A Midsummer Night's Dream

Lines 61-147: Titania goes to leave, but Oberon orders her to "Tarry," asking "am not I thy Lord?," showing a similar patriarchal authority to Theseus in the mortal court and emphasizing the parallels between these two characters. Titania describes how their quarrel has impacted on the mortal world, showing the darker side of the fairies, as the land is covered with "Contagious fogs" and the corn "Hath rotted." Oberon argues that Titania could end their quarrel and thus mortal suffering by giving him the little Indian boy, but Titania refuses. Oberon declines Titania's invitation to dance in the fairy round. She leaves.

Lines 148-191: Using imagery that evokes the limitless and enchanted world of the fairies and reinforces the sexual and hunting themes that recur in the play, Oberon describes to Robin a time when he saw Cupid aim an arrow at "a fair vestal," but hit a flower instead, turning it "purple with love's wound." He sends Robin to collect this flower, the juice from which will make the person on whose "sleeping eyelids" it has been placed fall in love with the first creature they see on waking. Once alone, Oberon reveals his intention to apply the juice to Titania's eyes and watch her fall in love with the first thing she looks at, "Be it on lion, bear, or wolf or bull." He will make her "render up her page" before he will remove the spell. Hearing Helena and Demetrius approach, he declares "I am invisible"--reinforcing his magical nature, but also drawing attention to theater and dramatic irony as he, too, becomes an "audience," invisibly observing the action.

Lines 192-273: Demetrius is angered by the difficulty in finding his way, claiming that it makes him "wood" (mad or frantic), emphasizing the disorder associated with this setting. He tries to stop Helena following him, telling her that he does not love her and warning that she is risking "the rich worth" of her virginity by entering the woods with him. Helena acknowledges his power over her by describing herself as his "spaniel," that he may "beat" and "spurn," although this passivity contrasts with her assertive warning that she will follow him wherever he goes. When they have gone, Robin returns with the flower and Oberon takes some of it to "streak" the eyes of Titania, then sends Robin to apply some to "disdainful" Demetrius--whom he will know by his "Athenian garments"--so that he will love Helena.

ACT 2 SCENE 2

The rapid action of the next few scenes highlights the confusion caused by the fairies' involvement in the mortal world and the disorienting nature of the dark woods.

Lines 1-34: Titania calls her train to sing her to sleep before they go about their fairy tasks. Once she is asleep, Oberon squeezes the flower's juice onto her eyelids and leaves.

Lines 35-83: Lysander and Hermia are lost and decide to rest until daylight. Lysander wishes to sleep close to Hermia, but she asks him, out of "love and courtesy" to "Lie further off," as this is more fitting to her virtue. Robin the Puck enters, complaining that he has searched the forest for an Athenian and "found none." He sees sleeping Lysander in his Athenian clothes, and Hermia lying at a distance. Assuming that Hermia is distanced because the man is a "lack-love" who has spurned her, he concludes that these are the mortals that Oberon described. He applies the juice to Lysander's eyelids and leaves as Demetrius enters, running away from Helena.

Lines 84-156: Helena pleads with Demetrius to stop but he refuses and runs off, leaving her alone in the dark. In a speech that makes reference to sight, drawing attention to the way the characters' literal and metaphorical perception is distorted by both magic and love, she reveals her jealousy of Hermia and her "blessed and attractive eyes." Helena bewails her own appearance, claiming that she is "ugly as a bear" and that Demetrius sees her "as a monster." She stumbles on Lysander and wakes him. On seeing her, enchanted Lysander falls in love and rejects Hermia, saying that Helena is "the worthier maid." Helena, convinced that Lysander is mocking her, leaves. He follows, leaving "hated" Hermia alone. Hermia wakes from a nightmare, the description of which highlights the more potentially threatening side of the wood and the fairies, as she finds herself alone in the dark and ready to "swoon almost with fear."

ACT 3 SCENE 1

Lines 1-51: The artisans rehearse in the glade where Titania sleeps. Theatrical self-awareness is evident throughout the scene, particularly in the allocation of "This green plot" as their stage and "this hawthorn brake" as their "tiring-house," as stage becomes woodland in the audience's imagination and is then transformed back into a stage in the minds of the characters. They discuss the details of staging, worrying about the lion or Pyramus' death upsetting the ladies in the audience, and considering how they will convey moonshine. Their simplistic approach once again emphasizes the sophistication of the wider performance.

Lines 52-190: Robin sustains the theatrical self-awareness as he observes the rehearsals and says that he will "be an auditor, / An actor too perhaps." Bottom makes a "stage exit," followed by Robin. He returns with an ass's head as a result of Robin's spell and frightens the others away, pursued by Robin. Bottom, confused by their behavior, decides that they mean to frighten him and sings so that they see that he is "not afraid." His singing wakes Titania, who, under the enchantment of the flower, is "enamoured" and "enthralled" of Bottom's singing and appearance and falls in love with him. She persuades him to remain in the woods with her, and calls upon four fairies to attend to him as she leads him to her bower.

ACT 3 SCENE 2

Lines 1-40: Oberon wonders what Titania now "must dote on." Robin appears and reports that she is in love with "a monster," recounting the events of the previous scene. He says that he has put the juice in the Athenian's eyes, but as Demetrius and Hermia enter, it becomes clear that Oberon and Robin do not mean the same Athenian. They stand aside and watch.

