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Angela Carter uses Shakespeare's (high culture) A Midsummer Night's Dream as a Hollywood (generally popular culture/accessible) performance. In doing so, she creates a melange which celebrates the beauty of the Shakespearean masterpiece through the use of a popular, emerging medium.  "The Dream" also transcends the idea of performance as it could also allude to the idea of the American Dream, wherein Hollywood becomes this fake, idealised world of dreams. Performance becomes pivotal as Carter focuses on the characters and the casting process involved - ""Dora," she said, "why do they call it a "masterpiece of kitsch"?" (Carter 111)

Globalisation of Shakespearean canon; referenced in the earth that Dora and Nora bring to Hollywood. "For it is earth from William Shakespeare's own home, far away, yes!" (Carter 134)

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 high Shakespearian culture and makes it accessible to a wider audience through the form

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Angela Carter’s Wise Children is written in the form of a novel and can be placed in the category of low-culture due to its wider accessibility in comparison to that of high culture. Interestingly, the text opens by listing the various names of the characters in the text, in order of their appearance. This is common practice within the theatrical sphere, specifically regarding that of plays however an unusual element for a novel to incorporate. It is almost as if the novel attempts to masquerade itself as being high culture through its initial reference to theatre.

“2b or not 2b” (90) is a reference to Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The reference is specifically to the line “To be, or not to be – that is the question” which is the opening to one of Hamlet’s soliloquys and represents the character’s dilemma between life and death. The line is famous enough to be recognised widely however its language is distorted in its use within Wise Children. Through the distortion, high culture is transformed and translated into low culture. Carter dilutes high Shakespearian culture and makes it accessible to a wider audience through the form of a novel.

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P.20: "While Old Ranulph was punishing seventy and staked his final gamble on it, on one last triumphant prayer meeting. He'd show 'em all! He'd flare up one last incandecent time on Broadway in a sort of Shakesperian funeral pyre."

P.90: "There was a mural copied from the British Museum for the Cleopatra number, a bit of a John Martin behind Macbeth".

P.111: "Nora was squinting away at a leaflet she'd picked up on her way out of the cinema. A Midsummer Night's Dream, dir. Melchior Hazard, Hollywood, USA. 'Dora,' she said, 'why do they call it a "masterpiece of kitsch"?"

In this book, Shakespeare is represented as "high culture".

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P.37: "She looked ahead and she saw television! … Who would have thought that little box of shadows would put us all out of business, singers, dancers, acrobats, Shakespearians, the lot?" Dora shows the acting business as being high art at the time, however, due to the success and ease of access of televisions, their cultural importance began to wane. This is representative of real life as theatres, dancers etc became low art for a time.

P.38: High "Ever since his doomed production of A Midsummer Night's Dream..."
Low "Little Tris … he danced naked on the stage in Hair … sex, drugs and rock-and-roll."
The contrast between Melchior and his son Tristram is remarkable. Melchior is a successful Shakespearian actor whereas Tristram also acts but is not as successful, appearing in plays that are deemed unworthy by his father. Dora and Nora who admire their father share his point of view towards Tristram's low art, however, this is due to being indoctrinated into believing Shakespeare is the ultimate high-class entertainment.

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Intertextuality in Wise Children By Rob Aldred. 1) Angela Carter associates Melchior Hazard’s children with popular culture (a television game show titled ‘Lashings of Lolly’) instead of following their father's footsteps as the most eminent Shakespearean actor in Britain. Carter shows how the Hazard family have fallen as a result of this popular entertainment - ‘How the mighty have fallen’.   2) There is also a parallel between the Shakespearean play Hamlet and Tiffany’s shaming on ‘Lashings of Lolly’. She appears crazed and delusional, similar to Ophelia. Ophelia carries flowers and sings, as does Tiffany. Ophelia drowns which, by aligning her consistently with the character, is why it is also suggested  Tiffany dies.  3) The triple marriage in the third chapter is undeniably an allusion to the triple marriage at the end of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

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Intertextuality in Wise Children By Rob Aldred. 1) Angela Carter associates Melchior Hazard’s children with popular culture (a television game show titled ‘Lashings of Lolly’) instead of following their father's footsteps as the most eminent Shakespearean actor in Britain. Carter shows how the Hazard family have fallen as a result of this popular entertainment - ‘How the mighty have fallen’.   2) There is also a parallel between the Shakespearean play Hamlet and Tiffany’s shaming on ‘Lashings of Lolly’. She appears crazed and delusional, similar to Ophelia. Ophelia carries flowers and sings, as does Tiffany. Ophelia drowns which, by aligning her consistently with the character, is why it is also suggested  Tiffany dies.  3) The triple marriage in the third chapter is undeniably an allusion to the triple marriage at the end of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

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https://media0.giphy.com/media/ToMjGpuCdMbNmol1HBm/200w.webp?cid=3640f6095c3f284a6535654a36597cb8

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"Don't you know it's Shakespeare's birthday? Cry God for England, Harry and St George. Go off and drink a health to bastards." (197).
Melchior and Peregrine have their birthday on St George Street, the patron saint of England- national significance. Their birthday is also shared with the Queen, yet they are given more attention. Also Nora and Dora, as well as Tristan!

