ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William Shakespeare ( 26 April
1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is
widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's
greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national
poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the
Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of
some 39 plays, sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a
few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into
every major living language and are performed more often than those
of any other playwright. He remains arguably the most influential writer
in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and
reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised
in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he
married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three
children: Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith.
Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an
actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called
the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. At age 49
(around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three
years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has
stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical
appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs and whether the
works attributed to him were written by others
PLOT SUMMARY
Theseus, duke of Athens, after
conquering the warrior Amazons in battle, is in turn conquered by the charms of
their queen, Hippolyta, and they are now planning to marry. To speed the time
until their wedding night, he orders amusements to be staged. In a spirit of
loyalty, Bottom the weaver and other tradesmen decide to prepare a play for the
duke and his bride.
The preparations are interrupted by
Egeus, an Athenian, who brings his daughter, Hermia, and her two suitors before
Theseus, entreating him to command Hermia to wed Demetrius. Hermia pleads to be
allowed to marry the other suitor, the one she loves-Lysander. The duke orders
her to obey her father under penalty of death or confinement in a convent.
Hermia and Lysander bewail the harsh decree and secretly agree to meet in a
wood nearby and flee to another country. They tell their plans to Helena, a
jilted sweetheart of Demetrius, and she, to win back his love, goes straightway
to inform him of the plan.
Meanwhile, in the forest, the fairy king
and queen, Oberon and Titania are at odds. In spite, Oberon bids Puck procure a
love-juice to pour upon Titania's eyelids when she is asleep, in order that she
may love the first thing her waking eyes behold. Just then, Oberon sees
Demetrius, who has sought out the trysting-place of Lysander and Hermia only to
meet Helena, much to his distaste. The lady's distress at her lover's coldness
softens the heart of Oberon, who bids Puck touch Demetrius's eyes also with the
love-juice, for Helena's sake.
Meanwhile, Lysander and Hermia arrive,
and Puck in error anoints Lysander's instead of Demetrius's eyes, so that
Lysander, happening to awake just as the neglected Helena wanders by, falls in
love with her-and abandons Hermia.
The same enchanted spot in the forest
happens to be the place selected by Bottom and company for the final rehearsal
of their play. The roguish Puck passes that way while they are rehearsing, and
mischievously and magically crowns Bottom with an ass's head, whereupon the
other players disperse terror-stricken. Then he brings Bottom to Titania; and,
when she awakens, she gazes first upon the human-turned-to-an-ass and falls in
love.
Meantime, the four lovers are greatly
bewildered. Oberon finds that Puck has anointed the eyes of Lysander instead of
those of Demetrius, so Oberon anoints Demetrius's eyes with another potion
which breaks the spell. When Demetrius awakes, he sees his neglected Helena
being wooed by Lysander. His own love for her returns, and he is ready to fight
Lysander. Helena deems them both to he mocking her, and Hermia is dazed by the
turn of affairs. The fairies interpose and prevent conflict by causing the four
to wander about in the dark until they are tired and fall asleep. Puck repairs
the blunder by anointing Lysander's eyes, in order to dispel the illusion
caused by the love-juice. Thus, when they awake, all will be in order: Lysander
will love Hermia, and Demetrius will love Helena.
Titania woos Bottom until Oberon, whose
anger has abated, removes the spell from her eyes. Bottom is restored to his
natural form, and he rejoins his comrades in Athens. Theseus, on an early
morning hunting trip in the forest, discovers the four lovers. Explanations,
follow; the duke relents and bestows Helena upon Demetrius and Hermia upon
Lysander.
A wedding-feast for three couples instead of one only is spread in Duke Theseus's place. Bottom's players come to this feast to present the “comic” tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe, which is performed in wondrous and hilarious fashion. After the company retires for the night, the fairies dance through the corridors on a mission of blessing and goodwill for the three wedded pairs.
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