A Midsummer Nights Dream

Katy-Leigh Bogin A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay The play that I have recently been studying is called 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', written by William Shakespeare, in approximately 1594. In the Elizabethan times, paper was expensive so Shakespeare didn't physically write down his plays, therefore they are not accurate. 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first printed in 1600. In the play, Shakespeare shows us a variety of different types of love, this is the focus of my essay. In this essay I will compare, contrast and discuss Shakespeare's approach to displaying these various types of love through his characters, the art of theatre and dramatic devices. Shakespeare has used many characters in the play, some with similar names such as Hermia and Helena to try and confuse the audience. In the play the characters run in parallel worlds; the fairies and the people of Athens. Throughout the play these two interact to cause further confusion, plus the Elizabethan's would have liked this, as they believed in supernatural. Firstly, there is Theseus, the Duke of Athens, who plans to soon marry Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons, who share a mature love. Helena is in love with Demetrius, but Demetrius loves Hermia, Egeus' daughter. Hermia and Lysander are both deeply in love with each other, even though Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius. Hermia and Helena's

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Shakespeare create the

Introduction A Midsummer night's Dream is a romantic comedy play. This play was written in the 1590s by William Shakespeare. The play consists of two pairs of lovers who run away into the wood on a midsummer's night. While sleeping in the wood the king of the fairies, Oberon tells his servant Puck to drop flower drops onto the eyes of Lysander and Demetrius. This causes confusion because both men fall in love with Helena. Also in the wood a group of workers are rehearsing a play for the wedding of Duke Theseus. Because Oberon's wife won't give him an Indian boy, he turns Bottom's head into an ass's head and makes his wife fall in love with him for revenge and amusement. In the end all the problems are worked out. The lovers are reunited and the mechanicals perform their play at the wedding ceremony. In this play Shakespeare creates three distinct worlds on the stage: the world of the court, the world of the mechanicals and the world of the fairies. He creates these worlds through his choice of language, settings and the characters themselves. Act 1 Scene 1 - The World of the Court In the world of the court we are introduced to some of the main characters and themes of love and enchantment. The people in this scene are upper class. The very first scene of the play is set in the palace of Duke Theseus, The Duke of Athens. Preparations are going underway for the Duke's

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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How does Shakespeare present Bottom as a humorous character

A Midsummer Night's Dream How does Shakespeare present Bottom as a humorous character in Act 3, Scene 1? In his play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', William Shakespeare is presenting his character Bottom, as one of the somewhat witty characters. That is especially to be seen in Act 3, Scene 1, in which Bottom has his head transformed into a donkey's head. One of the first things that clearly show the idiocy of Bottom is how he always thinks, that he the greatest of all; his pompous attitude. It's like he wants everyone to look at him, he wants to speak more, such as when he wants the prologue, to be in eight and eight instead of eight six, which is actually what Shakespeare used to write his prologues in. - Shakespeare makes Bottom, who is a fictional character that he invented himself, show a discrepancy with what Shakespeare usually does. - It's like he's telling his own creator, that "You don't know how to carry out a good play, why don't you just sit down, while I tell you how to do it the right way". He keeps on saying: "I'm the best, I'm the best!" while, as shown by his constant slip-ups, it's clear that he's definitely not the brightest, like when he's shouting some sort of sonnet, to show that 'he knows what he's doing' but he says a lot of it wrong and uses some of the words mistaken. - A thing Shakespeare does deliberately to make Bottom even more humorous, which

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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What qualities would you look for in casting the actors playing Helena and Hermia and how would you direct the opening scene of the play in order to convey their similarities and/or differences to an audience?

