A Midsummer Night's Dream

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare is a classic play, likely written in the late 16th century. This comedic work interweaves the lives of various characters, including lovers Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius, and explores themes of love, magic, and transformation, richly populated by both human and fairy characters. At the start of the play, we are introduced to Theseus and Hippolyta, who are preparing for their impending marriage. The plot quickly thickens with the entry of Egeus, who seeks the Duke's assistance in compelling his daughter Hermia to marry Demetrius, the suitor of her father's choice, despite her love for Lysander. In a pact to escape Athenian law and pursue their love, Lysander and Hermia plan to flee into the woods, but their plans are complicated by the magical involvement of the fairy king Oberon and his mischievous servant Puck, who initiates a chaotic chain of events that further entangles the desires and relationships of all involved. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.