Explore the Ways In Which Shakespeare Presents the Rude Mechanicals.

EXPLORE THE WAYS IN WHICH SHAKESPEARE PRESENTS THE RUDE MECHANICALS In his play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' Shakespeare presents the Rude Mechanicals primarily as humorous characters: they provide the comic relief. They intend to put on their own play, 'The lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe,' as part of the marriage ceremony of Theseus and Hippolyta: a rather tragic choice! Although these men are called the "Rude Mechanicals" we cannot assume that they are not educated. Quince for example seems to be intelligent enough as he can correct mispronunciation "Odorous, odorous." Snug does seem to prove the point that he is unintelligent and he seems quite uneducated, "I am slow of study." The Rude Mechanicals who dominate the group and have most to say are Bottom and Quince. Bottom in particular is a very dominant character, convinced of his own ability, and he keen to show off, even to Titania's fairies and this is made evident when he addresses them as "Mounsieur." Similarly another example of him prove himself to be unintelligent is at the end of Act one when all the play parts are decided it is Bottom rather than Quince, who says to the other rude mechanicals, "we will meet; and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect..." obviously Bottom does not mean to say "obscenely" so Shakespeare is creating

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Comment On The Role And Dramatic Significance Of Theseus In a Midsummer Nights Dream

Chris Andrew 04 April 2001 Comment On The Role And Dramatic Significance Of Theseus In a Midsummer Nights Dream Although Theseus is only in the play for a short time and has quite a peripheral role and yet he is central in the plot. He appears only in the early and late scenes yet what takes place the middle of the play involving the lovers in the forest is due to Theseus' decision to stand by the will of Egeus and enforce marriage between Hermia and Demetrius. "To fit your fancies to your father's will; Or the law of Athens yields you up,- Which by no means we may extenuate,- To death, or to a vow of single life." The fact that Thesius is well respected in the mythological world, being most famous for slaying the Minotaur, reflects his character in 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' as a powerful and just figure. People with extensive knowledge of Greek mythology would immediately know that a character bearing the name 'Theseus' was a person of honour, power and dignity. The fact that Theseus is about to be married to Hippolyta shows that Theseus is a man with love and passion and not just a stern authority figure. It is revealed that during his private life he can become impatient, "our nuptial hour draws on apace; four happy days bring in another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow this old moon wanes!" Implying that he can not wait for his wedding day as he notices how

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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A Midsummer Night's Dream is a famous Shakespearean play in which two couples have engaged themselves in complex love relationships.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a famous Shakespearean play in which two couples have engaged themselves in complex love relationships. Lysander / Hermia and Helena / Demetrius are the central young lovers whose goal in the play is to overcome love obstacles through help from Puck's magic, fate and the acts of friendship. These two couples dealing with their complex love relationships show many similarities in their actions, dialogues and feelings towards their lovers. Lysander / Hermia and Demetrius / Helena are both inexperienced lovers. Lysander / Hermia have to go through lots of problems to actually be together and Demetrius / Helena are a couple who have to earn hard to be together. However they both have similarities toward their actions such as Hermia and Helena. Hermia have been force to marry someone whom she does not love. Her father tell her if she does not obey him then she will have to act according to the Athenian law which is to either marry Demetrius or become a nun or either die. Hermia however does not want to obey the law so she decides to leave the city with Lysander and find a place where they will be accepted as lovers. As for Helena, she has to force Demetrius to love her. She begs him and she even agree to be his dog if he will have a place of high respect for her. " What worser place can I beg in your love, -- And yet a place of high respect with me,

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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What are the dramatic conventions which mark out A Midsummer Nights Dream as a comedy? What aspects of the play show that a comedy can also be serious?

