Andrew Moulton

Southern New Hampshire Universitys Shakespeare 319 Professor Paul Rosenberg

Short Paper Two: A Midsummer Nights Dream April 5, 2015

The Play of Archetypes

Shakespeare plays with the stock characteristics of the Commedia Dell Arte archetypes,

stretching and reshaping traditional characteristics into something that more appropriately

contributes to his play. The characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream that best fit the

Commedia Dell Arte archetypes are those of Puck, Nick Bottom, Helena, and the four

Athenians Demetrius, Lysander, Helena, and Hermia.

Puck is the Arlecchino: happy-go-lucky, mischievous, and impulsive. He is not so much

concerned with food or sex, but he does enjoy a good prank at anothers expense. He is quick-

witted and playful, and much of the play depends upon Pucks intentional, and unintended,

pranks. He is the one who intentionally transforms Nick Bottoms head in to that of an ass, he is

the one to start the Athenian love quadrangles confusions by smearing the love potion on

Lysanders eyes instead of Demitriuss. Just as equally, he resolves issues where he can.

The characteristics of the Dottore best fit Nick Bottom. Although I would not associate him as an

old man and especially not as a doctor, the other major characteristic, that of being a pretentious

know-it-all who is frequently wrong, matches rather nicely. Nick is overconfident in his skills as

an actor and asserts that he is not only capable of acting as Pyramus, but also Ercles, Thisby, and

the lion. He is rather unskilled in his understanding of the English language and frequently

misinterprets the symbolic for the literal, but to his credit, he is helpful and practical in offering

his solutions. For example, when they need moonlight in the play, practically enough he calls for

a calendar and when there is a moon upon the night, he says, why, then may you leave a

casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the

casement, (ll. 868-870). Problem solved. However, as is often the case with Nick Bottom, he

has overlooked the fact that moonlight is irrelevant to the overall meaning of the play and his

efforts would be better spent elsewhere.

Helena is the Columbina archetype. Much of the action of the play develops around her initially

unrequited love. She is the major female character, intelligent, and capable. Her attitude

distinctly juxtaposes Pucks happy-go-lucky mannerisms and provides a nice balance to the list

of characters.

There are four pairs of lovers in this play. King Theseus and Hypolyta define one of the couples,

they are rather reserved and proper, but their marriage is the setting for the play. The wedded

Oberon and Titania, although feuding throughout much of the play, are another; their jealousy

identifying their deep affection for one another. And then there are the two sets of Athenians:

Demetrius, Lysander, Helena, and Hermia. These four young dramatic characters best fit the

definition of innamorati. They rush into loves prickers and play with its tribulations.

Works Cited

Module Three Overview: Shakespeares Tragedies. LIT-319-Q4380 Blackboard. 25 March

2015. Lecture.

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Nights Dream (1595). Open Source Shakespeare. George

Mason University 2003-2015. Web. 24 March 2015.

http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/playmenu.php?WorkID=midsummer