A study of the use of sound effects in Elizabethan drama

163 Pages·014.175 MB·English

by  Brock, James Wilson

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RQRTHNE3TEBM UNIVERSITY
a m v m of the use or sound effects,
IN ELIZABETHAN DRAMA
a dissertation
SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
IN PARTIAL FULFILLHERT OF TBS REQUIREMENTS
for the degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SCHOOL OF SPEECH ■
BY
JAMES WILSON BROCK
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS
AUGUST, 1950
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TABLE Of C0KTECT3
Introduction 1
Fart I The Dramatic Purpose of Found Effects 6
Section 1. The Effects 7
Signal® 7
Battle 14
Hunting 15
Hatural.Phenomena 16
Birds and Animals 18
Clods Striking 19
Human Bound® 30
Knocking 31
Miscellaneous Hoisee 31
Section Zm The Instruments 25
Percussion 23
Brass Instruments 39
Woodbind 33
String Instruments 38
Ordnance 39
swords and Armor 41
Domestic Equipment 41
Part II. The Dramatic Function of 'founds As Specified
by the Stage Direction® 45
Off-Stage Emphasis 44
Symbolism 47
Motivation 50
Atmosphere 51
Theatrical Intensification 54
Part XII. Conjectural Bound Effects 58
Descriptive Reference© 39
Actuating Reference© 64
Part XV. The Production of Sound Effect© 70
Physical Equipment 70
Method of Cuing 80
Part V. The Employment of Sound Effects 92
flection 1. General Employment 92
Type of Play 93
Kj" CJ C.J ^ p 1
Chronological Development of
Dramatic Technique 98
Section 2* Specific J^soioyment 106
Heal i sea 106
Suggestion 110
Stage Conventionalism 113
Section 3# Comparison 117
Oeorge Peele 117
John Karst©a 118
Thomas Haywood 120
William Shakespeare 122
John Fletcher 185
Summary 128
Bibliography 132
Section 1* Plays 132
Collected and Complete Works 132
Single Editions 143
Section 2. Contemporary Fon-Dramatic
Works 148
Section 3. Later Hon~Dramatio Works 149
Scot Ion 4. Modern Ron-Dramatic Works 150
Section 6. Dictionaries and Play Lists 154
Section 6* Special Technical References 155
Vita 156
IIITROmJCTlOH
tore recent theories of Elizabethan drama and stagecraft
have led to the general assumption that the auditory element
played a ©ore significant role than the visual element In the
production of the plays. Beyond this point very little pro­
gress has been made in determining the specific function of
sound effect® as part of the total auditory Impact of the
play.3* It Is of practical value for the reader and the pro­
ducer of an Elizabethan play to know why sound effects were
used and fesw they were use&._j
The purpose of this study Is to analyze sound effects,
musical and nomsusloal, In term© of their dramatic purpose,
function, and use. The term #®oun& effects* In Elizabethan
drama ha© long been misunderstood, largely because of a
failure to dlstlngttlsh between sound effects and stage music.
In order to clarify the problem this study concerns itself
with the various sound© called for as m integral part of the
play, not with stage music— orchestral Interludes, songs,
and dance®.
To discover why and tow the Elizabethans used sound
effects, the evidence contained in stage direction® has been
carefully re-examined, tee question of accepting these di­
rection® a® literal statements of actual stage practice is
brief description of the principal literature deal­
ing with aspects of the problem will follow.
2
bound up with the linos and stag© business. Therefore,
attention 1© sailed to the relationship of the particular
sound to the dramatic situation it is associated with; this
calls for stricter methods of procedure m d a closer check
m the type of play* The procedure has been to analyze ap­
proximately two-thirds of the extant plays produced between
1S?6 and 1642* Such a broad field makes considerable demands
on the reader1© patience, but the detailed study of a few
playwrights or a selected group of plays often leads to con­
clusions which arc too limited to be of much value to a per­
son seeking to understand the total significance of any on©
aspect of ELlzabcthan drama.
