Record Number: 17179

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Elizabeth Barrett to Richard Hengist Horne, 29 May 1843: 'Reading Mr Halpin of the Shakespeare society upon Oberon's command to Puck in the "midsummer night's dream," & falling into the degree of passion to which sympathy is more necessary than it is to grief itself, I turned in my thoughts to you as the person most likely of all to be in a competent passion [...] Now by the soul of Shakespeare, it ought to be a reason or blasphemy by act of Parliament for men to write such treaties & call them commentaries. They are [italics]mentaries[end italics] in the strictest sense [...] Mr Halpin gives us a "paraphrase" of Oberon's "sug'red words", -- from which, here is an extract. '"And so the imperial votaress passed on In maiden meditation, fancy-free." 'Halpin loquitur. "And so the virgin queen departed from Kenilworth castle, unshackled by any matrimonial engagement & as heart-whole as ever .." 'I hope you dont belong to the Shakespeare society.'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 May 1843 and 29 May 1843

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

n/a

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Elizabeth Barrett

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

6 Mar 1806

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer

Religion:

Evangelical

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Nicholas John Halpin

Title:

Oberon's Vision in the Midsummer-Night's Dream

Genre:

Drama, Essays / Criticism, History, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

1843

Provenance

unknown

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Source Information:

Record ID:

17179

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Philip Kelley and Ronald Hudson

Title:

The Brownings' Correspondence

Place of Publication:

Winfield

Date of Publication:

1989

Vol:

7

Page:

155

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Philip Kelley and Ronald Hudson (ed.), The Brownings' Correspondence, (Winfield, 1989), 7, p. 155, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=17179, accessed: 04 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

Text author '[attempted to demonstrate that the play contained an allegorical representation of the Earl of Leicester's suit for Queen Elizabeth's hand at a time when he was engaged to another' (see p.156 n. 6 in source).