When Hermia arrives she is confused as to why Lysander no longer loves her and he explains he now loves Helena. Meanwhile Helena believes all three have joined together to mock her. The two women quarrel about their differences in colouring, height, temperament and how they were tricked by each other. Both women feel betrayed and puzzled and all four lovers have an argument.
Oberon and Puck enter and guide the men away, deliberately separating them. Puck makes the four lovers fall asleep and removes the love juice from Lysander’s eyes. So that when he wakes up he will no longer love Helena but love Hermia. The scene ends with all four lovers asleep as Puck exits.
Key Themes
Discord and Harmony:
Elizabethans considered order was an essential element in natural word and human society. They trusted that if order was not preserved there would be serious consequences to the earth. Shakespeare uses the story line of Oberon and Titania (the fairy king and queen) in Midsummer Nights Dream to display this. When these two characters have a disagreement, or are unhappy, it is mirrored in the weather and mood of the play. For example; if Oberon and Titania have and dispute, the weather becomes dark and begins to rain. People then believed that if God’s disposition was displeased the humans would have to pay the price.
Language and Style
Shakespeare’s use of language helps us distinguish different characters and their personalities, also what is happening in the play.
In Elizabethan times actors had to rely on the technique they spoke words to portray a character correctly, the flow of language was important in making a play successful.
Blank Verse: This was the language of the courtiers, Egeus, Oberon, Titania, Hippolyta and Theseus. Shakespeare used it to show their high status in society.
‘Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away!
We shall chide downright, if I longer stay.’
Titania uses iambic pentameter when speaking to Oberon.
-Unrhymed iambic pentameter is also called Blank Verse. (X /)
Iambic Pentameter is a rhyme scheme in which each line consists of ten syllables. The syllables are divided into five pairs called iambs. An iamb is a unit made up of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable. An example of an iamb would be sleep ING. A line of iambic pentameter flows like this:
X / X / X / X / X /
Hermia (I pray)( thee, tell)( me then)( that he)( is well.).
It can also show two characters connection with each other.
X / X /
Helena (O, ex)(cellent!)
X / X / X /
Hermia (Sweet, do)( not scorn)( her so.)
Literary Devices
Alliteration
‘The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.’ – Oxford Dictionary
Helena …‘And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow’s eye,’
Metaphor
‘The application of a name or descriptive term or phrase to an object or action to which it is imaginatively but not literally applicable’
- Oxford Dictionary
Lysander when referring to Hermia … ‘tawny Tartar’, ‘serpent’,
Stage
Our stage is set in the forest; it’s not highly decorative and is slightly plain. This is because when the play was first performed the stages were bare and had very few props. This helped the audience focus on what the characters are saying.
The set is a clearing where Helena, Lysander, Demetrius and Hermia have the main fight. There are some trees and bushes representing the forest. It’s a dark, almost black, night with only a few stars lighting the sky. Titania’s bed occupies a corner and is very feminine, with sequins representing expensive jewels because she’s Queen. Her bed is hanging above the forest floor so she can oversee everything happening below her. The white clearing is where the characters sleep, it’s surrounded with the bushes and trees to give it a private feel. There should be a bright light on Titania’s bed and the fairies should have a brighter light than the humans. Helena and Hermia should have a softer light to represent how feminine they are. Whereas Lysander and Demetrius should have strong, powerful light to represent they’re masculinity. When the fairies are on stage the music should me soft and mystical because they are magical creatures. When the four characters are fighting the music should be loud and dramatic.
Summary
During this piece of coursework we tried to explain every aspect of ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’. We analysed Shakespeare use of language, key themes and literary devices to see what affect they had on the audience. We also had to include annotated sketches of each character, a summary of Act 3 Scene 2 and stage directions.