Simon Johnson Shakespeare Coursework A Midsummer Nights Dream What are the dramatic conventions which mark out A Midsummer Nights Dream as a comedy? What aspects of the play show that a comedy can also be serious? Comedy appears throughout A Midsummer Nights Dream. However, some aspects of comedy come across as quite serious. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a play of the comic form. It is therefore intended to amuse the audience and make them laugh. It also means that there is a very specific outline to the story, i.e. normality to chaos and back to normality once the chaos has been resolved, which at the end, is signalled by the feasting, drinking and laughing. The play comes into existence in the Athenian court. As expected there is perfect normality and the court of Athens rules with its law and order. Athens is very much a place of reason in this play. Whenever it is set around the court of Athens, the "situation" is either perfectly common, or problems are being solved there that have occurred in the chaotic woods. Dramatic conventions The main dramatic conventions that mark out A Midsummer Nights Dream are things like the chaotic ordeal of losing a partner and finding a partner. Theseus and Hippolyta are about to be married, but Hippolyta doesn't return the love that Theseus professes for her. This is a serious issue in the play, as Hippolyta's apparent

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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Compare and contrast the writers presentation of love and hate in The End of the Affair, A Midsummer Night's Dream and the poems of Robert Browning

Compare and contrast the writers' presentation of love and hate in The End of the Affair, A Midsummer Night's Dream and the poems of Robert Browning The recurring themes of love and hate are prominent in Graham Greene's The End of the Affair, Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and the poems of Robert Browning, and are in many cases evidently the inspiration for the stories and characters that are created within these texts. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare explores the contrasting emotions of love and hate by involving such impossibilities as magic and fairies in his tale, primarily as a device to bring out in his characters every feeling that is experienced whilst one is in Love or tormented by Hate, including jealousy, control and despair. It is an analysis, rather than just a story, of love and hate. The poems of Robert Browning - namely The Laboratory, My Last Duchess and The Light Woman - on the other hand, present scenarios in which the contrast of love and hate is present. These poems are not so much an analysis of love and hate as they are a presentation of the effect that these emotions can have on an individual. The End of the Affair is a comparatively more comprehensive examination of the effects of love on a man, and how love is able to create jealousy and insecurity, which can potentially transform into hate, obsession and a lust for control. This

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  • Subject: English
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How do events in the play support Lysander's claim that 'the course of true love never did run smooth?'

A Midsummer's Night Dream How do events in the play support Lysander's claim that 'the course of true love never did run smooth?' A midsummer's night dream is a romantic comedy play written by William Shakespeare. For this essay I am examining events that support Lysander's quote; 'The course of true love never did run smooth.' This quote refers to the idea that when people are in love, there will be many problems they will have to face on their way, but true love will always stand the test of time.In Elizabethan times the type of love that would be desireable is shown by lysanders love for Hermia, such as gifts and love poems, equivilent to modern day would now be a text message or chocolates and roses In the opening of the play the audience are introduced to the idea of Lysanders quote. We are introduced to two chracters called Theseus and hippolyta, Theseus is the Duke of Athens and Hippolyta is the Queen of the Amazons,fiancee to Theseus. Theseus and Hippolyta have a mature love but it has been arranged, since Theseus fought a battle to win her heart. They both are getting married to produce harmony. 'Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, and won thy love, doing thee injuries. But I will wed thee in another key, with pomp, triumph and revelling' This quote tells me he fought for her and was still victorious even though he had injuries, he is going to have a very

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How Language is used to convey comedy in the play of "Pyramus and Thisbe" as performed by the workers in Act 5 scene 1

How Language is used to convey comedy in the play of "Pyramus and Thisbe" as performed by the workers in Act 5 scene 1 The Background of Shakespeare William Shakespeare was a playwright and actor who was born in the 16th century. His profession was an actor and a playwright. He wrote plays to be performed on stage by actors like himself. He often used storylines which were already in existence like Pyramus and Thisbe. This was a story which originated in ancient Rome. All his storylines followed a similar pattern; this was that they all consisted of tragedy, history or comedy. He also wrote poems but was not as well known for this as for the plays he wrote. Background of A Midsummer Nights Dream A Midsummer Nights Dream was composed in 1595-1596. Many people believe this piece was written to be performed at weddings and cheerful celebrations. This same story line was later used to write Romeo and Juliet. The main plot of A Midsummer nights dream is complex which has many subplots. It involves two sets of couples named "Hermia and Lysander" and "Helena and Demetrius" it also involves the king and queen of the fairies "Oberon and Titania" the other set of characters are "the workers." The workers try to perform Pyramus and Thisbe to Theseus and Hippolyta and the young lovers since they have just got married and want something light and cheerful before bed. Pyramus and

