Study Questions For A Midsummer Night

Titania, before her bewitchment, warns Oberon that their own lovers' spat is causing havoc on earth. She speaks of "winds, piping to us in vain/As in revenge" (2.1 88, 90), of the moon, "pale in her anger" (104), and how the seasons "change/Their wonted liveries" (112-13). At first, Oberon cannot see beyond his jealousy of the little changeling Titania has adopted. He sets into motion fantastic spells that upend real love, mimicking the more serious complications wrought by human politics. Naturally, Titania's premonition bears fruit when Puck transforms Nick Bottom into an ass, and again when Lysander falls in love with Helena and forgets about Hermia. These turns of events eventually worry Oberon, too. He tells Puck to make sure to "lead these testy rivals so astray/As one come not within another's way" (3.2 358-59). He prescribes the potion to set things straight, calling the evening's pranks "a dream and fruitless vision," and declaring that with his corrective action, "all things shall be peace" (3.2 377).

When Puck begins to interact with the four lovers very shortly after, however, Egeus's ridiculous accusations of Lysander bewitching Hermia take an ironic echo as Oberon bewitches Titania with a love potion, suddenly bringing the ridiculousness of Egeus's statements into a new light. Puck, the perpetrator,

Oberon, riddled with jealousy over his queen’s beloved “changeling”, plots to make a fool out of Titania with his magic potion so he may steal away the child. Oberon's love-potion has the same effect of that of the famed Cupid's arrows, it charms the sight of those it is anointed upon, and gets them to fall in “love” with the first creature they see. Oberon anoints the eyes of Titania and she ends up falling in “love” with the first creature she sees, Bottom, an actor who is rehearsing in the woods, who’s head has been turned into that of an ass by Puck. Oberon plan is successful, he is in fact able to steal away the child while his queen dotes upon Bottom, but then things start to get more complicated in the moonlit woods.

Oberon conjures up a plan in order to get a young child away from Titania, queen of the fairies, whilst doing this he is met with two of our other characters, Helena and Demetrius, “A sweet Athenian lady is in love/ with a huge disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes with the flower as well,” (II.i.268-269) in this point of the story Oberon encounters Helena who is trying to get the attention of Demetrius, who is completely ignoring her. This displays his need to place forceful authority because he is trying to controls Demetrius’s love, by putting him under a spell and making him fall in love with Helena. Unlike Egeus though, Oberon takes control over more than just one character, we see this in act 2 scene 1 lines 83-85 which says “Having once this juice,/ I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep/ And drop the liquor of it in her eyes,” out of the two Oberon would have to be the most controlling, because he in these three lines it shows yet another character Oberon is controlling. In this line though he is attempting to manipulate Titania in order to get the young changeling boy. Thereupon showing that in the face of love, control still will not

Titania gets deceived by Oberon because he ordered Puck to put a love potion into Titania’s eyes.He did it because he wanted her attention and wanted the child for himself. “I'll watch Titania when she is asleep, And drop the liquor of it in her eyes” (II,1,551-552). Titania was busy with the child and never payed attention to Oberon. “Give me that boy, and I will go with thee” (II,1,513). Oberon deceiving Titania wasn't the only deception, the second deception was the love potion. The love potion made Bottom to appear handsome, but in reality Bottom had a face of an ass (donkey). “I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing

Theseus has many changes in his character throughout his adventures. These developments in his mindset lead him from being a depressed, weak child, to a strong leader that many look up to.

