A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Imagery in Shakespeare

Movies in the Classroom

 

                          

� Fox Searchlight 1999

Grade Level 6-12, college

Subject - English, Shakespeare

Keywords - Midsummer Night’s Dream, English, Shakespeare, Comedy, lesson plan, Movies in the Classroom, Puck,

Author - Cynthia F. Kirkeby      thebrains@classbrain.com     

Affiliation - ClassBrain, Inc.

Date - 30 April, 2002

Duration - 1-2 class periods

Background 

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies.  It has been translated into many languages and set in many time periods. Puck, one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters, appears in this play to the delight of all who see it. Shakespeare makes use of imagery; animal and other that is used in this movie version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Objective

 

Watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream and review Shakespeare Illustrated, and select documents on imagery. Discuss the following questions:

• Which types of imagery show up repeatedly in A Midsummer Night’s Dream?
• Describe some of the imagery used to enhance his main characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

• Nick Bottom takes on the characteristics of which animal?
• Write a short descriptive poem or narrative piece about your favorite character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
• If you were designing a production of this play what year and style of design would you choose?
• Do you have any ideas for the costumes that you think would help the audience visualize the characters in a new way?

Resources & Materials

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Fox Searchlight Lesson Plan worksheets

(see lesson plans below)

Other Internet Resources

Available worksheets

 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Crossword Puzzle

Film 1:  A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999)

 

• Synopsis: 

  � Fox Searchlight 1999

Shakespeare’s most popular play to the golden sunlight and green terraces of northern Italy near the end of the nineteenth century

• Genre(s) – Comedy,  Classics
• Rating - PG-13 (some sexual content)
• Family Rating – The Family Movie Guide
• Running Time – 1 hr. 56 min.

 

• Primary Actors – Kevin Kline ,  Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett,  Stanley Tucci
• Director – Michael Hoffman          
• Music- Simon Boswell
• Book – William Shakespeare
• Screenplay  - Michael Hoffman
• Producers - Michael Hoffman, Arnon Milchan,  Leslie Urdang, Ann Wingate, Nigel Goldsack
• Studio(s)- Fox Searchlight Pictures, Panoramica (IT), Regency Enterprises

Reading Connections