Lines 41-121: Hermia believes that Demetrius has "slain Lysander in his sleep," as there can be no other explanation for his leaving her. Demetrius denies this and realizes that there is no point in following Hermia, who leaves. He rests and falls asleep. Oberon realizes Robin's mistake and sends him to fetch Helena, then places the juice on Demetrius' eyelids while chanting a spell. Robin reports that Helena is on her way, followed by Lysander. He revels in the situation and suggests they enjoy the "sport" of watching how "two at once woo one."

Lines 122-357: As Lysander tries to convince Helena that he loves her, Demetrius wakes up. Under the influence of the flower, he too falls in love with Helena, but she thinks that they are both mocking her. Hermia enters, having heard Lysander's voice, and demands to know why he left her. Lysander declares his love for Helena and his hatred of Hermia, who says that "it cannot be." Helena, however, thinks that Hermia is part of "this confed'racy" and that all three are joined to spite her. She berates the bewildered Hermia, reminding her of their close friendship since childhood--"Two lovely berries moulded on one stem"--and accuses her of encouraging Lysander and Demetrius.

Lysander challenges Demetrius to a duel. Hermia desperately tries to remind him of the love they share, but he insists that he hates her and loves Helena. Hermia turns on Helena, accusing her of stealing Lysander's love. The two women argue, insulting each other over their respective heights--Hermia describes Helena as a "painted maypole"--but their repeated use of the words "low" and "lower" also apply to their positions in the esteem of the two men, again emphasizing the notion that it is the desire of others that creates worth. Demetrius and Lysander leave together to fight their duel and Helena and Hermia also exit.

Lines 358-408: Oberon suggests that Robin "wilfully" caused the confusion, which he denies, saying that he did as Oberon requested, " 'nointed an Athenian's eyes," although he does confess to finding sport in the resulting "jangling." Oberon commands Robin to "overcast the night" and lead Lysander and Demetrius astray, so that they cannot meet and fight. He is to lead them around until they fall asleep, exhausted, and then put the juice of a different herb into Lysander's eyes, which will make all that has happened "seem a dream." While Robin does this, Oberon is going to beg Titania for the Indian boy and release her from the spell. Robin says that they must be quick as daylight is approaching--perhaps a metaphor for the impending restoration of order--and fairies "themselves exile from light." Oberon argues that he can exist in daylight, but agrees that a quick resolution is needed.

Lines 409-480: Pretending to be first Demetrius, then Lysander, Robin leads both characters around the wood, making sure that they never meet, until they are both so tired that they lie down and sleep. Helena and Hermia arrive separately and, not seeing the others, decide to sleep until daylight. Robin squeezes the herb's juice onto Lysander's eyelids so that he will love Hermia again, but Demetrius is left in love with Helena, so, as Robin says, "all shall be well."

ACT 4 SCENE 1

Lines 1-101: Titania dotes upon Bottom, caressing his "fair large ears." Bottom gives orders to Titania's attendants to scratch him, until he grows sleepy. Titania twists herself around him as "doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle" and they sleep. Oberon, who has been watching them unseen, says to Robin that he begins to feel sorry for Titania, who has given him the changeling boy. He instructs Robin to change Bottom back so that he may return to Athens believing it all to have been "the fierce vexation of a dream" and releases a confused Titania from the spell. Oberon and Titania dance, then leave as the morning approaches, emphasizing their place in the shadowy world, away from the light and the human order that it represents.

Lines 102-218: Theseus and his party stumble upon the sleeping lovers, and assume that, like them, they are all there to "observe The rite

of May." Remembering that Hermia must "give answer of her choice," Theseus commands that the huntsmen wake them with their horns. Lysander admits to running away with Hermia and Egeus calls for "the law, upon his head," saying that Lysander would have "defeated" Demetrius of a wife. Demetrius, however, says that although he pursued them "in fury," he now "by some power" finds his "love to Hermia, Melted" and the only "pleasure" of his "eye" is Helena. Theseus says that they will hear more "anon," but for now he overrules Egeus' will and decrees that Hermia shall marry Lysander and Demetrius shall marry Helena, sharing in the ceremony with himself and Hippolyta. The lovers discuss the dreamlike quality of events, but agree that they are now awake and must follow Theseus. Bottom wakes alone and confused, talking of the dream he has had. He leaves to get Quince to record his dream as a ballad.

ACT 4 SCENE 2

The other artisans look for Bottom, as the play is "marred" without him. Snug reports that the marriages have taken place, and that if they could have performed before the duke they would have been "made men" (beneficiaries of preferment). Bottom appears and they set off for the palace.

ACT 5 SCENE 1

Lines 1-109: Theseus and Hippolyta discuss the lovers' stories, and Theseus comments on how "The lunatic, the lover and the poet / Are of imagination all compact," thus highlighting the confused realities within the play, but also its metatheatrical element. They greet the lovers and discuss the possibility of some entertainment "Between our after-supper and bedtime." Egeus gives Theseus a list of possible "sports" and he selects the artisans' play.

Lines 110-362: The play-within-the-play provides both linguistic and visual comedy and theatrical self-awareness is present in both the contrast with the wider performance and the presence of the two "audiences." Both comedy and self-awareness are heightened by the interjections of the onstage audience. The performance concludes and Theseus orders everyone to bed, as " 'tis almost fairy time."

Lines 363-430: The fairies return and their final verses, a blessing on the three couples' marriages, evoke their world and their place in mortal lives and imaginations. Robin's metatheatrical epilogue to the audience suggests that if the play has offended, they think of it as "a dream," a final confusion of reality and illusion in the audience's mind.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S

DREAM IN PERFORMANCE: