Please use the comments function of this post to provide your reflection(s) on the question below. Your individual responses must be submitted by MONDAY, 22nd DECEMBER, 6pm.
1. STRUCTURE OF THE PLAY
In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the action moves from a state of confusion, dilemma and disequilibrium, into a state of further disorder and chaos. This then evolves into a situation where enlightenment and resolution presents itself.
In your own words and giving examples from the play itself, provide details (examples, quotes, events) to trace the progress within the play that reflects on the different states presented above.
In addition, comment on the final resolution in the play symbolised by marriage and reconcilliation - how apt is this?
Your response must be coherent and must also include specific examples and quotes from the play. Your response will be awarded a maximum of 10 marks.
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The play starts off with the wedding preparation and Theseus instructing Philostrate to “Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments”. The wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta is a glamorous event “with pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.” Although it did not state so in the play, I feel that the wedding preparation must had been complicated and certainly caused a state of confusion in the palace. Theseus’ impatience and the wedding preparation provide a foreshadowing for the themes of unreasonable love and difficulties in love as it is stated that he and Hippolyta were at first enemies and “won thy love by doing thee injuries”. Also by starting the play this way, it adds more emphasis on the fifth act which draws a conclusion by means of a wedding which shows enlightenment and order.
The entry of Egeus sparks off the 4 lover’s problems. Hermia shows her defiance and a dilemma in the form of punishment by ancient law presents itself. “Either to die the death, or to abjure/ Forever the society of men.” Helena adds more confusion into the complication by deciding to betray Hermia and Lysander. The play picks up its pace at this point. After the introduction to the craftsmen and thus introducing a second plot to the play, the play progresses into the realms of the fairies.
In the woods, Oberon and Titania argues heatedly over the little changeling boy and Titania eventually leaves in disgust. Oberon, indignant and insulted by Titania’s stubbornness and defiance decided to play a mean trick on her. As the audience can see the marriage between Oberon and Titania is over and because of the chaos in the fairy world, the human world is tossed in disorder as well. “Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania! / What, jealous Oberon?...Tarry, rash wanton! Am not I thy lord?” “And this same progeny of evils comes/ From our debate, from our dissension;/ We are their parents and original.”
The rising action begins in Act 2. The state of disorder and chaos is further escalated as Demetrius and Helena sets off in pursuit of the eloping couple. The dual arguments of Titania and Oberon, Demetrius and Helena are the examples of discord. Also there is a complication as Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and due to his mistake, Lysander falls in love with Helena and Hermia is appalled and bewildered. Helena is equally insulted and surprised by Lysander “mockery”. The situation falls from bad to worse to worst as in the later part of the play, Demetrius falls in love with Helena as well. “ O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!”
Act 3 is the climax as the lovers’ arguments hit the peak and Titania’s infatuation is clearly seen. As Act 3 begins, the situation worsens as Titania falls under the spell of the love juice and falls insanely in love with the unsuspecting ass Bottom. “ I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again! Mine ear is much enamoured of thy note. So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape… I love thee.”
In Act 4, the falling action begins and the lovers are back to “normal” as Puck releases them from the spell and they are in harmony for no longer is Demetrius fighting with Lysander over either women and the women are not at each other’s throats. “I wot not be what power,/ But by some power it is – my love to Hermia, / Melted as the snow…The object and the pleasure of mine eye, /Is only Helena.” There is finally peace and order between them. Also it is the day of Theseus’ wedding and in conclusion to the argument of the 4 lovers and the dilemma of Hermia and Lysander, Theseus invites them to be wed in the same ceremony. Titania is also released from the spell and Oberon reconciles with her. There is peace and harmony once more in the realm of mortals and fairies.
The final resolution of the play – marriage. Marriage symbolises concord, peace, harmony and love. The conclusion wraps the play up and shows a contrast to the beginning of the play which was filled with arguments and problems. It showed the contrast and proved the progression of the play and its characters. It also proves the link between the fairy world and the mortal realm as Titania and Oberon are reconciled and reunited, so are the humans, Theseus finally gets to marry Hippolyta and the 4 lovers reached a happy, peaceful ending as well.
A good, in depth look at the task question, Yan Yan! There is a clear development of ideas and you have put your ideas across succintly. Keep it up!
For the rest, please start posting your responses. Yan Yan's response works out to about 2 pages on MSWord :)
“Give me your hands, if we be friends,/ And Robin shall restore amends.” The last words of Puck in the play gives us an overview of the whole play, how Puck and the other fairies managed to “restore amends” in the four lovers’ lives, giving us the final resolution symbolized by marriage and reconciliation.
At the beginning of the play, a state of confusion is obvious though an exited and impatient mood of Theseus on his impending marriage was seen. The state of confusion first stepped in with Egeus. “Full of vexation come I, with complaint/ Against my child, my daughter Hermia.” The use of the word ‘vexation’ here suggests to us the confusion, the problem that Egeus was trying to solve but to no avail. As the play progresses from a merry event to this confusion, we can see how Theseus and Hippolyta had too vexed over the problem. With Hermia’s stubborn personality, she added more confusion to the play as the problem proved not being able to solve within a day and she could in fact, according to the Athenian law, “Either to die the death or to abjure/ For ever the society of men.” From Theseus’ caring words towards Hippolyta, “what cheer, my love?”, we have an idea on Hippolyta’s feelings, which she would probably be annoyed and vexed at the idea of bloodshed that could happen on their wedding day.
As the play progresses, we see how Lysander and Hermia enter a state of dilemma, how they moaned about the unfairness of love as they think of ways to solve their current problem. While Hermia suggested for them to be patient and wait for things to run more smoothly, Lysander on the other hand suggested a plan for them to elope, to his aunt’s place where “the sharp Athenian law/ Cannot pursue (them)”. As they tried to solve their dilemma, to make a choice between the two options that are equally unfavorable, Hermia finally settled for Lysander’s plan- to elope away from Athens.
However, things did not go as well as they had expected. Helena had betrayed the two lovers’ trust for Demetrius’ love, which Helena, in her state of confusion and disequilibrium believed that “for this intelligence/ If (she) have thanks, it is a dear expense”, worth her pain in helping him pursue Hermia. “Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;/ Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:/ And therefore is Love said to be a child,/Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.” Helena’s words here also seemed to suggest the four lovers’ present circumstances now, for the root of the problem is love, specifically infatuation for the lovers, as Cupid the child represents them.
The woods is where things starts to get out of hand, for it is where the Athenian law holds no bound and besides, it is also the place where the fairies resides. In the beginning of Act 2, we can already feel a strong aura of further disorder and chaos in the woods as we see how Oberon and Titania engaged in a war of words. “Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania.”, “What, jealous Oberon!”. The two fairies’ anger is evident here and it was said by Titania that because of their argument, “the winds, piping to us in vain,/As in revenge/… By their increase, now knows not which is which:/ And this same progeny of evils comes/ From our debate, from our dissension.”, putting the world in a state of confusion, foreshadowing to us that the problem of the four lovers would be further intensified.
