Year 9 English
William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
INTRODUCTION
This page has been created to support the Year 9 English study of William Shakespeare’s play:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Use this page to find a range of print and digital resources to support your learning.
Created by: Ms Bright | Last updated: July 30, 2022
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“The course of true love never did run smooth”
(Lysander, Act 1 Scene 1)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play about love and magic, and we could say that it is a Shakespearean rom-com (i.e. a romantic comedy).
And although William Shakespeare lived over 400 years ago his plays still influence our modern times.
References to his plays can be seen in many aspects of our popular culture, for example, Stephanie Meyer drew inspiration for the fourth book of her Twilight series from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Click Here for more on how you can learn to love Shakespeare!
This is how the story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream goes…
Schooling Online. (n.d). A Midsummer Night’s Dream Full Plot Summary (Act 1-5) [Video]. https://youtu.be/EWZGFHf961g
An Infographic:
Sparknotes. (n.d). A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Infographic [Image]. http://www.wsmcc.org/index-57.html
Ted-Ed. (2018, December 4). Why should you read “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”? – Iseult Gillespie [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/xCI6o-kbqrs
Below is a small selection of non-fiction print resources about the life and times of William Shakespeare and his play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Use the shelf Call No indicated to locate the items. You will be able to locate further items on the shelves at 792.0942 and 822.33.
William Shakespeare – Life and times
822.33B
Reid, S. (2003).The life and world of William Shakespeare. Heinemann Library.
Find out about who Shakespeare was in this brief biographical text.
822.33D
Kuiper, K. (Ed.). (2013).The life and times of William Shakespeare. Britannica Educational Pub.
William Shakespeare – The theatre
792.0942 MOR
Morley, J., & James, J. (1994). Shakespeare’s theatre. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Contents: Medieval theatre; The Globe Theatre; A Midsummer night’s dream; The life of a poet; Indoor theatres
822.33B
Shuter, J. (2014).Shakespeare and the theatre. London, England: Raintree.
This book outlines the world of the theatre in which William Shakespeare wrote and did business.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Play (Graphic novel or Prose format)
822.33 P7
Brown, K., Appignanesi, R., & Shakespeare, W. (2008). A midsummer night’s dream. Self Made Hero.
Manga version
822.33 H
Deary, T., & Shakespeare, W. (2009). 10 best Shakespeare stories ever! Scholastic.
You can locate this book in the Lorna Dickson Library.
Romeo & Juliet: The Play – Analysis
822.33 P7
McMahon, M. (2001). William Shakespeare’s : a midsummer night’s dream. Hungry Minds.
Enhance your reading the play with a commentary for each act, a look at the historical context and structure of the play, discussions on the play’s symbols and themes and a character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters.
822.33 P7This casebook begins by establishing the dramatic and literary concerns of the play, such as structure, themes, poetic language, and original sources and classical inspiration. Four historical context chapters consider attitudes toward gender relations, social distinctions, popular culture, and imagination in Shakespeare’s time, revealing contemporary social and political issues and debates reflected in the comedy.
822.33 P7
Shakespeare, W. (2003). A midsummer night’s dream. Spark.
Contains complete text with side-by-side plain English, a complete list of characters with descriptions and helpful commentary.
eBooks
eBook
Ashworth, L. (1997).William Shakespeare. Bath, U.K: Cherrytree Books.
This book tells the story of Shakespeare and the times he lived in.
eBook
Jay, R. (2000). Shakespeare : a beginner’s guide. Hodder & Stoughton.
Free to loan from the Internet Archive. Create a free account.
This beginner’s guide contains the essential facts and concepts of the Bard and his work. It examines Shakespeare’s life and the times he lived in, as well as the language of the day and the themes and elements of his work. Key concepts are highlighted and explained in jargon-free language.
eBook
Sherborne, M. (2000). A midsummer night’s dream, William Shakespeare. York Press.
Free to loan from the Internet Archive. Create a free account.
‘York Notes Advanced’ offer an accessible approach to English Literature. This series has been completely updated to meet the needs of today’s A-level and undergraduate students. Written by established literature experts, York Notes Advanced introduce students to more sophisticated analysis, a range of critical perspectives and wider contexts.
eBook
William Shakespeare. (2012). A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Stone Arch Books.
A graphic novel adaptation.
Use your keywords to search the Online Databases. Below is the relevant database for this task.
Bloom’s Literature
Here are some suggested articles available in this databases:
Wells, J. (2022). A midsummer night’s dream: Critical introduction to the play. In The Facts On File Companion to Shakespeare, Third Edition. Bloom’s Literature database.
The famous critic Maynard Mack once cannily observed, “A Midsummmer Night’s Dream has qualities that prompt one to regard it as a loving and perhaps even fully conscious study of what the imagination can and cannot do” (278). The functions of the imagination turn out to be central to understanding the key issues in the play—namely, love, theater, and the possibility of transformation in both.
Gleed, P. (2017). How to write about A midsummer night’s dream. In Bloom’s How to Write about William Shakespeare. Bloom’s Literature database.
