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A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Did Shakespeare have a specific reason for writing this play?
A Midsummer Night's Dream was probably written in 1596, making it the last of Shakespeare's early comedies. Here he again explores the familiar themes art versus life, dreams versus reality within a stock comedy form of young couple(s) pitted against paternal authority. Shakespeare may have incorporated bits and pieces into A Midsummer Night's Dream that he had written years before but was unable to fit into his other early comedies. Nevertheless, most historians believe that the occasion for both the play's composition and of its dramatic complications is marriage. The...
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- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Introduction
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Summary
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: William Shakespeare Biography
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Reading Shakespeare
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: List of Characters
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Historical Background
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Summary and Analysis
- Act I, Scene 1: Summary and Analysis
- Act I, Scene 2: Summary and Analysis
- Act II, Scene 1: Summary and Analysis
- Act II, Scene 2: Summary and Analysis
- Act III, Scene 1: Summary and Analysis
- Act III, Scene 2: Summary and Analysis
- Act IV, Scene 1: Summary and Analysis
- Act IV, Scene 2: Summary and Analysis
- Act V, Scene 1: Summary and Analysis
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Critical Commentary
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Quizzes
- Act I, Scene 1: Questions and Answers
- Act I, Scene 2: Questions and Answers
- Act II, Scene 1: Questions and Answers
- Act II, Scene 2: Questions and Answers
- Act III, Scene 1: Questions and Answers
- Act III, Scene 2: Questions and Answers
- Act IV, Scene 1: Questions and Answers
- Act IV, Scene 2: Questions and Answers
- Act V, Scene 1: Questions and Answers
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Essential Passages
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Themes
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Character Analysis
- Note on the Character Analysis
- Bottom (Character Analysis)
- Demetrius (Character Analysis)
- Helena (Character Analysis)
- Hermia (Character Analysis)
- Hippolyta (Character Analysis)
- Lysander (Character Analysis)
- Oberon (Character Analysis)
- Puck (Character Analysis)
- Theseus (Character Analysis)
- Other Characters (Descriptions)
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Principal Topics
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Essays
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Criticism
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Selected Quotes
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Suggested Essay Topics
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Sample Essay Outlines
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Modern Connections
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: FAQs
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Bibliography and Further Reading
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Pictures
- Copyright
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