A Midsummer Night’s Dream
(William Shakespeare’s)

Act One

Act One, Scene One

In Athens, surrounded by an attending court including Philostrate, an official, Theseus, the Duke of Athens and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, discuss their upcoming wedding. They will measure the days left by the waxing of the moon: they have four days before their marriage takes place. Theseus has captured Hippolyta after he defeated the Amazons in a fierce battle; now that he has defeated her with his sword, he intends to defeat her in other ways. With love!

Theseus asks Philostrate to make the Athenian youths happy, and draw them out of their sadness. He leaves to do so. As Theseus continues to express his promises to Hippolyta, they are interrupted by visitors. It is Egeus, an Athenian courtier, with his daughter, Hermia, and her two suitors. He begs for Theseus to force his daughter to marry Demetrius, who he has given permission to marry his daughter. The only problem is that Hermia is in love with Lysander, who Egeus claims has put a spell over his daughter to make her disobey him. He accuses Lysander of pretending to be in love with Hermia, and then asks Theseus for his right as a father: to either force Hermia to marry Demetrius or to kill her for her disobedience.

Theseus asks for Hermia's opinions but warns her to think carefully because Egeus is her father, and should be a God to her. Hermia claims Lysander is as worthy as her father is and wishes that he could see things from her point of view, but Theseus chastises her for this—she must see things from her father's perspective. Theseus tells her to think carefully about her decisions: either she will be locked away as a pure and holy nun, or die a happily married woman. Hermia would rather be locked away than lose her virginity to a man she doesn't love. Theseus gives her time to think: by the time he and Hippolyta marry she has to decide between becoming a nun, death, and marrying Demetrius.

Lysander and Demetrius argue between themselves. Lysander tells him to go marry Egeus as he loves Demetrius so much. Lysander begs Egeus to see his side: he loves Hermia, which should count for more than what Demetrius can provide. He reveals Demetrius has been seeing Helena and now Helena loves him! Theseus admits he had heard about this, but had not had time to ask Demetrius yet. Theseus asks Demetrius and Egeus to come with him to talk about something and gives Hermia a final warning to think about her decision. Everyone leaves but Lysander and Hermia.

Lysander comments on Hermia's pale face. She is upset. Lysander tells her not to worry—that throughout history love has overcome many obstacles. Lysander reminds her that sometimes love has to overcome differences in class, or age, or relies on the opinions of others. Hermia thinks these are all awful things to have to face, but stand as enough reason for them to fight for their love too. Hermia and Lysander plan to meet each other in the woods the following night so they can run away to his Aunt's house and marry.

Helena comes in. They politely disagree with one another as to which of them is the most beautiful. Helena is upset that Demetrius prefers Hermia and is jealous of her beauty, voice, and eyes. She would give the entire world to have Demetrius for herself. She asks Hermia's advice for how to get Demetrius' attention, but Hermia doesn't actually know what she's done; she frowns at him and he still loves her! Helena wishes she could smile as well as Hermia frowns! Helena blames Hermia's beauty for Demetrius refusing to pay her any attention. Hermia tells her not to worry; she won't be around for too much longer as she and Lysander are running away! She and Lysander tell Helena exactly where they will be meeting. Hermia asks her to pray for them and hopes she and Demetrius finally fall in love, and then disappears, claiming she and Lysander can't be seen together just in case they are found out. Lysander then leaves.

By herself, Helena laments her situation. She knows other people in Athens think she is just as pretty as Hermia, but it doesn't matter because Demetrius doesn't think so. They are both obsessed with someone they can't have. She is upset that Demetrius promised to love her forever before he met Hermia, and so to get back at her, she'll tell Demetrius about their plan to run away and elope. Hopefully Demetrius will be grateful to her for the information, which will be worth it in her fight against her rival, Hermia.

Act One, Scene Two

The artists who will perform at Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding party rehearse. Quince, Snug, Bottom, Flute, Snout and Starveling gather together and listen as Quince hands out positions in the play. Bottom generally interrupts at every possible moment. He asks Quince to tell them the name of the play, which is A Very Tragic Comedy About the Horrible Deaths of Pyramus and Thisbe. Bottom will play the title role of Pyramus, who kills himself for love.

