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Author: Zhang Xinyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-11-01
Features: A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's early comedies with the most cheerful tone. The plot summary is as follows: The King of Navarre and three noble courtiers swear to abstain from women for three years. Unexpectedly, the King of France sends his princess with three maids to negotiate the ownership of a certain territory. The four men quickly abandon their initial resolve and fall in love with each other. Thus, four pairs of lovers perform a series of romantic and comical scenes. Suddenly, the French messenger arrives to report the death of the French King, and the princess must return immediately. The princess, on behalf of the women, stipulates that the men must wait for a year to see if their feelings remain true. The four ladies gracefully depart. Although the play is titled A Midsummer Night's Dream, the plot actually demonstrates how love can overcome everything. Shakespeare creates many laugh-out-loud jokes through clever plot devices, mocking the asceticism that abandons love, as well as the blindness of love. The entire play is filled with wordplay and puns. The play encompasses all social strata, from the king and ministers to the farmers and clowns, each with language that perfectly matches their characters' identities. The play also includes many fresh and beautiful songs and folk songs, which are poetic and exude the fragrance of the British countryside, fully showcasing Shakespeare's linguistic genius.