A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy play written by William Shakespeare between the years 1594 to 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of Shakespeare's most popular and widely performed plays.[1] Another subplot involves an argument between Titania, Queen of the Fairies and Oberon over an Indian changeling boy.
Characters
The Athenians:
- Theseus – Duke of Athens
- Hippolyta – Queen of the Amazons and Theseus' fiancée
- Hermia – in love with Lysander
- Helena – in love with Demetrius
- Lysander – in love with Hermia
- Demetrius – suitor to Hermia
- Egeus – Hermia's father
- Philostrate – Theseus' Master of Revels
The Mechanicals:
- Peter Quince – a carpenter, the director of the play within a play who speaks its prologue
- Nick Bottom – a weaver, plays 'Pyramus' in the play within a play
- Francis Flute – a bellows-mender, plays 'Thisbe'
- Snug – a joiner, plays 'Lion'
- Tom Snout – a tinker, plays 'Wall'
- Robin Starveling – a tailor, plays 'Moonshine'
The Fairies:
- Oberon – King of the Fairies
- Titania – Queen of the Fairies
- Puck – Oberon's knavish sprite
- A Fairy, Peasblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed – servants to Titania
- Indian changeling (unseen) – a ward of Titania