What is the role of supernatural elements in A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare?

Suryadeep Seal 3,108 words

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 CATERING TO THE AUDIENCE ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 THE SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS AS AN INDIVIDUAL PLOT ............................................................................................... 7 THE SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS AS A PART OF THE COMPLETE PLOT ........................................................................ 9 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Introduction
Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends. The aforementioned concluding lines of the play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, by William Shakespeare summarize the mystical journey the author leads us into through the medium of the play. The play abounds with references and allusions to diverse myths, beautifully combined with the theme of fairies. These supernatural elements in the play, not only provide for more interesting reading, but also serve a purpose as significant thematic motifs. Even though the fairy kingdom of Oberon and Titania form a significant part of the main plot, its interactions with the other characters is also of crucial importance to the storyline and the central theme of the absurdity and chaos of love. The character of Puck, the hobgoblin also is extremely significant to the play, since he not only introduces a sense of hilarity to the play, but also connects the other plots of the story involving the lovers and the rustics to form a complete portrayal of the central ideas of the play. Without the presence of the fairies, the play would have been rather fragmented in its approach, and it would have been difficult to amalgamate the different storylines together. Besides providing unity to the play, the use of supernatural elements also incorporates into itself popular folklore and myths, which increases the ability of the play to connect with the audience and the spectators. Beautifully entwined with poetry, and use of vivid imagery, the play evokes the senses to actually visualize the sphere of fairies and their effect on mortals around them. The scope of this paper is to delve into the nature and significance of the supernatural elements in the play, to what extent they were vital to convey the theme and central ideas of the play and how they comprise the finest modern artistic realization of the fairy kingdom. 1

Catering to the Audience

A key aspect of A Midsummer Nights Dream is the persistent coming together of the refined with the rustic. While the play opens with the wedding preparations of Theseus and Hippolyta, it is immediately
1

T. F. Thiselton Dyer, Folk-Lore of Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1884, accessed 7 August 2007), p.1;

available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91871881; Internet.

succeeded by a group of commoners deciding on the play they are going to perform for the wedding. This was in order to ensure the play reaches out to the various strata of society present in the audience. This trend is even seen in his depiction of the fairies and other supernatural beings. Constantly, a balance is struck so that the play can be identified with, both by the aristocratic component of the audience and the commoners. England, during Shakespearean times was a monarchy, and the two regents under whose rules Shakespeare wrote were Elizabeth I and James I, previously James VI of Scotland. The king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania similar to any monarchy, have their own kingdom, which is revealed when Titania ask Oberon, why he had Come from the furthest steppe of India? 2 Shakespeare first saw Elizabeth in August, 1566 as a boy of two. 3 As suggested by many critics, this may have created an impression on the young Shakespeares mind and was manifested in many of his plays. Even in this play, the pomp and pageantry of the royal procession can be seen in Act II, Scene I, when an attendant of the Queen who was making preparations for Titania to come with entourage says: And I serve the fairy queen, To dew her orbs upon the green, The Cowslips tall her pensioners be; In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies, fairy favours, In those freckles live their savours.4 Elizabeth was succeeded by James I, who was thirty seven, and about the same age as Shakespeare. Described to be obstinate, prejudiced, superstitious and narrow-minded though he was, he had a warm and generous heart, and was bent on extravagantly enjoying himself in his new and far more wealthy kingdom,

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939.

p.49
3

F. E. Halliday, Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961, accessed 7 August 2007), 20; available from

Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=3791171; Internet.

4

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press,

1939.p.47.

James proved to be a better patron for Shakespeare, evident from the change of name of the playing company he worked for, Lord Chamberlains Men to Kings Men. 5 Macbeth was in ways a tribute to James I, and his belief in the supernatural.6 Even though A Midnight Summers Dream may have been written prior to James Is accession to the throne, his personality may have been reflected in monarchs before him. Therefore, Shakespeares use of the supernatural may have been strongly influenced by his associations with the monarchy. A rather interesting fact to note is that Protestantism had spread by this time, and in fact, for the post of Archbishop of Canterbury, Elizebeth I had selected the moderate Protestant, Matthew Parker.7 Despite this, Shakespeare alludes to classical Greek myths and spirits, which did not conform to Protestant standards. Yet, it was shown to become an eventual success and this may indicate that the play could have even been used as propaganda since Shakespeare shows his reverence for the monarchs by showing their benevolent aspect. In Act II, Scene I, Titania tells Oberon how he had come To give their bed joy and prosperity, referring to him blessing Theseus and Hippolyta.8 Again, in Act II, Scene II, Oberon asks Puck to use the enchanted juice on Demetrius so that he falls in love with Helena. Shakespeare held great reverence for dignities, and the main characters in his plays were very courteous and polite. 9Oberon and Titania are no different. Even as monarchs, they do not compromise with their dignity when they fight or argue. Even though Frye states that anything that even looked like such an allusion, beyond the conventional compliments, could be dangerous,10 Shakespeare definitely wrote the plays with the monarch at least, partially,

