A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy written by
William Shakespeare around 1595. The play is about four sets of lovers: one fairy couple, the Duke of Athens and his bride, and four young Athenians. Part of the great fun of
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is that all of these characters are made into fools by love and fairy magic.
When Shakespeare wrote this play,
Elizabeth I was still the Queen of England and Shakespeare was simultaneously working on
Romeo and Juliet. The performance of the play
Pyramus and Thisby within
A Midsummer Night’s Dream could be seen as a lighthearted mock-up for
Romeo and Juliet, which is a more serious treatment of a similar storyline. During Shakespeare’s time it was assumed that the audience was acquainted with the story of
Pyramus and Thisby as told by Ovid. Shakespeare, however, uses the classical tale of tragedy towards humorous ends in his comedy.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is light in many ways: the language is gorgeous and lush, and problems are sometimes treated frivolously.
The play’s airy nature might be explained by the occasion for the play. Though the exact venue for which this play was written is unknown, it’s generally thought to be a piece meant for performance at a nobleman’s wedding. Just as the character Theseus dismisses plays about history and tragedy for his wedding night, Shakespeare seems to have deliberately written
A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a lighter piece fit to be performed at a celebration. In general, this period at the end of the 1500s is thought to be when Shakespeare was at his best with the comedies, having perfected their form.
Folders in your Toolbar below to quickly find your saved stuff.
