1. A MidSummer-Night's Dream - William Shakespeare
A Romantic Comedy that Shows the Interplay of
Reality & Fantasy
Dreams & Desires
Order & Chaos
Illusion, Magic & Imagination

2. Date & Sources The play was written between: 1595-1596
Is estimated to be crafted to grace a Royal Wedding

3. Characters Theseus: Duke of Athens
Egeus: Father to Hermia, Citizen of Athens
Lysander: Hermia's Lover
Demetrius: Hermia's Lover & Helena's Love Interest
Oberon: King of the Fairies
Philostrate: Master of the Revels to Theseus
Quince: A Carpenter
Snug: A Joiner
Bottom: A Weaver
Flute: A Bellows-Vendor
Snout: A Tinker
Starveling: a Tailor
Characters

4. Fairies & Other Characters
Women Characters
Hippolyta: Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus
Hermia: Daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander
Helena: in Love with Demetrius
Titania: Queen of the Fairies
Fairies & Other Characters
Puck: Or Robin Goodfellow
Fairies
Please-Blossom
Cobweb
Moth
Mustard-Seed

5. Athens and Magical Forest outside Athens
Setting
Athens and Magical Forest outside Athens

6. Important Symbols Athens: Order, Inflexibility & Rigidity
Forest: Verdant, Natural, Unrestrictive, Love and Magic
Flowers: Rose – Chastity, Pansy – Seduction & Love
The Moon: Chastity/ Virginity as well as Sexual Desire in lovers & Madness
Play within a Play: Representative of Imagination
Dreams: Alternative Reality & Illusions
Night: Time when Concealed things emerge

7. Themes Romanticism Illusion Over Reality Creativity & Lunacy
Craft & Craftsmanship
Contrast of the Mortal World & the Other World
Love & Its Complexities
Role of Imagination in Life
Magic & Dreams as Alternative Realities
Order → Disorder → Order
Mind Over Susbtance

8. A Mi(dsummer)N(ight)D(ream)
The Play Portrays......
A Mi(dsummer)N(ight)D(ream)