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Humanities Full Text This link opens in a new window
Provides full text plus abstracts and bibliographic indexing of the most noted scholarly sources in the humanities, as well as numerous lesser-known but important specialized magazines. The database indexes, abstracts and delivers the full text of feature articles, interviews, obituaries, bibliographies, original works of fiction, drama, and poetry, book reviews, and reviews of ballets, dance programs, motion pictures, musicals, operas, plays, radio and television programs, and more.
Fine Arts This link opens in a new window
Gale OneFile: Fine Arts provides access to scholarly journals and magazines that support research in areas including drama, music, art history, and filmmaking. The database emphasizes full-text content for publications included in the Wilson Art Index and RILM bibliography. Part of Academic OneFile
Biography This link opens in a new window
Gale In Context: Biography is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on the world's most influential people. It merges Gale's authoritative reference content (including Lives & Perspectives) with periodicals and multimedia organized into a user-friendly portal experience while also allowing users to search for people based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, or gender as well as keyword and full text.

"Reader, Take Notice": Aphra Behn's References and Self-Representation in the Epistle to the Reader in The Dutch Lover.
While Aphra Behn's early life remains a mystery, her time in London and her allegiances are very well-documented. The persona she crafted throughout her whole career, which interacted with her readers in her paratexts, has, however, never been fully considered. Investigating the allusions and comments she makes in her epistles and prefaces can help fill in the blanks of what is known about her as well as revisit older ideas. This study explores and identifies the references she made and the communicative strategies she used in her epistle to the reader printed with The Dutch Lover (1673) and what they mean in terms of the self she crafted as a woman writing and publishing in Restoration London. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Aphra Behn: Memoirs of a Shee Spy | The National Archives UK
Best-known as the first professional female writer in England, Aphra Behn was a trailblazing thinker whose work explored themes of women’s rights, slavery and colonial oppression.
In this film, Record Specialist Dr Katy Mair, and Professor of 17th-Century Studies at Loughborough University, Elaine Hobby, tell us the less-well-known story of Aphra Behn the spy – a young woman who was recruited by Charles II and sent to the dangerous city of Antwerp to turn her rumoured former lover into a double agent.
Literary Lives traces the footsteps, through the marks they left in our records, of some of our nation's famous, and less famous, authors, spotlighting moments in their lives that have shaped them into the characters we know them to be today.
Aphra Behn | YouTube
A new project has launched celebrating Aphra Behn, the first woman writer in English and Canterbury’s most famous but most forgotten daughter. Canterbury’s Aphra Behn project aims to bring Aphra to a whole new audience and establish her as an iconic and important historical figure. - Canterbury Christ Church University

Aristophanes | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Aristophanes (born c. 450 bce—died c. 388 bce) was the greatest representative of ancient Greek comedy and the one whose works have been preserved in greatest quantity.
An introduction to... Aristophanes | APGRD Oxford University, UK
An introduction to... Aristophanes
Peter Swallow (KCL)
Greek Comedy, Satyrs, and Aristophanes: Crash Course Theater #4
Get ready for hilarity, because this week, we're diving head first into Greek Comedy. Actually, though, maybe don't get TOO ready for hilarity. Taste in humor has changed a little over the last couple of thousand years. You already know about Greek Tragedies, with their hamartia and catharsis and whatnot. Today we're going to look at how Greek comedy evolved out of those tragedies, first as Satyr plays, and later as full-blown comedies. So come along. There are a few laughs involved, I promise.
Great Authors - Literature of Ancient Greece and Jerusalem - Aristophanes and Very Old Jokes | Dr. Michael Sugrue, Johns Hopkins University
This is the official YouTube channel of Dr. Michael Sugrue.

Aritstotle | Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.) numbers among the greatest philosophers of all time. Judged solely in terms of his philosophical influence, only Plato is his peer: Aristotle’s works shaped centuries of philosophy from Late Antiquity through the Renaissance, and even today continue to be studied with keen, non-antiquarian interest.
Aristotle Greek philosopher | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Aristotle (born 384 bce, Stagira, Chalcidice, Greece—died 322, Chalcis, Euboea) was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, one of the greatest intellectual figures of Classical antiquity and Western history. He was the author of a philosophical and scientific system that became the framework and vehicle for both Christian Scholasticism and medieval Islamic philosophy. Even after the intellectual revolutions of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment, Aristotelian concepts remained embedded in Western thinking.
Aristotle | History.com
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) made significant and lasting contributions to nearly every aspect of human knowledge, from logic to biology to ethics and aesthetics. Though overshadowed in classical times by the work of his teacher Plato, from late antiquity through the Enlightenment, Aristotle’s surviving writings were incredibly influential. In Arabic philosophy, he was known simply as “The First Teacher.” In the West, he was “The Philosopher.”
Tragedy Lessons from Aristotle: Crash Course Theater #3 | YouTube
Aristotle. He knows a lot, right? And if you choose to believe Aristotle, then you must believe all the mechanics of tragedy that Mike is about to lay on you. This week, we're looking at Aristotle's rules for the basic elements of theater, and how those can be used to bring about catharsis, the emotional release triggered by onstage trauma. You know you love the catharsis.

