Paper 105A: The Role of Metadrama in Ben Jonson and Shakespeare: Exploring Illusion, Reality, and the Nature of Theater

This blog is a part of the assignment of Paper 105A: History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900

The Role of Metadrama in Ben Jonson and Shakespeare: Exploring Illusion, Reality, and the Nature of Theater

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Academic Details

Name: Rajdeep A. Bavaliya
Roll No.: 22
Enrollment No.: 5108240006
Sem.: 1
Batch: 2024 - 2026
E-mail: rajdeepbavaliya2@gmail.com

Assignment Details

Paper Name: History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900
Paper No.: 105A
Paper Code: 22396
Unit: 1 - Chaucer to Renaissance
Topic: The Role of Metadrama in Ben Jonson and Shakespeare: Exploring Illusion, Reality, and the Nature of Theater
Submitted To: Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Submitted Date: November 20, 2024

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Abstract:

This paper explores the role of metadrama in the works of Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare, focusing on their use of self-referential techniques to interrogate the boundaries between illusion, reality, and the nature of theater. Through an analysis of Shakespeare’s 'Hamlet' and 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream,' alongside Jonson’s 'Every Man in His Humour' and 'Bartholomew Fair,' the study examines how both playwrights employ devices such as plays within plays, direct audience addresses, and thematic self-awareness. While Shakespeare often uses metadrama to delve into the philosophical dimensions of truth and identity, Jonson critiques societal norms and the artifice of theatrical conventions. The comparative approach reveals their shared yet distinct strategies in engaging audiences and shaping modern theatrical practices. Ultimately, this study highlights how their metadramatic innovations continue to resonate as profound reflections on the complexities of performance, reality, and the human condition.

Keywords:

Assignment, Metadrama, Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, illusion, reality, self-referentiality, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Every Man in His Humour, Bartholomew Fair, truth, identity, theater, societal critique, plays within plays, performance studies.

1. Introduction

Metadrama, the self-reflective use of theater to comment on its nature, has been a cornerstone in the works of Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare. Both playwrights use techniques like plays within plays, direct audience address, and self-referential commentary to interrogate the nature of reality, illusion, and the artifice of theatrical performance. While Shakespeare’s metadrama often explores philosophical and existential questions, Jonson employs it to critique societal norms and theatrical conventions. This paper will examine the use of metadrama in 'Hamlet,' 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' 'Every Man in His Humour,' and 'Bartholomew Fair' to understand how both playwrights use theatrical self-awareness to engage with themes of truth, identity, and the audience's role in the theatrical experience.

2. Shakespeare’s Metadrama

The Chandos portrait, likely depicting Shakespeare, c. 1611

2.1. Play within a Play: The Interrogation of Truth in 'Hamlet'

Hamlet portrayed by Edwin Booth (c. 1870)

In 'Hamlet,' the metadramatic device of the "play within a play," "The Mousetrap," functions as a mirror to the larger themes of truth, deception, and performance. By staging this play, Hamlet manipulates the theatrical illusion to expose Claudius's guilt. The moment Hamlet declares,

“The play's the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king”

(Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 2.2.633–634)

—he underscores the play’s role as a metadramatic tool—a commentary on the power of theater to reveal concealed truths.

Michael Shapiro emphasizes that Shakespeare uses self-referential moments like these to heighten the audience's—

"dual consciousness,"

(SHAPIRO)

—allowing them to perceive both the illusion and reality of the theatrical event. This duality compels viewers to confront their complicity in constructing meaning from theatrical representations.

2.2. Blurring Reality and Illusion: 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream'

Titania sleeping in the moonlight protected by her fairies, 19th century painting by John Simmons

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' Shakespeare employs metadrama to blur the boundaries between reality and illusion, particularly through the mechanicals' production of "Pyramus and Thisbe." The play parodies theatrical conventions, with characters like Bottom representing the folly of taking theatrical artifice too seriously. When Bottom asserts,

“Let the audience look to their eyes; I will move storms”

(Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1.2.18)

—he humorously acknowledges the audience's suspension of disbelief.

As Richard Fly argues, Shakespeare’s self-referentiality in 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' reflects his preoccupation with the audience's participation in the theatrical illusion. Fly notes, the mechanicals’ play is not merely comic relief but a profound meditation on the creative process and the audience's role as co-creators of meaning (Fly). This layered commentary invites audiences to reflect on how theater mirrors and constructs the illusions of life.

