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A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, is a unique drama which examines the human emotion of love through a world of reality, contrasted with a world of fantasy. In this romantic comedy various Athenian lovers and citizens go through a four day long voyage, which slips back and forth between the world of fairies and the world as they know it. Shalespeare uses multiple aspects of literature to expose the contrast between the settings of the drama and the ever-changing sentiments held by the characters. His use of several themes, distinct characterization, in depth plot development, a set structure and diverse character language are means to express the true nature of the play.
As the action sets forth in the beginning of the play, the world of reality is the setting which we first see the characters in. As we meet the characters of Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, Egeus, Theseus, Helena and Hippolyta, they are all in the city of Athens. Athens represents the “real world,” in a sense, or the world where rational thought is in place. The characters here are dealing with the trials and tribulations of love in a manner that represents logical thought. As the plot progresses and the lovers enter the forest then enter the realm of fantasy. The fairy king, Oberon and his servant Puck, use fantastical magic and spells to interfere with the emotions of love held by Hermia, Helena, Lysander and Demetrius, as they make their way though the mystical woodland. In the forest, the course of love begins to take odd turns and the four lovers begin to spiral into a “dream.” Puck and King Oberon manipulate the lovers by changing who they are “in love” with. In doing so, quarrels ensue and the minds of each lover become distraught. As the lovers leave the forest and re-enter the world of reality in Athens, the events of the woods are forgotten and the marriage of Lysander to Hermia and Demetrius to Helena take place, along with the marriage of Duke Theseus to Hippolyta. Ironically the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, attend the weddings to give their blessing. The fact that fairy world nearly caused the destruction of the may day marriages, and now their rulers are blessing the lovers’ unions gives the reader the notion that the fairies found their antics in some way comical. The world of reality and the world of fantasy are contrasted directly as the lovers interact in both settings. The reader can see the rationality of the world of Athens as it is contrasted with forest land of the fairies, where everything seems to be a “dream.”
Shakespeare implements in depth characterization of each of the characters which play any moderate role in the play, in order to highlight various ideas. In his characterization of the non human fairies, and especially Puck, we see the development of forest as a land of mischief. Puck’s actions and his [next page]