Vain love

Author: Lu Tiankun / Chen Xiaqian / Zhu Xiadan Yin Yaoshi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's early comedies with the brightest tone. The plot summary is as follows: The King of Athens and three noble courtiers swear to abstain from sexual relations for three years. However, the King of France sends his princess, accompanied by three maids, to negotiate the ownership of a territory. The four men quickly abandon their vow and fall in love with each other. Thus, the four pairs of lovers stage a series of romantic and comical scenes. Suddenly, a French messenger arrives to report that the French King has died, and the princess must return immediately. The princess, on behalf of the women, sets a condition: the men must wait for a year to see if their affections change. The four ladies depart gracefully. Although the play is titled A Midsummer Night's Dream, the plot actually demonstrates that love can conquer all. Shakespeare creates many laugh-out-loud jokes through clever plot devices, mocking the asceticism that rejects love and also the blindness of love. The entire play is filled with wordplay and puns. It encompasses all social classes, from the king and ministers to farmers and clowns, each with distinctive language that matches their respective statuses. The play also interweaves fresh and beautiful songs and folk songs, which are poetic and exude the fragrance of the English countryside, fully showcasing Shakespeare's linguistic genius.