SparkNotes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Character List A Midsummer Night’s Dream A Midsummer Night’s Dream William Shakespeare Plot Overview Analysis of Major Characters Puck - Also known as Robin Goodfellow, Puck is Oberon’s jester, a mischievous fairy who delights in playing pranks on mortals. Though A Midsummer Night’s Dream divides its action between several groups of characters, Puck is the closest thing the play has to a protagonist. His enchanting, mischievous spirit pervades the atmosphere, and his antics are responsible for many of the complications that propel the other main plots: he mistakes the young Athenians, applying the love potion to Lysander instead of Demetrius, thereby causing chaos within the group of young lovers; he also transforms Bottom’s head into that of an ass. Read an in-depth analysis of Puck. Oberon - The king of the fairies, Oberon is initially at odds with his wife, Titania, because she refuses to relinquish control of a young Indian prince whom he wants for a knight.

Oberon’s desire for revenge on Titania leads him to send Puck to obtain the love-potion flower that creates so much of the play’s confusion and farce. Titania - The beautiful queen of the fairies, Titania resists the attempts of her husband, Oberon, to make a knight of the young Indian prince that she has been given. Titania’s brief, potion-induced love for Nick Bottom, whose head Puck has transformed into that of an ass, yields the play’s foremost example of the contrast motif. Lysander - A young man of Athens, in love with Hermia. Lysander’s relationship with Hermia invokes the theme of love’s difficulty: he cannot marry her openly because Egeus, her father, wishes her to wed Demetrius; when Lysander and Hermia run away into the forest, Lysander becomes the victim of misapplied magic and wakes up in love with Helena. Demetrius - A young man of Athens, initially in love with Hermia and ultimately in love with Helena. Demetrius’s obstinate pursuit of Hermia throws love out of balance among the quartet of Athenian youths and precludes a symmetrical two-couple arrangement.

Hermia - Egeus’s daughter, a young woman of Athens. Hermia is in love with Lysander and is a childhood friend of Helena. As a result of the fairies’ mischief with Oberon’s love potion, both Lysander and Demetrius suddenly fall in love with Helena. Self-conscious about her short stature, Hermia suspects that Helena has wooed the men with her height. By morning, however, Puck has sorted matters out with the love potion, and Lysander’s love for Hermia is restored. Helena - A young woman of Athens, in love with Demetrius. Demetrius and Helena were once betrothed, but when Demetrius met Helena’s friend Hermia, he fell in love with her and abandoned Helena. Lacking confidence in her looks, Helena thinks that Demetrius and Lysander are mocking her when the fairies’ mischief causes them to fall in love with her. Read an in-depth analysis of Helena.

Egeus - Hermia’s father, who brings a complaint against his daughter to Theseus: Egeus has given Demetrius permission to marry Hermia, but Hermia, in love with Lysander, refuses to marry Demetrius. Egeus’s severe insistence that Hermia either respect his wishes or be held accountable to Athenian law places him squarely outside the whimsical dream realm of the forest. Theseus - The heroic duke of Athens, engaged to Hippolyta. Theseus represents power and order throughout the play. He appears only at the beginning and end of the story, removed from the dreamlike events of the forest. Hippolyta - The legendary queen of the Amazons, engaged to Theseus. Like Theseus, she symbolizes order. Nick Bottom - The overconfident weaver chosen to play Pyramus in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Bottom is full of advice and self-confidence but frequently makes silly mistakes and misuses language. His simultaneous nonchalance about the beautiful Titania’s sudden love for him and unawareness of the fact that Puck has transformed his head into that of an ass mark the pinnacle of his foolish arrogance.

Read an in-depth analysis of Nick Bottom. Peter Quince - A carpenter and the nominal leader of the craftsmen’s attempt to put on a play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Quince is often shoved aside by the abundantly confident Bottom. During the craftsmen’s play, Quince plays the Prologue. Francis Flute - The bellows-mender chosen to play Thisbe in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Forced to play a young girl in love, the bearded craftsman determines to speak his lines in a high, squeaky voice. Robin Starveling - The tailor chosen to play Thisbe’s mother in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. He ends up playing the part of Moonshine. Tom Snout - The tinker chosen to play Pyramus’s father in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. He ends up playing the part of Wall, dividing the two lovers. Snug - The joiner chosen to play the lion in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage celebration. Snug worries that his roaring will frighten the ladies in the audience.

Philostrate - Theseus’s Master of the Revels, responsible for organizing the entertainment for the duke’s marriage celebration. Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, and Mustardseed - The fairies ordered by Titania to attend to Bottom after she falls in love with him. Example Essays: Love William Shakespeare Helena Hermia Puck 1. Puck William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's DreamThe role and character of Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, in A MidsummerNight's Dream, is not only entertaining but quite useful. William Shakespeare seems to have created the character of Puck from hisown childhood. ... This is why Puck's little jobwith a love potion and a young couple is perfect for him and he perfectfor the job. ... As in the scene with Hermia andLysander, and Helena and Demetrius. ... It is possibly, even today, moreplausible to have a little fairy running around causing problems than tohave to try and bel... Word Count: 470 2. The Role Of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream William Shakespeare seems to have created the character of Puck from hisown childhood. ...

