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Theatre and Drama in Ancient Greece
Brief description of how societal traditions developed into theater in Ancient Greece. Includes well-known playwrights and plays as well as links to comprehensive information within and outside of the site.
Bartleby
Bartleby.com: King Richard Ii
This site has some famous quotations from William Shakespeare's play "King Richard III". Use the next link to find more quotes.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Literary Term: Comedy
This guide provides a general overview of comedy as an art form.
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Literary Term: Drama
The University of Victoria's English department gives a comprehensive definition of "drama" in writing.
TES Global
Tes: A Midsummer Night's Dream Gallery: The Mechanicals
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is a slide show of Royal Shakespeare Company production photos of "The Mechanicals" in A Midsummer Night's Dream which can be used to compare interpretations and to spark discussion.
TES Global
Tes: The Comedy of Errors Schools' Synopsis by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is the Royal Shakespeare Company's synopsis of Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors.
TES Global
Tes: Genre: Ancient Greek Theatre: Comedy and Tragedy in Ancient Greece
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is a slide show with images and information about Ancient Greek Theatre including the masks used for comedies and tragedies.
TES Global
Tes: Shakespeare on Screen: Comedies
[Free Registration/Login Required] This is a BFI teacher factsheet "Shakespeare's Comedies" from Shakespeare on Film. It discusses Shakespeare's comedies and the adaptations of them.
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Web English Teacher: William Shakespeare: As You Like It
For William Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It, this site is linked to lesson plans and teaching materials, articles, introductory and background resources and the like.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Analyzing Shakespeare
Learn to analyze Shakespearean comedies, tragedies, and sonnets. First use examples provided in a slideshow of A Midsummer Night's Dream to understand the process and topics included in an analysis of a comedy. Then learn to use three...
Middlebury College
Middlebury College: Roman Comedy: Plautus and Terence
This essay explores the origins of ancient Roman comedy came about and its masters, Plautus and Terence, whose work still influences satire to this day.
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: "Alibi Ike" by Ring Lardner
This is the text of the short story "Alibi Ike" by Ring Lardner, a story about an ace baseball player nicknamed "Alibi Ike" due to his making up excuses. After falling in love with the beautiful sister-in-law of the team manager, he is...
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: Why Should You Read "A Midsummer Night's Dream?"
Iseult Gillespie shares what makes "A Midsummer Night's Dream?" a timeless classic.
Victorian Web
The Victorian Web: The Wildean Dandy, and Comedy, and the Picture of Dorian Gray
This Victorian Web essay provides insight on writer Oscar Wilde's personality and how it relates to his comedy. The article is entitled, "The Wildean Dandy, Comedy, and the Picture of Dorian Gray." This site also gives excerpts from some...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: See, Hear and Sing: Humor
Today's comedy evolved from vaudeville (variety) shows of the 19th and early 20th centuries that included clowns, slapstick, dancers, singers, performing animals, acrobats, and magicians. This is an interactive site offering various...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Book Pairings: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare
Selected (6) reading passages (grades 7-10) to pair with the drama "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. The overlapping story of several couples and the inevitably complicated road to love encompasses a play within a play,...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Themes: Comedy & Tragedy: What Can We Learn From Comedy?
This is a collection of Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) to address the question, "What can we learn from comedy?" Select a grade level and a collection of on grade-level reading passages on the topic comes up. [Free account registration...
Blackdog Media
Classic Reader: Author: William Shakespeare
This site features the author William Shakespeare including a biography and the full text of 39 of his famous plays. RL.9-10.10a&b text complexity, RL.11-12.10a/b Text Complexity
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Familiarize yourself with the life and works of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. This source contains a quick fact sheet, a short biography, and links to related articles, collection items, and works.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: The Rover
Read an overview of "The Rover" by Aphra Behn and view additional resources such as articles, collection items, and teacher resources.
British Library
British Library: Teaching Resources: Aphra Behn, the Rover: Carnival
These activities allow students to explore how Aphra Behn uses character types and tropes associated with carnival in "The Rover". Students can relate this to the play's context of production, and comic theories relating to the...
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: An Introduction to "She Stoops to Conquer"
Oliver Goldsmith published several critiques of audiences and playwrights before writing a laughing comedy that was the triumph of its season and that continues to be performed today. This article introduces "She Stoops to Conquer",...
British Library
British Library: Teaching Resources: Measure for Measure: A Problem Play?
What is Measure for Measure's problem? The play confronts us with questions about sex, morality, and power, which challenge us as readers and audiences. In these activities, students will debate why the play is so problematic, through...
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Dream Visions
The dream vision as a form was as popular in the late medieval period as the novel is today. From courtly comedy to social critique, via feminist polemic, this article explores some of the most captivating works of the medieval period.