True enough; the fairies’ intervention together with Puck’s mistake had indeed further created more disorder and chaos which become obstacles for the four lovers as they seek their true love in the woods. Now, Hermia and Helena had seemingly exchanged bodies. Hermia, from the beautiful and popular among men to the less desired Helena while Helena experiences otherwise. The fairy world had also suffered a huge blow because of Oberon’s use of the ‘love-in-idleness’ flower on Titania, as though hinting to us that the fairy and mortal worlds are linked together, when one world suffers a problem, the other too, will suffer.
The peak of the problem for the fairy world, where Titania was applied with the love juice and had fallen in love with Bottom also seemingly happen at the same time, overnight, where the problem of the humans had reached its pinnacle, where Lysander was mistakenly applied with the love juice and fallen in love with Helena instead.
With the link between the mortal and fairy worlds, the falling action of the play also happens in Act 4, where the problems between them were solved, Titania eventually giving up the changeling boy while Demetrius still under the spell, going back to Helena. “My Oberon! what visions have I seen!/ Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.” Titania words here shows us how shocked she was of her “dream” and also gives us a hint on the reconciliation of the two fairies by means of Titania calling Oberon so intimately. Demetrius on the other hand said that his “love to Hermia,/ Melted as the snow”, while to Helena in the past “But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food;/But, as in health, come to my natural taste,/ Now I do wish it, love it, long for it”.
Resolution is finally achieved as Theseus became enlightened, the man himself appears to have ceased his earlier, strict and law-abiding façade to overrule Egeus, giving the four lovers permission to stay with their love, to give permission to the passionate side of love. Oberon, too have reconciled with Titania and like the mortals, happily “Dance in duke Theseus’ house triumphantly” at the end of Act 5.
The final resolution in the play, symbolized by marriage and reconciliation shows us some of the themes of the play – the difficulties of love; harmony and discord. From the phrase “The course of true love never did run smooth”, we see how the lives of the four lovers changes as they venture on the journey to seek their true love, how they overcome the obstacles that impeded them and how they finally manage to attain their true love. To the audiences, as they too venture on the four lovers’ journey, through the thick and thin that they had been through and finally the craftsmen’s “play-within the play’ where Shakespeare shows the alternate endings his play could all too easily have taken, he made us, the audiences to relish all the more the happy and harmonious solution that he and the characters have found.
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the state of confusion, dilemma and disequilibrium is first stated in Act 1 Scene 1. The incident which clearly shows dilemma and disequilibrium is about which Egeus appears before Theseus to complain that Hermia, his daughter, does not want to marry Demetrius, the reason being that Hermia and Lysander are both in love, and Hermia clearly does not love Demetrius. The disequilibrium is between the lovers: Hermia and Lysander love one another; Helena loves Demetrius who in his turn loves Hermia and wants to marry her. In order to do so, Demetrius must have approached Egeus and had gained his consent. . Thus, the dilemma is this: Egeus is so angered by his daughter being obstinate towards his decision, that he uses his power and his relationship with Theseus to ask him to persuade Hermia to marry Demetrius, or use “the ancient privilege of Athens” to “dispose her… to this gentleman (Demetrius) or to her death” (Act 1 Scene 1, Lines 41 ~ 44). This Theseus agrees to, and Hermia is given four days to make her decision.
Lysander tries to resolve this problem by suggesting to Hermia that they should elope from Athens, as there seems to be no way out of the problem. However, they make a mistake by entrusting this secret with their friend Helena. Helena, in a desperate attempt to try to win over Demetrius’s heart, tells him this secret, and later we should find all four lovers at the forest at the same time. But they are not alone. The fairies are active at night, and it appears that there is a quarrel between Oberon and Titania, the fairies’ king and queen respectively, over an Indian boy, and this is both clearly shown by Puck’s speech and their meeting. And from their argument, we can tell that their quarrel has disrupted the natural order of the world, thus signifying confusion. The evidence is this: “And this same progeny of evils comes / From our debate, from our dissension; / We are their parents and original.” (Act 2 Scene 1, Lines 115 ~ 117).
The matter is unresolved at this point, and Oberon decides to punish her for her disobedience towards “thy lord”, by using the juice of the “love-in-idleness” flower to make her fall in love with the first creature she sees. As Puck ventures off to collect the flower, Oberon overhears a quarrel between Helena and Demetrius, whom the latter wants to get rid of her, thinking her a nuisance. Oberon pities her, and when Puck returns, orders him to anoint the juice of the flower onto the eyes of “the Athenian youth”. However, unknown to Oberon, there were two in the forest at that time, and when Puck meets Lysander and Hermia, he mistakes them for the couple that his master had told him, and anoints the juice on Lysander instead (Act 2 Scene 2), resulting into him loving Helena when she wakes him up to see if he was dead or alive! Thus, this further throws the play into confusion. More worse is the fact that Helena thinks that Lysander is mocking her for being in this state, thus throwing the play into further chaos.
Still more people are in the forest in this time, possibly adding to the confusion due to the clamour and noise, unlike a forest at night. The craftsmen were there to rehearse their play, and Puck, noticing how close they are to the sleeping Titania, decides to play a mischievous trick “A stranger Pyramus than e’er played here!” (Act 3 Scene 1, Lines 86). He changes Bottom’s head into an ass’s, throwing the craftsmen into a state of confusion and chaos, being shocked on seeing Bottom’s possibly unearthly appearance. Bottom, thinking that the craftsmen had run off to frighten him, starts to sing a song, unexpectedly waking up Titania, who falls in love with him immediately due to the love-spell. Thus, it throws the play into further disequilibrium as two totally different people (delicate fairy and crude craftsman) are in love with one another! Or, well, the delicate Titania is madly in love with the mortals she detests.
Later on in the play (Act 3 Scene 2), Demetrius enters the scene with Hermia, trying to woo her. Hermia, on the other hand thinks that Demetrius had killed Lysander, as she found herself alone when she awoke. This creates another form of confusion, which builds up later as the story prepares to enter its climax. Demetrius then falls asleep, leaving Oberon with the opportunity to anoint his eyes with the love-in-idleness juice. Lysander and Helena approach, both wooing and quarrelling, and their noise wakes up Demetrius, who falls in love at once with Helena and tries to woo her instead. Helena instead is enraged; she believes that the two of them have ganged up on her in order to mock her for her helplessness, when truly they are trying to woo her! This throws things into a matter of chaos.
This chaos is far from over. Hermia enters the scene, unaware of whatever is going on. However, Helena thinks instead that Hermia is also mocking her and pretending to be unaware of the situation. The chaos deepens, and eventually it reaches the climax in which Lysander and Demetrius leave to seek a place to fight. Oberon immediately orders Puck to right the wrongs, and Puck pulls a fog over them, throwing the lovers into confusion. When all four lovers fall asleep around the same area, Puck corrects the spell of Lysander, and the play begins to resolve.
Still in the forest, Titania tries all means in order to get Bottom’s attention, but he is interested only in entertaining himself! Thus, this forms a state of disequilibrium. Later, Oberon comes out into the play when the two fall asleep, saying to Puck that he had gotten the Indian boy from Titania, and is now beginning to pity Titania (or is beginning to be ashamed of himself for pulling such a trick on Titania). This is the beginning of resolution, as the Indian boy is the cause of the quarrel between Titania and Oberon. Now, with the Indian boy safely with Oberon, the two have no reason to quarrel, and are now in reconciliation. This can further be seen when Oberon releases Titania from the spell: Titania seems to have forgotten about the matter, and Oberon carefully omits it by proving to Titania that her dream is real. The matter of reconciliation can also be proven by the fact that they later had a dance with one another, which is a symbol of peace between the fairies. Also, another way of reconciliation is the fact that Oberon orders Puck to remove the ass’s head of Bottom, and to make all five (lovers and Bottom) believe that whatever had happened before in the night was a dream. This is because when the lovers believe it is a dream, they would no longer have any conflicts with one another, thus forming reconciliation. As for Bottom, his thinking everything is a dream is to show that everything has returned to normal.
