“Puck: The Heart and Soul of A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Within the genre of melodrama, the atmosphere and emotions of a story are romanticized and magical. Not only does it engage the audience emotionally, but it is also meant to be performed in a very exaggerated manner. William Shakespeare incorporates this melodramatic style into his plays with a specific purpose in mind. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare utilizes the sprightly character of Puck to reinforce the complexity of love, and the idea that magic sometimes causes more harm than good.
Although there is no definitive protagonist, Puck stands out as a character who steers the direction of the plot and gives movement to the actions that occur throughout the story. His character plays an extremely significant role in the play, since the plot and atmosphere of the play seem to revolve around all of his mischievous endeavors. Also, ironically known as Robin Goodfellow, Puck is described as a “shrewd and knavish sprite” (II.i.33). His character serves to remind the audience that the world of magic and fairies does not always consist of good deeds and saintly creatures. In addition, his character always puts a twist on the plot for comedic effect, admitting that, “As this their jangling I esteem a sport” (III.ii.353). Puck views his practical jokes as a game, not to be taken seriously. Without his lighthearted spirit, it would simply be a dull, happy ending without any sign of conflict or humor.
Shakespeare also emphasizes through Puck that human beings cannot be in control of love because it is much too powerful and complicated. He does so by alluding to the mythical god of romance as he remarks, “Cupid is a knavish lad, thus to make poor females mad” (III.ii.4...
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...e’s assertion that through magic, everything appears to be a dream. Additionally, he places an importance on the mysterious, unrestrained realm of the magical and fantastical world. The entire story consists of conflicts, but it ultimately becomes a happy ending for all, as Puck lifts the spell and each character falls in love with the right person.
Works Cited
DiYanni, Robert. "Elements of Drama: Character." Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 1270-272.
Meyer, Michael. "A Note on Reading Shakespeare." The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 1528.
Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Qtd. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. By Robert DiYanni. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 1392-453.
Throughout A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Puck exhibits manipulative tendencies towards the human characters: he deceives them yet, then again, brings them back to their “Athenian” senses (as displayed in the previous paragraph). In his epilogue, he treats the audience in much the same way. First, he wishes to gain their trust, “If we shadows have offended / Think but this, and all is mended” (5.1.430-431), and then proceeds to deceive them into thinking that “[they] had slumber’d here / While these visions did appear.” (5.1.432-433). Just as he reconciles the worlds of Athens and the Woods by reinstating “That every man should take his own” (3.2.459), Puck reassures the audience into making them believe that what they had witnessed in the woods was but a dream—without, of course, dismissing the idea of it happening altogether. In this manner, his ability not only to influence the human characters of the play, “On whose eyes I might approve / This flower’s force in stirring love” (2.2.68-69), but also to address the audience directly, “Give me your hands, if we be friends / And Robin shall restore amends” (5.1.444-445) further reinforces the notion that his character embodies the ambivalence in-between these contrasting worlds. He is not confined to these boundaries, but rather, makes use of
So from all of this I still have to say Puck is a good character. He
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and frequently performed comical plays (Berardinelli). The play transformed into a cinematic production by Michael Hoffman has not changed in its basic plot and dialogue, but the setting and some character traits have. The play setting has been gracefully moved from 16th century Greece to 19th century Tuscany (Berardinelli). The addition of bicycles to the play affects the characters in that they no longer have to chase each other around the woods, but can take chase in a more efficient fashion. As far as characters are concerned, Demetrius is no longer the smug and somewhat rude character we find in act 1, scene 1 (Shakespeare pg. 6, line 91), but rather a seemingly indifferent gentleman placed in an unfortunate circumstance set to delay his wedding to Hermia. Perhaps the most noticeable change in the character set from stage to film occurs in the characters of Puck and Nick Bottom.
The use and misuse of magic has an important role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As a reoccurring theme, Puck’s use of magic creates humor, conflict and balance in the play.
Dutton, R., & Howard, J.E. (2003). A Companion to Shakespeare’s Works.(p. 9) Maiden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Clark, W. G. and Wright, W. Aldis , ed. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Vol. 1. New York: Nelson-Doubleday
Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare. Edited Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.
