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3 A‬
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‭A Midsummer Night’s Dream‬
‭William Shakespeare‬

‭Details of the text:‬

‭●‬ ‭A comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595-1596.‬
‭●‬ ‭The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around‬
‭the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among‬
‭four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing‬
‭the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find‬
‭themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and‬
‭are engaged in their own domestic intrigue.‬
‭●‬ ‭The play consists of several interconnecting plots, connected by a celebration‬
‭of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen Hippolyta.‬
‭Most of the action occurs in the woodland realm of Fairyland, under the light‬
‭of the moon.‬
‭●‬ ‭The confusion in Act III continues to heighten, as the Athenian lovers and the‬
‭fairies occupy the stage simultaneously, often without seeing each other. The‬
‭comedy is at its silliest, and the characters are at their most extreme: Helena‬
‭and Hermia nearly come to blows as a result of their physical insecurities, and‬
‭Lysander and Demetrius actually try to have a duel. The plot is at its most‬
‭chaotic, and, though there is no real climax in A Midsummer Night’s Dream,‬
‭the action is at its most intense. With the falling action of Acts IV and V,‬
‭however, matters will sort themselves out quickly and order will be restored.‬
‭●‬ ‭Like Act III, scene i, Act III, scene ii serves a mainly developmental role in the‬
‭plot structure of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, focusing on the increasing‬
‭confusion among the four Athenian lovers. Now that both men have been‬
‭magically induced to switch their love from Hermia to Helena, the vanities‬
‭and insecurities of both women become far more pronounced. Helena’s low‬
‭self-esteem prevents her from believing that either man could really be in love‬
‭with her. Hermia, who is used to having both men fawn on her, has her vanity‬
‭stung by the fact that they are suddenly cold and indifferent toward her. She‬
‭reveals a latent insecurity about her short stature when she assumes that‬
‭Helena has used her height (“her personage, her tall personage”) to win‬
‭Lysander’s love, and her quick temper is revealed in Helena’s fear that Hermia‬
‭will attack her (III.ii.293). The men’s exaggerated masculine aggression leads‬
‭them to vow to protect Helena from the dreaded Hermia—a ridiculous state of‬
‭affairs given that they are two armed men whereas Hermia is a tiny, unarmed‬
‭woman. Their aggression betrays Helena, however, as the men refocus it on‬
‭their competition for her love.‬
‭●‬ ‭The potion is responsible for the confusion of the lovers’ situation; thus,‬
‭Shakespeare links the theme of magic to the motif of imbalanced love, which‬
‭dominates the scene. Had the love potion never been brought into play, the‬
 ‭ thenian lovers would still be tangled in their romantic mess, but they would‬
A
‭all understand it, whereas the fairies’ meddling has left both Hermia and‬
‭Helena unable to comprehend the situation. Additionally, Puck’s magical‬
‭ventriloquism is what prevents Lysander and Demetrius from killing each‬
‭other at the end of the scene. Thus, magic both brings about their mutual‬
‭hostility (to this point, Lysander has not been antagonistic toward Demetrius)‬
‭and resolves it.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Summary:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Act 1:‬
‭■‬ ‭The play opens with Theseus and Hippolyta who are four days‬
‭away from their wedding. Theseus is unhappy about how long he‬
‭has to wait while Hippolyta thinks it will pass by like a dream.‬
‭Theseus is confronted by Egeus and his daughter Hermia, who is‬
‭in love with Lysander, and resistant to her father's demand that‬
‭she marry Demetrius, whom he has arranged for her to marry.‬
‭Enraged, Egeus invokes an ancient Athenian law before Duke‬
‭Theseus, whereby a daughter needs to marry a suitor chosen by‬
‭her father, or else face death. Theseus offers her another choice:‬
‭lifelong chastity as a nun worshipping the goddess Diana, but‬
‭the two lovers both deny his choice and make a secret plan to‬
‭escape into the forest for Lysander's aunt's house, to run away‬
‭from Theseus. Hermia tells their plans to Helena, her best‬
‭friend, who pines unrequitedly for Demetrius, who broke up‬
‭with Helena to be with Hermia. Desperate to reclaim‬
‭Demetrius's love, Helena tells Demetrius about the plan and he‬
‭follows them in hopes of finding Hermia.‬
‭■‬ ‭The mechanicals, Peter Quince and fellow players Nick Bottom,‬
‭Francis Flute, Robin Starveling, Tom Snout and Snug plan to put‬
‭on a play for the wedding of the Duke and the Queen, "the most‬
‭lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and‬
‭Thisbe". Quince reads the names of characters and bestows them‬
‭on the players. Nick Bottom, who is playing the main role of‬
‭Pyramus, is over-enthusiastic and wants to dominate others by‬
‭suggesting himself for the characters of Thisbe, the Lion, and‬
‭Pyramus at the same time. Quince insists that Bottom can only‬
‭play the role of Pyramus. Bottom would also rather play a tyrant‬
‭and recites some lines of Ercles. Bottom is told by Quince that he‬
‭would play the Lion so terribly as to frighten the duchess and‬
‭other ladies so much that the Duke and Lords would have the‬
‭players hanged. Snug remarks that he needs Lion's part because‬
‭he is "slow of study". Quince assures Snug that the role of the‬
‭lion is "nothing but roaring." Quince then ends the meeting by‬
‭telling his actors "At the Duke's oak we meet".‬
‭○‬ ‭Act 2:‬
 ‭■‬ I‭ n a parallel plot line, Oberon, king of the fairies, and Titania, his‬
‭queen, have come to the forest outside Athens. Titania tells‬
‭Oberon that she plans to stay there until she has attended‬
‭Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding. Oberon and Titania are‬
‭estranged because Titania refuses to give her Indian changeling‬
‭to Oberon for use as his "knight" or "henchman" since the child's‬
‭mother was one of Titania's worshippers. Oberon seeks to‬
‭punish Titania. He calls upon Robin "Puck" Goodfellow, his‬
‭"shrewd and knavish sprite", to help him concoct a magical juice‬
‭derived from a flower called "love-in-idleness", which turns from‬
‭white to purple when struck by Cupid's arrow. When the‬
‭concoction is applied to the eyelids of a sleeping person, that‬
‭person, upon waking, falls in love with the first living thing they‬
‭perceive. He instructs Puck to retrieve the flower with the hope‬
‭that he might make Titania fall in love with an animal of the‬
‭forest and thereby shame her into giving up the little Indian boy.‬
‭He says, "And ere I take this charm from off her sight, / As I can‬
‭take it with another herb, / I'll make her render up her page to‬
‭me." Helena and Demetrius enter, with her continuously making‬
‭advances towards Demetrius, promising to love him more than‬
‭Hermia. However, he rebuffs her with cruel insults. Observing‬
‭this, Oberon orders Puck to spread some of the magical juice‬