The results of such m comprehensive analysis have re­
vealed new information on the subject, since many unfamiliar
plays were used. IVen those play© which have been thorough­
ly worked over in the past were found to be mine© of infor­
mation when examined in the light of explicit direction® for
sound. A® any subject dealing with a particular phase of
Elizabethan drama cuts across many fields of investigation,
it has boon necessary to mention the relevant opinion® re­
lating to the problem of sound effects. Consequently, the
bulk of these opinions appears in the footnotes. In order
to relieve the reader to some extent the editions of the
plays cited in the text or footnotes are olearly indicated in
the bibliography rather than in the main text. The pertinent
stag© directions and lines are transcribed exactly as they
appear in original, facsimile, or carefully edited editions.
The interest in Elizabethan sound effects is indicated
by a few previous studies in this field. Attention has been
called to Shakespeare* s use of music and sound effects in
comparison with his contemporaries by Dr. W. W. Wood whose
primary emphasis waa on stage music.^ A monograph, "ShakeS-
rt
peare* s Sound Effects,H by Dr. Lee Mitchell represents a
direct attack on the specific problem of sound effects in
' a manner similar to the one used In this study.
i
l| A German thesis has been written on the use of musical
! instruments in the plays of Beaumont and Fletcher.^ Mr.
!
j William J. Lawrence deals with the various problems of the
4
! illusion of sound, the use of the comet and trumpet in
1 n a
the Indoor and outdoor theatres, and the use of bells.
!
An article by Miss Janet Ogilvle, "Heard *Off* Stage Noises
in the Elizabethan Theatre,1,7 describes the variety of the
Illusions of sounds.
In addition to these specific theses and articles on
the use of music and sound effects, there are general refer­
ences to the importance of sound effects in connection with
Comparison Between Shakespeare and His Oontemporarleg
in Thejjp Use of Muslc and Sound 'Effects. Unpublished dis­
sertation {Northwestern'Un'iversltiyr Evanston, Illinois, 1944).
gjjpeech Monographs, XIV (1947), pp# 127-138*
aDie InstJ^mtal^Musik in Beaumont und Fletchers Dra-
men: Eln^ Beitra^ qur^ In El'lzaM-
Misch#n Prai^L (Lugano fltalvl« 1916).
^Fre-Restoration Stage Studies (Cambridge, 1927), pp.
199*.220 •
Shakespeare*s Workshop (Oxford, 1928), pp. 47 ff.
”Tho^ "Eilzabethans (London, 1935), pp. 84-
7Enellah Review. XLV (192?), pp. 67-77.
stage realism prior to 1578, * and the conventional use of
2
stage traps and methods of prompting. Of leas direct value
are the opinions stated by such eminent authors on Elizabe­
than drama as E. K, Chambere, ^Hhelia Creizen&oh, Harley
aranvSlle**Barkert 0* Wilson Khlght* and Karl Fantzius,3
f The dramatic function of sound effects in Elizabethan
drama has generally been over-looked until recently. The n m
approach from the standpoint of the practical theatrical con­
siderations of staging, audience response, and performance
conditions has opened the. way for a n m Investigation, Also
the problem of producing an Elizabethan play effectively on
the stage requires a better understanding of what the author
Intended his audience to hear as well as to see. Thus, the
producer is faced with the problem of determining what the
original sound effects were and how they can be used with or
without jaodlfloation in order to restore the original vital­
ity of the play, i
_ „ s
It is this consideration that motivates the analytical
approach used in this study. For it is not enough to know
* ^ 1.0hnplea w*llaoe* 3ga.jaa^^gA..g:...JM JMUah.arassjaa
■to...ahy.«>w (Berlin, 1918), ?>. Ii2-113 jaaaJa-
^sTohn C. Adams, The 0-lob© Playhouse (Cambridge £Maee.],
1942) , pp. 139-121, 2X4/'arid "SlS-SS,
Km Chambers. Th© Elizabethan St.aare (oxford, 1923),
HI, passim: W. q»»lMMBC*ftSHffig'B55.fr the Age of aha*en-
Philadelphia, 1916), pT 404; ST Cr&nviiie-Barker,
. ‘ ; a.
(Princeton, 1946), 2 volsu,
Wilson Inigbt, “
1936), PP. 67, wa j iu»t Aj rJffiRS!
At$. (London, 1904), III, payalpu