FRONTISPIECE.-"The Southwark entrance to London in Shakespeare's I. THE ENGLISH DRAMA AT THE RENAISSANCE.-England at first has the same dramatic literature as all other countries-Sur- vival of mysteries and pious dramas-Moralities-They lead in France to the comedy of characters-Progress in England of the comedy of manners and observation-Religious and political moralities-John Bale-Repressive measures Pageants, masques, and ballets-May games, St. George and Robin Hood-" Pleasures at Kenilworth," Norwich -Court dramas and drawing-room fairy plays-Lyly's ... ... ... PAGE Classical tragedies-Translations and imitations of Seneca -Latin plays of Buchanan, Grimald and others-Gascoigne's "Jocasta "-Sackville and Norton's "Gorboduc"-"The Misfortunes of Arthur"; "Tancred and Gismund "--Transla- tions or imitations of the French classics: Daniel, the Classical teaching and its different effects in France and in II. THEATRES and PerfoRMANCES UNDER ELIZABETH.-Theatrical ... ... Interior and exterior of the English theatres-Prices for the pit, the galleries, and the stools on the stage-The "Lords' Scenery and properties-Arras and hangings-Scant The actors-Principal troupes-Contracts and profits of the 57 parts performed by boys-Children players-Composition of ... ... Less brilliant fate of authors-The traffic in plays-Hens- ... - PAGE Going to the play-The dinner at the ordinary; the cross- ing of the river; the play-bills-The public of the pit, of the galleries, and of the stage-Fruit, tobacco, and drinks; "stinkards" and "strumpets"- The gallants — Puritan protests; replies from theatre-lovers-The Prologue- Attentive spectators and noisy ones-Critics and their note- books-Evenings at the tavern: authors, actors and spectators III. THE IMMEDIATE PREDECESSORS OF SHAKESPEARE. — Play anonymous contemporaries-Romantic dramas in Italian fashion-Pseudo-biblical dramas-Murders and battles: the "Spanish Tragedy"-The "Battell of Alcazar ”—“ The Wounds of Civil War "-Domestic tragedies: "Arden of Feversham," etc.-Fantastic dramas-Historical dramas: IV. MARLOWE.-The greatest of Shakespeare's predecessors-His public "Tamburlaine ;" causes of its success-Blank verse -"Doctor Faustus"; incoherences, puerilities, lyrical beauties-The "Jew of Malta"; atrocities and “machiavelic" plottings "The Massacre at Paris," the blackening of black deeds-“Edward II.": first well-constructed play, with SHAKESPEARE-PERSONAL AND LITERARY BIOGRAPHY. I. EARLY YEARS.-Stratford-on-Avon in the sixteenth century- Shakespeare's family-His birth-His father's house-The "Grammar School "-Sir Thomas Lucy-Marriage and paternity-Money troubles-Beginnings in London-Taste for the stage and for music-Apprentice-actor and apprentice- author-First successes-"Johannes Factotum "-Greene's II. FOR WHOM AND FOR WHAT SHAKESPEARE WRITES.- Literary activity and readiness of pen-Contemporary opinions and modern incense-Shakespeare writes for the crowd, for his livelihood-His great rule: to please the crowd-His plays make known the tastes of his public rather than his own-Repeated use of the devices which have proved successful-The books read by Shakespeare—The question of his learning-Sully Prudhomme's opinion on poets' originality-Shakespeare's success with the many-With the refined, he counts especially as an amourist and a lyrical III. FIRST DRAMAS.-Shakespeare as an adapter and imitator- |