‭from the flower on the eyelids of the young Athenian man.‬
‭■‬ ‭As Titania is lulled to sleep by her fairies, Oberon sneaks up and‬
‭places the flower juice on her eyes, exiting the stage afterwards.‬
‭Lysander and Hermia enter, lost and exhausted from the‬
‭journey. Hermia rejects Lysander's advances to sleep together,‬
‭and the two lie down on different corners. Puck enters and‬
‭mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, not having seen either before,‬
‭and administers the juice to the sleeping Lysander. Helena,‬
‭coming across him, wakes him while attempting to determine‬
‭whether he is dead or asleep. Upon this happening, Lysander‬
‭immediately falls in love with Helena. Helena, thinking‬
‭Lysander is mocking her, runs away. Lysander follows her.‬
‭When Hermia wakes up after dreaming a snake ate her heart,‬
‭she sees that Lysander is gone and goes out in the woods to find‬
‭him.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Act 3:‬
○
‭■‬ ‭Meanwhile, Quince and his band of five labourers ("rude‬
‭mechanicals", as Puck describes them) have arranged to perform‬
‭their play about Pyramus and Thisbe for Theseus's wedding and‬
‭venture into the forest, near Titania's bower, for their rehearsal.‬
‭Quince leads the actors in their rehearsal of the play. Bottom is‬
‭spotted by Puck, who (taking his name to be another word for a‬
 j‭ ackass) transforms his head into that of a donkey. When Bottom‬
‭returns for his next lines, the other workmen run screaming in‬
‭terror: They claim that they are haunted, much to Bottom's‬
‭confusion. Determined to await his friends, he begins to sing to‬
‭himself. Titania, having received the love potion, is awakened by‬
‭Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him. (In the‬
‭words of the play, "Titania waked, and straightway loved an‬
‭ass.") She lavishes him with the attention of her and her fairies,‬
‭and while she is in this state of devotion, Oberon takes the‬
‭changeling boy.‬
‭■‬ ‭Oberon sees Demetrius still following Hermia. When‬
‭Demetrius goes to sleep, Oberon condemns Puck's‬
‭mistake and sends him to get Helena while he charms‬
‭Demetrius's eyes. Upon waking, he sees Helena arguing‬
‭with Lysander, and instantly falls in love with her. Now‬
‭under the spell, the two men are both in love with her.‬
‭However, Helena is convinced that her two suitors are‬
‭mocking her, as neither loved her originally. Hermia‬
‭finds Lysander and asks why he left her, but Lysander‬
‭claims he never loved Hermia, instead loving Helena.‬
‭This soon turns into a quarrel between the two ladies,‬
‭with Helena chiding Hermia for joining in the mockery‬
‭session, followed by the latter furiously charging at her‬
‭for stealing her true love's heart and blaming her for‬
‭the supposed 'mockery'. Oberon and Puck decide that‬
‭they must resolve this conflict, and by the morning,‬
‭none of them will have any memory of what happened,‬
‭as if it were a dream. Oberon arranges everything so‬
‭Helena, Hermia, Demetrius, and Lysander will all‬
‭believe they have been dreaming when they awaken.‬
‭Puck distracts Lysander and Demetrius from fighting‬
‭over Helena's love by mimicking their voices and‬
‭leading them apart. Eventually, all four find themselves‬
‭separately falling asleep in the glade. Once they fall‬
‭asleep, Puck administers the love potion to Lysander‬
‭again, returning his love to Hermia again, and cast‬
‭another spell over the four Athenian lovers, claiming‬
‭all will be well in the morning. Once they awaken, the‬
‭lovers assume that whatever happened was a dream‬
‭and not reality.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Act 4:‬
○
‭■‬ ‭Having achieved his goals, Oberon releases Titania and orders‬
‭Puck to remove the donkey's head from Bottom. The fairies then‬
‭disappear, and Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on the scene,‬
 ‭ uring an early morning hunt. They find the lovers still sleeping‬
d
‭in the glade. They wake up the lovers and, since Demetrius no‬
‭longer loves Hermia, Theseus over-rules Egeus's demands and‬
‭arranges a group wedding. The lovers at first believe they are‬
‭still in a dream and cannot recall what has happened. The lovers‬
‭decide that the night's events must have been a dream, as they‬
‭walk back to Athens.‬
‭■‬ ‭After they exit, Bottom awakes, and he too decides that he must‬
‭have experienced a dream "past the wit of man". At Quince's‬
‭house, Quince and his team of actors worry that Bottom has‬
‭gone missing. Quince laments that Bottom is the only man who‬
‭can take on the lead role of Pyramus. Bottom returns and the‬
‭actors get ready to put on "Pyramus and Thisbe".‬
‭○‬ ‭Act 5:‬
‭■‬ ‭In the final scene of the play, Theseus, Hippolyta and the lovers‬
‭watch the six workmen perform Pyramus and Thisbe in Athens.‬
‭The mechanicals are so terrible at playing their roles that the‬
‭guests laugh as if it were meant to be a comedy, and everyone‬
‭retires to bed. Afterwards, Oberon, Titania, Puck, and other‬
‭fairies enter, and bless the house and its occupants with good‬
‭fortune. After all the other characters leave, Puck "restores‬
‭amends" and suggests that what the audience experienced might‬
‭just be a dream.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Theseus:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Theseus (UK: /ˈθiːsjuːs/, US: /ˈθiːsiəs/; Ancient Greek: Θησεύς‬
‭[tʰɛːsěu̯ s]) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the‬
‭Minotaur.‬
‭○‬ ‭Theseus is sometimes described as the son of Aegeus, king of Athens,[1]‬
‭and sometimes as the son of the god Poseidon. The most famous legend‬
‭about Theseus is his slaying of the Minotaur, half man and half bull.‬
‭●‬ ‭Hippolyta:‬
‭○‬ ‭In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hippolyta is‬
‭engaged to Theseus, the duke of Athens. In Act I, Scene 1 she and he‬
‭discuss their fast-approaching wedding, which will take place under the‬
‭new moon in four days (I.i.2). Theseus declares to Hippolyta that,‬
‭although he "wooed her with his sword," he will wed her "with pomp,‬
‭with triumph, and with revelling" and promises to begin a celebration‬
‭that will continue until the wedding (I.i.19).‬
‭○‬ ‭The characterization of Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream (as‬
‭well as that of Theseus), like many other mytho-historical characters‬
‭found in Shakespeare's plays, is based on ancient biographical accounts‬
‭found in Plutarch's work Parallel Lives. In The Life of Theseus,‬
‭according to Plutarch, it was Hippolyta who concluded a four month‬
‭long war between Athens and the Amazons with a peace treaty,‬
 r‭ esulting in the marriage between Theseus and Hippolyta. The‬
‭representation of Hippolyta and Theseus in A Midsummer Night's‬
‭Dream appears to be the playwright's invention.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Themes:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Lovers’ bliss: In Ancient Greece, long before the creation of the‬
‭Christian celebrations of St. John's Day, the summer solstice was‬
‭marked by Adonia, a festival to mourn the death of Adonis, the devoted‬
‭mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite. According to Ovid's‬
