<P> A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595 / 96 . It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, the former queen of the Amazons . These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals) who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set . The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world . </P> <Ul> <Li> Theseus--Duke of Athens </Li> <Li> Hippolyta--Queen of the Amazons </Li> <Li> Egeus--father of Hermia </Li> <Li> Hermia--daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander </Li> <Li> Lysander--in love with Hermia </Li> <Li> Demetrius--suitor to Hermia </Li> <Li> Helena--in love with Demetrius </Li> <Li> Philostrate--Master of the Revels </Li> </Ul>

When was the midsummer night's dream written