Like it is the norm every for years, A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare is a remommended Shakespearean for the 2021-2025 Literature examination Syllabus. This covers WAEC, JAMB/UTME, Post UTME and NECO
Author's Background
William Shakespeare was born on 23rd, April, 1564 in the market town of Stratford-Upon-Avon in Warwickshire. He attended a local school in Stratford. He never attended a University. In 1582, he married Anne Hathaway. They had a daughter in 1583, and twins, a boy and a girl, in 1585. After this there was no factual information for seven years but in 1592, he started working as an actor and a playwright in London. He died on 23rd April, 1616.
PLOT ACCOUNT OF THE PLAY: In Athens, citizens are empowered to marry out their daughters to another man whom they wanted. A rejection by a daughter is an ultimate death. Egeus sought for justice from Theseus the Duke of Athens because her daughter Hermia refused to marry Demetrius. Hermia rejected Demetrius because he was in love with her friend Helena. Theseus gave Hermia four days to think about it. Lysander the lover of Hermia suggested that they should escape that night to his aunt’s place where the law of Athens has no effect. Helena was informed but Helena used it as an opportunity to make Demetrius marry her (Helena). She told Demetrius about the plan of Helena and Lysander to meet at a wood outside Athen. Theseus and Hyppolita also planned to wed and a group of artisans arranged to meet at the wood to rehearse a play they wanted to dramatise on the wedding day of Theseus and Hyppolyta. Oberon and Titania who were King and Queen of the fairies had disagreement over an Indian boy. Oberon directed Puck to put a special flower on the eyes of Titania to subdue Titania. Puck applied it on Lysander rather than Demetrius. Above all, the error was corrected. Titania and Oberon settled. Lysander and Hermia married, Helena and Demetrius also married.
SETTING: The play was set in the ancient city of Athen. Three locations are identified. The palace of Theseus, A Street in the City and A Wood outside Athen.
SUMMARY OF MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM BASED ON THE SCENES:
SUMMARY OF ACT I SCENE 1: Theseus and Hyppolyta discussed their wedding which was to take place four days after. While they were in the palace, Egeus brought his daughter Hermia and her suitors: Lysander and Demetrius to Theseus to settle the argument. Hermia wanted to marry Lysander but her father preferred Demetrius. Her rejection had two consequencies—death or nunnery. Theseus gave her four days to make her choice. Lysander and Hermia planned to meet in the woods the next night and elope. Helena, who loved Demetrius decided to use the occasion to meet Demetrius.
SUMMARY OF ACT I SCENE II: Six artisans met to discuss what sort of entertainment they will prepare for Theseus’s wedding. They decided to act a play about Pyramus and Thisby.
CRITICAL EVALUATION QUESTION:
Explain in details why Egeus brought his daughter and the suitors to Theseus’s palace.
Themes
1. Love: It is a recurrent decimal throughout the play: Lysander/ Hermia, Demetrius/Helena, Oberon/Titania, Theseus/Hippolyta.
2. Disobedience:
Hermia disobeyed her father, Lysander kicked against Athenian laws.
3. Dream: It was both invisible and visible. Lysander dream was to marry Hermia and it applies to other characters.
WAR: Oberon was involved in war and it gave him chance to marry Titania. Titania was a fearless queen as well.
MAGICAL POWER: Oberon used magical power to get what he wanted. It also reflected in the character of Puck in the play.
