What are the similarities between A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet?

Answer 1

Although the first Quarto version of Romeo and Juliet from 1597 is sometimes called a "bad quarto", it is very similar to the "good quarto"version of 1599. For example, Q1 has "By yonder blessed Moone I swear/ That tips with silver all these fruit trees tops" whereas Q2 has "Lady, by yonder blessed Moone I vow/ That tips with silver all these frute tree tops." The lines are a little different but basically the same.

Or were these not the "two versions" you were asking about? Perhaps you wanted to compare the Hollywood movie version of 1936 with Renato Castellone's film from 1955.

Answer 2

Both plays are written with much of the dialogue in rhyming couplets, an unusual feature. There is also relatively little prose. Both plays have to do with young couples whose plans to marry are opposed by an older generation (Egeus opposes Hermia and Lysander's marriage plans; we assume that the feuding Montagues and Capulets would not agree to Romeo and Juliet's union) and by the state (Romeo is banished; Hermia is commanded to marry Demetrius or become a nun). The tragic end of Romeo and Juliet is very similar to the end of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe which becomes a comic play in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The fairies and their world are reflected in the long speech by Mercutio about Queen Mab (equals Titania), her fairies and her effect on dreams.

Both plays fall into the category of Shakespearean plays which have recurring theme words. In Midsummer Night's Dream the word is "moon"; in Romeo and Juliet it is "stars". These are similar especially if contrasted with "blood" in Macbeth or "honesty" in Othello.

In both plays there is a similar symbolism of night and day. The problems arise in the day, but relief is found in the night--in Dream, Theseus's court judges Hermia's case in the day, but the fairies resolve the problem in the night. In Romeo, they meet and share the balcony scene at night, but the next day, "the day is hot" and "these hot days is the mad blood stirring", and sure enough trouble arrives in the person of Tybalt. Although Romeo and Juliet find some relief in each other's arms the next night, yet the day must come. This tension is symbolised by the lark (representing the day and renewed danger) and the nightingale (representing the night, safety and consummated love). Truly we wish with Juliet that "all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun".