If you order your research paper from our custom writing service you will receive a perfectly written assignment on A mid summer nights dream. What we need from you is to provide us with your detailed paper instructions for our experienced writers to follow all of your specific writing requirements. Specify your order details, state the exact number of pages required and our custom writing professionals will deliver the best quality A mid summer nights dream paper right on time.
Out staff of freelance writers includes over 120 experts proficient in A mid summer nights dream, therefore you can rest assured that your assignment will be handled by only top rated specialists. Order your A mid summer nights dream paper at affordable prices!
CHARACTERS
A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy of situations and
confusions, which are further complicated by a group of fairies
interfering and interacting with human beings. In short, the play
Buy A mid summer nights dream term paper
resembles a pleasant dream where no one can be sad or
disappointed for long. The interest lies not in the evolution of
characters but in the development of the actions and the events
that contribute to them. Hence, the characterization is rather
shallow with most of the characters not changing from beginning
to end.
Theseus
Theseus is the Duke of Athens, whom Shakespeare depicts as a
warrior, a good administrator, and a man of action and emotion.
He is the first character seen in the play, as he talks to his fiance,
Hippolyta. Although he has met her on the battlefield as Queen of
the Amazons, he has fallen deeply in love with her. They are to be
married in four days, and Theseus is eager for the time to pass
quickly. When Egeus interrupts the scene between the lovers,
Theseus proves he is capable of immediately changing his role to
that of an important and respected leader of the people. Although
Egeus is consulting him about a personal problem related to his
daughter Hermia, Theseus listens carefully and agrees to enforce
an ancient Athenian law at his request. Although he thinks that
Egeus is being harsh on his daughter, he knows he must be a fair
ruler who enforces the laws that exist.
Theseus is not seen again until much later in the play, when he
comes into the woods to begin the wedding festivities with a
hunting expedition. An expert hunter who is proud of his hounds,
Theseus is eager to successfully use his skill; however, he brings
the hunting party to an abrupt stop when he notices the two pairs
of lovers. When Lysander and Demetrius tell him about their
problems, Theseus is not afraid to ignore the protests of Egeus
and orders that the weddings of Hermia and Lysander and Helena
and Demetrius take place along with his own wedding. This
action proves that he is a kind, understanding man who is able to
share his own limelight.
After the marriages take place, Theseus is seen again. He is in a
festive mood and obviously enjoys the marriage celebration,
ordering it to continues for a whole week. When Philostane tells
Theseus about the entertainment that is available, he chooses to
see the play prepared by the craftsmen. He can hardly wait to see
a tragical mirth, even though the master of ceremonies warns
him that it is worthless. During the interlude, Theseus is patient
with unprofessional actions and gives his full attention to the play,
even though he cannot pass up the opportunity to make several
witty comments, which shows his good sense of humor.
When Hippolyta speaks about the mediocrity of the play, Theseus
takes a charitable view.
In summary, Shakespeare has created Theseus as a very likable
noble. He is a wise and fair leader of the people, an understanding
and kind man, a gentle lover, and an outstanding hunter and
warrior. Additionally, he cares about the citizens that he leads, is
not too proud to share his limelight, and has a good sense of
humor.
Hippolyta
Hippolyta is the Queen of the Amazons, a group of woman
warriors who had earlier laid siege of Athens, challenging
Theseus. By the beginning of the play, she has surrendered to
Theseus and fallen in love with him; her only role is to be his
loving fiance. She speaks little and acts less. In the opening
scene, Hippolyta speaks only once, in reply to the love-lorn
Theseus; she assures him that the next four days and nights before
their wedding will pass quickly.
When Hippolyta is seen again in the woods with Theseus, she is
portrayed as more of a warrior, speaking about her past
experiences with famous heroes, like Hercules and Cadmus.
During the wedding festivities, she speaks more than in other
parts of the play and has a more assertive tone. When Theseus
lightly brushes aside the lovers version of the previous night as a
figment of their imagination, Hippolyta says that however strange
the stories may be, they have been corroborated by everyone and
must have some truth in them. She also is not as generous as her
husband about the quality of the interlude. She finds little pleasure
in the play, calling it the silliest stuff she has ever heard; she
also criticizes the actors, saying they have no imagination.