‭Metamorphoses, Aphrodite took the orphaned infant Adonis to the‬
‭underworld to be raised by Persephone. He grew to be a beautiful‬
‭young man, and when Aphrodite returned to retrieve him, Persephone‬
‭did not want to let him go. Zeus settled the dispute by giving Adonis‬
‭one-third of the year with Persephone, one-third of the year with‬
‭Aphrodite, and the remaining third where he chose. Adonis chose to‬
‭spend two-thirds of the year with his paramour, Aphrodite. He bled to‬
‭death in his lover's arms after being gored by a boar. Mythology has‬
‭various stories attributing the colour of certain flowers to staining by‬
‭the blood of Adonis or Aphrodite. The story of Venus and Adonis was‬
‭well known to the Elizabethans and inspired many works, including‬
‭Shakespeare's own hugely popular narrative poem, Venus and Adonis,‬
‭written while London's theatres were closed because of plague. It was‬
‭published in 1593.[9] The wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta and the‬
‭mistaken and waylaid lovers, Titania and Bottom, even the erstwhile‬
‭acting troupe, model various aspects (and forms) of love.‬
‭○‬ ‭Carnivalesque: Both David Wiles of the University of London and‬
‭Harold Bloom of Yale University have strongly endorsed the reading of‬
‭this play under the themes of Carnivalesque, Bacchanalia, and‬
‭Saturnalia.[10] Writing in 1998, David Wiles stated that: "The starting‬
‭point for my own analysis will be the proposition that although we‬
‭encounter A Midsummer Night's Dream as a text, it was historically‬
‭part of an aristocratic carnival. It was written for a wedding, and part of‬
‭the festive structure of the wedding night. The audience who saw the‬
‭play in the public theatre in the months that followed became vicarious‬
‭participants in an aristocratic festival from which they were physically‬
‭excluded. My purpose will be to demonstrate how closely the play is‬
‭integrated with a historically specific upper-class celebration."[11]‬
‭Wiles argued in 1993 that the play was written to celebrate the‬
‭Carey-Berkeley wedding. The date of the wedding was fixed to coincide‬
‭with a conjunction of Venus and the new moon, highly propitious for‬
‭conceiving an heir.[12]‬
‭○‬ ‭Love’s difficulty: “The course of true love never did run smooth,”‬
‭comments Lysander, articulating one of A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s‬
‭most important themes—that of the difficulty of love (I.i.134). Though‬
‭most of the conflict in the play stems from the troubles of romance, and‬
 t‭ hough the play involves a number of romantic elements, it is not truly‬
‭a love story; it distances the audience from the emotions of the‬
‭characters in order to poke fun at the torments and afflictions that‬
‭those in love suffer. The tone of the play is so lighthearted that the‬
‭audience never doubts that things will end happily, and it is therefore‬
‭free to enjoy the comedy without being caught up in the tension of an‬
‭uncertain outcome. The theme of love’s difficulty is often explored‬
‭through the motif of love out of balance—that is, romantic situations in‬
‭which a disparity or inequality interferes with the harmony of a‬
‭relationship. The prime instance of this imbalance is the asymmetrical‬
‭love among the four young Athenians: Hermia loves Lysander,‬
‭Lysander loves Hermia, Helena loves Demetrius, and Demetrius loves‬
‭Hermia instead of Helena—a simple numeric imbalance in which two‬
‭men love the same woman, leaving one woman with too many suitors‬
‭and one with too few. The play has strong potential for a traditional‬
‭outcome, and the plot is in many ways based on a quest for internal‬
‭balance; that is, when the lovers’ tangle resolves itself into symmetrical‬
‭pairings, the traditional happy ending will have been achieved.‬
‭Somewhat similarly, in the relationship between Titania and Oberon,‬
‭an imbalance arises out of the fact that Oberon’s coveting of Titania’s‬
‭Indian boy outweighs his love for her. Later, Titania’s passion for the‬
‭ass-headed Bottom represents an imbalance of appearance and nature:‬
‭Titania is beautiful and graceful, while Bottom is clumsy and grotesque.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Magic: The fairies’ magic, which brings about many of the most bizarre‬
○
‭and hilarious situations in the play, is another element central to the‬
‭fantastic atmosphere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare‬
‭uses magic both to embody the almost supernatural power of love‬
‭(symbolized by the love potion) and to create a surreal world. Although‬
‭the misuse of magic causes chaos, as when Puck mistakenly applies the‬
‭love potion to Lysander’s eyelids, magic ultimately resolves the play’s‬
‭tensions by restoring love to balance among the quartet of Athenian‬
‭youths. Additionally, the ease with which Puck uses magic to his own‬
‭ends, as when he reshapes Bottom’s head into that of an ass and‬
‭recreates the voices of Lysander and Demetrius, stands in contrast to‬
‭the laboriousness and gracelessness of the craftsmen’s attempt to stage‬
‭their play.‬
‭○‬ ‭Dreams: As the title suggests, dreams are an important theme in A‬
‭Midsummer Night’s Dream; they are linked to the bizarre, magical‬
‭mishaps in the forest. Hippolyta’s first words in the play evidence the‬
‭prevalence of dreams (“Four days will quickly steep themselves in‬
‭night, / Four nights will quickly dream away the time”), and various‬
‭characters mention dreams throughout (I.i.7–8). The theme of‬
‭dreaming recurs predominantly when characters attempt to explain‬
‭bizarre events in which these characters are involved: “I have had a‬
 ‭ ream, past the wit of man to say what / dream it was. Man is but an‬
d
‭ass if he go about t’expound this dream,” Bottom says, unable to fathom‬
‭the magical happenings that have affected him as anything but the‬
‭result of slumber. Shakespeare is also interested in the actual workings‬
‭of dreams, in how events occur without explanation, time loses its‬
‭normal sense of flow, and the impossible occurs as a matter of course;‬
‭he seeks to recreate this environment in the play through the‬
‭intervention of the fairies in the magical forest. At the end of the play,‬
‭Puck extends the idea of dreams to the audience members themselves,‬
‭saying that, if they have been offended by the play, they should‬
‭remember it as nothing more than a dream. This sense of illusion and‬
‭gauzy fragility is crucial to the atmosphere of A Midsummer Night’s‬
‭Dream, as it helps render the play a fantastical experience rather than a‬
‭heavy drama.‬
‭ ‬ ‭In Midsummer, mischief is primarily associated with the forest and the‬
○
‭fairies who reside there. Accordingly, the fairies of traditional British‬
‭folklore are master mischief makers. The trickster fairy Puck (also‬
‭known as Robin Goodfellow) is the play’s chief creator of mischief.‬
‭Puck’s reputation as a troublemaker precedes him, as suggested in the‬
‭first scene of Act II, where an unnamed fairy recognizes Puck and‬
‭rhapsodizes about all the tricks Puck has played on unsuspecting‬
‭humans. Although in the play Puck only retrieves and uses the magical‬
‭flower at Oberon’s request, his mistakes in implementing Oberon’s plan‬