On first reading, the play can be as confusing as it is fun, and you might feel at times as lost in the play as the lovers are lost in the forest. But MND houses its motifs of confusion, blurring, and distortion in a tightly arranged and scrupulously written play, one filled with parallel movements and consistent thematic patterns, both extremely useful to the essay writer. Indeed, even the most frustrating confusion of all for the first-time reader, that of the indistinguishable lovers and the twisting movement of their affections, is actually just another part of the play’s well-structured conversation on the theme of love.
BBC Education. (2018 ). About Shakespeare. Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z726yrd
Access the following 5 learner guides:
Audience and social attitudes
Learn about who went to the theatre in Shakespeare’s day. This Includes information about class, women and other forms of Elizabethan entertainment.
Beliefs and superstitions
Find out what people believed back in Shakespeare’s time. Includes information about religion, the Great Chain of Being, witches and the body.
Shakespeare’s life and inspiration
Learn about his life and how he came to be one of the world’s most loved writers.
Language and relevance
Language plays an important part in Shakespeare’s plays. He uses language in different ways to entertain the audience. Learn about the words he invented and why we still use them today.
Performance
Learn about what it was like to put on a performance in Shakespeare’s day. Includes information about actors and acting companies, patronage, The Globe theatre, sound and costumes.
Note: some of the video’s in these guides may not play in Australia, but the clear revision notes make this site worth visiting.
Access the following 5 learner guides:
Plot summary
This page takes you step by step through the play, helping you to identify key plot points. Includes a video to watch.
Characters
Take an in-depth look at the main ones identifying their key attributes and relationships and analysing their part in the play.
Themes
Explore the main themes of love, appearance and reality, and order and disorder – looking at how they affect characters and influence the story.
Language
Shakespeare is renowned for the language he used and often invented new words. Explore the way he uses rhythm and rhyme and imagery and metaphor in the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Performance analysis
There are many different ways to interpret and perform Shakespeare’s plays. Watch the videos and decide how you would perform the following scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
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- Act 1 Scene 2 – Staging the argument between Oberon and Titania
- Act 1 Scene 2 – Rehearsing Titania pampering Bottom in her fairy bower
Read about the theatres, audiences, acting and staging.
Sparknotes. (n.d.). A midsummer night’s dream. https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/msnd/
This website provides a study guide for the play and the No Fear translation with audio. No Fear Shakespeare puts Shakespeare’s language side-by-side with a facing-page translation into modern English—the kind of English people actually speak today.
Explore this comprehensive guide to Shakespeare’s world, including biographical details, the historical and social context.
Paradigm Education, LLC. (n.d.). My Shakespeare : Midsummer Night’s Dream. https://myshakespeare.com/midsummer-nights-dream/act-1-scene-1
Highly recommended. Interactive. This site provides a full-text, interactive edition of the play with a contemporary translation to make Shakespeare’s language more approachable; audio readings of each scene; popup notes offering insights into Shakespeare’s literary devices; animated videos that explore the play and its context; performances of key scenes bringing Shakespeare’s language to life; and, interviews with the characters occur as events unfold. Use the ‘Play Menu’ to navigate to resources and scenes.
Royal Shakespeare Company. (2018). Shakespeare Learning Zone: ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream. https://www.rsc.org.uk/shakespeare-learning-zone/a-midsummer-nights-dream
Highly recommended and interactive.
All of the information you need about the play is divided into four sections: Story, Characters, Language and Staging.
Then each section has three different levels of information. Choose which level is right for you or simply move between them to find what you need.
The videos in this website may not play due to geo-blocking, but this doesn’t detract from the usefulness of this site.
The Play
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Video Summary
VideoSparknotes. (2010, October 30). Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream summary. [Video]. https://youtu.be/M1wMfOwlAZ8
In film
Shakespeare, W., Hoffman, M. (Director)., & Urdang, L. (Producer). (1999). A Midsummer Night’s Dream [Video]. Regency Enterprises.
A stellar cast, headed by Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline, bring Shakespeare’s most romantic comedy to life. When two pairs of star-crossed lovers, a troop of inept amateur actors, a fueding pair of supernatural sprites and a love potion gone awry all come together in an enchanted moonlit forest, the result is an unequalled mixture of merriment and magic. Also starring Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci and Rupert Everett.
Other adpatations
In the theatre
Hytner, N. (Director). (2019, June 25). A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare [Theatre Production]. National Theatre.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 2016
Kerr, D. (Director). (2016). A Midsummer Night’s Dream summary. [Video]. BBC
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Animated adaptation
Edwards, D. (Director) & Sahakyants, R. (Director). (1992). Shakespeare’s animated tales: A Midsummer Night’s Dream summary. [Video]. Soyuzmultfilm; Christmas Films; Sianel 4 Cymru.
Analysis
Context and background
ClickView. (2017). Context and background [Video]. ClickView database.
