A Midsummer Nights Dream Contrast free essay sample

Comparatively, Hoffman rewrote the Shakespeare play into a modern context where it was still the same play but in more of a 20th century setting. Watching â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream† from the movie’s point of view and not just the play can help the audience get more of a clear picture of the things that did not make sense in the play before. In the play, had a variety of characters which made this comedy interesting and original. Reading the play in its entirety is hard to comprehend right away, but watching what you read explains much more. The main lovers in the play are Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena. This is just a big mess because you have Hermia who refuses to follow her father’s orders to marry the man he has chosen for her named Demetrius. There is a conflict of interest because her father wants her to marry Demetrius but she is in love with other man named Lysander. We will write a custom essay sample on A Midsummer Nights Dream Contrast or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hermia’s father goes to the Duke of Athens Theseus where there by watching the movie the audience can help distinguish what kind of characters they are because being able to see it makes a clear picture. In Act 1 Scene 1 for example, Theseus has a speech in which he describes consequences for Hermia’s actions of her disobeying her father orders of marriage. When you are reading it, you don’t know if Theseus is a harsh quick-tempered judge or a nice, mellow patient person. Theseus in the movie is shown as a patient and understanding person, so this actually gives character because the audience can make a connection to the play and the movie and make reasoning of what kind of characteristics Theseus has. There are also more characters that contribute to the humor of that play and make it what it is. There is Nick Bottom, Quince, Flute, Snug, Snout and Starveling. Lastly there is also Hippolyta, Titania, Oberon, Egeus, and Puck. In the movie, these characters have the same names and play the same roles. I find that this makes it easier to understand the movie because Hoffman keeps the names the same being able to compare the similarities and differences from the play and movie. The characters in the movie have their own distinct personalities in the movie and unlike the play the reader does not have side notes that tell you the characteristics of the character in the play. There is not just one difference between the play and the movie there are several. The most evident difference between the 1999 film adaptation and Shakespeare’s play is the setting. The play’s setting is set in Greece, while Hoffman modernizes to the 20th century Tuscany where it was filmed. The characters in the movie used bicycles. In the play there were no bicycles during the time it was written. For example, in the movie you first see after the big blowout with Hermia’s father in Theseus office. Hermia runs off and talks to Lysander where they make their master plan to run off together. There is where in the movie you see Helena first ride up in the bicycle and talk to them. Also the architecture in the movie is more modern then in the play. Reading the play makes the author think of a more classical old look. Watching the movie the audience can see that there is a difference in the costumes and make up. Subsequently, another difference is also when the lovers wake up after Puck get the eye drops right they are naked because the fairies washed their clothes. In the play there was no nudity and washing of clothes during that time. Another difference is that when Flute played Thisbe, he added a serious tone to his performance this changed the mood of the play. Hoffman added these things to make it his own originality. Finally, I feel that the changes changes didn’t affect the storyline but the bicycles gave the characters a way of transportation and provided the audience with a different side of Flute we did not read about in the play. â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream† is a play that is still enjoyable to read and watch too. Even with time the story is still entertaining. The movie was a great cinematic adaptation because it followed the main storyline of the play. I feel that the movie shows what happens in the play and the play gives the audience a breakdown of the storyline Shakespeare is trying to tell. The movie is a great way that helps the audience get rid of the confusion they have from reading the play by watching the movie. Works Cited Page Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream . Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 1600, 1979. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Dir. Michael Hoffman. Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci. Fox SearchLight Pictures,1999.