The Worlds of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
THE WORLD OF THE ATHENIAN COURT
Here are some of the things that happen in this world:
 The Duke describes his courtship of his bride-to-be.
 Great celebrations are planned in honour of the Duke’s marriage.
 The Duke makes an important legal decision when a daughter refuses to
marry the man her father has chosen for her.
 The Duke goes hunting.
 A silly play is performed at a royal wedding.
THE WORLD OF THE FAIRY KINGDOM
Here are some of the things that happen in this world:
 The King and Queen of the fairies quarrel.
 A fairy puts some magic juice in the lovers’ eyes while they lie asleep in
the forest.
 The King plays a trick on the Queen.
 The Queen falls in love with a donkey.
 The Queen comes to her senses.
 The King and Queen of the fairies make up.
THE WORLD OF THE MECHANICALS
Here are some of the things that happen in this world:
 Six workmen – mechanicals as they are sometimes called – rehearse a
play to celebrate the Duke’s wedding.
 One of the mechanicals, called Bottom, wants to play all the parts,
especially the lion.
 A fairy uses magic to give Bottom a donkey’s head.
 The fairy Queen falls in love with Bottom and has her fairies wait on him.
 The mechanicals think that the Duke likes their play and ask if he wants
to see some more entertainment.
THE WORLD OF THE LOVERS
Here are some of the things that happen in this world:
 A girl disobeys her father to marry the man she loves.
 Two lovers plan to run away to a forest.
 A fairy puts magic juice on one of the lovers’ eyes while they sleep.
 Under a magic spell, one of the lovers falls madly in love with his
girlfriend’s best friend.
 Everyone marries happily in the end.
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