Bertolt Brecht | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Bertolt Brecht (born February 10, 1898, Augsburg, Germany—died August 14, 1956, East Berlin) was a German poet, playwright, and theatrical reformer whose epic theatre departed from the conventions of theatrical illusion and developed the drama as a social and ideological forum for leftist causes.
Bertolt Brecht and Epic Theater: Crash Course Theater #44
Are you ready to learn something about the world? Then you're ready for Bertolt Brecht, and his ideas about Epic Theater. Brecht wanted to lean into the idea of theater as a tool to upset and educate the world about stuff like the struggles of the working class and the problematic aspects of capitalism. He wanted to SHOCK people into seeing the world as it is and taking action, rather than merely entertain audiences. But, he messed up, and wrote some pretty entertaining stories, with some really catchy music integrated into it. And so, people ended up whistling Mack the Knife instead of throwing off the shackles of an oppressive social order. To be fair, it is a catchy tune. Today you're going to learn about Brecht, Epic Theater, and a little bit about the House UnAmerican Activities Committee. Because those jerks hauled Brecht up in 1948 to shake him down about whether or not he was a communist.
Bertolt Brecht - A Brief Background | BBC
"Art is not a mirror with which to reflect reality but a hammer with which to shape it."
— Bertolt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht Speaks in the House Committee on Un-American Activities
Bertolt Brecht's appearance before the House Un-American Activites Committee as televised and Close Captioned in German.

Chikamatsu Monzaemon Japanese dramatist | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Chikamatsu Monzaemon (born 1653, Echizen [now in Fukui prefecture], Japan—died Jan. 6, 1725, Amagasaki, Settsu province?) was a Japanese playwright, widely regarded as among the greatest dramatists of that country.
Chikamatsu Monzaemon: The Tenderness and Severity of Japan’s Master Dramatist
Chikamatsu Monzaemon is considered Japan’s greatest playwright, writing for both bunraku puppet theater and the kabuki stage. The year 2024 marks the three hundredth anniversary of his death after a career in which he wrote more than 100 bunraku plays.
Exploring the Masterpieces of Japan's Greatest Playwright, Chikamatsu Monzaemon | YouTube
In this video, we focus on Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653 – 1725), widely considered the most important playwright in Japanese history, and in particular, in the 12 plays originally written by him that continue to be performed on the kabuki stage.
Crash Course Theater Japan, Kabuki, and Bunraku
In Japan, under the Shoguns, there's couple of really interesting types of drama on the scene. Kabuki is a sort of successor to Noh, with wilder stories and more action. And Bunraku is straight up high intensity puppet theater. Mike tells you all about how the Samurais got themselves into trouble watching bawdy theater shows in Edo.

Konstantin Stanislavsky Russian actor and director | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Konstantin Stanislavsky (born January 5 [January 17, New Style], 1863, Moscow, Russia—died August 7, 1938, Moscow) was a Russian actor, director, and producer, founder of the Moscow Art Theatre (opened 1898). He is best known for developing the system or theory of acting called the Stanislavsky system, or Stanislavsky method.
The Stanislavsky Method of Acting | Backstage
By Alex Ates | Last Updated: May 30, 2023
The History & Life of Konstantin Stanislavski | This Is Improv
Alexandra tells us about the life and work of Stanislavski. He was the reason we have some of the greats in theatre history. Watch and learn some fun facts about this Russian Theatre Practitioner.
How Stanislavski Reinvented the Craft of Acting
In the 1950s, a wave of “method actors” took Hollywood by storm. Actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Montgomery Clift, brought a whole new toolset and perspective on the actor’s craft to the films they performed in.
The foundation of their work, however, was laid in Russia more than fifty years prior to their stardom.