Bottom claims he will make the audience cry endlessly, bids Quince to name the other actors, and then interrupts to deliver his lines. Bottom believes his performance was truly inspirational. Quince doesn't respond and continues to carry on giving out the parts to the actors. Flute is to play Thisbe, Pyramus' lover, but he doesn't want to because he has a beard growing. Quince tells him that he can wear a mask, which prompts Bottom to ask to play Thisbe, as well as Pyramus, wearing a mask when required. Quince refuses: he'll play Pyramus, no one else. Quince gives out the rest of the roles: Robin as Thisbe's mother, Snout as Pyramus' father, Quince as Thisbe's father and Snug in the part of the Lion.

Snug is worried he won't be able to learn his lines, but Quince assures him all he needs to do is roar. Bottom wants to play the Lion as well because he'll roar so well that the Duke will ask him to roar again. Quince believes his roar might scare the Duchess and her ladies; they would be put to death! Bottom will roar gently then. Quince once again tells him that he will play the part of Pyramus and no other because he's the only one who could play such a handsome man. Bottom finally agrees to just play Pyramus and asks Quince what kind of beard he should have, but Quince doesn't genuinely care. Bottom lists the different kinds of beards he could have, but Quince points out that not all French people have beards, and he could play it clean shaven.

Quince hands out the scripts and asks them to learn their lines by the next night, and meet him in the woods a mile out of town in the moonlight. This is to avoid people interrupting or watching them while they rehearse. He asks them not to fail him. Bottom promises that they will be there and work hard. Quince tells them to meet by the giant oak tree in the Duke's woods. They leave.

Act Two

Act Two, Scene One

In the wood near Athens, a Fairy and Robin Goodfellow meet. Robin asks her where she is going; she tells him that she has gone everywhere. She works for Titania, the Fairy Queen. She bids him farewell as the Queen and her followers will arrive soon. Robin warns her that King Oberon is planning to throw a party in the area that night, and that she should keep the Queen away. He's upset with her because she's stolen a boy from an Indian King, and Oberon wants the boy to accompany him while they travel through the wild forests. The Queen, he reveals, has refused to give him the boy, and now they won't talk to each other.

The Fairy asks if he's Robin Goodfellow, who she has heard of. She accuses him of being mischievous, scaring the ladies in the nearby village, keeping people lost at night and stealing the cream from the top of milk. She reveals he is also sometimes called Puck, or Hobgoblin, and those who call him these names receive virtuous deeds from him. Robin admits it: he tells jokes to Oberon, pretends to be a stool and makes people fall over, and generally takes part in mischief. He announces Oberon is approaching. The Fairy wishes he would go away because Titania is also arriving.

On either sides of the wooded area, Titania and Oberon enter with their courts. They are not pleased to see each other. Titania asks her Fairies to make Oberon leave, but he makes them wait a moment; surely she should be obedient to her husband? She points out that if she has to be faithful to him, then he should be faithful to her, and not spend his days in the fields with other girls. Titania goes on to point out that the only reason he has returned is to wish Theseus well in his marriage to Hippolyta, who was once his own love. Oberon is shocked that she hasn't bothered to mention her own love for Theseus. She has even interfered in Theseus' past love life to break up his relationships!

Titania points out that their constant bickering has had an enormous impact on the world around them: fogs have risen up, and corn has rotted, diseases are rife, no one sings anymore, and the seasons have changed their characteristics. Oberon promises that all these wrongs will be put right as long as she hands over the Indian boy to him. The boy's mother was a follower and friend of Titania's and died during childbirth, and so she takes care of him instead for her sake. Oberon asks Titania how long she intends on staying in the woods. She will only stay until after Theseus is married. After Oberon once again asks for the boy, Titania calls her fairies to follow her away from this place otherwise she will continue to argue with him.

Oberon asks Robin to fetch him a flower hit by a stray arrow from Cupid's bow that was aimed at a woman under a vow of chastity. Liquid from the flower when smeared on the eyelids of a sleeping person will make a man or woman fall in love with the next person they see. Oberon wants this done fast; Robin will move fast enough to circle the earth in 40 minutes!

Robin leaves Oberon alone. In an aside, Oberon reveals that plans to use this on Titania to make her fall in love with the next thing she sees so that he can take the Indian boy from her. He doesn't even care if she falls in love with a bull, wolf or lion! Hearing Demetrius and Helena approaching, Oberon makes himself invisible.

