Shakespeare's Predecessors in the English Drama - John Addington Symonds - Google Books

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CONTENTS

I. Method of Inquiry-Chronological Limits-Unity of the Subject.

-II. Three Stages in Evolution of the Drama-Stage of

Preparation and Formation-Closed by Marlowe-Stage of

perfectly developed Type-Character of Shakspere's Art—

Jonson and Fletcher-Stage of Gradual Decline.-III. The

Law of Artistic Evolution-Illustrations from Gothic Archi-

tecture, Greek Drama, Italian Painting.-IV. The Problem

for Criticism-In Biography-In History-Shakspere per-

sonifies English Genius in his Century-Criticism has to

demonstrate this.-V. Chronology is scarcely helpful—

Complexity of the Subject-Imperfection of our Drama as a

Work of Art-Abundance of Materials for Studying all Three

Stages-Unique Richness of our Dramatic Literature.-VI.

Shakspere's Relation to his Age-To his Predecessors-To

his Successors-VII. Double Direction of English Literary

Art-Jonson, Milton, Dryden, Pope -Spirit of the Elizabethan

Epoch.-VIII. The Elizabethan Inspiration is exhausted in

the Reign of Charles I.-Dramatists of the Restoration-

Rise of the Novel-Place of Novelists in the Victorian Age. 1

THE NATION AND THE DRAMA

I. The Function of a Great Drama-To be both National and Uni-

versal-How that of England fulfilled this--England and

the Renaissance-Fifty Years of Mental Activity.-II. Trans-

itional Character of that Age in England.-III. Youthfu

ness-Turbulence-Marked Personality.-IV. The Italians

of the Renaissance-Cellini.-V. Distinguishing Charac-

teristics of the English-Superior Moral Qualities-Travelling

-Rudeness of Society-The Medley of the Age.-VI. How

the Drama represented Society-Determination of the

Romantic Species-Its Specific Quality-Materials of Plays—

Heywood's Boast.-VII. Imperfections of the Romantic

Style.-VIII. Treatment of Character-Violent Changes-

Types of Evil-Fantastic Horrors. IX. Insanity.-X.

Meditations upon Death.-XI. Sombre Philosophy of Life-

Melancholy-Religious Feeling.-XII. Blending of Gay with

Grave-Types of Female Character-Boy-Actors.-XIII.

Comedy of Life and of Imagination-Shaksperian Comedy-

Fletcher's Romantic Comedy and Comedy of Intrigue-

Hybrids between Pastoral and Allegory-Farce-Comedy of

Manners-Jonson.-XIV. Questions for Criticism.-XV.

Three Main Points relating to English Drama.-XVI. National

Public-England compared with Italy, France, Spain.-XVII.

English Poetry-Mr. M. Arnold on Literatures of Genius and

Intelligence-The Inheritors of Elizabethan Poetry.-XVIII.

Unimpeded Freedom of Development-Absence of Academies

-No Interference from Government-The Dramatic Art

considered as a Trade and a Tradition.-XIX. Dramatic

Clairvoyance-Insight into Human Nature-Insight into

Dramatic Method.-XX. The Morality of the Elizabethan

Drama.-XXI. Its Importance in Educating the People-In

Stimulating Patriotism-Contrast with the Drama of the

Restoration.-XXII. Improvement of the Language-Variety

of Styles-Creation of Blank Verse.-XXIII. History of

Opinion on the Drama-De Quincey's Panegyric

PAGR

I. Emergence of the Drama from the Mystery-Ecclesiastical

Condemnation of Theatres and Players-Obscure Survival of

Mimes from Pagan Times-Their Place in Medieval Society.

-II. Hroswitha-Liturgical Drama.-III. Transition to the

Mystery or Miracle Play-Ludi-Italian Sacre Rappresen

tazioni-Spanish Auto-French Mystère-English Miracle.-

IV. Passage of the Miracle from the Clergy to the People-

From Latin to the Vulgar Tongue-Gradual Emergence of

Secular Drama.-V. Three English Cycles-Origin of the

Chester Plays-Of the Coventry Plays-Differences between

the Three Sets-Other Places famous for Sacred Plays.-VI.