Eugène Ionesco French dramatist | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Eugène Ionesco (born Nov. 26, 1909, Slatina, Rom.—died March 28, 1994, Paris, France) was a Romanian-born French dramatist whose one-act “antiplay” La Cantatrice chauve (1949; The Bald Soprano) inspired a revolution in dramatic techniques and helped inaugurate the Theatre of the Absurd.
Eugene Ionesco, The Art of Theater No. 6 | The Paris Review
Fall 1984 Interview with Eugene Ionesco by Shusha Guppy for the Paris Review.
An Interview with Eugene Ionesco - Screener
Eugene Ionesco (1912-1994), the Romanian-born French dramatist, speaks at length about his childhood, his studies, the type of theatre he enjoyed in his youth, his original personality, and his constant need for solitude.
Beckett, Ionesco, and the Theater of the Absurd: Crash Course Theater #45
Get ready to get weird. Mike Rugnetta teaches you about the Theater of the Absurd, a 1950s theatrical reaction to the dire world events of the 1940s. You'll learn about Jean Genet, Eugene Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, and the theatrical movement that left us all Waiting for Godot.

Eugene Scribe | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Eugène Scribe (born Dec. 24, 1791, Paris, France—died Feb. 20, 1861, Paris) was a French dramatist whose works dominated the Parisian stage for more than 30 years.
Eugene Scribe: Biography | IMDB.com
Augustin Eugene Scribe was the first-- and certainly the most prolific-- French dramatist/librettist of the European popular theatre.
Crash Course Theater Zola, France, Realism, and Naturalism
This week, we're back in Europe to learn about Realism and Naturalism. In the 19th Century, playwrights like Eugene Scribe, Alexandre de Dumas Fils, and Emile Zola remade the French theater, first with Realism, and later with Naturalism. What are those things? Watch and learn.

Euripides Greek dramatist | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Euripides (born c. 484 bc, Athens [Greece]—died 406, Macedonia) was the last of classical Athens’s three great tragic dramatists, following Aeschylus and Sophocles.
Euripides: Biography | Biography Channel
Euripides was one of the great Athenian playwrights and poets of ancient Greece, known for the many tragedies he wrote, including 'Medea' and 'The Bacchae.'
Among the Ancients: Euripides | London Review of Books
Euripides was the youngest of the fifth-century Athenian tragedians, and is often described as the most radical. But how daring was he? How far did he push the boundaries of dramatic form? Focusing on Medea and Hippolytus, Emily and Tom discuss the ways Euripides sought to shock his audiences, make them laugh, and explore their anxieties in a time of cultural change.
Edith Hall on Euripidean Tragedy | YouTube
Edith Hall (Professor of Classics, King's College London) discusses the distinctive qualities of Euripidean tragedy.

Design for Living What’s great about Goethe? | The New Yorker
Article By Adam Kirsch
January 24, 2016
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe German author | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (born August 28, 1749, Frankfurt am Main [Germany]—died March 22, 1832, Weimar, Saxe-Weimar) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist, considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era.
LITERATURE - Goethe | YouTube
Goethe is one of the great minds of European civilisation, though his work is largely unknown outside of the German speaking countries. He deserves our renewed attention.
Why So Angry, German Theater? Crash Course Theater #27
Theater had a slow start in Germany, mainly because Germany wasn't really a thing until relatively recent times. After Germany finally became a unified state, it had a couple of really important theatrical movements. Today we'll talk about Sturm and Drang, as well as Weimar Classicism. We'll also get into the work of the greatest German playwright, Goethe, and look at his play Faust in the Thought Bubble.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing German author
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (born Jan. 22, 1729, Kamenz, Upper Lusatia, Saxony [Germany]—died Feb. 15, 1781, Braunschweig, Brunswick [Germany]) was a German dramatist, critic, and writer on philosophy and aesthetics. He helped free German drama from the influence of classical and French models and wrote plays of lasting importance.
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781).| Mahler Foundation
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature. He is widely considered by theatre historians to be the first dramaturg.
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing on History and Education | YouTube
Lessing was a philosopher and playwright who gives voice to the ideals of the Enlightenment, especially concerned with education, rational inquiry, and human freedom, all of which contribute to what Arthur O. Lovejoy called his progressivist philosophy of history.
The Life and Thought of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781) with Dr. Hannes Kerber (Harvard) | YouTube
The following video is a rich introduction to the life, thought, and philosophy of the German philosopher, dramatist, and art critic Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1729-1781). Dr. Kerber takes the viewer on a robust journey through the main moments of Lessing's life from an advocate of the Enlightenment, to a religious reformer of tolerance, a revolutionary, an art critic, a creator, a Modern; and of course, ending with the dramatic scandal of Spinozism.