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The Father Figure as Shakespeare:
Melchior is elevated to the highest possible theatrical status he is 'our greatest living Shakesperian' pg. 89. Carter deconstructs this showing a postmodern contrast between the elevation of his status, and the fear that he isn't 'half the man his mother had been'. This scene is rich with references to Shakesperian influence throughout the whole text, referring to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in particular- or 'What you Will' reflecting the ambiguous nature of Carter's novel,  giving the reader agency to interpret the novel in a plethora of ways. This also brings in to question the reliability of Dora as a narrator.

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"Yes, she confessed; she had slipped something into the cake she'd baked with her own hands for her father's birthday" (p.212)

"' Don't worry, darlin', 'e's not your father!' What if Horatio had whispered that to Hamlet in Act I , Scene i?And think what difference it might have made to Cordelia." (p.213)

"Is she is or is she ain't"

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The Charmer Louis Farrakhan Is She Is or Is She Ain't Christine Jorgenson

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👯‍♂️👯‍♀️
Angela Carter uses Shakespeare's (high culture) A Midsummer Night's Dream as a Hollywood (generally popular culture/accessible) performance. In doing so, she creates a melange which celebrates the beauty of the Shakespearean masterpiece through the use of a popular, emerging medium.  "The Dream" also transcends the idea of performance as it could also allude to the idea of the American Dream, wherein Hollywood becomes this fake, idealised world of dreams. Performance becomes pivotal as Carter focuses on the characters and the casting process involved - ""Dora," she said, "why do they call it a "masterpiece of kitsch"?" (Carter 111)

Globalisation of Shakespearean canon; referenced in the earth that Dora and Nora bring to Hollywood. "For it is earth from William Shakespeare's own home, far away, yes!" (Carter 134)

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A Midsummer Night's Dream 1935 Directed By Max Reinhardt and William Dieterie Music: Felix Mendelssohn's music was used , but re-orchestrated by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. No copyright intended

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Reference to Othello

Estella "was still a girl remember ... While old Ranulph was pushing seventy" (20)
"Old Ranulph couldn't tell the difference between Shakespeare and living." (21)
The Willow Song at the end of Othello: "Sing willow, willow, willow"
"All the same, her husband killed them both."

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Tracey“The two cities” on page 1 reference the Charles Dickens novel A Tale of Two Cities. The duality/twin theme is carried on throughout the novel Dora/Nora, Saskia/Imogen, Melchoir/Perry, we have the ‘north and south divide’ the low culture vs high culture in the literary intertextual references as well as the social class distinctions. We have Shakespearean references ingrained in the character of Melchoir, obsessed with his paper crown, “What shall I do without my crown” a reference to Othello (pg. 105) Melchoir transforms into numerous Shakespearean figures, into Richard III “Give me the crown you bastard” (pg 107) and in King Lear, Edmund, “Now God stand up for bastards” (pg 107)

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Tracey“The two cities” on page 1 reference the Charles Dickens novel A Tale of Two Cities. The duality/twin theme is carried on throughout the novel Dora/Nora, Saskia/Imogen, Melchoir/Perry, we have the ‘north and south divide’ the low culture vs high culture in the literary intertextual references as well as the social class distinctions. We have Shakespearean references ingrained in the character of Melchoir, obsessed with his paper crown, “What shall I do without my crown” a reference to Othello (pg. 105) Melchoir transforms into numerous Shakespearean figures, into Richard III “Give me the crown you bastard” (pg 107) and in King Lear, Edmund, “Now God stand up for bastards” (pg 107)

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The high status of the Hazards which contrasts with the low status of the Chance's is ironic. Melchoir who is the creator of the family originally achieved his high social status though marriage to Lady A. Despite his attempts to reject his past he cannot leave his low society roots behind. This is evident when Perry comes to visit Grandma chance to prevent her from showing up to his wedding "with the girls in tow"  (p32) This is similar to Macbeth as despite his efforts to forget the murders he commits they haunt him relentlessly.

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Dora talks about her Grandmother, Estella who portrayed Juliet, Portia, Beatrice and Lady Macbeth. This shows how Dora and Nora come from high status through their grandparent's work on the stage in high culture theatre such as Shakespeare plays, but ultimately are working class due to their birth out of wedlock. Thus, their presence mixes high and low culture and the family's struggle to keep within high class.

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Lashings of Lolly TV show presented by Tristram displays low culture. "Tiffany is the hostess... she smiles a lot and shows her tits" (p9) This contrasts with the supposed high culture of the Hazard family and their links to the theatrical world.

"Lo how the mighty have fallen. An S-M game show? How low can you get? (p16)

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Page 1: 49 Bard Road, Brixton, London, Spouth West Two
It is talking about Shakespeare because "Bard" is referring to him as a poet or speaker.  It is blending the popular and the comical, it is reconecting Shakespeare to the folk. Also Shakespeare is seen as high culture compare to Wise Childrenn which is low culture.

Pag 42-43: "I never knew our..."
"her hands were full..."
The is a parallel between the Shakespeare play Hamlet and Tiffanys shaming on the game show"Lashings of Lolly". Ophelia carries flowers and sings just like Tiffany does. It is drawing on a high culture such as Shakespeare Hamlet through a low culture medium. It is not making fun of Shakespeare as an art from but merely the society of the time of his popularity.

Page 158: "There I was, one of the crowd..." There are blurred borders between fact and fiction and also real life and stage. This instance she is watching "Mid summers night dream" and the play persona is bleeding into real life. This is evident with her referring to members of the crowd as "fairies, goblings, spirits..."