‭have the most chaotic effects. Puck also makes mischief of his own‬
‭accord, as when he transforms Bottom’s head into that of ass. Puck is‬
‭also the only character who explicitly talks about his love of mischief.‬
‭When in Act III he declares that “those things do best please me / That‬
‭befall prepost’rously” (III.ii.), he effectively announces a personal‬
‭philosophy of mischief and an appreciation for turning things on their‬
‭head.‬
‭○‬ ‭Transformation: Many examples of emotional and physical‬
‭transformation occur in Midsummer. These transformations contribute‬
‭to the play’s humorous chaos, and also make its happy ending possible.‬
‭Most of the transformations that take place in the play derive from fairy‬
‭magic, specifically the magic of Puck. Perhaps the most obvious‬
‭example is when Puck assists Oberon in placing a charm on Titania and‬
‭two of the Athenian lovers in order to transform their affections.‬
‭Instead of helping the lovers, Puck’s meddling amplifies the tensions‬
‭that already existed among them. Puck wreaks further havoc when he‬
‭physically transforms Bottom, “translating” his head into the head of a‬
‭donkey. Bottom’s transformation inspires terror among Bottom’s‬
‭companions, who fear that his change bears the marks of a devil.‬
‭Although these transformations initially stimulate conflict and fear,‬
‭they ultimately help to restore order. By the end of the night, the‬
 ‭ thenian lovers all end up in their proper pairings and are able to‬
A
‭return safely to Athens. Likewise, after Titania awakens from her‬
‭bizarre coupling with Bottom, she and Oberon are able to settle their‬
‭quarrel. The many transformations therefore enable the play’s happy‬
‭ending.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Unreason: The many transformations that take place in Midsummer‬
○
‭give rise to a temporary suspension of reason. As night progresses in‬
‭the forest, things cease to make sense. For example, Hermia falls asleep‬
‭near Lysander but then wakes to find him gone. When she eventually‬
‭finds him again, Lysander does the verbal equivalent of spitting in‬
‭Hermia’s face: “Could not this make thee know / The hate I bear thee‬
‭made me leave thee so?” (III.ii.). Completely floored by the sudden‬
‭reversal of Lysander’s former love, Hermia senses a failure of reason:‬
‭“You speak not as you think” (III.ii.). A more humorous version of‬
‭unreason occurs when Bottom, recently crowned with the head of a‬
‭donkey, finds himself nestling with Titania in her bower. Even though‬
‭Bottom doesn’t know about his physical transformation, he’s self-aware‬
‭enough to see the absurdity of the situation. When Titania professes‬
‭her love for Bottom, he responds coolly: “Methinks, mistress, you‬
‭should have little reason for that” (III.i.). By turns disturbing and‬
‭amusing, these and other examples of unreason in the play function to‬
‭amplify the chaos and confusion traditionally associated with fairies‬
‭and the forest.‬
‭○‬ ‭Reversal: Situations transform quickly into their opposites throughout‬
‭the play. Most obviously, the charm Puck uses to transform the‬
‭Athenian lovers’ affections creates sudden reversals of love and hate,‬
‭and these reversals result in a breakdown of reason. The sudden‬
‭reversal of Lysander’s affection for Hermia not only leaves his former‬
‭lover stunned, but also shocks Helena, who suddenly finds herself‬
‭being pursued by Lysander. All of the madcap foolery that plays out in‬
‭the forest arises from Oberon’s original idea to affect just one strategic‬
‭reversal. In Act II, when Oberon spies on Helena chasing after‬
‭Demetrius, Helena comments that her pursuit reverses the natural‬
‭order of things: “Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase. / The dove‬
‭pursues the griffin; the mild hind / Makes speed to catch the tiger.”‬
‭(II.i.) According to Helena, this state of affairs creates “a scandal for my‬
‭sex.” Hearing Helena, Oberon promises to reverse the reversal, thereby‬
‭restoring order: “Ere he do leave this grove / Thou shalt fly him, and he‬
‭shall seek thy love” (II.i.).‬
‭○‬ ‭Love: David Bevington argues that the play represents the dark side of‬
‭love. He writes that the fairies make light of love by mistaking the‬
‭lovers and by applying a love potion to Queen Titania's eyes, forcing her‬
‭to fall in love with an ass.[13] In the forest, both couples are beset by‬
‭problems. Hermia and Lysander are both met by Puck, who provides‬
 s‭ ome comic relief in the play by confounding the four lovers in the‬
‭forest. However, the play also alludes to serious themes. At the end of‬
‭the play, Hippolyta and Theseus, happily married, watch the play about‬
‭the unfortunate lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe, and are able to enjoy and‬
‭laugh at it.[14] Helena and Demetrius are both oblivious to the dark‬
‭side of their love, totally unaware of what may have come of the events‬
‭in the forest.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Problem with time: There is a dispute over the scenario of the play as it‬
○
‭is cited at first by Theseus that "four happy days bring in another‬
‭moon".[15] The wood episode then takes place at a night of no Moon,‬
‭but Lysander asserts that "there will be so much light in the very night‬
‭they will escape that dew on the grass will be shining like liquid‬
‭pearls."[16] Also, in the next scene, Quince states that they will‬
‭rehearse in moonlight,[17] which creates a real confusion. It is possible‬
‭that the Moon set during the night allowing Lysander to escape in the‬
‭moonlight and for the actors to rehearse, then for the wood episode to‬
‭occur without moonlight. Theseus's statement can also be interpreted‬
‭to mean "four days until the next month". Another possibility is that,‬
‭since each month there are roughly four consecutive nights that the‬
‭Moon is not seen due to its closeness to the Sun in the sky (the two‬
‭nights before the moment of new moon, followed by the two following‬
‭it), it may in this fashion indicate a liminal "dark of the moon" period‬
‭full of magical possibilities. This is further supported by Hippolyta's‬
‭opening lines exclaiming "And then the moon, like to a silver bow‬
‭New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night of our solemnities."; the‬
‭thin crescent-shaped moon being the hallmark of the new moon's‬
‭return to the skies each month. The play also intertwines the‬
‭Midsummer Eve of the title with May Day, furthering the idea of a‬
‭confusion of time and the seasons. This is evidenced by Theseus‬
‭commenting on some slumbering youths, that they "observe The rite of‬
‭May".[18]‬
‭○‬ ‭Loss of individual identity: Maurice Hunt, former Chair of the English‬
‭Department at Baylor University, writes of the blurring of the identities‬
‭of fantasy and reality in the play that make possible "that pleasing,‬
‭narcotic dreaminess associated with the fairies of the play".[19] By‬
‭emphasising this theme, even in the setting of the play, Shakespeare‬
‭prepares the reader's mind to accept the fantastic reality of the fairy‬
‭world and its happenings. This also seems to be the axis around which‬