Henrik Ibsen Norwegian dramatist and poet
Henrik Ibsen (born March 20, 1828, Skien, Norway—died May 23, 1906, Kristiania [formerly Christiania; now Oslo]) was a major Norwegian playwright of the late 19th century who introduced to the European stage a new order of moral analysis that was placed against a severely realistic middle-class background and developed with economy of action, penetrating dialogue, and rigorous thought.
Henrik Ibsen | Biography.com
Exiled Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote 'A Doll's House' and 'Hedda Gabler,' the latter of which featured one of theater's most notorious characters.
Symbolism, Realism, and a Nordic Playwright Grudge Match: Crash Course Theater #33 | YouTube
It's a Scandinavian grudge match on Crash Course Theater. We're looking at a couple of the key movements in European theater that deeply influenced the modern theater of today. We'll take a close look at two of the most radical and influential European playwrights of the 19th century, who just happened to be mortal enemies. Henrik Ibsen of Norway, and Swede August Strindberg reshaped theater, between bouts of hating each other.
Playwright Profile Henrik Ibsen | YouTube
Find out more about the life and work of the Norwegian nineteenth-century playwright, Henrik Ibsen. As the "father of realism", learn how his career developed from theatre director to celebrate playwright.

Hroswitha | The Catholic Encyclopedia
A celebrated nun-poetess of the tenth century, whose name has been given in various forms, ROSWITHA, HROTSWITHA, HROSVITHA, and HROTSUIT; born probably between 930 and 940, died about 1002.
Hrotswitha of Gandersheim's Dulcitius and Callimachus in a new translation | Quidditas
Damen, Mark L. (1997) "Hrotswitha of Gandersheim's Dulcitius and Callimachus in a new translation," Quidditas: Vol. 18, Article 2.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/rmmra/vol18/iss1/2

[Download the full text of the article at this url]
Hrotsvitha, Hildegard, and the Nun who Resurrected Theater: Crash Course Theater #9
When last we saw Theater, it was just making its way back in the West, by sneaking a little drama into the Easter mass. In today's episode, we're talking about Hrotsvitha, the cool 10th century nun from Lower Saxony who was maybe the first playwright of the new era of theater. She wrote comedies with a moral message, and influenced future heavy hitters like Hildegard of Bingen.
Comedy in the Dark Ages: Hrotsvitha
The art of the theater died out in the West with the fall of the Roman Empire. But in the unlikely setting of Germany in the 10th century, a remarkable woman revived both comedy and drama. Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim was a secular canoness (a member of a religious community living a monastic life) who read the ancient Roman playwrights Plautus and Terrance and used them as models for her own plays. Produced for the edification and entertainment of her fellow sisters, Hrotsvitha's comedies featured the exploits of saintly heroines humiliating their lecherous pagan captors. John Hamer of Toronto Centre Palce read from Hrotsvitha's work (some of the humor is still funny today!) and look at her context and legacy.

Ira Frederick Aldridge British actor
Ira Frederick Aldridge (born c. July 24, 1807, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died Aug. 7, 1867, Łódź, Pol.) was an American-born English tragedian, considered one of the greatest interpreters of his day.
Ira Aldridge, Actor and Activist | National Museum of African American History and Culture
Ira Aldridge was one of the most celebrated Shakespearean actors of the 19th century. Born in New York, Aldridge achieved his greatest fame in Europe, where he found professional opportunities that did not exist for black actors in the United States.
Ira Aldridge: African Tragedian in Ireland | YouTube
Ira Aldridge: African Tragedian in Ireland tells the story of one of the most remarkable Black Abolitionists in Famine Ireland. Ira Aldridge was unique as an African-American actor and abolitionist who performed and toured in Ireland at the height of the Great Hunger in 1847-1848. His powerful and moving dramatic performances raised awareness of enslavement and persecution for many years, though he remains little known in the country of his birth.
Ira Aldridge: Shakespearean Trailblazer | Black History Channel
Ira Frederick Aldridge was the first African American actor to achieve success on the international stage. He also pushed social boundaries by playing opposite white actresses in England and becoming known as the preeminent Shakespearean actor and tragedian of the 19th Century.

