Hans Sachs (1494–1576)

These plays, more than any other Renaissance plays I've read, display a stunning amount of misogyny. We can say that this it the voice of the times; that does not mean we have to like it, or judge it against a reduced standard. To be totally fair, most of the men were portrayed as total simpletons; the women were smarter, but for the most part, more unscrupulous and portrayed as totally making their husbands lives miserable. While the actual ending of the play sometimes leaves you with the thought that he might mean something else, the overall sense is that women are responsible for the misery of men. These plays are an interesting slice of history, but not something we would consider producing today, if only because they violate most of the principles of the well made play, are jam packed with exposition, and have none of the type of action or conflict we currently expect to see. More interesting as an exploration of theatrical history than as works of literature.… (mehr)