F. E. Halliday, Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961, accessed 7 August 2007), 20; available from

Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=3791171; Internet

6

Victor L. Cahn, The Plays of Shakespeare: A Thematic Guide [book on-line] (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001, accessed 7

August 2007), 321; available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=100993386; Internet.

7

F. E. Halliday, Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961, accessed 7 August 2007), 18; available from

Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=3791169; Internet.

8

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939.

p. 49
9

Brooke,Stopford. On Ten Plays of Shakespeare. Ams Pr Inc, 1971. Harold Bloom, ed., William Shakespeare''s a Midsummer Night''s Dream [book on-line] (New York: Chelsea House, 1987,

10

accessed 7 August 2007), 120; available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98109196; Internet.

if not completely in mind. By including attributes of the rulers in his play, Shakespeare increased the ability of the play to connect with the audience, since they could picture Titania and Oberon in the likeness of their rulers. Another ploy Shakespeare uses to make the fairies a part of the audience was by giving them traits that an ordinary human would have. It must be noted that Shakespeares audience was a cross-section of London, with a predominance of educated and intelligent people than "a broode of Hellbred creatures." 11 To cater to such an assemblage of spectators, Shakespeare had to craft his characters blending sophistication with simplicity. As suggested by Dyer, fairies were much in fashion12 during Shakespearean days. Being aware of this, Shakespeare incorporates metaphysical elements into the play by using the peoples beliefs to construct the basis of his characters, and giving them personalities rather unconventionally. Even though they possess supernatural powers to overcast the night, and cover the starry welkin with black fog, they are not immune to human feelings. As revealed from the conversation between Titania and Oberon they both are jealous of each others attraction for Theseus and Hippolyta, respectively. At the same time, they quarrel and are stubborn, made explicit when Titania refuses to give Oberon the boy, and says: Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away! We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. 13 Deviating from conventional perceptions of fairies to be from a completely different realm altogether, Shakespeare ensures that they are less divine and more human. Even when the fairy introduces the character of Puck, she talks about how he skimmed milk, how he did not let the drink bear no barm and even mislead night wanderers.14 Due to lesser developments in science and those days, such events lacked rational explanations. Shakespeare plays on the ignorance of the audience, and by attributing such occurrences to Puck; he not only strengthens the character of Puck, but also incorporates rudimentary social beliefs into the play. In fact, Puck etymologically is derived from pouke, being an old word

11 12

Ibid. p.47 T. F. Thiselton Dyer, Folk-Lore of Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1884, accessed 7 August 2007), 2;

available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91871882; Internet.

13

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press,

1939.p.52.
14

Ibid. p. 48

for devil.15 By alluding to an age old myth, he again evokes the audience to understand and feel the ideas of the play.

The nomenclature of Oberon may have French or German roots while Titania may have traits reminiscent of Diana or Proserpina from classical Greek myths. 16 While such references to classical myths may appeal to the more intellectual audience, Shakespeare includes the rustics, and gives his fairies humanly features, which may have appealed to the bucolic crowds. The climax of this blending is Titanias infatuation with Bottom, who had the head of a donkey. This may be symbolic of a merging of the classes and a reflection of the audience which saw the play.

The Supernatural elements as an individual plot

The storyline of A Midsummer Nights Dream, comprises four stories, which intertwine with each other. These include the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, the love tangle among Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, the quarrel between Titania and Oberon, and finally, the preparations of the rustics to present The Interlude of Pyramus and Thisby. The plot of Titania and Oberon, accompanied by Puck serves as the connection between these plots, and beautifully combines all three together, and at the same time, retaining its autonomy as an individual storyline. Act II, Scene I introduces the fairy world, and its chief characteristics. With diminutive size, the fairies are as tall as cowslips and able to creep into acorn-cups. 17Also they move with impetuous speed, made evident from a fairys declaration that she wandered. swifter than the moon.18 Besides these physical characteristics and their personality traits discussed previously, the quarrel between Titania and Oberon has its own part in the play. It is this quarrel that insinuates Oberon to ask Puck to obtain the western flower

15

T. F. Thiselton Dyer, Folk-Lore of Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1884, accessed 7 August 2007), 4;

available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91871884; Internet.

