Revised from Study Questions for Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. by JM Massi, Ph.D.
1. Consider the two courts--Fairy and Greek--against each other. What are
the major characteristics of each? How do Oberon and Theseus compare?
2. Puck is a character from English folklore. What is he doing in a fairy court with lesser fairies who sound like nature spirits, and a king from French tales ? How are we to take the fact that Puck's enchantment of Demetrius is allowed to continue at the end of the play?
3. Why does Theseus allow Lysander to marry Hermia against her father's wishes? What is the purpose of the subplot with Theseus's wedding?
4. What is the point of the subplot with the clowns? What is Bottom's "dream" about? Why does he want to make it into a show?
5. What is the point of the play-within-the-play? How does knowing Hippolyta's future affect our understanding of the tale's ending? What is the significance of Puck's epilogue? What does it mean for us to accept the play as a dream?