The literary community has considered William Shakespeare one of the greatest writers of all time for hundreds of years. He is known for various pieces of literature, ranging from plays to sonnets, and numerous additions to the vocabulary of the present. One of his best-known comedies is A Midsummer Night's Dream, written in the mid 1590s. This play focuses on the mass chaos involving two pairs of Athenian lovers and the havoc reaped by the local fairy monarchy. This work exemplifies the best of both the conventions of drama and the conventions of literature through its use of theme, characterization, and nonrealistic conventions.
One of the main aspects of A Midsummer Night's Dream is the constant confusion brought on by the royal fairies and their servants. Robin Goodfellow, also known as Puck, a mischievous sprite under the command of King Oberon, confuses the two Athenian lovers Lysander and Demetrius, causing both men to fall for Helena, ruining the love between Lysander and Hermia. The constant commotion brought on by Puck is a nonrealistic convention because it shows the unreliability of love in the modern world. The love potion is used to confuse the lovers, showing fate is an easy foe to tempt. When this occurs, Puck justifies his mistake by saying "Then fate o'errules that, one man holding troth, /A million fail, confounding oath on oath." (4.1.93-94). This statement claims fate is final and decisive, furthermore making the actions of Oberon and Puck as the work of fate. The scene altogether exemplifies the impractical course of the Athenians' love, representing its existence in the modern society.
Another example of nonrealistic conventions is the trick Puck plays on the innocent bystander Nick Bottom, transforming his head in to one of an ass. The king commands this to spite Titania for refusing to surrender an Indian boy he favors. Once he succeeds in gaining the child, he commands Puck to undo the spell. "And now I have the boy, I will undo/This hateful imperfection of her eyes. /And, gentle Puck, take this transformd scalp/From off the head of this Athenian swain," (4.2.46-49). The concept of Queen Titania falling in love with an ass is impractical, creating contrast between the story and the modern world. These two scenes argue that A Midsummer Night's Dream illustrates the customs of dramatic compositions because realistic versus nonrealistic conventions stands as a pillar of all dramas.
There are two elements that specifically contribute to the conventions of literature as a whole - theme and characterization. Characterization plays a key role in A Midsummer Night's Dream because each character contributes in some way towards the madness surrounding them. Puck, who is described as mischievous, capricious, and enchanting, is considered the most credible example of characterization within the play. Puck is identified to the audience as "Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite/ Called Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he/ That frights the maidens of the villagery," (2.1.19-21). The constant focus on Puck's persona makes him the likeliest candidate for the most important character of the play. It is the portrayal that signifies the importance of characterization within A Midsummer Night's Dream.
All themes connect to the real world, including William Shakespeare's. The most prominent theme within the play is the constant recurrence of young love being irrational. Shakespeare shows the foolishness of loving to quickly, as displayed through Helena's conquest for Demetrius and Lysander's love for Hermia. "My love to Hermia melted as the snow, seems to me now/ As the remembrance of an idle guard/ which my childhood I did dole upon..." (4.1.161-172). This relates to modern society through the judgments placed upon our youth, who are considered flawed and incapable by the majority of their matured peers. Illustrated through the schemes of Puck and Oberon, Shakespeare's purpose is to show the backlash of fate when treated lightly, expressed through the incidents involving the love potion.
William Shakespeare has exemplified every quality the literary community dignifies as merit. Throughout his career, he produced work no writer can compare to. In his masterpiece, A Midsummer Night's Dream, he takes the aspects of a simple farce and transforms them in to one of the most famous plays of all time. Along with an aptitude for comedy, Shakespeare also awards his audience with the best example of both the conventions of drama and the conventions of literature through characterization, theme, and nonrealistic conventions.
Jenna Feiling Mrs. Healy * AP English Lit * Period 3 Perrine Drama Final Essay December 19th, 2013 A Midwinter Night's Essay 1
