A Midsummer Night's Dream

3 Pages 744 Words

In the ancient city of Athens a wedding is about to take place between Theseus, duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, the Amazon warrior queen who he had won. They meet in the duke's palace to discuss their marriage festivities. Suddenly, Egeus storms in, extremely upset. He wants his daughter, Hermia, to marry Demetrius, who is in love with her. Hermia, however, is in love with Lysander and refuses to give in to her father's demands. The two men and the woman they both love state their case before the duke. Theseus explains that Athenian law is on the side of the father: Hermia must give into his wishes, not follow her own desire. Also, Hermia must either obey the law, remain a virgin and enter a nunnery, or die! Hermia is given until the next new moon the wedding day of Theseus and Hippolyta to make her decision. She and Lysander secretly plan, instead, to run from Athens and live outside of town with an aunt of Lysander's. Helena, arrives, she is in love with Demetrius, but he doesn’t love her.

In the house of Quince, a carpenter, several Athenian workingmen meet to discuss their plans to present a play as entertainment for the wedding of the duke. Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling have decided on a play entitled "The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby." Parts are assigned to each player, but only after Bottom, shows how he could play all the parts himself. They agree to rehearse the following evening in a wood outside of town.

Next the players are in an entirely different order. They are Oberon, the king of the fairies, his queen, Titania, and Puck (or Robin Goodfellow), a fairly like attendant of the king. Oberon and Titania have been fighting over the possession of a young Indian boy that both want, but the Queen will not hand him over. Oberon, with the aid of Puck, plans his revenge on Titania. He will drop the juice of a magic flower into the eyes of his sleeping queen. When ...