A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, Wolfgang Clemen (Editor)

Kick-Butt Funnyby Good_Pilgrim

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April 06, 2009: As far as the Bard's comedy goes, this is the kick-buttest. Every scene is hysterical in a beautiful blend of slap-stick and wit. The only problem is that today's audiences will not understand it quite so easily. That is where Signet Classics and Wolfgang Clemen come in. The notes at the bottom of each page are monumentally helpful and very quick and easy to reference. Clemen did his research. There's not a bit of humor that will get past the reader of this edition.

I Also Recommend: A Spell for Chameleon (Magic of Xanth #1), The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Tartuffe, Importance of Being Earnest and Four (Barnes & Noble Classics Series).

Midsummer Night's Dream Review- World Litby Anonymous

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August 25, 2008: In my opinion, Shakespeare is one of the greatest playwrights of all time. A Midsummer Night?s Dream proves to be no exception. The reason I read this book is because I am a theatre fanatic and will be performing A Midsummer Night?s Dream in the fall. Usually I am not a fan of books and reading, but this book kept me interested the entire time while reading it. The language is similar to Shakespeare?s other works, eloquent and meaningful. The situational irony makes the novel one of Shakespeare?s most interesting comedies. The plot is somewhat complicated and twisted. The story opens with he main character, Hermia, being married to Demetrius, although she loves Lysander. At the same time, the other main character Helena desires to pursue Demetrius, and will do anything for his love. She is saddened by the fact that Hermia will be married to Demetrius even though she doesn?t love him. Already with in the first few minutes of the story, the plot is twisted. I will try not to give away too much of the plot of the novel, but throughout the book, magic is used to twist the perception of the four main characters. They begin to act different and see others in a different light, falling in love with others than whom they are supposed to marry. Having such an intricate and somewhat hard to follow plot ensures that the reader will remain attentive while reading the novel or else they will be left unsatisfied and confused. While I read the novel, it almost seemed like a chase or a guessing game to find out who would be under a spell next and what it would do to them. Another ironic part about this book is that while the plot is somewhat twisted, the text is fairly easy to understand and follow. The end of the book is a happy ending, leaving the reader satisfied. After all the commotion, the ending is comical and happy. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Shakespeare, especially his comedies. If you find it difficult to read Shakespearean text or do not appreciate the language, this book might not be for you, but at least watch the film or the play because it is certainly an experience worth reading and/or watching.