Comparison of Two Productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream
GCSE English/English Literature Assignment Shakespeare's 'A midsummer Night's Dream In this assignment I am going to study William Shakespeare's 'A midsummer night's dream'. Which I will watch be performed by two different theatre company's. The first show is to take place at the Royal exchange theatre, on the 8th April. Directed by Lucy Bailey. The second performance is to take place on the 16th May, at the Salford Lowry theatre. Performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company. Directed by Richard Jones. In this assignment I will describe the two different theatre designs. I will also look closely into one chosen key scene, giving a brief plot of the scene and discuss key characters from this scene. I will comment on how the two different directors, directed my chosen scene and the differences between them while commenting on how affective they were. I will then compare the two different productions overall and specifically in my chosen scene saying which one I preferred and why. As well as any other thoughts on the play. The theatre design of the Royal Exchange is a theatre in the round. A road ran from one side of the theatres across to the opposite side. Although this was a fixes scene it was multi-per phased a lamppost stood in one corner of the theatre. This was very affective as it gave the audience the idea of being in the middle of nowhere. A if it was just one on going
Discuss the ways in which Shakespeare Gains & retains the audiences In act I scene I of "A Midsummer nights Dream".
Discuss the ways in which Shakespeare Gains & retains the audiences In act I scene I of "A Midsummer nights Dream" The name of the play is called "A Midsummer nights dream." The play was written by William Shakespeare from the town of Stratford, the play "A Midsummer Nights Dream" was written at around 1590, an exact date is not known. It is a witty comedy, which is one of his earlier ones. Just before the Elizabethans period the only plays were heard was by performing them at the courtyards of English Inns. The courtyards were good places for plays because a big circle in which everyone could crowd round while the actors did a play in the middle, after the first theatre was built the plays still went on in Inns to get the local audience. When plays came on in the sixteenth centaury nearly everyone went to them, the poor the rich, the old and young, literally no one was left out. In the sixteenth centaury there was no such thing as lights special effects or electricity, so therefore plays looked very bland and plain. People went to hear the play and this is why Shakespeare tells everyone about the character, where they are going, who they are with. This is why Theseus keeps repeating the words "four happy days" about his wedding. This is so the audience know when it is and it stays in their heads. He uses the word "Wo'od" for Theseus wooing Hippolyita with "his sword."
What effects do the woods and the city have on love in A Midsummer Night's Dream?
"Love and reason keep little company nowadays" Bottom. What effects do the woods and the city have on love in A Midsummer Night's Dream? A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of the wonderful works of playwright William Shakespeare. In its extraordinary flow of events many facts and concepts become apparent. The play can be said to be based on a romantic love theme with a drop of comedy as to give extra pleasure to the audience. However, there are many more to the play and more critically, there are smaller steps taken to form the actual object of the plot. To examine that is what I intend to do in this essay. The play is set in two completely different places which sometimes, through compromise, do appear to be similar, they are; The city (Athens) and the Woods. It is in these two places I shall base my essay on, comparing how they affect the four lovers in their affairs, with its un-evolved law and its contaminated opinion or supernatural being meddling with the activities of human life. Love can be a complicated thing as quoted from the speech of Lysander (one whom was beloved of Hermia and loved her back) "Never did the course of true love run smooth", but in absolute contrast love can be as easy as ABC, "Love and reason keep little company nowadays" Bottom. And as we all know, humans are not beings of super intellect, so in the presence of events occurring with such
What qualities would you look for in casting the actors playing Helena and Hermia and how would you direct the opening scene of the play to convey their differences to an audience? A Midsummer Night's Dream
