Less drama, more shopping: 21st century’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
17.5.2021
Translation: Eva Francis
In 1600, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream appeared in print for the first time. 421 years later, Galaxus has transformed the comedy into parcel inserts, starring products instead of fairies and actors.
One turf shall serve as pillow for us both. One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.
Lysander is so enamoured, he needs so little. A meadow and his lover Hermia – that’s all he needs to make his life complete. Oh my, isn’t it just wonderful to be in love? That feeling of needing nothing, just maybe a bottle of wine, just to loosen the tongue a little bit. Material things seem so unimportant; all that counts are those sweet thoughts and longing kisses. A turf as a pillow, a bed under the stars or even a blanket of concrete – everything turns into a fragrant, soft field of flowers. Passion is at its peak, life is but a dream.
The puristic dream is over
But at some point, the puristic dream crumbles, the stubbles of the lawn begin to prickle your bottom and even three bottles of wine won’t get you in the mood. Lysander and Hermia become Titania and Oberon, a bickering royal fairy couple. Instead of two bosoms, two garden gnomes peek out from the lawn in front of the semi-detached house. A powder-coated fire bowl or a chrome-plated shaving set are more attractive than the idea of a romantic rendezvous with your lover. What began as a puristic Midsummer Night’s Dream is now craving flashy and opulent decoration. The good news is, your next Galaxus parcel will have an insert full of inspiration.
If you’d now rather enjoy literature than shopping, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is available online. If, however, you’re wondering whether we’re out of our minds or are megalomaniacs like the little lab rat Brain from the animated series «Pinky and the Brain», I can reassure you. It may seem presumptuous to compare a parcel insert with William Shakespeare’s work and it may be considered a sacrilege to link the playwright’s lyrical lines with our products, but then again, have you ever seen «A Midsummer Night’s Rave» or «Romeo & Juliet: Sealed with a Kiss»? Those are the true crimes against the great works of William Shakespeare.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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