Jul 25, 2008

A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Mythological Background

In the first excerpt, Northrop Frye traces the literary sources of Shakespeare's play, with particular emphasis on Classical—Greek and Roman—and early Elizabethan comedy. In the second excerpt, Frances Yates discusses the origins of Shakespeare's fairy world, arguing that the "Elizabethan fairies are not ... manifestations of folk or popular tradition."

Northrop Frye
[Frye traces the literary sources of Shakespeare's play, with particular emphasis on Classical—Greek and Roman—and early Elizabethan comedy. According to Frye, Shakespeare does not follow classical models closely, but relies instead on his English predecessors, especially in the treatment of supernatural elements. The critic then touches upon possible flattering references to Queen Elizabeth I in A Midsummer Night's Dream, explaining that the references are purely textual, and that none of the characters can be associated with the monarch. Frye also comments on...