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William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 2008.
This paper looks at one of William Shakespeare's best loved romantic comedies "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,544 words (approx. 6.2 pages), 10 sources, MLA, $ 50.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer first looks at the artist William Shakespeare and then studies his work "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The writer discusses the play and notes that while the situations portrayed in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' are hilarious to the point of being absurd, ultimately the play serves a higher purpose - that is, to affirm the value of love and pleasure in an often hostile universe. The writer concludes that whatever way one chooses to interpret 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the play's goofy characters, outrageous situations, and rich language have ensured the play's status as a classic work of English literature.
Outline:
William Shakespeare the Artist
A Midsummer Night's Dream
From the Paper
"A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most beloved romantic comedies. It consists of three plots that are chaotically interwoven in order to elicit an atmosphere of magic and the absurd, as well as love and the unknown. Throughout the course of the play, people from all different class backgrounds interact, and against the setting of a magical night forest, they come into contact with a band of mischievous fairies whose pranks will temporarily transform some of the characters, while making others' dreams come true.
"At the center of A Midsummer Night's Dream is the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens to the Amazonian Queen Hippolyta. Egeus has chosen Demetrius to marry his daughter Hermia - and Hermia is unhappy with the decision. To rebel, she runs away from Athens into the magical forests surrounding the city alongside her lover Lysander, with whom she hopes to elope. Hermia tells her best friend Helena of her plans."
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Transformations in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2002.
This paper examines the recurring changes of the moon and the transformation of the characters in "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,465 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 4 sources, $ 48.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes one of William Shakespeare?s most celebrated comedic plays, "A Midsummer Night?s Dream". The author examines how the throughout the play the characters attempt to find a way to understand the mechanism of love in a rational way and experience self-alterations that they believe to be a dream in the end. The paper also looks at how the recurring reference to the ever-changing moon parallels the transformation of the characters in "A Midsummer Night?s Dream".
From the Paper:
"A Midsummer Night?s Dream" brilliantly expresses the profound human uncertainty about love. Dream world and reality merge undetectably so that the characters are not sure themselves in which sphere they move, nor whether what they have experienced has been imagination or truth. What seems to be a fantasy or a dream for the characters in "A Midsummer Night?s Dream" is actually reality. However, the dreamlike atmosphere of the play accentuates the fact that the lovers appear to be quite removed from any criteria applicable to reality."
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"A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2002.
An examination of the themes of magic and imagination in Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 5 sources, $ 71.95
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Abstract
Specifically, this paper presents a thesis that magic and imagination drive the events of the story in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" more than in any other Shakespearean play, thus making "A Midsummer Night's Dream" Shakespeare's only play of pure fantasy.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2004.
This paper examines the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
904 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 31.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses Shakespeare's play; "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and analyzes how it satisfies the functions of literature, raising a heightened sensitivity of the complexities of life. The paper also discusses plot devices.
From the Paper
"A Midsummer Night's Dream: One of the functions of literature is to force the reader to question the things he has taken for granted; another is to heighten his sensitivity to the complexities of life and individuals. Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" fulfills both functions masterfully. Shakespeare's play creates an intricate juxtaposition of plot and characters that reduces even the careful reader to a state of confusion."
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"A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2006.
This paper discusses and analyzes the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare.
1,050 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 36.95
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Abstract
The writer of this article studies various acts of Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The paper provides a view of one of Shakespeare's most famous and most loved works. In particular, the paper looks at how an all-male cast affects three pivotal scenes and explains how this staging tactic demands that audiences respond in a particular way. The writer explains that using only men in all the roles would have been common in Shakespeare's time, but today, it seems to take away from the impact and humor of the play.
From the Paper
"Clearly, the implications and consequences of the play are different when all the cast members are one gender. Some of the passion goes out of the play, and some of the scenes may even seem ridiculous or far-fetched. Personally, the play is funny and emotional, and some of that might just seem like farce to the audience when the cast was all male. It might seem more like "The Bird Cage" or other gay films. Giving hints of femaleness may work with some of the cast, but in other scenes, giving hints may simply take away the dramatic effect and lessen the impact of the play. The femaleness of the female characters is very important to the play, but it can be overcome with actors who believe in what they are doing and deliver their lines with conviction. Tongue-in-cheek lines will ruin the entire meaning and impact of the play."
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"A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2004.
An analysis of "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 39.95
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Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of William Shakespeare's comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", that rejects critical analysis that views the play as evidence of male dominance over women in the era depicted.
