"'Circle Worcke': Atmospheres on the Early Modern Stage" 
https://www.worldshakesbib.org/entry/bbbo439/
Author:
	Tribble, Evelyn.
Type:
	Journal Article
Year:
	2023
Publication Information:
	Shakespeare Quarterly 74, no. 1 (2023): 24–36.
DOI:
	10.1093/sq/quad005
Annotation:
	Considers on-stage circles in Shakespeare's plays in terms of passions and atmosphere in the sense of both environmental and psychological. Suggests that on-stage circles are often associated with magic, notably in 2 Henry IV, Tempest, Macbeth, Merry Wives of Windsor, and Midsummer Night's Dream, linked to conjuring, witches, or fairies. Presents circles in As You Like It as an example of "the power of music and dance [that] can act upon characters unwittingly." Suggests that circled bodies on stage, even without magical implications "concentrat[e] and communicat[e] affect," as in Titus Andronicus or Julius Caesar. 
Language:
	English
Tags:
	2 Henry IV, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Scholarship, Criticism, History of Criticism, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Tempest, Theatrical Techniques, Titus Andronicus
WSB Update:
	Fall 2025
WSB Record Number:
	bbbo439