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A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Shakespeare's intertwined love polygons begin to get complicated from the start--Demetrius and Lysander both want Hermia but she only has eyes for Lysander. Bad news is, Hermia's father wants Demetrius for a son-in-law. On the outside is Helena, whose unreturned love burns hot for Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander plan to flee from the city under cover of darkness but are
...more
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Paperback, Folger Shakespeare Library, 240 pages
Published
July 2016
by Simon & Schuster Paperbacks
(first published 1595)
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Start your review of A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream, abridged.
DEMETRIUS: I love Hermia!
LYSANDER: Shut up, I love her MORE. Anyway, you already hooked up with Helena.
DEMETRIUS: Who?
HERMIA: I want to marry Lysander but I'm already engaged to Demetrius and he won't leave me alone! Two hot boys are in love with me, WHY IS MY LIFE SO HARD?
HELENA: FUCK. YOU. ALL.
TITANIA: Hey Oberon, I got a new Indian baby from one of my dead servants.
OBERON: I want that kid - hand it over, or I'll punish you with bestiality.
PUCK: Holy ...more
DEMETRIUS: I love Hermia!
LYSANDER: Shut up, I love her MORE. Anyway, you already hooked up with Helena.
DEMETRIUS: Who?
HERMIA: I want to marry Lysander but I'm already engaged to Demetrius and he won't leave me alone! Two hot boys are in love with me, WHY IS MY LIFE SO HARD?
HELENA: FUCK. YOU. ALL.
TITANIA: Hey Oberon, I got a new Indian baby from one of my dead servants.
OBERON: I want that kid - hand it over, or I'll punish you with bestiality.
PUCK: Holy ...more
I really liked it when Lysander called Hermia an acorn.
Re-reading the play this time, I couldn't stop thinking of of The Magic Flute.
Like Mozart's opera, Shakespeare's play may have a silly plot composed of fanciful, seemingly arbitrary elements, yet, through the power of absolute artistic mastery, the framework of what might otherwise be nothing but a second-rate masque is transformed, by the unwearied attention of genius--and in Shakespeare's case, sublime poetry--into a work of great resonance, an archetypal myth.
A Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595/96. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, the former queen of the Amazons. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals) who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play is one of ...more
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595/96. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, the former queen of the Amazons. These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals) who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play is one of ...more
"Ein Sommernachtstraum"is one of the top references as a classic. In the beginning, it is difficult to get there, but once you get used to the style, it is quite an entertaining, beautiful and confused story about the back and forth of the love affair. A must for interested in Shakespear and theater.
Book Review
4 out of 5 stars to A Midsummer Night's Dream, a comedy written in 1595 by William Shakespeare. What a fun read! I first read this in high school and then again in college as part of a course on Shakespeare. Then I watched a few movie versions. It's full of so much humor and creativity. The plot is essentially the impacts of magic, as some fairy dust causes everyone to fall in love with the first person they see -- once the dust falls on them. Imagine the hilarity that ensues in a ...more
4 out of 5 stars to A Midsummer Night's Dream, a comedy written in 1595 by William Shakespeare. What a fun read! I first read this in high school and then again in college as part of a course on Shakespeare. Then I watched a few movie versions. It's full of so much humor and creativity. The plot is essentially the impacts of magic, as some fairy dust causes everyone to fall in love with the first person they see -- once the dust falls on them. Imagine the hilarity that ensues in a ...more
“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”I became a fan of plays when I read a few of them in my English book. They were very good. I liked them. Ever since I wanted to read more of them and of course when I searched for them, Shakespeare’s name was on top.
A while ago I was afraid of reading them because of the classical English. But few days ago, I thought to try them and will use Google as a guide. And now I can’t explain how much happy I’m right now... Even though I faced difficulty to ...more
One of Shakespeare's most popular comic plays though a figment of the imagination an illusion, a delusion in actuality that's the pity... such a delectable world to inhabit. Essentially a love story between two couples, a thin plot device in a mythical Athens which never was . Lysander loves his girlfriend Hermia (they want to marry). However her father Egeus, does not consent, prefers the groom to be more prominent admittedly a common story. Threatening Hermia with death or being forced to
...more
“Though she be but little, she is fierce!”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Shakespeare’s funniest comedy, honestly. When a couple tries to run away, they get followed by a man in love with them, and then by a woman in love with him. And a fairy fucking around makes it all go to shit. As you do!
