Why is Bottom such a well-loved character? Explain with reference to 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'

Later on in the story, Bottom and the Mechanicals meet in the wood to rehearse their play and yet again Bottom makes many mistakes and now starts to try and run the play. Whilst at the wood Bottom has many suggestions to make. He states that a prologue is needed at the beginning of the play to say that when Pyramus draws a sword to kill himself, it is in fact only Pyramus that is dying but Bottom the weaver is still alive. He wants the prologue so that the ladies are not worries or panicked when he draws his sword and also states that "a lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing" so it is decided that "another prologue must tell he (Snug) is not a lion." Peter Quince agrees with this as he probably feels it is easier than arguing with him. Another problem that they have is that there needs to be moonlight when they are performing the play to the duke. Bottom solves this problem as well, telling the other Mechanicals "Why, then may you leave a casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the casement," realising that there is a full moon when they are performing and that if they opened a window then the moonlight would shine through. The last problem that they face is that a wall is needed in the play. Snout turns to Bottom "Yon can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom?" he asks. Once again Bottom has the answer replying "Some man or other must present Wall; and let him have some plaster; or some loam, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; or let him hold his fingers thus; and through the cranny shall Pyramus and Thisbe whisper." Bottom in this part of the play seems to show another side to his character, showing that he is clever as well and can solve problems easily. After all of their problems have been sorted, the mechanicals get down to rehearsing. This is where Bottom starts to cross into the world of the fairies. Puck, who is a kind or servant to the King of the Fairies, turns Bottom into an ass whilst he is not acting. Puck does this as Oberon, King of the Fairies, has ordered him to. When Bottom comes back on stage, Peter Quince is shocked and quite alarmed, shouting "O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted: pray, masters, fly! masters, help!" Bottom doesn't even realise that he has an ass' head. This means that he just thinks that the rest of the mechanics are just joking with him when they start running away! He is completely oblivious to what he looks like and thinks that the mechanicals will be coming back. It is only when Snout quickly comes back and exclaims "O Bottom, thou art changed" that Bottom starts to get slightly worried. However he still seems to think that they are still messing about with him.

The next part of the play is set in the magical world of the fairies. After the mechanicals run off Bottom is left alone with his ass' head still not realising. The audience would find this very funny and would make Bottom even better loved for being so oblivious! It is a kind of dramatic irony that the audience know that he has got an ass' head but he hasn't got a clue. Bottom starts to sing to himself well at least until Titania, the Queen of the Fairies appears asking "What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?" Oberon has also put Titania under a spell. He has put magical juice in her eyes so that she will fall in love with the first person she sees. When Titania tells Bottom that she loves him, Bottom replies with "Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that." This draws sympathy from the audience who for the first time, see Bottom putting himself down. This shows the audience that he does have a softer side and makes him even more, well loved.

As the play progresses Bottom enters the world of the fairies and he is very polite to everybody especially Peasebottom, Cobweb, Moth and Mustardseed who are messengers for Titania. Bottom still has an ass' head but still doesn't realise. He even quotes "And I am such a tender ass, if my hair do tickle me, I must scratch." This would make the audience laugh, as it is great irony that Bottom is talking about himself as an ass without knowing that he actually is an ass! He also starts acting like an ass, telling Titania, "Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of hay: good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow." This would also make the audience laugh and is yet another ironic statement seeing as he is still oblivious that he has an ass' head. Whilst Titania and Bottom sleep, Puck puts a reverse spell on Titania so that she is no longer in love with Bottom. When she wakes she says sleepily "My Oberon! What visions have I seem! Methought I was enamoured of an ass." When Oberon tells her "There lies your love," Titania is disgusted, "O, how my eyes do loathe his visage now!" she moans. Puck removes Bottom's ass' head and puts him back into the normal world. When he wakes he thinks it was just a strange and wonderful dream. "I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was" he speaks. Whilst in the fairy world, Bottom showed another side to his character. He was extremely polite and caring, saying things such as "Do not fret yourself too much in the action, monsieur; and good monsieur, have a care the honey-bag break not: I would loth to have you overflown with a honey-bag, signior" and "Pray you, leave your curtsy, good monsieur." This caring side to his character definitely makes him well loved by the audience. Meanwhile, the Mechanicals, who ran away from Bottom in the wood do not think that he is coming back and are really upset. They don't think that they can perform the play without him as they all regard him as the star of the show. When Bottom does turn up after the wood, shouting, "Where are there lads? Where are these hearts?" they are overjoyed to see him. Peter Quince is ecstatic, exclaiming "O, most courageous day! O, most happy hour!" This shows just how highly many of the characters in the play regard Bottom.

The final part of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is set at Duke Theseus' Palace in Athens. The mechanicals are to perform their version of the play 'Pyramus and Thisbe' to the three newly wedded coupled. Bottom is confident as always but still makes many comical mistakes! He adds new parts to lines, which you can tell, aren't meant to be there such as "My love! Thou art my love, I think?" "I think?" should not be there, it is just that Bottom wants to try and make the play better when he doesn't need to. Once again there are lots of spoonerisms as he pronounces the names incorrectly, the audience of the play seem to find this very funny! This is the last part of the play in which Bottom figures and makes comical mistakes! During the play, he is easily the funniest character making many stupid mistakes and crossing into the 'worlds' of the fairies and the Royals. He is very well loved by both the audience of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and the other characters in the play such as the mechanicals and the fairies. Bottom is by far the funniest character both in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and the mechanicals play 'Pyramus and Thisbe.' Throughout the play Bottom shows so many sides to his character. All of which seem to make the audience laugh or sympathise with him. These different sides to his character combine to make him a greatly well loved character by absolutely everybody!