Understanding a Midsummer Night's Dream A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents

One of Shakespeare's most delightful plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream enchants audiences and readers with its celebration of magic, dreams, and love. This casebook begins by establishing the dramatic and literary concerns of the play. Four historical context chapters consider attitudes toward gender relations, social distinctions, popular culture, and imagination in Shakespeare's time, revealing contemporary issues and debates reflected in the comedy. Each unit is supported by primary historical documents, including pamphlets and proclamations. A discussion of performance and interpretation focuses on how the play's popularity and perspectives have evolved over the centuries, and thematic connections to modern influences like sitcoms and Freudian dream analysis show how the play is pertinent to young readers. Numerous ideas for written assignments and oral discussions are offered, along with further suggested readings.Nostbakken, Faith is the author of 'Understanding a Midsummer Night's Dream A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents', published 2003 under ISBN 9780313322136 and ISBN 0313322139.