A Midsummer Night's Dream

Just WOW.

“These are the forgeries of jealousy.
And never, since the middle summer's spring,
Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead,
By pavèd fountain, or by rushy brook,
Or in the beachèd margent of the sea,
To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport.
Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain,
As in revenge, have sucked up from the sea
Contagious fogs, which falling in the land
Have every pelting river made so proud
That they have overborne their continents.
The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain,
The ploughman lost his sweat, and the green corn
Hath rotted ere his youth attained a beard.
The fold stands empty in the drownèd field,
And crows are fatted with the murrain flock.
The nine-men's-morris is filled up with mud,
And the quaint mazes in the wanton green
For lack of tread are undistinguishable.
The human mortals want their winter here.
No night is now with hymn or carol blessed.
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods,
Pale in her anger, washes all the air,
That rheumatic diseases do abound.
And thorough this distemperature we see
The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts
Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose,
And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown
An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds
Is, as in mockery, set. The spring, the summer,
The childing autumn, angry winter change
Their wonted liveries, and the mazèd world,
By their increase, now knows not which is which.
And this same progeny of evils comes
From our debate, from our dissension.
We are their parents and original.”

~Titania (Act II, Scene 1)

The funniest Shakespeare I've read, I think–several lines had me cracking up. The reading was easier than say, Hamlet, but really enjoyable and fun with all the rhyming(Bard's got bars). The poetry really added to the atmosphere and magic in the story. I've happened upon some accidental quest to read all of Shakespeare's plays, and this was definitely a worthwhile stop on the way. I love the juxtaposition of all the elements of the play; as usual there's a lot of great insight into humans and their relationships to be found within.

When looking at classics this is one of the first one many people read. And for good reason. Shakespeare wrote a great tale of a love triangle, a fun-loving fae, and fae-king in love, and one night of errors ending well. Although I'm of the opinion that what happens off-page is a little dirtier than what happens on page.

I know a lot of people who started with Romeo and Juliet and got turned off... I wish they'd give it another shot. This play is fantastic.

Summary: This play centers on the complicated romantic relationships between four young people named Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, and Helena. Demetrius is a suitor to Hermia and Hermia’s father’s choice for his daughter. Hermia, however, wants to marry Lysander, who reciprocates her feelings. Hermia’s friend, Helena, is in love with Demetrius and wants to win him over. These relationships become even more complicated when a few fairies use their magical powers to influence the four youngsters’ emotions.

é un'opera meravigliosa ma il mio giudizio è influenzato dall'averne visto la rappresentazione teatrale al Globe. Tuttavia, propio per questo mi chiedo quanto si possa apprezzare un'opera teatrale, sopratutto shakespeariana, senza vederne una sua rappresentazione. Eppure con la rappresentazione l'opera viene interpretata dagli attori e allora il giudizio non è solo nostro ma è anche influenzato dal loro. Forse, si potrebbe avere un proprio giudizio solo conoscendo talmente bene il teatro da riuscire a immaginare la rappresentazione dell'opera durante la lettura. Ma questo non è il mio caso. Perciò consiglio di vederne prima una rappresentazione teatrale - per quanto rischioso possa essere.