Gaiman

Gaiman's retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream is undeniably unique and endearing; however, I didn't enjoy reading it all that much. I thought it was a bit confusing at times. The pages were too cluttered with illustrations and at times it was hard to understand what was happening.

The idea of "audience" is brought to the attention of the reader in this interpretation. The audience is a reflection of the play itself, with members that include Titania, Oberon (Auberon), Peaseblossom, and Puck. These are not just characters in a play, though; they are a part of reality, and their attributes differ slightly from those of the characters in the play. The "real" embodiments of these characters look on and scrutinize the performance of the players, identifying the fact that there are many differences that exist between the "real" and "fake" versions of each character.

The "real" world that exists within Gaiman's interpretation is much different than the "real" world that exists within Shakespeare's version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this interpretation, the "real" world is that of the players, who have ventured far in order to perform their play. The "real" world also includes a slightly insane Shakespeare whose relationship with his son, Hamnet, is visibly tense. The "real" world in A Midsummer Night's Dream is that of Theseus, Hippolyta, the four lovers, and Bottom & co. before they enter the woods.

Shakespeare's personal life is visible within this interpretation because the reader is introduced to Shakespeare's son, Hamnet. Throughout the interpretation, Hamnet is distressed because he feels that his father pays little to no attention to him. Shakespeare is simply engulfed in his plays; he doesn't have any time to devote to his son. While I appreciate the fact that Shakespeare's personal life is intertwined, I can't help but to think that this one representation of Hamnet leaves a lot to be desired. He's very one-dimensional in this interpretation and, since this is the only acknowledgment of Hamnet that I have seen/read, I am left to believe that his entire life was spent seeking the attention of his father.

Page 69 of this interpretation illustrates the recognition of the players upon seeing that their audience is composed of fairies, goblins, and the like. There is little dialogue on this page, with the main focus being the expressions of the characters. The players experience feelings of surprise, fear, and shock, while the audience members look on with intrigue, interest, and impatience. Theseus becomes so awe-stricken that he must be prompted for his line in order for the play to go on. I feel as though this page is especially significant to the interpretation, as it shows how both the players and the audience react to each others initial presence.