William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream": a summary

In this article, we'll talk about the famous comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream". William Shakespeare is a recognized master of dramaturgy, whose equal has not yet been found in the literature. His creations, written in the distant 16th century, have not lost their relevance even in our days.

About the work

The play consists of 5 acts, the date of writing is 1596. It is believed that the author composed it specifically on the day of the wedding of some aristocrat, close to Elizabeth I.

The main idea of a comedy: the whole world is a game. And than it will end, will depend only on the decision and the mood of the players themselves. But do not look for a particularly deep philosophical overtones in this work, as it was created mainly for the entertainment of the audience.

Shakespeare, "A Midsummer Night's Dream": a brief summary. Place of action and heroes

The events of the play unfold in ancient Greek Athens. The king ruled the city, which is called Theseus, which is associated with many ancient legends, the main one tells about the conquest of the tribe of the Amazons, after which he married their queen Ippolit, who also participates in the play.

In addition to character-people, in the comedy there are magical creatures - these are elves and fairies. In particular, the tsar and the queen of these people are Oberon and Titania.

String

Begins with the wedding preparations comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (a brief summary we will present in this article). Under the crown, the Duke of Theseus and the Queen of Hippolytus gather. The celebration is scheduled for the night of the full moon.

The infuriated Agey, the father of a young Hermia, bursts into the palace. He attacks Lysander with accusations - a young man bewitched his daughter and forced him to love himself, but meanwhile the girl was already promised to Demetrius. Hermione appears, she says she loves Lysander. The duke intervenes in the conflict and declares that under the laws of Athens the daughter is obliged to fulfill the will of the parent. Theseus gives the masterful girl time to think, but on the first day of the new moon she will have to decide "to die ... or to marry the one whom the father chose ... or give ... a vow of celibacy."

Hermia and Lysander decide to flee Athens and agree to meet next night at the nearest forest. Lovers open their plan to Elena. The girl has long and hopelessly fallen in love with Demetrius, hoping to win the favor of a loved one, she tells him about the plans of Hermias and Lysander.

Intermedia

Shakespeare, as always, anticipates the development of literary devices. For example, we see the production of the play in the very comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (a brief summary is that proof). Thus, the author builds the game, in this case theatrical, in the absolute. And this is already a favorite method of postmodernism, which will appear only in the late 20th century.

So, the company of craftsmen decides to put an interlude in honor of the wedding of Theseus. The carpenter Peter Pigwa is chosen as the director, who chooses "a premature comedy" "The very cruel death of Piram and Fisba." To fulfill the role of the Pyramus weaver Nick is called, he is generally ready to take on several characters at once. The role of Fisby goes to Dudka, a repairer of blowing furs. Do not be surprised at this, in Shakespeare's time women could not take part in performances, and all roles were performed by men. The mother of Fisby became a tailor Robin Zmorysh; Father Piram - Tom Rylo, Copperman; Lion - carpenter Milyaga. Pigva tells everyone to learn their roles by tomorrow.

Kingdom of fairies

Uses in his play images of mythical characters Shakespeare. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from this comes close to an English fairy tale.

The action is transferred to the forest. The ruler of the elves and fairies Oberon quarrels with his wife Titania because of the baby, whom the queen adopted. The king wishes to take a child from his wife to make him his page. Titania refuses her husband and retires with the elves.

Then Oberon orders the elf Peck to bring a flower, in which the arrow of Cupid accidentally fell. If the juice of this plant is lubricated by the eyelids of the sleeper, then he will fall in love with the first one whom he sees. The king hopes that his wife will fall in love with some animal, and forget about the child.

The invisible Oberon remains to wait for Pack. At this time, there are Elena and Demetrius, who is looking for Hermione and rejects the one who loves him. When a servant brings a flower, Oberon orders to grease Demetrius's eyelids, so much so that he falls in love with Elena. The Elven king himself applies the remaining juice to the lids of Titania.

