Discussion Topic
An analysis of the plot structure and unique elements of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Summary:
A Midsummer Night's Dream features a complex plot structure characterized by multiple interwoven storylines involving Athenian lovers, a group of amateur actors, and the fairy realm. Unique elements include the play-within-a-play, the use of magic, and the exploration of themes such as love, transformation, and the boundary between reality and illusion. The interplay of these elements creates a rich tapestry of comedy and enchantment.
Describe the plot structure of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is a comedic play that centers on the stories of four couples and a night in the woods. The play functions as a comedy because the characters end up getting married in the end, rather than dying, which happens in tragedies.
The introduction or exposition introduces us to the characters and their central conflict. The central conflict in the play centers around a love quadrangle between the characters of Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena. The conflict revolves around the fact that Hermia and Lysander are in love, but Hermia’s father Egeus wants her to marry Demetrius, who is also in love with Hermia. Helena is in love with Demetrius, but he doesn’t like her. Egeus, angry that Hermia would not obey his wishes, invokes an ancient law of Athens to Duke Theseus that she must marry Demetrius or be killed.
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introduces us to the characters and their central conflict. The central conflict in the play centers around a love quadrangle between the characters of Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena. The conflict revolves around the fact that Hermia and Lysander are in love, but Hermia’s father Egeus wants her to marry Demetrius, who is also in love with Hermia. Helena is in love with Demetrius, but he doesn’t like her. Egeus, angry that Hermia would not obey his wishes, invokes an ancient law of Athens to Duke Theseus that she must marry Demetrius or be killed.
As a result, Hermia and Lysander run off into the woods. Demetrius, still pursuing Hermia, follows and Helena follows him. Oberon, king of the forest, wants to trick his estranged wife Titania into giving him a changeling child she has, and so he uses his minion Puck to concoct a love spell that will cause her to fall in love with an animal and then lose track of her changeling. He sees the lovers' quarrel and orders Puck to put ointment on Demetrius’ eyes as well so he will fall in love with Helena.
The secondary conflict that drives the rising action happens because Puck mixes up Demetrius and Lysander. The rising action occurs when Lysander and Demetrius, both having gotten the ointment, end up falling in love with Helena. She thinks they’re mocking her, and Hermia is confused because Lysander now loves Helena and tells her to leave because he hates her,
Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? ( Act III Scene II)
Lysander and Demetrius determine that they will have a duel to decide who will have Helena’s love. Helena goes off to Athens, and Hermia follows them to try and stop their duel. The climax of the play happens as we see Lysander and Demetrius heading off to duel because we don’t know how the conflict will be resolved. At the climax peak Puck manages to lead the two men off in separate directions and then Oberon orders that they are to be put to sleep so that they can remedy all the problems they have wrought.
The resolution happens when the lovers wake up, and Demetrius and Helena are in love, Lysander and Hermia are in love, and everything is fixed. Seeing that Demetrius no longer loves Hermia, Duke Theseus releases Hermia from the binding to marry him, and there is a triple wedding of the Duke and Queen, Lysander and Hermia, and Demetrius and Helena.
The resolution ends with Puck talking about how it might have all been a dream.