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Shakespeare's comedies are dealt with chronologically, all occurrences of music, song and dance within each play being analysed, unless they are deemed trivial. The term 'music' is frequently used to include the three types of music actually performed during a play, these being instrumental music, vocal songs and the music accompanying dances. In addition to these occurrences of live music, the references to music, songs and dances within the text are examined. The main concern of the analysis is to discover the dramatic effect of such music in the play. Thus, each occurrence of music is related to its immediate context as well as the broader themes of the play. Some general patterns emerge in the use of music, and it is concluded that Shakespeare consciously used music to forward the dramatic action of his comedies, not merely to provide extraneous diversion.
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