In truth, Hippolyta plays a very insignificant role in this play.
Except for marrying Theseus, she has no part to play.
Hermia
Of the four young lovers portrayed in the play, Hermia is the
liveliest. Bold and intelligent, she has clear-cut views on life,
love, and marriage. She is brave enough to oppose her fathers
choice of her husband and refuses to marry Demetrius, even
though Egeus threatens to have her punished if she does not obey.
Hermia knows what she wants in marriage and has chosen to
make Lysander her husband. In the court of Theseus, she boldly
argues with the Duke and defends her love for Lysander, stating
that he is a most worthy man. When she finds that her pleas are
falling on deaf ears, she wants to know the worst that may befall
me in this case / If I refuse to wed Demetrius. When the Duke
pronounces that Athenian law calls for the death sentence, Hermia
bravely decides to die rather than yield to man whom she does not
love. When Lysander suggests that the two of them run away and
get married, she does not hesitate to accept his offer.
After the mischief of Puck, when both Lysander and Demetrius
fall in love with her good friend Helena, Hermia is very upset.
Unable to understand the change in her lover, she at first thinks he
is teasing her. When she realizes that Lysanders professions of
love for Helena are earnest, she turns her anger on her friend,
accusing her of stealing away her true love. The two women
quarrel, but the self-pity and hysteria, which mark Helenas
speech, is conspicuously absent in the words of Hermia. Although
upset, she is much more in control of her emotions.
When Lysanders spell is broken and he again shows his love for
Hermia, she seems to forgive her lover and accept what has
happened as a strange dream. Once her marriage to Lysander has
been approved by Theseus and Egeus, Hermia has little more to
say. She does not speak again until the end of the play.
Hermia is in many ways a typical heroine of one of Shakespeares
comedies. Although she is intelligent, lively, and well liked by the
audience, she is not a full-fledged heroine, like Viola of Twelfth
Night or Portia of Merchant of Venice. She is limited in the play,
because she can only act in one of the three worlds represented by
Shakespeare; unable to step out of her world of the Athenian
gentry, she must share the limelight throughout with other
characters. When Puck plays a trick on her, she does not have the
power to outwit him, as Portia could do with Shylock. But in her
own limited way, Hermia is the heroine of the play.
Lysander
Like Hippolyta is to Theseus, Lysander is to Hermia. His only
real role in the play is to become Hermias husband. He is strongly
disliked by Egeus, Hermias father, because he is a challenge to
the fathers choice. Egeus claims that Lysander has bewitched the
bosom of Hermia and filched her. Wise and in control of his
emotions, Lysander allows these allegations to go unanswered. In
fact, the first time he speaks in the play is when he begs
Demetrius to let me have Hermias (love). Later he puts forth
his case to Theseus that in every respect he is equal to Demetrius
and has the added benefit of enjoying Hermias love. Additionally,
he informs the Duke about the unworthy nature of Demetrius,
who has proved himself fickle; he has earlier loved Helena,
Hermias good friend, but quickly deserts her when he is chosen
by Egeus as Hermias future husband. When he cannot at first
convince the Duke to grant him permission to marry Hermia
legally, he comes up with the plan to run away with Hermia to the
home of his aunt, who lives seven leagues away; there, he and
Hermia can be married, for they will be outside the cruel law of
Athens.
In the wood, Lysander, like Hermia, becomes a helpless victim
when Puck mistakes him for Demetrius and puts the magical
flower juice on his eyelids. When he wakes, he believes that he is
madly in love with Helena; when Hermia tries to talk to him, he is
outwardly rude to her. But he can be forgiven, for he is not in
control of his emotions, but is a victim of circumstance. Once the
spell is removed from Lysander, he proves his worth by returning
Hermias love and confessing to the Duke about their plans to run
away and marry.
