puck, when you say Lord, what fools these
mortals be! (III.ii.115), do you mean ALL mortals? What do you think about that,
Theseus and Hippolyta?
SYNOPSIS: Act, Scene and Line numbers are from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S
DREAM. The Annotated Shakespeare, Burton Raffel, General Editor, and
with an essay by Harold Bloom. Yale University Press, 2005.
ACT I
The play opens with Theseus complaining that time just isn’t going quickly
enough. He can hardly wait to marry Hippolyta, who, although he “wooed [her]
with [his] sword/And won [her] love, doing … injuries” (I.i.16-17), he will marry
with great ceremony and celebration. Hippolyta seems quite a bit more patient
than he [“Four days will quickly steep themselves in night…(I.i.7)], and we might
wonder how excited she really is, having been “won” in what sounds like a battle;
however, this is a comedy and we won’t go there now!
10. Egeus, another Shakespearean father who cannot abide a wilful daughter,
interrupts the Duke and Queen to get some help with handling Hermia, who has
chosen the young man Lysander for a boyfriend. Her father has chosen
Demetrius for her boyfriend, and would rather see her dead than allow her to
marry her true love, Lysander. Because this poor dad obviously has no control
over his daughter, he goes to the Duke for help. Unfortunately for Hermia,
Theseus is immediately on her father’s side and advises her that “[her] father
should be as a god” (I.i.47) and she must obey him. Hermia begs the Duke to
consider the situation from her point of view [“I would my father looked but with
my eyes” (I.i.56)], but his response says it all: “Rather your eyes must with [your
father’s] judgment look (I.i.48). Crestfallen, Hermia asks what will happen to her if
she refuses to marry Demetrius. The unhappy answer? To die, or to live like a
nun, without the company of men (or possibly all other human beings) forever.
The Duke says that she has just until the new moon, when he and Hippolyta will
wed, to decide her fate.
Demetrius speaks up and begs Hermia to relent and marry him, and he
tells Lysander to give up his claim on her. In return, Lysander suggests that since
Demetrius has Egeus’ love, he should marry him! The Duke asks Egeus and
Demetrius to follow him out, leaving our two young and sad lovers a chance to
talk in private. Lysander comes up with a great plan: they will sneak out of their
houses at night and meet in the woods, then go to his aunt’s house outside the
city of Athens where the laws will not apply to them. They swear their love to
each other and just as they’re about to part, Helena shows up. She is lovesick
because she loves Demetrius and Demetrius loves Hermia. Hermia tries to
convince her that she definitely does NOT love Demetrius and that she’s doing
everything she can to discourage him. [“I frown upon him, yet he loves me still…I
give him curses, yet he gives me love…The more I hate, the more he follows me
(I.i.194-198).]. Poor Helena only wishes she had Hermia’s problem! Because
they have been friends for a long time, and trying to make her feel better, Hermia
and Lysander tell Helena of their plan to leave Athens – this way Helena will
have Demetrius to herself and not have to worry about his chasing after Hermia.
But, alas, instead of keeping the plan to herself and waiting for him to come back
to her, Helena figures that if she tells Demetrius what’s up, he will be grateful to
her for the information and at least she’ll get to see him. Not a nice thing for a
best friend to do, is it?
In scene ii we meet the “mechanicals” or, in some books, the “clowns.”
These guys are tradesmen who make a living in jobs like carpenter, weaver, and
tailor. They are not sophisticated and neither are they brilliant. They are good,
hard working, honourable men who have no idea how funny they are. We first
meet them at Peter Quince’s house, where they are getting together to organize
a performance for the Duke and Queen’s wedding. Quince works very hard to
keep things organized and moving along, but Nick Bottom has lots of his own
ideas which provide a good deal of laughter for the audience. When all the parts
11. are finally given out, these “rude mechanicals” agree to meet next in, where
else? The woods!