John Wilkes Booth American actor and assassin | Encyclopedia Brittanica
John Wilkes Booth (born May 10, 1838, near Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.—died April 26, 1865, near Port Royal, Virginia) was a member of one of the United States’ most distinguished acting families of the 19th century and the assassin who killed U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln.
John Wilkes Booth | Ken Burns Civil War | PBS
Arguably the nation's most famous assassin, John Wilkes Booth was an accomplished actor, southern sympathizer, and likely spy before shooting President Lincoln in April 1865.
John Wilkes Booth Goes from Actor to Assassin (feat. Adam Scott & Will Forte) - Drunk History
Not only was John Wilkes Booth a bad human being – he was a bad actor to boot.
Edwin and John Wilkes Booth
From our Shakespeare Unlimited podcast series. Published February 5, 2019. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This podcast episode, “My Brother, My Competitor,” was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. Ben Lauer is the web producer. We had technical help from Andrew Feliciano at VoiceTrax West in Studio City, California, and Shelly Steffens at WBEZ Public Radio in Chicago.

Kalidasa Indian author | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Kalidasa (flourished 5th century ce, India) was a Sanskrit poet and dramatist, probably the greatest Indian writer of any epoch.
Kālidāsa | Hindupedia
Kālidāsa literally means ‘servant of Kālī’.
Why Kalidasa is Greater than Shakespeare | Sadhguru | YouTube
Why Kalidasa is Greater than Shakespeare | Sadhguru
#Kalidasa’s Literature Part I-Dramas - Prof. Gauri Mahulikar
Mahakavi Kalidasa is the most glorious poet and a world renowned playwright of Indian literary tradition. His plays have been translated and adapted to different languages across the world. These dramatic outputs are unparalleled in both its textual and performance aspect.

Royal Shakespeare Company: Restoration plays
We regularly stage Restoration dramas and comedies, which were written from around 1660 to 1710.
The Restoration period refers to the time following the restoration of the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies under King Charles II in 1660. While the exact dates differ depending on context, for Restoration drama it is often seen as continuing through until 1710, during the reign of Queen Anne.
Charles II king of Great Britain and Ireland | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Charles II (born May 29, 1630, London—died February 6, 1685, London) was the king of Great Britain and Ireland (1660–85), who was restored to the throne after years of exile during the Puritan Commonwealth. The years of his reign are known in English history as the Restoration period.
Charles II: The Merry Monarch | YouTube
Biographics presents The Merry Monarch, Charles II.
The King and the Actress: How Nell Gwyn Captured Charles II’s Heart | YouTube
Discover the captivating tale of 'A King’s Heart: The Love Story of Charles II and Nell Gwyn.' Follow the journey of England’s merry monarch and the woman who captured his heart, from their chance encounter on the streets of London to their passionate romance in the royal court. Despite their different worlds, Charles II and Nell Gwyn shared a love built on laughter, loyalty, and genuine affection. Explore how their bond defied convention and left a lasting legacy in British history. A story of love that transcended class and expectation, this royal romance is one for the ages.

Lope de Vega Spanish author | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Lope de Vega (born Nov. 25, 1562, Madrid, Spain—died Aug. 27, 1635, Madrid) was an outstanding dramatist of the Spanish Golden Age, author of as many as 1,800 plays and several hundred shorter dramatic pieces, of which 431 plays and 50 shorter pieces are extant.
Biography | Lope de Vega Casa Museo
Lope de Vega, one of the most important writers in the history of Spanish literature, was a rogue and a womanizer, a loving father and a devout priest, an inquisitor and a poet.
Lope de Vega & Shakespeare | PANEL
An interactive discussion about Hispanic Golden Age master playwright Lope De Vega and his English contemporary William Shakespeare with translator Dakin Matthews, and scholars Barbara Fuchs, and Rhonda Sharrah. On September 12, 2022, Red Bull Theater will present an online reading of Lope's THE CAPULETS AND THE MONTAGUES in association with Diversifying the Classics | UCLA.
The Spanish Golden Age: Crash Course Theater #19 | YouTube
This week on Crash Course Theater, Mike and Yorick take us to beautiful Spain and look at its Golden Age. Spain was having kind of a moment in the 16th and 17th centuries. They had this big empire, the culture was really flowering, and Humanism was popping up all over, but they also had the inquisition. Into this world came prolific writers like Felix Lope de Vega and Pedro Calderon de la Barca. And they wrote a ton of plays.