Helena
Helena is the good friend of Hermia who is greatly grieved
because her lover, Demetrius, has deserted her in favor of Hermia.
An emotional women, she wallows in self-pity, never trying to
solve her problems. She merely keeps wishing that she had the
charm of Hermia to keep Demetrius for herself. When Hermia
and Lysander tell her about their plans to run away and be
married, she chooses to reveal the plans to Demetrius in hopes of
winning him back. Demetrius, however, only goes into the woods
to find Hermia and Lysander. The helpless Helena merely follows
behind him. As she pursues Demetrius in the woods, she pleads
with him to love her again. When he tells her he does not love her,
Hermia says, I am your spaniel; and . . .the more you beat me, I
will favor on you. Although such pleading fails to impress
Demetrius, Oberon, the King of the Fairies, hears her sad words
and is moved by her situation. He decides to help her and asks
Puck to squeeze the magical juice of the flower into the eyes of
Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena. Unfortunately,
Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and makes him fall in love
with Helena.
When Lysander professes his love for her, Helena is sure he is
playing a cruel trick on her. When Demetrius falls under the fairy
spell and also professes his love for her, Helena assumes that both
men are conspiring together against her. Later, when Hermia
comes on the scene, she also accuses her of being a party to the
mischief. She is so focused on herself and her own problems that
she fails to realize that Hermia is being treated badly too. It is no
wonder that Hermia argues with Helena, accusing her of stealing
Lysanders love.
When the spell is removed and Demetrius still professes his love
for her, Helena is overjoyed. She exclaims, I have found
Demetrius, like a jewel. She is even more delighted when
Demetrius proposes to her and when Theseus suggests that the
two of them marry at the same time he marries Hippolyta.
Helenas dream has come true.
Demetrius
When the play opens, Demetrius is pictured as a fickle young
nobleman. He has been in love with Helena, but quickly deserts
her when Egeus suggests that he marry Hermia. Although he is
eager to wed her, Hermia has no interest in him. She has chosen
Lysander to become her husband.
In comparison with Lysander, however, Demetrius seems to have
more going for him; the law, the Duke, and Egeus are originally
on his side, which gives him self-assurance. He is proud and
nonchalant when Lysander speaks about his earlier affair with
Helena and how he has deserted her. He demands of Lysander,
Relent sweet Hermia and Lysander yield / Thy crazed title to my
certain right. Demetrius does not seem to care that Hermia feels
no lover for him.
In his eagerness to marry Hermia, Demetrius is rude to Helena
and treats her badly. Ironically, when Oberon intervenes and
brings him finally under the magic spell, he falls in love with
Helena and sees the faults of Hermia. When his spell is broken, he
still loves Helena and accepts the love that Hermia has for
Lysander. When he proposes to Helena and agrees to be married
at the same time as Theseus, Demetrius redeems himself.
Fairies
The fairies are introduced into the play to enhance the atmosphere
of the dream-like quality of the drama. With their splendid
costumes, their singing and dancing, and the exquisite poetry they
always speak, the fairies almost create a masque; they also serve
as a sharp contrast to the craftsmen, who are crude and
commonplace by comparison. The real purpose of the fairies,
however, is to interact with the Athenian gentry, causing
confusion and adventure in the plot.
Titania is the Queen of the Fairies, who is used to having her own
way. She has her own entourage of attendant sprites, such as
Peace-Blossom, Cobweb, and Moth, who are always ready to do
her bidding. Because she is spoiled, she refuses to give up the
Indian boy that Oberon so desires; as a result, the king and queen
quarrel. For much of the play, they do not even speak.
In retaliation for Titanias refusal, Oberon places the magical
flower juice on her eyelids. When she wakes, the first creature
that she sees is Nick Bottom, wearing the asss head. She falls
madly in love with him, which adds humor to the play.
