A Midsummer Night’s Dream | William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream begins in Athens where Theseus is preparing for his wedding to Hippolyta. Egeus, Hermia’s father, complains to Theseus that his daughter refuses to marry Demetrius, her chosen suitor, as she loves Lysander. Theseus tells Hermia she must obey her father or face death or lifelong chastity as a nun. Lysander and Hermia plan to elope, and they tell Helena, who’s in love with Demetrius despite his indifference to her. Hoping to gain Demetrius’s favor, Helena tells him of Hermia and Lysander’s plan.
All four lovers end up in the enchanted forest. In the same forest, Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, are feuding. To punish Titania and make her fall in love with the first creature she sees, Oberon orders Puck to apply a magical flower’s juice to her eyes. Oberon also wants to help Helena and asks Puck to use the same flower to make Demetrius fall in love with her. However, Puck mistakenly applies the juice to Lysander’s eyes, causing him to fall in love with Helena. Chaos ensues as the four lovers are embroiled in mistaken identities and altered affections.
Meanwhile, the Mechanicals are rehearsing their play in the forest. Puck, up to his tricks, transforms one of them, Bottom, giving him the head of a donkey. When the bewitched Titania wakes up, she sees Bottom and falls madly in love with him because of the potion.
Eventually, Oberon decides enough is enough. He has Puck fix Lysander’s affection, so he again loves Hermia, and leaves Demetrius in love with Helena. He also releases Titania from her enchantment, and they reconcile.
The play ends back in Athens. Theseus, observing the now-paired lovers, decides to overrule Egeus and allows Hermia to marry Lysander, with Demetrius and Helena also marrying. The Mechanicals perform their hilariously bad play, and the newlyweds retire to bed. The fairies bless the couples, and Puck delivers a final monologue asking for the audience’s applause.
The play is often praised for its comedic elements, its exploration of love’s irrationality, and its whimsical portrayal of the supernatural.
Characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Theseus – Duke of Athens.
Hippolyta – Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.
Lysander & Demetrius – Young men of Athens, both in love with Hermia.
Hermia – A young woman of Athens, in love with Lysander but ordered to marry Demetrius.
Helena – A young woman of Athens, in love with Demetrius.
Oberon – King of the fairies.
Titania – Queen of the fairies.
Puck (or Robin Goodfellow) – Oberon’s mischievous servant.
A group of Athenian craftsmen (often called the “Mechanicals”), which includes characters like Bottom and Quince, who are putting on a play for Theseus’s wedding.
Themes in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Nature of Love: The play explores the various facets of love – romantic love, unrequited love, the fickleness of love, and the irrationality of love. The love potion serves as a symbol for the unpredictable and often unreasonable nature of love.
Dreams vs. Reality: The title itself hints at the theme of dreams. The characters frequently question what is real and what might be a dream. By the play’s end, the events of the night in the forest seem dreamlike to the characters involved.
Order and Chaos: The conflict between Theseus and Hippolyta and the quarrel of Oberon and Titania reflect the disruption of societal and natural order. The mischiefs caused by Puck further add to the chaos. However, by the end, order is restored both in the mortal and fairy worlds.
Transformation: Several characters undergo significant transformations, both literal (like Bottom’s transformation into a donkey) and metaphorical (changes in the lovers’ affections). Transformation is shown as a part of both the natural and the supernatural worlds.
Conflict between Free Will and Fate: Characters struggle against societal rules, parental wishes, and even supernatural influences. There’s a constant tension between human desires and external forces.
Nature: The forest represents a wild, untamed counterpart to the structured city of Athens. It’s a place of magic, mystery, and danger, reflecting the unpredictable nature of love and passion.
Gender Roles and Dynamics: The play showcases the societal expectations of men and women. Hermia’s dilemma, in particular, highlights the restrictions placed on women. The shifting romantic interests also touch upon the dynamics of male and female relationships.
Art and the Artist: Through the subplot of the Mechanicals and their play, Shakespeare comments on the nature of art, theater, and the role of the artist. The “play within a play” structure allows for humorous commentary on the nature of performance and interpretation.