This is why Puck's little job with a love potion and a youngcouple is perfect for him and he perfect for the job. ... As in the scene with Hermia and Lysander, and Helena andDemetrius. ... Shakespeare conveniently created "Puck' to add some probability to theplay. ... When William Shakespeare created "Puck' it seems as though the play gotmuch more out of the character than intended. ... Word Count: 487 3. The Course of Love Did Never run Smooth(william shakespeare) "The course of Love did never run smooth" I do believe that this statement by William Shakespeare is utterly true. ... Hermia"s father, Egues forbids her from marrying Lysander(her true love) instead he dictates her to marry Demetrius! ... For instance, Lysander falls deeply in love for Helena (under the influence of the magical flower juice), causing both Helena and Hermia in total confusion.DEMETRIUS & HELENA The final couple here that I would like to discuss is Demetrius and Helena who are indirectly connected with the previous couple which I have justified my views. ... The conflict a...

Word Count: 1095 4. âThe Course of True Love Never Did Run Smoothâ Be it a father"s affection for his daughter, one"s love for their soul mate, or the obsession for a child, love can be found as the source of problems throughout William Shakespeare"s, A Midsummer Nights Dream. ... Helena is desperately in love with Demetrius. At one time the duo was to be wed, but when Demetrius catches sight of Hermia, Helena"s childhood friend, he falls madly in love with her. ... Hermia is Helena"s beautiful but short best friend. ... When Puck puts the love potion on the young people, the two men fall in love with Helena, and Hermia becomes extremely self-conscious. ... Word Count: 1378 5. Summary Of A Midsummer Night's Dream The play, A Midsummer Night"s Dream, by William Shakespeare is about three different groups of characters. ... Lysander and Hermia are deeply in love, but Egeus wishes Hermia to marry Demetrius. ... Lysander and Hermia tell Helena, who is in love with Demetrius, of their plans to elope. ...

When Lysander awakes, the first person he sees is Helena and immediately falls deeply in love with her, leaving the sleeping Hermia. Puck then finds out what he did and tries to undo his action by giving Demetrius the lovey juice, but both Lysander and Demetrius end up in love with Helena, who thinks th... Word Count: 568 6. Character Analysis, Puck A Midsummer Night"s DreamCharacter AnalysisA Midsummer Night"s Dream, by William Shakespeare, is a brilliant play about a group of Athenians during the 19th century. ... Hermia, the fair and beautiful, is in love with Lysander, but has been forced by her father to become engaged to Demetrius. Lysander and Hermia decide to escape from Athens that very evening, and tell Hermia"s very good friend Helena of their plan. Helena, in a desperate attempt to make Demetrius fall in love with her, tells him of the two lovers plans. ... However, in a delightful twist, Puck places daps from a flower over th... Word Count: 901 7.

A Midsummer Nightâs Dream Loves MisfortunesA Midsummer Night"s Dream, is a romantic comedy written by William Shakespeare. ... Their lovers quarrels provide much of the comedy in the play.The other four characters caught in love triangles are Lysander and Hermia, who are in love with each other, Demetrius who loves Hermia, and Helena who loves Demetrius. ... Lysander and Hermia flee into the woods pursued by Demetrius who is being pursued by Helena. ... He also plans to put the potion on Demetrius so that he will return Helena"s love, but he sends his servant Puck to cast the spell and it gets placed upon Lysander inst... Word Count: 740 8. midsummer night's dream William Shakespeare"s A Midsummer Night"s Dream takes place during, quite obviously,a midsummer night in Athens. ... However, Hermia loves Lysander and Helena loves Demetrius, who does not love her inreturn. After Puck places a love spell on Lysander and Demetrius, they both fall in lovewith Helena. ... Aconfused Hermia begins to resent Helena, and Helena believes Hermia is also makingfun of her. ...

When Oberon discovers Puck"s mistake, he reverses the spell, onlythis time, he shifts Demetrius"s original love for Hermia to love and devotion for Helena. ... Word Count: 889 9. Conflicts in A Midsummer Night's Dream In A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare there are many comedic actions displayed throughout the play. ... Hermia tells her friend Helena of her plan. ... Oberon is angered by this and calls on his "puck", Robin, to obtain a special flower. ... "Helena, I love thee. ... Shakespeare created a comedic play that was based on a major conflict, Hermia's marriage. ... Word Count: 1253 10. Shakespears Mid Summer Nights Dream William Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. ... Hermia is in love with Lysander. ... Demetrius loves Hermia, but she does not love him. On the other hand, Helena is in love with Demetrius. ... Helena and Hermia argue because Helena thinks that Hermia is in on the men"s "joke.aE All four argue and leave.

... Word Count: 2937 11. A Mid Summer Night's Dream A Midsummer Night"s Dream, a comedy play written by William Shakespeare, is a enjoyable play about four crazed lover"s. ... For example it helps the reader understand about Pucks mysteriousness, Cupid"s flower, and the love triangle. ... This causes many problems so he puts the potion on Demetrius, and he too falls in love with Helena. This love triangle creates problems between Hermia and Lysander. Hermia and Helena then start to call each other names: "O me! ... Word Count: 1474 12. Midsummer Night's Dream A Critical Analysis of "A Midsummer Night"s DreamaE William Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. ... Hermia is in love with Lysander. ... Demetrius loves Hermia, but she does not love him. On the other hand, Helena is in love with Demetrius. ... Helena and Hermia argue because Helena thinks that Hermia is in on the men"s "joke.aE All four argue and leave. ...