Demetrius tells Helena to go home and stop pursuing him—he doesn't love her. He is looking for Lysander and Hermia, but is finding it difficult to find them. Helena will love him no matter what he does, despite how unworthy she thinks she is. Demetrius warns her that she is in a difficult and dangerous situation with a man she should not trust: he could rape her and take her virginity. Helena does not think of herself as alone because he is the entire world to her. Demetrius threatens to run away from her and leave her to wild animals. She'll still run after him. Demetrius begs her to leave him alone, and once again threatens to hurt her. Helena tells him that he's already hurt her—women, she believes, aren't meant to pursue men, but to be pursued! Demetrius leaves, followed by Helena who doesn't mind if she dies by the hand of the person she loves.

Oberon promises Helena she'll be the one who is pursued by the end of the night. Robin returns with the flower. He describes a place covered with growing flowers where Titania sleeps. Oberon will go there and smear a little part of the flower onto her eyelids. He gives a part of the flower to Robin and asks him to spread it across an Athenian man's eyes so that the next thing he'll see is Helena. He wants it done so that he'll love her more than she loves him. They leave, going in separate directions.

Act Two, Scene Two

Titania enters with her Fairies. She asks them to sing her to sleep before they go off to complete their work. They do, warning away snakes and other nasty things while their Queen sleeps. One of them stands guard over her while the others fly away to do their work.

Oberon enters and smears the flower juice across Titania's eyelids. He tells her to fall in love with the first thing that she sees when she wakes up, and bids her to wake up only when something nasty wanders by her. Oberon leaves.

Lysander and Hermia enter. He admits that he doesn't know where they are and is worried about how pale Hermia is. He suggests that they rest for a while to regain their strength, which Hermia agrees to. She'll sleep against a tiny hill, and tells Lysander to find something to sleep against, as well. Lysander disagrees; they'll sleep against the hill together because their love makes them one. Hermia isn't so sure she wants Lysander so close and asks him to sleep further away. Lysander assures her that he only meant it innocently. He believes that two hearts that love each other can be seen as one heart. They are connected by their vow of faith and should sleep close by. Hermia once again refuses: she wants to behave as they should. She is, however, thankful for his love, and wishes that it will always be this strong for her. Lysander agrees, and the two go to sleep.

Robin enters, still trying to find the Athenian youth to smear the flower juice on. He sees Lysander and Hermia and realizes that they must be the people he's been looking for. He smears the juice across Lysander's eyes and chastises Hermia for sleeping so close to someone so cruel. Robin adds another charm to the juice to prevent Lysander from being able to sleep again because of his overwhelming love. Robin leaves to find Oberon.

Demetrius enters, chased by Helena, who begs him to stay still even if it's to kill her. Demetrius tells her to leave, but Helena is afraid of being left alone. He couldn't possibly leave her alone in the woods! Demetrius leaves, telling her to find her own way as he's going to continue trying to find Hermia.

Helena is exhausted from chasing Demetrius. She wonders aloud how Hermia's eyes are so much brighter than hers—she assumes its because Hermia does not need to cry as much, whereas she is always upset. She compares herself to a bear, as even beasts run away from her in fear when they meet; of course Demetrius would run away from her when she looks like a monster. Suddenly she sees Lysander lying on the ground. After a brief moment of fear that he is actually dead, she bids Lysander wake up.

He does—when he sees Helena he proclaims his love for her! Lysander wonders where Demetrius is for he wants to run a sword through him and kill him. Helena tells him that he doesn't need to kill Demetrius because Hermia loves him, and for that he should be happy. Lysander doesn't understand why he would be happy with Hermia. To him, she's boring. It's more than logical to love Helena more than Hermia. His reason now guides him instead of his desire, and now he can see all love stories in her eyes.

Instead of believing him, Helena thinks he's making fun of her. She is upset that not only will she never be able to have Demetrius, but that Lysander has to treat her like this. She thought Lysander was much kinder than this. Before she leaves, she once again tells him that it is terribly cruel for a man to emotionally abuse her after another has already rejected her. She flees.

Lysander realizes that Helena had not seen Hermia. He begs Hermia not to wake up or come near him again—she is too sickly sweet for him to stomach anymore. Citing the fact that it was a complete mistake to ever fall in love with Hermia, he'll work hard to find Helena and serve her. He leaves.

