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Zusatztext Praise for William Shakespeare: Complete Works: “A feast of literary and historical information.” -The Wall Street Journal Informationen zum Autor William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was a poet, playwright, and actor who is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language. Often referred to as the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare's vast body of work includes comedic, tragic, and historical plays; poems; and 154 sonnets. His dramatic works have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Klappentext Magic, love spells, and an enchanted wood provide the materials for one of Shakespeare's most delightful comedies. When four young lovers, fleeing the law and their own mismatched rivalries, take to the forest of Athens, their lives become entangled with a feud between the King and Queen of the Fairies, resulting in a marvelous mix-up of desire and enchantment, merriment and farce.... This title in the Signet Classics Shakespeare series includes: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, Wolfgang Clemen • A note on the sources from which Shakespeare derived A Midsummer Night's Dream • Dramatic criticism from William Hazlitt, John Russell Brown, Frank Hermode, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable format • Recommended readingsChapter 1 list of parts THESEUS, Duke of Athens HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus EGEUS, an Athenian courtier, father to Hermia LYSANDER, in love with Hermia HERMIA, in love with Lysander, but ordered by her father to marry Demetrius DEMETRIUS, in love with Hermia, though once a suitor to Helena HELENA, in love with Demetrius Peter QUINCE, a carpenter and leader of an amateur dramatic group, who speaks the PROLOGUE to their play Nick BOTTOM, a weaver, who plays PYRAMUS in the amateur play Francis FLUTE, a bellows-mender, who plays THISBE in the amateur play SNUG, a joiner, who plays a LION in the amateur play Tom SNOUT, a tinker, who plays a WALL in the amateur play Robin STARVELING, a tailor, who plays MOONSHINE in the amateur play OBERON, King of Fairies TITANIA, Queen of Fairies ROBIN Goodfellow, also known as Puck, a sprite in the service of Oberon PEASEBLOSSOM COBWEB MOTH MUSTARDSEED PHILOSTRATE, an official in Theseus' court Other Attendants at the court of Theseus; other Fairies attendant upon Oberon Act 1 [Scene 1] running scene 1 Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, with others [Philostrate and attendants] THESEUS Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in Another moon: but O, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes; she lingers my desires, Like to a stepdame or a dowager Long withering out a young man's revenue. HIPPOLYTA Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights, Four nights will quickly dream away the time. And then the moon, like to a silver bow New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities. THESEUS Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments, Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth, Turn melancholy forth to funerals: The pale companion is not for our pomp. [Exit Philostrate] Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries. But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph and with revelling. Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius EGEUS Happy be Theseus, our renownèd duke. THESEUS Thanks, good Egeus: wh...
