On the other side of the woods are the fairies and the band of Athenian craftsman. Oberon wants to make the little Indian prince a night, but his wife Titania refuses. Oberon sends his servant Puck to get a magical flower and spread its juice over Titania’s eyes, making her fall in love with the first thing she sees. He also orders Puck to spread some on Demetrius, but his plan goes wrong when he puts it on Lysander by accident. Lysander happens to see Helena upon awaking and falls deeply in love with her, abandoning Hermia. As the night progresses and Puck attempts to undo his mistake, both Lysander and Demetrius end up in love with Helena, who believes that they are mocking her.
Eventually Puck fixes his mistake and the fairies take the couples back to Athens for a group wedding. After the group wedding, the lovers watch Bottom and his fellow craftsmen perform their play, a fumbling, hilarious version of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe.
Author’s Style: Shakespeare writes in a comedic fashion. He discusses major themes and feelings for the time.
Example: The themes he discusses include Love, Magic, Dreams, and the troubles with them.
Memorable Quotes:
“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
– Puck says this when he is talking about the young Athenians.
“Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth...”
- Lysander to Hermia. Hermia is troubled by the fact that she cannot marry Lysander.
“How canst thou thus, for shame, Titania,
Glance at my credit with Hippolyta,
Knowing I know thy love to Theseus?”
- Oberon to Titania. Oberon telling of Titania’s love for Theseus.
Characters:
Puck- Oberon’s jester and a mischievous fairy. He delights in playing pranks on mortals.
He is the play’s protagonist. He is very playful and surprising.
Oberon – King of the fairies. Oberon argues with his wife a lot when she refuses to give Give him the young Indian child he wants to knight. He sends Puck to get the love-potion.
Titania – Queen of the fairies. Titania does not want her husband to knight the Indian child she has been given. She falls in love with Nick Bottom because of the
love-potion.
Lysander – Young man from Athens. Friends with Demetrius and in love with Hermia.
He cannot marry Hermia because of Egeus and accidentally falls in love with
Helena.
Demetrius – Young man from Athens. Friends with Lysander and initially in love with
Hermia but in the end loves Helena.
Hermia – Daughter of Egeus, and a young woman from Athens. Hermia is in love
with Lysander and a friend of Helena. Because of the Fairy magic, both
Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with Hermia.
Helena – A young woman from Athens and friend of Helena. She is in love with Demetrius. Demetrius and Helena were to be married, but when he met
Hermia, he fell in love with her and abandoned Helena.
Egeus – Hermia’s father, who complains to Theseus about his daughter. Egeus gave
Demetrius permission to marry Hermia, but Hermia loved Lysander.
Setting:
The play takes place in Ancient Greece. The entirety of the play takes place in Athens and forests surrounding the city.
Symbols:
The Duke and his Wife, Theseus and Hippolyta, represent the balance of life and nature.
The love potion that Oberon makes represents the instability, chaos, and power of love.
Significance of the opening scene:
“Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
Another moon; but, oh, methinks, how slow
This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, 5
Like to a step-dame or a dowager,
Long withering out a young man's revenue.”
The opening scene explains the 4 day celebration of the Marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta.
Significance of the closing scene:
“If we shadows have offended,
Think but this,—and all is mended,— 60
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend; 65
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long; 70
Else the Puck a liar call:
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.”
The closing scene consists of Puck apologize to the audience for his mistakes and asking for their forgiveness.
Possible Themes:
The most important theme of the play is that of the difficulty of Love. Love is a powerful emotion that no person should tamper with or try to control. Love is in a way symmetrical to Chaos. No one can predict where it goes or what it does. It just happens. If someone tries to control it, they will be injured.