Hermia wakes up, thick in the middle of a nightmare about a snake eating her heart while her beloved Lysander watched on. She calls out for Lysander, who is not there. She calls again, but he does not answer. Hermia decides to find him, or die in the process.

Act Three

Act Three, Scene One

As Titania sleeps on, Quince and the other players gather. Bottom checks that they are all present. They are. Quince proclaims that this area is perfect for their rehearsals, and they will practice the play in full before they perform in front of the Duke. Bottom, as always, interrupts. He's worried that some things in the play won't work. For instance, Pyramus has to kill himself with a sword, but he's concerned this will upset the ladies in the audience. Some of them agree, and fear they will have to leave out all the killing, but Bottom has an idea. He wants to recite a prologue to assure the audience that no one is going to be hurt during the play and that they're not actually Pyramus and Thisbe, and so on, but actors playing the parts. Quince agrees, but he and Bottom disagree regarding the number of syllables in the lines that will be written.

Snout is still worried the Lion will scare the ladies. Bottom agrees: there's nothing scarier than a Lion! Snout suggests adding another Prologue, but Bottom won't have that. Snout will simply show his face in the costume's neck, and talk directly to the audience to let them know he isn't a real Lion.

Quince is worried about the moonlight they will need to bring into a room as Thisbe and Pyramus meet by moonlight. Snout asks if the moon will be shining that night. They gather a calendar to double check: thankfully, it is. Bottom suggests leaving a window open for the light to come through. Quince agrees and then suggests an actor holding a lantern could also represent the moon. But there's another problem: Thisbe and Pyramus are meant to speak through a hole in the wall, so where will they find a wall? Bottom suggests someone plays the Wall so that Thisbe and Pyramus can speak through the Wall's fingers. Quince is satisfied now. He starts the rehearsal, asking anyone not on stage at the time to hide in the bushes until their cue comes.

Robin enters. At first he is afraid that these men are so close to the sleeping Titania, but when he sees they are rehearsing a play he decides to watch, and might join in if the mood takes him. Bottom as Pyramus gets some of his words incorrect—he exchanges “odious” for “odours” and so on. Robin is appalled: he's never seen a stranger Pyramus. As Bottom leaves the stage, Robin follows him. Flute as Thisbe recites all of his lines at once in a rush and even reads the cues!

Robin and Bottom return. Bottom now has a donkey's head instead of his own! Quince and the others run for their lives, afraid of being attacked by this monster. Bottom doesn't understand why they run from him. Robin promises to make Bottom's life a hard one by getting him lost and turning himself into beasts to frighten Bottom with. Snout returns and asks him what he has on his head, then leaves. Quince returns to to bless him and leaves too.

Bottom is suspicious. He thinks they're trying to frighten him into making a fool of himself, but he'll refuse to do such a thing. He'll even sing a song to prove to them that he's not afraid. Titania wakes up. Once Bottom stops singing, Titania begs him to sing again. She loves to look at him, and even though this is the first time she's seen him, she can't help but tell Bottom she loves him. Bottom doesn't see much reason for her to love him, but then he's sure that love and reason don't certainly have much to do with one another anyway. Titania tells him that he is as wise as he is beautiful. Bottom disagrees. If he were exceedingly wise, he'd be out of the woods already. Titania tells him that he can't leave—she won't let him. She loves him. She and her fairy servants will serve him, and give him immortality. Titania calls for her fairies by name: Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed.

They enter and ask what Titania would have them do. She asks them to be kind to Bottom, to give him food to eat and light to sleep by, and to use butterfly wings to block moonlight getting in his eyes. Bottom asks for their names and awkwardly introduces himself. For instance, he tells Mustardseed he is sorry that most of his family will have been smeared on beef. Titania tells the fairies to take him away so he can sleep. She believes the moon looks sad: either this is because someone is not being loved, or someone is being forced to love without their will. She wants Bottom brought to her quietly.

Act Three, Scene Two

Oberon wonders if Titania is awake yet, and what she has ended up in love with if she is awake. Robin enters. Oberon demands a report on what mischief he has made. He tells Oberon that Titania is in love with a monster, which he created by putting a donkey's head on the bumbling, stupid one playing Pyramus. His friends ran away and were frightened by everything they came across, even bristles and thorns. Robin led them on as trees and bushes pulled on their hats and sleeves. Then, Titania woke up and fell in love with Bottom. Oberon is mightily pleased.