Stacey Barlow What qualities would you look for in casting the actors playing Helena and Hermia and how would you direct the opening scene of the play in order to convey their similarities and/or differences to an audience? Helena and Hermia are the young women involved in the confusing love tangle that develops through the play. They were very close when young and have been friends for a while so they are likely to be similar in ways but yet different in others. When casting Helena I would cast her as a tall young woman. I would do the opposite when casting Hermia and have her has a short young woman. I decided to have this difference because it is indicated in the text that they are physically like this. I.e. in Act 3, Scene 2 they are arguing. Hermia is often referred to as "dwarfish" or "little". Helena is referred to as a "painted maypole" which suggests she is tall. It also suggests that she wears a lot of make-up. I would therefore have both the young women as very pretty; but Hermia would have more natural beauty whereas Helena would need make-up to make her stunning. This would give Helena a reason for why Demetrius' affection is with Hermia, and so a reason for wanting to look like her. I would also have Hermia as dark skinned and short dark haired because in the play she is referred to as an "ethiop", which is a racist comment suggesting she is darker

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Puck. In this essay, I will be focusing on Pucks character and how he is amusing, mischievous and popular.

Pucks assessment Introduction: Puck also known as Robin Good Fellow plays an extremely entertaining part in Shakespeare's "a midsummer's night dream". He is no ordinary character; he enjoys playing practical jokes on mortals. Oberon the King of fairies (also his master), seems to admire Puck because Puck keeps Oberon amused with his antics. In this essay, I will be focusing on Pucks character and how he is amusing, mischievous and popular. The following extract from a midsummer's night dream is particularly appropriate because it describes how amusing Puck finds the events that proceed during the play. It also gives you an idea of what the events are. "And those things do best please me that befall preposterously". During the play puck finds the events that take place astonishingly humorous. It shows that he finds the incident comical because in the text it quotes "those things do best please me". Another example is that he finds the matter ridiculous, ludicrous and absurd. "...that befall preposterously". In addition Shakespeare portrays Puck as a mischievous spirit, "Mislead night wanderers laughing at their harm". This suggests that Puck is childish yet naive. I think Puck has a limited understanding of the consequences of his jesters. This quote also indicates that Puck is not vile but in turn immature. "...laughing at their harm". When mortals are in danger, instead

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Conflicts in Midsummer Night's Dream

In William Shakespeare’s play, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, there are lots of different conflicts. The audience finds conflict interesting to watch because it creates drama and tension. Throughout the play, the theme of conflict with authority is apparent and is the cause of the problems of the characters, there is conflict between friends and lovers, parents and children, governors and the governed. As in Shakespeare’s different dramas, the thematic of mistaken identities, hidden identities and deceptive identities creates many of the conflicts between the characters. The passage below, spoken by Theseus in the opening scene of the play, clearly states this theme: “Be advised fair maid. To you your father should be as god- One that composed your beauties, yea, and one To whom you are but as a form in wax By him imprinted, and within his power To leave the figure or disfigure it” – Act 1, scene 1. The first example of conflict in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is in the exposition scene and it sets up the conflict for the rest of the play. Hermia and Lysander, two young Athenians, are in love. They want to get married but Hermias father, Egueus, disagrees. He wants her to marry Demetrius, who is in love with her. She refuses to follow her father’s instruction, he declares that if Hermia won't marry Demetrius, she will die: This is the law of

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  • Subject: English
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Forced Love in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Price Alison Price Mr. Stam English I 0 May 2012 Forced Love The play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare is about four Athenian lovers who run away to escape the Athenian law. Hermia and Lysander go into the forest to get married while Demetrius and Helena follow. Puck and Oberon are very mischievous fairies. They put love potion that comes from a flower on the lovers and mix up who loves whom. The potion causes a person to love the first thing they see, even an animal. Dreams cause confusion by forcing love. The potion causes the four lovers and Titania love the wrong person while dreams make things more confusing. The potion majorly affects the Athenian lovers: they fall in love with the wrong person. Helena is in love with Demetrius, and Demetrius can’t stand Helena. Oberon and Puck see them conversing in the woods and Oberon decides to put the flower juice on Demetrius, “ A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth; anoint his eyes, But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady”(Shakespeare, II.i.25). Oberon demands that Puck must put the flower on the Athenian man’s eyes. Oberon wants Demetrius to fall in love with Helena. But something goes wrong: “What has thou done? Thou hast mistaken quite/ and laid the love juice on some true-love’s sight.”(III.ii.43). Oberon realizes that Puck put the

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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A midsummer nights dream - Act7 Scene1.

