1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Characters, plots, Shakespeare’s techniques and inspiration
A Midsummer Night’s Dream

2. Characters
There are three subplots going on simultaneously within this play. Each subplot has its own set of characters and conflicts; however, they all collide and intertwine at different points within the play.

3. The Nobles Lysander – In love with Hermia
Hermia – In love with Lysander
Helena – In love with Demetrius, who used to be in love with her
Demetrius – Has permission to marry Hermia and may be in love with her, or not
Egeus – Hermia’s father who has promised her hand to Demetrius despite the fact that she is in love with another man
Theseus – Duke of Athens, about to marry Hippolyta, a beautiful Amazonian.

4. The Rude Mechanicals
These are a group of laborers who all aspire to be actors in the nuptial celebration of Theseus and Hippolyta
Peter Quince – a carpenter
Bottom – a weaver
Flute – a bellows mender
Snug - a joiner ( specific carpentry work)
Tom Snout – a tinker (repairs household items)
Robin Starveling – a tailor

5. The Fairies
The king and queen of Fairyland are having an argument. The fight is so violent that it is affecting the weather in the mortal world. The fight is over a semi-human child. Both want him for their own
Oberon – King
Titania – Queen
Puck – a devilish trickster employed by the king

6. Types of Comedy
Character: the actual characters/their personalities are amusing
Ex. The main character in ELF makes us laugh because of his quirky behavior and thoughts
Language: the dialogue is funny
Ex. A stand-up comedian’s speech
Situation: The events that occur are humorous
Ex. The episode of Friends when Rachel and Chandler are so hooked on cheesecake that they eat it off the floor after dropping it during a scuffle

7. Types of Irony Situational Dramatic Verbal
Occurs when a character or audience expects one thing to happen but something entirely different happens
Dramatic
Refers to the contrast between what a character knows and what the reader or audience knows
Verbal
When someone says one thing but means another

8. Shakespeare’s Inspiration
Publius Ovidius Naso or Ovid was born in 43 B.C. in Italy. He was born into a wealthy family and was sent to Rome to study so that he could become a public speaker and politician. Ovid used his education to further his writing and did not become the man his father had hoped.
Ovid wrote Metamorphosis. It tells stories about the transformations of mostly humans and nymphs into animals, plants, etc. Metamorphosis is a storehouse for Greek and Roman mythology.
The story of Pyramus and Thisbe is from this body of literature.
Shakespeare and his contemporaries were all familiar with, and frequently plagiarized from, Metamorphosis