What evidence is there of interaction between the world of Fairies and the mortal world in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream?'

The Fairies are not introduced until the second act of the play but there is a great deal of evidence within the first scene of Act two to suggest that they interact with the mortal world.

During the time Shakespeare was writing people had superstitions about the natural world. People carried lucky charms, plants that were associated with magic and precious stones to protect themselves from evil or bad luck. People saw a clear link between what happened in the natural world and what happened to them. People thought that fairies lived in their own kingdom. They thought that fairies were active from Midnight to dawn, they also thought that fairies could take any form and that they could change the weather.

The action is shifted to the woods in the first scene of act two, where the magic begins. Puck "a shrewd and knavish sprite" (Act 2, scene 1, line 33) and another fairy enter the woods where they discuss the current meeting of their masters, Oberon, King of the Fairies and Titania, Queen of the fairies.

English: "Midsummer Nights Dream Act IV Scene I--A...

Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing. Fro...

Study for The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania by Noe...

The fairy immediately recognizes puck as Robin Goodfellow, puck responds with a positive answer telling of his omnipresence of lurking "in a gossip's bowl" (Act 2, scene 1, line 46) and drifting through the night looking for action. The action he mentions most likely has some involvement with the mortal world. An example of this is shown when he transforms Bottom's head into an ass' head.

Puck is seen as a very devious, puckish fairy. He only seems to care about having fun and doing small, inappropriate favours. Puck seems to start the accidental events of mistaken amorous identity. Another fairy (previously mentioned) spots this and says, "...Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he, that frights the maidens of the villagery" (Act...