He asks if Robin put the flower juice on the eyes of the Athenian youth as asked. Robin has, and is positive that he will have seen the girl when they woke up as they slept near one another. Oberon tells him to be quiet as the Athenian is approaching. Robin tells Oberon that it is the same woman, but not the same man he saw.

Demetrius and Hermia enter. He doesn't understand why she is so angry with him when he loves her so much. She's upset that he might have killed Lysander while he was asleep. She doesn't believe he would have left her because he's been so faithful to her, so something must have happened to him. She argues that it is obvious that Demetrius has killed Lysander because he looks so pale and grim. Demetrius argues that he looks pale and grim because she is murdering his spirit with her cruel words. Hermia demands to know what he has done with Lysander. Demetrius assures her he didn't kill Lysander, nor does he think Lysander is even dead. Hermia begs him to tell her Lysander is alright, but Demetrius wouldn't get much out of that. Hermia agrees he won't get far with her: she'll never see Demetrius again, even if she never sees Lysander again. She leaves. Demetrius can't go after her while she's this upset, so he decides to lie down and sleep.

Oberon chastises Robin—he's put the flower juice on the wrong person's eyes! He's undone true love, and made false love true! Robin doesn't care much as he believes it is down to fate for love to be so confusing. Oberon orders him to fly through the woods and find Helena, and bring her to Oberon so he can put a charm on her eyes. Robin leaves.

Oberon smears the flower juice across Demetrius' eyes. He hopes that when he sees the girl he's supposed to love he will remember how he feels. Robin announces that Helena is nearby with Lysander, who is begging her to love him. They decide to watch quietly. Robin is excited to watch two men in love with the same woman; this is one of his favourite predicaments.

Lysander and Helena enter first. Lysander doesn't understand why Helena thinks he's making fun of her because he's crying when he tells her that he loves her. People don't cry when they tease someone! Helena still doesn't believe him, because he's made the same promises to both her and Hermia now, and as they can't both be true promises then they have to be false ones. Lysander assures her he wasn't thinking clearly when he made those promises to her. Helena still doesn't believe he's thinking clearly now as he breaks his promises to Hermia, but Lysander doesn't care. Demetrius loves Hermia and can have her.

Demetrius wakes up and proclaims his love for Helena. He calls her beautiful, comparing her lips to cherries, the pure white snow of the mountain as black next to her pale hand. He wants to kiss her hand as it would make him so happy. Helena is upset that they're both now ganging up on her to pretend they love her. She wants them just to hate her again as she knows they do. If they were real men, they would treat her kindly. Not only are they competing for Hermia's love, they're now competing to mock her. Not a manly thing to do at all!

Lysander asks Demetrius not to be cruel: they all know Demetrius loves Hermia. Lysander gives up all claims and love for her in exchange for Demetrius giving up on his claim for Helena. But, Demetrius doesn't want Hermia; he only wants Helena. His love for Hermia was only temporary. Lysander and Demetrius continue to fight with one another until Hermia arrives. She tells them that, even though its hard to see at night, it's much easier to hear, and this is how she has managed to find Lysander—by following his voice. She asks him why he left her by herself, when surely his love for her would have told him to stay. It is his love for Helena that told him to leave! Lysander doesn't understand why she doesn't know that he hates her. Helena is upset that all three of them are in on the plot to mock her. Helena begs Hermia to remember that they grew up together, and are extremely alike. She asks Hermia to remember their vows of friendship. She also reminds Hermia that it isn't lady-like to do what she is doing.

Hermia is thoroughly confused. It sounds, she says, like Helena is insulting her, not the other way around. Helena pushes her to confess that she sent Lysander and Demetrius to find and praise her beauty and confess their love. It makes no sense for Lysander to have rejected Hermia, so of course Hermia has to be involved somehow. Helena doesn't understand why Hermia hates her so much, when actually she should be pitied for being so unlovable. Hermia still doesn't understand what Helena is talking about. Helena tells her to continue with her little game if she pleases—maybe, she suggests, she should even write a book about it! Helena blames herself for being fought over. She shouldn't have followed them into the woods. Either leaving or dying will solve that problem.

