Here's why:
* Internal Evidence: The play's references to the Lord Chamberlain's Men (Shakespeare's acting company) and its performance at the wedding of a nobleman point to a period after 1594 when Shakespeare's company gained prominence.
* External Evidence: The play's printing in 1600 suggests it was already circulating and well-known.
* Stylistic Analysis: The play's style and language align with Shakespeare's works from the late 1590s.
So, while the precise date remains a mystery, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was likely crafted during Shakespeare's most prolific period, the mid-to-late 1590s.