From the Paper
"A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that revolves around love sex and marriage. The plot revolves around two sets of lovers Hermia and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius whose complicated romantic relations are made more complex by their arrival in the fairyland woods. Here the King and Queen of the Fairies Oberon and Titania rule and are involved in a battle themselves over the custody of a young changeling boy in Titania's care. A majority of critics contend that the play reflects certain characteristics ..."
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Fantasy in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2002.
Examines the way Shakespeare uses the concepts of mystics and fantasy in his play "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
806 words (approx. 3.2 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 28.95
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Abstract
This paper briefly discusses how the fantasy in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" involves magic and a belief in fairies and sprites. It explains that the first of several conflicts of opposites in the play is between reality and fantasy, between the reality of life in the city and fantastic nature of life in the woods.
From the Paper
"In A Midsummer Night's Dream, one reason for the fantasy element is to create a dramatic stage on which to test human constancy and human worth. Lysander states that "the course of true love never did run smooth" (I.i.134), and this represents a theme that runs through many of Shakespeare's plays and indeed through much of world literature. The statement itself embodies several ideas. First, it assumes that there is such a thing as true love and that it is a conception based on the idea that two people are literally meant for each other. Second, it states that these two people, though meant for each other, may have to endure a good deal before they can actually achieve the love that is their destiny. In terms of A Midsummer Night's Dream, this statement helps characterize Lysander in a way that makes it evident the objections raised to the young man by Egeus are wrong and that Lysander is not one to feign love at all as Egeus believes he is doing. Lysander does indeed love Hermia as she loves him."
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"A Midsummer Night's Dream": The Film, 2001.
Reviews Michael Hoffman's film adaptation of William Shakespeare's, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,207 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 41.95
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Abstract
This is a film review of Michael Hoffman's 1999 portrayal of William Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream". This essay isolates the weaknesses in Hoffman's art, arguing that Hoffman takes so many liberties in filming his adaptation, that the final product is void of anything Shakespearean, save the original language. The paper also highlights several moments of cinematic genius and mentions the excellent acting by Kevin Kline.
From the Paper
"Kevin Kline?s Nick Bottom is the film?s sole redeeming character. Klines shines as Bottom, combining joy and apprehension throughout his oscillating plots. Delivering one of his better performances, Kline plays Nick Bottom as a tragic-comic champion-a despondent drudge with big stage aspirations. The play-within-a play subplot works well with Hoffman?s rough mechanicals. When Bottom is transformed into an ass, the object of Queen Titania?s affection, it is poignant to note how his moment of grandeur renders him completely oblivious to his physical state. Bottom alone gives flight to the central idea that love is both maddening and redeeming, and the comedy seems to soar whenever Kline appears."
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Comedy in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2006.
An analysis of William Shakespeare's use of comedy in his play "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,487 words (approx. 5.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 49.95
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Abstract
This report looks at Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from the perspective of how the author uses comedy in the play to achieve plot and character development. It primarily looks at Shakespeare's ironic references but also considers more serious themes in the play. For example, when Shakespeare refers to the players as asses in the work, this highlights the ridiculousness and humorous aspects of the scene. The paper concentrates on such scenes, around the general theory that Shakespeare used comedy to further some contrast to the serious scenes in the play.
From the Paper
"In the first scene of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's
Dream, the character Helena, after the other characters have gone offstage, continues to speak to the audience about her conception of love. She seems to contradict herself, first saying that love is born of the mind and then stating its blindness and irrationality. This
is showing some humor already in that there is a willful contradiction for the audience. More seriously, her idea of love is one that is mixed up in power and revenge, and these themes come into play later on in the work, when Oberon and Titania have their own schemes of power and revenge in the forest."
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"A Midsummer Night?s Dream", 2002.
An analysis of Shakespeare's famous play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
790 words (approx. 3.2 pages), 0 sources, $ 28.95
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Abstract
An analysis of the plot and characters of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The author shows how the success of the play depends on the audience's ability to suspend disbelief and believe in magic.
From the Paper
"The play is not a play that would have been written in 2002, because it is partly a comedy of manners. For instance, Hermia?s and Lysander?s crisis is unimaginable in this day and age. No leader, even one who had complete powers, would agree to put the daughter of a friend to death or send her to a convent if she did not marry the husband her father had chosen for her. This is an example of negotiating (2/2/02), but one that dates the play. Nevertheless, eloping was a much greater act of defiance during Shakespeare?s time than it is now."
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"A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2008.
A brief analysis of the theme of love in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
1,146 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 0 sources, $ 39.95
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Abstract
This paper provides a summary of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and in particular, focuses on the theme of love within the play. It discusses how although the play and its plot deal with love, it is not really what we can call a love story and how indeed, the characters do not describe their love in long and emotional soliloquy. It contends that love, and the troubles it brings throughout the play, is just an excuse to introduce comical elements into the story. Initially, it is because of Theseus' and Hippolyta's wedding, and thus love, that the troupe of artisans/actors is present into the play, bringing with it the most comical character: Bottom.