Resolution is shown by the lovers when they awake from the arrival of Theseus and Hippolyta. This resolution is that the lovers are at peace with one another, and naturally because they think the past night’s happenings is a dream which they share with one another. Also, resolution is brought about by Theseus, who overrules Egeus by announcing that the lovers be married the way they are, as the lovers are now at peace with one another, and to abide by Egeus’s idea may mean further conflicts.
Also, resolution is shown through the fairies who appear towards the end of Act 5 Scene 1. At the end, Titania and Oberon are at peace with one another, and they have a dance and a song, two symbols of peace and probably love to show resolution in the fairy realm. Also at the end, Puck directly addresses the audience, asking to “make amend ere long” (sign of resolution), and that for them to imagine “this weak and idle theme, / No more yielding but a dream”. Thus, Puck ends the play by resolving it further by making the audience believe that all is just a dream, and nothing real has ever happened before, which may imply that there was no conflicts at the beginning of the play. Or so Puck hopes the audience will believe.
Enlightenment would be brought about the play that the craftsmen had put up for the aristocrats. This is because the performance is of the same theme as the play, and rounds it up in a brief manner, only to have a slightly difference ending: Pyramus and Thisbe killing themselves at the end. This enlightenment is that of knowing whatever that could have happened should the fairies not interfered with the affairs of the lovers.
The final resolution in the play is apt in a way because marriage and reconciliation is about love, which is the play’s main theme. Before, the conflicts in the play have been about love, and about all the negative things that love brings about to the lovers. However, the resolution to marriage is apt because it is a transition from conflict about love to peace within love itself. Thus, the resolution within a theme is smooth and is rather pleasing, thus apt in this way.
Also, the final resolution in the play ends with the marriage of Theseus, signifying that nothing has changed since the beginning of the play, or even before it. This can further be proven by Puck, who in the end urges the audience to think the play as a dream and nothing more. Thus, it is to show that the conflicts have passed, and everything that had happened before in the play had been a dream, fitting into the title of the play. Thus, in this sense, the final resolution in the play is also apt!
In act one there is a feeling of joy and excitement due to Theseus and Hippolyta’s impending nuptial, “I will wed thee in another key: With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling.”However amidst this peacefulness, trouble is brewing. Egeus entrance causes disequilibrium in the otherwise happy atmosphere. The world of Athens is instantly turned upside down by Egeus as he insists that his daughter, Hermia, marry the man that she does not love, Demetruis. Egeus spreads his vexation to Theseus when he ask Theseus to tell Hermia that she must either die, remain a virgin or marry Demetruis, “upon that day either prepare to die for disobedience to your father’s will, or else to wed Demetruis, as he would, or on Diana’s altar to protest for aye austerity and single life.” Hermia adds further confusion by her defiance and strong will to be with her love, Lysander. “So will I grow, so live so die my lord. “it is obvious that the matter cannot be easily resolved .Thus the two lovers are in a dilemma whether to stay in Athens to brave the troubles of love or elope to a place where the strong Athenian law can no longer reach them.I also believe that Theseus is in a dilemma on whether to kill Hermia or overrule the Athenian law as Theseus is a good ruler and he would not want bloodshed during his nuptial or upset the already miserable Hippolyta, “come, my Hippolyta, what cheery love” In the end of the act the lovers choose to elope and things get more complicated as they entered the woods. Helena who is desperately in love with Demetruis makes matters worse by informing Demetruis of the elope to gain his thanks. The play continues into the already confused and disastrous realm of the fairies.
Although it is not clearly shown, I feel that there is also confusion among the craftsmen in the name of Bottom.Peter Quince may be a good leader but Bottom seems to be out to create confusion among the craftsmen as he claims to be able to play all the roles including his own role of Pyramus.Therefore I feel that there is also disorder among the craftsmen as no one can handle Bottom.
In the woods trouble is also brewing when Titania the fairy Queen “crosses her Oberon”. The fairy King and Queen squabbles over a little Changeling child. Although none are confused of their motive but both their quarrels had spark of natural disasters causing confusion and disorder in the mortal world. Likewise, Demetruis also quarrels with Helena as he insists that he does not love and will not hesitate to kill her, “Let me go! Or if thou follow me, do not believe but I shall do thee mischief in the wood.”Helena and Demetruis quarrel is highly significant as Oberon witnesses the scene and feels sorry for Helena. From this point on all hell breaks lose as not only did Oberon plan to take revenge on Titania with the love in idleness potion, he also plans to order Puck to apply it to Demetruis eyes. Chaos is unleashed when Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetruis and both men end up falling for Helena and are willing to fight to their death for love , “Helen, I love thee .By my life I do! I swear by that which I will lose thee.”Hermia and Helena are confused by the behavior of Demetruis and Lysander. Hermia feels that Helena had snatched Demetruis from her while Helena thought that everyone was making fun of her. Both of the ladies add to the disorder as they had a major falling out and ensue in their own cat fight, “I will not trust you, me, or longer stay in your crust company. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray; my legs longer, though, to run away.”There is also chaos in the fairy world as Titania falls for the ass head Bottom and fawns over him, “I pray thee, gentle mortal, and sing again! Mine ear is much enamored of thy note. So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape…? I love thee.” Bottom creates disorder in the fairy world as his crude behavior sticks out like a sore thumb in the beautiful and mystical realm of the faries.For example he asks for low class and rough musical instruments like bones and tongs when asked for his peference in music.
The craftsman also face further confusion in the woods as they think of how to settle the problems in their play so as not to offend Theseus and the royalty of Athens. For example they wonder on how to settle the problem of moonlight. In the end they decided on the ridiculous solution whereby the great hall window is left open or a bush and a lantern is used a symbol. There is chaos when they rehearse as the craftsmen are uneducated boors who tend to make mistakes when saying their lines. Bottom says “Ninny” instead of “Ninus.”There is even greater chaos when Bottom is turned into an ass head and scare the rest of the crafts man away, “O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted! Pray masters! Fly masters! Help!”
Although trouble seems that it will never end, Puck resolves the matter by releasing Lysander from the spell. The lovers do not remember the events in the woods and felt like it was a dream but they end up reconciled with their ideal partners .Theseus probably is enlightened when he see the lovers together happily. He might have realized that he should not have disrupted them in the first place so there is a resolution of all the past dilemmas and chaos when Theseus decides to overrule the Athenian law and allow the lovers to be together as they return to Athens. Demetruis also receives enlightenment when he said that Hermia was just an infatuation and the one he really loves is Helena. Titania also releases from the spell as she and Oberon also reconciles. The fairy dance at the end of the play symbolizes harmony and of the problems in fairy world. Previous confusions and disorders are put far behind as Theseus and Hippolyta is happily married. Their marriage symbolizes the final note in the resolution .There is now order, peace and love which allows everyone to live happily ever after.
