19th century A Midsummer Night's Dream

william hazlitt preferred reading midsummer night s dream on watching acted on stage.

according kehler, significant 19th-century criticism began in 1808 august wilhelm schlegel. schlegel perceived unity in multiple plot lines. noted donkey s head not random transformation, reflects bottom s true nature. identified tale of pyramus , thisbe burlesque of athenian lovers. in 1817, william hazlitt found play better written work staged production. found work delightful fiction when staged, reduced dull pantomime. concluded poetry , stage not fit together. kehler finds comment more of indication of quality of theatrical productions available hazlitt, rather true indication of play s supposed unsuitability stage. notes prior 1840s, stage productions of play adaptations unfaithful original text.

in 1811–1812, samuel taylor coleridge made 2 points of criticism play. first entire play should seen dream. second, helena guilty of ungrateful treachery hermia. thought reflection of lack of principles in women, more follow own passions , inclinations men. women, in view, feel less abhorrence moral evil, though concerned outward consequences. coleridge earliest critic introduce gender issues analysis of play. kehler dismisses views on helena indications of coleridge s own misogyny, rather genuine reflections of helena s morality.

william maginn thought bottom lucky man , particularly amused treats titania, queen of fairies, carelessly if wench of next-door tapster.

in 1837, william maginn produced essays on play. turned attention theseus speech lunatic, lover, , poet , hippolyta s response it. regarded theseus voice of shakespeare himself , speech call imaginative audiences. viewed bottom lucky man on whom fortune showered favours beyond measure. particularly amused way bottom reacts love of fairy queen: unfazed. maginn argued theseus have bent in reverent awe before titania. bottom treats carelessly if wench of next-door tapster. finally, maginn thought oberon should not blamed titania s humiliation, result of accident. viewed oberon angry caprices of queen, unable anticipate charmed affections reserved weaver donkey s head.

in 1839, philosopher hermann ulrici wrote play , depiction of human life reflected views of platonism. in view, shakespeare implied human life nothing dream, suggesting influence plato , followers thought human reality deprived of genuine existence. ulrici noted way theseus , hippolyta behave here, ordinary people. agreed malone did not fit stations in life, viewed behaviour indication of parody class differences.

in 1849, charles knight wrote play , apparent lack of proper social stratification. thought play indicated shakespeare s maturity playwright, , thesean harmony reflects proper decorum of character. viewed bottom best-drawn character, self-confidence, authority, , self-love. argued bottom stands representative of whole human race. hazlitt felt work best appreciated when read text, rather acted on stage. found writing subtle , ethereal , , standing above literary criticism , reductive reasoning.

georg gottfried gervinus thought hermia lacking in filial piety , devoid of conscience running away lysander, himself not shining beacon of virtue (here seen wooing helena).

also in 1849, georg gottfried gervinus wrote extensively play. denied theory play should seen dream. argued should seen ethical construct , allegory. thought allegorical depiction of errors of sensual love, likened dream. in view, hermia lacks in filial obedience , acts if devoid of conscience when runs away lysander. lysander guilty disobeying , mocking prospective father-in-law. pyramus , thisbe lack in filial obedience, since woo moonlight behind parents backs. fairies, in view, should seen personified dream gods . represent caprices of superficial love, , lack in intellect, feeling, , ethics.

gervinus wrote on fairyland of play located. not in attica, in indies. views on indies seem kehler influenced orientalism. speaks of indies scented aroma of flowers , place mortals live in state of half-dream. gervinus denies , devalues loyalty of titania friend. views supposed friendship not grounded in spiritual association. titania merely delight in beauty, swimming gait, , powers of imitation . gervinus further views titania immoral character not trying reconcile husband. in resentment, titania seeks separation him, gervinus blames for.

gervinus wrote elitist disdain mechanicals of play , acting aspirations. described them homely creatures hard hands , thick heads . are, in view, ignorant men compose , act in plays merely financial reward. not real artists. gervinus reserves praise , respect theseus, thinks represents intellectual man. several of predecessors, gervinus thought work should read text , not acted on stage.

charles cowden clarke appreciated mechanicals, , in particular found nick bottom conceited natured , imaginative.

in 1863, charles cowden clarke wrote on play. kehler notes husband of famous shakespearean scholar mary cowden clarke. charles more appreciative of lower-class mechanicals of play. commented favourably on individualisation , collective richness of character. thought bottom conceited natured, , shows considerable store of imagination in interaction representatives of fairy world. argued bottom s conceit quality inseparable secondary profession, of actor.

in 1872, henry n. hudson, american clergyman , editor of shakespeare, wrote comments on play. kehler pays little attention writings, largely derivative of previous works. notes, however, hudson believed play should viewed dream. cited lightness of characterisation supporting of view. in 1881, edward dowden argued theseus , reflections on art central play. argued theseus 1 of heroic men of action central shakespeare s theatrical works.

henry a. clapp (1885) , horace howard furness (1895) both more concerned problem of play s duration, though held opposing views. in 1887, denton jacques snider argued play should read dialectic, either between understanding , imagination or between prose , poetry. viewed play representing 3 phases or movements. first real world of play, represents reason. second fairy world, ideal world represents imagination , supernatural. third representation in art, action self-reflective. snider viewed titania , caprice solely blame marital strife oberon. therefore deserves punishment, , oberon dutiful husband provides one. failing live in peace oberon , kind, titania sentenced fall in love human. , human, unlike oberon horrid brute .

towards end of 19th century, georg brandes (1895–6) , frederick s. boas (1896) last major additions midsummer night s dream criticism. brandes approach anticipates later psychological readings, seeing oberon s magic symbolic , typifying sorcery of erotic imagination . brandes felt in play, shakespeare looks inward @ domain of unconscious . boas eschews play ethical treatise or psychological study , instead takes more historicist , literal approach. boas play is, despite fantastical , exotic trappings, english , elizabethan. sees theseus tudor noble; helena mere plot device concentrate 4 lovers on single spot ; , pyramus , thisbe play-within-the-play parody of prominent topos of contemporary plays. summing contributions, kehler writes: recognizably modern criticism.

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