The Old Wives' Tale (play)
Encyclopedia
The Old Wives' Tale is a play by George Peele
first printed in England
in 1595. The play has been identified as the first English work to satirize
the romantic dramas popular at the time. Although only the titles of most of these popular works have survived, they seem to be unrelated composites of popular romantic and fairytale motifs of the era. They were full of romantic inventions but devoid of moral content. Peele here presents an amiably ironic and exaggerated version of such a play.
The Old Wives' Tale uses the theatrical device of a play within a play which adds to the confusion engendered by its multiple plots. Peele's version however was more carefully composed than the other similar works of the period. He was consummate in distilling the essence of all that was romantic and fairytale, but he was also able to create a detachment from the purely romantic; the effect on the audience was that it became aware of its taste for the romance of the fairytale. Some critics regard the play as a dramatic satire with a structure that is intentionally constructed to highlight the absurdities of the then popular dramatic techniques that Peele disdained. Peele's other plays also employed a similar structure.
The play has been criticized as a "confusing jumble of theatrical nonsense" and for being a burlesque
. However, some praised it as a charming fantasy, an innocent sentimental comedy. Others have called it a "fantastical comic romance".
One tale involves two brothers who are on an adventure searching for their sister who is being held captive by a magician. The magician also captures the brothers. Eventually they are all rescued by a knight aided by a ghost who is motivated by gratitude for past acts of kindness by the knight. Songs and magical invocations are interwoven into the play, imbuing it with a magical atmosphere.
George Peele
George Peele , was an English dramatist.-Life:Peele was christened on 25 July 1556. His father, who appears to have belonged to a Devonshire family, was clerk of Christ's Hospital, and wrote two treatises on bookkeeping...
first printed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1595. The play has been identified as the first English work to satirize
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
the romantic dramas popular at the time. Although only the titles of most of these popular works have survived, they seem to be unrelated composites of popular romantic and fairytale motifs of the era. They were full of romantic inventions but devoid of moral content. Peele here presents an amiably ironic and exaggerated version of such a play.
The Old Wives' Tale uses the theatrical device of a play within a play which adds to the confusion engendered by its multiple plots. Peele's version however was more carefully composed than the other similar works of the period. He was consummate in distilling the essence of all that was romantic and fairytale, but he was also able to create a detachment from the purely romantic; the effect on the audience was that it became aware of its taste for the romance of the fairytale. Some critics regard the play as a dramatic satire with a structure that is intentionally constructed to highlight the absurdities of the then popular dramatic techniques that Peele disdained. Peele's other plays also employed a similar structure.
The play has been criticized as a "confusing jumble of theatrical nonsense" and for being a burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
. However, some praised it as a charming fantasy, an innocent sentimental comedy. Others have called it a "fantastical comic romance".
Plot
The plot centers around three men who are lost in the woods and are given shelter for the night. During their stay they are entertained by their hostess who tells them fairy stories which they reciprocate in kind.One tale involves two brothers who are on an adventure searching for their sister who is being held captive by a magician. The magician also captures the brothers. Eventually they are all rescued by a knight aided by a ghost who is motivated by gratitude for past acts of kindness by the knight. Songs and magical invocations are interwoven into the play, imbuing it with a magical atmosphere.