What qualities would you look for in casting the actors playing Helena and Hermia and how would you direct the opening scene of the play to convey their differences to an audience? A Midsummer Night's Dream examines the theme of love in all its aspects. When Act one scene One opens we are at the court of Duke Theseus and he is swearing his undying love for Hippolyta so at the very start we are introduced to love and its deep emotional impact. The declaration of love between the Ducal pair is shortened by the arrival of Egeus with his disobedient daughter Hermia. The mood immediately changes and we discover that Hermia rather than being filled with filial love is determined to marry Lysander rather than her father's choice for her. And so the love theme is made more complex as we have the wrathful love of her father confronted by the love of her daughter for the man who is not her fathers' choice. The love theme is further complicated by the arrival of Helena. Here we see the platonic love of two friends. Undermined by sexual attraction when we discover that Helena is in love with Demetrius, the suitor that Egeus has chosen for his daughter Hermia to marry. All these complexities of the love theme I will have to reveal both as a director and in the performance of the two young women, Hermia and Helena. In casting Hermia I would look for someone strong -willed who
Midsummers Night Dream Wssay
'The course of true love never did run smooth' By what techniques does Shakespeare prove this to be the case in A Midsummer night dream? Even the most dedicated Shakespeare fan may find the plot of a midsummer night dream confusing; it's meant to be. Though the situation is certainly complicated from the beginning, the plays dramatic device, the fairies, do excellent jobs in creating even more confusion between the four lovers, as they expertly influence their thoughts and feelings in a far-fetched way. Though it's mainly accidental, the fairies do everything in their power to support the quote 'the course of true love never did run smooth'. Shakespeare manages to influence the audiences' feelings towards the characters varying who we feel sorry for and the entertainment we are given. Moreover, the audience is let in on the secret of why the lovers' feelings change towards each other. This makes it very humorous and interesting for us to watch. An example of this happening in the 21st century would be, Eastenders. We are let in on the secret that Jayne has secret feelings for Grant when she is with Ian. As a result of Pucks mistake, poor Hermia is abandoned by Lysander, who has had a 'surfeit' of her and she is left alone with fear. Her language now really succeeds in helping us feel sorry for her. For a moment, she uses some disturbing images of snakes ( many peoples
A Midsummer Nights Dream presents us with one of the most complex plots Shakespeare has written. He uses the fairies magical prowess to influence the lover's feelings and to make them fall in and out of love with each other.
Coursework A Midsummer Nights Dream presents us with one of the most complex plots Shakespeare has written. He uses the fairies magical prowess to influence the lover's feelings and to make them fall in and out of love with each other. He does this to keep the audience enthralled in the play. In the city of Athens, Hermia is in love with Lysander and wants to marry him. Unfortunate for her, Egeus, her father has decided that another man is more suitable for her. Both men love Hermia and want to marry her. The disagreement between the father, daughter and her two admirers is brought before the Duke, Theseus. For the law to decide upon the outcome. Theseus tells Hermia that, even though he understands that Lysander is as good a man as Demetrius (the man Hermia's father wants her to marry). However it is her fathers right to decide whom she will marry. If Hermia refuses to do as he father wishes, she might be put to death or forced to spend the rest of her live in a convent. Hermia's best friend, Helena is in love with Demetrius. Though he is not interested in her because he only has eyes for Hermia. Helena is upset that two men adore her friend, whereas she has none. Hermia and Lysander then plot to leave Athens to escape the law. Helena tells Demetrius in an attempt to win him over. However Demetrius vows to kill Lysander for his wrongdoing. Helena follows him into
Compare how Act 3 Scene 2 was presented in the two versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that you watched.
