Includes bibliographical references and index.

Machine generated contents note: -- List of Illustrations -- General editors' Preface -- Preface -- INTRODUCTION -- STAGE, SCREEN, ART -- The play in its time: staging and casting -- British productions: Restoration to nineteenth century -- British productions: the twentieth century and after -- Europe -- Beyond Europe -- Other media: cinema, music, art SOURCES AND ANALOGUES: FAIRIES AND MORTALS -- Fairies and fairy lore -- Ovid: the classics and the fairies -- Pyramus and Thisbe -- Theseus and Hippolyta: Plutarch, Chaucer and Shakespeare THEMES AND DESIGNS -- Pastoral: the forest -- Dreamers and Lovers -- Patriarchy -- Carnival, class, court -- Theatre, art and illusion -- The comedy of compromise LANGUAGE AND VERSE A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM -- Appendix 1: Casting Chart -- Appendix 2:Date and Occasion -- Appendix 3: The Text -- Abbreviations and References -- Index.

"The Arden Shakespeare is the established edition of Shakespeare's work. Justly celebrated for its authoritative scholarship and invaluable commentary, Arden editions guide you to a richer understanding and appreciation of Shakespeare's plays. This edition of A Midsummer Night's Dream provides a clear and authoritative text, detailed notes and commentary on the same page as the text and a full introduction discussing the critical and historical background to the play. The editor brings fresh perspectives on global productions and adaptations of this most loved of Shakespeare's comedies as well as new insights into this most-loved of Shakespeare's comedies"--Provided by publisher.