Today’s agendaToday’s agenda Review: Tell a neighbor one fact or insight from Tuesday’s Review: Tell a neighbor one fact or insight from Tuesday’s

classclass The poetry in The poetry in Midsummer Night’s DreamMidsummer Night’s Dream What happens in Acts 2, 3, and 4, page by pageWhat happens in Acts 2, 3, and 4, page by page What is a comedy?What is a comedy? Look at filmLook at film How did the director’s interpretation succeed? What worked? How did the director’s interpretation succeed? What worked?

What didn’t?What didn’t?

Poetry in Poetry in Midsummer Night’s Midsummer Night’s DreamDream

Blank verse – metered but not rhymed – Blank verse – metered but not rhymed – usually used by the highest people in societyusually used by the highest people in society

Rhyming iambic pentameter – usually used Rhyming iambic pentameter – usually used by people in the next level down (nobles but by people in the next level down (nobles but not kings or queens)not kings or queens)

Rhyming iambic tetrameter -- used by fairiesRhyming iambic tetrameter -- used by fairies Rhyming iambic trimeter – used by foolsRhyming iambic trimeter – used by fools Rhyming iambic dimeter – used by Bottom Rhyming iambic dimeter – used by Bottom

who is near the bottom of societywho is near the bottom of society Prose – used by the common peopleProse – used by the common people

Poetic MeterPoetic Meter

These terms show number of stresses or These terms show number of stresses or feetfeet to a line: to a line:

One stress One stress (foot)(foot) per line = mono + meter = monometer per line = mono + meter = monometer Two = di + meter = dimeterTwo = di + meter = dimeter Three = tri + meter = trimeterThree = tri + meter = trimeter Four = tetra + meter = tetrameterFour = tetra + meter = tetrameter Five = penta + meter = pentameterFive = penta + meter = pentameter Six = hex + a + meter = hexameterSix = hex + a + meter = hexameter Seven = hep + a + meter = heptameterSeven = hep + a + meter = heptameter Eight = oct + a + meter = octameterEight = oct + a + meter = octameter

ExamplesExamplesProse: Bottom (1.2.68-9)Prose: Bottom (1.2.68-9)

Let me play the lion too. I will roar that I will do any man’s heart good to Let me play the lion too. I will roar that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me.hear me.

Iambic dimeter: Bottom:Iambic dimeter: Bottom:The raging rocksThe raging rocksAnd shivering shocks (1.2.28-29)And shivering shocks (1.2.28-29)

Iambic trimeter: Bottom: 5.1.293 and 6Iambic trimeter: Bottom: 5.1.293 and 6What dreadful dole is here. . . What dreadful dole is here. . . O dainty duck, O dearO dainty duck, O dear

Iambic tetrameter: PuckIambic tetrameter: Puck (2.1.8-9)(2.1.8-9)And I serve the Fairy QueenAnd I serve the Fairy QueenTo dew her orbs upon the greenTo dew her orbs upon the green

Iambic pentameter in rhymed couplets: Helena (1.1.240-1)Iambic pentameter in rhymed couplets: Helena (1.1.240-1)Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind;Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind;And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

Blank verse not rhymed: Hippolyta (1.1.7-8)Blank verse not rhymed: Hippolyta (1.1.7-8)Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;Four nights will quickly dream away the timeFour nights will quickly dream away the time

Peter Brook on the playPeter Brook on the play

He saysHe says

People have often asked me, “What is People have often asked me, “What is the theme of the theme of A Midsummer Night’s A Midsummer Night’s DreamDream?” In my opinion we should first of ?” In my opinion we should first of all try to rediscover the play as a living all try to rediscover the play as a living thing; then we shall be able to analyze thing; then we shall be able to analyze our discoveries. . . . At the center of the our discoveries. . . . At the center of the Dream, constantly repeated, we find the Dream, constantly repeated, we find the word “love.” Everything comes back to word “love.” Everything comes back to this, even the structure of the play, even this, even the structure of the play, even its music.its music.

““Love” Love”

soon begins to resound like a musical soon begins to resound like a musical scale, and little by little we are scale, and little by little we are introduced to its various modes and introduced to its various modes and tones. Love is, of course, a theme which tones. Love is, of course, a theme which touches all men. No one, not even the touches all men. No one, not even the most hardened, the coldest, or the most most hardened, the coldest, or the most despairing, is insensitive to it, even if he despairing, is insensitive to it, even if he does not know what love is. . . . At does not know what love is. . . . At every moment the play touches every moment the play touches something which concerns everyone.something which concerns everyone.

Egeus against HermiaEgeus against Hermia

What Egeus says not only reflects a What Egeus says not only reflects a generation gap (a father opposing his generation gap (a father opposing his daughter’s love because he had intended daughter’s love because he had intended her for someone else), it also explains her for someone else), it also explains the reasons for his feeling of suspicion the reasons for his feeling of suspicion toward the young man whom his toward the young man whom his daugher loves. He describes him as an daugher loves. He describes him as an individual prone to fantasy, led by his individual prone to fantasy, led by his imagination – an unpardonable weakness imagination – an unpardonable weakness in the father’s eyes.in the father’s eyes.

Hermia vs. EgeusHermia vs. Egeus

Peter Brook on Oberon & Peter Brook on Oberon & TitaniaTitania

So we observe this game of love in a So we observe this game of love in a psychological and metaphysical psychological and metaphysical context; we hear Titania’s assertion context; we hear Titania’s assertion that the opposition between herself that the opposition between herself and Oberon is fundamental, and Oberon is fundamental, primordial. But Oberon’s acts deny primordial. But Oberon’s acts deny this, for he perceives that within their this, for he perceives that within their opposition a reconciliation is opposition a reconciliation is possible. possible.

Oberon vs. TitaniaOberon vs. Titania

Peter Brook on the Peter Brook on the MechanicalsMechanicals

Those simple men who have only ever Those simple men who have only ever worked with their hands apply to the use worked with their hands apply to the use of the imagination exactly the same of the imagination exactly the same quality of love which traditionally quality of love which traditionally underlies the relationship between a underlies the relationship between a craftsman and his tools. That is what craftsman and his tools. That is what gives these scenes both their strength gives these scenes both their strength and their comic quality. . . . The and their comic quality. . . . The meaning of their clumsy efforts changes meaning of their clumsy efforts changes before our eyes.before our eyes.

Pyramus & ThisbyPyramus & Thisby

Importance of the Wall Importance of the Wall (Brook)(Brook)

One of the central images of the play is a wall, One of the central images of the play is a wall, which, at a given moment, vanishes. Its which, at a given moment, vanishes. Its disappearance, to which Bottom draws our disappearance, to which Bottom draws our attention, is caused by an act of love. Shakespeare attention, is caused by an act of love. Shakespeare is showing us how love can pervade a situation and is showing us how love can pervade a situation and act as a transforming force. . . . Through the act as a transforming force. . . . Through the subtlety of its language the play removes all kinds subtlety of its language the play removes all kinds of barriers.. . . If the [audience members] give it a of barriers.. . . If the [audience members] give it a fine, sensitive attention, they cannot fail to fine, sensitive attention, they cannot fail to perceive a world just like their own, more and more perceive a world just like their own, more and more riddled with contradictions and, like their own, riddled with contradictions and, like their own, waiting for that mysterious force, love, without waiting for that mysterious force, love, without which harmony will never return. which harmony will never return.

Puck Blesses the AudiencePuck Blesses the Audience

The epilogue