3. Jonson’s Metadrama

Portrait by Abraham Blyenberch, c. 1617; oil on canvas painting at the National Portrait Gallery, London

3.1. Critique of Societal Norms: 'Every Man in His Humour'

Title page of 1616 printing of Every Man in His Humour

Jonson’s 'Every Man in His Humour' employs metadrama to critique the performative aspects of social roles, particularly within the rigid class structures of Renaissance England. Characters like Knowell exaggerate their roles to the point of absurdity, underscoring the artificiality of societal expectations. The Prologue’s assertion,

“Deeds, and language, such as men do use;
And persons, such as comedy would choose”

(Jonson, Every Man in His Humor)

—reveals Jonson’s metadramatic intent to present life as a theatrical construct.

Lesley Mickel highlights Jonson’s Brechtian tendency to demand an—

“engaged audience”

(Mickel)

—capable of interrogating the morality and artifice of the stage. This self-awareness critiques both theatrical representation and the societal norms it reflects.

3.2. The Artifice of Performance: 'Bartholomew Fair'

Title page of Bartholomew Fair: A Comedy.

In 'Bartholomew Fair,' Jonson uses the metadramatic structure of the fair itself as a metaphor for theater. The fair’s chaotic mix of characters and spectacles reflects the illusionary nature of performance and the manipulative power of theatrical representation. The Induction explicitly invites the audience to reflect on their role as spectators:

“A juggler with a well-educated ape, to come over the chain for a king of England, and back again for the prince.”

(Jonson, Bartholomew Fair: A Comedy)

As Mickel observes, Jonson’s emphasis on—

“questions, questions, and yet more questions”

(Mickel)

—parallels his engagement with the artifice of performance. By foregrounding theatricality, Jonson critiques both the medium of theater and the social structures it often reinforces.

4. Comparative Analysis

4.1. Divergent Approaches to Metadrama

While Shakespeare’s metadrama often engages with existential and philosophical themes, Jonson’s approach is more overtly critical of societal and theatrical conventions. Shakespeare uses metadrama to blur boundaries between reality and illusion, as seen in Hamlet’s existential dilemmas and Bottom’s comic misadventures. In contrast, Jonson’s metadrama exposes the artifice of both theater and social constructs, inviting intellectual critique rather than emotional engagement.

4.2. Audience’s Role and Reflection

Both playwrights use metadrama to challenge the audience’s role in the theatrical experience. Shakespeare appeals to the audience's emotional and philosophical engagement, while Jonson invites them to critically analyze the societal and theatrical systems they inhabit. This distinction reflects their broader thematic concerns: Shakespeare with identity and the human condition, and Jonson with the artifice of social and theatrical performance.

5. Shakespeare’s Metadrama: Layers of Illusion and Identity

5.1. Role-Playing and Identity in 'Hamlet'

Shakespeare’s 'Hamlet' not only uses metadrama through its embedded play but also explores role-playing as a central theme, highlighting the blurred boundaries between genuine identity and performed roles. Hamlet's declaration,

“I have that within which passeth show”

(Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 1.2.85)

—signals his awareness of the disparity between appearance and reality. Hamlet’s feigned madness is itself a performance, one that invites audiences to consider the roles they adopt in their own lives.

Michael Shapiro identifies Hamlet as a quintessential metadramatic figure, embodying both the playwright and the actor (SHAPIRO). The “antic disposition” Hamlet assumes is not merely a means to an end; it is a commentary on the performative nature of all social interactions. As Shapiro notes, Shakespeare’s plays often explore—

“the failure of role-playing to control the complexities of experience”

(SHAPIRO)

—a theme that resonates deeply in Hamlet’s tragic trajectory.

5.2. Self-Referentiality in 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream'

The play-within-a-play in 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream," performed by the mechanicals, exemplifies Shakespeare’s playful yet profound engagement with metadrama. The performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe" operates on multiple levels: as a parody of tragic drama, as an illustration of amateur theatrics, and as a reflection on the theatrical process itself. When Theseus comments,

“The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them”

(Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream 5.1.205–206)

—he encapsulates the metadramatic essence of the play—its emphasis on the collaborative creation of meaning between performer and audience.

Richard Fly notes that 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' transforms the liminal space of the theater into a site of imaginative transcendence (Fly). By juxtaposing the magical world of the fairies with the bumbling efforts of the mechanicals, Shakespeare underscores the continuum between high art and low art, reality and illusion. This duality allows audiences to reflect on their own suspension of disbelief and their participation in the theatrical illusion.

6. Jonson’s Metadrama: Satire and Theatricality

6.1. Social Critique through Performance in 'Every Man in His Humour'

Jonson’s 'Every Man in His Humour' foregrounds the performative nature of identity, using metadrama to satirize the societal obsession with appearances and affectations. The characters’ exaggerated traits function as caricatures of specific social “humours,” with each individual enacting a role dictated by their dominant temperament. The play’s self-awareness is evident in its prologue, which explicitly rejects sensationalism in favor of realism.

