Background on A Midsummer Night's Dream Written in the mid-1590s, probably shortly before Shakespeare turned to Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of his strangest and most delightful creations, and it marks a departure from his earlier works and from others of the English Renaissance.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is thought to have been written to celebrate the wedding of Elizabeth Carey, the daughter of an English nobleman. The bride’s grandfather was Lord Hunsdon, the Lord Chamberlain, patron of Shakespeare’s theatre company. The play was probably first performed at the London home of the Carey family and later at court.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies, estimated to have been written in 1595/96. It tells the story of the reconciliation of two pairs of lovers, as well as the wedding of King Theseus and his bride Hippolyta. The play is one of Shakespeare’s most influential works.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written during the Elizabethan Era (1558–1603), which is considered by many historians to be the golden age of England. The era is named after Queen Elizabeth I, and the period was marked by peace and prosperity in England. In particular, the period saw arts flourish to a great extent.