Compare how Act 3 Scene 2 was presented in the two versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" that you watched. You are asked to pay particular attention to the way the characters of Helena and Hermia are presented and to comment on how different audiences might respond to the two films. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a play written by William Shakespeare. It is about the love life of four characters, two men, Lysander and Demetrius, and two women, Hermia and Helena. Lysander and Hermia love each other and Helena loves Demetrius. However, Demetrius loves Hermia too. In the scene in the videos, two fairies, Oberon and Puck, are trying to bring Helena and Demetrius together so that the four of them can co-exist peacefully. However, Puck accidentally makes Lysander fall in love with Helena, and then Oberon makes Demetrius fall in love with Helena too, with some juice that they pour into the men's eyes. Therefore, both men have now fallen in love with Helena and Hermia is desperately trying to win Lysander's love back. However, Lysander keeps declaring his love for Helena and his hate for Hermia so Hermia eventually tries to start a fight with Helena but is dragged off by both men. Then both men leave the scene bracing for a fight, and Helena is chased away by Hermia. There are two versions of this scene, the black and white version directed by Max Reindhart in 1935, and a colour
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 120-345
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 120-345 A director, what is the role of a director? Most people would probably say someone who works in theatre, television or film and tells the actors what to do. I have been asked to give my thoughts on directing a scene from 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'. The scene I have chosen is Act Three, Scene Two, lines 120-345. (Sometimes referred to as the lovers quarrel) Turning to my previous thoughts I decided that a director needs to get inside the minds of the characters, feel their emotions yet remain focused on the fact that the play is still a piece of drama, it is there to entertain and enlighten the audience. Without an audience to perform to a play is futile. A Midsummer Nights Dream is a romantic comedy that tells the story of four young lovers trying to evade reality and the fate that beckons them by going into a magical wood. This is a rough outline of the play. Theseus tells Hermia she must do as her father says and marry Demetrius. Helena tells Demetrius that Hermia intends to elope with Lysander. The tradesmen agree to rehearse their play in the wood next night. Oberon and Titania quarrel. Oberon sees Demetrius spurn Helena and sends Puck to treat him with magic herbs. Oberon also treats Titania with the herbs. Puck accidentally treats Lysander, Lysander wakes and falls in love with Helena. Puck gives Bottom an
A Midsummer Night's Dream dramatises the power of the imagination to shape and to dissolve identity; this power is a source of
A Midsummer Night's Dream dramatises the power of the imagination to shape and to dissolve identity; this power is a source of wonder but it can also be extremely disturbing. In A Midsummer Night's Dream some of the main themes are magic, dreams, illusion and reality. It is a play about four worlds which combine and create a magical, yet creepy atmosphere where love is overpowered by the magic of the faeries. The whole play is based around the idea that there is a greater force out there that can step in a change how we think and what we do. This idea is intriguing to us because we want to learn more about this other world, but at the same time it is scary to think that there is something else out there that we don't know about and yet we don't want to know about as we don't like to think that there is something more powerful that can control us. There is a great deal of confusion going on in the play which is at its peak in the middle section when the lovers are made to fall in love with the wrong people. Bottom is given an ass' head and Titania is made to fall in love with him so that Oberon can have his fun. Oberon is the main character in this play, mainly because he is the reason for most of the magical things happening. He orders Puck to go out and collect the flower that is used to perform the spell "Fetch me this herb; and be thou here again ere the leviathan can
Midsummer Night's Dream
How is the conflict between illusion and reality central to the plot of A Midsummer Night's Dream ? A Midsummer Night's Dream is a dramatic comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595. It's a play about characters who confuse reality and illusion. The themes of the play are dreams and reality, love and magic. The whole play takes place in Athens- and around 'the cradle of civilisation'. In the play Athens represent the world of reality where people are under rule of order, sanity and enlightenment, whereas the Woods is the home of illusion. The fairies inhabit the moonlit forest where irrational things happen. The words in the title 'night's dream' suggest that everything happens at night, when the moon is dominant. The moon was significant during the Elizabethan era, since it represented the world of mystery and was associated with magic. The moon affected people's behaviour turning them into 'lunatics' who cannot distinguish reality from illusion. Most of the actions in the play are performed at night by the moonlight. The moon has different images throughout the play. It has both positive and negative imagery. The moon's power is mysterious and often people become bewitched by its influence.An example of this is how Egeus believes that the love of Lysander is induced by magic. This man has bewitched the bosom of my child: Thou, thou Lysander, thou hast given her