Summary

Professor Foakes offers a new perspective on what is perhaps Shakespeare's most popular comedy, and also a profound, archetypal play. The introduction describes the two main traditions in the stage history of A Midsummer Night's Dream, one emphasising charm and innocence, the other stressing darker suggestions of violence and sexuality, and relates them to similar traditions in critical interpretation, showing that both are necessary to a full understanding of the play. A number of illustrations show the variety of ways in which the play has been staged, including Peter Brook's 1970 production. The concise editorial commentary is especially concerned to help the reader visualise the play in performance.