Word Count: 2837 13. A Critical Analysis of A Midsu William Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. ... Hermia is in love with Lysander. ... Demetrius loves Hermia, but she does not love him. On the other hand, Helena is in love with Demetrius. ... Helena and Hermia argue because Helena thinks that Hermia is in on the men?... Word Count: 754 14. Midsummer night's dream William Shakespeare"s play A Midsummer Night"s Dream is a play primarily on the difficulty of love. ... Puck causes a minor catastrophe when he puts the love potion on Lysander"s eyelids and he creates pure comedy when he turns Bottom"s head into that of an ass. However the magic does resolve the love rectangle between, Demetius, Hermia, Helena, and Lysander.Conflict in romantic relationships is one reoccurring theme in this play. ... One such example is that of the four young lovebirds; Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius, they are involved in a love rectangle. Two of the men are in lov...

Word Count: 473 15. Midsummer Nightâs Dream The Shadow of True LoveA Midsummer Night"s Dream by William Shakespeare is a play about romantic, true love. ... Thus, the play whittles away the idea of a true love, an emotion so profound that nothing could overcome it, into nothing more than a frivolous midsummer night"s dream.The supposed true love of Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia, and Helena stand out as the most prominent example of the instability of love. ... Helena betrays her Hermia"s plan to Demetrius solely to gain the attention and maybe even his love. ... Thus when Puck and Oberon misguide the eyes of love so easily, love"s valu... Word Count: 1250 16. Summer Analysis of "A Midsummer Night"s DreamaEWilliam Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. ... Demetrius loves Hermia, but Helena who is Hermia"s friend is in love with Demetrius. ... Puck also places the potion in the eyes of Lysander who has now fallen in love with Helena.

Puck runs in to Hermia and Demetrius while they are bickering and decides that he will use the potion on Demetrius so he will be desperately in love with her, but it back fires when Demetrius opens his eyes and sees Helena instead of Hermia and now two men are in love with the same woman... Word Count: 2024 17. A Midsummer Night "A Midsummer Night"s DreamaE by William Shakespeare"A Midsummer Night"s DreamaE is just one of Shakespeare"s many masterpieces. ... I would like to say that Puck is a round character, because Puck has many sides throughout the story. ... Shakespeare doesn"t completely avoid stock characters, but rather puts them in at odd places. ... It holds true again with Helena in love with Demetrius, even if he loves Hermia. One woman has one too many loves, and one has one too few. ... Word Count: 1405 18. A Midsummer Night's Dream A Midsummer Night"s Dream, written by William Shakespeare is a lively comedy. ... However, Hermia loves Lysander and the two lovers decide to run away.

Helena is in love with Demetrius, who does not return her love. ... This is the beginning of the comedic complications between the love affairs of Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius. ... Demetrius looks for Hermia and Helena follows him into the woods. ... Word Count: 1278 19. A Midsummer Nightâs Dream Essay. Shakespearean Theatre is the name given to the first public theatres built in London during William Shakespeare"s life. ... Through her weakness of her love to Demetrius, she betrays her good friend Helena by telling him of the elopement that Hermia and Lysander have planned together. ... This is shown at the beginning of the play where Helena is being left out of the love triangle involving Lysander, Hermia and Demetrius. ... This is evident in Act3 Scene2 when Hermia wants to fight and Helena doesn"t. Hermia shows here that she is a more aggressive than Helena.In Act1 scene1 Hermia clearly ... Word Count: 1069 20.

A Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespearean Theatre is the name given to the first public theatres built in London during William Shakespeare"s life. ... Through her weakness of her love to Demetrius, she betrays her good friend Helena by telling him of the elopement that Hermia and Lysander have planned together. ... This is shown at the beginning of the play where Helena is being left out of the love triangle involving Lysander, Hermia and Demetrius. ... This is evident in Act3 Scene2 when Hermia wants to fight and Helena doesn"t. Hermia shows here that she is a more aggressive than Helena.In Act1 scene1 Hermia clearly s... Word Count: 1058 21. A Midsummer Nights Dream In the whimsical world of William Shakespeare"s comedy, A Midsummer Night"s Dream, there are several important female characters involved. Obviously some might say that the two lovers, Hermia and Helena, are the most important females to the story but I tend to think that the Titania the fairy queen is the most enchanting of them all. ... Her part of the story is mainly focused on her feud with Oberon and her love affair with Bottom. ...

The part of the play involving Titania in which she is madly in love with an ass, a.k.a. ... Had it not been for Oberon"s desire to get the child he would ... Word Count: 552 22. Overview of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon then happens to overhear a conversation between Helena, and the man she loves, Demetrius. ... Helena and Hermia, who are supposed to have been nearly sisters, come to a point where they are far more than inches away from seeing eye to eye. In fact, Hermia gets to be so angry and insecure that she threatens to claw out Helena's eyes (3.2.298). While they are arguing about how and why Helena has stolen Hermia's lover, Lysander, he and Demetrius are preparing to fight it out over who gets the great honor to court Helena. ... I am sure that a man as intelligent as William Shakespe... Word Count: 1559 23. Literary Overview - A Midsummer Night's Dream The conclusion might be that Demetrius as to choose between Hermia, and Helena. ...

