Act 1 summary

The play begins with Duke Theseus of Athens discussing his upcoming marriage to
Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. Egeus, a nobleman, enters with his daughter
Hermia and two men, Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus wants Hermia to marry
Demetrius, but she is in love with Lysander. Theseus gives Hermia four days to either
obey her father's wishes or face severe consequences, including death or life in a
nunnery.
After the Duke and Egeus leave, Hermia and Lysander plan to elope and decide to meet
in the nearby woods the following night. They confide in Hermia's friend, Helena, who is
desperately in love with Demetrius. Helena, hoping to win Demetrius' affection, decides
to inform him and hopes that he will appreciate her loyalty.

Act 2 summary

In another part of the woods, a group of amateur actors called the Mechanicals gathers
to rehearse a play they plan to perform for the Duke's wedding. The group is led by Peter
Quince and includes Bottom, a weaver, who is a particularly enthusiastic and
overconfident actor. They decide to perform the tragic story of "Pyramus and Thisbe."

Meanwhile, in the realm of the fairies, King Oberon and Queen Titania are having a
disagreement over a young Indian prince who Titania has adopted. Oberon wants to
make the boy his henchman, but Titania refuses to give him up. Oberon decides to use a
love potion on Titania to make her fall in love with the first creature she sees upon
waking up. He orders his mischievous fairy servant, Puck, to fetch a flower that contains
the magical juice.

Puck ventures into the woods and comes across the Mechanicals rehearsing. He
overhears Bottom, who has been given the role of Pyramus, singing and decides to play
a trick on him. Puck transforms Bottom's head into that of an ass. When the other
Mechanicals see Bottom with the donkey's head, they run away in terror.
Act 3 summary

Later that night, as the young lovers enter the woods, they become lost and separated
from each other. Puck, realizing their confusion, uses the love potion on Lysander,
mistaking him for Demetrius. When Lysander wakes up and sees Helena, he falls in love
with her, abandoning his love for Hermia.

Hermia, alone and confused, stumbles upon Oberon and Titania's argument. Seeing her
distress, Oberon instructs Puck to use the potion on Demetrius to correct the mistake.
Puck does as he's told, and when Demetrius wakes up, he falls in love with Helena as
well.

The act ends with the four lovers chasing each other through the woods, their feelings
for one another in constant flux, while the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania,
observe the chaos.

Act4
The act begins with the four confused lovers—Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and
Demetrius—wandering through the woods. Oberon, the fairy king, watches the chaos
and realizes that Puck has made a mistake by enchanting both Lysander and Demetrius
to love Helena. Oberon commands Puck to fix the situation by using the love potion on
Lysander to restore his love for Hermia.

The main focus shifts to the Fairy Queen, Titania, who is still under the influence of
Oberon's love potion. She has fallen madly in love with Bottom, the weaver, whose head
has been transformed into that of an ass. Bottom, unaware of the enchantment, enjoys
the attention he receives from the enamored Titania and revels in his newfound status.

Oberon instructs Puck to remove the enchantment from Titania, as he has achieved his
goal of obtaining the Indian prince. Puck uses a counteracting herb to undo the love
spell, and Titania wakes up, no longer infatuated with Bottom. She is astonished at the
presence of the ass-headed Bottom and wonders how she could have fallen in love with
him.
The four young lovers eventually become exhausted and fall asleep in the woods.
Oberon, observing their plight, orders Puck to prevent further confusion and create a fog
that will lead the lovers to each other. Puck carries out the task, and when the fog lifts,
the lovers awaken and find themselves paired correctly—Hermia with Lysander and
Helena with Demetrius.

In the final scenes of Act 4, the Athenian court stumbles upon the sleeping lovers in the
woods. Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and other members of the court marvel at the
seemingly miraculous arrangement of the couples. Theseus decides to overrule Egeus'
demand for Hermia to marry Demetrius and declares that both couples will be married
alongside him and Hippolyta during the wedding festivities.

The act concludes with the joyous news of the upcoming weddings and the promise of
a happy resolution for the lovers. The enchanted and transformed characters, including
Bottom, are restored to their original forms, and the stage is set for the final act of the
play, where the lovers and the Mechanicals will perform their play at the Duke's wedding
celebration.

Character summaries

Theseus: Theseus is the Duke of Athens, known for his wisdom and leadership. He is
preparing to marry Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. Theseus represents order and
reason in the play.

Hippolyta: Hippolyta is a strong and independent woman, the Queen of the Amazons.
She is about to marry Theseus, though it is unclear whether their union is one of love or
political alliance. She embodies female empowerment and grace.

Hermia: Hermia is a young woman in love with Lysander. She is determined to follow her
heart, despite her father's wishes for her to marry Demetrius. Hermia's rebellious nature
and unwavering love for Lysander drive the central conflict of the play.

Lysander: Lysander is a brave and romantic young man who loves Hermia. He is willing
to risk everything to be with her, even when faced with her father's disapproval.
Lysander's loyalty, courage, and determination make him a sympathetic and admirable
character.

Helena: Helena is Hermia's best friend and desperately in love with Demetrius, who does
not return her affections. She is portrayed as insecure and self-deprecating, believing
she is unworthy of love. Helena's unwavering devotion and persistence in pursuing
Demetrius add a touch of humor to the play.

Demetrius: Demetrius is initially in love with Hermia but later becomes the target of
Helena's affections. He is portrayed as fickle, as his feelings for both women change
throughout the play due to the influence of magic. Demetrius undergoes a
transformation from being cold-hearted to being more compassionate.

Oberon: Oberon is the King of the Fairies and is mischievous in nature. He is

instrumental in creating chaos and confusion among the characters by instructing Puck
to use a love potion on various characters. Oberon's character represents the power and
unpredictability of magic.

Titania: Titania is the Queen of the Fairies and Oberon's wife. She is compassionate and
nurturing, but she falls victim to Oberon's meddling when he orders Puck to enchant her
with a love potion. Titania's character symbolizes the delicate balance between nature
and the supernatural.

Puck (Robin Goodfellow): Puck is a mischievous and playful fairy who serves Oberon.
He is known for his trickery and enjoys creating chaos. Puck's actions, particularly his
mistaken application of the love potion, drive much of the comedy and confusion in the
play.

Bottom: Bottom is a comedic character and a member of the amateur theater group, the
Mechanicals. He is known for his overconfidence and is transformed into a donkey by
Puck's magic. Despite his comical nature, Bottom displays unexpected moments of
insight and warmth.