Book Review: A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare
Author: William Shakespeare
Title: A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream
Publication Info: New York : Washington Square Press, 1993 (originated in 1595)
Summary/Review:
For the first time, Shakespeare ventures into fantasy and it proves to be quite entertaining. The plot is complex (in a good way) so I won’t summarize it here. Suffice to say it’s a story of relationships and how they can go horribly wrong. This is particularly true for Oberon and Titiana, the King and the Queen of the Fairies, whose marital difficulties result in problems for a lot of human couples. Theseus the Duke of Athens is engaged to wed Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. But first he plans to wed his daughter Hermia to Demetrius. But Hermia flees to the woods with her lover Lysander instead. Meanwhile, Hermia’s friend Helena suffers unrequited love for Demetrius.
The fairy Robin Goodfellow (aka – Puck) stirs up some shit with several pranks on these lovers. He also messes with a group of “Mechanicals” as they rehearse and perform a play based on Pyramus and Thisbe. Notably, he gives the weaver Nick Bottom a donkey’s head and enchants Titiana to be in love with him. Just because. Alls well that ends well, of course, and everyone ends up betrothed to the right person as they enjoy Pyramus and Thisbe in a Mystery Science Theater style.
Very enjoyable and once again it shows remarkable evolution in Shakespeare’s writing style.
Rating: ****
I’m reading every Shakespeare play, one per month, in chronological order. Here’s my progress thus far:
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- The Taming of the Shrew
- Henry VI, Part 1
- Henry VI, Part 2
- Henry VI, Part 3
- Titus Andronicus
- Richard III
- The Comedy of Errors
- Love’s Labours’ Lost
- Richard II
- Romeo and Juliet