‭the plot conflicts in the play occur. Hunt suggests that it is the breaking‬
‭down of individual identities that leads to the central conflict in the‬
‭story.[19] It is the brawl between Oberon and Titania, based on a lack‬
‭of recognition for the other in the relationship, that drives the rest of‬
‭the drama in the story and makes it dangerous for any of the other‬
‭lovers to come together due to the disturbance of Nature caused by a‬
 f‭ airy dispute.[19] Similarly, this failure to identify and to distinguish is‬
‭what leads Puck to mistake one set of lovers for another in the forest,‬
‭placing the flower's juice on Lysander's eyes instead of Demetrius'.[19]‬
‭Victor Kiernan, a Marxist scholar and historian, writes that it is for the‬
‭greater sake of love that this loss of identity takes place and that‬
‭individual characters are made to suffer accordingly: "It was the more‬
‭extravagant cult of love that struck sensible people as irrational, and‬
‭likely to have dubious effects on its acolytes."[20] He believes that‬
‭identities in the play are not so much lost as they are blended together‬
‭to create a type of haze through which distinction becomes nearly‬
‭impossible. It is driven by a desire for new and more practical ties‬
‭between characters as a means of coping with the strange world within‬
‭the forest, even in relationships as diverse and seemingly unrealistic as‬
‭the brief love between Titania and Bottom: "It was the tidal force of this‬
‭social need that lent energy to relationships."[21]‬
‭The aesthetics scholar David Marshall draws out this theme even‬
‭further by noting that the loss of identity reaches its fullness in the‬
‭description of the mechanicals and their assumption of other identities.‬
‭In describing the occupations of the acting troupe, he writes "Two‬
‭construct or put together, two mend and repair, one weaves and one‬
‭sews. All join together what is apart or mend what has been rent,‬
‭broken, or sundered."[22] In Marshall's opinion, this loss of individual‬
‭identity not only blurs specificities, it creates new identities found in‬
‭community, which Marshall points out may lead to some‬
‭understanding of Shakespeare's opinions on love and marriage.‬
‭Further, the mechanicals understand this theme as they take on their‬
‭individual parts for a corporate performance of Pyramus and Thisbe.‬
‭Marshall remarks that "To be an actor is to double and divide oneself,‬
‭to discover oneself in two parts: both oneself and not oneself, both the‬
‭part and not the part."[22] He claims that the mechanicals understand‬
‭this and that each character, particularly among the lovers, has a sense‬
‭of laying down individual identity for the greater benefit of the group or‬
‭pairing. It seems that a desire to lose one's individuality and find‬
‭identity in the love of another is what quietly moves the events of A‬
‭Midsummer Night's Dream. As the primary sense of motivation, this‬
‭desire is reflected even in the scenery depictions and the story's overall‬
‭mood.[22]‬
‭ ‬ ‭Ambiguous sexuality: In his essay "Preposterous Pleasures: Queer‬
○
‭Theories and A Midsummer Night's Dream", Douglas E. Green explores‬
‭possible interpretations of alternative sexuality that he finds within the‬
‭text of the play, in juxtaposition to the proscribed social mores of the‬
‭culture at the time the play was written. He writes that his essay "does‬
‭not (seek to) rewrite A Midsummer Night's Dream as a gay play but‬
 r‭ ather explores some of its 'homoerotic significations' ... moments of‬
‭'queer' disruption and eruption in this Shakespearean comedy."[23]‬
‭Green does not consider Shakespeare to have been a "sexual radical",‬
‭but that the play represented a "topsy-turvy world" or "temporary‬
‭holiday" that mediates or negotiates the "discontents of civilisation",‬
‭which while resolved neatly in the story's conclusion, do not resolve so‬
‭neatly in real life.[24] Green writes that the "sodomitical elements",‬
‭"homoeroticism", "lesbianism", and even "compulsory‬
‭heterosexuality"—the first hint of which may be Oberon's obsession‬
‭with Titania's changeling ward—in the story must be considered in the‬
‭context of the "culture of early modern England" as a commentary on‬
‭the "aesthetic rigidities of comic form and political ideologies of the‬
‭prevailing order".[24]‬
‭ ‬ ‭Gender roles: Male dominance is one thematic element found in the‬
○
‭play. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lysander and Hermia escape‬
‭into the woods for a night where they do not fall under the laws of‬
‭Theseus or Egeus. Upon their arrival in Athens, the couples are‬
‭married. Marriage is seen as the ultimate social achievement for‬
‭women while men can go on to do many other great things and gain‬
‭social recognition.[25] In The Imperial Votaress, Louis Montrose draws‬
‭attention to male and female gender roles and norms present in the‬
‭comedy in connection with Elizabethan culture. In reference to the‬
‭triple wedding, he says, "The festive conclusion in A Midsummer‬
‭Night's Dream depends upon the success of a process by which the‬
‭feminine pride and power manifested in Amazon warriors, possessive‬
‭mothers, unruly wives, and wilful daughters are brought under the‬
‭control of lords and husbands."[26] He says that the consummation of‬
‭marriage is how power over a woman changes hands from father to‬
‭husband. A connection is drawn between flowers and sexuality.‬
‭Montrose sees the juice employed by Oberon as symbolising menstrual‬
‭blood as well as the "sexual blood shed by 'virgins'". While blood as a‬
‭result of menstruation is representative of a woman's power, blood as a‬
‭result of a first sexual encounter represents man's power over‬
‭women.[27]‬
‭There are points in the play, however, when there is an absence of‬
‭patriarchal control. In his book Power on Display, Leonard‬
‭Tennenhouse says the problem in A Midsummer Night's Dream is the‬
‭problem of "authority gone archaic".[28] The Athenian law requiring a‬
‭daughter to die if she does not do her father's will is outdated.‬
‭Tennenhouse contrasts the patriarchal rule of Theseus in Athens with‬
‭that of Oberon in the carnivalistic Faerie world. The disorder in the‬
‭land of the fairies completely opposes the world of Athens. He states‬
‭that during times of carnival and festival, male power is broken down.‬
‭For example, what happens to the four lovers in the woods as well as‬
 ‭ ottom's dream represents chaos that contrasts with Theseus' political‬
B
‭order. However, Theseus does not punish the lovers for their‬
‭disobedience. According to Tennenhouse, by forgiving the lovers, he‬
‭has made a distinction between the law of the patriarch (Egeus) and‬
‭that of the monarch (Theseus), creating two different voices of‬
‭authority. This can be compared to the time of Elizabeth I, in which‬
‭monarchs were seen as having two bodies: the body natural and the‬
‭body politic. Tennenhouse says that Elizabeth's succession itself‬
‭represented both the voice of a patriarch and the voice of a monarch:‬
‭(1) her father's will, which stated that the crown should pass to her and‬
‭(2) the fact that she was the daughter of a king.[29]‬