Shakespeare's seems to have deliberately avoided developing Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius as unique characters. ... Demetrius now loves Helena, and Lysander returns to his original love for Hermia. ... Only suspense is employed in the story, it is employed in the story because Puck leads Demetrius and Lysander in opposite directions; while Hermia and Helena's fight seems irreparable. ... This is because I was never a fan of William Shakespeare so this book review was a lot challenging, for m... Word Count: 1140 24. Oberon: A Midsummer Night's Dream In William Shakespeare"s A Midsummer Night"s Dream, Oberon and his wife, Titania, are king and queen of all the fairies who inhabit the earth. ... He is not completely mean though, he does anoint her eyes with the flower that will turn her back to normal and he has Puck return Bottom to his normal state.Oberon also shows his kindness when he tries to help poor Helena who loves Demetrius, who doesn"t love her.

Oberon has Puck find the Athenian couple when they are asleep and put the flower on Demetrius"s eyes so he will love Helena. ... He puts it on Lysander who is already deeply in love wi... Word Count: 646 25. Oberonâs impinges on the play A Mid Summer Nights Dream. The play A Mid Summers Night"s Dream written by William Shakespeare in the 15th century has captured people"s imaginations for centuries. ... Through Puck Oberon accidentally causes Lysander to fall in love with Helena. Oberon meant for Demetrius to fall in love with Helena, but Oberon told Puck "Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove. ... I"ll charm his eyes against she doth appear.aE Puck brings Helena as he is instructed to Demetrius, and Demetrius falls in love with Helena. ... Lysander is now happy with his renewed love of Hermia, Demetrius is now happy with his new foun...

Word Count: 865 A Midsummer Night's Dream Characters - eNotes.com A Midsummer Night's Dream Characters A Midsummer Night's Dream Characters Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, a mischievous fairy who creates chaos by mistaking Lysander for Demetrius. Theseus, the Duke of Athens, who is planning his wedding to Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, at the beginning of the play. Egeus, Hermia's father, who interrupts the wedding planning. Demetrius, the nobleman Hermia's father wants her to marry. Hernia, Egeus' daughter, whose refusal to marry Demetrius sets the play's action in motion. Helena, Hermia's childhood friend, who has fallen in love with Demetrius and wants him for herself. Lysander, a handsome youth who runs away and elopes with Hermia in the woods. Oberon, King of the Faeries, who dispatches Puck to enchant Queen Titania with a love potion. Download Study Guide Start Free Trial Start your free trial with eNotes to access more than 30,000 study guides. Get help with any book.

Hermia—a young woman in love with Lysander but ordered by her father to marry Demetrius Helena—Hermia’s friend from childhood who is in love with Demetrius Lysander—the youth in love with Hermia Demetrius—the man chosen by Egeus for his daughter, Hermia, to marry despite her love for Lysander Egeus—Hermia’s father who insists upon his paternal right to choose her husband Theseus—the duke of Athens; engaged to Hippolyta Hippolyta—engaged to Theseus Philostrate—master of the revel (celebration for Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding) Nick Bottom (the weaver)—manager of the play-within-a-play and portrays Pyramus in it;... (The entire section is 199 words.) Get Free Access Start your free trial with eNotes for complete access to this resource and thousands more. 30,000+ Study Guides Save time with thousands of teacher-approved book and topic summaries. Get Homework Help Ask real teachers questions on any subject or search 300,000+ answers.

On the Go Access link Link Theseus Theseus (THEE-see-uhs), the duke of Athens, a wise, temperate ruler. Although he mistrusts the fantasy and imagination of “lunatics, lovers, and poets,” he can perceive with good humor the love and duty inspiring the abortive dramatic efforts of his subjects, and he tries to teach his bride and queen, Hippolyta, the value of their good intentions. Hippolyta Hippolyta (hih-POL-ih-tuh), Theseus’ bride, the queen of the Amazons, the maiden warriors whom he has conquered. She is a woman of regal dignity, less willing than her lord to be tolerant of the faults of Peter Quince’s play, although she is more ready than he to believe the lovers’ description of their night in the forest. Titania Titania (tih-TAY-nee-uh), the imperious queen of the fairies. She feuds with her husband Oberon over her “little changeling boy,” whom the king wants as his page.

Enchanted by Oberon’s flower, “love in idleness,” she becomes enamored of Bottom the Weaver in his ass’s head and dotes on him until her husband takes pity on her and frees her from the spell. She is quickly reconciled with him, and they join in blessing the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta, their favorites among mortals. Oberon Oberon (OH-beh-ron), the king of the fairies, who gleefully plots with Puck to cast a spell on the fairy queen and take away her changeling. Once he has stolen the child, he repents his mischief and frees Titania from her ridiculous dotage. He teases her for her fondness for Theseus and is, in return, forced to confess his own affection for Hippolyta. Puck Puck, the merry, mischievous elf, Robin Goodfellow, of English folk legend. He is Oberon’s servant. He brings about the confusion of the young Athenians on Midsummer Eve as he tries to carry out Oberon’s wishes; the king has taken pity on Helena and hopes to turn Demetrius’ scorn for her into love.

Puck simply enchants the first Athenian he sees, Lysander, and with great amusement watches the confusion that follows, commenting, “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” Hermia Hermia (HEHR-mee-uh), a bright, bold young Athenian maiden. She defies her father and flees into the Athenian wood to elope with her beloved Lysander. She shows herself to be a small spitfire when she finds Demetrius and Lysander, through Puck’s machinations, suddenly rivaling each other for Helena’s affection rather than hers. Helena Helena (HEHL-eh-nuh), a maiden who mournfully follows Demetrius, spaniel-like, in spite of the scorn with which he repulses her affection. When she suddenly finds both Demetrius and Lysander at her feet, she can only believe that they are teasing her. Demetrius Demetrius (deh-MEE-tree-uhs), a rather fickle Athenian youth. He deserts his first love, Helena, to win the approval of Hermia’s father for marriage with her, but he cannot win Hermia herself.