The Craftsman also has their personal resolution when Bottom returns and the play goes on. Although the lovers and Hippolyta were not keen on the play, Theseus was all for it .The craftsmen made many mistakes but the play was so absurdly amusing, it was a hit! All is well in Athens.
Wilson The Great
In the first act, the state of dilemma is portrayed due to the waited decision of Hermia, as to whom shall she marry. Theseus told Hermia, “Either to die the death, or to abjure For ever the society of men…you can endure the livery of a nun, for aye to be in the shady cloister mewed, to live a barren sister all you life…than that which, withering on the virgin thorn, grows, lives and dies in single blessedness”. To be a nun for her entire life or to die seems rather harsh for a woman. In Hermia’s heart, the man she truly loves is Lysander. However, in order not to anger her father and Theseus, she has to choose to marry Demetrius since her life and her entire happiness is at stake. Even so, she feels a strong sense of anger and pain within her heart since she is unable to choose the man that she will be handing her remaining life and happiness to. In addition, when Lysander asked her to meet her at the woods, she agreed readily. In this situation, the state of dilemma comes into play again since she knew that escaping from arranged marriage and disobeying orders was considered a heinous crime and could be punished severely. Conversely, this might be her only chance to be with her lover. Thus, the strong sense of dilemma resides in Hermia as she finally made her choice to elope with her lover into the woods.
The state of confusion can also be portrayed during the conversation between Hermia and Helena. The sense of confusion does not really overpower the element of love in this act but, the fact that Helena was faced with confusion cannot be avoided. When she was entrusted with the secret that Lysander and Hermia were going to elope, she betrayed it on the thought that this could be exchanged for Demetrius’s love. The play stated “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight, then to the wood will he to-morrow night pursue her; and for this intelligence if I had thanks, it is a dear expense”. Initially, she was confused as to whether she should tell Demetrius of their plan, on one hand, she would be betraying Hermia’s trust in her, but on the other hand, if she was able to keep track of her lover, Demetrius’s whereabouts, everything would be meaningful for her. Moreover, she knew that her looks were far more inferior to Hermia. With no confidence in herself, she felt that the only way she could win Demetrius’s love over was to follow him, showing her loyalty and love for him.
The state of disequilibrium can be classified into two regions. The first region is disequilibrium in the mortal world while the second region is the state of disequilibrium one is in during certain parts of the play. In Act 2, due to the conflict with Oberon, the fairies were unable to perform dances and rituals for nature, causing nature to destroy things in the mortal world out of anger. Titania stated in Act 2, “But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport. Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain, as in revenge, have sucked out from the seas contagious fog, which falling in the land, hath every pelting river made so proud…and crows are fatted with the murrion flock…for lack of tread are undistinguishable”. With all the disasters happening to all of the daily activities in the mortal world, the equilibrium has been said to be upset. Next, the state of disequilibrium that one possesses is during the conversation between Demetrius and Helena (Act 2) and the conversation between Hermia and Helena over the brawl for Lysander (Act 3). In act 2, Helena slowly loses her sense of equilibrium since she is feeling desperate for her love and she is even willing to forgo her life and her virginity. For a woman to make such a choice that she is even willing to give up a woman’s most important asset just to be with the man that she loves proves that her sense of equilibrium has already been shattered. In other words, she has also been thrown into a state of confusion. Helena said in act 2, “Your virtue is my privilege. For that it is not night when I do see your face, therefore I think I am not in the night; nor doth this woods lack worlds of company, for you in my respect are all the world. Then how can it be said I am alone when all the world is here to look on me?” Obviously, the agent who caused her to lose her basic senses and equilibrium is definitely due to the power of love.
The state of further chaos and disorder can be portrayed when Lysander had a change of heart when he was under the effect of the magic juice. Since she was even able to sacrifice her life just to be with the man she loves, this blow seriously caused her to lose her basic sense and moral intellect. The play stated “What’s this to my Lysander? Where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?” When she was desperate to find Lysander, she was even willing to bow down to the man that tried all means to pursue her love. On the other hand, she immediately changed her attitude one hundred an eighty degrees when Demetrius claimed that he would rather feed Lysander’s carcass to his dogs. This incurred Hermia’s wrath, causing her to lose and calmness and composure. The play stated “Out, dog! Out, cur! Thou driv’st me past the bounds of maiden’s presence: Hast thou slain him then? Henceforth be never numbered among men…Than thine—thou serpent! –never adder stung”. For just one moment, she can be as calm as a sea and in another moment, she became as rough as a terrain. If Hermia is already extremely irrational before she even found her lover, Lysander, her only basic sense of dealing with matters calmly would definitely be shattered when she realized that her lover actually fell in love with her good friend. The play stated “Why, are you grown so rude! What change is this, sweet love?” The play also stated “O me! You juggler, you canker blossom…and stol’n my love’s heart from him?” Lysander was the world to Hermia, if he is gone or have changed his target of love, it is as though Hermia’s world is being thrown into chaos. Under these circumstances, Hermia would definitely try to eliminate her rival in love so as to achieve equilibrium in her ‘world’ again. Hence, further disorder and chaos follow since Helena is trying to make use of the fawning of the two men, Demetrius and Lysander, to protect her from Hermia’s anger.
The state of further chaos and disorder can also be portrayed in the magical world. It is indirectly insulting the definition of love when Titania falls in love with Bottom, a stupid and over conceited craftsmen. The play stated “I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again! Mine ear is much enamored with of thy note. So is mine ear enthralled to thy shape; and thy…I love thee”. It is rather ironic for a fairy queen to fall in love with a slowly craftsman. The element of chaos and disorder are also portrayed in this situation, though in a stranger way. There is bound to be chaos and disorder in the magical world if a fairy queen is allowed to fall in love with a self-conceited craftsman. The state of chaos and disorder was also portrayed during the argument between Oberon and Titania over the Indian boy. The magical world is normally the haven in many people’s minds. The world where fairies reside is filled with fun, laughter and definitely order. Hence, the fact that these two important and powerful characters in the magical world quarreling over such an insignificant issue shows the state of chaos that the fairies are actually living in due to the two sides that have been created due to the existence of the Indian mortal. The play stated “Do you amend it then! It lies in you. Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg a little changeling boy to be my henchman”. This conversation between Oberon and Titania shows that the magical world is actually quite irrational since they are arguing over a boy that will not make any difference to the equilibrium to the magical world.
