#21: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

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100 books, book review, books, classics, drama, literature, Shakespeare

Nearly a week ago I finished reading Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream but have only now found the time to sit down and write my review.  I picked this play for several reasons.  First, I love Shakespeare and am slowly working my way through all of his plays.  Second, this is one of the most frequently performed of his plays and I wanted to correct this gap in my literary knowledge.  Third, I wanted something short, quick, and entertaining.  A Midsummer Night’s Dream definitely met the last requirement.

To say that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about relationships would be a bit of an understatement.  There are relationships piled on top of relationships in this particular play.  There is Theseus, Duke of Athens, who is engaged to Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.  There is Hermia, and Athenian maiden whose father has pledged her to marry Demetrius but who loves Lysander.  There is Helena, who loves Demetrius but cannot sway him from his desire for Hermia.  There is Oberon, King of the Fairies and his queen, Titania.  Finally, there is Pyramus and Thisbe, the main characters in a (supposedly) tragic play-within-the-play acted out by some humble Athenian craftsmen.  These relationships frame the action throughout the play and offer many opportunities for comic misunderstanding.

These relationships form three plotlines that are woven together.  The first plotline revolves around the Athenian lovers.  Hermia wants to marry Lysander but has been pledged to Demetrius by her father.  Her father uses an ancient Athenian law to force his daughter to choose between marrying Demetrius or death.  Theseus, as duke, is forced to resolve the issue.  He gives Hermia the choice between marrying Demetrius or becoming a nun in the service of Diana.  Lysander and Hermia plot to flee Athens and get married in the woods outside of Theseus’ jurisdiction.  Helena, in a fit of jealousy, informs Demetrius of the plans of his supposed bride in the hopes that he will be so grateful that he abandons Hermia in favor of Helena.  Demetrius and Helena prepare to pursue Hermia and Lysander.  While all of this is occurring, a group of simple Athenian craftsmen makes plans to rehearse a play in honor of the impending nuptials between Theseus and Hippolyta.  Their chosen rehearsal location is the very same clearing in the woods at which Hermia and Lysander plan to wed (and Helena and Demetrius plan to confront them).  Confused yet?

The action then moves to the woods, where we encounter Oberon, King of the Fairies.  Oberon is in the middle of a dispute with Titania, Queen of the Fairies.  Oberon is angry with Titania because she refuses to give an Indian changeling who was the son of one of her followers to Oberon to act as his knight.  Oberon plots a bit of trickery to punish Titania for her obstinacy and sends his servant Puck to retrieve a magical flower whose juice can be applied to a person’s eyelids while they sleep, causing them to fall in love with whatever they see first upon awakening.  His plan is to make Titania fall in love with a woodland creature and then shame her back into obedience.  While plotting this revenge, he overhears Helena’s struggle to win Demtrius’ favor.  He tells Puck to apply the juice to Demetrius’ eyes as well so that he will return Helena’s love.  Puck accidentally applies the magic juice to Lysander’s eyes instead, who sees Helena when he awakes.  When Oberon learns of the mistake, he charms Demetrius’ eyes and sends Puck to retrieve Helena.  Demetrius falls for Helena and challenges Lysander to a duel to determine whose love is greater.  Fortunately, Puck distracts the two men until all of the lovers fall asleep and Oberon removes the charm from Lysander.  That leaves Lysander and Hermia paired, and Helena and Demetrius together. 

While all of this is happening, the six craftsmen are practicing their play.  Puck changes Bottom, a weaver playing the part of Pyramus, into a man with the head of an ass (my older brother has sported that look for years).  Titania, under the influence of the magic flower, falls in love with the transformed Bottom (that would make a great name for an exercise program).  While she is thus distracted, Oberon steals the changeling.  He then transforms Bottom back to his natural state and lifts the spell from Titania.  Puck arranges for the Athenian lovers to believe that everything was only a dream. 

The action then returns to Athens, where the happy couples of Theseus and Hippolyta, Lysander and Hermia, and Demetrius and Helena are all married.  The craftsmen act out their play, the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe.  The lack of skill and rehearsal, and hypersensitivity to the women in the audience render the tragic play laughable.  The newlyweds watch the play with glee and then retire to bed.   Oberon and Titania, now reconciled, visit the house of the duke and bless the weddings.  The play concludes with Puck apologizing to the audience for any offence and reminding them it all may have been just a dream.