Lesley Mickel argues that Jonson’s commitment to realism is a deliberate metadramatic strategy, designed to expose the artifice of societal roles (Mickel). The play’s structure, which mirrors the audience’s own social environment, invites viewers to recognize the theatricality inherent in everyday life. By drawing attention to the constructed nature of both theater and society, Jonson challenges his audience to reconsider the authenticity of their own identities.

6.2. The Marketplace as Theater in 'Bartholomew Fair'

In 'Bartholomew Fair,' Jonson transforms the chaotic fair into a microcosm of the theatrical world, using its vibrant and disorderly environment to explore themes of performance, commerce, and morality. The characters, ranging from merchants to rogues, perform their roles with exaggerated theatricality, reflecting the artificiality of the social and economic structures they inhabit. The Induction explicitly positions the audience as participants in this theatrical spectacle.

Mickel highlights Jonson’s use of visual and verbal cues to critique the commodification of art and identity (Mickel). The fair, with its simultaneous appeal to high and low culture, becomes a metaphor for the theater itself—a space where truth and artifice coexist. By drawing attention to the performative aspects of both commerce and social interaction, Jonson uses metadrama to critique the values of his contemporary society.

7. Modern Relevance of Metadrama

7.1. Influence on Contemporary Theater

The metadramatic techniques pioneered by Shakespeare and Jonson have profoundly influenced modern theater, particularly in the works of Bertolt Brecht, Luigi Pirandello, and Samuel Beckett. Brecht’s concept of the "alienation effect," which seeks to disrupt the audience’s emotional immersion, echoes Jonson’s use of self-referentiality to provoke critical reflection. Similarly, Pirandello’s 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' draws on Shakespearean themes of identity and illusion, with characters who are acutely aware of their fictional status.

Richard Fly observes that Shakespeare’s and Jonson’s metadrama anticipates the modernist fascination with the instability of truth and the constructed nature of reality (Fly). Their works continue to resonate with contemporary audiences, who navigate increasingly blurred boundaries between the real and the virtual, the authentic and the performed.

7.2. Reinterpretations in Modern Productions

Modern productions of 'Hamlet' and 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' often emphasize their metadramatic elements, using innovative staging techniques to highlight the plays’ self-referentiality. For instance, productions of 'Hamlet' frequently foreground the “play within a play” as a commentary on political and social power dynamics, while 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' is often staged as a playful exploration of theatrical artifice.

Similarly, Jonson’s 'Bartholomew Fair' has been reimagined in contemporary contexts to critique consumer culture and social hierarchies. Directors often emphasize the fair’s parallels to modern marketplaces, drawing attention to the enduring relevance of Jonson’s satirical vision. Mickel notes that these reinterpretations demonstrate the timelessness of Jonson’s critique of the performative aspects of social and economic life (Mickel).

8. Metadrama as a Tool for Philosophical Inquiry and Satirical Commentary

8.1. The Ethical Dimensions of Shakespearean Metadrama

Shakespeare’s metadrama extends beyond theatrical self-awareness to address deeper ethical and existential questions. In 'Hamlet,' the play interrogates the moral implications of performance and deception. Hamlet’s manipulation of "The Mousetrap" to expose Claudius’s guilt raises questions about the ethics of using illusion to uncover truth. The tension between reality and representation is further complicated by Hamlet’s reflection,

“Seems, madam! Nay, it is. I know not 'seems'"

(Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark 1.2.76).

This distinction between "being" and "seeming" resonates with contemporary audiences grappling with questions of authenticity in an era of pervasive media performance.

Richard Fly highlights how Shakespeare’s exploration of illusion and reality serves as a philosophical meditation on the nature of truth itself: By embedding illusion within illusion, Shakespeare compels the audience to confront the fragility of their own perceptions (Fly). This metadramatic structure challenges audiences to consider the ethical responsibilities of creators and spectators alike in constructing and consuming representations of truth.

8.2. Jonson’s Satirical Use of Metadrama

In contrast, Jonson uses metadrama as a satirical tool to critique societal hypocrisy and theatrical conventions. 'Every Man in His Humour' mocks the pretensions of its characters, who embody exaggerated “humours” or personality traits. Jonson’s commentary on theatrical artifice is evident in the play’s explicit rejection of sensationalism in the prologue, as well as in its characters’ unwitting self-parody. By laying bare the performative nature of social roles, Jonson invites audiences to question the legitimacy of societal hierarchies and conventions.

Similarly, 'Bartholomew Fair' employs metadrama to expose the commodification of art and identity. The play’s chaotic structure mirrors the disordered yet meticulously staged environment of the fair, where every action is a performance. As Lesley Mickel observes, Jonson’s metadramatic techniques demand an active and critical audience, Jonson’s plays do not permit passive consumption; they insist on intellectual engagement with their critique of social and theatrical artifice (Mickel).