The state of enlightenment and resolution are portrayed in act four and five. In act four when the solution to all of the conflict amongst the four lovers is finally resolved due to the assistance of the fairies. In the finally part of act three, the solution is already presented while act four shows the state of enlightenment and resolution since it is in act four that the four lovers wake up to find themselves talking in tandem with each other without arguing. The play stated “I pray you all, stand up…to sleep by hate and fear no enmity?” This shows that the sense of harmony and peace is already in the air. It is also in act four that Titania wakes up to realize the things that she had been put through, before finally returning to Oberon’s side as his rightful wife. In this act, Bottom also wakes up to find that everything has returned to normal and that everything that he has been through is just a dream. The play stated “When my cue comes, call me and I will answer.” This shows that there is already a solution to all of the problems that have been raised in the previous acts. Even Egeus’s irrational marriage proposal to decide his son-in-law has also been rebutted by Theseus since Theseus believes in allowing harmony and rationality to rule his mind instead of others’ opinions and the strict law of Athens. The sense of enlightenment is actually doubted during the performance of the craftsmen. The lovers actually insulted and laughed the content of the performance without even considering that they were actually doing the same thing just a few days ago. The play stated “No remedy, my lord, when walls are so willful to hear without warning.” And “No wonder, my lord,--one lion may, when many asses do.” Demetrius insulted at the content of the performance in which the foolish things that one does under the influence of magic without even stopping to ponder that that was what he did when he was chasing after the love of Hermia before. However, the sense of enlightenment can be seen in the Lysander when he agreed with the content of the performance that the craftsmen put up. Theseus was also enlightened when he felt that happy couples should be granted marriage instead of marrying someone that the party does not love. The play stated “Fair lovers, you are fortunately met…we’ll hold a feast in great solemnity”. This shows that Theseus realize that happiness should overwrite just plain rules of the Athens and arranged marriages.
In the end of the play, there were the marriages of the four lovers, each to the other party that they love respectively. There was also reconciliation between Titania and Oberon. This ending is rather appropriate since the title of this entire play is “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and a dream should have a happy ending. Otherwise, it would be considered a nightmare. A happy ending is also highly sought after for many of the novels since this mark a sense of equilibrium for both the mortal world and the magical world. A happy ending is also a form of enlightenment and peace which is the symbol of a whole new beginning and a wonderful ending to a world of disorder and chaos. Since the main theme of this entire play is love, there is a need for Shakespeare to show his readers that love shall overcome all obstacles. The reconciliation of the fairy queen and the fairy king portrays the equilibrium and peace in the mortal world.
The entry of Egeus in the play sparks off all the conflict and the subsequent events in the play. Act One Scene 1 shows Hermia’s dilemma about whether to marry Demetrius or die or become a nun. Helena’s decision to tell Demetrius Hermia and Lysander’s decision to elope from Athens constitutes to the chaos, disorder and disequilibrium in the later parts of the play. In the first scene, we also see the disequilibrium in the relationship of the lovers. Lysander and Demetrius both love Hermia while Helena loves Demetrius. In Act One Scene 2, we can also see the dilemma of Hermia and Lysander as to whether they should escape from Athens. In Act Two Scene 1, from Oberon and Titania’s argument, it is implied that the state of confusion, disequilibrium, disorder and chaos is caused by the disharmony of Oberon and Titania. Titania says ‘And this same progeny of evils comes from our debate, from our dissension; we are their parents and original.’
However, the actual state of confusion really starts to build up when Helena woke Lysander up in Act Two Scene 2 as she thought he was dead. This caused Lysander to fall in love with her because of the effect of the love potion. Helena is very confused as to why Lysander had a sudden change of heart. She says ‘Do not say so, Lysander, say not so.’ She is even more irritated when Lysander professes his love for her and pursues her through the forest. She says ‘Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?’ When Hermia wakes up to find Lysander missing she feels shocked, confused and lost as Lysander is not with her and she is all alone in the forest. She says ‘Lysander! What, removed? Lysander, lord!’
As the play progresses, Hermia is also in dilemma as to whether Demetrius killed Lysander as she found him searching for her in the forest? She is not sure if Demetrius killed Lysander and is very desperate. She says ‘If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep…’ and ‘What’s this to my Lysander? Where is he? Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?’ Hermia is also in dilemma as to whether to believe Demetrius.
Furthermore, in Act Three Scene 1, Titania also enters a state of mental confusion. Due to the effect of the love potion, Titania fell in love with Bottom. She committed many acts which are considered as ridiculous and disgraceful by Oberon (‘their own disgrace bewail’) which adds on to the chaos in the play. and After Demetrius awoken and fell in love with Helena, the play evolves into a state of disequilibrium. By now, both Lysander and Demetrius have already proclaimed their love for Helena and no one wants to bother about Hermia. Lysander no longer loves Hermia which makes the relationships between the lovers very unbalanced as not all the characters get a fair share of the love they deserve.
The play progresses to be state of further disorder and chaos when Hermia found out that Lysander has abandoned her for Helena. Helena on the other hand thinks that Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius are both out to mock her became irritated and furious. Helena said ‘Now I perceive they have conjoined all three to fashion this false sport in spite of me.’ Hermia said ‘I am amazed by your passionate words. I scorn you not; it seems that you scorn me’. A misunderstanding aroused causing Hermia and Helena both became angry at each other and started to quarrel. Lysander and Demetrius on the other hand decided to duel to determine who is worthy of Helena. With all the fighting and quarrelling, the situation is now extremely chaotic.
However, after Puck had corrected the mistakes he made, the lovers now find themselves back with the one they love. The conflict in the play is also resolved as Theseus has probably gained enlightenment as not to force the lovers to be with the one they do not love. He decided to overrule Egeus’s will and allow Hermia to wed Lysander since Demetrius no longer covets her. The lovers now have an amicable relationship with each other and all other conflicts in the play have been resolved.
Also, Oberon had also released Titania from the love spell and they have reconciled. Oberon probably has also gained enlightenment that the disorder and chaos in the human world is caused by their disharmony, feels guilty, and decided to release Titania from the love spell first once he got what he wanted. ‘But first I will release the Fairy Queen’. They are no more at loggerheads with each other and have also agreed to bless Theseus marriage.
The final resolution in the play symbolised by marriage and reconciliation is suitable in the context of the play as the conflict in the play is sparked of by a disagreement in Hermia’s marriage. The final resolution of marriage between the lovers allows the play to be complete. It also helps to show how the initial conflict in the play is eventually resolved. Similarly, the reconciliation of Oberon and Titania also concludes their arguments and bring it to a satisfactory resolution.
the source of all the problems started when egeus reported his daughter's defiance to his orders to theseus. in egeus eyes, lysander has seduced her daughter, making her defiant of him. because of the strict athenian law, thesues gave hermia to choose after seeing her being determined to be with Lysander rather than Demetrius as ordered by her father. "either to die the death or to abjure forever the society of men" the problem is further complicated when demetrius and lysander quarrelled infront of theseus with lysander claiming that demetrius abandoned helena for hermia. "made love to nedar's daughter helena" "upon this spotted and inconstant man." this did not waver the waish for hermia to marry demetrius in both theseus and egeus heart and as a result, lysander and hermia are forced to elope to pursue their love. "and in the wood...will i stay for thee." they then meet in the woods which is the place where all the confusion take place.
due to the quarrel between oberon and titania, oberon wants to take revenge on titania "the next thing then she waking...with the soul of love." this caused titania to fall in love with bottom. due to oberon's sympathy for helena and puck's mistake, lysander falls in love with helena. "not hermia but helena i love" this has sparked off yet another quarrl between hermia and helena as hermia assumed that helena has betrayed her trust and stole lysander from her side. "what love could press lysander from my side?" oberon who wants to solve this problem, puts the love potion on demetrius too. this made helena feel that she is being made a fool out of the whole thing and caused more disharmony. "now i perceive they have ...fashion this false sport." lysander and demetrius even fighted with each other to win the right to love helena. "if tgou say so, withdraw and prove it too."
all the problems finally ended when oberon lifted the love potion from all except demetrius. now each of them has found their loved ones and so there was no more conflict between them anymore. "how come this gentle concord in the world." seeing the harmony between the lovers, theseus even allowed them to maary their loved ones despite egeus' objections. "these couples shall eternally be knit." a balance is now struck in the play. titania is also lifted from the spell and has reconcile with oberon. "my oberon, what visions have i seen."
by having teh marriage and reconciliation, it creates a happy ending which is a resolution to all the conflicts in the play. this relieves the tension created by all the confusion and soothes the emotions of the audience, making them feel satisfied and contented after watching the play.
