Shakespeare's Christmas Gift to Queen Bess
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- Pages
- 30
About this book
The last Mermaid Club gathering of 1596 brings London's writers together to hear Shakespeare revise a play for Queen Elizabeth's Christmas festivities. Anna Benneson McMahan builds her historical tale around this imagined occasion, moving from the tavern's lively fellowship to a richly decorated court performance. Shakespeare arrives with the recent loss of his son Hamnet weighing on him, while the demands of royal entertainment call for wit, stage effects and flattering touches.
At the palace, the Earl of Southampton's patronage and the Queen's taste help frame the presentation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Passages from the play sit alongside descriptions of costumes, scenery and the audience's reactions. The account also connects its fairy woods and country characters with English rural life.
About the author
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Book facts
- Author
- Anna Benneson McMahan
- Reading time
- About 20 minutes
- Pages
- 30
- Language
- English
- Genre
- Classics
- Formats
- PDF, EPUB, Read online