Introduction
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most iconic plays. The comedy-drama depicts the adventures of several young lovers and novice performers who fall prey to fairies. Such work has inspired countless adaptations and retellings, each with its unique take on the story. Among the works inspired by Shakespeare’s play are film adaptations, including Hoffman’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bollywood’s Issaq, and a graphic novel adaptation by Charles Vess, which add new details while taking the foundation of the original piece.
Interpretations of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Hoffman’s Film
The first source is the film adaptation by the director, Michael Hoffman. The 1999 film features Michelle Pfeiffer, Kevin Kline, and Rupert Everett (Hoffman, 1999). While the film stays relatively faithful to the original text, there are differences. For example, in this adaptation, the character of Theseus is played by a woman, giving the story a more feminist twist (Hoffman, 1999). Additionally, the film adds a subplot involving a group of workers who are building a wall, adding a humorous commentary on class divisions (Hoffman, 1999).
Bollywood’s Play
Furthermore 2013, Bollywood released a musical adaptation of the play Issaq (Tiwary, 2013). While the film retains the basic plot of the original play, it incorporates elements of Indian culture, including traditional dance sequences, costumes, and social media (Tiwary, 2013).
Graphic Novel
Finally, 1988, a new graphic novel adaptation of Shakespeare’s play was released. The work, which Charles Vess illustrated, condenses the play into a more streamlined narrative (Shakespeare & Vess, 1988). The illustrations add a new layer of meaning to the story, with the fairies depicted as ethereal and otherworldly. Therefore, all works maintain the central theme of the original work but add new details to make it intriguing.
Conclusion
Hence, film versions of Shakespeare’s play, such as the film A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Hoffman, the Issaq play staged by Bollywood, and a graphic book by Charles Vess, which add new features while using the basis of the original work, were influenced by Shakespeare’s work. The filmmaker Michael Hoffman’s film adaptation serves as the primary source. In addition, Issaq, a musical version of the play, was released by Bollywood in 2013. Ultimately, a modern graphic novel version of Shakespeare’s play was published in 1988. Therefore, the central concept of the original work is preserved in all works, but unique information is added to enhance interest.
References
Hoffman, M. (Director). (1999). A midsummer night’s dream [Film]. Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Shakespeare, W., & Vess, C. (1988). A midsummer night’s dream. Donning.
Tiwary, M. (Director). (2013). Issaq [Film]. Pen India Limited.