Question: Midsummer Night's Dream
Hello everybody in cyber land! How are you today!? =)
I'm in college, and am taking an English class next year for my minor!. I just got the reading list and found out we have to read "A Midsummer Night's Dream"!. Eek! I don't like Shakespeare at all!. I've had trouble reading all of his books that I've had to read for school in the past (I had to read MacBeth and The Tempest in 6th grade, Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet in 9th, King Lear in 10th, and thankfully got out of Hamlet in 12th grade, because I liked nothing we read so far)!. All in all, I'm afraid this is just going to be horrible on my grades!. I just don't understand what he's saying! haha!. How different is this one from all the others!? Any advice on reading the book!? Any Shakespeare translators out there!? Or movies based on this to watch!? :P
Advice is appreciated, thanks =)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Hi yourself, and I am just peachy, thanks for asking!
Yes, there is a movie, same name as the play, and its delightful!. It is in more modern English and is very easy to follow!. Any vid store should have it!.!.!.Blockbuster, etc!.!.!.
I know of a sight where they translate Shakespeare into modern English!.!.!.it may help!. Give me a few to find it, and I'll be right back to post it!. also, there is a book you can buy, or maybe even get at a library!.!.!.!.Alan Durband - Shakespeare Made Easy: A Midsummer Night's Dream!.
Midsummer is a little different than what you've read before!. It's one of his comedies!.!.!.this particular one is the best, imho!.
Well, lets get to it!.!.!.be right back!.!.!.!.!.!.
OK!.!.!.there they are!. Now, a bit of really good advice!. I now you don't like Shakespeare, but!.!.!.and this is big!.!.!.you have got to get used to reading him!. His language will put you off, and that's why people normally have trouble with him, the language he uses!. However, you can't read only a translation and not the real piece!. Sometimes in translation, a lot of feeling, meaning is lost!. That would be tragic, because for someone who wrote 400 years ago to still be "modern", that's incredible!. His plays are still valid!.!.!.doomed love, pride over sense, the odd things humans will do to get noticed!.!.!.these are all found in Shakespeare's plays!. So, read the original AND the translation AND get and watch the movie!. You never know, you might even end up enjoying it!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Well, I'm doing just marvelous!
I love Shakespeare, and MND is probably my favorite!. Its actually a really good storyline, and its funny!. I suggest getting Spark Notes, but don't completely rely on them!.!.!. Just give it a shot, and you will most likely really enjoy it!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I read it in seventh grade!! come on, it's not that hard!. but if you want a translation, try the no fear shakespeare version at barnes and nobles, which has the original text on one page and the translation across from it!. it also would help to see the play!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Time to start a study group, then you can each take a section to decipher!.
Yeah, tough one, that Willy!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
http://nfs!.sparknotes!.com/msnd/Www@QuestionHome@Com
I read A Midsummer Night's Dream in seventh grade!. It was hard to understand!. I bought a Spark-notes book for A Midsummer Night's Dream!. It really helped!. Instead of reading the real copy, I just followed along in the spark-notes since they had the original text and the translated text right across from each other!. I think that once you understand Shakespeare, it is very interesting!. You should probably get the Spark-notes copy from a library or Barnes and Nobles or any other book store!. It will help you a lot! There is a movie based in this book!. It is also called A Midsummer Night's Dream!. You could get it at a video store, Blockbuster or something!. also, there is a website based on the Spark-notes for "AMND"!. Here it is: http://nfs!.sparknotes!.com/msnd/
And maybe to test yourself every once in a while, you could answer these questions:
http://www!.glencoe!.com/sec/literature/li!.!.!.
Glad I could help =D
also, to give you an idea of what the book is about!.!. it's a love story-- A LOVE SQAURE
Check out some of the links below for more help =]
Www@QuestionHome@Com
Hey there fellow citizen in cyber land, I am just dandy!.
So Shakespeare, eh!? I love that man, I admire him for his intellegence, but yeah, he can be quite confusing at times, well at ALL times!.
Yet, dont get your knickers in a twist, cos you are in luck!. Midsummer Nights Dream is probably the easiest and most straightforward of his work!. It is also quite comical and you might yet enjoy it!.
The secret to Shakespeare is appreciating it, even if you don't like it!. Try to find the beauty in it!.
If you managed to make it through Macbeth, you have no worries for MSND!Www@QuestionHome@Com