'He could mingle sublimity with pathos, bitterness with joy and peace and love' Aldous Huxley
In one of Shakespeare's most perennially popular comedies a young woman, Hermia, flees ancient Athens with her lover, only to be pursued by her would-be husband and her best friend. Unwittingly, all four find themselves in an enchanted forest where fairies and sprites take an interest in human affairs, dispensing magical love potions and casting mischievous spells. Slapstick collides with courtly romance and confusion ends in harmony, as love is transformed, misplaced and ultimately restored.
Used and Recommended by the National Theatre
General Editor Stanley Wells
Edited by Stanley Wells
Introduction by Helen Hackett
- 2025 UK Summer Reading Challenge
- British Science Fiction Association awards
- Book of the Year
- International Booker Prize
- 2025 Women's Prize for Nonfiction
- The Arthur C. Clarke Award
- Uplifting Reads to Kickstart Your Year
- Bestsellers of 2024
- Nero Book Awards
- Great Reads from Around the World
- THE POLARI PRIZE
- World Poetry Day
- International Women's Day
- See all ebooks collections
- World Cancer Day
- International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- Magazines
- World Photography Day
- See all magazines collections