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Shakespeare and the Stage / With a Complete List of Theatrical Terms Used by Shakespeare in His Plays and Poems, Arranged in Alphabetical Order, & Explanatory Notes cover

Shakespeare and the Stage / With a Complete List of Theatrical Terms Used by Shakespeare in His Plays and Poems, Arranged in Alphabetical Order, & Explanatory Notes

Chapter 78: POEMS
By Maurice Jonas
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About This Book

A historical and practical study of dramatic performance and stagecraft that traces how medieval religious spectacles gave way to secular comedy and tragedy, examines inn-yard presentations and purpose-built playhouses, and surveys company organization, acting practice, court performances, and theatrical allusions. The work describes theatre architecture, audience arrangements, production practices, and contemporary documents and illustrations, and concludes with an alphabetically arranged glossary of stage terms associated with Shakespeare, each entry supplied with explanatory notes to clarify period usage and theatrical meaning.

POEMS

ACT. DUMB-PLAY. CHORUS.

And all this dumb-play had his acts made plain
With tears, which chorus-like her eyes did rain.

Venus and Adonis, line 359.

Many critics have inferred that this poem was composed whilst Shakespeare still resided in Stratford. By the above lines it would be nearer the mark to assert that the first heir of his invention was composed after he had been acquainted with the theatrical literature of the London theatres.

ACTOR. STAGE. PART.

As an imperfect actor on the stage
Who with his fear is put beside his part.

Sonnet 23, line 1.

CHORUS. SCENE.

Co-supremes and stars of love
As chorus to their tragic scene.

Phœnix and Turtle, line 52.

STAGE. SHOWS.

This huge stage presenteth nought but shows.

Sonnet 15, line 3.

STAGE. PART.

My part is youth and beat these from the stage.

Lucrece, line 278.

Black stage for tragedies and murders fell.

Lucrece, line 766.

“My part is youth” may refer to some particular play, but “Lusty Juventus,” suggested by Stevens, contains no such scene.

In the interlude of “Youth,” youth drives charity from the stage, but with threats not blows. Malone supposes that Shakespeare was thinking of the conflicts between the Devil and the Vice in the old Morality plays, where the Vice was always victorious and drove the Devil roaring off the stage.

Black stage for tragedies refers to the custom of draping the stage in black when tragedies were performed. Another allusion to this custom is found in the first part of Henry VI.

SHOWS.

Or to turn white and swoon at tragic shows.

Lover’s Complaint, line 308.