What adjectives describe Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Puck is the following:

Chameleon-like: He can appear in different guises and is even called a "hobgoblin." He says that:

Sometime a horse I'll be, sometime a hound,
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire,
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn,
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

At the end of the play, he is willing to be all things to all people, saying:

If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.

Prickly: Anyone who can turn himself into a hog, a fire, or a headless bear isn't just a spritely fairy. Puck has a threatening side. He calls mortals "fools."

Prankster: He doesn't have to make Bottom's head an ass's head but he does for his own enjoyment.

Jester: A prankster plays practical jokes, but Puck also has a way with words and knows how to amuse, which is what a Jester does. He notes that his job is to "jest to Oberon and make him smile."

Hasty: He gets the love-potion eyedrops in the wrong eyes—Lysander's rather than Demetrius's— because he doesn't stop to think before he acts. He is also a speedy traveler who can make it around the world in less than an hour.

Realistic: Puck offers reminders that it is not all sweetness and light on this midsummer's eve, but that it is also a threatening time:

Now it is the time of night
That the graves, all gaping wide ...

What adjectives describe Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Puck, in fact, has spawned an adjective all of his own "puckish". And if you look at that word a little, and think about what it might mean, or what its synonyms might be, you get a very clear idea of what adjectives might represent Puck.

I've put some ideas below:

impish
whimsical
mischievous
naughty
daring
quicksilver
mercurial

Remember though, that these adjectives and their base in a common (actually a Victorian) conception of Puck aren't necessarily what is in Shakespeare's play. Puck in the actual play is nastier, enjoys the sufferings of the mortals, and can change himself (look at his first scene with the First Fairy) into cups, stools, and horses to baffle and confuses humans and animals alike.

So think carefully - and check against Shakespeare's play what you put down.

Hope it helps!

Hope it helps!

What are Puck's physical traits in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

There is no extended description of Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream. Since this is a play, description is not necessary, such as it is in a narrative story (novel, short story).

Puck is described by the Fairy in Act II, Scene 1 of Midsummer Night's Dream as a sprite fairy. A sprite is a particular species of fairy that has a human form, pointed ears, sparkly fairy dust and gossamer wings (think of Tinker Bell in Peter Pan). Though possessing beautiful features, Puck loves a good laugh at humans' expense.

Puck is also a shape-changer. He claims to change his shape into that of a "three-foot stool" and then whisk away so the human attempting to sit on the stool falls on the floor instead. He also claims to change to the shape of a "crab" and to impersonate the neighing of a "filly" horse.

He is a mischief maker who likes to pull pranks, though not truly evil ones (nothing worse than skimming the cream from the milk so the wife can churn all day and still get no butter and misleading night-wanderers) and will trade good luck with anyone who will call him Puck or Hobgoblin instead of his real name of Robin Goodfellow, which is an ill-suited name for a sprite fairy who loves pranks and jests.

[Note: Puck first appears in Act II, Scene 1 when he converses with Fairy, not in Act II, Scene 2.]

What are three character traits of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

One of Puck's main character traits is mischievousness. We learn about his mischievous character when we first meet him in the second act. Puck's fellow fairy asks Puck to verify if he is "that shrewd and knavish sprite / Call'd Robin Goodfellow" (II.i.33-34). The term "shrewd" can be translated as either intellectually sharp or malicious, meaning having a tendency to want to cause harm (Collins English Dictionary). The term "knavish" can be translated as "mischievous." Therefore, Puck's fellow sprite is accusing Puck of being an intellectually devilish, or mischievous little fairy. Both Puck's fellow fairy and Puck himself go on to describe different antics Puck has been known for, such as scaring the maidens in the village (35).

Beyond being mischievous, we also know that Puck is very loyal. He is a very loyal servant to Oberon and is Oberon's court jester. We especially see Puck's loyalty when he very willingly and very speedily carries out Oberon's requests. For example, when Oberon asks Puck to find for him the magic flower as quickly as he can, Puck very obediently replies, "I'll put a girdle round the earth / In forty minutes," meaning that he'll circle around the earth to find the flower in forty minutes time, which is quite speedy (178-179).

We also know that Puck is a very compassionate fairy. We see evidence of his compassion when, after Oberon tells him to enchant the Athenian man who is disdaining a fair maiden, meaning Demetrius and Helena, Puck finds whom he thinks is the couple and feels pity for the way the man is treating the lady. When Puck sees the couple he believes Oberon is referring to, he sees that the maiden is lying far off from the man and believes that it is because the man hates her and is being unkind to her. We see Puck express sympathy for what he believes are the maiden's feelings in his lines, "Pretty soul! she durst not lie / Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy" (II.ii.76-77). We further see him express compassion for the maiden when he calls the man a villain, as we see in his line, "Churl [villain], upon thy eyes I throw / All the power this charm doth owe" (78-79). Hence, not only is Puck devilish, he is actually a "devil" with a compassionate heart.

