Examination Questions on A Midsummer Night's Dream
Question: What anachronisms are there in the play?
Answer:I. He has presented English Fairies in combination with Theseus and Hippolyta, who belong to the mythic age of Greece. The Athenian mechanicals are very similar to English peasants in Shakespeare's day. "The play," says Wright, "is thoroughly English from beginning to end." Preface to his edition of the play, p. xv. There are many minor anachronisms — e.g., St. Valentine, IV. 1. 138.
How to cite this article:
Fleming, William H. How to Study Shakespeare. New York: Doubleday and Co., 1898. Shakespeare Online. 10 Aug. 2010. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/midsummer/questions/anachronisms.html >.