Methods of Representation-Pageant-Procession-Italian,

French, and Spanish Peculiarities-The Guilds-Cost of the

Show-Concourse of People-Stage Effects and Properties.-

VII. Relation of the Miracle to Medieval Art-Materialistic

Realism-Place in the Cathedral-Effect upon the Audience.

CONTENTS

-VIII. Dramatic Elements in the Miracles-Tragedy-

Pathos-Melodrama--Herod and the Devil.-IX. Realistic

Comedy-Joseph-Noah's Wife-The Nativity-Pastoral

Interludes.-X. Transcripts from Common Life-Satire-

The Woman Taken in Adultery-Mixture of the Sacred and

the Grotesque.-XI. The Art of the Miracles and the Art of

Italian Sacri Monti

•

I. Development of Minor Religious Plays from the Cyclical

Miracle-Intermediate Forms between Miracle and Drama-

Allegory and Personification.-II. Allegories in the Miracle

-Detached from the Miracle-Medieval Contrasti, Dialogi,

and Disputationes-Emergence of the Morality—Its essen-

tially Transitional Character.-III. Stock Personages in

Moral Plays-Devil and Vice-The Vice and the Clown.-IV.

Stock Argument-Protestant and Catholic - Mundus et

Infans.'-V. The Castle of Perseverance'-'Lusty Juventus'

-Youth.'-VI. 'Hick Scorner '-A real Person introduced

-New Custom '-' Trial of Treasure '-'Like will to Like.'-

VII. Everyman '-The Allegorical Importance of this

Piece.-VIII. Moral Plays with an Attempt at Plot-

'Marriage of Wit and Wisdom '-' Marriage of Wit and

Science' -The Four Elements' Microcosmus.' IX.

Advance in Dramatic Quality-The Nice Wanton'-'The

Disobedient Child.'-X. How Moral Plays were Acted-

Passage from the old Play of Sir Thomas More.'-XI.

Hybrids between Moral Plays and Drama-' King Johan '—

Mixture of History and Allegory-The Vice in 'Appius and

Virginia '-In Cambyses'

THE RISE OF COMEDY

I. Specific Nature of the Interlude-John Heywood-The Farce

of Johan 'he Husband '-' The Pardoner and the Friar.'-

II. Heywood's Life and Character.-III. Analysis of 'The

Four P's '-Chaucerian Qualities of Heywood's Talent.-IV.

Nicholas Udall and Ralph Roister Doister '-Its Debt to

Latin Comedy.-V. John Still-Was He the Author of

'Gammer Gurton's Needle'?-Farcical Character of this

Piece--Dic on the Bedlam.-VI. Reasons for the Early

Development of Comedy

3

THE RISE OF TRAGEDY

I. Classical Influence in England-The Revival of Learn-

ing-English Humanism - Ascham's Schoolmaster'

Italian Examples. -II. The Italian Drama-Paramount

Authority of Seneca-Character of Seneca's Plays.-III.

English Translations of Seneca-English Translations of

Italian Plays.-IV. English Adaptations of the Latin

Tragedy-Lord Brooke-Samuel Daniel-Translations from

the French-Latin Tragedies-False Dramatic Theory.-V.

'Gorboduc '-Sir Philip Sidney's Eulogy of it-Lives of

Sackville and Norton-General Character of this Tragedy-

Its Argument-Distribution of Material-Chorus-Dumb

Show The Actors--Use of Blank Verse.-VI. The Mis-

fortunes of Arthur '-Thomas Hughes and Francis Bacon-

The Plot-Its Adaptation to the Græco-Roman Style of

Tragedy-Part of Guenevora-The Ghost-Advance on

'Gorboduc' in Dramatic Force and Versification.—VII.

