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7/31/2019 Midsummer's Night Dream Essay

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Chris DSouza 5801245

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A Midsummers Night Dream

William Shakespeares timeless play A Midsummers Night Dream centres on the marriage

of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta. Along with

several interlinking plots about four lovers and a group of six amateur actors who are all

influenced by a spell brought on by the fairies that live in the forest where most of the play is

set. But of course in every Shakespearean play there has to be a Fool of sorts, and Robin

Goodfellow takes on that role, as well as being Oberon, King of the Fairies, jester. He sets the

play into motion, and he is the plays closest example of a protagonist. His playful,

mischievous spirit allows him to get away with much of the antics and tricks he pulls, causing

most of the problems for the fellow Athenians. In addition to role of Puck as a Jester, he is

very much like the Fool in King Lear which will be brought up further on in the essay.

Pucks character is based on an ancient English folklore character with the same name, said

to be a mythological fairy or mischievous nature sprite, his other name Robin Goodfellow

meant that "[t]he spirit was not actually good by nature, but was called Goodfellow as a sort

of appeasement, meant to deflect the spirit's pranks towards other people.1

He is firstly

introduced by Shakespeare as a shrewd and knavish sprite2and one who is a merry

wanderer of the night3 but later, on the same page he is describes as a hobgoblin, which

perhaps suggests the true meaning of his nature. But almost all of Pucks pranks are good

hearted and lively, the biggest prank played is when he accidentally sprinkles the love potion

on Lysander instead of Demetrius, leading to a myriad of misunderstandings and drama.

1GradeSaver. Character Analysis of Puck.http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-

dream/essays/essay2/. (Accessed May 10, 2012)

2 Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994 (Pg. 154)

3Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream (Pg. 155)
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Although getting told off by Oberon for his folly, Puck goes on to take further delight in

teasing and making fun of the four lovers as they run around the forest, making the most of

his mistake. He is also seen as the master of revels, paralleling Philostrates job to bring

entertainment to the house of Theseus, thus Pucks job is also to bring entertainment to his

Fairy King, and thus also brings entertainment to the audience.

Pucks first trick is on Bottom, the weaver of the Mechanicals, who gets his head turned into

an ass. Puck plays a very prominent role in this theme of transformation; this theme is

perhaps present because Shakespeares influence for the play was Metamorphes by Ovid.

However this is only a physical transformation; in fact the whole play is based on this

underlying idea of transformation. The lovers undergo various changes as they fall in and out

of love with each other, and Puck himself shift changes several times throughout the play

furthermore the world in which the characters are in go through changes, night goes into day,

the moon waxes and wanes and so on.

But the idea of transformation also teaches us a few things; one of the many is that love can

transform the most intelligent person into a blind imbecile, and make us do the silliest of

things, this is seen when Puck cries out to the powers that be; Lord, what fools these mortals

be!4

Although Puck directs this to Lysander and his silly ramblings of his love for Helena;

he is including everyone, as well as the audience, in his derision of human love.

Another example is when Titania falls in love with Bottom, quite possibly the most

memorable scene in A Midsummers Night Dreamwhere Shakespeares fantasy is at its

strongest, Titania adorns Bottom with words of flattery and adulation; Thou art as wise as

4 Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994 (Pg. 195)


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thou art beautiful.5The potion that Puck pours on her eyes makes her fall deeply in love

with Bottom. Titania, the beautiful and strong-willed Queen of the Fairies, disappears as she

becomes the women grovelling at Bottoms feet, and promising him the world as she

searches for his love. Although Titania is quite possibly the strongest representation of

women in the play, she is also controlled by men, through this Shakespeare expresses that

this is almost inevitable.

Puck, although through a series of jokes and twists, ultimately brings us to the question the

essence of reality and dreaming, this is another underlying theme throughout the text. The

plays title represents the idea of dreams taking overpeoples lives and confusing them with

the reality of the situation. For example when the four lovers, Lysander and Hermia and

Demetrius and Helena emerge from the forest, they think themselves part of a dream. As

Demetrius states That yet we sleep, we dream6

and further establishes this sentiment as he

encourages the lovers to recount their dreams7

although none of the characters were

dreaming. Hermia experiences a dream which confirms her insecurities as a woman;

methought a serpent ate my heart away, and you sat smiling at his cruel prey8

not knowing

that indeed Lysander has fallen out of love with her.

At the close of the play, Pucks monologue is as much ours as it is his; there are various ideas

that are all incorporated in the last lines of the play.

