This article is classified "Real"
In this, one of Shakespeare's earlier plays, we are given, by most
accounts, better characters than plot. The plot line is split into three
subplots, and the skeleton of Theseus's wedding to Hippolyta [1].
The first plot consists of the love affairs of four characters: Lysander,
Demetrius [3], Hermia, and Helene. At the beginning, Hermia loves
Lysander, Lysander loves Hermia, and Helene loves Demetrius. Problem is,
Demetrius loves Hermia, and Hermia's father loves Demetrius [4]. Thus,
Hermia is supposed to either marry Demetrius or, according to Athenian
Law, she may choose between being a nun or being dead. She doesn't
favour either option, so she and Lysander plot to run away together.
Oberon and Titania, rulers of the fairies, are having sort of a spat.
Titania has this Indian boy that she's apparently rather enamoured with, at
least to the point where she won't hand him over to Oberon. She can't
attend his revelries, nor he her orgies. In fact, they don't even like to
look at each other. Enter Puck, a mischievous goblin, and Oberon's new
tool of revenge.
Finally, the play! No, not the play, but the play "Pyramus and Thisbe",
being performed by a group of morons, most notably the town Weaver, Bottom.
He, apparently, is the veteran actor, or so they seem to think. Rather,
so he seems to think, because he also seems to think that he could play
any and all of the parts [5]. A good indication, here:
Quice: Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.
Flute: What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?
Quince: It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
Flute: Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming [6].
The real action of the play starts in the woods. Lysander and Hermia have
run off. Demetrius, in a fit to find her, gets Helene to tell him where
they are. He rushes to their proposed meeting place, with Helene
close on his heels.
Now, Oberon has been plotting some kind of trick to get that Indian boy,
and he hits upon a plan. Puck will go and find a certain flower which,
when its juice is put on someone's sleeping eyes, causes them to fall in
love with the first person they see when they wake [7]. While he is
getting the flower, Oberon spies on Demetrius and Helene, in particular the
way he continually spurns her love. He decides to be nice, but since the
two have left, Puck is given instructions to make a man in Athenian garb
fall in love with her. And, of course, to do something nasty to Titania.
He manages the second part pretty well. Coming upon the actors, he
discovers Bottom the weaver, being very loud and obnoxious. With just a
little alteration, he turns Bottom's head into that of an ass [8], and with
a little manipulation, Titania falls head over heels in love with him.
The first part is the problem. You see, Lysander and Hermia raced out to
the woods and, exhausted, fell asleep in the underbrush. Puck finds
Lysander and, through one thing and another, causes him to fall madly in
love with Helene. He finds out his mistake (too late) and also causes
Demitrius to fall in love with Helene. The two declare their undying love,
Helene thinks they're making fun of her, and they end up deciding to duel
over her.
Puck, of course, is laughing his, er, head off watching these four trying
to sort things out. Oberon, however, orders him to set things right, and
gives him something to counteract the effects of the juice [9]. So he
lures them one at a time, into the clearing, and remarkably makes them all
fall asleep together. He puts the new stuff on Lysander's eyes, and when
the four are discovered by a search party, all is well. The three pairs
[10] are getting married. Oberon gets the Indian boy from a love-stricken
Titania, and Bottom gets his head back. He doesn't get waited on hand and
foot by oddly-names fairies anymore, but hey, that's life!
This should have been the end of the play, but there's an encore! We get
to see the actors' performance of "Pyramus and Thisbe". More to the point,
we get to see the newly-married couples heckle "Pyramus and Thisbe". This
is the point where less couth audiences so do as well, and so long as
you're watching it on video, feel free to; it's fun.
For the average Hitchhiker who doesn't feel like reading or watching this
play, well, you're missing something. It's a short play, and can be read
in a few hours, while some of the lines (particularly Puck's) are great,
and more to the point, imminently quotable [11]. Not too much literary
value, other than some excellent character development. But hey, it's fun,
and it's a fairly easy read.
[1] He an Athenian Duke [2], she the Amazon Queen. Wedding of the stars,
here.
[2] You're right, there were no Dukes in Athens, which was a democracy.
Let's just pretend, okay?
[3] Other than Hermia's rejection of one and undying love for the other,
there is very little to tell Lysander and Demetrius apart, save the
convenient fact that Shakespeare wrote their names next to their lines.
If you are not reading the play, but rather watching, then pay attention
to what is being worn by whom, and you'll be okay.
[4] Yes, this is Ancient Greece, but not that kind of love. He just likes
the guy, okay?
[5] Don't laugh; I know actors like that.
[6] Well, I thought it was funny, especially if one imagines Flute
delivering that last line in a state of panic.
[7] Sound familiar?
[8] Bottom, Ass? Ass, Bottom? Get it? Got it? Good, let's go on.
[9] So you like the juice. The juice is good, eh? Oh, never mind.
[10] Forgot about Theseus and Hippolyta, huh? That's okay, so does
everyone else by this point.
[11] "Lord, what fools these mortals be."