A Midsummer Night’s Dream Group

Question:

oel
oel
Student
High School - 9th Grade

In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," what does Oberon's decision to use the magic potion on Titania indicate about his character?

How does this compare or contrast to his motivation in using the potion on the human lovers?

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Posted by oel on Wednesday April 16, 2008 at 6:54 PM and tagged with a midsummer night’s dream, characters, oberon, titania.

Answers:


  1. kwoo1213 Teacher
    College - Junior

    eNotes Editor

    Oberon is spiteful and wants to manipulate Titiania into giving him the young boy she's inherited from one of her former attendants, and it is clear he will take nothing less than getting the boy from her.  Titania refuses to let him have the boy; therefore, Oberon decides to humiliate her to the fullest extent by any means necessary.  He then applies the magic potion to Titania's eyelids and casts the spell that when she awakes, she will fall in love with the most hideous creature she first sees. This happens to be Bottom, who has been turned into a jackass. 

    In contrast, Oberon wants to RIGHT the lovers' quarrels that he sees by using the magic potion, which is ironic, condsidering he had ill intentions with using it on Titania, his own wife!  Oberon wants the four lovers to be happy and united with their intended  partners and he seems to feel sorry that Demetrius doesn't love poor Helena.  His intentions are completely different here!

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    Posted by kwoo1213 on Thursday April 17, 2008 at 10:35 AM