n this lecture we continue our introduction to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, focusing in particular on: (i) Shakespeare’s connection with the classical tradition, including his emulation of Senecan tragedy (Titus Andronicus) and Plautine comedy (A Comedy of Errors), etc.; (ii) the importance of the classics in the late 16th century, especially in the works of Christopher Marlowe (1564-93) and Ben Jonson (1572-1637); (iii) the importance of the death of Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, as turning-point in his career; (iv) a definition of tragedy and comedy based on the concept of the harmony of the spheres (or musica universalis); (v) the three strata of society in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – the gods, the nobility, and the working class – and the harmony between these three strata by the end of the play; (vi) the changes that are undergone by characters in comedy, especially those associated with a journey at sea (as in Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Pericles and A Winter’s Tale) or with a retreat to the countryside (as in As You Like It, Love’s Labour’s Lost and A Midsummer Night’s Dream); and (vii) the importance of dance as a means of restoring harmony in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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This clip is part of a larger course exploring Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: https://massolit.io/courses/shakespea...

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MASSOLIT works with university academics to produce short video lectures in the arts, sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is available to schools and colleges on an institutional license as well as via private subscription: https://www.massolit.io/?source=yt