Mr. Punch's Dramatic Sequels

Hankin, St. John, 1869-1909Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 151K words
Chapters: 16

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Mr. Punch's Dramatic Sequels by St. John HankinAuthor: Hankin, St. John, 1869-1909,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Dec 27, 2014

Editor's review

Mr. Punch's Dramatic Sequels is a collection of dramatic sequels by St. John Hankin, written in the satirical humorous tradition of Punch magazine and belonging to the light, witty strain of English literature. Its appeal lies in continuing and overturning existing dramatic plots: the author imagines that certain famous plays have a story after the final curtain and writes short dramatic sequels, using them to tease character traits, theatrical conventions, and audience expectations. The value of such work lies not in grand themes but in displaying the humor, theatrical cultivation, and verbal play of Edwardian English literary circles; it is especially enjoyable for readers familiar with the English dramatic tradition. Some background knowledge is needed: without a rough idea of the plots of the plays being continued, the jokes and irony easily fall flat. The book is in English, its language bears the marks of its period, and its satirical density is high; it suits casual dipping rather than reading straight through. For theater scholars and lovers of English humorous literature, it is interesting material for understanding the theatrical reception and parody traditions of the time.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers familiar with the English dramatic tradition who enjoy parodies
English-language readers interested in English humorous literature and satirical sketches
Enthusiasts studying Edwardian theatrical reception and parody
Readers hoping to encounter English drama in an easy short-form way

Not a good fit for

First-time readers unfamiliar with the plays being continued and lacking background knowledge
Readers expecting full-length plots or serious dramatic theory
Ordinary readers who struggle with English and need a Chinese parallel text

Reading tips

First learn the rough plot of each original play being continued; the sequels' jokes are easier to appreciate afterward.
Read the book as a short-story collection in several sittings, one or two pieces at a time, keeping a relaxed frame of mind.
At satirical points, compare with the characters in the original play to appreciate the author's ingenuity in overturning them.
Read it alongside a history of English drama or background material on Punch magazine.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Do I need to know the original plays before reading this book?

It is advisable. The book consists of sequels and parodies of existing plays, and most of the jokes and irony build on the characters and plots of the originals. Without any idea of what the continued plays are about, it is easy to miss the fun; look up a synopsis of each original play first, then read the sequel.

Is this a serious work of theater scholarship?

No. It belongs to the light, witty genre of parody sketches, continuing famous plays in short dramatic form and teasing conventions and characters; its focus is humor and verbal play, not systematic dramatic theory. It suits casual reading and can also serve as supplementary material for studying the theatrical reception and parody traditions of the time.

How difficult is the original English edition to read?

The book is in English, and its language has Edwardian vocabulary and sentence patterns and a high density of satire, so it poses some difficulty for readers unfamiliar with the English humorous tradition. With intermediate or better English reading ability and some acquaintance with English drama, the reading experience becomes much smoother.

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About the author

Hankin, St. John, 1869-1909 Author

St. John Hankin (1869–1909) was an English playwright and drama critic of the Edwardian era. Public information about him is limited, and few details of his life are widely known. Two of his works are held in this collection, showing two directions in his dramatic writing. The Last of the De Mullins: A Play Without a Preface is a social satire, witty in tone, centering on family decline and disputes over inheritance, and reflecting his observation of the hypocrisy and snobbery of the English upper middle class. Mr. Punch's Dramatic Sequels draws on the popular puppet character, parodying and continuing existing plays, and revealing his light, playful wit. His plays are notable for crisp dialogue and situational irony, and hold a place in the tradition of early twentieth-century English comedy.