ACT II
While the city of Athens and especially the royal palace are central in the
world of humans, the woods belong to the fairies and sprites, and it is here where
we meet them all. First there is the mischievous Puck (aka Robin Goodfellow),
who enjoys nothing better than causing chaos. He warns one of Titania’s fairies
to keep her away from this part of the woods tonight because Oberon is planning
a celebration there and he is enraged at her refusal to let him have her “sweet…
changeling” child (II.i.23), one that he believes she “[stole] from an Indian king”
(II.i.22). But before their conversation is done, Oberon and Titania both show up.
After some indignant name-calling and taunting, Titania blames Oberon
for the current sorry state of the natural world. Because he will not leave her
alone about her changeling child, she and the fairies have not been able to
dance and sing and this has upset everything from the streams which are now
overflowing and flooding the farmers’ fields, to the altering of the seasons. The
world is all confused because of their quarrelling. Like somewhat of a spoiled
child himself, Oberon suggests that everything can easily be set right. All Titania
has to do is give him the boy. But Titania made a promise to the boy’s mortal,
and now dead, mother, and she will not give him up.
Oberon plans his revenge in a way only a fairy king can: he sends Puck to
get some magical “love juice” from a certain flower once touched by Cupid’s
arrow. While waiting for him to return, Oberon observes Demetrius coming into
the woods with Helena following close behind. Even though Demetrius is terribly
mean to Helena [“Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit,/For I am sick when
I do look on thee” (II.i.211-212)], she continues after him [“And I am sick when I
look not on you” (II.i.213] without a shred of pride, vowing to “make a heaven of
hell,/To die upon the hand [she] love[s] so well (II.i.243-244).
As soon as Puck returns, Oberon directs him to find “a sweet Athenian
lady [who] is in love/With a disdainful youth” (II.i.260-261) and to put some of the
“love juice” in his eyes so that he will fall in love with the first thing he sees, which
Oberon thinks will be Helena. The man will be wearing “Athenian garments”
(II.i.264), so Puck will know the right one…or will he?
In the meantime (Scene ii), Oberon sets off to find Titania and put some of
the same magic liquid in her eyes, hoping that she will “wake, when some vile
thing is near” (II.ii.38).
By now, Hermia and Lysander have had enough of walking through the
woods and are ready to sleep. Lysander would like them to share the same piece
of ground, but Hermia, obviously the more modest of the two, begs him to “lie
12. further off, in human modesty” (II.ii.61). They vow their love and loyalty to each
other and then drift off to sleep.
Enter Puck, who just about to give up on finding the Athenians, is
delighted to see the two sleeping apart on the ground. He figures they must be
the right ones, and so puts some “love juice” in Lysander’s eyes and then goes
off to tell Oberon of his deed.
Demetrius and Helena arrive, but Demetrius is quick to leave, telling her to
stop following him! Poor Helena, tired and feeling sorry for herself, finds
Lysander lying alone (she doesn’t see Hermia) and tries to wake him, hoping
he’s not dead. The “love juice” is effective immediately and Lysander showers
her with words of love. Sure that he’s teasing her for cruel fun, Helena leaves,
with Lysander following shortly.
When Hermia awakes, she is alone and has just had a terrible dream
about “a serpent eat[ing her] heart away,/and [Lysander] … smiling at his cruel
prey” (II.ii.153-154). She’s terrified that something dreadful has happened to
Lysander, and the act ends with her vow that “either death or [Lysander] I’ll find
immediately” (II.ii.160).
ACT III
The act opens with Peter Quince and company meeting in the woods to
practice their play and although Titania is sleeping near by, they cannot see her.
There is much humour around mixed up word usage and this continues
throughout the scene, especially related to Bottom and his magically appointed
ass (donkey!) head. Puck, of course, is responsible for this, and he is delighted
when Titania wakes up to Bottom’s singing and immediately asks “What angel
wakes me from my flow’ry bed?” (III.i.112). The hilarity continues as she and her
fairies dote on Bottom, who, although he really has no idea what’s going on,
begins to enjoy the attention.