What are four personality traits of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Puck is first of all a sprite, which is an elf or a pixie, and as such is mischievous and playful, with a naughty sort of playfulness. It is this personality trait that makes Puck--also know as Robin Goodfellow (an ironic sort of name for someone who is always up to no good)--play pranks on the townspeople and frightened the maidens in town: "frights the maidens of the villagery" (II.ii.35). Another personality trait that Puck has is the tendency to mix things up as when he mistakenly puts the magical flower nectar on Lysander's eyes instead of Demetrius's eyes.

This trait leads to results very similar to the results of his propensity for playing pranks. As a result, Oberon accuses Puck of causing the mix up with Demetrius and Lysander on purpose. Yet Puck denies this, thereby showing that while he is mischievous, his personality is not wantonly mean--regardless of appearances to the contrary! One other personality trait that is important in relation to Oberon is that Puck is loyal to and trusting of his master Oberon. Puck willingly does what Oberon says and tries his best to execute his tasks rightly--despite the fact that he is prone to mixing things up.

What can one conclude about Puck's physical description in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream?

We might learn about a character from three sources: the playwright, the other characters, and the character him-/herself.

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare has nothing whatsoever to say about Puck, or any other character for that matter. He provides us with no character descriptions for any of the characters in any of his plays.

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare gives us a description of Puck through other characters, including Puck himself, shortly after Puck's first appearance in the play, in act 2, scene 1:

FAIRY: Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Call'd Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he . . . ?

PUCK: Thou speakest aright:
I am that merry wanderer of the night.
I jest to Oberon, and make him smile,
When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile,
Neighing in likeness of a filly foal;
And sometime lurk I in a gossip's bowl
In very likeness of a roasted crab,
And, when she drinks, against her lips I bob,
And on her withered dewlap pour the ale.
The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale,
Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me;
Then slip I from her bum, down topples she,
And "tailor" cries, and falls into a cough;
And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh,
And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear
A merrier hour was never wasted there. (2.1.31–58)

There are very few clues in the play as to whether Puck is male or female (or of indeterminate gender), but there is one clue in the lines quoted above at line 43: "Are you not he . . . ?" Another clue comes from the name Puck is sometimes called—"Robin Goodfellow"—which might lead us to believe that Puck is a "fellow" (i.e., male).

Although Puck was played by a male actor in Shakespeare's time—as were all the characters in his plays—the character of Puck has become increasingly less gender-specific over time and has been played successfully by both male and female actors.

The name "Puck" is derived from Old English, and describes a mischievous spirit. We also learn from that Puck is called "Hobgoblin." The "Hob'" in "Hobgoblin" refers to an elf or sprite, and "goblin" is an ugly, evil fairy. In folklore, a "goblin" is a malicious creature, whereas a "hobgoblin," like Puck, is more mischievous than malicious.

"Robin Goodfellow" is another name by which Puck is known, which means a domestic spirit ("hob" also means "hearth") or one that lives in nature. Puck is both. He is both Oberon's household sprite, and he also moves quickly and easily through nature.

OBERON: . . . Fetch me this herb, and be thou here again
Ere the leviathan can swim a league.

PUCK: I'll put a girdle round about the earth
In forty minutes. (2.1.176–179)

In fact, Puck returns in less than ten minutes.

We learn from Puck himself that he's a shapeshifter, as "hobgoblins" were believed to be. Puck tells us that he can change his shape from a "roasted crab" to a "three-foot stool," so it's entirely conceivable that he can be in any physical form he chooses to be at any time.

It would seem, though, that Puck might need to be in a consistently recognizable physical form when he interacts with other characters. We might also assume that this physical form is not ugly or grotesque—hobgoblin though Puck might be.

What are four of Bottom's personality traits in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

You are limited to one question, and what you listed in your request seemed to be asking about both Puck and Bottom.  I will assist you with information about the personality of Bottom, but you must list another question for information about Puck.

The first trait that Bottom has, as a character in A Midsummer Night's Dream, is one he shares with his fellow "rude mechanicals" (a term to describe the group of workers of which Bottom is a part, coined by Puck).  They are considered the clowns of the play.  In Shakespeare's day, clown was a term used to describe the actors who were relied on for comedy and comic bits.  They were usually good at physical comedy (slapstick, pratfalls) and would often ad lib, or make up lines, to get laughs from the audience.  Bottom is definitely a character who is meant to make the audience laugh.

Probably the most famous trait of Bottom's is his know-it-all attitude about acting.  The whole of Act I, scene ii is pretty much a show of Bottom acting out every part and asking to play that part too.  He says:

. . .let me play Thisbe too!  I'll speak in a monstrous little voice.. . . . Let me play the lion too.  I will roar that I will do any man's heart good to hear me.. . . .

Bottom is also somewhat bossy.  He, rather, than the director and organizer of the play Quince, tells everyone what to do at the end of the scene to get ready for their next rehearsal:

We will meet, and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously.  Take pains.  Be perfect.  Adieu. . . . Enough.  Hold or cut bowstrings.

