Act II, Scene ii
How does Shakespeare use humor and language to paint a picture of the Mechanicals? Are you/were you surprised by the humor in this play? Why? Why do you think Shakespeare would put this particular plot line into MSND (aka the play within the play)? What purpose might it serve, especially since the play was written so long ago? Do you think this particular plot line is necessary in MSND? Why? Explain your answer in about 11 sentences.
posted by dmteacher @ 2:24 PM
19 comments
19 Comments:
The mechanicals are in there to represent the normal people. They are not very well educated, as many people at the time were. Their word choice is... odd, furthering the idea they are uneducated. But I'm sure they play an important role in the story. I mean, their attempt at a play will be enough to make the duke laugh. But also, now that they are in the forest to practice, Puck won't resist a good opportunity to ruin something. Shakespeare currently has this little story as a side story in this book, but I think it will become more focussed on later. I think this little side story was designed to draw audiences away from some of the more demanding parts of the story, trying to make them laugh. I didn't think Shakespeare used comedy so often.
I think the machanicals show us how idiotic people can be. The machanicals are just plain every day people with no or little education. Yes i was surprised by the humor in this book. I thought Shakespear was more serious about things but apparently not. The machanicals i think are the comedy in the book because the real play is more to the serious side of things. So the play that they are putting on for the Duke is inlighting the play.
He uses humor by making the Mechanicals say things incorrectly but he makes them sound funny. He also makes sure that we know what he means and how he is using the humor. And since the Mechanicals live in the woods they can't go to school and learn how to say things the right way. I think that Shakespeare does the play within the play to make the readers laugh because you can see what the Mechanicals are doing to make the play happen. I think the play within the play was necessary because it was just something extra to make the reader laugh. I think he also did it because he didn't want to make the audience bored and have them start throwing food at the cast. (And who doesn't love a little humor in a story?) I was surprised by the humor in the play. I just didn't expect Shakespeare to create plays that are funny.
Shakespeare uses his particular writing style to tell the reader that the mechanicals are very stupid. In the last scene where they are practicing for the play, Shakespeare tells us that they are having some issues. When actually, these things would not be an issue if they had a basic knowledge of theater. That is just one way Shakespeare explains the stupidity of the Mechanicals. I was surprised at the humor in this book because that is not what you expect from a book written 500 years ago. Most people expect old books to be slow and boring, unlike MSND. I think Shakespeare added this plot because it will make everything more complicated. I bet this and the love square between Helena, Hermia, Demetrius and Lysander along with the fight between Oberon and Titania will eventually collide. I think it is necessary to have this plot because it makes the book more exciting. The more plots that all come together at the end of the book, the more exciting it will be. I think that is what Shakespeare was thinking when he added the plot of the Mechanicals.
He shows the Mechanicals as uneducated because they talk how we do today. I was surprised by the humor in the play because it seems like the Mechanicals have no idea what they are doing. I think he did this to compare his own play writing to the Mechanicals. Like I said, Shakespeare might be showing that the Mechanicals are uneducated because they don't say "thou" or any words like that in their sentences. They also get words mixed up. Also Shakespeare could of put this play into MSND because MSND might have been a comedy. Since these plays were performed in front of the queen of England, he wanted to make her laugh and like his plays.
I think the mechanicals are their to show what some and many of the people were like at that time. Most people were uneducated and Shakespeare show us that. Shakespeare did a good job of painting a mental picture for the reader. I'm not surprised by Shakespeare putting this plot line into the play seeing what we have already read. Bottom will probably mess the whole thing up. Their attempt at performing the play will make the Duke laugh for sure. Since they are in the forest, Puck won't miss an opportunity to play a good prank on the mechanicals. I think this plot line serves no significant purpose but to entertain the audience even more. The plot line could stay or go, but I think it is needed for a good laugh in the play.
I think the humor and the Mechanicals were a good fit in MSND because the play is mostly about love...adding humor lightens it up. I am very surprised by the humor in MSND. I didn't think there would be and anything funny back then but Shakespeare has proved me wrong! And I don't think the Mechanicals will do a very good job in the play because Bottom wants all of the parts and they just don't understand acting. They are going to warn the audience that it's really them acting in the play and not the characters. Wow. I think the Mechanicals are in this story to play some of the average people back in the 1800s'. No school and most likely poor. The play within the play is a good idea too, because it will be good at the Duke's wedding and it will probably make everyone laugh at their attempt to put on a play. Adding more humor.
One purpose of having another play in it is because the play and the mechanicals make it funny. Back then since most people were uneducated they wouldn't have understood what Shakespear was talking about. That is probably why Shakespear had the Mechanicals talk like they were uneducated. With that reason i think it was necessary to put the side play in with the Mechanicals.
Shakespeare purposefully make them mess up there lines to show what idiots the Mechanicals are. He make them funny be making them mess up and just be silly. I am surprised by the humor of this book. I expected this book to be more serious and I didn't realize it would be this funny. When I think of Shakespeare I think of his sad stories and and I didn't realize how funny he could be. I think he put this plot in to make it funny. I think he also might be showing this to show how uneducated the working class is. I do think this plot is important because how they influence what happens with the Fairy Queen. They also change what is happening in this story and what will happen.
The Mechanicals are obviously not very smart with little education. You can see this by the way the people speak, because the less educated people sometimes say words that don't fit into what they are supposed to be saying. This also makes it a funny play. I wasn't surprised with the humor though, because where can you find a play with a complicated love story, mischievous goblins and a fairy fight between a king and queen that isn't funny? The play inside the play also adds humor and I believe that it will be hard for Puck to pass playing a joke on these under-educated idiots. I think that whatever Puck does it will effect everyone else. The play could also show the difference between social classes. I don't think that the play was absolutely necessary and I think that Shakespeare could have made a point in another way, but it makes the whole story a little funnier. The play was definately the best choice for MSND.
