The play opens with Theseus, the duke of Athens and Hippolyta, the queen of the

Amazons planning their wedding, which takes place in four days. Theseus is upset
that the time is moving so slowly, but Hippolyta assures him the four days will pass
quickly.
While they discuss their relationship, Egeus enters with his daughter , Hermia, and
her two suitors, Lysander and Demetrius. Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her
father wants her to marry Demetrius, but Egeus wont listen. Instead he says that
he will put Hermia to death if she did not marry Demetrius. Upset by Theseuss
decree Lysander decides to elope with Hermia away from Athens. As Lysander
explains his plans, Helena who is in love with Demetrius enters. She wonders how
Hermia captured his heart. Hermia insists she hates Demetrius and tells her that
they were planning to elope. Helena in a last effort to gain Demetriuss love tells
him about their plan but doesnt even receive a thank you from him.
Oberon, the king of the Fairies overhears Helena and Demetrius arguing and sends
his mischievous servant Puck to get a flower whose juice has the power to make
people fall in love with the first creature they see when the juice is placed on the
eyelids while asleep. He instructs Puck to put some drops in Demetriuss eyes but
instead Puck mistakenly puts the juice in Lysanders eyes. so when he was woken by
Helena he instantly falls in love with her and rejects Hermia.
Some Artisans are rehearsing a play about the tragic love-story of Pyramus and
Thisbe to present before Theseus on his wedding day. Nick, the weaver, is given the
leading role of Pyramus, while Francis, the bellows-mender, wins the female lead,
Thisbe. The remainder of the roles is assigned, and the group plans to meet the
following night at the Duke's oak for a rehearsal. Puck overhears their rehearsals in
the wood and he plays a trick on them by giving Bottom an asss head which
frightens the others away. Bottom is lured towards the sleeping Titania whom
Oberon has treated with the flower juice. On waking, she falls in love with the ass
and entertains him with her fairies, but when Bottom falls asleep beside her, Oberon
restores Titanias sight and wakes her. She is appalled at the sight of what she has
been in love with and is reunited with Oberon.
Puck removes the ass head and Bottom returns to Athens and rejoins his friends as
they prepare to perform their play. Puck puts juice on Lysanders eyes before the
lovers are woken by Theseus and Hippolyta and their dawn hunting party. Happily
reunited to each other, Lysander with Hermia, Demetrius with Helena, they agree to
share the Dukes wedding day. The rustics perform the play of Pyramus and Thisbe
before the wedding guests. As the three couples retire Puck and the fairies return to
bless the palace and its people.
William Shakespeare has a witty and clever approach to all his books and A
Midsummer Nights Dream was no exception. Shakespeare stimulates our
imagination by vivid details and creating a beautiful fairy world that keeps us

intrigued. The book was a wonderful read full of hilarious and emotional moments.
Its a must read for a Shakespeare fan.
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Subiksha Ravi
AUD1984
Forensic science