And finally, once Titania "falls in love" with him.  He certainly acts very modest and shy, which seems to indicate that he is not experienced in the ways of love. In Act III, scene i, when Titania surprises him and says, "I love thee,"  Bottom answers:

Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that.

Titania

Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.

Bottom

Not so, neither.

So, the guy that has all the answers when it comes to acting and producing a play, is turned into a modest and shy lover when confronted with the bold moves of Titania.

For more on Bottom, please follow the links below.

What are four of Bottom's personality traits in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Bottom is often considered to be the common man or to represent the normal man's experience in the way that he embodies so many normal and good traits.  He is one of the mechanicals and his name "bottom" refers to the skein around which yarn is wound, you could of course take this to mean that he is the central piece of the story, the part about which this "yarn" is wound.

He is brave in a way, though he will acknowledge his insecurities.

He makes mistakes and is willing to try to get over them.

He is wise, wise enough at least to understand that trying to go around explaining this dream he has had to anyone else would be unwise and that he ought to take it as it was.

He is also funny and has a wild imagination, wild enough at least that he is the only one of the characters that can see the fairies and interact with them.

Which quotes reveal Puck's character in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

The quotes that will help you write a character analysis essay on Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream are the ones that shine a light on his mischievous and cheeky character.

Puck is a fairy and causes havoc with his spells and tricks, so the best quotes to analyze Puck will be the ones that reflect his playful elements. One famous quote that helps explain Puck’s prankish character is when he exclaims, “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” This highlights Puck’s irrelevant stance towards the Athenians and the lovelorn characters. He doesn’t think highly of them; he doesn't carefully consider their feelings. Instead, they’re “fools.” He’s the type of character who views humans and their relationships as a source of entertainment since people and their feelings can often create nonsensical or foolish outcomes.

To further the analysis of Puck’s flippant character, try this quote:

Up and down, up and down,

I will lead them up and down:

I am fear'd in field and town:

Goblin, lead them up and down.

Here comes one.

This quote reinforces Puck’s belief that he can take advantage of humans and get them to do what he wants as if they were his playthings or puppets. It also reveals his childishness since the quote has the tone of a nursery rhyme. More so, the quote helps expose Puck’s love of control since he’s the one leading the humans in different directions. Finally, the quote illustrates something about his relationship with Oberon since, after all, Puck has to take orders from him, so Puck doesn’t have absolute authority in the sprite world.

Puck’s trick on Bottom furthers his gleeful torment of humans and his belief that he can subject them to whatever he feels like. After Puck turns Bottom into a donkey (an “ass”), he says, “I'll follow you, I'll lead you about a round, / Through bog, through bush, through brake, through brier.” As with the prior quotes, this quote helps analyze Puck’s desire for power and pranks. It shows the joy he receives from manipulating a person’s conditions.

Another useful quote comes at the end when Puck states, “If we shadows have offended, / Think but that, and all is mended.” As everyone winds up in a relatively happy situation, Puck’s jests are ultimately innocuous. Though mischievous, Puck’s character, as the final quote indicates, isn't malicious.

Which quotes will help me write a character analysis essay on Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Hermia in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a courageous and determined young lady who is set on marrying the man she loves even though it means disobeying her father, but she ends up caught in the confusion of Puck’s mistake. Let’s look at some quotations from Hermia that could fit nicely into a character sketch.

Look at the very first scene in the play. Egeus, Hermia’s father, has come before Theseus to have the Duke order Hermia to marry Demetrius although she is determined to marry Lysander. She declares,

So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
Ere I will my virgin patent up
Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke
My soul consents not to give sovereignty.

Hermia will accept the consequences, but she will not marry Demetrius. Theseus tells her that she will or be sent to a convent. When Lysander comes up with a plan to bring them together, Hermia readily agrees. She swears “by Cupid's strongest bow, / By his best arrow with the golden head,” that she will meet her beloved the next day and go away with him. And indeed she does.

Hermia and Lysander enter the woods and get themselves rather lost. Hermia, however, refuses to do anything improper. Her modesty will not allow such a thing. She tells Lysander to lie some distance from her when they sleep, for “in human modesty, / Such separation as may well be said / Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid.” Her morals are sound.

Puck makes his mistake that night, and Hermia awakes to find herself alone at the end of Act 2. She panics but vows to find Lysander no matter what. “Either death or you I'll find immediately,” she declares. Lysander, however, thinks himself to be in love with Helena, thanks to Puck’s potion, and Hermia is confused. At first, she thinks that Demetrius has killed Lysander, and she berates him soundly: “Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds / Of maiden's patience.” When she finds Lysander, she is bewildered by his behavior, thinking that he must be joking. Then she blames Helena, declaring, “O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom! / You thief of love! what, have you come by night / And stolen my love's heart from him?”

In the end, though, Puck fixes his mistake, and Hermia receives her Lysander back. When she first awakens after that difficult night, she says, “Methinks I see these things with parted eye, / When every thing seems double.” But her vision soon clears as she marries her beloved.