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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What difficulties have you experienced in producing a modern version of the play and how have you gone about solving these?

A Midsummer Night's dream Nikki Cooper What difficulties have you experienced in producing a modern version of the play and how have you gone about solving these? A Midsummer Night's dream looks at many themes and issues surrounding love and magic. The play looks into love, relationships, magic and how men and women treat each other. The play starts off with two minor characters in the play that appear at the beginning and at the end, Duke Theseus of Athens and Hippolyta the Queen of the Amazon's discussing their forthcoming wedding. This part of the play creates images of weddings and romances. Recurrent images throughout the play appear here the moon, heaven and fate. There is a romantic tone and the language is also romantic as the Duke says 'she lingers my desires'. The theme is love. Egeus, Hermia's father enters angry with his daughter, and Lysander whom she is in love with. Egeus tries to threaten Hermia into marrying Demetrius. This is whom Egeus would like his daughter to be with, as he believes Demetrius can do no wrong and would care for Hermia unconditionally. Hermia is then given an ultimatum; she either marries Demetrius or dies. The language is full of hatred and 'full of vexation come I'. This gives imagery of fantasies. The theme is of stolen love and fantasy. The tone of the actors is harsh

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The final word on the imagination belongs to Theseus

The final word on the imagination, however, belongs to Theseus, who remarks about the confusion that has transpired in the woods to his queen Hippolyta at the start of Act V: More strange than true. I never may believe These antic fables, nor these fairy toys, Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend More than cool reason ever comprehends. The lunatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagination all compact. (V, i, l.2-7). Lovers, madman, and creative artists share the same force, the inspiration of imagination and its ability to reach into what cool reason cannot grasp. Shakespeare uses rhyme and imagery to recreate fairy world in the theatre and to show how important the use of the imagination is as would have few props. Shakespeare satirises other playwrites. The world of the woods has ended - iambic pentameter - and moves into prose as we return to society. seen as father's property = patriarchal power / society based on repression e.g. Theseus and Hippolyta- captured. Oberon orders Puck to fix the issue by applying the remedy to Lysander's eyes so that he will love Hermia again. Oberon is concerned enough about the situation to bother to fix it, he is still more interested in Titania, whom he will be tormenting while Puck is solving the humans' problems. Theseus, the hero who defeats the Minotaur in the labyrinth

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Character Analysis in A Midsummer Night's Dream

Character Analysis in A Midsummer Night's Dream The story of A Midsummer Night's Dream was that of love. Throughout the play, Shakespeare tried to show that love is unpredictable, unreasonable, and at times is blind. The primary focus in this play was love and its relation to marriage. Shakespeare carefully and skillfully used the presence of a wedding to add to the dramatic action of the play. After all, a wedding was the culmination of lover's vows and the commencement of their marriage. The theme of love was repeatedly used during the play and practically everything that was said and done was related to this concept of love. Shakespeare made all of the different characters intermingle and intertwine causing their lives to crisscross, circle, and even parallel each other's. This was an ingenious display of character manipulation. At first, everything was very confusing, and the characters were faced with many different problems. In the end, however, they were still able to persevere and win their true love. The four young lovers each developed in their own ways. Hermia, the daughter of Egeus, was in love with Lysander from the beginning. However, her father wanted her to marry Demetrius. Hermia was strong-willed and stubborn. She adamantly refused to be forced in to a marriage with Demetrius. A woman was not allowed to be blatant and rebellious in those

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
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