A Midsummer Night's Dream Open-Ended Response (Sorry it's late!)

My favorite scene in A Midsummer Night’s Dream was Scene ii of Act III. In this scene, both Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with Helena, but she thinks that they have banded together with Hermia to play a mean joke on her. I thought this scene was hilarious because none of them believed each other. Hermia was shocked when Lysander said he loved Helena instead of her, but Helena still was under the impression that nobody loved her, and thought that Hermia wasn’t even her friend anymore. They had  a huge fight, and I thought that all of them sounded really stupid, because their stories were unbelievable. This was also the scene where I realized how malicious Puck was. He was entertained by all the trouble and misery he caused everyone.

My least favorite character in the play was Puck. Although he was a central character to the play, and nothing interesting would happen without him, I still thought that he was a nasty person. He seems to think that his purpose in life is to cause everyone pain, discomfort, and confusion. And if that isn’t enough, he essentially sits back and laughs as others are tormented. If it weren’t for Oberon, he probably would have let Demetrius and Lysander tear each other to pieces over his own stupid mistake. I’m glad that Puck is a fictional character, for if he really existed, I’d make it my life’s mission to hunt him down and annoy him as much as he annoys everyone else.

 

Act V, Scene ii

Enter QUINCE, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, STARVELING, and SNUG, walking down a street lined with market stalls.

 

QUINCE

Aaahhh, it’s so refreshing to know that our epic play is over and done with.

 

FLUTE

Yes, it was so inspiring. I knew that the duke would love it.

 

BOTTOM

Well, though I was limited to play only the role of Pyramus, I feel that it was a great success. I still think I would have a made a top-notch lion, though.

 

SNOUT

Bottom, didn’t you say you had something to tell us?

 

BOTTOM

Oh, yes, I had the most peculiar dream. If I speak of it, I’ll sound like a lunatic. But I suppose I should tell you, it would make a very inspiring storyline for our next play. You see, I dreamt that—

 

They pass a stall selling donkeys, all facing away from them.

 

STARVELING

Excuse me, but do you see something strange about that donkey?

 

SNUG

Oh, it’s nothing, the hair around its head just looks a little… thicker. If I weren’t such a reasonable person, I’d say it had human hair.

 

PUCK appears by the donkey, and it turns around, revealing that it has BOTTOM’s head.

 

QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING

(Scream)

 

BOTTOM

(Screams louder than all of them combined, then faints)

 

PUCK

(Laughs) Ah, I made a tiny mistake, but who cares? All’s well that ends well!

 

QUINCE, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, STARVELING, and SNUG faint.

 

Exit PUCK.