State of confusion, dilemma and disequilibrium:
- First example would be in act 1 scene 1, where Egeus displayed his disapproval of Lysander as his soon-to-be son in law.
- “Stand Forth, Lysander…this man hath bewitched the bosom of my child…thou hast given her rhymes…with feigning voice, verses of feigning love, and stol’n the impression of her fantasy”. “Bewitched”, “feigning” and “stolen” are words that contain biasness and from this we can conclude that Egeus disliked Lysander and apparently favoured Demetrius.
- Egeus then went on to say, “As she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be either to this gentleman or to her death”. This brought about the state of disequilibrium, which describes the atmosphere at that point of time (approaching wedding: joyous, merry and relaxed. Egeus’s disapproval: grave, tense)
- The state of confusion came in when Theseus and Demetrius tried to talk Hermia into giving in, however Hermia personally wanted the other option. Theseus: “What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid. To you your father should be as a god…and within his power to leave the figure or disfigure it. Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.” Demetrius: “Relent, sweet Hermia.” Hermia: “So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord…My soul consents not to give sovereignty.”
- Although Hermia made a choice to either live her life as a nun or death, she was still in a dilemma. “Belike for the want of rain, which I could well beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.” This tells us that Hermia was at a loss; she didn’t know what to do for she also feared the consequences of going against her father.
- Another state of confusion is also present in Act 1, Scene 2, where the craftsmen are choosing their cast (Bottom volunteering for every role) makes it difficult to settle the cast.
- Lastly, Act 2, Scene1: Oberon and Titania fought over a changeling boy hence resulting in occurrence of natural disasters and chaos in the human world. “The human mortals want their winter cheer; No night is now with hymn or carol blest. Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, pale in her anger, washes all the air, that rheumatic diseases do abound…the spring, the summer, the chiding autumn, angry winter change their wonted liveries…and this same progeny of evils comes from our debate, from our dissension”.
State of further disorder and chaos:
- From Act 2, Scene 2 to Act 3, Scene 2. This branches out into two groups; one is Titania and Bottom, the other being the four lovers. The root of disorder for Titania and Bottom is Oberon’s grudge against Titania. The root of chaos between the four lovers arose from coincidences.
- Oberon made Titania fall in love with Bottom to get back at her for hurting his pride. As a result, there was quite a disorder in the fairy world because Titania was so hopelessly obsessed with Bottom that she ignored everything else in her path. “Out of this wood do not desire to go…And I do love thee. Therefore go with me. I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee”
- Due to coincidences, Puck mistook Lysander for Demetrius hence, he applied the love juice on Lysander’s eyelids. This small accident led to a huge chaos between the four lovers; best friends turned their backs against each other over two men, two men fought over one fair lady. Most ridiculously, Lysander, who was under the spell of the love juice, went on to insult the love of his life, Hermia. “Get you gone, you dwarf! You minimus of hindering knotgrass made, you bead, you acorn!”
- The craftsmen themselves had a small chaos due to Puck’s mischief; he turned poor Bottom into an asshead which sent the rest of the craftsmen screaming away. “O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted! Pray, masters! Fly masters! Help!”
Situation where enlightenment and resolution present itself:
- Chaos and disorder were eventually solved in Act 4 Scene1
- Oberon took pity on Titania’s hopeless dotage on Bottom and thus decided to release her of the love spell. “Her dotage now I do begin to pity…I did upbraid her and fall out with her…and now I have the boy, I will undo this hateful imperfection of her eyes.”
- Oberon also ordered Puck to turn Bottom back to his human head, “And, gentle Puck, take this transformed scalp from off the head of this Athenian swain” and made sure Bottom forgets that period of time, “That, he awaking when the other do, may all to Athens back again repair and think no more of this night’s accidents”.
- Puck was also asked to release Lysander of the love spell so that everything will revert back to normal and also make sure all four of them will “think no more of this night’s accidents”. As Demetrius was not released from the love spell, all four of them woke up in their pairs; Lysander with Hermia and Demetrius with Helena. It was a happy ending and whatever dispute they had before was resolved.
It started off with a merry occasion whereby Theseus is going to get married to Hippolyta. Theseus had won Hippolyta's heart from a victory in a war. Thus,it might have taken a long time for them to agree on the preparations for the marriage. However.towards the end,after the confusion in the woods,the arrangement seems to go on smoothly as the conversation goes on between Theseus and the Philostrate. The craftsmen then came in and acted for them.
Egeus also came in at Act 1,accusing Lysander of putting a spell on Hermia."With cunning hast thou fliched my daughter's heart,turned her obedience,which is due to me" shows how Egeus said about the result of Hermia being together with Lysander. "I beg the ancient privilege of Athens:As she is mine,I may dispose of her,which shall shall be either to this gentleman,or to her death,according to our law immediately provided in that case" at that point in time,Hermia had to make the decision if she is to be married to Demetrius or to face death. However,she rebelled against Egeus,and even thought of eloping together with Lysander. A confusion is about to begin when Helena tipped Demetrius about their plans of eloping.The actions between Demetrius and Helena then caught Oberon's attention. The confusion then started after Puck dropped the love-idleness juice wrongly on Lysander's eyelids. Lysander began to fall in love with Helena. After awhile,the love-idleness juice was also squeezed onto Demetrius's eyelids. Demetrius also fall in love with Helena. That was taken as an insult. This has caused the two sisters-Helena and Hermia to start quarelling with one another. A sudden change was involved. From two men wooing Hermia,to two men wooing Helena. However,towards the end,after the issue was resolved,Demetrius announcement that he had no longer loved Hermia but Helena gave the whole story a twist."The object and the pleasure of mine eye,is only Helena" said Demetrius. Theseus decided to bless the four lovers,and gave it a happy ending.
Likewise for Titania. Oberon and Titania were fighting over a small changeling child. Oberon wanted to take revenge and decided to play a trick on Tiania,making her fall in love with the first creature that she sees after she wake up. Puck,who is a very mischieveous person,decided to put on the asshead on Bottom's head. The story was slowly bridged to Titania awaking by Bottom's singing. Titania then begin to fall in love with Bottom,calling him 'angel'. "I pray thee,gentle mortal,sing again! Mine ear is much enamoured of thy note.So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape,and hy fair virtue's force preforce doth move me. On the first view,to say,to swear,I love thee." creates a ridiculous thought in readers for a queen fairy to fall in love with an asshead. It cause a dilemma. However,the situation was then enlighted after Oberon has gotten his hands on the changeling boy. Oberon decided to remove the spell of from Titania. Titania then regain back her consciousness. Bottom's asshead was also removed. Bottom went back to rehearsing his play. Titania got back with Oberon again.
