A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular and is widely performed. Theseus—Duke of Athens Hippolyta—Queen of the Amazons Egeus—father of Hermia Hermia—daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander Lysander—in love with Hermia Demetrius—suitor to Hermia Helena—in love with Demetrius Philostrate—Master of the Revels Peter Quince—a carpenter Nick Bottom—a weaver Francis Flute—a bellows-mender Tom Snout—a tinker Snug—a joiner Robin Starveling—a tailor Oberon—King of the Fairies Titania—Queen of the Fairies Robin "Puck" Goodfellow—a mischievous sprite with magical powers Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth and Mustardseed—fairy servants to Titania Indian changeling—a ward of Titania The play consists of five interconnecting plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta, which are set simultaneously in the woodland and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon. The play opens with Theseus and Hippolyta who are four days away from their wedding. Theseus is not happy about how long he has to wait while Hippolyta thinks it will pass by like a dream. Theseus is confronted by Egeus and his daughter Hermia, who is in love with Lysander, resistant to her father's demand that she marry Demetrius, whom he has arranged for her to marry. Enraged, Egeus invokes an ancient Athenian law before Duke Theseus, whereby a daughter needs to marry a suitor chosen by her father, or else face death.

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