A) introduced as comic relief to diffuse the tension in Act 1 Scene 1
Act 1 Scene 2 is light-hearted and even funny to an extent- especially if you have read ahead and know what Fate has in store for Bottom. After the strife and arguments in Act 1 Scene 1, the character Nick Bottom tends to bring a smile to the audiences faces
B) The craftsmen are pre-occupied with the highly ironic play they intend to put up for Theseus and Hippolyta’s nuptials
IRONIC? How? Why?
Title of play: The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe
- Staging a play about a pair of tragic lovers during a wedding celebration?!
- Title of play is ironic- how can a comedy be lamentable??
*An oxymoron- two words of opposite meanings juxtaposed (set side by side) eg: Lamentable Comedy
C) Craftsmen are also the foil against which the men in Theseus’s court are viewed.
- Theseus and the men of his court are dignified (mostly!) and educated (?)- perhaps by the way they speak: poetic language (especially Theseus and Lysander)
- Craftsmen are uneducated and rough. They are concerned with the smallest, insignificant details of the play they are going to perform,
Eg: How the roaring of the Lion might scare the court ladies so much that the actors may be put to death
D) Craftsmen are also a group of people who lack imagination
They are afraid the audience may not be able to imagine the Moon, the Wall and the Lion etc if they are not told before hand.
Quince: An you should do it too terribly you would fright / the Duchess and the ladies that they would shriek; / and that were enough to hang us all. (p.53 lines 70-73)
E) The craftsmen also seem to be a kind of transitional group
Links the world of men to the world of fairies. They bring the play to the woods in the same way that Hermia and Lysander decide to elope to the woods of Athens. The presence of the craftsmen in the woods seems to suggest that there will be comedy (from the craftsmen) amidst the tension (from the four lovers)
Do you agree with roles of the craftsmen as suggested above? Can you think of any other reason why Shakespeare may have included them in the play? Share your thoughts.
6 comments:
Tan Yeh Wen
Class: 3BN
I agree with all the points that are put up. The first point is that they are used as a comic relief. This point is supported by the fact that the atmosphere was still very tense in the beginning, and it often leaves the audience feeling tense up and wondering what would possibly happen later on in the play. And without the craftmen, the audience would continue to feel this way all the way till the end, which is not a very good way to keep your audience occupied taking into accound that it is a play about love, and a "comedy".
In the second point, they are to put up an ironic play. As a matter of fact, the entire play (not just the one that the craftmen are acting) is an irony and an entirely big joke. Further on in the story, Oberon, the fairy king, is amused with Titania being in love with Bottom with an ass's head, but he is stunned and of course angry that Puck has made a fool out of the lovers, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia, because Hermia is now not loved and now Helena was too much attention (Act 3 Scene 2). This is exactly the same case with the title of the play that the craftsmen are putting up. It is just another attempt to relief the tension but up in the beginning.
The third point happens to be that they are the foil against the court. This occurs every time the craftsmen say a wrong word "'Ninus' tomb', man!" when Flute says "Ninny's tomb" instead (Act 3 Scene 1), wheares comparing that to the men of court, where they speak in a dignified manner, even if they are angry, "I am, my lord, as well derived...Upon this spotted and inconstant man." Lysander, Act 1 Scene 1, Lines 99 to 110. Also, they speak plainly, or try to copy the ways of the men of court, whereas the men of court often speak in much gentler style (uses lots and lots of confusing words!).
Point 4: They lack imagination. Quite true. The craftsmen (being craftsmen obviously) are used to making practical stuff, and not used to imaginative things such as plays. Thus, they are terrified of what the different things that they do will result into. For example, take when Bottom tries out the lion part. Quince rebukes by saying "And you should do it too terribly you would fright the Duchess and the ladies that they would shriek; and that were enough to hang us all." Lines 70 to 72, Act 1 Scene 2.
The last point that is given is that they are a transitional group. Very true. This is especially in the case when Bottom's head was changed with an ass's by Puck when they were rehearsing for the play (Act 3 Scene 1).Also, Titania falls in love with Bottom, being near, also in Act 3 Scene 1which shows the connection between the world of humans and the world of fairies very clearly.
One of the points that are not mentioned and I think is true is that the crasftmen serve as a kind of distraction from the lovers. As mentioned, they serve to diffuse tension. But their other way to do this is to distract them is by adding lots of jokes (starting from Act 1 Scene 2). Bottom is a clear example of this. By trying to make Quince agree to make him have all the roles, the audience luaghs (mostly), quite forgetting about what had happened in Act 1 Scene 1.
That's when my second point comes in: they are a link to the next scene. They are acting about the play that they are about to put up for Theseus and Hippolyta, which signifies that they will be linked to a later part of the story. Also, they happen to be in the same part of the woods as the lovers, thus we know that they got to have something to do with them.
I agree with the points.
First Point: Introduced as comic relief to diffuse the tension in Act 1 Scene 1 :
The story initially had a very tense and serious atmosphere. But when Craftmens came in in Act1 Scene2, the atmosphere became a little lighter. If it is not because of them, the readers and audience will perceive that the whole atmosphere of the story is the same. It would not be as interesting as the readers/audience might get a little tired of it. Therefore, I agree that the comic relief is to diffuse the tension in Act1 Scene1.
Second point: The craftsmen are pre-occupied with the highly ironic play they intend to put up for Theseus and Hippolyta’s nuptials:
I feel that the craftsmen are too occupied with the ironic play. However, the story itself also contains many irony. For example, The potion was initially only meant for Oberon to apply on Titania, but he pitied Helena, therefore creating a complicated relationship between Demetrius, Lysander, Helena and Hermia. At the beginning of the play, Demetrius and Lysander were both in love with Hermia but later because of the potion that was applied wrongly onto Lysander, he fell in love with Helena. But when Oberon realized that Puck had applied it onto the wrong person, he did not undo the spell but put the potion onto Demetrius. In the end, the both of them fell in love with Helena instead of Hermia. This is also counted as an irony.
