ers
shall be written and what their titles shall be. The material offered in
either case is sufficient for twenty meetings or more; indeed, in some
cases, one theme might be expanded for the work of several years.

CHAPTER II

THE MODERN DRAMA

I--BEGINNING OF MODERN ENGLISH DRAMA--THE AGE OF ELIZABETH

1. _First Paper (Introductory): Beginning of English Drama_--Origin in
the miracle-plays. Influence of the Renaissance. Change in the form of
the drama through foreign influences.

2. _Ben Jonson_--Story of his life; character of his plays; his devotion
to the classics.

3. _Beaumont and Fletcher, Massinger, Ford, and Webster_.

4. _Shakespeare_--Story of his life; how his plays were made; his
imagination, wit, and tenderness; his supremacy.

5. _The Theater in the Time of Elizabeth_--Scenery, seating
arrangements, costumes, absence of women actors; famous theaters.

READINGS FROM--Jonson's Every Man in His Humour. Beaumont and Fletcher's
Knight of the Burning Pestle. Shakespeare--History: Henry V. Comedy: As
You Like It. Tragedy: Macbeth. Fancy: Midsummer Night's Dream.
Sentiment: Romeo and Juliet.

BOOKS TO CONSULT--Taine: History of English Literature: Book II.,
Chapter II. Hamilton Mabie: Shakespeare. The Mermaid Series of
Dramatists.

In addition to these papers have short readings from Kenilworth, and
Miss Strickland's Queens of England, giving a clear idea of Elizabeth.
Read also from Jonson's Sad Shepherd, the Masque of Oberon and the
Masque of Queens. Give a sketch of the modern reproduction of an old
miracle-play, called Everyman, with a selection. Close with
Shakespeare's estimate of Jonson, and Jonson's estimate of Shakespeare,
and show photographs of Shakespeare, his birthplace, Anne Hathaway's
cottage, the Avon, the parish church.

II--THE RISE OF MODERN COMEDY

1. _Beaumarchais_--Story of his life. Characteristics. Readings from The
Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro. The modern operas founded
on these.

2. _Moliere_--His humble origin, rise and relation to the court. His
matrimonial unhappiness and estimate of women. Readings from Les
Precieuses Ridicules, Tartuffe and Sganarelle. Quotations from modern
estimates of Moliere.

3. _English Comedy under the Restoration_--Effect on the drama of the
return of the Stuarts. Estimates of the following writers and quotations
from the plays mentioned: Sir George Etheredge: She Wou'd if She Cou'd.
William Congreve: The Double