How to Teach a Midsummer Night's Dream

Translate Play into Modern Day Language and Perform for an Audience

Nov 20, 2008

Make Shakespeare more accessible by breaking it down to the students' level. Hook students by showing that his characters have the same problems many people have today.

Students struggle with Shakespeare's language, but they can relate to the love entanglement and conflict between Hermia and her father. The fact that this is a comedy makes it even easier to draw the students into the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream.

If one is teaching low level students or middle school students, allow the students to watch a DVD of the production or even go and watch a live performance before reading it. If students understand the basic plot before reading the play in class, they can better understand the language. Make sure that the production uses "Shakespearean language" and is not already "translated" into modern day language.

Make a flow chart of all the characters and who they are connected to in the play. There are four basic groups: the royals, the young lovers, the fairies and the mechanicals or towns people. Once students understand the relationships between all the characters, they will start laughing at the crazy problems of the mortals and the fairies. The young lovers are having similar problems that the students can relate to in their own lives.

Reading through the Acts

When reading the play, sit in a circle and assign students parts to read. Try to choose a couple of key scenes to "act" out each day. First read the scene. Then, ask students to get in the middle of the circle and act out the scene with a few simple props, such as a ruler for a sword, funny hats and wigs, and/or fake flowers.

Another important tip is to stop and to discuss events in the play. Reading straight through will cause some students to "tune out" the reading. Stopping allows them to learn it in "chunks." When breaking down the key events, explain them in terms that students understand.

For example, Hermia wants to marry Lysander, and her father, Egeus, wants her to marry Demetrius. She tells the duke, Theseus, in the in Act I Scene I,"I would my father look'd but with my eyes." Basically, she wants her father to see it her way and understand her. Most students would admit that their parents "just don't understand them."

Translating Act 5 into Modern Day Language

After students have read through the entire play, assign them work in small groups and translate all of the scenes in Act 5 into modern day language. It is fun to add a few examples of modern day slang. After students compose a complete script of Act 5, they need to type it up and to make copies for everyone.

Student Performance

If performing the play, it helps to give a basic summary of the plot leading up to Act 5. This summary can be a test or quiz for the students. Choose the best one to read aloud before performing Act 5. The students need to practice using the scripts and staging the play. Depending on the audience, scripts can be used on stage.

After reading and performing the play, students will truly understand Shakespeare. Many will enjoy the process. Hopefully, when the same students are faced with one of Shakespeare's more difficult tragedies in the future, it won't be so daunting.

The copyright of the article How to Teach a Midsummer Night's Dream in High School Lesson Plans is owned by Kellie Hayden. Permission to republish How to Teach a Midsummer Night's Dream in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.