Lysander begs her to stay and listen to him. Hermia tells Lysander not to insult Helena, and Demetrius threatens Lysander to stop. Lysander refuses to listen to either of them because he loves Helena. They argue over who loves her more. They decide to duel with one another to prove who loves Helena more. Hermia tries to pull Lysander back, but he tries to throw her off. Demetrius teases him for not fighting with him and pretending Hermia is holding him back. He calls Lysander a coward. Lysander calls Hermia a thorn and tries to shake her off. Hermia is confused—is he joking? Of course he is, Helena tells her, and so is she. Lysander is ready to fight Demetrius as promised once he has shaken Hermia off. Demetrius teases him once again for not upholding his promises terribly often. Lysander doesn't know what to do to prove his hate for Hermia beyond insults; he won't attack or kill her, if that's what Demetrius wants. Hermia finally realizes that Lysander means what he says. She cries out to God to help her.

Hermia turns on Helena, calling her a snake for stealing her beloved Lysander's heart in the night. Helena, in return, argues that Hermia is still pretending with Lysander and Demetrius. She calls Hermia a “puppet”. Hermia interprets that to mean she is short and comes to the conclusion that Helena has shown off her height to the boys to make them like her more than the shorter Hermia. Hermia isn't too short to gouge Helena's eyes out though! Helena turns to the boys once more and begs them to stop Hermia from attacking her.

Helena assures Hermia that she loves her, and the only horrible thing she did to Hermia is tell Demetrius about her elopement with Lysander. And the only reason why she did this was because she loves Demetrius so much. She admits she's been foolish, and will return to Athens. Hermia tells her to go, then, but Helena's “foolish heart” keeps her standing still. Hermia wants clarification just who she's leaving her heart with; Helena answer is, of course, with Demetrius. Lysander and Demetrius assure Helena that they won't let Hermia hurt her. Helena refers to their time at school together, where Hermia was a fierce fighter despite being little. Hermia loses her temper over her height being mentioned again.

Demetrius and Lysander leave to fight one another. Hermia blames the duel on Helena, and tells her to stay where she is, but Helena doesn't trust her not to attack her runs away. Hermia doesn't know what to think anymore and leaves too.

Oberon blames Robin for this mess. He doesn't know if Robin did this on purpose or by accident. Robin assures his King that he made a mistake. Oberon had told him that he'd be able to recognize the Athenian youth by his clothes, which is what he did. Robin finds all of this amusing anyway. Oberon is worried that the two men will start to fight and asks Robin to make the sky overcast and as dark as hell so they won't be able to find one another. Then, he bids Robin to imitate the men and call out to them to keep them moving so they can try to fight and tire themselves out. Eventually they will fall to the ground to go to sleep.

Oberon gives Robin a new flower. He tells Robin to smear the flower juice on Lysander's eyes to undo all the damage that has been caused. When they wake up, the night will seem like a dream, and they can then return to Athens. He'll do the same for Titania if she promises to give him the Indian boy. Robin knows they have to work fast as dawn is approaching, and the ghosts of the people who committed suicide are travelling back to their graveyards after wandering around all night. Oberon reminds Robin that they aren't those kind of spirits and that he loves the sunlight, but agrees that a swift resolution before daylight would be for the best. Oberon leaves.

Lysander and Demetrius enter and exit, trying to find one another and are led around by Robin imitating them both. Eventually, Lysander ends up in a dark space and decides to lie down to rest until the early morning light lets him find Demetrius. Demetrius also lies down, equally exhausted by chasing the fake Lysander around. Helena enters and, wanting to escape her troubles for a while, goes to sleep. Robin knows there should be a fourth. Hermia finally appears, intensely weary and upset. She hopes to find Lysander safe and alive, but can't go any further tonight. She goes to sleep. Robin smears the flower juice on Lysander's eyes and tells them to find the woman they honestly love when they wake up.

Act Four

Act Four, Scene One

While Demetrius and the others still sleep, Titania and Bottom enter with her fairy court. Oberon watches them, hidden from sight. She asks Bottom to sit down so she can place flowers in his hair and rub his cheeks. Bottom asks the fairies to scratch his head and bring him honey. Titania wonders if he'd like to hear some music, or have something distinctive to eat. What Bottom would actually like to do is to sleep. He asks that no one wake him. The fairies leave. Titania puts her arms around Bottom to protect him in sleep, tells Bottom she loves him mightily and goes to sleep.