At the beginning of scene ii, Puck can hardly wait to tell Oberon that
Titania “with a monster is in love” (III.ii.6). Oberon is quite pleased with the news
and just as he asks whether Puck has wet “the Athenian’s eyes/With the love
juice” (III.ii.37) as instructed, Demetrius and Hermia enter. Puck admits that “this
is the woman, but not this the man” (III.ii.42). They watch the two mortals argue
until Hermia runs off, leaving Demetrius tired and ready to sleep. He lies down
right there. Oberon is no longer pleased and he sends Puck to find Helena and
bring her to the spot. He is trying to fix things so now puts some love juice in
Demetrius’ eyes. Puck returns quickly with the news that “Helena is here at hand”
(III.ii.111), and Lysander is right behind. He and Oberon await the human drama
that is about to ensue, Puck obviously enjoying the chaos he has helped to
create.
13. And chaos it is! When Lysander and Helena arrive, Demetrius wakes up
and is immediately smitten with Helena, now calling her “goddess, nymph,
perfect, divine” (III.ii.137), quite a change from his earlier nastiness. Helena is
certain that the two men have joined together “against [her] for [their own]
merriment” (III.ii.146) and she is “sure [they] hate her with [their] hearts” because,
after all, they “both are rivals, and love Hermia” (III.ii.154-155). Enter Hermia,
tired and confused, happy to see Lysander, but wondering “why unkindly didst
[he] leave [her] so” (III.ii.183). There is a great deal of humour at the expense of
all four young people, and Oberon holds Puck accountable for the turmoil and
confusion. Demanding that Puck “overcast the night” (III.ii.355), Oberon leaves
him to put things back in order, making sure that the right men end up with the
right ladies, and that “when they next wake, all this derision/Shall seem a dream
and fruitless vision” (III.ii.370-371). Oberon, at the same time, goes off “to [his]
queen [to] beg her Indian boy” (III.ii.375) before he takes the spell off her eyes.
Puck manages to lure all four lovers to the same spot in the woods, and
they all fall asleep without seeing the others.
ACT IV
Bottom is enjoying the attention of the Fairy Queen and her train, and as
they fall asleep together, Titania tells him “O how I love thee! How I dote on
thee!” (IV.i.43). Oberon and Puck arrive and are delighted with this view. Before
releasing her from the spell, Oberon tells Puck of how he “did ask of her her
changeling child,/Which straight she gave [him]” (IV.i.57-58). And since now he
has “the boy, [he] will undo/This hateful imperfection of her eyes” (IV.i.60-61).
When Titania awakes, she is horrified to see with what she had been “in love”
and they walk off amiably with her asking Oberon to “tell [her] how it came this
night,/That [she] sleeping here was found,/With these mortals on the ground”
(IV.i.99-101).
As the Fairy King and Queen leave, the Duke and his Queen, along with
Egeus, enter. They are out for an early morning fox hunt and they happen upon
Hermia, Helena, Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus is quite surprised to find them
all, and “wonder[s] of their being here together” (IV.i.131). Theseus gets quickly
to the point when he says to Lysander and Demetrius: “I know you two are rival
enemies./How comes this gentle concord in the world,/That hatred is so far from
jealousy/To sleep by hate, and fear no enmity?” (IV.i.142-145). Lysander tries to
recall the events of the previous night [“I came with Hermia hither. Our
intent/Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,/Without the peril of the
Athenian law—“ (IV.i.151-154)], but he is cut off by Egeus who “beg[s] the law,
the law, upon his head” (IV.i.155). He tells Demetrius, “They would have stol’n
away, they would,…/Thereby to have defeated you and me:/You of your wife,
and me of my consent…that she should be your wife” (IV.i.156-159). Demetrius,
however, is a changed man, and about Helena can only say “Now I do wish [for
her], love [her], long for [her],/And will for evermore be true to [her] (IV.i.175-176).
And now Theseus asserts his power and takes control of the situation, advising
14. the young lovers that they will join him “in the temple, by and by” and with
Hippolyta and him “eternally be knit” (IV.i.180-181).
Once the couples are alone again, they try to figure out what happened.
There is some wonderful figurative language to look at here:
Demetrius These things seem small and undistinguishable,
Like far-off mountains turned into clouds.
Hermia Methinks I see these things with parted eye,
When every thing seems double.
Helena So methinks.
And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,
Mine own, and not mine own (IV.i. 187-192).