‭ ‬ ‭Motifs:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Contrast: The idea of contrast is the basic building block of A‬
‭Midsummer Night’s Dream. The entire play is constructed around‬
‭groups of opposites and doubles. Nearly every characteristic presented‬
‭in the play has an opposite: Helena is tall, Hermia is short; Puck plays‬
‭pranks, Bottom is the victim of pranks; Titania is beautiful, Bottom is‬
‭grotesque. Further, the three main groups of characters (who are‬
‭developed from sources as varied as Greek mythology, English folklore,‬
‭and classical literature) are designed to contrast powerfully with one‬
‭another: the fairies are graceful and magical, while the craftsmen are‬
‭clumsy and earthy; the craftsmen are merry, while the lovers are overly‬
‭serious. Contrast serves as the defining visual characteristic of A‬
‭Midsummer Night’s Dream, with the play’s most indelible image being‬
‭that of the beautiful, delicate Titania weaving flowers into the hair of‬
‭the ass-headed Bottom. It seems impossible to imagine two figures less‬
‭compatible with each other. The juxtaposition of extraordinary‬
‭differences is the most important characteristic of the play’s surreal‬
‭atmosphere and is thus perhaps the play’s central motif; there is no‬
‭scene in which extraordinary contrast is not present.‬
‭○‬ ‭The Forest: Much of the confusion and misdirection in A Midsummer‬
‭Night’s Dream relies on characters’ placement in the forest. Lysander‬
‭and Hermia meet in the cover of the woods at night to elope. Peter‬
‭Quince suggests the players rehearse in the woods rather than in town‬
‭so they can guarantee they won’t have an audience until they’re ready.‬
‭Helena tells Demetrius to go to the woods under the pretense of‬
‭stopping Hermia and Lysander, when really she intends to win back‬
‭Demetrius’s love. All these characters seek the woods precisely for its‬
‭ability to provide cover and seclusion from outside forces, especially‬
‭those from the human realm of order and predictability. However, the‬
‭disorder of the forest creates unintended consequences for the‬
‭characters when the fairies get involved. Puck’s mischief thwarts the‬
‭lovers’ plans, and he deliberately messes with Bottom’s theater‬
‭company. Even before Puck begins playing tricks, the forest hides the‬
 l‭ overs, leading Puck to accidentally give the potion to Lysander instead‬
‭of Demetrius. Throughout the story, the forest is a place of confusion‬
‭and concealment where things are not as they seem.‬
‭○‬ ‭Eyes and Seeing: Early in the play, Helena pines for Demetrius with the‬
‭words “love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.” Her jealous‬
‭musing turns out to be an apt summary of the story ahead. Throughout‬
‭the play, the characters consistently mention sight and eyes, both‬
‭literally and metaphorically. The lovers describe the objects of their‬
‭affections with the most generous terms of physical beauty, often‬
‭doting on their eyes. Helena, conversely, shows her insecurity by‬
‭comparing her appearance unfavorably to Hermia’s. When Helena and‬
‭Hermia get into a fight and Helena and the men comment on Hermia’s‬
‭height, Hermia vehemently tells Helena, “I am not yet so low/ But that‬
‭my nails can reach into thine eyes.” In her rage, the first thing Hermia‬
‭threatens is to claw at Helena’s eyes, marring both her sight and the‬
‭way she is seen. Sight is proven to be incredibly unreliable in the play,‬
‭particularly under the influence of magic. The love potion must be‬
‭applied to the eyes to work, causing the characters to see life‬
‭differently. Lysander and Demetrius say opposite things to Helena and‬
‭Hermia about their appearances depending on which woman they love‬
‭at the time. Titania describes Bottom as a beautiful creature although‬
‭he looks like a donkey. The play within a play emphasizes the limits of‬
‭sight by giving Pyramus and Thisbe only a chink in a wall through‬
‭which to see each other. They are in love, but they do not have the full‬
‭picture of one another, echoing the vision of the enchanted lovers in the‬
‭forest.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Symbols:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Theseus and Hippolyta: Theseus and Hippolyta bookend A Midsummer‬
‭Night’s Dream, appearing in the daylight at both the beginning and the‬
‭end of the play’s main action. They disappear, however, for the‬
‭duration of the action, leaving in the middle of Act I, scene i and not‬
‭reappearing until Act IV, as the sun is coming up to end the magical‬
‭night in the forest. Shakespeare uses Theseus and Hippolyta, the ruler‬
‭of Athens and his warrior bride, to represent order and stability, to‬
‭contrast with the uncertainty, instability, and darkness of most of the‬
‭play. Whereas an important element of the dream realm is that one is‬
‭not in control of one’s environment, Theseus and Hippolyta are always‬
‭entirely in control of theirs. Their reappearance in the daylight of Act‬
‭IV to hear Theseus’s hounds signifies the end of the dream state of the‬
‭previous night and a return to rationality.‬
‭○‬ ‭The Love Potion: The love potion is made from the juice of a flower that‬
‭was struck with one of Cupid’s misfired arrows; it is used by the fairies‬
‭to wreak romantic havoc throughout Acts II, III, and IV. Because the‬
‭meddling fairies are careless with the love potion, the situation of the‬
 y‭ oung Athenian lovers becomes increasingly chaotic and confusing‬
‭(Demetrius and Lysander are magically compelled to transfer their love‬
‭from Hermia to Helena), and Titania is hilariously humiliated (she is‬
‭magically compelled to fall deeply in love with the ass-headed Bottom).‬
‭The love potion thus becomes a symbol of the unreasoning, fickle,‬
‭erratic, and undeniably powerful nature of love, which can lead to‬
‭inexplicable and bizarre behavior and cannot be resisted.‬
‭○‬ ‭The Craftsmen’s Play: The play-within-a-play that takes up most of Act‬
‭V, scene i is used to represent, in condensed form, many of the‬
‭important ideas and themes of the main plot. Because the craftsmen‬
‭are such bumbling actors, their performance satirizes the melodramatic‬
‭Athenian lovers and gives the play a purely joyful, comedic ending.‬
‭Pyramus and Thisbe face parental disapproval in the‬
‭play-within-a-play, just as Hermia and Lysander do; the theme of‬
‭romantic confusion enhanced by the darkness of night is rehashed, as‬
‭Pyramus mistakenly believes that Thisbe has been killed by the lion,‬
‭just as the Athenian lovers experience intense misery because of the‬
‭mix-ups caused by the fairies’ meddling. The craftsmen’s play is,‬
‭therefore, a kind of symbol for A Midsummer Night’s Dream itself: a‬
‭story involving powerful emotions that is made hilarious by its comical‬
‭presentation.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Setting: A Midsummer Night’s Dream takes place partly in the city of Athens,‬
●
‭and partly in the forest that lies beyond the city’s walls. This split between city‬
‭and forest is thematically significant. The city of Athens is depicted as a place‬
‭of civilization, law, and order, while the forest is a place of wildness, anarchy,‬