Understanding the context and background of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is critical to appreciating the techniques Shakespeare employed when creating this comedic literary classic. This programme deconstructs the play in an engaging and playful way, using dialogue between some of its key characters to investigate its context and background. Teachers note: From the video link, select “Resources” to download worksheets and lesson plans. Includes an interactive video.
Characters – Helena, Puck & Bottom
ClickView. (2017). The Characters of Helena, Puck, and Bottom [Video]. ClickView database.
Shakespeare develops a broad range of memorable and contrasting characters from ancient Athens in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’: royalty, nobility, lowly craftsmen – and fairies. This programme deconstructs the comedy in an engaging way using dialogue to examine some of its key characters, including Titania, Demetrius, Helena, Puck, Lysander, Hermia, and Bottom.
Teachers note: From the video link, select “Resources” to download learning resources. Includes an interactive video.
Comedic techniques
ClickView. (2017). Comedic Techniques [Video]. ClickView database.
Shakespeare’s classic, immortal comedy has all the ingredients – love stories, tricks and pranks, disguise and mistaken identity, muddle and misunderstanding. This programme deconstructs ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in an engaging and playful way, using dialogue between some of its characters to explore its comedic elements.
Teachers note: From the video link, select “Resources” to download learning resources. Includes an interactive video.
Theme of dreams
ClickView. (2017). Theme of dreams [Video]. ClickView database.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ explores dreams and imagination – the blurred lines between dreams and waking, what is real and what is not, what is reasonable…and what is not. This clip deconstructs ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in an engaging and playful way, using dialogue between some of its key characters to observe the nature of dreams.
Teachers note: From the video link, select “Resources” to download learning resources. Includes an interactive video.
Shakespeare today – A series of 8 videos by Schools Online:
Context
Watch this video to learn about Shakespeare’s fascinating world, and its influence on the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Watch the Elizabethan era come to life and come to a deeper understanding of Elizabethan comedy, views on gender, the Renaissance, and much more!
Watch this video to discover how Shakespeare explores order and chaos in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. See what happens when the natural order is challenged, and chaos takes over. Along the way, learn how to analyse important quotes and techniques that illustrate this theme.
Theme of Love
Watch this video to discover how Shakespeare explores the complexities of love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. See that these humorous characters and situations can cause us to deepen our understanding of love and how we behave when we are in love. Along the way, learn how to analyse important quotes and techniques that illustrate this theme.
Theme of Gender
Watch this video to discover how Shakespeare explores gender roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Decide for yourself: has Shakespeare challenged traditional gender roles, or does he ultimately reaffirm societal beliefs about gender? Along the way, learn how to analyse important quotes and techniques that illustrate this theme.
Appearance vs Reality
Watch this video to discover how Shakespeare explores the tension between appearances and reality in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. See how love, social pressures and even Shakespeare himself can make it hard to tell the difference between what we perceive and what is really there. Along the way, learn how to analyse important quotes and techniques that illustrate this theme.
Theme of the Supernatural
Watch this video to discover how Shakespeare explores the supernatural in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. See what makes this play so magical as you experience the other-worldly realms of ancient gods and fairies. Along the way, learn how to analyse important quotes and techniques that illustrate this theme.
Key Analysis Quotes: Part 1
After watching this video, you will be able to support your discussion of the play’s themes with detailed textual analysis. This lesson unpacks the best quotes from the first half of the play.
Key Analysis Quotes: Part 2
After watching this video, you will be able to support your discussion of the play’s themes with detailed textual analysis. This lesson unpacks the best quotes from the second half of the play.
Shakespeare’s Language
Ted-Ed. (2015, January 27). Why Shakespeare loved iambic pentameter – David T. Freeman and Gregory Taylor [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/I5lsuyUNu_4
A look into the rhythm of Shakespeare’s words reveals a poet deeply rooted in the way people spoke in his time — and still speak today. Why do Shakespeare’s words have such staying power? David T. Freeman and Gregory Taylor uncover the power of iambic pentameter (Ted-Ed).
The Playwright – William Shakespeare
Biography. (2012, December 12). William Shakespeare – Mini Biography [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/geev441vbMI
Watch a short video biography of William Shakespeare.
General teaching resources
Ebooks from EBSCO
Diehn, A. (2016). Shakespeare : Investigate the Bard’s Influence on Today’s World. Nomad Press.
Folger Shakespeare Library
Shakespeare | Folger Shakespeare Library
A Midsummer Night’s Dream | The Folger Shakespeare Library
A Modern Perspective: A Midsummer Night’s Dream | The Folger Shakespeare Library
Matrix Education
Y7 ENGLISH – Introducing Shakespeare, Lesson 3 The Shakespearean Theatre (matrix.edu.au)
Royal Shakespeare Company
Learning resources | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Royal Shakespeare Company (rsc.org.uk)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Shakespeare Learning Zone (rsc.org.uk)
ClickView
Bitesize Shakespeare https://clickv.ie/w/DV_i
Image Credits
Enchanted forest [Image]. (n.d.). https://wallpapersafari.com/w/wIBNmb