The mechanicals are in there to show you what the lower not so smart class is. They probably didn't go to school and were not educated at all. Like when Bottom gets all of the phrases mix up. I think the humor was different. It wasn't what i expected it to be. I think Shakespeare put this into the play because he wanted the people to laugh. I also think he wanted to try and connect to the Duke of that time. I think Shakespeare was trying to get people to come and see the other play by putting it in MSND so he could try and make more money. I don't think it is necessary because it draws you away from the original play. Shakespeare's humor is not what I expected.
``Shakespeare uses humor and language to show the mechanicals as normal people. Yes i was surprised by the humor. It showed how people often confused words when talking like in real life. i think he wanted to show that plays are universal. Maybe he also wanted to show just a bit of humor on the way the plays where preformed. It might show how everyone makes mistakes no matter what era it is. I think the plot line adds a particular and interesting twist on the play. However i don't necessarily think it is necessary because it doesn't seem to important so far.
Shakespeare shows humor with the Mechanicals because they are not that smart and really know nothing about the play they are trying to put on! Bottom is always trying to tell people what to do, and he doesn't even know the right words to use in his sentences! Even Quince and the other characters seem clueless about putting on this play for Thesues and Hippolyta. I think that that Shakespeare put this play within the actual play because he wanted to add something funny to the actual play and he thought it would fit well with the story. I bet the all of the Mechanicals have something to do with the problem later in this play. I think that the play might have some kind of purpose having to do with Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius. I think that right now it doesn't seem necessary. Later in the play though, I think that it will fall into the problem so it will play a huge part in it. I think that because obviously Shakespeare is building up to something that happens in MSND so it would make sense if he used the Mechanicals since it has been developing itself since the beginning. Shakespeare has the Mechanicals in MSND for a reason, but we won't know until later on.
Well Shakespeare uses very different forms of humor to paint a picture of the Mechanicals. He makes Puck turn Bottom's head into the head of an ass.In the book Bottom is an ass, so he deserves to have the head of one. I was not surprised by the humor in this book. This is because I have read a lot about Shakespeare's "humor", so I new why his humor would fit into this story. Well Shakespeare probably put this plot in as something to take the mind off all the other parts of the book. Like when TV shows interrupt their broadcast at the most suspenseful part for a commercial. Yes, i do think this particular plot line was necessary because Shakespeare uses comedy sometimes in the book just to turn the reader's attention to something humorous and not serious.
Well obviously Shakespeare was trying to show how the Mechanicals were uneducated. He probably wanted to add some humor to the storyline to make it more funny. I was surprised that there was humor like this in this play because I didn't think that Shakespeare would add humor to this play. I thought that this play would just have a serious storyline to it. I think that the Mechanicals purpose is to make it a little bit more funny and and enjoyable to read. Another purpose of the Mechanicals was probably to show that back when this play was written not everybody was all serious about everything and not everyone was well educated. I think it was a good idea to put the Mechanicals in MSND because without it we wouldn't get to see the different types of people that lived back then. We wouldn't get to see that not everybody has to have an education and to make us laugh a little because the Mechanicals have no idea what they are doing with this play and some of the things they say is pretty funny. I really didn't expect MSND to be like this and can't wait to read on to see what happens.
Shakespeare uses humor and language to show how dumb the mechanicals are. They seem to not have any common sense. They probably have little education as well. Yes I was surprised by the humor in this book. I thought Shakespeare would just have boring stories. I also thought that his stories and poems would be a lot of metaphors. I think Shakespeare puts a play within a play especially with the mechanicals for some extra humor. I also think the play will be more important further into the story. I don't think that the plot line is necessary. I think that it does add to the story though.
The way that Shakespeare uses his humor and language to paint a picture of the Mechanicals in this play is pretty funny. He makes the sentences so much simpler, and just the words they all use make it that much worse, especially Bottom and all of his problems. I was really surprised about how funny this play is. I thought that it was just going to be another boring book we are being forced to read, but it isn't. I am not quite sure about the play with the play thing, but it might have been another way to get people interested, or kind of a "commercial" for a new play coming out. I think the plot line of the play within a play is important, because it gives a reason for the Mechanicals to be in the play, which just adds that much more humor to it all.
Shakespeare uses humor and incorrect language to describe the mechanicals.I was surprised by the humor in the play. I thought Shakespeare would be very boring. Reading MSND has been a fun and educational experience. I think the play within the play is a good plot line because he wanted to be humorous. It is a very effective plot line in making people laugh. Most plays were performed very well in the times of Shakespeare. I do not believe it was necessary but that it was a great addition to the story. These are my theories about the mechanicals in Shakespeare's play. Shakespeare has been an exciting read so far.
His humor is kind of lame, but he is good at painting a visual in your mind to show the actions and personalities of these (some ridiculous) characters of this story. He also uses his use of language (his wide range of unusual words we wouldn't dare use these days) to allow you to understand the mechanicals further. He was very good at allowing his reader to understand the story, characters, etc. Yes, his words were confusing, but if you have the correct translations, you will easily understand what he (the characters) were saying.
I think he did the play within the play to extend the story, and make it more interesting. The purpose, well, I think it might have been the style of writing back then. They may have written like that all the time. A lot of what everyone did back in Shakespeare's time, was/is a LOT different then what everyone does now.
I'm not really sure if it is necessary for this plot line, or if it is just an addition of what can go into the story. I think that this plot line adds to the story, and makes it a little confusing, but I kind of like it. I am very interested to what is going to happen next in the book, and will soon find out.
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