Youth vs. Maturity: The young lovers are contrasted with more mature characters like Theseus and Hippolyta. The impulsive, ever-changing nature of young love is juxtaposed against the more stable, reasoned love of the older couple.
Magic and the Supernatural: The presence of fairies and the use of the love potion provide a magical backdrop that drives the plot and emphasizes the enchanting, unpredictable nature of love and desire.
Through these themes, Shakespeare delves into the complexities of love and relationships, the tension between societal expectations and individual desires, and the thin line that separates reality from dreams.
Criticisms of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, but like all works of art, it has been subject to various criticisms over the centuries. Here are some points of criticism that have been raised about the play:
Triviality of Plot: Some critics have argued that the play lacks depth in its plot, particularly when compared to Shakespeare’s more “serious” works. They contend that the play is more style than substance, with its focus on fanciful, dreamy settings and events.
Character Depth: The characters in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” especially the young lovers, are sometimes seen as interchangeable and lacking individual depth. This criticism centers on the idea that the characters are merely vehicles for the play’s whimsical situations rather than fully realized individuals.
Gender Dynamics: Modern critics, especially from feminist perspectives, have analyzed the gender dynamics and patriarchal structures evident in the play. Hermia’s lack of agency in choosing her own spouse, and the general treatment of female characters, has been a point of critique.
Depiction of Love: While the play is often seen as a romantic comedy, some find its portrayal of love to be problematic. The use of the love potion, for instance, has been interpreted as a form of manipulation or even violation, raising ethical questions about consent and genuine affection.
Cultural Appropriation: Oberon’s desire for the Indian boy has been discussed in modern critiques in terms of cultural appropriation and colonial themes, even though the play doesn’t delve deeply into the background of this subplot.
Treatment of the Mechanicals: The “play within a play” performed by the Mechanicals is comedic, but it also pokes fun at the working class and their attempts at artistry. This has been interpreted by some as a form of classism.
Overemphasis on Spectacle: Especially in performance, there can be a heavy reliance on the magical and supernatural elements for visual spectacle, sometimes at the expense of narrative depth or character development.
Lack of Resolution for Secondary Characters: While the primary couples find resolution by the play’s end, characters like Helena (who begins the play lamenting Demetrius’s lost love) accept their fates rather quickly once magic is involved. This has raised questions about character consistency.
Ambiguity of Message: While many of Shakespeare’s plays have clear messages or morals, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is often seen as more ambiguous. Its ending, which blends elements of dream and reality, has left some critics wondering about the play’s overall stance on love, fantasy, and human nature.
Commercial Nature: Some critics, especially during Shakespeare’s time and shortly after, believed the play was written more for commercial appeal (with its elements of magic, comedy, and spectacle) rather than as a profound piece of literature.
Despite these criticisms, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” remains a popular and frequently performed play, celebrated for its wit, imagination, and poetic beauty. Each generation tends to view and critique the play through its own lens, offering new interpretations and insights.
Summary of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Act One
Scene 1:
Setting: Athens, the court of Theseus.
Theseus and Hippolyta discuss their upcoming wedding, which is in four days. Theseus is eager, while Hippolyta suggests that the time will pass quickly, like a dream.
Egeus enters with his daughter Hermia, and her two suitors, Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus has given his consent to Demetrius to marry Hermia, but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Egeus seeks the Duke’s intervention.
Theseus tells Hermia she has three choices: to marry Demetrius (as her father wishes), to face death (according to Athenian law for disobedience), or to become a nun.
After they depart, Lysander and Hermia plan to elope by fleeing to Lysander’s aunt’s house outside of Athens. They decide to meet in the forest.
Helena, Hermia’s friend who is hopelessly in love with Demetrius, enters. Hermia tells her of their elopement plan. Helena contemplates telling Demetrius of the plan, hoping it might win her some favor with him.
Act 1, Scene 2:
Setting: A room in a house in Athens.
The “Mechanicals” (a group of Athenian craftsmen) meet to discuss the play they intend to perform for Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding. Peter Quince assigns each man his role.