Robin enters. Oberon tells him that he actually feels sorry for Titania. He met her while she was gathering flowers for Bottom's head and, after arguing with her and insulting her, he asked for the Indian boy, which she gladly agreed to. She sent him over with one of her fairies. Now that Oberon has what he wants, he'll release Titania from the spell, and Robin will take the donkey's head from Bottom. They'll only remember this like an unpleasant dream. Oberon squeezes the flower juice on Titania's eyes.

Titania wakes up, afraid because she had an awful dream that she was married to a donkey. Oberon points to Bottom; Titania is shocked! She doesn't want to look at Bottom's face again. Oberon tells her to be quiet while Robin removes Bottom's donkey head. He asks Titania to get the fairies to play music so the sleeping Athenians will continue to sleep soundly. After removing Bottom's donkey head, Robin tells him to see once again through his own foolish eyes.

Oberon asks Titania to dance with him, and she actually agrees! Now that they're together again, Oberon suggests they should dance together for the Duke at his wedding to bless them and their wedding bed. He's convinced that the other Athenian couples will be married at the same time as the Duke and that everything will once again be joyful.

Robin interrupts—he can hear the morning lark! Oberon and Titania leave to walk slowly towards the part of the Earth that is now dark and to talk about the night's events.

Theseus and Hippolyta enter with their servants and Egeus. A hunting horn blows. Theseus asks someone to find the forest ranger so that Hippolyta can hear the sound of the hunting dogs howling. Hippolyta remembers a time, when she was with Hercules and Cadmus, when one of their dogs cornered a bear. The barking, she assures him, was impressive, and echoed off mountains and trees. Theseus suddenly sees the four sleeping Athenians on the ground. Egeus identifies them all. Theseus assumes they came out to the woods knowing that he and Hippolyta would be there. He then realizes that today is the day Hermia is meant to make her decision. Theseus asks the servants to sound the horns to wake them up. They do, and the four wake from their sleep.

They greet Theseus. He asks Lysander and Demetrius if the world is suddenly so peaceful that two enemies can sleep so close to one another. Lysander admits he doesn't truly know how he got there, but the last thing he remembers was his plan to run away with Hermia. Egeus stops him and asks for Theseus to punish him. Demetrius admits that it was true, and he followed them because the beautiful Helena told him where they were going, and was so in love with him that she followed him into the woods. He doesn't quite know how it happened, but his love for Hermia has disappeared, and his love for Helena, who he was once engaged to, has returned. Now, he will always be true to Helena and love her forever.

Theseus overrules Egeus' wishes: the two couples will be married later on after he and Hippolyta are wed. They give up on hunting as the morning grows late, and decide to go back to Athens to get ready for the weddings. All but the four Athenians leave. Demetrius doesn't understand what happened—the previous night's events seem clear and yet cloudy to him. They all agree. Demetrius wonders if they're still asleep and ask them if they saw the Duke, as well. They did. They decide to follow Theseus back to Athens and talk about their dreams along the way. They leave.

Bottom wakes up. He, too, has had a strange “dream”. He realizes he has been left alone. He can't put into words what he has just experienced and plans to ask Quince to put it down in words for him as a song. He'll sing it for the Duke during the intermission or when Thisbe dies in the play.

Act Four, Scene Two

Back in Athens, Quince and the others gather to discuss Bottom's whereabouts. They're sure he's been kidnapped as he did not return to his house. They're upset that the play will be ruined now that their lead is nowhere to be found. Snug arrives to tell them that three couples have been married. They're upset about the wages they would have received for putting on the play.

Bottom enters. They're pleased and amazed to see him. He won't tell them about the wondrous dreams he has had just yet as he wants them to get organized for the play. After he gives out several orders, they gather together and leave.

Act Five

Act Five, Scene One

Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate enter. Hippolyta comments that the four Athenians are saying some strange things. Theseus agrees the story sounds perfectly made up, and that he'll never believe them. He blames the hallucinations on love affecting them all. He tells her that when these people are happy, they have such an imagination that they have to blame it on something otherworldly being the cause. Hippolyta points out that they all experienced the same dream, and it remains consistent, so it could perhaps be true.

Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia arrive. They all wish one another joy in their marriages. Theseus wants to be entertained and asks Philostrate for a list of the entertainment that has been prepared for them while they wait to go to bed. Theseus rejects a few of the plays and performances, either because they are unsuitable, or because he's already heard them. He finally comes to Thisbe and Pyramus, and cannot understand why the play has been pitched as so many contradictory things—both a comedy and a tragedy? Theseus asks for more details. Philostrate tells him the play isn't worth the bother, and the actors are awful. He laughed when he watched the rehearsal of Pyramus' suicide, rather than cried. Theseus wants to see it. Philostrate warns him against it. Theseus will watch it—he's intrigued by ordinary workmen putting on a play, and wants to see what they can do. Philostrate leaves to fetch them.

