Interview on – That Shakespeare Life: Midsummer and St. John the Baptist Day
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Midsummer-St John the Baptist Day
INTERVIEW ON THAT SHAKESPEARE LIFE: MIDSUMMER AND ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST DAY
Cassidy Cash interviewed me for her popular podcast, That Shakespeare Life, to discuss the history and traditions of Midsummer and St. John the Baptist Day, and what it would have been like to celebrate these two simultaneous holidays in Elizabethan England.
We covered the following topics:
- The timing of Midsummer in Shakespeare’s lifetime, its connection to the Summer Solstice, and how it aligns with St. John the Baptist’s Day on June 24.
- Traditional Midsummer celebrations, including food, drink, bonfires, decorations (flowers, greenery, lamps), and welcoming neighbors and strangers into festivities.
- The festive and chaotic nature of the holiday, with dancing, role-playing (Robin Hood figures), games, cross-dressing, and a general loosening of social norms.
- The association of Midsummer with magic, dreams, fairies, and supernatural beliefs, reflected in both cultural traditions and Shakespeare’s plays.
- The blending of pagan solstice traditions with the Christian celebration of St. John the Baptist’s birth, and how these traditions coexist.
- How Midsummer was celebrated in both cities and the countryside, along with its reflection in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, including romance, confusion, and magical elements drawn from real customs.
Listening to That Shakespeare Life Interview
Click the link below to listen on Spotify. Note: it begins with an advertisement.
Download a transcript for the episode here.
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
billpetro.com
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