Nick Bottom is very enthusiastic and wants to play every part, but is given the role of Pyramus. The others are assigned their roles: Flute as Thisbe, Starveling as Moonshine, Snug as the Lion, and Snout as the Wall. They plan to meet in the forest to rehearse without being disturbed.
The first act sets the stage for the comedic entanglements and misunderstandings that will ensue, introducing the main characters and the primary conflicts, especially the love triangle (or square) between Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena.
Act Two
Scene 1:
Setting: A wood near Athens.
The fairy Puck meets another fairy who serves the fairy queen Titania. They discuss how Titania and the fairy king Oberon have been quarreling because Titania refuses to hand over an Indian boy she’s taken under her protection.
Oberon and Titania enter from opposite sides. They argue about the boy, and Titania refuses to give him up. She describes how their quarrels have disrupted the natural order, causing chaos in the weather and crops.
Demetrius and Helena enter. Demetrius is trying to escape Helena, who continues to declare her love for him despite his clear rejection. Oberon overhears and feels pity for Helena.
Oberon sends Puck to fetch a magical flower called “love-in-idleness.” The juice of this flower, when applied to a person’s eyes, makes them fall in love with the first living thing they see upon waking up. Oberon’s plan is to use it on Demetrius to make him fall in love with Helena.
After Titania leaves, Oberon puts some of the potion on her eyes to punish her and make her fall in love with the first creature she sees, hoping it will distract her so he can take the Indian boy.
Scene 2:
Setting: Another part of the wood.
Titania instructs her fairies to sing her to sleep.
Oberon sneaks up and drips the love potion into Titania’s eyes.
Lysander and Hermia enter, lost in the woods. They decide to rest for the night. Hermia asks Lysander to sleep a little distance from her to preserve her modesty.
Oberon instructs Puck to apply the potion to the Athenian man (thinking it’s Demetrius) so that when he wakes up, he’ll fall in love with the lady (thinking it’s Helena). However, Puck mistakenly applies it to Lysander’s eyes.
Helena enters, still chasing after Demetrius. She stumbles upon the sleeping Lysander and wakes him. Due to the potion, Lysander falls instantly in love with Helena. Confused and upset by what she thinks is a mockery, Helena leaves, and Lysander follows, leaving Hermia alone.
This act dives deep into the magical realm of the play, introducing the conflict between Oberon and Titania over the Indian boy and the comedic mishaps caused by the love potion. The misunderstandings and mistaken identities resulting from Puck’s misapplication of the potion set the stage for the comedic chaos that follows in the subsequent acts.
Act Three
Scene 1:
Setting: The woods.
The “Mechanicals” gather to rehearse their play. Bottom suggests they should find a way to tell the audience that the lion isn’t real, and that the play isn’t actually happening, for fear of scaring the ladies.
As they rehearse, Puck enters and decides to have some fun. He magically transforms Bottom’s head into that of a donkey.
The other Mechanicals are terrified by Bottom’s new appearance and run away. Alone, Bottom sings to keep up his spirits, waking the sleeping Titania.
Under the influence of the love potion, Titania immediately falls in love with the donkey-headed Bottom. She orders her fairies, including Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed, to serve and pamper him.
Scene 2:
Setting: Another part of the woods.
Oberon encounters Puck and asks if he’s applied the love potion to Demetrius’s eyes. Puck recounts his mischief with the Mechanicals.
Hermia and Demetrius enter. Oberon realizes Puck mistook Lysander for Demetrius. Hermia is furious with Demetrius, thinking he harmed Lysander. Demetrius, exhausted, eventually lies down to sleep.
Oberon sends Puck to find Helena. He plans to anoint Demetrius’s eyes with the potion so he’ll fall for Helena when he awakens.
Lysander and Helena arrive, with Lysander still under the potion’s effect, proclaiming his love for Helena. Helena believes she’s being mocked.
When Demetrius wakes up and also declares his love for Helena (due to the potion), Helena becomes even more convinced that the men are mocking her.