Hippolyta isn't so sure she'd like to watch poor people making fools of themselves if they can't act, but Theseus assures her that they will be generous with their thanks. Philostrate enters and announces the Prologue is ready to be delivered. Theseus tells him to come in.

Quince as the Prologue warns the audience that they are not there to entertain them, or make them happy. The audience criticizes him for his grammar, speed of delivery and punctuation. The rest of the players come in. Quince continues with the Prologue, and describes the action of the story: Pyramus and Thisbe talk through the chink in the wall and meet by moonlight. A Lion frightens Thisbe, who drops her cloak. The Lion tears through the cloak with his bloodied mouth. Pyramus finds the bloodied cloak and stabs himself in his grief. Thisbe does the same, leaving both of them dead. Quince asks the others to tell the audience more.

Snout tells the audience he is a wall, but no ordinary wall, for his fingers form a chink that the two lovers can talk through. Both Theseus and Demetrius sarcastically praise Snout for his brilliant delivery as they've never heard a wall speak better. Pyramus played by Bottom comes to the wall and is upset that Thisbe has forgotten their meeting time. He curses the wall that separates his and her father's territory. Theseus jokes that the wall should probably talk back. Bottom disagrees. Thisbe finally turns up, and the two lovers talk through the door. After comparing themselves to famous lovers, and trying to kiss one another through the hole in the wall, they decide to meet at Ninny's tomb. Snout leaves, the wall no longer needed in the story. Theseus joke that they should have stuck around for a while longer as the wall no longer separates them. Hippolyta thinks this is the silliest play she's ever seen, but Theseus tells her to use her imagination to fill in the awful spots.

Snug the Lion appears on stage and courteously explains to the audience that he is not a real Lion. The audience compliment him for various characteristics. The Moon then enters, carrying a lantern and explains he represents the Moon. The audience argue whether he represents the Moon well enough. He reveals he is actually playing the man in the Moon, and the lantern represents the Moon itself. None of the audience is sure how exactly the man could fit into the lantern that stands in for the Moon. The Moon gets angry with the audience and tells them that all they need to know is that he is the man in the Moon, the lantern is the Moon, the thorn bush is his thorn bush and the dog, his dog. Demetrius isn't sure how all of these things can fit into the Moon/lantern, but asks them to go on. While Thisbe is frightened by the Lion, and the Lion tears her cloak, the audience compliments them on various elements.

Bottom as Pyramus delivers his emotional lines over the death of Thisbe and then stabs himself. The Moon leaves and Pyramus dies. The audience wonder how Thisbe will find Pyramus without the Moonlight, but they assume the stars and Pyramus' moaning will show her the way. Hippolyta hopes Thisbe won't cry over Pyramus' death too much as he doesn't genuinely deserve it. Thisbe finds Pyramus, stabs herself and dies. The audience joke that the Lion and the Moon will have to bury them. Demetrius adds that the Wall will help too. Bottom breaks character to tell them that the Wall cannot help as it has been taken down. He asks the audience if they would like to hear the Epilogue. Theseus does, not as he doesn't think that a play, which ends with all the characters dead, needs an apology to the audience in at the end as there is no one left to blame. He calls it a good tragedy and asks the actors to dance for them.

As the bell chimes, Theseus announces that it is time for bed, and they should retire to their chambers. They will continue to celebrate for two more weeks, but, for now, they should go to bed. They all leave.

Robin enters. He talks about the kinds of things that happen when night reappears, including the spirits from the graveyards rising up and roaming once more across the land. He's been sent ahead of the fairies to clean up and make sure no one disturbs the sleeping house. Oberon and Titania enter with their fairies. They sing and dance together to bless the house, the marriages, and their future children. They all leave once again except for Robin.

Robin addresses the audience. He tells them that if the play has offended them in any way, that they should think of it like a dream. That nothing they saw actually happened. And if he needs to, he will make things right once again if given a chance. If he doesn't, then he can be called a liar. If they are still friends, they should applaud. He leaves.