Lorraine Hansberry American playwright | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Lorraine Hansberry (born May 19, 1930, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died January 12, 1965, New York, New York) was an American playwright whose A Raisin in the Sun (1959) was the first drama by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway.
Lorraine Hansberry | Biography.com
Playwright and activist Lorraine Hansberry wrote 'A Raisin in the Sun' and was the first Black playwright and the youngest American to win a New York Critics’ Circle award.
Lorraine Hansberry | PBS
Explore the life of writer and activist Lorraine Hansberry and how her work helped pave the way for a new generation of writers, especially for people who identify as LGBTQ, Black, and progressive, in this video from First Person: Classroom. Using video, students learn about Hansberry’s lasting impact and the intersectionality that defined her life. Supporting educational materials include primary source documents, teaching tips, vocabulary, and discussion questions.
American Masters Lorraine Hansberry on being young, gifted and black | PBS
With her health failing, Lorraine Hansberry left the hospital to speak to the teenage winners of a national writing contest. She described the young writers as "young, gifted and black" - the words that inspired the Nina Simone song of the same name - and urged them to represent their community in their work.

Molière French dramatist | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Molière (baptized January 15, 1622, Paris, France—died February 17, 1673, Paris) was a French actor and playwright who became the greatest of all writers of French comedy.
Moliere: The Palace of Versailles
Stendhal’s description of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin as “Molière, the great painter of man as he is” is undoubtedly the most accurate.
Crash Course Theater Molière - Man of Satire and Many Burials | PBS
This week on CC Theater, Mike Rugnetta teaches you about the greatest playwright of Renaissance France, Molière. We'll talk a bit about early French theater design, and the kingly love of theater that Louis the XIII and XIV shared, and look at Molière's Tartuffe in the Thought Bubble.
The Life & Times of Moliere (Documentary about French Playwright & Actor) | YouTube
True Story: I made this video for my theatre history class and got kicked out of the class.
A documentary about 1600's French playwright Moliere.

Ibn Daniel [Full name Chams Eddine Mohammed Ibn Daniel el-Moussili] | World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts
Arab doctor, poet and man of the theatre, author of the oldest shadow plays in Arabic. After the Mongols took over Baghdad in 1258, and at the beginning of the so-called “decadent epoch”, Ibn Daniel, originally from Iraq, settled in Cairo and wrote the three oldest texts that we possess for the Arab shadow theatre: Tayf el khayal (The Shadow Spirit), Ajib wa gharib (Strange and Bizarre), and El moutayyam (The Lover).
First As Shadow, Then As Farce: An Evening with Medieval Puppeteer Ibn Daniyal | ArabLit and ArabLit Quarterly
By Anna Della Subin and Hussein Omar
Medieval Arabic Drama: ibn Dāniyāl
Badawi, M. M. (1982). Medieval Arabic Drama: ibn Dāniyāl. Journal of Arabic Literature, 13, 83–107. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4183065
1:15 / 7:55 Theatre from Medieval Cairo: The Ibn Dāniyāl Trilogy (Egypt) Part 1, April 8th 2013 | YouTube
New York’s Noor Theatre presents the world premiere of irreverent readings from three of Ibn Dāniyāl’s saucy puppet plays, brought to you in their first-ever English translation by Safi Mahfouz (UNRWA University, Jordan, Fulbright postdoctoral Segal Center Visiting Scholar) and renowned theatre historian Marvin Carlson (The Graduate Center, CUNY). Discovered by German orientalist Georg Jacob (1862-1937), these texts are among the earliest secular plays known to humankind. With their English translations now forthcoming from Martin E. Segal Theatre Center Publications, Mahfouz and Carlson, together with Noor Theatre, offer us a glimpse into Dāniyāl’s spicy Cairo underworld of pimps, prostitutes, and dirty dealing, as well as the practice of street performance in medieval Cairo.

Nell Gwyn English actress
Nell Gwyn (born Feb. 2, 1650, London, Eng.—died Nov. 14, 1687, London) was an English actress and mistress of Charles II, whose frank recklessness, generosity, invariable good temper, ready wit, infectious high spirits, and amazing indiscretions appealed irresistibly to a generation that welcomed in her the living antithesis of Puritanism.
Nell Gwyn (Gwynne) | Historic UK
‘Pretty, witty Nell’ was perhaps the best known and remembered mistress of King Charles II.
The King and the Actress: How Nell Gwyn Captured Charles II’s Heart | YouTube
Discover the captivating tale of 'A King’s Heart: The Love Story of Charles II and Nell Gwyn.' Follow the journey of England’s merry monarch and the woman who captured his heart, from their chance encounter on the streets of London to their passionate romance in the royal court. Despite their different worlds, Charles II and Nell Gwyn shared a love built on laughter, loyalty, and genuine affection. Explore how their bond defied convention and left a lasting legacy in British history. A story of love that transcended class and expectation, this royal romance is one for the ages.
Nell Gwyn: Oranges the Fruit to Success! | History Roadshow YouTube
Nell Gwyn went from being a seller of oranges to one of King Charles II's wealthy mistresses and a part of the royal family. History will show scandals were common in the time of Charles, yet his secrets and ongoing relationships especially with Nell created a socialite's darling and a symbol of an England that was more carefree and opulent thanks to her wit and charm. In this short documentary, we now look at the extraordinary life of Nell Gwyn and her tale of rags to riches and everything in between.