I loved this play.  Shakespeare is always a pleasure to read by virtue of his language, but this play was enjoyable because it is just plain fun.  The plotline borders on the absurd and the characters are somewhat ridiculous, resulting in a play that is lighthearted and farcical.  That said, it still explores the complex nature of relationships and the importance of love.  The final act, in which the newlyweds laugh at the ridiculous tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, is a wonderful bit of irony.  I would definitely recommend this play for anyone looking for a pleasant afternoon read.

The Current Count

21 Read, 79 To Go

#49: Richard III by William Shakespeare

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100 books, book review, books, drama, literature, Shakespeare

Tonight I wrapped up Shakespeare’s War of the Roses tetralogy with Richard III.  This is the play that inspired me to read the entire saga.  I read an article a few weeks ago that described Kevin Spacey’s recent performance as the titular Richard III.  I am a huge fan of Kevin Spacey.  The guy is amazingly versatile, and the picture of him as Richard had me hooked.  When I discovered that this was the last in a series of four plays, I decided to tackle the entire group.  I enjoyed them all, but Richard III is definitely my favorite.

Kevin Spacey as Richard III

I have previously discussed Shakespeare’s amazing psychological insight and masterful depiction of politics. I won’t revisit those themes.  Instead, I will focus on the title character.  Richard is easily one of my favorite Shakespearean villains.  This guy is like Darth Vader and Michael Corleone combined.  Machiavellian doesn’t even begin to describe him.  Richard is the bad guy who you can’t help but like.  The only thing I would change about the play was the ending.  I wish Richard had won in the end.  This isn’t Shakespeare’s fault, as he was restrained by historical events.  Despite the ending, this was an outstanding play and well worth the effort.  Take the time to read all three parts of Henry VI first in order to get the entire back story.

The Current Count:

49 Read, 51 To Go

#48: Henry VI, Part 3 by William Shakespeare

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100 books, book review, books, drama, literature, Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3 continues the War of the Roses saga where Part 2 left off.  The forces of the house of Lancaster, nominally led by Henry VI, have been defeated by the forces of Plantagenet, led by Richard, Duke of York.  York pursues Henry and Queen Margaret to London, where he forces the king to adopt him as heir.  Henry will be allowed to rule for the duration of his life.  After that the regal power will pass to Richard and his sons.  Needless to say, Henry’s wife and son are less than thrilled.

What follows is a series of battles between the two sides, with each faction trading victories.  Richard is killed in battle and his title passes to his eldest son Edward, who assumes the titles of both king and Duke of York.  Together with his brothers, he continues the struggle against Henry and the forces of Lancaster.  After several vacillations of fortune, the Plantagenets emerge victorious.  Henry is killed and Edward appears secure on the throne.

I loved this play.  Shakespeare is a master of portraying political intrigue.  The various motivations that drive the actions of every character are expertly presented.  These motivations set the stage perfectly for the final part of the tetralogy.  I look forward to finishing the saga with Richard III.

The Current Count:

48 Read, 52 To Go

#36: Samson Agonistes by John Milton

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100 books, book review, books, classics, drama

Over the past week I have been reading Nikos Kazantzakis’ Report to Greco.  It is one of the greatest books I have ever read, but is very overwhelming.  You simply cannot read it all the way through in a few days.  It is a book that needs to be savored.  It demands reflection and meditation.  For that reason, it is still unfinished.  Simply put, I needed a break.  It is so evocative that it actually tires the reader.  In order to give Report to Greco the close attention it deserves, I decided to take a break and read something else today.  My choice was the dramatic poem Samson Agonistes by John Milton.

Milton’s Paradise Lost is (in my opinion) the greatest work of English literature ever.  It is the closest thing to Homer that the English language has ever produced.  His next best known work is the companion to Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained.  It is also outstanding, but is less epic in scope than Paradise Lost.  Beyond those two poems, few of Milton’s works are widely known.  That is an absolute shame.  Milton and Shakespeare are the twin pillars of English literature.  Shakespeare is Aeschylus, the unmatchable playwright.  Milton is Homer, the epic genius. 