16 17

Ibid. p.6

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939. p. 48 18 Ibid. p. 47

on which a bolt of cupid fell.19 When she was in a state of slumber, he obtained the child he desired, and at the same time, caused the enchanted Titania to fall in love with Bottom who now possessed the head of a donkey. After he undoes the magic, and everything is set back to normal, they reconcile their differences and even bless Theseus and Hippolytas wedding. However, despite their involvement in the affairs of the mortals, they do so without the awareness of the mortals. Oberon, in Act II, Scene II says, But who comes here? I am invisible This physical invisibility also suggests the gap between the supernatural elements in the play and the mortals. Throughout the play, all the human characters in the play remain oblivious to their presence. In the beginning of Act V, Scene I, Hippolyta comments saying, But all the story of the night told over, And all their minds transfigurd so together, More witnesseth than fancys images, And grows to something of great constancy, But, howsoever, strange and admirable.20 These lines sum up the occurrences of the night. She is the closest among the mortals to identify that the incidents of the night were more than a phantasm, and were rather consistent indicative that it may be a reality. However, rather than their own plot, the storyline of the fairies is significant because it adds to the lyrical beauty of the play, by incorporating verse and poetry. An example of this is when Oberon describes the location of the charmed flower: I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows;

19

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939. p. 53 20 Ibid. p. 101

Quite over canopied with lush woodbine, With sweet musk roses and with Eglantine Most conversations between Oberon and Titania occur in this poetic form. Such sensually stimulating descriptions increase the depth of the text, and at the same time display Shakespeares genius at effusing poetry so beautifully in the drama. Thus, the play becomes a dramatic lyric, reeking with opulent dialogues primarily due to the presence of Titania and Oberon. Even though this may not the highest order of poetry, it is rich in imagery that evokes pictures in the mind of the reader. However, being a play, such poetic lines magnified the emotions of the characters on stage.

The Supernatural elements as a part of the complete plot

The opening scene of the play is rather clichd in its approach, with Egeus rushing to Theseus with a complaint about how his daughter, Hermia did not want to marry a man of his choice, Demetrius and rather preferred Lysander. Such complications in love, as seen in Romeo and Juliet seem rather conventional. Even their running away to the forest to escape the Athenian law is suggestive of a stereotypical romance. However, a breath of freshness enters the text when the fairies are introduced. Deviating from conventional romance, Puck provides comic relief and adds a rather unexpected twist to the story. The first three scenes delve into all four stories individually, opening with Theseus and Hippolyta and then gradually moving from the love triangle of Lysander, Hermia and Demetrius to Bottom and his artisans, and finally Titania and Oberon. Firstly, to ensure a continuity in the plot, Titania accuses Oberon of having come all the way from India for his buskind mistress and warrior love,21 referring to Hippolyta. To this, Oberon retorts how Titania had helped Theseus get away from Perigouna, and have relationships with Aegles, Ariadne and Antiopa. Later, when Oberon observes Demetrius thwarting Helenas love, he asks Puck to anoint his eyes,22 referring to Demetrius. The nature of this facet of the plot, the flower indicated that the intricacies which occur in the story shall occur more due to the action of the supernatural beings, rather than the
21

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939.

p. 49
22

Ibid. p. 57

characters, themselves. However, when Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, and Lysander falls in love with Helena, matters are more complicated. Shakespeare, then ties in Bottom into the plot, by making Puck fix a donkeys head on him, and Oberon anointing Titanias eyes with the juice of the flower to ensure she falls in love with him. The occurrence of these events, not only helps unite different aspects of the play, but also is integral to a central theme of the play, the absurdity of love. In Act I, Scene I Helena soliloquizes saying: Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love can transpose with dignity. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged cupid painted blind. Nor hath Loves mind of any judgment taste; Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste. And therefore is love said to be a child; Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.23 Again, in Act V, Scene I Theseus tells Hippolyta: The lunatic, the lover and the poet Are of imagination all compact One sees more devils than vast hell can hold; That is the madman: the lover, all as frantic, Sees Helens beauty in a brow of Egypt.24 These two portions of the play serve as the prologue and epilogue, respectively. In both, the lover is described to think more as hysteria, yet retaining a sublime and ethereal connotation, as suggested by Helena. Helenas soliloquy also reveals the plot that is eventually going to unfurl. The beguiled love she speaks of that is caused due to fallacious misjudgment, is brought about by the enchanted juice of the pansy applied on
23

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939. p. 42 24 Ibid. p. 100.

