Field Trip Thoughts: A Midsummer Night's Dream

After having the opportunity to see Macbeth last year at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, I pretty much knew the rundown in terms of how the field trip would work. I knew that we'd arrive in the morning at Navy Pier, watch the play, eat, and then travel back at the end of the school day. However, since I'd already been on the field trip before, I also went into the play with the mentality that I was about to sit through a long, confusing, and tragic performance.

Within the first few minutes of the play, I was proven wrong. Instead, A Midsummer Night's Dream was filled with bright colors, amusing scenes, and surprisingly understandable language. It surprised me that I enjoyed the play so much, especially considering it was about two and a half hours long. However, I think that the plot line, actors, and my improved knowledge of Shakespeare all played a significant role in helping me enjoy A Midsummer Night's Dream much more than Macbeth.

As a freshman last year on the field trip, I had a limited amount of exposure to Shakespeare's writing. I read excerpts of his work and saw a modern teenage version of the play Romeo and Juliet. However, I do not think that this was enough to help me fully understand Macbeth. Last year, I walked out of the theater feeling utterly confused. The language of Macbeth was overwhelming to me, and I felt as if I just walked out of a play performed in Japanese. Although it was obvious that the play was tragic and filled with many deaths, I didn't feel like I grasped a solid foundation of the play's meaning. I was mad at myself because I couldn't appreciate the performance like I hoped to.

However, as a sophomore now who has read and analyzed two Shakespeare plays, my knowledge has increased dramatically since last year. I didn't realize this, however, until right now. When I walked out of the play, I couldn't believe how incredible I found it to be. I loved the characters, especially Puck, because of their vibrancy and uniqueness. In addition, I loved the ambiance of the theater itself. It was incredible to look around and see hundreds of other students appreciating and experiencing the highly professional actors. Almost every scene made me laugh, and I left the theater much more satisfied than Macbeth. Even though A Midsummer Night's Dream was unlike any other Shakespeare play I've experienced because it is a comedy, I still believe that my increased exposure to Shakespeare within the past year has made a significant difference in my appreciation of this performance. As one of the actors said, "Shakespeare is like the dark. It takes some time to get used to." I agree wholeheartedly with this statement through my experience within the past year.

I hope that in the future I'll be able to see more of Shakespeare's work and compare it to Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream. I feel so fortunate to have been able to experience this learning process because it has made me appreciate the art of Shakespearian language, as well as the art of acting.