Passion in A Midsummer Night's Dream

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Recommended: Dramatic Personae of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Passion in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream may come off as a simple comedy but is a complex play with many interesting aspects. Passion, a significant characteristic, is often expressed through the play. Characters in the play show passion for different reasons; Puck passions for mischief, Helena for Demetrius’ love and Bottom for theatrics, are a few of the many examples. Passion shows much significance, being the most important characteristic in the play.

Puck is a mischievous sprite, involved with most magical events in the play. Often playing tricks for his own enjoyment or by his master, Oberon’s, commands, Puck is depicted as a young, deceptive character. When first discovered as Robin Goodfellow, a well known trickster, Puck proudly claims the identity, quickly mentioning his best schemes. Puck says “I am the merry wanderer of the night” (II.i.43). Puck professes his role as a trickster, smiling at the thought of his pranks. Pucks' primary introduction into the play, the scene depicts the start to his reign of chaos. After disrupting the fairy and human world, Puck gladly presents his work to Oberon. A major flaw is pointed out by Oberon: the flower juice was placed on the wrong person’s eyes. Choosing to blame the humans for his mistake, Puck says “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” (III.ii.115). Puck, deeming the Athenian couples in the play as fools, portrays irony to the audience. Having caused the trouble himself, Puck was to blame for the situation. When called on account of the dilemma, Puck acts in his defence, saying he put the potion on the eyes of an Athenian man and when told to resolve the problem, Puck sadly agrees, seeing the mischief as a very entertaining. (III...

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...ssary character for comical relief, changing the play from a fantasy into a comedy.

Many take passion as an insignificant trait but passion reveals the true nature of characters within a play as explicitly shown in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Puck’s passion for mischief, Helena’s for Demetrius’ love and Bottom’s for theatrics are testaments to the intense passions described in the play. Passion has a positive effect in the play, reflected in the actions, speech and thoughts of the actors. When lead by such emotions, each character is able to accomplish their desires, while giving a positive effect on the viewers. A Midsummer Night's Dream teaches that everybody has a passion for something and by using the passion as a guide, anything can be accomplished.

Work Cited

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Toronto: Harcourt Canada Ltd., 2000. Print

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