Exploring themes of love, dreams, and reality, A Midsummer Night's Dream is often regarded as Shakespeare's first mature comedy, delving into essential questions about life. The play ends with love triumphing, dispelling the night's chaotic magic, giving it an almost traditional feel. As a result, conventional interpretations tend to emphasize the happy ending, viewing the supernatural elements as a natural backdrop for a life-affirming story.

However, in 1961, the esteemed Polish scholar Jan Kott offered a different viewpoint. In his impactful work Szekice o Szekspirze (Shakespeare, Our Contemporary), Kott highlighted the darker undertones of this seemingly delightful love story. Unlike previous critics who briefly mentioned these darker aspects, Kott dismisses the romantic perspective of Shakespeare's play. He argues that it primarily addresses harsh eroticism and explores various violent sexual fantasies. Furthermore, Kott suggests that love is debased by the interchangeable nature of the objects of desire, reaching its nadir with Titania's erotic attraction to a beast.