Bart Wolffe reads Charles Lamb's tale of A Midsummer Night's Dream, based on Shakespeare's work. Music by David Moore and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra performing Felix Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
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"To me this book shows Shakespeare in rare form. It is a comedy, but during Shakespearean times a play could be classified as a comedy if it had a happy ending (basically meaning nobody dies), but this play is what would be considered a comedy in modern times. I'm reading it as a class assignment, so we perform the play infront of the class, switching characters each time we meet. That was allowed so that we would have more of an understanding on how it would be seen in Shakesperean times and we would feel more oriented as far as the storyline goes. The story line is quite complicated. There are many love triangles and squares and hexagons. But, the main theme of the story is this: What is love??? Is it natural? Is it reasonable? Is it magic? Is it controlled by us? Is it controlled by an unexplainable force? What is it? Another prominent theme is questioning reality. Was this all a dream? Or was it real? Are you dreaming right now? Maybe we think we are in reality, while we are all caught in one big dream. (Crazy to think about, right?)" — Madison (5 out of 5 stars)
"To me this book shows Shakespeare in rare form. It is a comedy, but during Shakespearean times a play could be classified as a comedy if it had a happy ending (basically meaning nobody dies), but this play is what would be considered a comedy in modern times. I'm reading it as a class assignment, so we perform the play infront of the class, switching characters each time we meet. That was allowed so that we would have more of an understanding on how it would be seen in Shakesperean times and we would feel more oriented as far as the storyline goes. The story line is quite complicated. There are many love triangles and squares and hexagons. But, the main theme of the story is this: What is love??? Is it natural? Is it reasonable? Is it magic? Is it controlled by us? Is it controlled by an unexplainable force? What is it? Another prominent theme is questioning reality. Was this all a dream? Or was it real? Are you dreaming right now? Maybe we think we are in reality, while we are all caught in one big dream. (Crazy to think about, right?)"
" It was mostly lost on me, I would need to study the language a bit more before I could appreciate it, I think. And even then...not sure I would. I feel this lack of interest in Shakespeare is probably a terrible flaw in my character. ah well. "
" Hamlet is the deepest; Macbeth the most thrilling; Othello the most heart breaking; King Lear the most devastating; but A Midsummer Night's Dream is without a doubt the most fun! "
" My favorite play. I was in it once and played Helena and I have always had a fondness for Shakespeare so any up dated copy becomes my favorite as they are constantly adding notes and history to his works. "
" Loved it, thought it was romantic but in the most hilarious way. I think that it even relates perfectly to everyone (all ages, all times) its reflects exactly on human emotions (though with twists). "
" My librarian in 3rd-5th grade got me and about 3 others to read this, it was confusing at the time, but I get it now. "
" This is my favorite play by Shakespeare. I love the love story angles and the trickiness and Puck. I love everything about it. It is so much fun. "
" this is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, I don't know why it doesn't get more love. Read it for first for school back in year 7. "
" Favorite Shakespeare play overall "
" So imaginative. I enjoyed reading this play and liked Shakespeare's comical side. Puck's last few lines were very meaningful too. Although it is one of his shortest plays, I drew out a lot of different realizations from it. A well crafted piece of literature from William Shakespeare. "
" really, I thought this was funny. "
" A vary of information yet extreme humarous "
" I absolutely love this book!! "
" Just refreshing my memory for a Shakespeare class. So thrilled we're starting with this one, I must have read it at least four times in high school. The numerous subplots really tie the play up in a nice little bow, or maybe just dreamt that way... "
" My favorite Shakespeare! Faires, sprites, runaway lovers, players and an ass! What could be better? "
" I've seen this play and we read the book in Advanced drama. :D It's really good. "
" Great, but i had to have the translation into modern english so i could understand it. very funny "
" This is, indelicately put, the stupidest of Shakespeare's plays that I've read. It is inconsequential and silly. That said, it is funnier than I had given it credit for in the past. The play at the end makes it all worthwhile. "
" Love this play! Oh my gosh. So funny, cute, lovely... Just great. "
" A fun play between bumbling players, meddling fairies, and thwarted lovers. "
" It b chill "
" I enjoyed this book but at times it was confusing, I realized Shakespeare is not my second language :P "
" I had to read it, so I didn't want to start it :D but it was not as bad as I thought, so If you like literature you must read it :) "
" The first Shakespeare-story I read, and boy did I enjoy it! Shakespeare wasn't just a real gossip girl; he was insanely funny! At least I laughed quite a lot, while reading A Midsummer Night's Dream. I'll have to read some more Shakespeare in the future! "
" One of my more favorites of Shakespear's works. "
William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan and early Jacobean period, is the most widely known author in all of English literature and often considered the greatest. He was an active member of a theater company for at least twenty years, during which time he wrote many great plays. Plays were not prized as literature at the time and Shakespeare was not widely read until the middle of the eighteenth century, when a great upsurge of interest in his works began that continues today.
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