Aphorisms on the Play-within-the-Play

The play-within-the-play always serves two functions – to comment on the events of the central narrative and to comment upon the nature of dramatic signification (often the commentary on the central narrative is channeled through the commentary on dramatic signification).

Sometimes the questions we intuitively ask about the play-proper we forget to ask about the play-within-the-play, and vice versa, so when studying the play-within-the-play I have my students respond to the following series of questions, which could easily be extrapolated to any form of literature-within-literature.

First, answer some questions on the basic features of the play-proper. What is the title of the play-proper? Who is the author of the play-proper? Who is the audience of the play-proper? What is the central narrative of the play-proper? What is the genre of the play-proper?

After examining why the play-within-the-play is staged, and how it serves to advance the central narrative, next answer some questions on the basic features of the play-within-the-play. What is the title of the play-within-the-play? Who is the author of the play-within-the-play, and what is his/her/their relationship to the central narrative of the play-proper? Who is the audience of the play-within-the-play, and what is his/her/their relationship to the central narrative of the play-proper? What is the narrative of the play-within-the-play, and what is the relationship of this narrative to the central narrative of the play-proper? What is the genre of the play-within-the-play, and is this the same genre as the play-proper?

Now, ask some more difficult questions about the relationship between the two plays. What events of the play’s central narrative does the play-within-the-play comment upon? What themes does the author treat in this central narrative, and what seems to be the author’s commentary on these themes? What themes are shared between the play-proper and the play-within-the-play, and how does the treatment of a given theme differ in the two plays, if at all? Why would the author of the play-proper choose this narrative for the play-within-the-play? Does the play-within-the-play confirm your initial interpretation of the central narrative, or does it ask the audience to re-interpret that narrative?

Keeping in mind the question of whether the play-within-the-play is a successful or troubled production, ask some questions about its presentation of dramatic signification. What is the theory of dramatic composition held by the author of the play-within-the-play? What is the theory of dramatic reception held by the audience of the play-within-the-play? What happens to the play-proper if you view it from either of these perspectives suggested from the play-within-the-play? Is the play-within-the-play didactic, exemplifying a certain theory of dramatic signification, or ironic, satirizing a certain theory of dramatic signification?