Okuni Kabuki dancer | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Okuni (flourished 17th century) was a Japanese dancer who is credited as being the founder of the Kabuki art form.
Penney, M. (2022). Izumo no Okuni. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia.
Research starter from Salem Press.
0:16 / 12:38 Japan, Kabuki, and Bunraku: Crash Course Theater #23 | YouTube
We're headed back to Japan, this time in the Edo period to follow up on Noh theater, which had gone out of style last time we checked in. Now, under the Shoguns, there's couple of really interesting types of drama on the scene. Kabuki is a sort of successor to Noh, with wilder stories and more action. And Bunraku is straight up high intensity puppet theater. Mike tells you all about how the Samurais got themselves into trouble watching bawdy theater shows in Edo.
Kabuki theatre | UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Inscribed in 2008 (3.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (originally proclaimed in 2005)

Pierre Corneille French poet and dramatist | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Pierre Corneille (born June 6, 1606, Rouen, France—died Oct. 1, 1684, Paris) was a French poet and dramatist, considered the creator of French classical tragedy.
Pierre Corneille | Poetry Foundation
This brief biography has a link to an English translation of "From the Theatre of Illusion."
Le Cid by Pierre Corneille @ Great Classic Plays - a discussion | You Tube
Le Cid, five-act verse tragedy about the national hero of Spain by Pierre Corneille, performed and published in 1637. It is regarded as the first classical tragedy of French theatre and one of Corneille’s finest plays, and one of the greatest plays of 17th century.
Rules, Rule-Breaking, and French Neoclassicism: Crash Course Theater #20 | YouTube
Everyone knows, you need a bunch of rules to make good theater. That's what the French thought in the 17th century, anyway. The French Neoclassical revival had a BUNCH of French playwrights following a bunch of rules. Unsurprisingly, some of the most interesting plays of the era broke those rules. Today, we'll talk about the rules, and we'll talk about Racine (who followed them), and Corneille (who was not so much a rules guy).

Terence Roman dramatist | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Terence (born c. 195 bc, Carthage, North Africa [now in Tunisia]—died 159? bc, in Greece or at sea) was, after Plautus, the greatest Roman comic dramatist, the author of six verse comedies that were long regarded as models of pure Latin. Terence’s plays form the basis of the modern comedy of manners.
Classical Drama and Theatre: SECTION 4: ROMAN DRAMA Chapter 14: Roman Comedy, Part 2 (Terence) | Utah State University
chapter on Roman Theatre from Open Educational Resources provided by Mark Damen from the Utah State University.
Suetonius The Life of Terence | University of Chicago
This webpage reproduces a work of
C. Suetonius Tranquillus
published in the Loeb Classical Library,1914. The text is in the public domain.
Crash Course Theater Roman Theater with Plautus, Terence, and Seneca | PBS
In which Mike delves into the theater of ancient Rome. It wasn't all gladiators and Christian-killing, you know. There was theater, too. Roman drama drew heavily on Greek drama. So heavily, in fact, that many of the stories and characters were lifted directly from Greek plays. This time around, you'll learn about Plautus, Terence, and Seneca, and just what they owe to Menander.

Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Mexican poet and scholar
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (born November 12, 1651?, San Miguel Nepantla, Viceroyalty of New Spain [now in Mexico]—died April 17, 1695, Mexico City) was a poet, dramatist, scholar, and nun, an outstanding writer of the Latin American colonial period and of the Hispanic Baroque.
The Poetic Nun | National Endowment for the Humanities
The first great poet of Latin America was female, a nun, and a champion of the rights of women.
Famous Authors & WritersWomens Rights Activists Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz | Biography.com
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz was a 17th century nun, self-taught scholar and acclaimed writer of the Latin American colonial period and the Hispanic Baroque. She was also a staunch advocate for women's rights.
Crash Course Theater Pre-Columbian Theater, Spanish Empire, and Sor Juana | PBS
This week, we're headed to the Americas to learn about the theater that existed there prior to the arrival of Europeans, how the theater of the Spanish influenced it, and the impact of Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, playwrighting Spanish nun extraordinaire.

