Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature - Enriched edition

August Wilhelm von Schlegel

Translator John Black

Publisher: DigiCat

Summary

In "Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature," August Wilhelm von Schlegel presents a comprehensive analysis of European drama, focusing particularly on the evolution of the form from classical antiquity to his contemporary era. Schlegel adopts a nuanced yet accessible literary style, blending critical analysis with personal insights that reflect the Romantic ideals of his time. His lectures not only engage with the works of great playwrights such as Shakespeare and Goethe but also critique the aesthetic principles that govern these dramatic texts, positioning his work within the broader discourse of 19th-century literary criticism and the burgeoning Romantic movement. August Wilhelm von Schlegel, a notable German poet, translator, and critic, was pivotal in shaping the Romantic literary landscape. His deep-seated knowledge of classical literature and philosophy, augmented by his own experiences in the vibrant cultural milieu of early 19th-century Europe, undoubtedly influenced his approach to drama. His role as a translator of Shakespeare also provides a profound lens through which he critiques and celebrates the art of theater, leading him to articulate the intrinsic value of drama as a reflection of human experience. "Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature" is an essential read for anyone interested in the intersection of drama and literary criticism. Schlegel's insightful observations not only enhance our understanding of dramatic literature but also invite us to reconsider the impact of theatrical works on society. Whether you are a scholar, a playwright, or a devoted theater enthusiast, this book is a treasure trove of knowledge that illuminates the enduring significance of drama in culture.

In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience:
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

Available since: 09/04/2022.

Print length: 549 pages.

Other books that might interest you

The Real & Imagined History of...

Tom Wright

Arriving from his East Midlands beginnings into a London thick with the grime of industrialisation, Joseph Merrick is an anomaly. In a city of factories that churn out uniformity, there is no place for someone like him.
But Merrick and the city are evolving into something new. We follow him through the workhouse, the freak show and the hospital, as he searches for acceptance in a society that just wants to stare at him.
Powerful, angry and surprising, Tom Wright's acclaimed play imagines an alternative history of the person who came to be known as 'the Elephant Man'. It restores Joseph Merrick to the centre of his own story: a man fighting for his right to be and to belong.
The Real & Imagined History of the Elephant Man was first performed at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre, before receiving its European premiere at Nottingham Playhouse in 2023, directed by Stephen Bailey, and supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support Trust.

Show book

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

Step into the gripping world of A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway's poignant tale of love and war. Set against the backdrop of World War I, this classic novel follows Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver in the Italian army, as he navigates the horrors of battle and the solace of love with Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. 
Hemingway's spare, evocative prose captures the intensity of human emotion in a time of profound chaos, creating a narrative both heart-wrenching and timeless. 
This audiobook brings Hemingway's masterpiece to life, immersing listeners in a story of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring power of love. Perfect for fans of classic literature and compelling storytelling, this is a journey you won’t want to miss.

Show book

Mother Daughter Augur

Mary Simmons

Mary Simmons’s debut is a world unto itself: a dark storybook realm, lush and full of eerie possibility, a place outside of time where women move in different forms and pass on warnings and wisdom. In the spirit of a Victorian naturalist’s collection, this book brings together found elements from nature, folklore, mythology, ballet, and oral tradition, crafting a strange, kaleidoscopic beauty and complicating inherited definitions of femininity. As these poems blur dichotomies—maiden and witch, mother and daughter, friend and lover—they reach for a new vision of womanhood beyond the bounds of roles and expectations, one that is mystical, ethereal, a little dangerous, and inherently queer. In the process, they tap into deep currents of yearning, grapple with corporeality, raise larger questions about love and what lasts, and find meaning in the uncanny and the macabre. In these pages are insects and omens, wolves and birds and weird apparitions, Odile and Ophelia, even a seventeenth-century professional poisoner. Original, atmospheric, and immersive, this is a work like no other: a tour through an enchanted forest, a darkness that’s illuminating.

Show book

Leave Taking

Winsome Pinnock

'What doctor know about our illness? Just give you pills to sick you stomach and a doctor certificate. What they know about a black woman soul?'
In North London, Del and Viv are soul-sick. Del doesn't want to be at home; staying out late – 3 p.m.-the-next-day late – is more her thing. Viv scours her schoolbooks trying to find a trace of herself between their lines.
When Enid takes her daughters to the local obeah woman for some traditional Caribbean soul-healing, secrets are spilled. There's no turning back for Del, Viv and Enid as they negotiate the frictions between their countries and cultures.
Two generations. Three incredible women. Winsome Pinnock's play Leave Taking is an epic story of what we leave behind in order to find home. It premiered in 1987, and was revived at the Bush Theatre, London, in 2018, in a production directed by the Bush's Artistic Director, Madani Younis.
Winsome Pinnock has written numerous plays, including Talking in Tongues, for which she won the George Devine and Pearson Best New Play Awards.
'The godmother of Black British playwrights' Guardian

Show book

Shangri LaTitudes

Sean O'Caillane

The Shangri LaTitudes of the title are not some imaginary abodes in the clouds, above and beyond ordinary reality. These latitudes are the ones which lie where the paths of Truth and Beauty cross, forming quadrants where each sub-subject comingles to form fresh ruminations, not unlike those from Rumi, not unlike Four Quartets by Eliot, though using forms unfamiliar to either poet. There are four rooms in the human heart, each one its own experiential zone where passions move around, up down and around within the stream of consciousness, as well as stirring the subconsciousness. Perhaps the latter ruminations form the greater portion of the poems in this selection. This is a book of brief poems deliberately constructed for easy reading, brief pieces that can be picked up and put down within a few moments. One or two poems may take longer to digest, but hopefully the same intensity of feeling will be there, like a bonsai arriving at your coffee table, all trim, newly in flower.

Show book

"Daddy": A Melodrama

Jeremy O. Harris

Franklin, a young black artist on the eve of his first show, meets Andre, an older white art collector, and before long their feverish connection develops into an unbreakable bond.
But when Franklin's mother, Zora, decides that her son is in peril, she enters into a battle of wills with Andre over the soul of the man they both call 'baby'.
Basquiats and Birkins, gospel and pop, fantasy and reality: all collide around a Bel Air swimming pool in this deeply surreal exploration of intimacy and identity.
"Daddy" is Jeremy O. Harris's blistering melodrama, first performed in New York City in 2019, and at the Almeida Theatre, London, in 2022, directed by Danya Taymor.

Show book