First performed around 1596, Shakespeare’s comic fantasy of four lovers who find themselves bewitched by fairies is a sly reckoning with love, jealousy and marriage. For centuries it’s been one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays. Read a character analysis of Puck, plot summary, and important quotes.
Summary
Read our full plot summary and analysis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, scene by scene break-downs, and more.
Characters
See a complete list of the characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in-depth analyses of Puck, Nick Bottom, Helena, Theseus, and Hermia.
Literary Devices
Here's where you'll find analysis of the literary devices in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, from the major themes to motifs, symbols, and more.
Questions & Answers
Explore our selection of frequently asked questions about A Midsummer Night’s Dream and find the answers you need.
- What is Egeus so upset about in the play’s first scene?
- Why do Peter Quince and his fellow craftsmen want to perform a play for Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding?
- Why does Oberon order Puck to fetch the magic flower?
- Why does Puck delight in causing chaos and confusion?
- What causes the animosity between Hermia and Helena?
Quotes
Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes.
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By Theme
- Jealousy
- Mischief
- Transformation
- Unreason
- Reversal
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By Character
- Nick Bottom
- Puck (aka Robin Goodfellow)
- Helena
- Theseus
- Hermia
Quick Quizzes
Test your knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with quizzes about every section, major characters, themes, symbols, and more.
Essays
Get ready to ace your A Midsummer Night’s Dream paper with our suggested essay topics, helpful essays about historical and literary context, a sample A+ student essay, and more.
Further Study
Test your knowledge of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on context, background, and movie adaptations, plus links to the best resources around the web.