Theodora Byzantine empress [died 548] | Encyclopedia Brittanica
Theodora (born c. 497 ce—died June 28, 548, Constantinople [now Istanbul, Turkey]) was a Byzantine empress, wife of the emperor Justinian I (reigned 527–565), probably the most powerful woman in Byzantine history. Her intelligence and political acumen made her Justinian’s most trusted adviser and enabled her to use the power and influence of her office to promote religious and social policies that favoured her interests.
Theodora | Brooklyn Museum
Brief History of Theodora and description of a place setting owned by the Brooklyn Museum.
Justinian and Theodora: The Byzantine power couple | BBC
Emperor Justinian I and Empress Theodora were the 6th Century golden couple of the Byzantine Empire. Think Jay-Z and Beyonce - but with a lot more chariots.
Justinian and Theodora of the Byzantine Empire Biography | Church History | YouTube
ho was Justinian I (also known as Justinian the Great)? What are 3 major accomplishments of Justinian? What land did Justinian conquer? In this video, we'll take a look at one of the most influential figures of Eastern Christianity- Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. He sought to unify the various groups of churches to bring about religious and political stability, which lasted throughout his reign. Emperor Justinian and empress Theodora ruled the Byzantine Empire for decades.

William Prynne English pamphleteer | Encyclopedia Brittanica
William Prynne (born 1600, Swainswick, Somerset, Eng.—died Oct. 24, 1669, London) was an English Puritan pamphleteer whose persecution by the government of King Charles I (reigned 1625–49) intensified the antagonisms between the king and Parliament in the years preceding the English Civil Wars (1642–51).
PRYNNE, William (c.1602-69), of Swainswick, nr. Bath, Som. and Lincoln's Inn. | History of Parliament
Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer
A WHIPPER WHIPPED: THE SEDITION OF WILLIAM PRYNNE | JSTOR
KISHLANSKY, M. (2013). A WHIPPER WHIPPED: THE SEDITION OF WILLIAM PRYNNE. The Historical Journal, 56(3), 603–627. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24529087
Crash Course Theater Where Did Theater Go? | PBS
In the 17th century, English theater had to go into hiding, from PURITANS. Let's take a look at how the English Civil War, Charles I's beheading, and the Restoration of the monarchy all had effects on the English Theater. Also, WOMEN finally make it to the English stage in this episode. Plus, Restoration comedies are pretty smutty, so you should hang on 'til the end of the end of this one.

Crash Course Theater Straight Outta Stratford-Upon-Avon – Shakespeare's Early Day | PBS
This is the story of how a young Englishman named William Shakespeare stormed London's theater scene in the late 16th century, and wrote a bunch of plays and poems that have had pretty good staying power. We'll learn about Shakespeare's beginnings, his family, and how he broke into theater.
William Shakespeare English author
William Shakespeare (baptized April 26, 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England—died April 23, 1616, Stratford-upon-Avon) was a poet, dramatist, and actor often called the English national poet. He is considered by many to be the greatest dramatist of all time.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare | MIT.edu
Welcome to the Web's first edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. This site has offered Shakespeare's plays and poetry to the Internet community since 1993. For other Shakespeare resources, visit the Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet Web site. The original electronic source for this server was the Complete Moby(tm) Shakespeare. The HTML versions of the plays provided here are placed in the public domain. 5/10/23: Current copy taken from https://github.com/TheMITTech/shakespeare/ and hosted by MIT IS&T in a static location.
Dame Judi Dench Masterfully Does A Shakespeare Sonnet | The Graham Norton Show | YouTube
"It's like having a Shakespeare Jukebox!"

Wole Soyinka Nigerian author
Wole Soyinka (born July 13, 1934, Abeokuta, Nigeria) is a Nigerian playwright and political activist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. He sometimes wrote of modern West Africa in a satirical style, but his serious intent and his belief in the evils inherent in the exercise of power were usually evident in his work as well.
Wole Soyinka Biographical | The Nobel Prize in Literature 1986
Wole Soyinka
The Nobel Prize in Literature 1986
Born: 13 July 1934, Abeokuta, Nigeria
Residence at the time of the award: Nigeria
Prize motivation: “who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence”
Wole Soyinka | Biography.com
Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright, poet, author, teacher and political activist. In 1986, he became the first African to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Wole Soyinka: Human Rights are for Everyone | United Nations Archive
Nobel Literature Laureate Wole Soyinka delivered an address in 1993 to the World Conference on Human Rights as a ‘special guest’ of the UN Secretary-General. - Video

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