From the Paper
"However, each character has a different attitude toward love, and the use of a love potion does not help the matter. Indeed, at the beginning of the play, the situation is already unusual, since there is an imbalance: Hermia is loved by two men, Lysander and Demetrius, while Helena, who loves Demetrius, is not loved by anyone. But as the play moves on, there is a shift from Hermia to Helena, who is then loved by both men because of the love potion. Eventually, everything is restored and the lovers form two balanced couples: Hermia and Lysander, and Helena and Demetrius."
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Film: "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream", 2007.
This paper compares Michael Hoffman's 1999 film, "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream" with Shakespeare's original play.
2,350 words (approx. 9.4 pages), 9 sources, MLA, $ 72.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, for his 1999 film, "William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream", Michael Hoffman rewrote the original Shakespeare play, put it into a more modern context and emphasized artistic visual expression over Shakespeare's expression through the poetry of language. The author points out that Hoffman modernized the gender roles by creating a dialogue for Bottom's wife, thus increasing her importance; wherein, in the original play, her role consisted of a stare. The paper relates that, to appeal to modern cultural standards, the movie has been made more aesthetically pleasing by the fantasy theatrics of the costumes and makeup.
From the Paper
"The first and most evident difference between the 1999 film adaptation and the original play by Shakespeare is the setting. Shakespeare's work is set in Greece, while Hoffman's is set in the turn of the 20th century Tuscany. It was also filmed in Tuscany. "Hoffman moves the action forward in time and sets it in late 19th-Century Tuscany" writes Welsh, but it is questioned whether this "new setting makes sense". Thus Hoffman's version has an immediate difference between that of Shakespeare's which took place in the traditional classical setting."
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Act Two, Scene One ? ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream?, 2002.
A detailed analyis of act two, scene one of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream.
2,815 words (approx. 11.3 pages), 0 sources, $ 83.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses why Act two Scene one of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a very important scene. In it all the major and minor themes of the play as a whole can be found, through a detailed analysis of the characters, their speech and the imagery the scene contains. Among other things, jealousy, the supernatural/natural world and love in all its different forms are explored in this essay. The paper contains a thorough analysis of the characters, imagery and ideas all contained within the scene, which can be applied to to the rest of the play as a whole.
From the Paper
"Cupid?s ?fiery shaft? renders the idea/theme of love as a fiery, passionate and heated affliction, that literally pierces the heart in a shower of flames. This idea foretells the lovesick hysteria that is soon to enfold the young Athenians, and can especially be seen in Helen as she traipses after the desperate Demetrius. The ?shaft? itself is contrasted with the description of the moon, which is ?chaste? and ?watery?, a hazy image in comparison to Cupid?s blazing arrow. The sing-song alliteration mirrors the maiden?s carefree state, in which she carries on unscathed by Cupid?s plan. The notion of love as an infliction (albeit a desirable infliction) is stressed once more by Oberon?s description of the ?love-in-idleness? as ?a little western flower? which has been turned ?purple with love's wound?."
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Magic in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 2000.
An exploration of Shakespeare's treatment of magic and the supernatural in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
1,450 words (approx. 5.8 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 48.95
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Abstract
This paper explores the theme of magic in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', and discusses how Shakespeare uses supernatural elements throughout the play. It considers the boundaries between good and evil, and comments upon the ways Shakespeare presents the play as a supernaturally charged adventure.
From the Paper
"There was a strong belief in the supernatural in Shakespeare?s era and subsequently, some form of the supernatural realm is a common theme throughout his plays. The supernatural is a central theme in A Midsummer Night?s Dream which is set in an enchanted fairyland wood and the play clearly demonstrates the power of the supernatural and the dramatic influence the spiritual world has upon the natural order of things. "
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Puck of ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream?, 2002.
This paper discusses the character ?Puck? in Shakespeare?s ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream.?
1,575 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the Shakespearean character ?Puck? in the play ? A Midsummer Night?s Dream.? It describes him as the head fairy and protagonist in the play and the reason this play is so magical. The paper describes the use of language in order to set apart the fairies from the ?mortals?.
From the Paper
"'Spirits and fairies cannot be represented, they cannot even be painted, -- they can only be believed'" (Bloom 87). This could be the opening line of Shakespeare?s ?A Midsummer Night?s Dream,? for as we watch the play unfold, we are taken out of the world of today, and into a magical world full of romance, magic, and farce, and Puck is a major player in the story that unfolds."
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