When examining Shakespeare's plays, scholars have traditionally focused on textual analysis of language and themes. Recent scholarship, however, has emphasized studying the plays as performance texts, considering how stage conditions, audience composition, and acting conventions of the Elizabethan era shaped both meaning and reception. This approach has revealed elements invisible to purely text-based analysis.
Based on the passage, it can be inferred that
traditional scholars completely ignored historical context
analytical methods can influence what aspects of an artwork are discovered or emphasized
Shakespeare intended his plays only to be read, not performed
performance-based scholarship has replaced all other approaches
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. Different approaches reveal different elements of the same works.
- Context clues: Performance approach "revealed elements invisible to purely text-based analysis."
- Meaning: The method of study affects what is discovered.
- Verify: Same plays, different methods, different insights.
💡 Strategy: When new approaches reveal new insights, infer that methodology shapes discovery.
Choice A is incorrect because traditional focus on "text" doesn't mean ignoring all context. Choice C is incorrect because studying plays "as performance texts" implies they were meant for performance. Choice D is incorrect because new scholarship "has emphasized" this approach as additional, not replacement.