A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Information: Play is believed to have been written sometime between 1590 & 1596

Basic information about play: Setting: Athens, primarily in the forest Tracks four different groups that all interact: -the Duke of Athens & his fiance -four young lovers/friends -an acting troupe -the woodland fairies

Contextual information: In mythology, Theseus was an Athenian hero claimed an Amazonian Queen for his own when she boarded his ship to welcome him to the Amazon and he had the ship leave and he claimed her for his bride. This was the start of a war between the two countries. -In the play, however, the war piece is omitted from the action/story

Characters the who’s who in Athens

Theseus & Hippolyta -Duke of Athens -engaged to Hippolyta -Queen of the Amazon -engaged to Theseus Both of the characters represent power and order in the play

Egeus & Philostrate -Hermia’s dad -wants her to marry Demetrius & has given him permission to do so -he tells his daughter to respect his wish for her marriage or he will leave her to Athenian law -responsible for organizing the Duke’s wedding day entertainment Egeus Philostrate

Hermia -loves Lysander -childhood friend of Helena -is thrown for a loop in the woods when neither man wants her affections anymore -she believes they want Helena because she is taller

Helena -her self-esteem is low -acts like a crazy b/c Demetrius once wanted her & now wants her hot friend -Puck’s spell in the woods causes both men to love her which makes her more crazy, thinking they’re mocking her

Lysander -in love with Hermia -not allowed to marry Hermia because her dad wants her for someone else -falls victim to Puck’s trickery in the forest where he believes he’s in love with Helena

Demetrius -wants Hermia -was once betrothed to Helena, but seeing Hermia, changed his mind -falls victim to Puck’s antics in the woods -throws a wrench in the 2 couples possibility b/c he’s also in love with Hermia

Oberon -King of the fairies -Married to Titania -initially, they are in cahoots with each other -wants the Indian prince that Titania has in her possession -he gets Puck to put a spell on Titania

Titania -Queen of the fairies -refuses to relinquish the young Indian prince to her husband -becomes the victim of one of Puck’s pranks that leads her to fall in love with Nick Bottom whose head has been transformed into a donkey head

Robin Goodfellow “Puck” -Oberon’s jester -He’s all about pranking the mortals -He makes an error when casting a love spell which causes drama amongst the four Athenian lovers in the woods -While he’s mostly good-hearted, he is capable of cruel tricks -While most fairies are beautiful or handsome, Puck is not so much

Peaseblossom, Mustardseed, Moth & Cobweb -Titania’s fairy servants who are ordered to look after Nick Bottom

Peter Quince -carpenter -leader of the mechanics that will perform the play for the Duke’s wedding -gets pushed off to the side by Bottom -he plays the Prologue

Nick Bottom -weaver chosen to play Pyramus -full of advice & self-confidence but often makes mistakes with words & thoughts -his head gets turned into a donkey but he doesn’t know -falls in love w/Titania

Francis Flute & Robin Starveling -bellows mender chosen to play Thisbe -forced to play a girl so he uses a high voice to act with -has facial hair -tailor chosen to play Thisbe’s mother -ends up playing the moon

Tom Snout & Snug -the joiner chosen to play the lion in the play -too scared to actually roar because he is afraid he will scare the ladies -tinker chosen to play Pyramus’ father -he ends up playing the wall that divides the two lovers

Themes in this Play: Love— lust vs. true love in love vs. loving someone like a friend love then marriage vs. marriage then love love vs. hatred following your heart vs. following the rules Illusion vs. Reality– The Forest vs. Athens Magic vs. true feelings