British English Holidays - Midsummer's Day
8,534 views ・ 2015-06-19
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Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.
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hi everyone i'm gina in the northern
hemisphere summer begins in june and
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this is also the case in the UK
Midsummer's day follows a start of
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summer and is marked on the 24th of June
in this lesson you're going to learn
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about what Midsummer's day means in the
UK a play written by Shakespeare is
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based around the midsummer time of year
do you know what it is called we'll show
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you the answer at the end of this video
back in the 13th century Midsummer's Day
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was celebrated on the 23rd of June which
is known as st. John's Eve it was
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followed by celebrations on the 25th of
June when bonfires feasts and general
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merrymaking would be held it was
celebrated in this manner until the
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Reformation when England broke away from
the Catholic Church during the sixteenth
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century lighting bonfires has become
popular again in some parts of Cornwall
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and Scotland the significance behind
lighting bonfires is that they are in
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praise of the Sun the Sun starts to
become weaker and days become shorter
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following Midsummer's day and bonfires
are lit to support and bolster the Sun
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these days the main Midsummer's day
celebrations center on Stonehenge
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Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in
Wiltshire England and during the summer
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solstice celebrations the public are
given additional access through the
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Stonehenge site so that the event can be
celebrated thousands of people gather to
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watch the Sun Rise on the longest day
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an old Midsummer's superstition is that
any rose picked on Midsummer's Eve will
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stay fresh until Christmas also if young
girls pick a rose and repeat a specific
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rhyme it is said that their true love
will visit them and now I'll give you
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the answer to the earlier quiz a play
written by Shakespeare is based around
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the Midsummer time of year do you know
what it's called it is a midsummer
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night's dream and it is one of the most
popular Shakespearean comedies and plays
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the title of the play reflects a
dreamlike atmosphere of the play how is
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this lesson did you learn something
interesting are there any events to mark
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the Midsummer or the longest stay in
your culture leave us a comment at
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English class 101.com
and we'll see you in the next lesson
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