A chaos also occured among the craftsmen. At first,they disliked Bottom and all ran away after seeing the asshead on him. However,during the period that he disappeared,the craftsmen panicked. Quince said"Have you sent to Bottom's house?" They all panicked after not being afraid. In fear that they might not be able to continue the play with a missing person. Mini chaos was created. However,after Bottom went back to them, Quince went"Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour!" to describe that it is calm after a heavy storm.
All these went from a chaotic and disorder scene to a scene whereby problems were all solved.
In Act 1 Scene 1, Theseus and Hippolyta are going to marry. It is a joyous occasion. “I will wed thee in another key: With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling.” But soon after this, Egeus comes in and complains about Hermia going to marry Lysander and not Demetrius, this crosses Egeus. From this, it causes disequilibrium in the otherwise happy atmosphere the Therefore; he went to find Theseus, hoping that he can force Hermia to marry Demetrius. The state moves to a confusion now. As Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius enter the conflict spark off. Hermia is bent on not marrying Demetrius and defying her father, hence, Theseus warns her about the consequences of not obeying her father. “upon that day either prepare to die for disobedience to your father’s will, or else to wed Demetrius, as he would, or on Diana’s altar to protest for aye austerity and single life.” Theseus tells her that if she does not marry Demetrius, she would either face death or to be a nun for the rest of her life. “So will I grow, so live so die my lord.” In dilemma, she would rather choose to face the consequences than to marry Demetrius. Hence, the couple decides to leave Athens, where they could be together forever. To ensure Helena that she would be able to be with Demetrius, Hermia tells Helena about their plan to escape. But this act leads to more confusion and conflicts in the woods as Demetrius decides to look for Hermia in the woods and Helena, who loves Demetrius greatly, decides that she should follow him into the woods.
In the woods, apart from the mortals’ confusion and conflicts, the fairies’ world is also facing the same problem. Titania, who has an Indian boy, refuses to give him up to Oberon as a servant. Therefore, it crosses Oberon and he decides to give her a punishment, which is to fall in love with the first animal she sees with the power of the love juice. As what he wishes, Titania really falls in love with Bottom, who has an asshead.
When Demetrius and Helena enters the woods, Oberon sees that Helena is being ‘ill-treated’ by Demetrius and decides that he should help Helena. “Let me go! Or if thou follow me, do not believe but I shall do thee mischief in the wood.” Hence, he instructs Puck to put the love juice onto Demetrius, so that he would fall in love with Helena and return her love. Although this seems to be a good resolution, Puck ruins it by putting it onto Lysander’s eyelids, in turn causing more conflicts to go on and not help in solving the problem. This causes thte situation to turn to a state of further disorder and chaos.
In act 1 Scene 2, there also seems to be a confusion though it seems peaceful, but no one could handle Bottom, who is trying to get himself every for the play and thinks that he is the most suitable for all the roles. Thus, there is confusion going on but no conflicts because most of them seem to agree with his opinions and ideas.
The mistake that Puck makes causes Demetrius and Lysander to fall in love with Helena. “Helen, I love thee .By my life I do! I swear by that which I will lose thee.” Both men are willing to fight for Helena and hence, Helena thinks that Hermia is trying to make her a fool. From this, it sparks off another conflict whereby Helena and Hermia are quarreling over the men while the men are basically fighting over Helena. “I will not trust you, me, or longer stay in your crust company. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray; my legs longer, though, to run away.” All is back to normal when Oberon realizes Puck’s mistake and wants him to remove the love juice from Lysander so that the two couples can be together again. When they wake up, all of them think that all that had happened was only a dream although they think that it is too real to be a dream. Demetrius realizes that his love for Hermia is only infatuation and Helena is the only one he loves.All is back to normal again. Theseus and Egeus also respect the couples’ decision and wish them all the best.
“I pray thee, gentle mortal, and sing again! Mine ear is much enamored of thy note. So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape…? I love thee.” Helena falls in love with Bottom because of the love juice and brings him to the place where she stays while the other fairies are waiting on him. He creates quite a lot of troubles then and disrupts the fairies’ world. For example he asks for low class and rough musical instruments like bones and tongs when asked for his preference in music. To end it, Oberon finally put off the love juice from Titania and when she wakes up, she thinks that that is just a nightmare for her to fall in love with a beast. As for Bottom, he also thinks that it is just a dream and he should not go about telling others about it.
The craftsmen also face problems when rehearsing for the play. They want it to be all told to the audience in case they do not know what is going on. For example they wonder on how to settle the problem of moonlight. In the end they decided on the ridiculous solution whereby the great hall window is left open or a bush and a lantern is used a symbol. There is chaos when they rehearse as the craftsmen are uneducated boors who tend to make mistakes when saying their lines. Bottom says “Ninny” instead of “Ninus.”
To end it all, Theseus and Hippolyta got married and all the past conflicts and confusions are put behind.
In the beginning of the play, Theseu's and Hippolyta's wedding was disturbed by Egeus's objection of the realtionship between Hermia and Lysander. Egeus wanted her daugter, Hermia to marry Demetrius but of course, Hermia rejected. Theseus tried to persuade her but he failed. The craftsmen were also planning their play of the story "Pyramus and Thisbe" at the same time. Hermia and Lysander had to elope to escape the Athenian law and they told their plans to Helena who in turn tipped off Demetrius. Then both Helena and Demetrius went into the woods to chase Hermia and Lysander.
In Act 2, the setting was in the woods where any dangerous things could happen like being attacked by ferocious beasts. In the fairy world, Oberon and Titania were quarelling about the young Indian boy which was adopted by Titania when the young boy's mother died during childbirth. Oberon had no choice but to resort to trickery so as to achieve his goals of getting that boy to be one of his henchmen. At the meantime, Oberon saw how Demetrius neglected Helena's love so he decided to help her in getting her love. He himself managed to put the love spell on Titania but Puck who was ordered by Oberon mistook Lysander for Demetrius and the love problem occured. While the craftsmen were having their rehersal, Puck played a prank on Bottom who had an ass head. The craftsmen were all scared by his monstrous appearance and ran away, leaving him alone in the woods.
In Act 3, Titania fell in love with Bottom at first sight while Lysander fell in love with Helena when she woke him up. Thinking that Lysander was playing a prank on her, she left him alone agrily. In the meantime, Puck was ordered again to take away the love spell on Lysander and put it on Demetrius.
In Act 4, Oberon succeded in getting the boy and removed the spell from Titania. Puck also managed to fix the love problem between the four lovers and also removed the ass head from Bottom. Theseus and Egeus found the four lovers in the woods and realised that the four lovers were together, Hermia and Lysander, Demetrius and Helena.
In Act 5, everything ended smoothly as the four lovers got married together with Theseus and Hippolyta. The play "Pyramus and Thisbe" by the craftsmen acted like the play's comedy, becoming 'The Most Lamentable Comedy' when the play was supposed to be a sad love story.
Wenyuan 4BN
At the beginning of the play, the subjects of love and marriage, and the relationship of the 2 main groups of human characters are being introduced. The play starts off with Theseus talking to Hippolyta and asking Philostrate to “Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth.” He wants the wedding to be one “With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.”
