A Midsummer Night's Dream Paperback – January 1, 2005

This series of Shakespeare Made Clear does full justice to William Shakespeare and is a real service to the average reader who wants to know and understand the works of the greatest author/dramatist that ever lived. As in all the Shakespeare Made Clear series there is a simply marvelous rundown about Shakespeare's life and times. His often difficult-to-interpret dialogue is set side-by-side with our own vernacular. Bravo!"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is also one of the most raucous, joyful and merriest of Shakespeare's comedies and a good place to start learning about his plays. Don't pass this up, it's a fun story...you'll be hooked on Shakespeare for good as well as the Shakespeare Made Clear series. There's a clear synopsis of a complicated plot, a scene-by-scene rundown and even annotated notes along the way explaining the genesis, the subtext and the history of Shakespeare's words and phrases. It also includes a cast of characters, the play's major themes are discussed and an entertaining biography of William Shakespeare to boot. Hear! Hear!Shakespeare Made Clear honors the works of Shakespeare by making his words and ideas more accessible for the masses. Why should you believe me? In college I was a Theater Arts major, before turning to English and I followed several authors throughout my college days and beyond, but particularly William Shakespeare. I have read all his plays and hundreds of critical essays dissecting his works, so it came as a surprise - no, I must confess, a shock - that after reading everything from dense scholarly theses to Cliff's Notes, that the simplicity of the Shakespeare Made Clear stands alone. This is the best way for anyone - from young students to just plain "folks" - who wants to experience Shakespeare and bring his works to life. Author! Author!

A Midsummer Night's Dream was written 420 years ago so it's syntax of Elizabethan English is quite different and foreign to our modern American English. William Shakespeare was brilliant but his writing reflects his time so it is imperative to have a guide of sorts to breakdown his syntax into our modern syntax making the experience of reading Shakespeare more fulfilling.This is where A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Made Clear) comes in handy as it is the ultimate accompanying guide to the famous story. This accompanying guide version makes understanding Shakespeare easier and more enjoyable. The guide includes an introductory discussion of the play's themes and characters, its dramatic structure, its history and historical context and of course its author and insightful summary at the end. This accompanying guide makes understanding Shakespeare easier and useful by having a new modern interpretation and translation of Shakespeare's original text underneath the original text provided line by line on every page of the play. This is then followed by a detailed explanation featuring insights in Shakespeare's original text with historical facts and deeper motives. As the accompanying guide concludes there is a very helpful and intriguing insight into the play's major themes.I highly suggest that if you want to not only grasp understanding the complexities of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream but also gain a deeper appreciation for it then buy this most helpful of all accompanying guides to this timeless touching, playful and insightful story.

I liked the dialogue and Shakespeare's language and imagry throughout the play. I remember watching the play at Harvard Repratory theater right out side of Harvard Square when I was only four years old. So reading the play brought back good memories. I recommend it for a summer read. It makes me want to buy Henry the Fourth Part One on Amazon. Because I remember reading that play in tenth grade!

I have been collecting the Calla Editions' books since 2009. My first purchase was Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Calla Editions) and I was so impressed with the quality (wonderful illustrations, superior binding, etc.) that I began collecting the Calla books. Each and every book has been a delight, and not only have these books enhanced my home library, they have been a joy to peruse and read over and over again.Aside from the beautiful bindings, Calla Editions are also distinguished by the superior quality illustrations by renowned illustrators such as Arthur Rackham, Kay Nielsen, Chris Van Allsburg, etc. In Calla Editions' A Midsummer Night's Dream, the illustrations are by W. Heath Robinson. W. Heath was part of an illustrious family of illustrators which also comprised Thomas and Charles.In this volume, W. Heath Robinson's magical illustrations are found not only throughout the book, but also on the half title, frontispiece, title page, etc. There are twelve color plates which evoke all the fantastic imagery of one of Shakespeare's most popular plays, as well as the thirty-two full page black and white illustrations accompanied by quotes from the play.This is indeed a treat for fans of Shakespeare's works as well as those who appreciate a fine, heirloom quality book.