If we shadows have offended

5Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994 (Pg. 186)

6 Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. (Pg 226)

7Ibid (Pg. 226)

8 Ibid (Pg. 177)


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Think but this, and all is mended:

That you have but slumb'red here

While these visions did appear.

And this weak and idle theme

No more yielding but a dream

Gentles do not reprehend: If you pardon, we will mend.

And, as I am an honest Puck

If we have unearned luck

Now to scape the serpent's tongue

We will make amends ere long;

Else the Puck a liar call:

So, good night unto you all

Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.9

(Page 255-256)

Puck encourages the audience that if they found offence in the play, he suggests they pretend

it is a dream, just like Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena are made to think it was a

9

Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994 (Pg. 255-256)


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dream. Also he uses irony as he states that he is an honest puck10 , as a puck is a

mischievous and ill-behaved spirit, the audience is left with a shadow of an inkling not to

follow in this charade that Puck has called us to act in. Also he calls himself puck in the first

couple of lines and then in the last line he calls himself Robin, further attributing to the irony

of his monologue which in turn satirises the play as a whole.

Shakespeare, in many of his plays, has a fool in place to create a balance between the serious

and amusing. In King Lear, the title character also has a jester that accompanies him

throughout the story, not only bringing humour to the dark tale as well as providing a harsh

insight into Lears folly. Lear, a very proud and conceited king, makes many mistakes, the

most important where he disposes of his kingdom into the hands of his cruel daughters,

Goneril and Regan, taking they false words of love over the reality of Cordelias. As Kent,

Lears servant, he encourages Lear to see better11where Lear ultimately banishes him out of

the kingdom. But when the Fool expresses his disagreement with Lears judgement, calling

him a fool, Lear allows this criticism. But at the same time, the Fool is not just Lears jester

and advisor, but is also loyal to his master, braving the storm and the madness of Lear.

Many parallels can be made between Puck and the Fool, they are both provided to bring

laughter and joy to a king, but also they are fiercely respectful and loyal toward their master.

Puck, even though a mischievous hobgoblin and happy to carry on with his tricks, listens to

Oberon at once when asked to fix the mistake he made, as he replies I go, I go [] swifter


11

Shakespeare, William. King Lear. New York: Penguin Books, 1994 (Pg 67)


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than the arrow of Tartars bow12 he not only listens to his master, but also does so hurriedly

to appease Oberon. As well as this Pucks loyalty to Oberon is shown when he states that he

jest[s] to Oberon, and make him smile13 , the only reason he is here is because he provides

entertainment to his master.

Throughout the play the audience constantly asks themselves what are the motives of Puck?

What fuels this primary desire to jest and wreak havoc throughout the forest? Perhaps Puck is

the embodiment of Shakespeare himself, in his words, actions and amendments. Firstly, when

Puck apologizes for any offence caused by his mistakes, Shakespeare might well be speaking

through him and apologizing to the audience and the readers if he has caused any offence.

Secondly when Puck stumbles into the rehearsal of Pyramus and Thysbe he meditates;

What, a play toward? Ill be an auditor; / An actor too perhaps, if I see cause14 , he is an

auditor in the sense that he listens in on the play, but also an actor as he turns Bottoms head

into that of an ass. Much like Puck, Shakespeare too acts like an auditor as well as an actor,

he is also part of the audience as we view the play as well as the play within the play, but he

is also an actor as he acts through Puck, to not only add comedy but to also add a depth to the

plot. If we consider the role of Shakespeare being Puck and vice versa, it is simple to

question Pucks motive and to be comfortable with it. Much like Shakespeare, Puck wants to

create entertainment that will please people, he wants to create a production that will both

entertain and make the audience develop a rapport with the play.


13Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. (Pg. 155)

14 Ibid (Pg. 181)


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As a whole there would be no A Midsummers Night Dream ifit wasnt for the character of

Puck, Shakespeare cleverly uses the Fool to be the most important part of the play and the

cleverest, much like Shakespeares other play King Lear. Shakespeare uses Puck as a

protagonist when there seems to be no clear one present, as he causes nearly all the

misunderstandings and problems in the play. Puck, Robin Goodfellow, brings most to the

play as he sets most of the plot lines into motion; he loves a practical joke and is ultimately

the heart and soul of the play.


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Bibliography:

1. GradeSaver. Character Analysis of Puck.http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays/essay2/. (Accessed May 10, 2012)

2. Shakespeare, William.A Midsummers Night Dream. New York: Oxford UniversityPress, 1994

3. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. New York: Penguin Books, 1994
http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays/essay2/http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays/essay2/http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays/essay2/http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays/essay2/http://www.gradesaver.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays/essay2/