Shakespeare: the Comedies: A Collection of Critical EssaysKenneth Muir From the Back Cover: Despite differences between Shakespeare's time and ours in language, in taste, in mores, his comedies still produce that sure sign of success-uninhibited laughter. But, as the critics in this volume ably contend, the world of Shakespearean comedy is made of more than make-believe, quick action, and brilliant repartee. Shakespeare's genius was to probe, delicately but deeply, subtle and enduring characteristics of humanity. Each play is set in a land of its own, yet through these lands move characters recognizable in our own world. The reality of these characters is only enhanced by ethereal creatures of the imagination like Puck and Ariel, who weave about them poetic merriment unsurpassed in comic literature. Among the essays in this volume are: As You Like It / Helen Gardener -- Winter's Tale / Derek Traversi -- Helena / G. Wilson Knight -- Shakespeare's Method: The Merchant of Venice / J. Middleton Murry. |
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Page 63
... course , include tragi - comedies , he wrote some plays in which the story is a mere frame and the essence of the play lies in the presentation of an image of human life , not as an arena for heroic endeavor but as a place of encounters ...
... course , include tragi - comedies , he wrote some plays in which the story is a mere frame and the essence of the play lies in the presentation of an image of human life , not as an arena for heroic endeavor but as a place of encounters ...
Page 77
... course , we recognize the typical victim of the passion of courtly love . He tells us himself how he suffers With bitter fasts , with penitential groans , With nightly tears and daily heartsore sighs . That these groans and sighs ...
... course , we recognize the typical victim of the passion of courtly love . He tells us himself how he suffers With bitter fasts , with penitential groans , With nightly tears and daily heartsore sighs . That these groans and sighs ...
Page 157
... course be built and exercise its healing function ; but before this can take place , it will have to be related to depths of experience of which the speaker , at least , is still unaware . When this has been achieved , and the pressure ...
... course be built and exercise its healing function ; but before this can take place , it will have to be related to depths of experience of which the speaker , at least , is still unaware . When this has been achieved , and the pressure ...
Contents
INTRODUCTIONKenneth Muir | 1 |
THEMES AND STRUCTURE IN THE COMEDY OF ERRORS | 11 |
A MIDSUMMERNIGHTS DREAMErnest Schanzer | 32 |
Copyright | |
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action Angelo appears asks audience becomes beginning believe Bertram brings brother called characters Christian Claudio comedy comic complete contrast course court critics death disguised Dream Duke effect Elizabethan English Errors expression eyes fact father feeling final follow fool forgiveness given gives happiness Heaven Helena honor human husband idea identity imagination interest Isabel kind King later less lines living lovers Mariana marriage master means Measure for Measure Merchant of Venice mind moral nature nobility Olivia once perhaps persons Plautus play plot poetic present Providence reason regard relation says scene seems sense Shakespeare Shylock situation soliloquy speak speech stage story structure suggest suppose Tale tells theme things thought true turn virtue whole wife woman young