A Midsummer Night's Dream was
written in 1595 or 1596, at about the same time as Romeo and Juliet. There are evident
plot links between A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet, both
plays give emphasis to the conflict between love and social convention, but the
plot of "Pyramus and Thisbe," the play-within-the-play of A Midsummer
Night's Dream, parallels that of Romeo and Juliet. Critics
have wondered if Romeo and Juliet is a
serious reinterpretation of the other play, or just the opposite - perhaps
Shakespeare is mocking his tragic love story through the farce of "Pyramus and Thisbe."
Most critics
believe the play was written for and performed at an aristocratic wedding, with
Queen Elizabeth I in attendance.
Here you can find
my previous post about this enchanting play.