Hermia re-enters and is stunned when Lysander declares he no longer loves her. She believes Helena has somehow stolen Lysander’s affections and confronts her. The two men also quarrel over Helena. The situation becomes increasingly chaotic.
Oberon realizes Puck’s errors and sends him to create a fog to separate the quarreling lovers. Puck manages to lure the Athenians apart. He applies a remedy to Lysander’s eyes to undo the potion’s effect.
All four Athenians eventually lie down and sleep in different parts of the forest. Puck comments that when they wake, everything will seem like a dream.
This act further amplifies the comedic chaos, driven by Puck’s mistakes, the love potion’s effects, and the various misunderstandings among the lovers. The enchanted forest serves as the backdrop for these entangled romances, and the act ends with the hope of resolving the confused affections.
Act Four
Scene 1:
Setting: The same part of the forest, near Titania’s bower.
Titania, still under the influence of the love potion, dotes on Bottom, who is still sporting the donkey’s head. They are surrounded by her fairy attendants.
Oberon speaks to Puck about the success of their plan. Oberon has successfully obtained the Indian boy from Titania while she’s distracted with her new “love.”
Oberon then decides to release Titania from the spell. He anoints her eyes with the remedy and she awakens, confused and horrified at the sight of Bottom. They reconcile, and Oberon explains she’s been ensnared by a vision, likening it to a dream.
Theseus, Hippolyta, and their hunting party arrive. They find the sleeping Athenian lovers: Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius, and Helena. Theseus orders them to be awakened.
The lovers are disoriented, and their memories of the night’s events are hazy. Lysander’s love for Hermia is restored, and Demetrius continues to love Helena. Theseus overrules Egeus’s previous decree and decides that both couples will be married in Athens alongside him and Hippolyta.
Bottom wakes up after everyone has left, his head returned to normal. He’s bewildered by the night’s events, thinking them all a dream, and decides he will have Peter Quince write a ballad about his “dream” to perform at the end of their play.
Scene 2:
Setting: Athens. Quince’s house.
The other Mechanicals are worried about Bottom’s disappearance. They believe they can’t perform their play without him, as no one else can play Pyramus.
Bottom arrives, and they are overjoyed. He recounts his “dream” but tells them there’s no time to explain now. They need to prepare for their performance before the Duke.
This act serves as a transition from the magical chaos of the forest to the ordered reality of Athens. The love potions have been remedied, the lovers are paired correctly, and the natural order is restored, both in the fairy realm and the human realm. The Mechanicals also prepare to bring their comedic art to the royal wedding, setting the stage for the play’s final act.
Act Five
Scene 1:
Setting: Athens. The palace of Theseus.
Theseus and Hippolyta discuss the strange stories the young lovers have told about their time in the forest. Hippolyta finds them mysterious and wondrous, while Theseus is more skeptical, suggesting that imagination and love can make people see and believe strange things.
The newlyweds enter: Lysander and Hermia, and Demetrius and Helena. Theseus calls for entertainment.
Several performances are suggested, but many are deemed inappropriate or too sad for a wedding celebration. Theseus finally settles on the play by the Mechanicals, “The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe,” even though it’s described as crude and not particularly good.
The Mechanicals perform their play. The performance is comically bad, filled with malapropisms, overacting, and errors. The Athenian audience, especially Theseus and his court, make light-hearted jokes at the play’s expense but are overall entertained.
After the play, Theseus decides they’ve had enough merriment for the night and sends the lovers to bed. He and Hippolyta also retire.
Once the palace is empty, Puck enters and speaks about the nighttime and the creatures of the night.
Oberon and Titania enter with their fairy retinue. They bless the palace and its inhabitants, ensuring that love and harmony will reign.
Puck delivers the play’s epilogue. He asks the audience for forgiveness if the play has offended and suggests that they pretend it was all just a dream. He bids the audience goodnight and asks for their applause.
This final act is a blend of light-hearted humor with the Mechanicals’ play and a more ethereal, mystical atmosphere as the fairies bless the palace. The act serves as a resolution to the play’s events, blending reality with the magical elements and asking the audience to suspend their disbelief, seeing the play itself as a kind of dream.