This is a great play to introduce young people to the wonderful world of Shakespeare. There are fairies and elves galore in it, as well as some very wonderful characters. It is also extremely funny, albeit the humour has Shakespeare's characteristic bawdiness. What makes this play special though is Shakespeare's wonderful poetry where he skillfully mixes characters from Greek mythology with Elizabethan craftsmen. This play is a comic parody on Shakespeare's famous Romeo and Juliet where he depicts a pair of tragic star-crossed lovers. In this play there are actually five sets of ill-assorted lovers. And his characters! Who has not heard of the wonderful Puck? And what about Nick Bottom and Hermia? This is a wonderful, funny and beautifully crafted play.

This is one of my favorite Shakespears.. I loved it! It's witty, smart and light hearted unlike many of his other works. If you think Shakespeare might be too heavy for you, try this one.

Having read the majority of Shakespeare's plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream was, without a doubt, the most glaring omission on the list of plays which I have read. So, naturally I felt most inclined to read it -- finally. I found it enjoyable, witty, and entertaining. In Shakespeare's use of blithe love, fairies, magic, the forest, & a play within a play, I found similar, if not redundant elements seen innumerably in his other works. I did, however, find some seemingly prosaic, yet surprisingly profound social overtones on both love and marriage.

The whimsical insouciance of the young Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius emanates in stark contrast to the more mundane, if not rigid, love of Theseus and Hippolyta. This inevitably provokes thought on the very underpinnings of love. Also, another impending paradox of sorts presents itself with the love of the two young couples. While Lysander and Hermia enjoy a jovial and reciprocal brand of love, conversely Helena and Demetrius enjoy, courtesy of one of Shakespeare's most famous characters, Robin Goodfellow(aka Puck), a forced, yet unwitting, brand of love. The two couples' love, while diametrically opposite, nevertheless results in the same ineluctable and identical outcome -- marriage. While true love may indeed be blind as in the former case, Shakespeare, however, also makes a case that some love is perhaps forced, if not arbitrary, as well -- as in the case of Demetrius and Helena. As the two couple leave the fairies, the wildwoods, and the forest, a place that represents a world of infinite freedom, chaos, and with them lessened inhibitions, the lovers end the story by arriving at the Athenian Court, a place that represents a return to decorum, refinement, and quite possibly, confinement.

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!" - Puck

A Midsummer Night's Dream is perhaps one of Shakespeare's greatest comedic works. It is intricate and at the same time simple, engaging, lighthearted, and funny.

The characters include:

The Fairies - Oberon, Titania, Puck, Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed

The Athenians - Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, Philostrate, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, and Hermia

The Actors/Common Men - Nick Bottom, Peter Quince, Tom Snout, Francis Flute, Robin Starveling, and Snug

This is a play in five acts, with many dynamic characters and various different story lines - there is even a play within the play. This might sound confusing, but Shakespeare masterfully ties it all together through a key event introduced in the beginning of the play, which is followed through at the end. This event is the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta.

Basically, four headstong teenagers (Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, and Hermia) become entangled in a love triangle of sorts - a triangle that is made even more complex by the meddlings of the fairies. Pure confusion results, which accounts for most of the comedic interest of the play. Through the four lover's story we slip in and out of the dream-like fairy world.

An argument between the King and Queen of the fairies (Oberon and Titania) creates another story line that is also intertwined with the actors/common men.(in particular, Nick Bottom)

Standing on the outskirts of all this confusion is the knowledge that Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding is about to take place, giving a time frame, structure, and "method" to Shakespeare's "madness". As I stated before, it also ties the whole play together.

While it might sound confusing, once read, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a marvelous work to comprehend. There are so many different connections and interpretations to be made about it. I feel that this factor, coupled with the pure fun and fantasy
of the play, makes it a very worthwhile read.

I just cant rave enough about Midsummer Night's Dream. I read this book in eight grade English and I really didn't think I would enjoy it. How wrong I was.

To put it simply, Midsummer Night's Dream is just hilarious. Love tangles and potions, mistaken identities, faeries and gods, and a play with a play can all be found in this tale.

The story revolves around the forest God Oberon and his obsession with Titania, a goddess but most of the story follows the tale of Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena and their crazy and constantly tampered with lovelife. Lysander and Helena flee into the forest in hopes of eloping (Helena's father will not allow the two to marry) and the duo are followed by Demetrius (who loves Helena) and Hermia (who loves Demetrius). This is the start of the love tangle. Thanks to the meddling of Oberon and Puck (a well loved and comedically apt fairy), at one point, each man loves each girl, even so far as a complete reversal where Lysander and Demetrius scorn Helena and court Hermia.

In addition, a play is being put on for the lord of the city from which the four love-wrought teenagers are from's wedding. One member of the cast, Bottom (a pun on the word ass.. you'll see) is turned into a donkey, or an ass. At one point, Titania is madly in love with the ass Bottom.

The stories, while seperate, eventually come together in a pleasing ending.

Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeares greatest comedies. The light hearted, jovial, and mystical story will please any reader and comes highly recommended and perhaps Shakespeares most popular comedy.

On a side note, the Folgers Series edition is excellent. As with all the Shakespearean Folgers books, the side-notes and scene summaries will help the reader understand and enjoy the play much more. This play itself comes highly recommended, even more so with this edition.