Of all the fairies, Puck is shown to have the most personality and
individuality. He is full of mischief and often interferes with
domestic activities of other fairies and humans. Additionally, he
takes the shapes of animals to frighten people or misleads
travelers at night by creating false lights. Although he can be a
troublemaker, Pucks intentions are not to inflict cruelty; he just
wants to have a good time. His master, Oberon, knows about
Pucks mischief and often checks on Pucks motives in doing
something. When Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and
casts a spell on the wrong young man, Oberon is not sure that
Puck did not do it intentionally.
The world of the fairies is an important part of the entire plot and
helps to unify the three different worlds, for the fairies interact
with both the gentry and the craftsmen. Additionally, the fairies,
especially Puck, contribute immensely to the development of the
plot by causing confusion in the affairs of the Athenian lovers and
the craftsmen actors. Fortunately, however, the intentions of the
fairies are never evil, and they never cause lasting damage.
Oberon
Oberon is the fairy king who has demanded that Titania give him
the Indian boy to be his attendant; when Titania refuses, the
mischief of the play begins. Oberon decides to make her give up
the pageboy by casting her under a magical spell, which makes
her fall in love with Bottom, one of the craftsmen.
When Oberon sees Helena grieving over Demetrius, he decides to
help her, proving he is a gentle soul at heart. He entrusts Puck to
cast a spell on Demetrius that will make him love Helena;
unfortunately, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, which
creates additional problems in the plot. When Oberon realizes
Pucks mistake, he chides his attendant and makes him set things
right, again showing his sensitive side. When he sees Titania in
love with a crude ass-headed Bottom, his heart even goes out to
her, and he says, Her dotage now I do begin to pity. When
Titania agrees to give up the Indian boy, Oberon is glad to break
Titanias spell and befriend her again. After they are reconciled,
they go in to Athens to bless the bridal beds of Theseus and
Hippolyta, Hermia and Lysander, and Helena and Demetrius.
Nick Bottom
Nick Bottom, the weaver, is destined to steal the play within a
play presented by the craftsmen. Totally conceited, he believes
that he is a cut above the rest of the group and should be allowed
to play all of the parts. Even though Peter Quince has thought of
the play, Nick Bottom tries to run the show, eagerly directing and
correcting his friends.
Bottom is delighted to be assigned the main role of Pyramus, but
wishes his character were a tyrant rather than a lover. He feels he
is a better actor in fierce roles. As a result, when Snug is offered
the lions role, Bottom insists on being the lion himself. He says
that he can roar so loudly and fiercely that the Duke would shout,
Let him roar again; let him roar again.
It is rather ironic that in real life Bottom is made to play the role
of an animal. The mischievous Puck places an asss head on him,
a most appropriate symbol for the conceited braggart of the play.
When Titania is cast under her spell, it is the ass-headed Bottom
that she first sees upon waking; as a result, she falls in love with
this ridiculous man, who is here complete opposite.
Because of fairy magic, Nick is totally unaware that he is wearing
an asss head. When his friends run away from him in fear, he
thinks that they are trying to frighten him. His constant reference
to an ass when he reprimands his friends contributes to the humor
of the play, and Bottom becomes the main comic character. He is
also the favorite amongst the craftsmen. According to them, he
has the best wit and sweetest voice in all of Athens. They are also
certain that if he acts in front of Theseus, he will be awarded a
pension of six pence a day for an outstanding performance.
During the play, however, Bottom behaves ridiculously and
makes himself appear like the fool that he is.
PLOT
In A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeare has strung together
three different stories, each one complete in itself, yet
complemented by the other. First is the story of the Athenian
nobility, which at first focuses on the forthcoming marriage of
Theseus and Hippolyta who have fallen deeply in love after
fighting each other in war. Next comes the story of Hermia and
Lysander, who are determined to marry in spite of the protests of
Egeus, Hermias father. He is determined that his daughter will
marry Demetrius. Demetrius, however, is a fickle man who has
recently been in love with Helena, Hermias good friend;
therefore, the Helena/Demetrius story gets involved with the
Hermia/Lysander story. Theseus is made aware of both of the
love stories, because Egeus goes to him to request that the Duke
enforce an ancient Athenian law that will put Hermia to death for
refusing to obey her father.