This play is probably funniest because of its excellent set of characters, including:
Hermia – is 4’9” and could kick your ass. runs a feminist blog
Lysander – is so beautiful and so, so useless
Helena – was ...more
mini-review, as I do for classics:
this was my first time reading Shakespeare on my own, and I kind of...saw that as a negative. I like discussing Shakespeare in a classroom setting, and being motivated to mark up the text and otherwise process it fully. I felt like I missed out on stuff here.
also, this play felt so short. maybe it's my edition's fault, for being 111 pages. maybe it's how abrupt the ending was (which is very). or how flat the characters were, or how there were a sh*t ton of them. ...more
this was my first time reading Shakespeare on my own, and I kind of...saw that as a negative. I like discussing Shakespeare in a classroom setting, and being motivated to mark up the text and otherwise process it fully. I felt like I missed out on stuff here.
also, this play felt so short. maybe it's my edition's fault, for being 111 pages. maybe it's how abrupt the ending was (which is very). or how flat the characters were, or how there were a sh*t ton of them. ...more
Man, being reasonable, must get drunk;
The best of life is but intoxication:
Glory, the grape, love, gold, in these are sunk
The hopes of all men and of every nation;
Without their sap, how branchless were the trunk
Of life's strange tree, so fruitful on occasion:
But to return,—Get very drunk; and when
You wake with headache, you shall see what then.
~ Lord Byron, Don Juan, Canto II, Stanza 179.
If we offend, it is with our good will.
That you should think, we come not to offend,
But with good will. To ...more
3 3/4
Upped the rating when I realized that I'd given 3 1/2 to King John, Pericles, and The Taming of the Shrew
Been a while since I've visited this review. This play was the first I read in a project to read all the Bard's plays before I kicked the proverbial bucket wherever you're supposed to kick it. I'm probably behind on this goal by now (of reading/reviewing four plays a year). Ah well.
There are multitudes of rather innocuous comments inside this spoiler. It can safely be ...more
It's still as awesome as I remember. Though, unfortunately, causes me some initial irritation with The Iron King.
Robbie Goodfellow is a wicked spirit running around having fun and pulling ridiculous pranks. He's not a serious teenage boy who is dramatic and suspenseful or mysterious or sexy.
Why do we have to turn everything into sexy these days? Why does every male character have to suddenly fit the romantic male archetype?
Why are mythological creatures becoming obsessed with teenage girls?
Robbie Goodfellow is a wicked spirit running around having fun and pulling ridiculous pranks. He's not a serious teenage boy who is dramatic and suspenseful or mysterious or sexy.
Why do we have to turn everything into sexy these days? Why does every male character have to suddenly fit the romantic male archetype?
Why are mythological creatures becoming obsessed with teenage girls?
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I’m sure there’s some keyboard commando all primed and ready just waiting for a chance to chime in about how “this isn’t Facebook” or “talk about books and don’t post stupid pictures.” To him/her/them I shall quote ol’ Bill himself and say . . . .
Fucketh off with thee!
Because I have read A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I’ve read it more than once. Originally I read it back in the stone age as a high schooler who opted for additional ...more
I’m sure there’s some keyboard commando all primed and ready just waiting for a chance to chime in about how “this isn’t Facebook” or “talk about books and don’t post stupid pictures.” To him/her/them I shall quote ol’ Bill himself and say . . . .
Fucketh off with thee!
Because I have read A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I’ve read it more than once. Originally I read it back in the stone age as a high schooler who opted for additional ...more
I’m glad I decided to do a reread of this.. I always thought this play was a lot of fun, and who doesn’t love some Fae trickery and drama?
Oct 22, 2017
Whitney Atkinson
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
for-class,
read-in-2017
if i had a professor who actually talked about this and made it interesting then im sure i wouldve liked it more but i was just like ?????????