INTRODUCTION At the end of the play Helena has got back her love, Demetrius, but he is still under the influence of Oberon's spell. Unlike Hermia who has a true love, Helena is left with a love that is a sort of illusion. Most things are not meant to last forever, so if the love juice were to wear off would this be one of the next scenes in the play? Act7 Scene1 Helena is concerned about the constant pain in Demetrius's eyes so she goes to the local apothecary to find a cure. Helena: Excuse me my husband has been having pain in his eyes. I wonder is there anything you can prescribe? Apothecarist: Of course there is. Dian' s bud is the antidote of everything to do with the eyes. Here you are. (He hands her a bottle.) Helena: Oh, thank you very much. As Helena leaves, the apothacrist magically turns into Oberon. He smiles. Oberon: This new potion will wash away the love juice from his eyes, For it is time Helena knew if his love be truth or lies. Act 7 Scene 2 Demetrius goes home. He is tired and holding his head from the pain. Demetrius: Helena, Helena! Where are you? He is answered by silence. He then notices a note saying: Dear Demetrius, I have gone to the Acropolis. I will be back soon. Use the eyewash on the table. Helena He then turns to the bottle of eyewash, and bathes his eyes. He then falls asleep, until he is woken by a noise outside.

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Life Before Lysander

Life Before Lysander The news reports on the TV shortly before it happened showed the smiling faces of scientists in their crisp white coats, proudly congratulating each other for the creation of this new chemical, represented in the images before my eyes as a tiny cylinder filled with an evanescing yellow gas. It seemed harmless to me really, just an extra concentrated form of a new chemical compound. Developed secretly in America, its very existence had only just been officially declared by the U.S government, because it was deadly in smaller doses than sionide, and more easily spread than anthrax. Lysander 3, it was called. That was the first time I heard it. That name, those two little words which would change our world forever. It was April when it happened. Just a bright flash, that was all, just a white flash in the sky, no explosion and no noise. It all seemed to happen so fast, and from so far away, that I didn't even have time to jump, and no one really knew what was going on. For a few glorious hours, people just seemed to laugh it off, going about their daily lives, oblivious to their horrific and inevitable fates. But then it started. Emergency news reports slicing into broadcasts simultaneously on every channel, news reporters calmly explaining that a phial of Lysander 3 had been stolen by a new radical terrorist group called Avalanche. Their faces were

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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Where does the chaos lie in the first two acts of A Midsummer Nights Dream?

Where does the chaos lie in the first two acts of "A Midsummer Night's Dream"? It seems the main source of chaos in the first two acts of A Midsummer Night's Dream is love. Indeed, in Act 1 Scene 1, we can find many love relations : Theseus, duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons are engaged and are going to get married very soon. In this case, both of them love each other and everything goes well. This is the initial situation. Nevertheless, there come on stage four young Athenians, who all have different lovers from those they must marry. Our four characters are Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena. Helena loves Demetrius but the latter doesn't love her, which causes her complete desperation. As a matter of fact, Helena's problem brings more chaos : she submits herself, and even comes to a point where, in Act 2 Scene 2, she says : line 203, page 39 "I am you spaniel" which shoes her complete submission. This way of behaving shoes real chaos there. As well, Demetrius loves Hermia, but Hermia loves Lysander. That's the only two among the four Athenians who love each other : Lysander and Hermia. But, chaos comes another time because they are not allowed to marry, but this is another type of chaos. In the end, we understand that this situation his really complicated, and chaotic for most of the characters except Theseus and Hippolyta. In Act 2 Scene 1, we

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  • Level: GCSE
  • Subject: English
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