A Midsummer Night's Dream Research Paper

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. He is from successful middle-class family. Shakespeare’s career bridged the reigns of Elizabeth I (ruled 1558-1603) and James I (ruled 1603-1625); he was a favorite of both monarchs. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's early festive comedies, written around 1595-6. Unlike many other love stories such as Romeo and Juliet, with A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare has written one of the few romantic comedies. This play not only makes readers laugh but also shows readers that how true love can be found in non-traditional ways. True love is the narrative strategy of the whole play. Also, despite the many thematic references to "dreams" and the fantastic setting of the Athenian forest, the

It is traditionally celebrated in England on June 24 with Midsummer Night celebrated on June 23. Midsummer Night is a time for celebration and ritual surrounding the power of the sun, fairies and spirits. Some Midsummer Night customs included decorating houses with plants such as roses, verbena, birch, and trefoil. It was believed that on Midsummer Night, the fairies and witches held their festival. Therefore, English men and women would spend the night outdoors around bonfires, telling supernatural stories of fairies and witches. In other words, the play's title and plot recall English traditions in a way that suggests a combination of Halloween and a big rave. At the time that the play was written, these traditions had come under attack by the English Puritans, who thought that they were “pagan” practices that gave the people too much opportunity for mischief. However, by making the play have a happy ending after all its midsummer madness, Shakespeare might seem to be defending such traditions against their critics, suggesting that Midsummer Eve is actually benign, or even