Samson Agonistes finds Milton straying into Shakespeare’s territory.  Milton calls the work a ‘dramatic poem,’ meaning a play that is meant only to be read, rather than performed.  The play tells the story of Samson after his betrayal by Delilah and capture by the Philistines.  He is now a slave, blinded by his captors.  His hair has grown back and his strength has returned, but is used only to work the mill in Gaza for his captors.  On the day of the play, a great feast is being held in honor of the Philistine god Dagon to celebrate the triumph over Samson.  As Samson bewails his fate, he is visited by a group of Hebrews who seek to comfort him.  He is inconsolable.  He is visited by his father, who intends to ransom the unlucky hero.  Samson is unmoved.  He is visited by Delilah, who seeks forgiveness.  He rebuffs her advances.  He is visited by a celebrated Philistine giant (the father of Goliath) who insists he would have defeated Samson on the battlefield.  Samson challenges him to a fight, but the giant declines.  Finally, Samson is visited by a messenger demanding he attend the feast so that the Philistines may show off their vanquished foe.  He refuses at first, but eventually sees God’s hand in the invitation.  He attends the banquet and performs every feat of strength demanded by his captors.  Samson then proposes a greater feat of strength than any yet attempted and tears down the two pillars supporting the roof of the hall.  Both Samson and the Philistine nobles are killed by the collapse of the building.

Samson brings down the house.

This play is an excellent example of Milton’s genius.  He follows all of the rules of Classical Greek tragedy.  For that reason, it is a very different play from any of Shakespeare’s.  The language is beautiful and moving.  The characters are absolutely believable.  Milton’s psychological insight is remarkable.  Samson is one of the great dramatic heroes of all time.  I highly recommend this play to anyone with an interest in English literature.  It is a relatively quick read (around 50 pages) and very rewarding.

The Current Count: 36 Read, 64 To Go

#14: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

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100 books, book review, books, drama, Shakespeare

Over the next six weeks, my students will be reading and studying my favorite of Shakespeare‘s plays, Julius Caesar.  I decided to read it again yesterday to refresh my memory before making my lesson plans.  If you have not read Julius Caesar, you should be ashamed!  It is the classic version of the assassination of Caesar by Marcus Junius Brutus and his co-conspirators.  The play features some of Shakespeare’s most memorable lines and has influenced countless later works of literature.  Antony’s funeral oration is a study in the use of propaganda (and will make for some great lessons).  The examination of what makes power legitimate and how far men are entitled to go in defense of their liberties is as relevant today as it was in Caesar’s Rome or Shakespeare’s England.  I am extremely excited about teaching this play for the next few weeks!

The Current Count:

14 Read, 86 To Go

#9: The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

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100 books, book review, books, classics, drama, literature, Shakespeare

After trudging part of the way through both Homer’s Iliad and Nietzsche’s Human, All Too Human, I decided to take a break and read something a bit more lighthearted.  Shakespeare is the obvious choice, right?  I am an English teacher, and as you might suspect, I love Shakespeare.  He and Milton are the two authors that make the English language sound the best it possibly can.  One of my eventual goals is to read every one of Shakespeare’s plays.  Before yesterday, I had read 14 out of roughly 38 (a few are disputed).  Most of those 14 are either tragedies or histories.  Yesterday I decided to kill two birds with one stone.  I would read another Shakespeare play, but I would read a comedy to lighten things up after several days with Homer and Nietzsche.

I settled on The Comedy of Errors.  This is definitely one of Shakespeare’s lighter plays.  It features two sets of twin brothers separated at birth.  One set of twins are wealthy, and the other set are poor.  The parents of the wealthy twins purchase the poor twins shortly after birth to be lifelong servants for their two sons.  A shipwreck on the way home separates the family.  The father is rescued by one boat with a twin from each set, and the mother is rescued by another boat with the other two twins.  Twenty years later, the two sets of twins wind up in the same city and an amusing sequence of events follows.  Each twin has the same name as his brother, though none of them know it.  Repeatedly mistaken identities, marital strife exacerbated by the mix-ups, beatings, arrests, and accusations of demonic possession make this play an extremely enjoyable farce. 

Many critics have dismissed The Comedy of Errors as simple comedic fluff.  I strongly disagree.  Beyond his linguistic skill, I believe that one of Shakespeare’s greatest gifts is his perception of relationship dynamics.  All of his plays read as studies in interpersonal relations.  The Comedy of Errors showcases a multitude of relationships in a very insightful way.  I also thought that the confusion regarding the identity of the twins can offer an interesting perspective on the world we currently inhabit, with identity theft such an enormous problem.  I would recommend The Comedy of Errors to any Shakespeare fan looking for a change of pace from the histories and tragedies.  I should have another post or two in the next few days, so please check back soon!

The Current Count:

9 Read, 91 To Go