• Freshly edited text based on the best earlyprinted version of the play
• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play
• Scene-by-scene plot summaries
• A key to famous lines and phrases
• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language
• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play
• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books
Essay by Catherine Belsey
The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs.
The Bard's Best For some bizarre reason, schools push the most painfully boring works by any author. In Shakespeare's case, you get handed a copy of "The Tempest", when you could get this. The underlying theory appears to be that if a book is interesting, lively, and enjoyable, it can't be good (upon this reflection, I think Arts departments get up to the same thing, lord knows it's the NEA's theory).
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is interesting, lively, and enjoyable. On the eve of the wedding of King Thesseus and Queen Hippolyta, the young and dreadfully confused lovers Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius get caught in the middle of an old married couple's spat. The old married couple is Oberon and Titania, who have what could mildly be described as a strained marriage. Oh yes, Oberon and Titania are the king and queen of Faerie.
This is Shakespearean comedy at its best. Wordplay and physical comedy abound, and timeless aspects of human nature are shown at their most sublime and ridiculous. I loved it.
E.M. Van Court
What we needed My daughter needed this for a school assignment. It worked out well for her, good price.
"The course of true love never did run smooth." I recently re-read A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Shakespeare (1564-1616) produced this romantic comedy between 1595 or 1596 and published it in the First Folio in 1623. It follows the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of amateur actors under the influence of fairies who inhabit a moonlit forest. The play is Shakespeare's most popular and is widely performed across the world.
It play tells three stories connected by the wedding celebration of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazonian queen Hippolyta. In the opening scene, Hermia rejects her father Egeus's request that she marry Demetrius. Rather than facing death or lifelong chastity as a nun, Hermia and her lover Lysander decide to elope. Hermia tells her best friend Helena of her plan. Helena, who has been recently rejected by Demetrius, tells him of Hermia's plan to elope. Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius all escape into the forest where they become romantically entangled under the influence of fairies.
Oberon (King of the Fairies), and his queen, Titania, arrive in the same forest. Oberon enlists the mischievous Puck (aka "Hobgoblin" and "Robin Goodfellow") to apply the magical juice from a flower to Titania's eyes while she is sleeping. The juice makes the victim fall in love with the first living thing he or she sees upon awakening. Oberon also instructs Puck to spread some juice on Demetrius's eyes. Instead, Puck puts the juice on Lysander's eyes, causing him to fall in love with Helena. To correct the error, Oberon then orders Puck to apply the juice to Demetrius's eyes, causing him to also fall in love with Helena, much to her confusion (now having two suitors).
Meanwhile, in a subplot, a band of "rude mechanicals" have been preparing a play in the forest about Pyramus and Thisbe for Theseus' wedding. Puck transforms the head of one actor, Nick Bottom, into that of an ass. When Titania is awakened by Bottom's singing, she immediately falls in love with him. Puck eventually restores Bottom's head, and lifts the spell from Lysander, but leaves Demetrius in love with Helena. The lovers conclude the night's events must have been a dream. Puck ends the play with a soliloquy.
G. Merritt
The dream of romance is lighthearted laughter The spirit of one of Shakespeare's richest plays is lighthearted laughter. The great impressario of the proceedings is Puck who in giving the 'love potion' to the wrong person, sets up the chaos of both Demetrius and Lysander loving Helena. There are numerous networks of parallel and contrast through the work , between the worlds of the royal humans, the fairies, and the craftsmen. The motif of dreaming and imagination play a strong part in the play. And the resolution in all the couples finding themselves in love and harmony at last is a supreme happy ending. This is one of Shakespeare's most delightful and amusing works, one of the richest comically in all the world of theater.
Ill met by moonlight, proud reader? I must say that until I saw a simple, highschool play of this particular work, I was deathly afraid of SHakespeare, thinking it boring and only something for people over fifty to discuss and teach. WEll, i was wrong. This particular story brings in classical characters from Greek Mythology, such as Theseus and Hyppolita (sorry if I butcher her name...lol) as well as the regal Titania and Oberon, and of course, the humorous and jovial puck and bottom. Books like this are presented in the media to be boring but they truly are intersting and worthwhile reads. Without titles such as this, I highly doubt many writers of fantasy and romance would be the same today. Very highly recommend as a start to Shakespeares works, though seeing it is even better!
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