"The course of true love never did run smooth;" is a famous, often-quoted line - a truism throughout all ages and cultures. Where does it come from? It is spoken by a character called Lysander, in Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, and articulates possibly the play's most important theme.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a fanciful tale, full of poetry and beautiful imagery, such as,
"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with ...more
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a fanciful tale, full of poetry and beautiful imagery, such as,
"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with ...more
Jan 19, 2020
Olivia (Stories For Coffee)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2020-favorites
Such a fun, whimsical, hilarious play full of meddling characters, mix ups, and clueless clowns who made me chuckle openly and scream when mischief ensued. I can’t believe it took me this long to read this play!
If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.
The Physics of the Impossible: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare, Burton Raffel, Harold Bloom
I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the
wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass, if
he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was—
there is no man can tell what. Methought I was—and
methought I had—but man is but a patch’d fool, if he
will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man
hath ...more
The Physics of the Impossible: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare, Burton Raffel, Harold Bloom
I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the
wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass, if
he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was—
there is no man can tell what. Methought I was—and
methought I had—but man is but a patch’d fool, if he
will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man
hath ...more
3.5 stars
Sometimes, I feel that I just do not get Shakespeare! This particular explanation, for its face value, is neutral in its tone and execution, for this play is so absurd, but it almost seems like it is trying to be as such. While Shakespeare has been known to borrow his plots, I would say that his tragedies are better than his comedies in the way that the elements to his tragedies are a bit more original (or is it the fact that we have seen elements of his comedies time and time again). ...more
Sometimes, I feel that I just do not get Shakespeare! This particular explanation, for its face value, is neutral in its tone and execution, for this play is so absurd, but it almost seems like it is trying to be as such. While Shakespeare has been known to borrow his plots, I would say that his tragedies are better than his comedies in the way that the elements to his tragedies are a bit more original (or is it the fact that we have seen elements of his comedies time and time again). ...more
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind"
I love this play so much. I love William Shakespeare more than life itself.
Going into this I knew that 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' was going to be a little bit different from the other Shakespeare plays I’ve read. It had a lot fantasy aspects to it and a interesting combination between a comedy and a drama. It worked really well and made the whole play confusing in a good way, if that makes sense.
...more
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind"
I love this play so much. I love William Shakespeare more than life itself.
Going into this I knew that 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' was going to be a little bit different from the other Shakespeare plays I’ve read. It had a lot fantasy aspects to it and a interesting combination between a comedy and a drama. It worked really well and made the whole play confusing in a good way, if that makes sense.
...more
The moon methinks looks with a wat’ry eye;
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower”
(Titania)
Tomorrow night, when Phoebe doth behold
Her silver visage in the watery glass,
Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass.
So quick bright things come to confusion
(Lysander)
Night and the ocean are the depthless things of the earth, where bright things come to confusion, become “undistinguishable, Like far-off mountains turned to clouds”. The unconscious, the sleep-world, the dream-world. Everywhere ...more
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower”
(Titania)
Tomorrow night, when Phoebe doth behold
Her silver visage in the watery glass,
Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass.
So quick bright things come to confusion
(Lysander)
Night and the ocean are the depthless things of the earth, where bright things come to confusion, become “undistinguishable, Like far-off mountains turned to clouds”. The unconscious, the sleep-world, the dream-world. Everywhere ...more
This is the most hilarious comedy of Shakespeare that I have read, more mirthful than A Comedy of Errors . Written with the combination fantasy and reality, and set in Athens at the time of the wedding of the Duke of Athens, Theseus to Hippolyta, the Queen of Amazon, the play revolves around the adventures of the four young Athenian lovers, a group of performers who plan to put on a play for the wedding of the Duke and the Queen, and the meddling acts of fairies, especially of the fairy King's
...more
Jul 02, 2018
Candace Robinson
added it
I can’t do it! This has nothing to do with Shakespeare or his lovely writing. I just can’t ever understand it! I think if I were to watch the movie and see a visual I would know what was going on!!
Oct 05, 2015
Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
classics,
plays-and-scripts
Just saw a performance of this and it has me all nostalgic. This has meddling fairies, ridiculous lovers and a donkey named Bottom. What's not to love?
Also fun fact, I played Titania once. I was volunteering as a stage hand when then original chick who was cast dropped out and so did her understudy and there I was organizing props back stage. (Was this my Disney-channel moment? Did I miss my cue??)