‭and chaos. As if to underline the idea of Athens as a place of law and order, the‬
‭play opens with Egeus bringing a legal dispute before Theseus. As duke of‬
‭Athens, Theseus stands as the city’s chief legal authority. His primary‬
‭responsibility is to uphold the law, which he attempts to do when he rules that‬
‭Hermia must obey her father and marry Demetrius instead of Lysander. In‬
‭contrast to this display of Athenian rule of law, the forest appears decidedly‬
‭unruly—which is to say, ruled by fairy mischief. The forest is a place where‬
‭social norms break down, as exemplified in the increasing chaos and‬
‭confusion that afflicts the Athenian lovers as well as Titania and Nick Bottom.‬
‭Even as Shakespeare sets up an opposition between city and forest, the events‬
‭of the play complicate this opposition. Athens supposedly symbolizes‬
‭civilization, and its system of law and order indicates a degree of rationality.‬
‭Yet the grim punishment Theseus threatens in the event of Hermia’s‬
‭disobedience seems completely out of proportion for her crime. Her crime,‬
‭after all, is simply loving Lysander—a man, it should be noted, who possesses‬
‭a similar status as her father’s favorite, Demetrius. Considering that from a‬
‭socioeconomic perspective the two rivals are well matched, it makes rational‬
‭sense that Hermia should be able to marry whichever suitor she wants. Thus,‬
‭Egeus and the patriarchal law he cites can be seen as cruel, uncivilized, and‬
 i‭ rrational. A similar reversal occurs in the case of the forest. The forest is a‬
‭space marked by chaos, and indeed, lots of chaotic events occur in the forest‬
‭over the course of the play. Yet these events have the unexpected result of‬
‭restoring proper order among the young lovers, ensuring them all a safe‬
‭return to Athens. Where Athenian law and order fails, forest mischief‬
‭ultimately succeeds.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Genre: Comedy‬
●
‭○‬ ‭In telling the story of several sets of lovers who must overcome‬
‭obstacles and misunderstandings before they are finally united in‬
‭marriage, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an example of‬
‭Shakespearean comedy. The play’s central couples, Hermia and‬
‭Lysander and Helena and Demetrius, begin the play facing two classic‬
‭obstacles of Shakespearean comedy: parental disapproval and‬
‭misdirected love. Hermia’s father forbids her to marry Lysander,‬
‭insisting that she marry Demetrius instead. According to Athenian law,‬
‭Hermia faces death or exile if she disobeys her father. Meanwhile,‬
‭Helena loves Demetrius, but his love is currently directed at Hermia.‬
‭These initial obstacles become confused and compounded when the‬
‭couples enter the forest. The fairy Puck’s mistaken enchantments result‬
‭first in Lysander loving Helena, and then in both men loving Helena, a‬
‭reversal of the play’s opening. But by the next morning, the confusion‬
‭has been resolved. Lysander’s enchantment has been removed while‬
‭Demetrius’s enchantment remains, and the couples are for the first‬
‭time happily balanced. The couples’ final barrier is overcome when‬
‭Theseus overrules Hermia’s father’s wishes, and the play ends as all‬
‭Shakespearean comedies do: with a wedding. Like other Shakespearian‬
‭comedies, Midsummer focuses on the characters’ situations rather than‬
‭their emotions. For example, in the play’s first scene, rather than‬
‭dwelling in despair because they are forbidden to be together, Hermia‬
‭and Lysander focus on a solution and make a secret plan to escape.‬
‭Later, the fairy king Oberon witnesses Helena pledging her devotion to‬
‭Demetrius and immediately decides to intervene when Demetrius‬
‭harshly rejects her. Both the lovers’ decision to go into the forest and‬
‭the fairies’ decision to intercede in the lovers’ lives create situations‬
‭that confuse and trouble the lovers. However, as audience members we‬
‭are never seriously worried that the outcome will be anything but‬
‭happy because the play’s fantastical situations and overwrought‬
‭language distance us from the lovers’ pain. Secure in our knowledge‬
‭that the magical mistakes will eventually be repaired and that order will‬
‭be restored, we can enjoy watching the drama unfold.‬
‭●‬ ‭Style:‬
‭○‬ ‭The style of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is droll and exuberant. The‬
‭play features ample wordplay, underscoring the nonsensical mischief of‬
‭the plot. Take the scene where Lysander and Hermia walk through the‬
 f‭ orest, preparing to rest for the night. The couple improvises on the‬
‭multiple meanings of the word “lie”: to sleep, to have sex, and to speak‬
‭an untruth. Hermia jokes with Lysander about protecting her virtue:‬
‭“Lie further off yet, do not lie so near” (II.ii.).” Lysander responds by‬
‭clarifying and further complicating the word’s meaning, noting that‬
‭once they are married, “Then by your side no bed-room me deny, / For‬
‭lying so, Hermia, I do not lie” (II.ii.). The fact that the first syllable in‬
‭Lysander’s name rhymes with “lie” only serves to heighten the‬
‭humorous effect of the lovers’ wordplay. Similarly, in Act III, scene I,‬
‭Bottom says ''I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; / to‬
‭fright me, if they could.'' Bottom is using the word “ass” figuratively, as‬
‭a synonym for fool. But the word literally applies as well, since‬
‭Bottom’s head has been transformed into that of a donkey, or ass. The‬
‭ample use of wordplay gives the play a sense of clever silliness, and‬
‭maintains the comic mood even when the action is troubled. The‬
‭audience may be so busy deciphering the many possible interpretations‬
‭of the characters’ speech, we don’t get upset by the predicaments they‬
‭find themselves in.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Shakespeare also uses poetic language to create melodramatic‬
○
‭moments that both reinforce and mock the play’s central theme of‬
‭romantic love. Oberon speaks some of the play’s most poetic passages‬
‭when instructing Puck to use the love potion on Titania. Describing the‬
‭flowers that blanket the bank where Titania sleeps, Oberon says, “Quite‬
‭overcanopied with luscious woodbine, / With sweet musk-roses and‬
‭with eglantine” (II.i.). The irony here is that Oberon reveals his tender‬
‭feelings for his queen even as he plans to manipulate and humiliate her.‬
‭Oberon’s other manipulations lead to some of the play’s most‬
‭overwrought language, as the enchanted Lysander and Demetrius‬
‭profess their love for Helena. Lysander vows that he would “run‬
‭through fire” for her sake (II.ii.), and that Hermia, his former object of‬
‭affection, now brings “deepest loathing” to his stomach (II.ii.). The‬
‭lovers’ desperate passion creates comedy, as the audience knows their‬
‭feelings come from a false source, but the hyperbolic language also‬
‭raises the question of whether such fickle feelings as love can, indeed,‬
‭be true.‬
‭○‬ ‭Prose versus Verse: Like Shakespeare’s other plays, the language of A‬
‭Midsummer Night’s Dream consists of both verse and prose. Also like‬
‭Shakespeare’s other plays, the division between verse and prose in A‬
‭Midsummer Night’s Dream follows class lines, with the lower-class‬
