SUBTEXT

Try emphasizing a different word each time you read the sentence. I’m glad you’re here this evening.

Try emphasizing a different word each time you read the sentence. The Fairyland buys not the child of me.

Thoughts that we imagine the characters to have as they speak. SUBTEXT

To determine the subtext, you must consider…  The context of the words  What the character wants in this particular scene  What the character’s ultimate objective is  What obstacles prevent the character from attaining his goals

So…for “Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania”  Context  It’s the first thing Oberon says to Titania, but we’ve heard a little bit about their disagreement in the previous scene with Puck…  What the character wants  Oberon wants the little Indian boy for a page  Character’s ultimate objective  Oberon wants to have life running smoothly with himself in power  Obstacles  The little Indian boy is in Titania’s possession

Pitch up… Pitch down… Stuart didn’t steal the book, did he?

I don’t believe it!  Let’s chat.  Please be brief.  Don’t say a word.  I’m just being polite.

Oh  How lovely!  So what?  Look out!  Don’t be so rude!  I don’t believe it.

Well  Contempt  Surprise  Indignation  Love  Confusion  Condescension  Coquetry (flirtation)

Now…for Helena and Demetrius  Identify each character’s objective.  Break the scene into sections according to changes in subtext  Identify the subtext in each section  Keeping the objective in mind, read the lines adding stress and inflection to reflect subtext.

Don’t go  I command you to stay!  Please stay around if you care about me.  It’s not safe out there.  I warn you – you’ll be sorry if you go.

In your acting companies, work with Oberon’s speech:“Hast thou the flower there?”  Identify the objectives  Discuss subtexts every time they change (it should be pretty often)  Break the speech into small sections and change actors at the breaks.  Read the lines adding stress and inflection to reflect subtext.

Subtexts in Dialogue  Person A: What time is it?  Person B: It’s eleven o’clock.  1 st time:  A: How much longer do I have to live?  B: Exactly one hour; you’ll be executed at midnight.  2 nd time:  A: When is this class going to end?  B: Thank goodness the bell is about to ring.  3 rd time:  A: We’ve completely lost track of time.  B: We’re already late for class.

Oberon’s Speech – “What thou seest when thou dost wake…”  Try it this way… “I will have my revenge.”  Then this way… “The joke that I play on you will really be funny.”

Lysander and Hermia (“Fair love, you faint with wand’ring in the wood…”)  Lysander is macho and Hermia is sarcastic.  Lysander is innocent and Hermia is seductive.  Lysander is seductive and Hermia is cold.  Lysander is genuinely smitten and Hermia says no but is tempted all the same.

End of Act II (“Stay, though thou kill me…”)  In your acting companies, do a close reading of the text  Define words you don’t know  Figure out what’s going on in the scene  Locate lines that indicate movement  Identify subtext through discovery of objectives and obstacles  REMEMBER: SUBTEXT IS NOT A PARAPHRASE.  Subtext is the thoughts that we imagine the characters to have as they say their lines.  Hint: Remember the “What time is it?” dialogues…  During the performance, those who are not acting will present the characters’ objectives and subtext