Titania, Lysander, and Demetrius eventually leading to ultimate chaos. However, after realizing his folly, the disorder returns to order. Puck deceives Demetrius and Lysander, leading them in frantic circles, until they sleep, thoroughly exhausted. Finally under the effect of the juice, again used by Puck, the lovers are united, as if all the occurrences of the midsummers night had merely been a dream, as is explained by Puck in the concluding lines of the play: If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumberd here While these visions did appear 25 This in essence suggests and indicates how the fairies and other supernatural elements in the play were rather crucial as dramatic devices to provide wholeness to the play. The pandemonium set into motion by them, is ultimately brought to order, leaving behind only a delusion like presence. The fairies not only lead to the bizarre occurrences of the midsummer nights dream, but also those that eventually culminate into the ending of the play. This perfect ending also reveals how true love triumphs, in contrast to Girards claim that Shakespeare is more interested in this systematically self-defeating type of passion than in the initial theme of "true love," something unconquerable by definition and always in need of villainous enemies if it is to provide any semblance of dramatic plot.26 Throughout the play, love is seen as awe-inspiring and true. It is love that spurs Lysander and Hermia to venture into the forests to escape Athenian laws. At the same time, Helenas love for Demetrius urges her to inform him of them going into the woods. Even though some may feel that the juice of the pansy ultimately rectifies matters, in reality the juice only sets right the wrong it had done. Even though there are no actual villains in the play, true love does have perils in the play, including Egeus intervention, and a drift in loyalties under the effect of the enchanted juice.

25

Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939.

p. 116
26

Harold Bloom, ed., William Shakespeare''s a Midsummer Night''s Dream [book on-line] (New York: Chelsea House, 1987, accessed 7 August 2007), 16; available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98109092; Internet.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the supernatural elements in the play are intricately woven into the fabric of the plot. The play, very aptly titled A Midsummer Nights Dream brings to life characters that we visualize only in our dreams. As discussed above, they enrich the literary content of the play, and also connect the diverse aspects of the play into one blend. Simultaneously, they ensure that the drama truly belongs to the genre it belongs to, a comedy, providing comic relief and moments of hilarity amidst all the chaos Puck leads the reader into. In fact, it would be apt to say that the popularity and success of A Midsummer Nights Dream is primarily due to the presence of the supernatural forces in the play. However, what is questionable is the reason why Shakespeare incorporated Metaphysical elements into his play, besides their literary aspect. As noted, Shakespeares play did seek to cater the needs of the audience and its various components. This may suggest that Shakespeare may have written the play to ensure that it drew a larger audience, and probably a greater profit, or as suggested previously, propaganda. If this was the case, then it implies that Shakespeare used the rudimentary beliefs of Elizabethan society for material gains. In a post-Renaissance era, he should have probably used his creative flair to speak more about how such superstitions were baseless, and should have emphasized on the Renaissance themes of man being dependant on himself, rather than spirits. However, in spite of this discrepancy, A Midsummer Nights Dream continues to be a work of sheer literary creative ingenuity and the plethora of supernatural elements in it shall continue to allure and placate one and all.

Bibliography
Shakespeare, William. The New Clarendon Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1939. T. F. Thiselton Dyer, Folk-Lore of Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1884, accessed 7 August 2007); available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91871881; Internet. Harold Bloom, ed., William Shakespeare''s a Midsummer Night''s Dream [book on-line] (New York: Chelsea House, 1987, accessed 7 August 2007); available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98109123; Internet.

F. E. Halliday, Shakespeare [book on-line] (New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961, accessed 7 August 2007); available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=3791171; Internet Victor L. Cahn, The Plays of Shakespeare: A Thematic Guide [book on-line] (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001, accessed 7 August 2007); available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=100993386; Internet.