Germia and Lizandra, wandering through the forest, were tired and lay down to rest. Pak takes the young man for Demetrius and smears the juice of his eyelids. Waking up, Lizandra sees Elena, falls in love with her and confesses her feelings. The girl decides that he scoffs at her and runs away. The young man, leaving the sleeping Hermione, pursues a new lover.

Awakening of Titania

More and more improbable events occur in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The summary tells us about pranks, and not always harmless, elves and fairies.

The craftsmen gather in the woods for rehearsal. The basis suggests that not to frighten the spectators, make two prologues to the play. In the first one it will be said that Piram does not kill himself at all, and in general it is not Piram, but the Foundation. In the second, warn the audience that Leo is also not really a terrible beast, but a carpenter.

Behind the rehearsal watching Pak. The prankster decides to conjure the Foundation, turning his head into a donkey. Wizards take a friend for a werewolf and flee from him in fear. At this moment, Titania wakes up sleeping near this place. First she sees the Foundation, falls in love and calls him with her. The queen immediately summons four elves and orders them to serve a new "my lord."

Duel

The events of the work "A Midsummer Night's Dream" continue to develop. Pack tells Oberon how the Queen has fallen in love with the monster. The king is delighted with the news. However, having learned that, instead of Demetrius, the magic juice came to Lysandra, he begins to scold.

Oberon is looking for Demetrius, wanting to correct the servant's oversight. At this time, Pak beckons Elena to sleep Demetrius. The young man awakens and immediately begins to swear in eternal love of the one he just rejected. Elena comes to the conclusion that Lizandra and Demetri conspired to make fun of her. She also decided that Hermy was involved in all this. Hearing accusations in his address, Hermione attacks a friend with accusations that she seduced Lysander.

Young people, now rivals, decide with the help of a duel to decide who will get Elena. Pak is delighted with what is happening. However, Oberon orders the servant to bring the duelists deep into the forest, and then separate and drive in circles so that they can not meet. When the emaciated heroes fall asleep, Peck smears Lysander's eyelids with an antidote to the love juice.

Awakening

Has a clear entertainment focus "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Theater in the years of Shakespeare served only for the amusement of the public. Nevertheless, the great playwright even in the comedy, the lowest genre, was thought to be able to invest a bit of meaning.

Oberon, who had already gotten a baby, accidentally sees Titania sleeping next to the Base. The king becomes sorry for her, and he lubricates her eyelids with an antidote. The queen wakes up and exclaims: "I dreamed ... I fell in love with an ass!". Oberon orders Pak to return the Foundation to its original head. The fairies fly away.

In the forest on a hunt come Aegeus, Hippolytus and Theseus. They accidentally find asleep young people. Waking up, Lizandra announces that she and Hermia fled here from the harsh laws of Athens. Demetrius, under the influence of the potion, admits that he loves Elena and wants her to become his wife. Theseus proclaims that two more pairs will be married tonight, except for them with Hippolytus.

The Basis wakes up, he goes to Pigwa. Here the director gives the actors instructions before the performance.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream": a brief summary. Decoupling

Preparations begin for the celebration. The lovers tell Theseus about everything that happened to them in the forest. The Duke marvels at their adventures.

Comes Philostratus, the manager of amusements. He provides Theseus with a list of recreational activities, from which the ruler should choose the ones he likes. Duke stops the choice on the interludes of the master.

The performance begins. Pigva reads the prologue, and the audience makes snide remarks. It turns out Rylo, he explains that it is smeared with lime, because it depicts the wall through which Fisba and Piram should talk. The main action begins. The Lion rises to the stage, who explains in verse to everyone that he is not real. At this time, Theseus admires: "What a sensible and meek animal!". Actors say nonsense, godlessly distort the text and make corrections to the plot. This all very amuses the audience.

At midnight the play ends. The guests diverge. There are elves, headed by Peck. They sing, dance and have fun. Then Oberon and his wife order them to disperse around the castle and bless the newlyweds' beds.

This concludes the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (a brief summary we presented above).