The title is the first thing you see on any type of media, in the moment, when you first read those all-important words; you are given your very first impression of what lies ahead. Your mind decides either “I don’t think I am going to like this very much” or “Yes! I am going to love this”. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is just one of his passionate plays. The title serves as a crucial aspect of the play. It gives a look into some key points and events of the story. Each word has a specific meaning that either symbolizes or connects to a major theme in the story line. The title also gives the reader a look into the magical aspects of the play by saying that it is a midsummer nights “dream”. This essay will explain the meaning of this plays title by looking at each word and its relationship to events and themes in the play.
The First word you come across when reading Shakespeare’s strange yet mesmerizing production is Midsummer. The word means summer solstice which takes place on June twenty first. This is important because midsummer is the setting of the play and also contributes to the plot. There is also talk about May Day when Theseus finds the four sleeping young lovers in Act 4, Scene 1 and thinks they're passed out on the ground because they got up early and went into the wood to "observe / The rite of May"(4.1.20). Midsummer Day and May Day were two important holidays for Elizabethans. One takes place on June twenty first and the other on the first day of May however Shakespeare combined both days to form a day with a larger meaning. It contributes to the plot because major events such as the wedding day of Theseus and Hippolyta and the day Hermia needed to make her decision about marrying Demetrius were planned to take place on this one day. Another reason midsummer is a significant part of the title has to do with the fact both holidays were associated with love. This is very important