The state of confusion is first introduced into the story when Egeus comes in “Full of vexation”, wanting to complain about his daughter Hermia, who he claimed had been bewitched by Lysander and is refusing to wed Demetrius as he had wished. Problems then start to snowball as Hermia, having a stubborn character, strongly refuses to comply to her father’s wish and would rather “ Die the death, or to abjure forever the society of men” instead. This is when dilemma and disequilibrium starts to present itself in the story. Her stubborn personality is further seen when she told Theseus, “So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up, Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke, My soul consents not to give sovereignty.” The state of confusion builds up when Lysander incensed Egeus after he talked to Demetrius insolently.—“You have her father’s love, Demetrius-Let me have Hermia’s. Do you marry him.” “Scornful Lysander!”
Wanting to pursue their love, Lysander and Hermia then decided to elope to escape from the harsh Athenian law. They went into the forest and Helena complicates matters even more when she decides to betray the couple and tell Demetrius of their plan to elope.
After the introduction of the craftsmen in the next scene, the play progresses into the Athenian forest where there is a state of further confusion and chaos.
In the forest, another conflict has just risen. Oberon and Titania are having a heated argument over an Indian changeling boy.—“ What jealous Oberon? Fairy, skip hence. I have forsworn his bed and company.” “Tarry, rash wanton!” We can see that both Oberon and Titania are very displeased with each other from the words they speak. As it is said that the fairy realm is inter-related to the mortal world, conflict and disorder in the woods has led to confusion and chaos in the mortal world as well. –“And this same progeny of evils come. From our debate, from our dissension; We are their parents and their original.”
Rising action is then seen in Act 2 when Demetrius and Helena sets off in pursuit of the eloping couple. Demetrius is trying his best to find Hermia to prove his best to her whereas Helena tails after Demetrius, trying desperately to keep him by her side, despite being insulted and scorned at. Here, discord can be seen from the arguments of Oberon and Titania, Demetrius and Helena, which is taking place at the same time.
Complications further escalate the tension and perplexity in the play when Puck accidentally mistook Lysander for Demetrius and applied the flower juice on his eyelids instead. This caused Lysander to fall in love with Helena, leaving Hermia to be appalled and bewildered, while Helena feels insulted, thinking that he was trying to mock at her. The situation lost total control after Demetrius starts falling in love with Helena as well.--“O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!” The 2 men started fighting over Helena and complications arose.
In Act 3, Titania fell head over heels in love with Bottom after Puck put her under the spell of the love juice, according to Oberon’s instructions—“I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again! Mine ear is much enamoured of thy note; so is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; and thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me; on the first view, to say, I swear, I love thee.”
The falling action is then seen in Act 4 whereby things start to return to normal. The 4 lovers return to their original state after Puck released the spell of the flower juice. Peace and order can finally be seen as Lysander and Demetrius are no longer fighting. However, what is surprising is that, despite not being under the power of the love juice anymore, Demetrius is still deeply in love with Helena.—“The object and pleasure of mine eye, is only Helena.” Theseus then went on to overrule the words of Egeus and gave consent to the marriage of the 2 young Athenian couples. Titania is also released from the spell of the love juice and reconciles with Oberon. Peace and harmony is achieved in the fairy realm and this gives rise to the happy ending in the mortal world.
The play then ends with the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. It is a happy occasion which symbolises concord, happiness, peace, harmony and bliss. This conclusion sums up the entire play and is when enlightenment and resolution presents itself. The peaceful ending is a contrast to the beginning of the play which is filled with confusions and uproars.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream starts and ends off both with the idea of wedding. Shakespeare rounds up the play nicely with a common thread and peace is finally achieved in the fairy world and in the mortal realm.
State of confusion, dilemma and disequilibrium
- Egeus marches into Theseus’s court with his daughter, Hermia, and two young men, Demetrius and Lysander. Egeus wish Hermia to marry Demetrius, but Hermia is in love with Lysander and refuses to comply.
-Egeus asks for the full penalty of law to fall on Hermia’s head if she went against her father’s will.
“I beg the privilege of Athens: As she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be either to this gentleman or to her death…”
- Theseus gives Hermia until his wedding to consider her options, warning her that disobeying her father’s wishes could result in her being sent to a convent or being executed.
“Either to die the death, or to abjure forever the society of men”
“Take time to pause; and by the next moon – The sealing day betwixt my love and me…either prepare to die…or else wed to Demetrius…”
- Hermia and Lysander plan to escape Athens the following night and marry in the house of Lysander’s aunt, some seven leagues distant from the city.
“From Athens is her house remote seven leagues; and she respects me as her only son. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; and to that place the sharp Athenian law cannot pursue us.”
- They told Hermia’s friend Helena, who was once, engaged to Demetrius and still loves him even though he dumped her after meeting Hermia. Hoping to regain his love, Helena tells Demetrius of the elopement that Hermia and Lysander have planned.
-At night, Demetrius stalk into the woods to find Hermia with Helena following behind him.
State of further disorder and chaos
- Oberon and Titania wants the Indian prince, but Titana refused to give him up to Oberon.
“Set your heart at rest. The fairy land buys not the child of me.”
-Seeking revenge, Oberon sends Puck, to acquire love-in-idleness, the juice of which can be spread over a sleeping person’s eyelids to make that person fall in love with the first thing he or she sees upon waking.
- Puck obtains the flower, and Oberon tells him of his plan to spread its juice on the sleeping Titania’s eyelids. Having seen Demetrius act cruelly toward Helena, he orders Puck to spread some of the juice on the eyelids of the young Athenian man. Puck encounters Lysander and Hermia; thinking that Lysander is the Athenian of whom Oberon spoke, Puck afflicts him with the love potion.
- Lysander happens to see Helena upon awaking and falls deeply in love with her, abandoning Hermia.
- As the night progresses and Puck attempts to undo his mistake, both Lysander and Demetrius end up in love with Helena, who believes that they are mocking her.
“…to vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, … a trim exploit, … to conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes with your derision…would so offend a virgin and extort a poor soul’s patience, all to make sport.”
- Hermia becomes so jealous that she tries to challenge Helena to a fight.
“ ‘Little’ again? Nothing but ‘low’ and ‘little’? Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? Let me come to her.”
- Demetrius and Lysander nearly do fight over Helena’s love, but Puck confuses them by mimicking their voices, leading them apart until they are lost separately in the forest.
Situation where enlightenment and resolution
- Eventually, Oberon obtains the Indian boy, Puck spreads the love potion on Lysander’s eyelids, and by morning all is well.
- Theseus and Hippolyta discover the sleeping lovers in the forest and take them back to Athens to be married—Demetrius now loves Helena, and Lysander now loves Hermia.
- When the play is completed, the lovers go to bed; the fairies briefly emerge to bless the sleeping couples with a protective charm and then disappear.
“First rehearse your song by rote, to each word a warbling note. Hand in hand with fairy grace will we sing and bless this place.”
Comments
The final resolution in the play symbolised by marriage and reconciliation is apt. After all the confusion and conflict between the couples, they are resolved with a happy ending. No more conflicts are present and the couples settle down with their own peaceful lives. The ending also forms a common thread with the start of the play. Lysander had once made a comment, “The course of true love did not run smooth”, so after many obstacles, they finally are approved to be together. This was what the couples wanted initially, to be able to stay with their lover together.
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