And they question whether even now they are awake:
Demetrius Are you sure
That we are awake? It seems to me
That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think
The Duke was here, and bid us follow him?
Hermia Yea, and my father.
Helena And Hippolyta.
Lysander And he did bid us follow to the temple.
Demetrius Why, then we are awake. Let’s follow him,
And by the way let us recount our dreams (IV.i.192-199).
And as they exit, Bottom wakes up, still believing he is rehearsing the
play, but quickly realizing that he is alone. Like the young lovers, he tries without
success to understand and explain his experiences of the previous night: “I/have
had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit/of man to say what
dream it was. Man is but an ass, if he go/about to expound this dream.
Methought I was – there is /no man can tell what. Methought I was – and
methought I/had – but man is but a patch’d fool, if he will offer to/say what
methought I had” (IV.i.203-209).
We are back in Athens at Peter Quince’s house for scene ii, and just as
the men wish for the return of their “sweet bully Bottom” (IV.ii.18), he walks in
promising “to discourse wonders” (IV.ii.25). But they’ll have to wait, because “the
short and the long is, [their] play is preferred” (IV.ii.33) and there is much
preparation to be done.
ACT V
This act is all one scene which takes place in Theseus’ palace after the
weddings of all three couples. It opens on Hippolyta and Theseus discussing the
strange story told by the young lovers after their night in the woods. In attempting
to explain logically what happened, Theseus gives a wonderful discourse on
“lovers and madmen,” both having “such seething brains” (V.i.4). This is his
speech about “[t]he lunatic, the lover, and the poet” (V.i.7) whom he claims are all
15. composed of or linked together by imagination. Hippolyta, perhaps somewhat
more practical than he, wonders at the probability of it being only imagination
since “all the story of the night told over, /And all their minds transfigured so
together” (V.i.23-24). Her thoughts are interrupted when “the lovers, full of joy
and mirth” (V.i.28) enter the room.
From a list of possible entertainments, the Duke chooses, of course, “A
tedious brief scene of young Pyramus/And his love Thisbe, very tragical mirth”
(V.i.57-58). Philostrate tries his hardest to convince the Duke otherwise, telling
him “It is not for you. I have heard it over,/And it is nothing, nothing in the world”
(V.i.79-80). However, Theseus insists that “[he] will hear that play” and Quince,
as the Prologue, begins “If we offend, it is with our good will” (V.i.110), bumbling
his words from the start. Everyone has a part: Bottom (Pyramus), Flute (Thisbe),
Snout (Wall), Starveling (Moonshine), and Snug (Lion). We, along with the
wedding party, are in for some jolly good fun as our “rude mechanicals” continue
to butcher lines, over-act, and respond to remarks made by their audience. And
when it is over, Bottom jumps up to assure us that no one is really dead. A
Bergomask (clownish dance) follows and when it ends, the players exit, leaving
Theseus to send the rest to bed, as “‘tis almost fairy time” (V.i.352).
Once the mortals are clear, Puck prepares the way for the Fairy King and
Queen who, along with their train, “will…sing, and bless this place” (V.i.388) as
well as “the issue, there create” [all of their children to come] (V.i.393).
The final speech is Puck’s, who holds out an olive branch to us all:
“If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here,
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend.
And as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck,
Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,
We will make amends ere long –
Else the Puck a liar call.
So good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends (V.i.411-426).
And so we leave the theatre, once again, feeling even better than we did
upon our arrival.
16. AFTER THE PLAY
1. Reflect on the experience of the theatre production. Was it what you
expected? Were the characters as you imagined they would be? What did you
think of the unusual double-castings? What did you think of the promenade
experience, both indoors and out (unless it rains!)? If you had a chance to act in
this production, which character(s) would you have liked to play? Why? If you
were directing, would you have anything differently?
2. Revisit the text to find lines which include the following images and
motifs: Human nature and Natural forces
Crossovers of the Fairy and Mortal worlds
Music and dancing
Night and day
Parent-child relationships
Shadows and dreams
Fools/Clowns
Nothing
Magic
3. Explore more deeply some of the play’s poetry. There are some
fabulous lines, filled with figurative language and imagery that you’ll want to
spend more time with. Here are just a few:
Lysander: Helen, to you our minds we will unfold.