His affections are returned, by Oberon’s herb, to Helena, and he is wed to her on his duke’s marriage day. Lysander Lysander (lih-SAN-dur), Hermia’s sweetheart, who plans their elopement to escape Theseus’ decree that the girl must follow her father’s will or enter a nunnery. He brashly argues with Demetrius, first over Hermia, then over Helena, before he is happily wed to his first love. Nick Bottom Nick Bottom, a good-natured craftsman and weaver. He is so enthralled by the prospect of Quince’s play, Pyramus and Thisbe, that he longs to play all the other parts in addition to his assigned role of the hero. He is supremely complacent as Titania’s paramour and takes for granted the services of the fairies who scratch the ass’s ears placed on his head by Puck. He marvels at his “most rare vision” after his release from the fairy spell. Peter Quince Peter Quince, a carpenter, director of the infamous play of “tragical mirth” presented in honor of Theseus’ wedding.

Completely well-meaning, he illustrates, as he mangles his prologue, the “love and tongue-tied simplicity” of which Theseus speaks. Snug A Midsummer Night's Dream | Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets | Educator.com Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets Test names are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. Said owners are not affiliated with Educator.com. Enter your Sign on user name and password. Username Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets A Midsummer Night's Dream II. Plays: Lecture 6 | 30:12 min Lecture Description In this lesson, our instructor Rebekah Hendershot teaches A Midsummer Nights Dream. Youll go over the complete background of the play, the setting, and the characters. Rebekah explains each character in detail, including Theseus, Hippolyta, Hermia, Lysander, Helena, Demetrius, Titania, Oberon, Puck and everyone in between. Youll learn each element of the plot from the lovers escape to the final group wedding. Themes, major passages, and essay topic jumping-off points are also discussed.

With Rebekah youll discuss topics such as the development of dreams, love, rules, sex, and honesty. The lesson concludes with a few secrets to make understanding Shakespeare a lot easier. Start learning today , and be successful in your academic & professional career. Start Today! Loading video... This is a quick preview of the lesson. For full access, please Log In or Sign up . For more information, please see full course syllabus of Shakespeare: Plays & Sonnets Next Lecture Share this knowledge with your friends! Our free lessons will get you started ( Adobe Flash® required). Get immediate access to our entire library. Unlimited access to our entire library of courses. Search and jump to exactly what you want to learn. *Ask questions and get answers from the community and our teachers! Practice questions with step-by-step solutions. Download lesson files for programming and software training practice. Track your course viewing progress. Download lecture slides for taking notes. Learn at your own pace... anytime, anywhere! A Midsummer Night's Dream First Things First This lesson will teach you how to read and understand a play by William Shakespeare, one of the greatest playwrights in the history of the English language (and the man who invented quite a lot of it).

These videos are not a substitute for reading Shakespeare, listening to Shakespeare, or watching Shakespeare performed. Seriously. Don’t be that guy. Background Written 1590 – 1596 (maybe 1594?) Possibly written for an aristocratic wedding or a holiday First published in 1600 Athens—Theseus and Hippolyta are about to be married The woods around Athens Fairyland—in the woods? Not in the woods? Who knows? Athens in Shakespeare does not mean actual Athens. Characters Hermia—a pretty girl, Lysander’s girlfriend Lysander—Hermia’s boyfriend Helena—Hermia’s less-pretty friend; loves Demetrius Demetrius—another young man; loves Hermia.

Egeus—Hermia’s father Quince, Flute, Starveling, Snout, Snug—more actors Oberon—King of the Fairies Titania—Queen of the Fairies Puck—Oberon’s sidekick (a fairy trickster) Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed—fairy servants of Titania Plot A wedding or an execution The lovers run away Helena and Demetrius run after them Everybody gets lost in the woods Titania and Oberon are fighting Flower juice Oberon feels sorry for Helena Stupid actors in the forest Puck “helps” Lysander falls in love with Helena Everyone runs around in circles Demetrius falls in love with Helena Duels, tears, and more running in circles The actors rehearse Puck, Bottom, and the donkey head Titania in love “And it was all a dream!” Themes Love—including its dark side Shape-shifting and loss of identity Dreams “The course of true love never did run smooth.” -Act I, Scene 1, 132-134 “Therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” -Act I, Scene 1, 227-235 “

Lord, what fools these mortals be!” -Act III, Scene 2, 115 “I have had a most rare dream …” -Act IV, Scene 1, 199-209 “If we shadows have offended …” -Act V, Epilogue, 1-8 Jumping-Off Points How does Shakespeare develop the idea of dreams in this play?

Who dreams, and when? Which dreams are true, and how true are they? How does love affect the various characters in this play? Is love a force for good or evil in this story? What is Shakespeare’s attitude toward rules and traditional roles? Many characters in this play change their shape, their appearance, or their attitudes—sometimes through magic, sometimes not. When and why does Shakespeare make these changes? What role do sex and coarse jokes play in this story? Only two characters (Puck and Bottom) appear in all three of the main story threads of this play (the lovers, the fairies, and the actors). How do they move the story along? How do Puck and Bottom interact with each other? Throughout the play, Puck deceives and plays tricks on other characters, yet at the end he calls himself “an honest Puck.” What does it mean to be “honest” in a story like this? Why did Shakespeare choose to set a play within his play? What effect does this have? What does this play say about Shakespeare’s sense of humor, or that of his audience? The Secret of Understanding Shakespeare Watch it performed (or on film if you can’t get to a theatrical production).

