17th century A Midsummer Night's Dream



samuel pepys, first literary critic comment on play, found midsummer night s dream insipid ridiculous play ever saw in life.


dorothea kehler has attempted trace criticism of work through centuries. earliest such piece of criticism 1662 entry in diary of samuel pepys. found play insipid ridiculous play ever saw in life. did, however, admit had dancing , handsome women, pleasure. next critic write on play john dryden, writing in 1677. preoccupied question of whether fairies should depicted in theatrical plays, since did not exist. concluded poets should allowed depict things not exist derive popular belief. , fairies of sort, pigmies , extraordinary effects of magick. based on reasoning, dryden defended merits of 3 fantasy plays: midsummer night s dream, tempest, , ben jonson s masque of witches.








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