9. Audience Engagement and the Complicity of Spectators

9.1. Shakespeare’s Invitation to Emotional Engagement

Shakespeare often uses metadrama to bridge the emotional and intellectual divide between the audience and the play. In 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream,' the mechanicals’ performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe" humorously underscores the artificiality of theater while simultaneously invoking empathy for its hapless characters. This duality highlights the audience’s complicity in the creation of theatrical illusion. As Theseus remarks,

“The best in this kind are but shadows”

(Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream 5.1.205)

—acknowledging both the limitations and the transformative potential of theater.

Michael Shapiro notes that Shakespeare’s metadrama frequently engages audiences in a collaborative suspension of disbelief, wherein they actively participate in constructing the illusion of reality (SHAPIRO). This participatory dynamic deepens the emotional resonance of Shakespeare’s works, allowing audiences to experience the paradox of being both inside and outside the play.

9.2. Jonson’s Intellectual Provocation

In contrast, Jonson’s metadrama emphasizes intellectual rather than emotional engagement. His works often highlight the constructed nature of theater to provoke critical reflection on societal norms. In 'Bartholomew Fair,' the audience is directly addressed and implicated in the play’s critique of human folly. The Induction’s assertions explicitly positions the audience as part of the spectacle, blurring the line between performer and spectator.

Mickel highlights Jonson’s Brechtian approach, which anticipates modern techniques designed to disrupt the audience’s immersion and encourage critical analysis: Jonson’s metadrama does not seek to entertain passively but to stimulate active questioning of societal and theatrical structures (Mickel). This intellectual engagement aligns with Jonson’s broader project of using theater as a medium for social commentary and reform.

10. Broader Implications of Metadrama

10.1. Theater as a Reflection of Life

Both Shakespeare and Jonson use metadrama to explore the parallels between theater and life. Shakespeare’s plays often depict life itself as a form of performance, a theme famously encapsulated in Jacques’s monologue from 'As You Like It'—

“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players”

(Shakespeare, As You Like It 2.7.139–140)

This theatrical metaphor resonates throughout Shakespeare’s oeuvre, inviting audiences to reflect on the roles they perform in their own lives.

Jonson similarly uses metadrama to highlight the performative nature of social roles, particularly in 'Every Man in His Humour.' By exposing the artifice behind societal behaviors, Jonson critiques the rigid structures of class and gender that dictate identity. As Mickel notes, Jonson’s metadrama dismantles the illusion of authenticity in both theater and life, revealing the constructed nature of all human interactions (Mickel).

10.2. Legacy and Modern Relevance

The metadramatic innovations of Shakespeare and Jonson have had a lasting impact on theater and literature, influencing subsequent playwrights from Brecht to Beckett. Modern productions frequently emphasize the self-referential elements of their works, using metadrama to address contemporary issues such as identity, power, and authenticity. As Richard Fly observes the self-awareness of Shakespeare and Jonson’s plays continues to resonate in an age increasingly defined by performative culture and mediated realities (Fly).

11. Conclusion

The metadramatic techniques of Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare exemplify the transformative power of theater as a medium for reflection, critique, and the exploration of human complexity. Both playwrights, through their innovative use of self-referential devices, challenge audiences to interrogate the nature of reality, identity, and the boundaries between performance and truth. Shakespeare often delves into the philosophical and existential implications of illusion and reality, while Jonson employs metadrama to critique societal norms and theatrical conventions with intellectual rigor and satire. Together, their works have shaped the trajectory of modern theater, inviting audiences across centuries to reflect on their own roles in the dynamic interplay of illusion and reality. Their enduring legacies remind us of the unique power of theater to both mirror and construct the intricacies of human existence, offering profound meditations on the intersection of art and life.

References

1. Fly, Richard. “The Evolution of Shakespearean Metadrama: Abel, Burckhardt, and Calderwood.” Comparative Drama, vol. 20, no. 2, 1986, pp. 124–39. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41153228.

2. Jonson, Ben. Bartholomew Fair: A Comedy. Project Gutenberg, 2015, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/49461/pg49461-images.html.

3. ---. Every Man in His Humor. Project Gutenberg, 2013, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5333/pg5333-images.html.

4. Mickel, Lesley. “Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England.” Rosemont Publishing & Printing Corp DBA Associated University Presses, vol. 14, 2001, pp. 299–306. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24323004.

5. Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Project Gutenberg, 2023, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1514/pg1514-images.html.

6. ---. As You Like It. Project Gutenberg, 2023, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1523/pg1523-images.html.

7. ---. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Project Gutenberg, 2021, www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/27761/pg27761-images.html.

8. SHAPIRO, MICHAEL. “Role-Playing, Reflexivity, and Metadrama in Recent Shakespearean Criticism.” Renaissance Drama, vol. 12, 1981, pp. 145–61. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41917195.