A Midsummer Night's Dream (The New Folger Library Shakespeare)

This is my favorite Shakespeare comedy, and I've read most of them! I taught this to my tenth grade students.

I haven't read this book like forever. The only thing I remember is there were faries...that's about it...(you would say you call this your favorite) well I remember being my favorite... :)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different time or place? Just pick up a copy of this comedy by William Shakespeare. It is a book that mixes four plots interchangeably, thus blurring the line between what is real and what is not. It is a book about Fairies, Royalty, and Struggling Actors. A timeless classic, that, once begun, is almost impossible to put down. Those who...more

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different time or place? Just pick up a copy of this comedy by William Shakespeare. It is a book that mixes four plots interchangeably, thus blurring the line between what is real and what is not. It is a book about Fairies, Royalty, and Struggling Actors. A timeless classic, that, once begun, is almost impossible to put down. Those who read through it's magical pages will never forget the content therein.   hide

I found it the easiest shakespeare to read.

A Midsummer Night's Dream falls under the category of Comedy, although it does have some elements of the magical Romance genre. His work has been produced since the Renaissance in all artistic mediums from the original theater to opera, symphony, film, and ballet. It has also been consistently revisited countless times by the same artistic medium because it is said to be timeless. Shakespeare's...more

A Midsummer Night's Dream falls under the category of Comedy, although it does have some elements of the magical Romance genre. His work has been produced since the Renaissance in all artistic mediums from the original theater to opera, symphony, film, and ballet. It has also been consistently revisited countless times by the same artistic medium because it is said to be timeless. Shakespeare's topics are about love, murder, jealousy, miscommunication, chastity, history, and even magic. A Midsummer Night's Dream encompasses the classic elements of Shakespeare's comedies. It has a framing structure, with the Athenian world opening and closing the play, has a large plot using magic and fantasy, has a happy ending, and uses a major character as comic relief, so to speak. Most of Shakespeare's plays use this character of the clown, jester, or commoner to spark slapstick laughter. Bottom and his players qualify to this "character" in Midsummer. Also, these lower-class characters speak in prose, not in poetry (Iambic Pentameter), like the rest of Shakespeare's characters.   hide

(watched the BBC version). I enjoyed this one, but I have one lingering question -- why was Oberon so interested in getting the changeling from Titiana. Was it just to get the action moving?? I have decided to dress as Wall for my next Who-are-you-Halloween, so don't spoil the secret. An important book that influences many of Pratchetts witch books; Lords and...more

(watched the BBC version). I enjoyed this one, but I have one lingering question -- why was Oberon so interested in getting the changeling from Titiana. Was it just to get the action moving?? I have decided to dress as Wall for my next Who-are-you-Halloween, so don't spoil the secret. An important book that influences many of Pratchetts witch books; Lords and Ladies, and the Wee Free Man. Why does Oberon want the changeling? Did I miss something. I want to dress like Wall for Halloween (BBC Complete Dramatic Works). Makes me understand Terry Pratchett's scenes in Lords and Ladies better.   hide

Very inspiring.

Romance plus dream-like fantasy was never a genre I was very interested in, so when I started reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream" I was kind of iffy if I would actually like the play. Even though I am a HUGE Shakespeare’s fan I was very doubtful about the storyline because it seemed too romanticized and too silly. However, while reading it, I found myself actually enjoying...more

Romance plus dream-like fantasy was never a genre I was very interested in, so when I started reading "A Midsummer Night's Dream" I was kind of iffy if I would actually like the play. Even though I am a HUGE Shakespeare’s fan I was very doubtful about the storyline because it seemed too romanticized and too silly. However, while reading it, I found myself actually enjoying the story because it was very comical, especially the complicated love square between Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, and Helena that gets even more mucked up when the fairies (especially Puck) interferes. Also, the subplot between Bottom, a low class laborer, and Titania, the queen fairy, was also very amusing because she falls in love with him even though Puck turns him into a donkey. Overall, I really liked the play because I loved the visual imagery that Shakespeare uses while telling the story. However, to be honest, it was the witty lines and the comical relief brought on by Puck that won me over.   hide

not typical Shakespearean giant, but still is a literary masterpiece