A Midsummer Night's Dream

Bottom’s arrogance and self-importance make him a prime target for Puck’s mischief. How does Bottom’s physical transformation act as a reflection of his character?

Oberon uses his magical powers to entertain himself and win an argument against his wife. To what extent does Oberon act in a moral fashion? To what extent does he care about morality?

Puck and Oberon mock the mortals, and the fairies consider themselves separate from the people of Athens. How does the play portray the differences between the humans and fairies?

Athens is a strict and ordered society, while the woods are a chaotic and magical place. How does the conflict between order and chaos influence the development of the characters?

How does the relationship between Hermia and Helena develop, and how does this contribute to or reflect the play’s depiction of women and gender politics?

A Midsummer Night’s Dream portrays love as a complicated idea. Which characters reflect the most on the idea of love, and how do their reflections explore the play’s themes?

How does the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe provide a commentary on the play as a whole?

What role does the natural world play in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? What is the fairies’ relationship to nature, and how does it differ from the humans’?