1. By William Shakespeare

2. Setting Time: The treatment of time is inconsistant – generally covers 4 nights and days Most of the action takes place during one long frantic night Place: Athens in Ancient Greece The play opens at the Court of Theseus – a sunny, rational, social ordered world The main action occurs in the Athenian woods outside of the town at night – a mysterious world filled with spirits and passions At the end of the play we return to the daytime and the Court of Theseus

3. Plot The plot can be broken down into sections using the Acts. EXPOSITION (Act 1): The problem with the four lovers is revealed. They each seem to be in love with the wrong person. RISING ACTION (Act 2): The quarrel between Oberon and Titania intensifies. Lysander is given the love potion. CLIMAX (Act 3): Oberon’s plan works. Bottom is transformed and Titania is humiliated. The lovers are in complete disarray.

4. Plot - Continued FALLING ACTION (Act 4): The lovers, Titania and Bottom wake up from their ‘dreams’. Oberon and Titania are reconciled. RESOLUTION (Act 5): The three couples are married offstage, and the play within the play is performed,

5. Let’s play a love game, a love game

6. The Worlds of the Play The play has 4 different worlds or realms #1: The Royal Court (of Theseus and Hippolta): an extremely social world. It stands for the orderly workings of society. #2: The Romantic World (of Aristocratic lovers): They travel from court to the woods and back to the court again. This realm is governed by passions and stands for man’s volatile emotional life.

7. Worlds of the Play - Continued #3: The Workday world (of the rude mechanicals): Represents the material world because of their simple trades, physical comedy and earthy sensibilities. #4: The Fairy world (of Titania and Oberon): The fairies are delicate, mysterious and have creative power and poetic art. They represent the world of the spirit. All together, these worlds that exist simultaneously represent the human universe.

8. Paradox Definition: A statement that contradicts itself Examples from this play: Theseus woos Hippolyta “with his sword”. Meaning that they feel in love on opposite sides of the battlefield. Thus two enemies become lovers. This also happens with Pyramus and Thisbe Helena’s affection for Demetrius seems to make him hate her. Whereas Hermia’s hatred seems to make him love her.

9. Symbolism Definition: When something concrete (an object, a person, etc) is used to represent something abstract. We will look at three symbols: Theseus and Hippolyta The Love Potion The Craftsmen’s Play

10. Theseus and Hippolyta They appear in the daytime at both the beginning of the play as well as at the end They represent order and stability that contrasts with the uncertainty, instability and darkness of most of the play Their reappearance in the play (Act 4) signals the end of the dream state of the previous night and a return to rationality.

11. The Love Potion Is used by the fairies to wreak romantic havoc through Acts 2 to 4 It becomes a symbol on unreasoning, fickle, erratic and undeniably powerful nature of love which can lead to inexplicable and bizarre behaviour and cannot be resisted

12. The Craftsmen’s Play The play within a play takes up most of Act 5 It represents (in condensed form) many of the important ideas and themes of the main plot. It’s a symbol for A Midsummer Nights Dream itself (a story involving powerful emotions that is made hilarious by its comical presentation

13. Theme The theme of a piece of literature is its central idea which can be stated in general terms. There are several themes in A Midsummer Nights Dream. Such as: Love ultimately triumphs in the end Love presents pitfalls Appearances are deceiving Father doesn’t always know best Dream the impossible dream Love has no law but it’s own

14. Love ultimately triumphs in the end Despite the obstacles they face, the central characters eventually unite with the ones they love This relates to the power of love *a general topic for theme to use for comparative pieces*

15. Love presents pitfalls All of the lovers encounter mishaps before they achieve their hearts’ desire – marriage to the one they love above all others As Lysander tells Hermia, “The course of true love never did run smooth” (1.1 ln 134) This is related to Relationships

16. Appearances are deceiving Again and again – thanks in part to Puck’s pranks – reality wears a deceptive mask This relates to Appearance vs. Reality

17. Father doesn’t always know best Egeus orders his daughter Hermia to marry a man she does not love. Hermia protests and runs away In the end it is proven that Hermia knows her own mind best This relates to Individual Power vs. Authority

18. Dream the impossible dream Bottom, Snout, Quince and Flute – all bumbling comic characters – think of themselves as witty, wonderful actors. Because of this, they put off a play and it gets chosen to be performed at the wedding Thus, one should dare to dream and your dream will come true – or at least you will have fun and enjoy life This relates to Dreams: the importance of believing in yourself

19. Love has no law but it’s own Love is not always fair or predictable This relates to Emotions