All of Shakespeare makes more sense when it’s spoken by actors who have lived his words and know, bone-deep, what he’s talking about. Never underestimate the power of performance. Remember that this is how Shakespeare meant his work to be seen … A Midsummer Night's Dream Lecture Slides are screen-captured images of important points in the lecture. Students can download and print out these lecture slide images to do practice problems as well as take notes while watching the lecture. Download All Slides Quince, Flute, Starveling, Snout, Snug Oberon A wedding or an execution The lovers run away Helena and Demetrius run after them Everybody gets lost in the woods Titania and Oberon fight Oberon feels sorry for Helena Stupid actors in the forest Puck helps Lysander falls in love with Helena Everyone runs around in circles Demetrius falls in love with Helena Duels, tears, and more running around Plot, cont. 18:32 Puck, Bottom, and the donkey head Titania in love Lovers go back to normal Discovery And it was all a dream!

Themes 20:54 Act I, scene 1, 132-134 Act I, scene 1, 227-235 Act III, scene 2, 115 Act IV, scene, 199-209 Puck Character Analysis in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" By Lee Jamieson Updated September 11, 2016. Puck is one of Shakespeare’s most enjoyable characters . In A Midsummer Night’s Dream Puck is a mischievous sprite and Oberon’s servant and jester. He is perhaps the play’s most adorable character and stands out from the other fairies that drift through the play. But Puck is not as ethereal as the play’s other fairies; rather, he is courser, prone to misadventure and goblin-like. Indeed, one of the fairies describes Puck as a “hobgoblin” in Act 2, Scene 1. As his “hobgoblin” reputation suggests, Puck is fun-loving and quick-witted – and thanks to this mischievous nature, he triggers many of the play’s most memorable events.

Puck – Use (and Misuse) of Magic Puck uses magic for comic effect – most notably when he transforms Bottom’s head into that of an ass! This is the most memorable image of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and demonstrates that whilst Puck is harmless, he is capable of cruel tricks for the sake of enjoyment. Oberon sends Puck to fetch a love potion use it on the Athenian lovers to stop them bickering. continue reading below our video Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overview However, Puck is prone to unfortunate mistakes and smears the love potion on Lysander’s eyelids instead of Demetrius’s. Puck never really accepts responsibility for the mistake and continues to blame the lovers behavior on their own foolishness! In Act 3 , Scene 2 he says: Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand; And the youth, mistook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee. Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be! Later in the play, Oberon sends Puck out to fix his mistake. The forest is magically plunged into darkness and Puck imitates the voices of the lovers to lead them astray.

This time he successfully smears the love potion on Lysander's eyes and he falls back in love with Hermia. The lovers are made to believe that the entire affair was a dream , and in the final passage of the play, Puck encourages the audience to think the same: If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumber'd here While these visions did appear. Oberon and Titania Character Profiles Oberon and Titania Character Profiles Oberon and Titania Character Profiles A Midsummer Night's Dream. Phillip Dvorak/Getty Images By Lee Jamieson Updated April 01, 2016. The Oberon and Titania characters play an important role in A Midsummer Night's Dream . Here, we take an in-depth look at each and understand what makes them tick as a couple. Oberon Oberon is angry with Titania as she is spending all her time with a changeling boy and will not give him over to Oberon to be used as a henchman. He could be considered to be quite spiteful in exacting his revenge upon her. “Well, go thy way.

Thou shalt not from this grove Till I torment thee for this injury” (Act 2 Scene 1, Line 146-147). Titania accuses Oberon of being jealous “These are the forgeries of jealously” ( Act 2 Scene 1 , Line 81). Oberon is powerful but Titania appears to be just as headstrong and they seem equally matched. We know they have had a good relationship up until now as he and Titania would; “dance our ringlets to the whistling wind” (Act 2 Scene 1 Line 86). Oberon asks Puck to get the juice from a herb he once showed him and anoint the eyes of Titania with it so that she falls in love with something ridiculous. continue reading below our video Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream Overview Oberon is clearly angry with his queen for disobeying him and exacts a kind of revenge but it is quite harmless and humorous in its intent. He clearly loves her and just wants to have her all to himself again. Consequently, Titania falls in love with Bottom with an Ass’ head stuck on his.

Oberon eventually feels guilty about this and reverses the magic which demonstrates his mercy; “Her dotage now I do begin to pity” ( Act 3 Scene 3 , Line 46) Oberon also shows compassion when he sees Helena being scorned by Demetrius and orders Puck to anoint his eyes with the potion so that Helena can be loved; “A sweet Athenian lady is in love with a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes; But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man by the Athenian garments he hath on. Effect it with some care, that he may prove more fond of her than she upon her love” (Act 2 Scene 1, Line 261-266). Unfortunately Puck get things wrong but Oberon’s intentions are good and he is ultimately responsible for everyone’s happiness at the end of the play. Titania Titania is principled and strong enough to stand up to her husband (in a similar way to Hermia standing up to Egeus). She has made a promise to look after the little Indian boy and doesn’t want to break it. “Not for thy fairy kingdom . Fairies away.

