A Midsummer Night's Dream: Shakespeare's Political Satire in a Pastoral Comedy
Release Date: 03/29/2023
Mini: Shakespeare for Autistic Individuals: The Flute Theatre with Kelly Hunter, MBE
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are joined in discussion with Kelly Hunter, MBE, to discuss her work producting Shakespeare for autistic audiences. We will discuss Kelly's professional journey that led her from working with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and on the West End to founding The Flute Theatre and developing the Hunter Heartbeat Method in collaboration with autistic individuals. Kelly Hunter, MBE began working in theatre aged 17 playing The Mistress in Evita in the West End in 1980. Since then she has been creatively engaged in theatres, performing and adapting and...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Feuds, Vendettas, and Duels
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are exploring the historical context for the family feud and violence between the Capulets and Montagues in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We'll briefly revisit the history of medieval bloodfeuds that we examined in our episodes on Macbeth, then we will dive into the pratices of vendettas and dueling in the Italian renaissance and how this form of violence was imported into England, Scotland, and Wales in the late 1500s and early 1600s. We will examine the rise in popularity of dueling among young men of the English nobility and gentry, how the public...
info_outline
Mini: Ben Jonson, Shakespeare's Colleague and Competitor
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are exploring the life and works of one of Shakespeare's contemporaries: Ben Jonson. Often called "Shakespeare's rival," Ben Jonson was an early modern actor turned playwright who came from humble beginnings to achieve success on the London stages. We'll dive into the parallels between Shakespeare and Jonson's lives, and we'll discuss how Jonson may be the person who we should thank for Shakespeare's First Folio. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on...
info_outline
Romeo & Juliet: Teenagerdom in Shakespeare's Time
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we will be discussing what is was like to be a teenager in Shakespeare's time, and how we can see early modern teenagerdom represented in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. We will build on our previous explorations of the early modern understanding of age and youth from our episodes on girlhood and manhood, then dive into the lived experiences of early modern teens and young adults. Finally, we will discuss the early modern public health crisis of suicide among children and adolescents. Content Warning: Suicide If you or someone you know is struggling or in...
info_outline
Mini: Staging Violence in Shakespeare with Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Danielle Rosvally and Sydney Schwindt to discuss how fight choreographers approach staging moments of violence in theatre, specifically in Shakespeare's plays. We will discuss how they collaborate with directors and actors to safely depict violence on stage, the state of the fight direction community, and how anyone can learn more about safe, consent-based practices for staging violence onstage. Our guests: Danielle Rosvally, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of theatre at the University at Buffalo where she serves as resident violence...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Courtship and Marriage in Shakespeare's Time
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we will be diving into the culture of courtship and marriage in early modern England. We will take a look at how the cultural norms and concerns surrounding marriage were shifting and changing in Shakespeare's time and how we can see this represented in Romeo and Juliet. We will also discuss how, at least in some parts of England and for certain classes, young people were able to resist some of the societal structures around courtship and marriage. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending...
info_outline
Mini: Shakespeare and Petrarch
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we will be continuing our series on Shakespeare's Language Framework and our Shakespeare's Sources by taking a closer look at Petrarch. First, we will dive into the biography of Francesco Petrarca, more commonly known as Petrarch in English, the 14th century poet who had a huge influence on European humanism, the Renaissance, and poetry. Then, we will explore Petrarch's influence and how it spread across Europe before covering how we can see his influence in the works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Patriarchy, Masculinity, and Honor
Shakespeare Anyone?
In today's episode, we're diving deep into the world of early modern masculinity, patriarchy, and honor as we dissect Shakespeare's iconic play, Romeo and Juliet. Our discussion begins with the examination of the expectations placed upon men during the early modern period and how those pressures are reflected in Shakespeare's play – the embodiment of honor, the nuances of patriarchy, and the various faces of masculinity depicted in Shakespeare's characters. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander....
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Stuff to Chew On
Shakespeare Anyone?
To kick off our series on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, we are (as always) starting with an overview of basic facts about the play and an introduction to the major themes and motifs of the play. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at for updates or visit our website at You can support the podcast by becoming a patron at or by shopping our bookshelves at Works referenced: Shakespeare, William, and René Weis. Romeo and Juliet: Revised Edition. Bloomsbury...
info_outline
Romeo and Juliet: Synopsis
Shakespeare Anyone?
It's time for a new play, which means a new synopsis! We are diving into Romeo and Juliet today, and we will be breaking down this play scene by scene. Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp. Special thanks to Nat Yonce for guest-editing this episode. Episode written by Elyse Sharp and Kourtney Smith. Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander. Follow us on Instagram at for updates or visit our website at You can support the podcast at or by shopping our bookshelves at Works referenced: Shakespeare, William, and René Weis. Romeo...
info_outlineIn this episode, we explore Shakespeare's use of political satire within the pastoral comedy genre, focusing on A Midsummer Night's Dream. The pastoral genre, which originated in ancient Greek literature, involves stories set in a rustic, rural world that idealizes the simplicity and harmony of nature. During the Renaissance through Elizabethan and Stuart England, writers continued to use the pastoral setting to explore social and political issues of their time, and Shakespeare was no exception.
We'll examine how Shakespeare drew on the political tensions and intrigues of the Elizabethan court to shape the plot and characters of A Midsummer Night's Dream, revealing the complex politics of the time. Through characters such as Titania and Oberon, we'll explore how Shakespeare used the dynamics of power and authority to comment on the political struggles of the Elizabethan court. We'll also examine how the character of Bottom can be read as a charicature of several Elizabethan political figures.
Through our analysis of A Midsummer Night's Dream, we'll gain new insights into the political and cultural context that shaped one of Shakespeare's most beloved plays. So join us for a fascinating discussion of Shakespeare's use of political satire in the pastoral comedy genre, and some piping hot tea about the Elizabethan court.
Shakespeare Anyone? is created and produced by Kourtney Smith and Elyse Sharp.
Music is "Neverending Minute" by Sounds Like Sander.
Follow us on Instagram at @shakespeareanyonepod for updates or visit our website at shakespeareanyone.com
You can support the podcast at patreon.com/shakespeareanyone
Works referenced:
Andrews, Richard. "A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Italian Pastoral." Transnational Exchange in Early Modern Theater. Routledge, 2016. 65-78. (if I have time)
Hunt, Maurice. "A Speculative Political Allegory in A Midsummer Night's Dream." Comparative Drama 34.4 (2000): 423-453.
Montrose, Louis Adrian. “Of Gentlemen and Shepherds: The Politics of Elizabethan Pastoral Form.” ELH, vol. 50, no. 3, 1983, pp. 415–59. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2872864. Accessed 4 Mar. 2023.
Rickert, Edith. “Political Propaganda and Satire in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ II.” Modern Philology, vol. 21, no. 2, 1923, pp. 133–54. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/433740. Accessed 29 Dec. 2022.
Swann, Marjorie. “The Politics of Fairylore in Early Modern English Literature.” Renaissance Quarterly, vol. 53, no. 2, 2000, pp. 449–73. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2901875. Accessed 4 Mar. 2023.