Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.84 Word Nerd: Purple Grain
Before the advent of modern chemistry in the 19th century, one of the most unusual natural coloring agents was a red dye made by grinding up the bodies of insects living on cacti in Central America. This dye was known as "purple in...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.245 Word Nerd: Nymph
Tthe word nymph derives from the latin verb "nubrey," to mary in ancient latin. The word, "nymph" referred to a woman who was ready to marry because she had reached sexual maturity. In medieval English, however, nymph was used to refer...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.231 Apollo and Daphne
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena references the myth of Apollo and Daphne. Cupid's arrows cause Apollo to love Daphne and Daphne to detest Apollo, leading to her transformation into a laurel tree as Apollo nearly captures her. Apollo...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.195 Word Nerd: Adamant
The word "adamant" originates from the Latin word "aramas," meaning a hard stone, and has evolved to denote anything unbreakable. In Shakespeare's era, "adamant" specifically referred to a lodestone or naturally occurring magnet,...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.158 Word Nerd: Vestal
The term "vestal" originates from Vesta, an ancient Roman goddess, and was initially associated with the Vestal Virgins who served her temple in Rome, pledging thirty years of chastity. By Shakespeare's time, "vestal" had broadened to...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.137 | Historical Allusion: India
Less than a decade before Shakespeare wrote "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the English Navy had defeated the Spanish Armada, paving the way for English dominance in global trade, notably through the establishment of the East India Trading...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.12 Animated Note: Cowslip Pensioners
In Shakespeare's era, "pensioners" referred to a group of noblemen closely associated with the English monarch, forming an honor guard and receiving a pension for their service. These gentleman pensioners were known for their extravagant...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 2.1.100 Imagery: Flooding
In Shakespeare's time, excessive rain posed as much risk to agriculture and livestock as drought did, leading to crop rot, washaways, and livestock drowning. This not only affected farmers negatively but also disrupted recreational...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.2: The Mechanicals
Explore the many ways Shakespeare creatively names his characters to reflect their respective trades. For example, "Quince the carpenter" refers to a carpentry tool, while "Snug the joiner" is a cabinet maker.
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.1.71 Word Nerd: Mew
The word "mew" originates from the Latin word "mutate," which means to change, and is the root of the English word "mutate." However, "mew" is specifically used to describe the molting process of a bird. This term has been extended...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.1.19 Word Nerd: Triumph
The term "triumph" originally comes from the Latin "triumpus," signifying the highest honor bestowed by the Roman Empire for a significant military victory. By Shakespeare's era, "triumph" had evolved to denote any public celebration, as...
Curated Video
A Midsummer Night's Dream 1.1.033 Word Nerd: Gaud
This video explores the etymology and historical context of the use of the word "gaud," relating it to a Latin word "gaudere," meaning to rejoice, and its association with a special kind of bead on a Catholic Rosary. It also touches on...
Schooling Online
Shakespeare Today: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Context
Watch this video to learn about Shakespeare’s fascinating world, and its influence on the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Watch the Elizabethan era come to life and come to a deeper understanding of Elizabethan comedy, views on gender,...
Schooling Online
Shakespeare Today: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Plot Summary
Love is in the air! Athens is abuzz with preparations for Theseus’ marriage to Hippolyta. Meanwhile, the younger Athenians are negotiating a tricky love triangle: Lysander and Hermia are in love, but Hermia’s father wants her to marry...
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ARCHIVAL - Theatre, Waterloo, London, UK. Midsummers Night Dream. 1950
ARCHIVAL - Theatre, Waterloo, London, UK. Midsummers Night Dream. 1950
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ARCHIVAL - Theatre, Waterloo, London, UK. Midsummers Night Dream. 1950
ARCHIVAL - Theatre, Waterloo, London, UK. Midsummers Night Dream. 1950
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'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars
Nate Butler at the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars at House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on July 8, 2006. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)
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'William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream' Premiere
Ticket at the 'William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream' Premiere at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood, California on April 26, 1999. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)
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This is London Archive: Poster for The Tempest and Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, London, United Kingdom. 1958.
This is London Archive: Poster for The Tempest and Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, London, United Kingdom. 1958.
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'William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream' Premiere
Movie Poster at the 'William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream' Premiere at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood, California on April 26, 1999. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)
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'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr at the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars at House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on July 8, 2006. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)
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'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars
Jermaine Dupri at the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars at House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on July 8, 2006. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)
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'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars
Shar Jackson at the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars at House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on July 8, 2006. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)
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'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars
Paul Pierce and Baron Davis at the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Annual Celebrity All-Star Charity Weekend Presented by LA Stars at House of Blues in West Hollywood, California on July 8, 2006. (Footage by WireImage Video/Getty Images)