A Midsummer Night's Dream- A Shakespearean Comedy

Essay by rishi1993Junior High, 9th gradeA+, December 2007

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A Midsummer Night's Dream � DATE \@ "dd/MM/yyyy" �13/12/2007�

Desperate lovers, mischievous fairies, bad actors, and a flower which causes love upon first sight-these are just some of the components that add to the comedic flavour of Shakespeare's work A Midsummer Night's Dream. The main elements of a classic Shakespearean comedy are clearly portrayed in this play. An identity mix-up of Lysander and Demetrius, continuous references to music and dance to signify happy events and finally a happy ending all help to prove that A Midsummer Night's Dream is indeed a comedy.

The plot of a Shakespearean comedy often includes a mix up of identity. In A Midsummer Night's Dream Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and rubs the love potion on his eyes. As a result, Lysander stops loving Hermia and instead falls in love with Helena. When Puck and Oberon find Lysander wooing Helena, Puck realizes his mistake and admits to Oberon, "This is the woman, but not the man."

(3.2.42). Puck's mistake helps to develop the plot as well as bring out several comedic situations throughout the play, such as the quarrel between Hermia and Helena. This mistaken identity helps to make this Shakespearean work a comedy.

Although Shakespearean plays often have tragic endings, his comedies end on optimistic notes, which are often signified through several marriages. A Midsummer Night's Dream ends with the grand marriages of Duke Theseus and the lovers Hermia and Lysander as well as Helena and Demetrius. Upon finding the lovers in the forest, Theseus decides to ignore Egeus's will, "Egeus I will overbear your will" (4.1.177). and chooses to marry the lovers. He declares, "For in the temple, by and by, with us / These couples shall eternally be knit" (4.1.178-180). The lovers are elated and everyone at the court watches...