Midsummers Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

A Midsummers Night’s Dream began as an extravagant play written by William Shakespeare, however I enjoyed the movie more. Watching the movie gives me visuals that help me understand the complexity of Shakespearean plays as well as the language he uses. Both the movie and play use complex old English style words and phrases such as, “nor” and “hence”. Even though they both use this language the movie overall helps explain the visuals where the play leaves me completely clueless.

Within Act One, also known as the exposition we find out: Theseus and Hippolyta are getting married. Hermia is in love with Lysander and her father, Egeus, does not approve. Therefore, Hermia and Lysander plan to run away. All the while, Helena is in love with Demetrius and plans to make him fall in love with her by using Lysander and Hermia’s illegal plan to her advantage. In Act Two, we are introduced to a group of common laborers that are preparing a play to perform at Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding.

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They discuss roles and where the next play practice would be held.

During Act Two; also known as the call to action; we get to know Titania, Oberon, and a few of their fairy servants. Oberon and Titania have many problems with each other, one being an Indian prince. Oberon and Titania both want this boy and Titania has him so Oberon wants to get Titania back using a love potion flower. In scene two Oberon notices Helena chasing after Demetrius so Oberon tells Puck to use the flower on Demetrius.

Puck mistakenly uses the flower on Lysander who then falls in love with Helena and follows her. Hermia wakes up confused and goes to look for Lysander.

In act three also the rising action, the labor men meet in the woods to rehearse their play and Bottom keeps trying to “fix” the play. While the other labor men are rehearsing their parts Puck turns Bottom into a donkey’s head. He goes out to his friends and when they see they run away in fear. Titania then wakes up and see’s Bottom and falls in love with him. In scene two Oberon and Puck see Hermia yelling at Demetrius about Lysander’s whereabouts and Oberon gets confused and yells at Puck for putting the love juice on the wrong man telling Puck to fix the situation before morning.

The climax starts when Hermia leaves and Puck puts the love juice on Demetrius causing him to fall in love with Helena. This creates a fight between Lysander and Demetrius about who truly loves Helena, of which Hermia overhears and tries to fight Helena causing Helena to run away. Hermia storms off, while the two men go to fight elsewhere in the woods. Puck is ordered by Oberon to follow Lysander and Demetrius and make sure they do not fight.

Act four, or the falling action, Oberon spoke with Titania who agrees to give him the Indian Prince as long as Oberon undoes her love spell making her no longer in love with Bottom. Theseus, Egeus, and Hippolyta find the kids asleep in the glades and they ask what had happened, but all the children remember is that Helena and Demetrius are in love and Hermia and Lysander are in love. Afterwards, they all go to Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding. In scene two the labor men are worried that Bottom is not going to show up and what they are going to do about the play as well as who will fill his spot. Just then Bottom bursts in the door and tells them to get ready for the play.

During Act five also known as the denouement, everyone gets married and the Craftsmen perform their play, now friends Oberon and Titania bless everyone and their marriages. Puck tells the audience if the play offended anyone they will not remember tomorrow. The movie differs from the play very slightly but enough to be noticeable. The differences that I found were: Hermia and Demetrius are African American and within the play that was never mentioned.