Midsummer Nights Dream - Historical, Social and Cultural Context

Historical Context:
Shakespeare produced most of his known work between the years 1589 to 1631 and his earlier plays were predominantly comedies or histories. A Midsummer Nights Dream was originally written in 1595 making it one of Shakespeare's first Comedies and one of the most well known as well.
It is believed that Shakespeare based most of the characters in "Midsummer" around other characters through out history. Here are some of the examples...

1. The characters Theseus and Hippolyta were thought to be based and inspired by Greek Gods
2. The character Titania, Queen of the Fairies, was apparently taken from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses'
3. The character Oberon , King of the Fairies, was believed to be from the medieval romance 'Huan of Bordeaux'

The first ever performance was believed to have been performed at a country house in front of a young nobleman for his wedding celebration. This is a very interesting concept as it evokes the theory of Metatheatre. it is believed that Metatheatre is the concept that forces a challenge to the audience of a theatre to believe that it is actually real.

For example, when the play was first performed at the nobleman's wedding, Shakespeare was asking the audience to pretend that the setting of the play took place in a forest even though in reality is was probably performed in the nobleman's house. Shakespeare was asking them to use their imagination. Within the play there is a mini play within the play. So now this nobleman's audience is not only having to believe the play is set in a forest (even though its being performed in the nobleman's house) but  they are also being asked to believe that there are some actors who are rehearsing a play...
  "This green plot shall be our stage, this hawthorn-brake our tiring-house" Quince - Act 3 Scene 1
The audience are now being asked to believe that there is a stage upon a stage and where every part of the stage is in comparison to the mini play's rehearsal. Basically it questions the audience's minds on what is the real stage and what if the fake stage being used for the mini play. i know very confusing but a very interesting concept to be put forward to the performance.

Social Context:
Shakespeare was very clever in the way he related the Society of the Elizabethan Era to his play and Midsummer Nights Dream defiantly has some hidden references. Here are a few examples...

1. Shakespeare could have written the mechanicals as parodies of Actors that were around in the Elizabethan Era. Some male actors had to play female roles in Shakespeare's play. This is represented through the character Flute when he is told he must play " the lady that Pyramus must love" Quince - Act 1 Scene 2. Also Bottom's character is based around some actors who used to see themselves as higher status then they actually were.

2. It is also believe that the character of Titania was originally based around Queen Elizabeth 1st which makes sense as it was also believed that at the first performance of 'Midsummer' Queen Elizabeth was there.
"vestal throned by the west" This is said by Oberon about Titania. "Vestal" means virgin and it could be linked to the fact that Queen Elizabeth was known as the Virgin Queen.

3. Also there is a reference to Queen Elizabeth's almost assassination.
"But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft
Quenched in the chaste beams of the watery moon,"
This line translates as...
"But I could see that Cupid’s fiery arrow was put out by watery, virginal moonbeams,"
It therefore once again reference Queen Elizabeth's virginity but also the arrow misses the person that cupid wanted to shoot like how the assassin missed the Queen as well.

Cultural Context:
The title of the play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, links to a traditional English holiday custom 'Midsummer's Eve' or 'The Summer Solstice' on June 23rd. Men and Women where known to have spent the night/evening outdoors and around bonfires, telling supernatural tales of fairies and witchcraft. The supernatural element is very apparent with in 'Midsummer Nights Dream' as they have fairies and Magic spells so it is very likely Shakespeare based some the characters from this celebration.

Also is is believed that Puck and the fairies are used as digs against the English Puritans of the Elizabethan Era. Their characters are believed to be taken from 'All Hallows Eve' or as we known it 'Halloween'. Puritans originally saw the 'Halloween' tradition as pagan practices which were considered as evil and mischievous. So the character's of Puck and the fairies are representations of what the Puritans believed to be devilish creature. As you could tell Shakespeare didn't like the English Puritans as they were very against theatre and so this would have been a very cunning way to get back at them for hating theatre.