Oh yeah, it was also a Jersey Shore remix for some reason. ("A Midsummer Jersey" iirc)
So to this ...more
Also fun fact, I played Titania once. I was volunteering as a stage hand when then original chick who was cast dropped out and so did her understudy and there I was organizing props back stage. (Was this my Disney-channel moment? Did I miss my cue??)
Oh yeah, it was also a Jersey Shore remix for some reason. ("A Midsummer Jersey" iirc)
So to this ...more
Aww, this is a cute little play.
Which is a pretty condescending thing to say about a work of Shakespeare, right? Except it’s true! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an aDORable piece of literature with elves and fairies and potions and magic—not something I typically go for, and a definite far cry from his more serious tragedies. In this play, a woman suffers whose love for her man lies in contrast to her father’s wishes, he having already promised his daughter’s hand to another, and if she refuses ...more
Which is a pretty condescending thing to say about a work of Shakespeare, right? Except it’s true! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an aDORable piece of literature with elves and fairies and potions and magic—not something I typically go for, and a definite far cry from his more serious tragedies. In this play, a woman suffers whose love for her man lies in contrast to her father’s wishes, he having already promised his daughter’s hand to another, and if she refuses ...more
Aug 22, 2014
Luís C.
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
on-my-own,
plays,
cinema,
uk-and-related,
relogio-d-agua,
reading-the-world,
16th-century,
w-shakespeare
No, Shakespeare did not write those tragedies! "Think of a summer night" is a comedy where the marvelous and the supernatural are in the center of the plot. It is a good reason to read this piece, because the wonderful, it is almost-omnipresent with Shakespeare, is very rare in classical theatre.
What a wonderful yet messed up play this was, thoroughly enjoyed it!
Absolutely loved the setting, the language and the element of fantasy within the story. It was comical yet still had potential to be a tale of tragedy and I think that's why I enjoyed it so much. It keeps you on your toes and the story goes round in circles but it reached a satisfactory resolution!
For me, Shakespeare is a bit hit or miss but I really did enjoy this one!
Absolutely loved the setting, the language and the element of fantasy within the story. It was comical yet still had potential to be a tale of tragedy and I think that's why I enjoyed it so much. It keeps you on your toes and the story goes round in circles but it reached a satisfactory resolution!
For me, Shakespeare is a bit hit or miss but I really did enjoy this one!
Oh, I loved this so much. It's charming and fun and hilarious and silly but it has a lot of heart- it's not just an empty comedy. There's wit and some really great observations on flights of fancy and the ridiculous things humans will do (with or without the help of forest nymphs) in the name of love. Also, an enchanted forest has got to be one of my favourite settings of all time, the heady summer air and a sense of magic really seeped through the pages.
Two of my favourite quotes, both by Robin ...more
Two of my favourite quotes, both by Robin ...more
An entertaining and amusing tale, filled with an inexhaustible richness of symbolicism, atmosphere and verbal complexity. After having seen Shakespeare as a writer of tragic and twisted stories dealing with death and schemes as major leitmotifs for many years, a light-hearted story like "A Midsummer Night's Dream" proved to be exactly the right one to convince me of the direct opposite: that Shakespeare can also masterfully create romantic comedies full of amusing allusions.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Shakespeare ...: General Discussion | 3 | 13 | Jan 29, 2020 06:36PM | |
| 2020 Shakespeare ...: First Impressions on the Book | 4 | 12 | Dec 31, 2019 07:23AM | |
| James Mustich's 1...: A Midsummer Night's Dream - December 2019 | 7 | 10 | Dec 28, 2019 12:59AM | |
| Terminator: Dark ...: Ford v Ferrari full MOVIE english Subtitle | 1 | 1 | Nov 07, 2019 11:07PM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Please add missing cover | 2 | 225 | Jun 24, 2019 06:57PM | |
| Goodreads Librari...: Page count correction/clarification | 8 | 17 | Jun 05, 2019 11:38PM | |
| Suomalainen lukup...: Kesäyön unelma (huumori) | 20 | 21 | May 04, 2019 10:33AM |
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William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been
...more
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“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”
—
22987 likes
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”
“Though she be but little, she is fierce!”
—
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