Third Point: Craftsmen are also the foil against which the men in Theseus’s court are viewed.:
The Craftsmen speak normally, or try to imitate and learn to speak like the men of court, the men of court on the otherhand often speak in much softer and maybe complex style.
Fourth Point: Craftsmen are also a group of people who lack imagination.:
The craftsmen are so used to what they normally do that they lack the imagination. Thus they are sometimes unsure of the things they do. For example, Peter did not think that Bottom is able to play the role of the lion when Bottom requested to try out for that role.
Fifth Point: The craftsmen also seem to be a kind of transitional group:
It is true that the craftsmen seem to be a very transitional group. Example, later in the story, Bottom's head was changed with an ass's by Puck when they were rehearsing for the play.
I feel that the main reason why Shakespeare included the craftsmen in the play is mainly to achieve comic relief and to lighten the atmosphere that was very tensed. He also made the craftsmen crack jokes so as to allow the audience to take a break from the tense atmosphere and not make the audience become a little tired of reading it.
wu yi
3MD
yes, i agree with the points.
I think the craftsmen serves as a compare and contrast to Theseus' court and otherthe 4 main characters who are entangled in a love trapezium.
The craftsmen are a group of uneducated and poor,yet,happy crowd.free from the worries of love.
They looked upon things with a relaxed perspective.They only wanted to serve their purpose well by acting well in the play.
Whereas the 4 young people in the play,are so adamant and determined about pursuing their true love that they forget about everything else.Compared to the craftsmen,they are more unhappy and headstrong.Same goes with Oberon and Tiatania,who quarrelled just because of one Indian boy.
It shows us the difference in the mindsets and pursues of 2 different groups of people,2 diffrent class,status of people.
I find it quite amusing.Moreover,it's the truth,even in reality.
XiangXi
3GR
I agree with the roles of the craftsmen as suggested.
Point A: They do act as a comic relief. At the start of the play, the atmosphere is very tense, the viewers will also be very tense. But the craftsmen added laughter and joy to the play, which helps to light up the atmosphere and make the viewers less tense.
Point B: The craftsmen are going to put up tragic play at the duke's wedding. It is ridiculous! I feel that they are either brainless or very brainless. Who would wish someone "Rest In Peace" at his/her wedding? This, too, adds laughter and lighten up the tension.
Point C: (I don't get this point sia... :( )
Point D: The craftsmen lacks imagination. True. They are craftsmen! They use their hands more than their brains. Obviously they will lack imagination. They are not even suited to act out the play at the duke's wedding.
Point E: I have no comments... :D
NO MORE! THE END!
I agree with all the points. For the 1st point, after the argument between Egeus and his daughter, Hermia in Scene 1,from Scene 2 comes a 'joker', Nick Bottom who wanted to act as Thisbe and the lion. Further in the story, he was turned into a donkey but it was a blessing in disguise as Titania fell in love in love with him. So the character, Nick Bottom was the comic relief to diffuse the tension in the beginning where Hermia refused to marry Dementrius under her father's order.
For the 2nd point, the marriage between Theseus and Hippolyta was suppose to be a happy occasion but the plays performed by the craftsmen were sad and cruel so the plays did not suit the happy marriage. Acting as Pyramus and Thisbe could be like an insult to Theseus and Hippolyta 'cursing' them a bad marriage.
For the 3rd point, as the men in Theseus's court were civilized and dignified whereas the craftsmen were not intelligent and uneducated, so they are like contradicting each other in the play.
For the 4th point, in Scene 2,the craftsmen were discussing about the plays and their roles in the plays. They were very particular about the roles suitable for all the craftsmen otherwise they would be beheaded by Theseus. They had to make sure that the lion's roar did not scare the ladies attending the marriage.
For the last point, the craftsmen will of course be performing in the woods where the Lysander and Hermia will be eloping while Dementrius and Helena will be trying to find them. The plays performed by the craftsmen will act as a comic relief to diffuse the tension by the complicated relationship four lovers.
I agree with all the points regarding the roles of the craftsmen suggested above.
Point A: I agree that the craftsmen are introduced into the play as a comic relief to diffuse the tension. The atmosphere in Act 1 Scene 1 is very serious and tense. Readers may get bored from reading and may not want to continue reading and hence, the group of craftsmen is being introduced into Act 1 Scene 2 and comic characters are added into the craftsmen so as to lighten up the whole atmosphere.
Point B: I agree with the point that the play was highly ironic as the content, plot and theme of the play was a total opposite to what was supposed to be at a proper wedding. However, the craftsmen did not realize this big mistake and continued planning and rehersing with their ironic play.
Point C: The craftsmen also showed the opposite characters of the men in Theseus’s court. The men in Theseus’s court are all very educated and no matter how agitated they get, they still will speak in proper poetry language. Unlike them, the craftsmen are uneducated and not as bright. They do not speak in poetry language and think that they are smart. They think that others are not intelligent enough to know what roles are they acting out unless they are told beforehand.
Point D: I agree that the craftsmen lack imagination as they were afraid that they will act overly and scare the ladie and were not able to think of other ways of acting it out to show what they were acting.
Point E: I too agree that the craftsmen is a kind of transitional group. In the beginning, the human and the craftsmen had totally no link with each other. However, later it showed that they were related when the craftsmen decided to reherse in the forest and when Lysander and Hermia decided to elope into the forest.
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