The craftsmens story, the second one in the plot, is introduced to
the play and related back to the gentry because these men have
been asked to put on a play as an entertainment during the
marriage festivities. When Bottom disappears, there is a great
fear that the interlude cannot go one. Fortunately for the group, he
reappears just in time to put on the play.
The third story in the plot centers on the world of the fairies. They
wander in and out of the first two stories, interacting with both the
humans of the gentry and the humans of the working class. They
cast spells on Lysander and Demetrius, both noblemen, and
manipulate whom the men will love. Additionally, Titania falls in
love with Bottom, a craftsman actor, after she wakes from her
magical spell. All three of the worlds come together in the woods,
where the fairies dwell, when the gentry gathers, and where the
craftsmen rehearse. This sameness of setting for all the groups
helps to unify the plot.
Like all other romantic comedies by Shakespeare, the world of A
Midsummer Nights Dream is a fantasy world of romance, love,
humor, music, dance, song, and poetry. It exudes a dream-like
quality and almost all the characters speak about having had a
strange or rare vision; the dream becomes the unifying image of
the entire plot and is even carried through to the title. As a stage
production, the play has all the characteristics of a pageant; in
fact, some critics have concluded that it may have been intended
to be a masque presented at the wedding of an English noble.
THEMES
The major theme of A Midsummer Nights Dream is love in its
various forms. The play opens with Theseus professing his love
for Hippolyta. The days when they both fought as enemies are
over, and now they are under the overpowering spell of love, both
eagerly awaiting their marriage. Theseus declares, Hippolyta I
wooed thee with my sword / And won thy love doing thee
injuries. Now, however, Theseus and Hippolyta have conquered
hatred and enmity and have surrendered themselves to the purer
emotions of love and passion.
The love of Hermia and Lysander is the idealistic love, born out
of clear understanding, respect, and emotion. They are so deeply
committed to one another that they are willing to put up a fight
against anyone who opposes their love, be he an unwilling and
obstinate father or a ruler of the city-state. When no one will grant
them permission to marry, they take matters into their own hands,
deciding to run away to a place where Athenian law cannot forbid
them to marry.
Demetrius is the typical inconstant lover. He has been in love with
Helena but then dotes on Hermia. Before the end of the play, and
with the help of the fairies, he abandons Hermia and again loves
Helena. In contrast to him, Helena is the constant lover who
suffers but still continues to love. In spite of desertion and the
ensuing cruelties she suffers, she remains faithful to Demetrius
and feels she has won a jewel of a man when he proposes to her
near the end of the play.
Additionally, there is the humorous love caused by magic spells,
which makes people fall in love with the most unlikely partners.
Titania, the fairy queen, falls in love with Bottom, a commoner
dressed in an asss head. Lysander falls in love with Helena, the
best friend of Hermia, his true love. Demetrius falls in love with
Helena--again - after previously deserting her for Hermia.
In the end, all the love described in the play turns out well. Titania
is released from her spell and she allows Bottom to return to
Athens in time for the interlude. The other three couples are
happily united in matrimony. Only the interlude, the play within a
play, has an element of tragic love, but even this ends in tragic
mirth and lamentable comedy, which causes merriment and
laughter rather than heartbreak and tears.
In this atmosphere of overpowering love, there is not much room
for the development of minor themes. The sub-plot of the
craftsmen deals somewhat with the fall of Bottom. Though his
pride is temporarily punished, his story does not have a serious
moralistic tone. Bottom is really just a light-hearted diversion, and
his short fall from grace is passed off, even by him, as a strange
dream. This thought leads to the other minor theme, that life is
sometimes like a dream and dreams are sometimes very life-like.
Throughout the play, entitled as a dream, the characters wander in
and out of both real and fantasy worlds.
Please note that this sample paper on A mid summer nights dream is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on A mid summer nights dream, we are here to assist you.Your persuasive essayon A mid summer nights dream will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.
Order your authentic assignment and you will be amazed at how easy it is to complete a quality custom paper within the shortest time possible!