We shall chide downright if I longer stay” (Act 1 Scene 2, Line 144-145). Unfortunately, Titania is made to look foolish by her jealous husband and is made to fall in love with the ridiculous Bottom with an ass’ head. “Thou art wise as thou art beautiful” (Act 3 Scene 1, Line 140). She is very attentive to Bottom and proves herself to be a kind and forgiving lover: Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes. Feed him with apricots and dewberries, with purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries; The honeybags steal from the humble bees, And for night tapers crop their waxen thighs and light them at the fiery glow worms’ eyes To have my love to bed, and to arise; And pluck the wings from painted butterflies To fan moonbeams from his sleeping eyes. Nod to him, elves and do him courtesies. ( Act 3 Scene 1 , Line 156-166) As Titania is intoxicated with the love potion she gives the changeling boy to Oberon and he gets his way.

He then takes pity on her and undoes the magic. Oberon and Titania are the only couple in the play who have been married for a while. The other couples are just starting out with all the passion and excitement a new relationship brings. Oberon and Titania represent an older more weathered relationship, they have possibly taken each other for granted and when the love potion is removed and Titania realises that she has been doting and fawning over an ass she is made to realise that perhaps she has neglected her husband somewhat and this will renew their passion? “Now thou and I are new in amity” (Act 4 Scene 1, Line 86). SparkNotes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Analysis of Major Characters Analysis of Major Characters A Midsummer Night’s Dream William Shakespeare Themes, Symbols, & Motifs Puck Though there is little character development in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and no true protagonist, critics generally point to Puck as the most important character in the play.

The mischievous, quick-witted sprite sets many of the play’s events in motion with his magic, by means of both deliberate pranks on the human characters (transforming Bottom’s head into that of an ass) and unfortunate mistakes (smearing the love potion on Lysander’s eyelids instead of Demetrius’s). More important, Puck’s capricious spirit, magical fancy, fun-loving humor, and lovely, evocative language permeate the atmosphere of the play. Wild contrasts, such as the implicit comparison between the rough, earthy craftsmen and the delicate, graceful fairies, dominate A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Puck seems to illustrate many of these contrasts within his own character: he is graceful but not so saccharine as the other fairies; as Oberon’s jester, he is given to a certain coarseness, which leads him to transform Bottom’s head into that of an ass merely for the sake of enjoyment. He is good-hearted but capable of cruel tricks. Finally, whereas most of the fairies are beautiful and ethereal, Puck is often portrayed as somewhat bizarre looking.

Indeed, another fairy mentions that some call Puck a “hobgoblin,” a term whose connotations are decidedly less glamorous than those of “fairy” (II.i.40). Nick Bottom Whereas Puck’s humor is often mischievous and subtle, the comedy surrounding the overconfident weaver Nick Bottom is hilariously overt. The central figure in the subplot involving the craftsmen’s production of the Pyramus and Thisbe story, Bottom dominates his fellow actors with an extraordinary belief in his own abilities (he thinks he is perfect for every part in the play) and his comical incompetence (he is a terrible actor and frequently makes rhetorical and grammatical mistakes in his speech). The humor surrounding Bottom often stems from the fact that he is totally unaware of his own ridiculousness; his speeches are overdramatic and self-aggrandizing, and he seems to believe that everyone takes him as seriously as he does himself. This foolish self-importance reaches its pinnacle after Puck transforms Bottom’s head into that of an ass.

When Titania, whose eyes have been anointed with a love potion, falls in love with the now ass-headed Bottom, he believes that the devotion of the beautiful, magical fairy queen is nothing out of the ordinary and that all of the trappings of her affection, including having servants attend him, are his proper due. His unawareness of the fact that his head has been transformed into that of an ass parallels his inability to perceive the absurdity of the idea that Titania could fall in love with him. Helena Although Puck and Bottom stand out as the most personable characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, they themselves are not involved in the main dramatic events. Of the other characters, Helena, the lovesick young woman desperately in love with Demetrius, is perhaps the most fully drawn. Among the quartet of Athenian lovers, Helena is the one who thinks most about the nature of love—which makes sense, given that at the beginning of the play she is left out of the love triangle involving Lysander, Hermia, and Demetrius.

She says, “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,” believing that Demetrius has built up a fantastic notion of Hermia’s beauty that prevents him from recognizing Helena’s own beauty (I.i.234). Utterly faithful to Demetrius despite her recognition of his shortcomings, Helena sets out to win his love by telling him about the plan of Lysander and Hermia to elope into the forest. Once Helena enters the forest, many of her traits are drawn out by the confusion that the love potion engenders: compared to the other lovers, she is extremely unsure of herself, worrying about her appearance and believing that Lysander is mocking her when he declares his love for her. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play by William Shakespeare. Believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596, it portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta.

These include the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors, who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. The play, categorized as a Comedy, is one of Shakespeare's most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world.The play features three interlocking plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta, which is set simultaneously in the woodland and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon. SYNOPSIS In the opening scene, Hermia refuses to follow her father's, Egeus, instructions to marry Demetrius, whom he has chosen for her. In response, Egeus quotes before Theseus an ancient Athenian law whereby a daughter must marry the suitor chosen by her father, or else face death. Theseus offers her another choice: lifelong chastity while worshiping the goddess Diana as a nun. At that same time, Peter Quince and his fellow players gather to produce a stage play, "the most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe", for the Duke and the Duchess.

