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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay: The Identity of Characters

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Identity of Characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Where Shakespeare's tragedies will tell the story, chiefly, of a single principal character, this is rarely the case with his comedies. The comedies are more social and deal with groups of characters. In the case of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the principal groups are, at first, introduced severally. Though, one group may interact with another (as when Puck anoints Lysander's eyes, or Titania is in love with Bottom) they retain separate identities.

While each of the groups is separate, there are symmetries which appear among them: Theseus and Oberon (and, in a way, Bottom) are rulers and figures of authority in their proper spheres. Hippolyta and Titania are consorts who defy their …show more content…

But Puck's actions are hard to separate from the kind of person he is. We first learn this from a fairy and then from Puck himself, while their words are soon illustrated by Puck's deeds. But the mischief is tempered by great benevolence to man, and a concern, ultimately, that "all shall be well". Puck clearly lives up to his other name of "Goodfellow".



In studying Puck's contribution to the drama, you should consider the general account of his mischief at the start of Act 2, his and Oberon's dealings with the young lovers and Bottom in the woods, and his part in the blessing of the three couples at the end of Act 5. In all of these Puck is at pains to explain to the audience what he is doing, and to take the spectator into his confidence. He can be seen as a superior counterpart to Philostrate, a master of revels in the fairy world. Puck:

* explains his actions ("What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor/An actor too...");

* clarifies the action generally ("Captain of our fairy band,/Helena is here at hand/And the youth mistook by me...");

* makes predictions about what is to happen ("Jack shall have Jill, Naught shall go ill...");

* advises his master ("My fairy lord, this must be done in haste...");

* comments on the action ("Lord, what fools these mortals be"),

* and addresses the audience

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