A glance at one of Shakespeare's plays.
A Royal wedding was to be held in the city of Athens between Hippolyta and the Duke of Athens, Theseus. This was to take place in four days time on the first of May.
During their talks about the wedding, Duke Egeus arrives and tells them that he is unhappy about the situation of his daughter not marrying Demetreus, even though he has given his blessing. Hermia will not marry Demetrius, because she is in love with someone else.
The someone else is the object of her affection Lysander. Egeus says that Lysander has won her over with compliments and gifts. The Duke comes and points out to Hermia, that it is a law in Athens not to go against a father's wishes, and that if she refuses to marry Demetrius she will either be condemned to death or will spend the rest of her as a nun in the convent.
The Duke gives Hermia 4 days to decide what she is going to do.
Just outside Athens lies Lysander's Aunt's house, and both Hermia and Lysander decide to hide there. Helena is Hermia's best school friend, so they decide to explain the situation, but Helena does not do as they ask.
She disobeys them, because she is in love with Demetrius and at one time Demetrius was in love with her. So Helena thinks that if she tells Demetrius that Lysander and Hermia are running away that Demetrius will be kind and graceful to her.
Now Demetrius is going to follow Lysander and Hermia into the woods and Helena decides to follow Demetrius.
Meanwhile some ordinary folk in Athens decide to put on a play for The Duke and his bride. Amongst the ordinary folk are Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout, and Starveling, but they do not know a thing about acting or writing a play to be acted out.
These men can not agree on who should play what so they decide to meet at moonlight in the Woods.
Now inside these same Woods that the men are meeting and that Lysander and Hermia are going to run away, the King and Queen fairies are to be found. They have come here in honour of the wedding.
Oberon and Titania were arguing about a young Indian boy, and one of Oberon's servants hears them. They both want the Indian boy to work for them.
Oberon plays a trick on Titania by placing magic flower juice over her eyelids so that she will fall in love with the first thing she sees when she awakens.
Demetrius enters the woods in search of Hermia and Lysander, but he is angry that he is followed by the forelorn, Helena. Oberon overhears the conversation between Demetrius and Helena. He feels sorry for Helena and decides to have Puck place the magic flower juice on Demetrius.
He hopes that Demetreus will fall in love with Helena. Puck mistakenly puts the magic flower on Lysander instead of Demetrius. It is nightfall. Lysander and Hermia fall fast asleep. Helena finds Lysander in the woods and awakens him. Lysander and Helena go off together, now in love.
All the tradesmen meet in the woods. Puck, being mischievous, turns Bottom's head into an ass.
Embarrassed and frightened by his friends, Bottom runs away accidently waking up Titania. Titania falls in love with ass-head Bottom. Demetrius discovers Hermia whist in the woods and the two of them fall in love.
In the end, the magic potion wears off. All is back to normal, Hermia and Lysander get married as well as Helena and Demetrius.
About the Author
Art specialist David Tatham, has for many years been selling fine original works of art for the discerning collector, a view of some work for sale can be seen at http://www.davidshepherd.com
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