In Shakespeare's plays, how many songs are there? And how many times does he use the device of having a play within a play?

lanfranco

Well, I'll start this off by writing that "plays within plays" occur in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Love's Labour's Lost," "The Taming of the Shrew," and "Hamlet." The story of Katharina and Petruchio in "Shrew," represents almost all of the action, but it is supposed to begin with a sort of Prologue indicating that it is a production staged for the benefit of a man who stands outside of the action. In "Hamlet," the play is "The Murder of Gonzago," renamed by the prince, who makes additions to it, "The Mouse-Trap." Jan 26 06, 5:37 PM

lanfranco

I can't find precise information concerning the number of songs in the plays, but here's a rather interesting site on music in Shakespeare: http://www.britannica.com/shakespeare/article-9396030 Jan 26 06, 6:42 PM

gmackematix

I've read somewhere that almost all Shakespeare plays contain at least one song, with the exception of "A Comedy of Errors". Jan 26 06, 8:23 PM

Arpeggionist

What song is there in Henry IV? Jan 27 06, 12:33 AM

gmackematix

There is "Hold, Lingel, Hold" in Henry IV, Part 2. I don't know about part 1. Here are some examples: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000041KP/002-5155585-2544836?v=glance&vi=samples&n=5174 Jan 27 06, 12:27 PM

Czolgolz

I was in a production of 'Midsummer's Night's Dream'. We didn't know the music to the song, so we used the tune to the Giligan's Island theme. Jan 28 06, 5:11 PM