Failure of this Pseudo-Classical Attempt--What it effected

for English Tragedy

TRIUMPH OF THE ROMANTIC DRAMA

I. Fifty-two Plays at Court-Analysis of their Subjects-The

Court follows the Taste of the People-The 'Damon and

Pithias' of Edwards- Romeo and Juliet '-' Tancred' and

'Gismunda '-'Promos and Cassandra.'-II. Contemporary

Criticisms of the Romantic Style-Gosson-Whetstone-

Sidney.-III. Description of the English Popular Play-

The Florentine Farsa-Destinies of this Form in England . 197

THEATRES, PLAYWRIGHTS, ACTORS, AND PLAYGOERS

I. Servants of the Nobility become Players-Statutes of Edward

VI. and Mary-Statutes of Elizabeth--Licences.-II. Eliza-

beth's and Leicester's Patronage of the Stage-Royal Patent

of 1574-Master of the Revels-Contest between the Corpora-

tion of London and the Privy Council.-III. The Prosecu-

tion of this Contest-Plays Forbidden within the City-

Establishment of Theatres in the Suburbs-Hostility of the

Clergy.-IV. Acting becomes a Profession-Theatres are

Multiplied-Building of the Globe and Fortune-Internal

Arrangements of Playhouses-Interest of the Court in En-

couragement of Acting Companies.-V. Public and Private

Theatres-Entrance Prices-Habits of the Audience.-VI.

Absence of Scenery-Simplicity of Stage-Wardrobe-Library

of Theatres.-VII. Prices given for Plays-Henslowe—

Benefit Nights-Collaboration and Manufacture of Plays.-

VIII. Boy-Actors-Northbrooke on Plays at School-The

Choristers of Chapel Royal, Windsor, Paul's-Popularity of

the Boys at Blackfriars-Female Parts-The Education of

Actors. IX. Payment to various Classes of Actors-Sharers

-Apprentices-Receipts from Court Performances-Service

of Nobility-Strolling Companies-Comparative Dishonour

of the Profession.-X. Taverns-Bad Company at Theatres

-Gosson and Stubbes upon the Manners of Playgoers-

Women of the Town-Cranley's' Amanda.'-XI. 'The Young

Gallant's Whirligig'-Jonson's Fitzdottrel at the Play.-

XII. Comparison of the London and the Attic Theatres

MASQUES AT COURT

I. Definition of the Masque-its Courtly Character-Its Partial

Influence over the Regular Drama.-II. Its Italian Origin.—

III. Masques at Rome in 1474-At Ferrara in 1502-Morris

Dances At Urbino in 1513—Triumphal Cars.-IV. Floren-

tine Trionfi - Machinery and Engines - The Marriage

Festivals of Florence in 1565-Play and Masques of Cupid

and Psyche The Masque of Dreams-Marriage Festival of

Bianca Capello in 1579.-V. Reception of Henri III. at

Venice in 1574-His Passage from Murano to San Niccolò

on Lido. VI. The Masque transported to England-

At the Court of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth-Develop-

ment in the Reign of James I.-Specific Character of the

English Masque-The Share of Poetry in its Success.-

VII. Ben Jonson and Inigo Jones-Italian and English

Artists The Cost of Masques-VIII. Prose Descriptions of

Masques-Jonson's Libretti-His Quarrels with Jones-

Architect versus Poet.--IX. Royal Performers-Professionals

in the Anti-Masque.-X. Variety of Jonson's Masques—

Their Names-Their Subjects-Their Lyric Poetry.-XI.

Feeling for Pastoral Beauty-Pan's Anniversary.-XII. The

Masque of Beauty-Prince Henry's Barriers-Masque of

Oberon.-XIII. Royal and Noble Actors-Lady Arabella

Stuart - Prince Henry - Duke Charles-The Earl and

Countess of Essex-Tragic Irony and Pathos of the Masques

at Court.-XIV. Effect of Masques upon the Drama-Use

of them by Shakspere and Fletcher-By Marston and

Tourneur Their great Popularity-Milton's Partiality for

Masques-The Arcades' and 'Comus '

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