Summary
Love, magic, and mischief collide in an enchanted forest outside Athens.
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare weaves together four interconnected plots:
Young Lovers in Rebellion: Hermia is in love with Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. When the couple flees into the forest, Demetrius follows—followed in turn by Helena, who is hopelessly in love with him.
The Fairies’ Chaos: In the forest, the fairy king Oberon and queen Titania are at odds.
To win a dispute, Oberon uses a magical love potion—creating confusion when it accidentally makes Titania fall for a weaver named Bottom, who has been transformed to have a donkey’s head.
Bottom & the "Rude Mechanicals": A group of bumbling craftsmen prepares a tragic play for the Duke’s wedding.
Their rehearsal is interrupted by fairy magic, resulting in unintended hilarity.
Royal Wedding: Duke Theseus of Athens is set to marry Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. Their celebration eventually becomes the stage for the resolution of all tangled threads.
As enchantments unravel, true lovers are paired, illusions fade, and harmony is restored—with a wink from the mischievous sprite Puck.