In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare makes fun of human excesses such as irrational love, jealousy, and arrogance. The characters' behavior is exaggerated to highlight these flaws and create comedic situations throughout the play.
Traditionally, Midsummer is the point when the veil between the fairy world and the mortal world lifts, and fairies and human are believed to mingle. Shakespeare's play is based round the mischief the fairies get up to at Midsummer. Hence the name.
In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the fairies and Oberon, their king, have power over the mortal characters due to their magical abilities. Oberon uses his magic to manipulate events and cause mischief among the human characters in the play. The fairies, especially Puck, further influence the actions and behaviors of the mortal characters through their enchantments.
Traditionally, Midsummer is the point when the veil between the fairy world and the mortal world lifts, and fairies and human are believed to mingle. Shakespeare's play is based round the mischief the fairies get up to at Midsummer. Hence the name.
The main human characters think the whole thing is a dream: all the stuff that happens in the woods is a dream to them.
Juxtaposition in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" refers to the deliberate placement of contrasting elements near each other. For example, the play contrasts the fairy world with the human world, highlighting themes of order versus chaos, appearance versus reality, and rationality versus irrationality. This technique adds depth and complexity to the play by emphasizing the tension between these contrasting elements.
In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the fairies argue about the love triangle between Titania, Oberon, and the changeling boy. They also disagree about how to manipulate the human characters' emotions using love potions.
The overarching message of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the transformative power of love and the irrationality of human behavior when under its influence. The play explores themes of love, mistaken identity, and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy, ultimately celebrating the complexities of romantic relationships and the unpredictable nature of human emotion.
The opening scenes of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" take place in Athenian society, with characters like Theseus and Hippolyta discussing their upcoming wedding. In contrast, the opening scene in the fairy realm features Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, in a dispute. The stark contrast between the human world of Athens and the magical world of the fairies sets the stage for the themes of love, magic, and transformation that unfold throughout the play.
Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, has one of the biggest roles in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He is a mischievous fairy who causes confusion and chaos through his magical interventions in the human characters' lives. Puck's actions drive much of the comedic plot of the play.
They are fairies, little magical creatures who live in the woods. They can be tiny or human-sized, but we of course only see them human-sized because that is the size of the actors playing them.
I like A Midsummer Night's Dream because of its whimsical and magical elements, the interplay between the human and fairy worlds, and the comedic misunderstandings that drive the plot. The play is both lighthearted and thought-provoking, making it an enjoyable and engaging piece of literature.
The themes areLoves difficulty - The course of true love never did run smoothMagic - Puck, Oberon and TitaniaDreams - People were becoming less suspicious, said that things seen as magical were just dreams.The Love potion - a story in itselfThe craftsmens play - a play within a play actually symbolises a midsummer nights dream.