Tomorrow night, when Phoebe doth behold
Her silver visage in the wat’ry glass,
Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass –
A time that loverws’ flights doth still conceal –
Through Athens’ gates have we devised to steal.
Hermia: And in the wood, where often you and I
Upon faint primrose beds were wont to lie,
Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,
There my Lysander and myself shall meet,
And thence from Athens turn away our eyes,
To seek new friends and stranger companies.
Farewell, sweet playfellow. Pray thou for us.
And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius.
Keep word, Lysander. We must starve our sight
From lovers’ food till morrow deep midnight (I.i.208-223).
Titania: These are the forgeries of jealousy.
And never, since the middle summer’s spring
Met we on hill, in dale, forest or mead,
By paved fountain or by rushy brook,
17. Or in the beached margent of the sea,
To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport.
Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,
As in revenge have sucked up from the sea
Contagious fogs which, falling in the land,
Have every pelting river made so proud
That they have overborne their continents (II.i.81-92).
(This goes on for another 22 lines – and it’s all wonderful!)
Oberon: I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk roses and with eglantine.
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight.
And there the snake throws her enamelled skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in (II.i.249-256).
Lysander: O take the sense, sweet, of my innocence.
Love takes the meaning, in love’s conference.
I mean that my heart unto yours is knit,
So that but one heart we can make of it.
Two bosoms interchainèd with an oath.
So then two bosoms and a single troth.
Then by your side no bed-room me deny.
For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie (II.ii.49-56).
Be sure to include the entire last speeches of Puck beginning with Now the
hungry lion roars (V.i.359), Oberon and Titania, and back to Puck until the very
end. I can’t imagine a better ending than this!
4. Related Poetry and/or Music:
Have students find poems and/or songs related to some of the themes
and images of the play. You can read and study the poems or lyrics as well as
listen to the songs. For songs, discuss how the music complements the lyrics.
What kind of music would you use as background for various scenes of the play?
5. Malapropisms and other word play. Have students find out what a
malapropism is and where that term came from. Revisit the scenes with the
mechanicals, and with Bottom alone and with Titania to find examples.
18. 6. Explore related mythology. Some of the people and places mentioned
or related to these characters include:
Athens
Crete
Thebes
Sparta
Thessaly
Theseus
Hippolyta
Oberon
Titania
Hercules
Diana
Cupid
Phoebe
Apollo
Ariadne
Antiopa
Daphne
Cadmus
7. Compare this play to Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale (in The Canterbury
Tales) and Plutarch's Life of Theseus.
RESOURCES ON THE WEB
http://www.leasttern.com/Shakespeare/Midsummer/Dreamhome.htm
HUGE variety of resources within a web study guide.
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/midsummer.html
Consistently interesting in offering resources and lesson plans for English
teachers at a variety of grade levels.
http://www.folger.edu/
FOLGER Shakespeare Library: “A Lively Place for Learning and the Arts”;
special areas for students and K – 12 teachers; resources, lesson plans,
workshops, more!
http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/educators/
PBS, in partnership with Folger, offers resources on a number of the
plays, including this one.
20. ultimately you need to decide for yourself. If you want something totally
non-controversial, please leave now.
This day my oaths of drinking wine and going to plays
are out, and so I do resolve to take a liberty to-day,
and then to fall to them again. To the King's Theatre,
where we saw "Midsummer's Night's Dream," which I
had never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is
the most insipid ridiculous play that ever I saw in my
life. I saw, I confess, some good dancing and some
handsome women, which was all my pleasure.
-- Samuel Pepys, Diary, Sept. 29, 1662
You are always insane when you are in love.
-- Sigmund Freud
http://absoluteshakespeare.com/index.htm
Lots of categories to follow for interesting information.
http://www.shakespearehigh.com/library/surfbard/index.htm
“Surfing with the Bard: Your Shakespeare Classroom on the
Internet”; Amy Ulen provides separate areas for students &
teachers. Her focus is on performance, and she offers lots of useful
information and ideas.