Love and nature also play a huge part in the bizarre events that surround dreams and the concept of dreaming. While each of the four lovers dream of being with a particular significant other, bizarre circumstances, brought upon by Puck, allow for chaos and obvious confusion. But, probably one of the most bizarre situations within this production is the lines uttered by Puck at the completion of the production. These lines really relate to the concept of dreams because they make the audience question the outlandish events that had previously occurred or indeed, whether they had even occurred at all. Works Cited Shakespeare, William.
Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night revolves around a love triangle that continually makes twists and turns like a rollercoaster, throwing emotions here and there. The characters love each another, but the common love is absent throughout the play. Then, another character enters the scene and not only confuses everyone, bringing with him chaos that presents many different themes throughout the play. Along, with the emotional turmoil, each character has their own issues and difficulties that they must take care of, but that also affect other characters at same time. Richard Henze refers to the play as a “vindication of romance, a depreciation of romance…a ‘subtle portrayal of the psychology of love,’ a play about ‘unrequital in love’…a moral comedy about the surfeiting of the appetite…” (Henze 4) On the other hand, L. G. Salingar questions all of the remarks about Twelfth Night, asking if the remarks about the play are actually true. Shakespeare touches on the theme of love, but emphases the pain and suffering it causes a person, showing a dark and dismal side to a usually happy thought.
... featured one last time in the epilogue to this scene, where he tells the audience that if they do not enjoy the play, they should think of it as nothing more than a dream. If the audience does enjoy the play, they should give Puck "their hands," or applaud. Thus Puck is cleaning up for more than the fairies problems in the last soliloquy, as he cleans up for the entire play as well. Both of the fools were necessary in this play. Puck's tricks and loyalty makes Oberon's goals and the happiness of the lovers possible. Bottom's foolishness provides for comedy for both the characters in the play and the audience, and it’s his transformation which enables Oberon to obtain the boy from Titania. Puck, Oberon's fool, and Bottom, the fool of the play, both provide comedy and some-what intelligent observations, which make them an important part of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The Role Of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream & nbsp; The role and character of Puck, or Robin Goodfellow, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, is not only entertaining, but quite useful. & nbsp; William Shakespeare seems to have created the character of Puck from his own childhood. In Shakespeare's time it was believed that fairies and little people did exist. Whenever something went wrong around the farmyard or house or village, incidents such as buckets of milk ‘accidentally' spilling over, or tools suddenly disappearing, or doors opening for no reason, it was blamed on ‘ those damn little people are amazing! i.e. a sym & nbsp; The idea of Puck's character is a lovely one. One can't help but be attracted to him and his innocent, little pranks. He is also known by the name Robin Goodfellow. The audience can only see this ‘Robin Goodfellow' side of. Puck when he is trying to fix something he disrupted, hence the name Goodfellow. & nbsp; When compared to Oberon, King of the Fairies and Titania, Queen of the Fairies and the remaining fairies of the play, Puck does not seem to fit in as well. well. While Oberon and Titania belong to the forest and the world of dainty fairies, a small village setting seems more appropriate for Puck. He is the type of fairy that likes to be around mortals and cause them trouble, as opposed to the snare. to other fairies. This is why Puck's little job with a love potion and a young couple is perfect for him and perfect for the job. & nbsp; Puck is a likable character who tends to create mischief around himself.
Puck causes the disruption initially, when he intervenes in the lovers' business. Jester and jokester, Puck, otherwise known as Robin Goodfellow, is like a wild, untamed memb...
Granville Barker's Prefaces to Shakespeare: A Midsummer Nights Dream: The Winter's Tale: The Tempest. Granville Barker. Heinemann, 1994.
Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 2004.
To emphasize, in Act III, the reader is presented with the play’s most extraordinary contrast, the relationship between Titania and Bottom. “What wakes me from my flow’ry bed?” (III.i.131). Titania is awoken by the so-called melodic singing of Bottom. In the present scene, both characters are under some particular sort of spell. Titania’s eyes were anointed with the nectar of the love flower, thus causing her to fall in love with the next living thing she encounters. In the meantime, Puck pulled a prank on Bottom, turning his head into that of an ass. Both characters of the play are interpreted as complete opposites. Titania, characterized as the beautiful, graceful fairy queen; Bottom is portrayed as overdramatic, self centered, and as of now, not keen on the eyes. However, the love nectar never fails and seems to bring the two into a state of lust. The contrast between the two is overwhelming. An important scene in the pl...