A Fresh Take on Shakespeare in ‘Country People’

Penguin Random House Shakespeare wisely recognized that most people prefer lighter entertainment during the summer months. This insight is reflected in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a play where rustic characters and meddlesome fairies meet in a forest setting. Country People, authored by Daniel Mason, offers an engaging twist on this classic narrative.

For those who might not catch the homage, Mason concludes his novel with a school performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In this adaptation, the story unfolds in a Vermont forest. While the characters aren’t royals, they embody an intellectual aristocracy reminiscent of Jefferson’s vision for governance.

Kate, one of the protagonists, stands out as a renowned scholar focused on the work of Blake and Milton. She teaches in California and has received an offer for a one-year professorship in Vermont. Her husband, Miles, has been drafting a dissertation related to Russian folklore for 14 years. He remains a perennial graduate student, handling childcare for their kids and supporting Kate, who has been diagnosed with MS. Moreover, he takes care of their dog, Giuseppe, known for his unlikely talent for truffle hunting.

The family embarks on a cross-country journey to their new home in a picturesque wooded area, living rent-free in a colleague’s house. Country People features a plot rich with academic humor. A highlight includes comparisons of student evaluations, contrasting the feedback for Kate’s well-received courses with those of Miles. While students described her classes as “super fun and interesting,” they mentioned that Miles had a tendency to get sidetracked with obscure topics.

Upon settling in Vermont, the novel introduces readers to a cast of quirky locals with beliefs that make folklore appear mundane. Ideas of flat and hollow Earths pan around, accompanied by theories of “Super-Rat-Lines” underground. Meanwhile, Miles becomes acquainted with tempting fairies in the form of a ski coach and an alluring drama teacher. The drama teacher persuades Miles to participate in a more provocative rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Puck’s well-known line, “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” serves as an apt description for the antics in the novel.

Through Mason’s skillful writing, Country People enchants without being dismissive. While some jokes linger longer than necessary, such as a lengthy footnote about the adults attending the school play, the novel embraces absurdity. This playful approach proves to be a valuable quality, providing sufficient amusement throughout the story.