To what extent can each painting be related to the wider issues of the Pastoral and /or Urbanisation in the 19th or 20th century?
- Select two or more paintings or posters that were inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and discuss how they chooses to present the theme(s) of the play. Your paper should contain:
- A high quality reproduction of the paintings that will allow detailed scrutiny
- Biographical information on the painter(s)
- For each painting a description and analysis of the scene from the play the painter chose for his subject. Who are in it, what is its significance, etc.?
- A full analysis and interpretation of the painting(s), which should address questions such as:
- Why was this particular scene selected?
- To what extent is the painting / poster faithful to the play?
- How to explain & interpret possible changes that the painter / designer made?
- What is the nature of the city or forest scene portrayed?
- To what extent can each painting be related to the wider issues of the Pastoral and /or Urbanisation in the 19th or 20th century? To illustrate points one or two other paintings (not necessarily by the same artist) may be brought into the discussion, but only to highlight particular issues. However, your first choice of painting should remain the focal point of your paper.
- A compare and contrast discussion of the paintings selected: what are the most striking similarities and differences? Can these be related to the period(s) in which the paintings / posters were created?
