Ballet in English Literature is a form of literature that originated in England during the 17th century. It is characterized by its poetic, lyrical structure and its reliance on music and dance as a form of expression. Ballet has been an influence on many literary works, from the plays of William Shakespeare to the novels of Jane Austen.
The earliest examples of Ballet in English Literature are found in Shakespeare’s plays. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he includes a scene involving a dance performed by four actors as they tell the story of two lovers. This dance is one of the earliest examples of ballet in English literature and has since been used as an inspiration for many other works.
Ballet also had an influence on some of the great Romantic poets such as William Wordsworth and John Keats. Wordsworth was particularly fond of using balletic imagery in his work, often depicting it as a metaphor for love, beauty, and emotion.
In his poem “Ode to a Nightingale” he wrote: “And what is love? It is a spirit still/A balm for every wound of woe”.
In addition to its influence on poetry, Ballet also had an impact on novels such as those written by Jane Austen. In her novel Pride and Prejudice she uses balletic descriptions to create vivid scenes between characters or to emphasize certain emotions. For example, when Elizabeth Bennett meets Mr Darcy she describes him as having “the serious air and stately mien of one who had been present at many a stately ballroom”.
Ballet has also been used to explore themes such as class struggle, gender roles and social change. George Orwell’s Animal Farm contains several references to ballet including when the animals perform dances during their revolutionary meetings. Similarly, Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway uses ballet imagery to explore themes such as gender roles and social status throughout the novel.
Overall, Ballet has been an important influence in English Literature since the 17th century and continues to be used today by authors looking for new ways to express themselves through words and music. Its poetic structure is often used to evoke emotion or set up powerful scenes that can be explored further within literature.
Conclusion: Ballet has long been a major influence in English Literature since its emergence during the 17th century with William Shakespeare being among its first practitioners. Its lyrical structure and reliance on music and dance make it unique among other forms of literature, allowing authors to use it to explore themes such as class struggle, gender roles, social change and more with greater depth than other forms would permit.