1. How does Oberon learn that Titania is in love with Bottom? How does he feel about that?

Furthermore, the lines earlier shows Oberon’s plan to control and submit Titania to his will. His plan to make her fall in love with animals by using a potion indicates that he wants to embarrass Titania. He wants to use his power to manipulate her feelings. He craves the control that he did not have earlier in the play when Titania did what she wanted to do. Therefore, his desire to gain control results in the changing of Titania’s fate. Titania’s actions are based on Oberon’s power. Likewise, Oberon gains satisfaction by executing his plan which empowers him and gives authority. Further, not only does Oberon make plans to control Titania, but he also becomes the cause of the conflict among Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, and Helena. Oberon’s decision to meddle in their affairs directly impacts their fate as they become powerless over their situation. Oberon’s overwhelming sense of entitlement for utter control affects the events that transpire in their lives. Specifically, Oberon’s interference changes how two of the main characters, Lysander and Hermia interact with each other. Their mutual attraction to each other is altered as a result of Lysander’s will becoming influenced by Oberon. Thus, Lysander professes his love for Helena. Then, Hermia verbally attacks Helena:

For example, Cruse writes, “...the grief which he felt at seeing all his work undone made him resolve to leave the Toltecs and go back whence he had come. But first, he determined to destroy what he could of the gifts he had given to the people” (Cruse 964). Quetzalcoatl destroys the village and leaves his people due to his grief, leaving his people to fend for themselves and completely eradicated the village. In addition, Hamilton writes “ So Theseus became king of Athens, a most wise and disinterested king. He declared to the people that he did not wish to rule over them; he wanted a people's government where all would be equal” (Hamilton 917). In this quote we see Theseus bringing prosperity and happiness to his people and Athens, even though he himself is dealing with the grief of his father, Aegean. While Theseus corrects his mistake, of forgetting to hoist the flag, by creating a democracy for his people, Quetzalcoatl sabotaged all his work and left his people; this shows how the two heroes solve their problems quite

During one of the scenes of the play, Oberon put the magical flower juice in Titania’s

They are the former couple’s inverse, and the play’s characters lives all change because of Oberon and Titania.

How does Shakespeare present Theseus in Act 1 scene 1? ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ begins with Theseus, the Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, the Queen of Amazons discussing arrangements for their forthcoming wedding. This creates an atmosphere of love and romance as the audience would think it is a marriage between two people in love. This would present Theseus as a romantic man but as the opening scene progresses, Theseus' true personality emerges. Theseus is presented as an impatient man and this is suggested when he is complaining that it is too long till his wedding day.

Theseus rules by trying to make everyone happy while abiding by the old Athenian law. Theseus says, “Look you arm yourself to fit the fancies your father’s will.” (1.1.117-118) In this scene, Theseus is telling Hermia to marry Demetrius or to get ready to die. Egeus says that she is his property by the Athenian law. This causes Hermia to run away with her love, Lysander. At the end of the play, Theseus says, “Egeus, I will overbear your will.” (4.1.182) He is telling Hermia’s father that the law will be void for this marriage. This tells that Theseus will override it for the happiness of the four lovers. Oberon rules in a way where he is happy even if it sacrifices someone else's happiness. He will do mischievous things and blackmail others, including Titania, for his own satisfaction or gain. Oberon says, “Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.” (2.1.143) Here, he is telling Titania that if she doesn’t give him the boy, he will not dance with he at Theseus’s and Hippolyta’s wedding. They are supposed to dance at the wedding to tell them that they bless their marriage. Oberon is blackmailing her so that if she doesn’t give him the boy, they won’t dance, thus giving the couples the impression that they don’t bless them. Also, right after he squeezes the love flowers juice on Titania’s eyelid, Oberon says, “Wake when some vile

Mandy Conway Mrs. Guynes English 12 16 March 2000 A Critical Analysis of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" William Shakespeare, born in 1594, is one of the greatest writers in literature. He dies in 1616 after completing many sonnets and plays. One of which is "A Midsummer Night's Dream." They say that this play is the most purely romantic of Shakespeare's comedies. The themes of the play are dreams and reality, love and magic. This extraordinary play is a play-with-in-a-play, which master writers only write successfully. Shakespeare proves here to be a master writer. Critics find it a task to explain the intricateness of the play, audiences find it very pleasing to read and watch. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a

Introduced as “a conqueror…greater” than any other “beneath the sun,” Thesëus, the wise and chivalrous lord Athens, is a merciful and noble duke (Chaucer 24). As a wise and noble leader, Thesëus, with a “heart of pity,” mends the ailments of his people, “ as he [is] a true knight.” (26).