‭commoners demonstrating less refinement in their language. Thus the‬
‭Athenian nobles and the fairies typically speak in verse, whereas the‬
‭Mechanicals typically speak in prose. Shakespeare frequently uses the‬
‭contrast between these modes of speaking for humor, as when Titania‬
‭declares her love for the donkey-headed Bottom in sumptuous verse,‬
 ‭ nly to be answered in Bottom’s common speech. The only instance‬
o
‭where this class division between verse and prose gets reversed occurs‬
‭during the performance of “Pyramus and Thisbe,” where the‬
‭Mechanicals speak in verse and the nobles comment on the play in‬
‭prose. Here again, Shakespeare uses the contrast for comedic effect,‬
‭emphasizing just how absurd the results are when commoners attempt‬
‭to adopt a nobler register.‬
‭○‬ ‭Shakespeare also uses different types of verse to create contrast‬
‭between the human and fairy nobility. Whereas the human nobles tend‬
‭to speak in iambic pentameter, the fairies tend to speak in slightly‬
‭shorter lines of iambic tetrameter. These shorter lines have a rhythm‬
‭more closely associated with ballads and other song forms, and‬
‭Shakespeare links the singsong quality of the meter to the fairies’‬
‭carefree, even mischievous nature. One particularly powerful example‬
‭of how Shakespeare uses differences in meter to meaningful effect‬
‭comes near the end of Act III, when Puck removes Lysander’s spell.‬
‭Puck begins by speaking in very short, rhyming lines: “When thou‬
‭wak’st, / Thou tak’st / True delight / In the sight” (III.ii.). As he‬
‭continues, however, his lines get longer, ending with a line of‬
‭unrhymed prose: “The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be‬
‭well” (III.ii.). Of all the play’s characters, Puck most represents the‬
‭shape-shifting magical world of the forest, and his progression from‬
‭tight, rhymed verse to long, unrhymed prose signifies the end of fantasy‬
‭and the return of the mundane.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Tone:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭A Midsummer Night’s Dream is primarily a humorous play, but it also‬
‭presents a greater variety of tone than may at first appear. The opening‬
‭scene, for instance, begins with a conflict that has very serious stakes.‬
‭When Theseus forces Hermia to choose between an unwanted marriage‬
‭with Demetrius, and either life as a nun or death if she rejects that‬
‭marriage, the audience may wonder if they’re watching a tragedy rather‬
‭than a comedy. Hermia isn’t the only character faced with a difficult‬
‭love situation. Lysander risks losing his true love, Hermia. So does‬
‭Helena, who longs for Demetrius. The strife extends to the fairy realm‬
‭as well, where a jealous rift has opened between Oberon and Titania.‬
‭But by the conclusion of Act V, all of the lovers have settled on their‬
‭matches, the amorous discord has resolved into marriage, and Oberon‬
‭closes the play with a magical blessing for the well-matched lovers.‬
‭Whereas the play begins with a serious tone, it ends on a romantic,‬
‭reassuring tone.‬
‭○‬ ‭Though the play does flirt with seriousness, romance, and‬
‭enchantment, the overriding tone of Midsummer is humorous, even‬
‭satiric. Shakespeare threads humor throughout the play, and‬
‭particularly in the scenes featuring Bottom and the other Mechanicals‬
 ‭ s they rehearse their adaptation of “Pyramus and Thisbe.” Aside from‬
a
‭being amusingly incompetent thespians, Bottom and company lack the‬
‭formal eloquence of the Athenian nobles and the fairies, often‬
‭mispronouncing and even misusing words. The comic relief of the‬
‭Mechanicals, which Shakespeare first introduces in Act I, scene ii,‬
‭amplifies into full-on farce in Acts II through IV, when fairy mischief‬
‭creates much chaos in a very short amount of time. The farce of the‬
‭mixed-up lovers functions to alleviate the emotional gravity that‬
‭characterized the play’s opening, and the amplification of confusion‬
‭leads to a satisfying and romantic resolution in the final act. In the end,‬
‭the variation in tone lends Midsummer a greater degree of emotional‬
‭complexity than audiences might expect from a comedy.‬
‭ ‬ ‭Foreshadowing:‬
●
‭○‬ ‭Foreshadowing doesn’t play a large role in A Midsummer Night’s‬
‭Dream, but in a few instances characters suggest the nature of the‬
‭action that follows. Most significantly, the play opens with a discussion‬
‭of the troubles lovers often face. “The course of true love never did run‬
‭smooth,” Lysander says in Act I scene i. His observation essentially‬
‭foreshadows everything that happens in the rest of the play.‬
‭○‬ ‭Oberon and Titania’s fight: In the play’s first scene, Theseus provides‬
‭the backstory to his relationship with Hippolyta. They weren’t always‬
‭lovers; in fact, he tells Hippolyta “I wooed thee with my sword / And‬
‭won thy love doing thee injuries.” The subtle discord between Theseus‬
‭and Hippolyta in these opening lines foreshadows the dispute between‬
‭Oberon and Titania, their counterparts in the fairy realm. Here‬
‭Shakespeare intertwines the two realms into a complex relationship.‬
‭Titania feels jealous of Oberon’s affection for Hippolyta, and Oberon‬
‭feels equally jealous of Titania’s affection for Theseus. These and other‬
‭examples of the play’s interweaving of reality and fantasy set up for the‬
‭audience the way the play juxtaposes human problems with fairy‬
‭problems.‬
‭○‬ ‭Lysander’s abandonment of Hermia: In the final moments of Act II,‬
‭just after a charmed Lysander leaves Hermia’s side to pursue Helena,‬
‭Hermia awakens from a nightmare in which a serpent devoured her‬
‭heart as Lysander stood by and watched. The symbolism of Hermia’s‬
‭dream foreshadows Lysander’s betrayal. Yet despite the clear symbolic‬
‭link between Hermia’s dream and Lysander’s abandonment, there‬
‭remains something paradoxical about this example of foreshadowing.‬
‭Specifically, Shakespeare reverses the usual chronology that‬
‭foreshadowing requires. In this case the foreshadowed event‬
‭(Lysander’s abandonment) actually precedes the event that‬
‭foreshadows it (Hermia’s dream). How, then, does this count as‬
‭foreshadowing? It counts because Hermia will not actually find out that‬
‭Lysander betrayed her until Act III, scene ii. Shakespeare makes this‬
 f‭ oreshadowing paradox work through the use of dramatic irony, in‬
‭which the audience understands something that the characters don’t.‬
‭ ‬ ‭The rift between Hermia and Helena: In the play’s opening scene,‬
○
‭Hermia informs Helena of her plan to run away with Lysander,‬
‭recalling the two women’s girlhood friendship: “And in the wood where‬
‭often you and I / Upon faint primrose beds were wont to lie, /‬
‭Emptying our bosoms of their counsel swelled, / There my Lysander‬
‭and myself shall meet.” (I.i.) This mention of the spot where Helena‬
‭and Hermia used to spend time foreshadows the fact that Hermia plans‬
‭to replace Helena in her affections with Lysander. The lines also‬
‭foreshadow Helena’s return to this spot in Act II scene ii, where she’ll‬
‭awaken the enchanted Lysander, causing him to fall in love with her‬
‭instead of Hermia.‬

‭Titania and Bottom by John Anster Fitzgerald‬