Quince reads the names of characters and bestows them to the players. Nick Bottom, who is playing the main role of Pyramus, is over-enthusiastic and wants to dominate others by suggesting himself for the characters of Thisbe, the Lion, and Pyramus at the same time. He would also rather be a tyrant and recites some lines of Ercles. Quince ends the meeting with "at the Duke's oak we meet". Meanwhile, Oberon, king of the fairies, and his queen, Titania, have come to the forest outside Athens. Titania tells Oberon that she plans to stay there until she has attended Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding. Oberon and Titania are estranged because Titania refuses to give her Indian changeling to Oberon for use as his "knight" or "henchman," since the child's mother was one of Titania's worshippers.

Oberon seeks to punish Titania's disobedience, so he calls for his mischievous court jester Puck or "Robin Goodfellow" to help him apply a magical juice from a flower called "love-in-idleness", originally it was a white flower but when struck by Cupid's bow it tints the flower purple. When someone applies the potion to a sleeping person's eyelids, it makes the victim fall in love with the first living thing seen upon awakening. He instructs Puck to retrieve the flower so that he can make Titania fall in love with the first thing she sees when waking up, which he is sure will be an animal of the forest. Oberon's intent is to shame Titania into giving up the little Indian boy. He says, "And ere I take this charm from off her sight, / As I can take it with another herb, / I'll make her render up her page to me." Having seen Demetrius act cruelly toward Helena, Oberon orders Puck to spread some of the magical juice from the flower on the eyelids of the young Athenian man.

Instead, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, not having actually seen either before, and administers the juice to the sleeping Lysander. Helena, coming across him, wakes him while attempting to determine whether he is dead or asleep. Upon this happening, Lysander immediately falls in love with Helena. Oberon sees Demetrius still following Hermia and is enraged. When Demetrius decides to go to sleep, Oberon sends Puck to get Helena while he charms Demetrius' eyes. Upon waking up, he sees Helena. Now, both men are in pursuit of Helena. However, she is convinced that her two suitors are mocking her, as neither loved her originally. Hermia is at a loss to see why her lover has abandoned her, and accuses Helena of stealing Lysander away from her. The four quarrel with each other until Lysander and Demetrius become so enraged that they seek a place to duel each other to prove whose love for Helena is the greatest. Oberon orders Puck to keep Lysander and Demetrius from catching up with one another and to remove the charm from the two men, so that they are back to normal.

Lysander continues to love Hermia, and Demitrius realizes that he does love Helena. Meanwhile, Quince and his band of six labourers ("rude mechanicals", as they are described by Puck) have arranged to perform their play about Pyramus and Thisbe for Theseus' wedding and venture into the forest, near Titania's bower, for their rehearsal. Bottom is spotted by Puck, who (taking his name to be another word for a jackass) transforms his head into that of a donkey. When Bottom returns for his next lines, the other workmen run screaming in terror, much to Bottom's confusion, since he hasn't felt a thing during the transformation. Determined to wait for his friends, he begins to sing to himself. Titania is awakened by Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him. She lavishes him with attention and presumably makes love to him. While she is in this state of devotion, Oberon takes the changeling.

Having achieved his goals, Oberon releases Titania, orders Puck to remove the donkey's head from Bottom, and arrange everything so that Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena will believe that they have been dreaming when they awaken. The fairies then disappear, and Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on the scene, during an early morning hunt. They wake the lovers and, since Demetrius does not love Hermia any more, Theseus overrules Egeus's demands and arranges a group wedding. The lovers decide that the night's events must have been a dream. After they all exit, Bottom awakes, and he too decides that he must have experienced a dream "past the wit of man". In Athens, Theseus, Hippolyta and the lovers watch the six workmen perform Pyramus and Thisbe. Given a lack of preparation, the performers are so terrible playing their roles to the point where the guests laugh as if it were meant to be a comedy, and afterward everyone retires to bed. Afterward, Oberon, Titania, Puck, and other fairies enter, and bless the house and its occupants with good fortune.

After all other characters leave, Puck "restores amends" and suggests to the audience that what they just experienced might be nothing but a dream (hence the name of the play).

Theseus ï¿½ Duke of Athens Hippolyta ï¿½ Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus Philostrate ï¿½ Master of the Revels Egeus ï¿½ father of Hermia, wants her to marry Demetrius Hermia ï¿½ in love with Lysander Helena ï¿½ in love with Demetrius Lysander ï¿½ in love with Hermia Demetrius ï¿½ in love with Hermia at first but later loves Helena The Fairies Oberon ï¿½ Titania's husband and King of the Fairies Titania ï¿½ Oberon's wife and Queen of the Fairies Robin Goodfellow/Puck ï¿½ servant to Oberon Peaseblossom ï¿½ fairy servant to Titania Cobweb ï¿½ fairy servant to Titania Moth ï¿½ fairy servant to Titania Mustardseed ï¿½ fairy servant to Titania First Fairy, Second Fairy The Mechanicals (An acting troupe) Peter Quince ï¿½ carpenter, leads the troupe and plays Prologue Nick Bottom ï¿½ weaver, plays Pyramus Francis

 Flute ï¿½ bellows-mender, plays Thisbe Robin Starveling ï¿½ tailor, plays Moonshine Tom Snout ï¿½ tinker, plays Wall Snug ï¿½ joiner, pl

Question: Oberon, Puck and Lysander are characters in which Shakespeare play?
Answer: A Midsummer Night’s Dream