The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.0632  Monday, 4 March 2002

From:           Martin Steward <
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Date:           Saturday, 2 Mar 2002 10:22:23 -0000
Subject:        The Laws of Theatre

"What are the laws of the theatre? Has anyone codified them? " asks Bill
Godshalk. Many since Aristotle have described what they might look like
codified; but I'm not sure that they have been codified as such.

Aristotle - Poetics

Horace - The Epistle to the Pisos ["If the actors words are not in
keeping with his fortune, the Roman gentry will laugh jeeringly, and the
commoners too".]

Sidney - An Apologie for Poetrie

Shakespeare - Hamlet, Prince of Denmark [only kidding]

Ben Jonson - Discoveries [q.v. Horace (!!!)]

John Dryden - An Essay of Dramatic Poesy

I guess from here on my knowledge gets sketchier as the textbooks get
more numerous. But that gives an indication of the "codification" that
has gone on.

m

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