Midsummers Night Dream Essays (1831 words) -

Midsummer's Night Dream So often, when books or plays get made into movies, the whole story is butchered, and the final outcome is uninteresting. This is not the case for A Midsummer-Night's Dream. The movie A Midsummer-Night's Dream was extremely well acted out , and had an entertaining plot that kept its viewers intrigued. Its plot was fun and dream-like that kept its viewers entertained. The story line and critical elements were well acted out exciting to follow. Shakespeare created many parallels between this play and that of Hamlet. Overall this was a very good movie, one that I would definitely one that I would tell a friend about. The action in A Midsummer-Night's Dream takes place in mythical Athens. Theseus, the reigning Duke, has conquered the Amazons and has fallen in love with their beautiful queen, Hippolyta. As the play opens, he tells us that their wedding is to take place in five days. At this point, Egeus, a wealthy Athenian, brings his daughter Hermia before the Duke. Having fallen in love with Lysander, a young man of whom her father disapproves, Hermia has refused to marry Demetrius, who is her fathers choice. Demetrius had been in love with Hermia's friend, Helena, but had abandoned her for Hermia. The Duke tells Hermia that according to Athenian law, she must marry Demetrius or die. The other alternative is a life of chastity as a virgin priestess. She has until the Duke's wedding day to decide. After the other leave, Hermia and Lysander determine to meet in a wood near the city the following night. Then they plant to leave the city and go tot a place outside of Athenian jurisdiction where they can be married. Helena promises to help the lovers, and they leave. When Demetrius returns, Helena, who is hopelessly in love with him, tries to win his favor by telling him of Hermia's plan to elope. She is bitterly disappointed when Demetrius hurries away to stop the elopement, but she follows him. In another part of Athens a group of common men, led by Peter Quince, are preparing a play to be given at the wedding feast of Theseus and Hippolyta. The "star" of the group, Nick Bottom, struts and boasts of his ability to play any and all the parts and is finally cast as the hero. All the parts are assigned and the rehearsal is set to take place the next night in the wood outside of Athens- the same wood where Hermia and Lysander are to meet. The night in question is Midsummer's Eve, a time of great rejoicing and mischief among the fairies who live in the wood. Oberon, their king, and Titania, their Queen, have quarreled over possession of a little boy, the child of one of Titania's priestesses. To resolve the quarrel, humble his proud Queen, and gain the boy for his own group of followers, Oberon enlists the aid of Puck. This clever and mischievous fairy delights in playing tricks on mortals and is a faithful servant of Oberon. By putting the nectar of a magic flower on the eyes of the sleeping Lysander, Puck causes him to fall in love with Helena and forsake Hermia. Into this confusion come Bottom and his amateur acting troupe. Puck turns Bottom's head into the head of a donkey, frightening off all his friends and leaving the weaver alone. He comes upon Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, and awakens her from her sleep. Her eyes, like those of Lysander, have been anointed with the magic nectar, and she falls in love with the first creature she sees. Her new love is, of course, Bottom- with his donkey's head. After playing tricks on Titania, Bottom, and the two pairs of lovers, Oberon relents and has Puck set things right again. Lysander and Hermia are reunited, and Demetruius, with the aid of the magic juice, rediscovers his love for Helena. Titania and Bottom are released from their enchantments, and she agrees to give Oberon the little boy to Oberon. The lovers come upon the Duke and his party hunting in the woods that morning. After hearing their stories, he proclaims that the six of them will get married on the same day. Bottom awakens, is confused, but returns to Athens and prepares to give their play at the Duke's wedding. After the triple wedding, the play, "Pyramus and Thisby," is presented as part of the entertainment. It is performed so earnestly and so badly that the assembled guests are weak from laughter.