A Midsummer Night’s Dream

(Act II)

By Andrea W. and Krish K.

 A) Summaries of Act II
a) Scene i
b) Scene ii
B) Characters and Plot
(Fairies)
C) Theme (Illusion Versus
Reality)
a) Control in A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
b) Shakespeare’s View on Love
D) Literary Techniques

Table of Contents
a) Definition of “Doubling”
b) Exemplar of Doubling
c) Definition of “Imagery”
d) Exemplar of Imagery
E) Questioning
a) Question One (1)
b) Question Two (2)
F) Supernatural Weather
Report for Act II of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream
Summaries of Act II
Summary of Act II, Scene i

At the beginning of the scene, Puck, who serves Queen

Titania, is seen conversing with one of King Oberon’s
fairies. The two are interrupted by King Oberon and Queen
Titania, each with their train of fairy followers, who each
question the other’s motives. Enraged, King Oberon tells
Puck to find a particular love in-idleness touched by Cupid
so he can make magic that will cause Queen Titania to fall
in love with a beast- both to teach her a lesson, and to
divert her attention so he steal the Indian boy the two
continuously quarrel ownership over.
Summary of Act II, Scene ii

In the forest, King Oberon overhears Demetrius candidly

express his hatred for Helena and Hermia’s happy
relationship with Lysander. He learns of Demetrius’ plans to
prevent their marriage and to slay Lysander. Puck, using
King Oberon’s love potion, follows his master’s order to
sprinkle some love juice on the eyes of an Athenian youth
being pursued by a lady, and also to sprinkle some on Queen
Titania as originally planned. Helena stumbles upon a groggy
Lysander who then betrays Hermia by falling in love with
Helena.
Characters and Plot (Fairies)
What is the purpose of the fairies in the play?

In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William

Shakespeare, the fairies play a subsequent role in the basic
plotline. Their purpose is to create conflict by
manipulating the human beings in the play, which then
complicates the plot line and makes the play more
interesting to read. Their existence shows that while our
world can be manipulated by the fantasy world, the fantasy
realm is distinct from reality. For example, Puck creates
conflict when he mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and rubs
the love juice on his face, causing him to fall in love with
Helena. The fact that two men are now pursuing Helena is
sure to create a great deal of conflict later on in the
play.
Theme (Illusion Versus Reality)
Control in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

In a Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, the

characters’ desire for control elevates the plot to another
level. King Oberon feels as if he can control whatever
Titania sees, thinks, or feels. He is willing to even make
his wife fall in love with a beast to get what he wants.
Although her thirst for control is dampened by the
constraints of her gender role, Helena also displays a deep
desire of control. She wants to control how her love life
pans out, and also seeks to manipulate Demetrius is falling
in love with her.
Shakespeare’s View on Love

In Act II of a Midsummer Night’s Dream, love plays a very

important role. It serves the purpose to create confusion
and conflict among the many characters in the play. King
Oberon and Queen Titania have a similar relationship to that
of Duke Theseus and Hippolyta. Duke Theseus and King Oberon
both crave control, while their spouses may respect them
rather than actually love them. As a result, both are able
to go against their spouse’s wishes and create and escalate
conflict among the other couples. When Puck mistakes
Lysander for Demetrius, it causes conflict between Lysander
and Hermia, the supposed protagonists of the play. This
results in Hermia and Helena to also engage in conflict with
each other, as Hermia now thinks that Helena stole her love,
Lysander.
Shakespeare’s View of Love (cont.)

Although Shakespeare has many sides to his thoughts and opinions on

love, the theme of love is always dealt with in his works as a
subject to be regarded with humor and expressed with exaggeration.
In the song “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind,” Shakespeare makes fun of
love with the line “most friendship is feigning, most loving mere
folly” followed by “this life is most jolly”. This quote shows that
he does not consider love an integral part of life, and may in fact
see it as a weight in life. In contrast, Shakespeare’s sonnet “My
Mistress’ Eyes Are Nothing Like the Sun” reflects on the how love
deals with the inner workings of emotions and extends beyond
physical attraction. This entirely diverse theme is regarded with
such deep seriousness buried within the mild humor that it can be
inferred that Shakespeare has a serious onlooking to the importance
of love in life as well.
Literary Techniques
Definition of Foil

Merriam-Webster defines foil as “a person or thing that sets

off or enhances another by contrast; as, Laertes is a foil
to Hamlet” (Webster 711).
Exemplar of Foil

Helena can be seen as a foil to Hermia, as the striking contrast

between the behavior of the two in romantic relationships enhances
the development of both characters in the play. Although Hermia
herself is not present in Act II, Scene i, Helena and Demetrius’
one-on-one banter reveals contrast between Helena and Hermia that
shows just this. For example, when Demetrius says, “Where is
Lysander and fair Hermia? Thou told’st me they were stol’n unto this
wood. And here am I, wood within this wood, Because I cannot meet my
Hermia. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more,” he is
indirectly contrasting Hermia and Helena’s nearly opposite behavior
towards him- although Hermia looks to Demetrius’ affections with
disgust, Helena so fawns on Demetrius that she trails behind him
even as he tells her in plainest truth that he does not and cannot
love her, and threatens to leave her to the mercy of wild beasts
(II.i.188-193).
Definition of Imagery

Merriam-Webster defines imagery as “in rhetoric,

representations in writing or speaking; lively descriptions
which impress the images of things on the mind; figures of
speech” (Webster 907).
Exemplars of Imagery

Exemplar One (1).

“Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Through flood, through fire,
I do wander everywhere…”(II.i.2-6).

Exemplar Two (2).

“And sometimes 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” (II.i.47-50).
Questioning
In Act II, Scene i of A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, King Oberon
mentions that he “...saw Flying
between the cold moon and the
Earth, Cupid...” (I.ii. 140-142).
How is Shakespeare utilizing
Roman mythical creatures in his
writing? Why do you think he did
this?
In Act II, Scene ii of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, when
Hermia and Lysander are having
a private conversation, Hermia
says, “Lysander riddles very
prettily” (I.ii. 42). Is Hermia
speaking to Lysander, or of
Lysander? How can you tell?
Explain why she would do this.
Supernatural Weather Report for Act II of A
Midsummer Night’s Dream
Athens