Magic theme in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare from Putri Arti Lestari

Magic Theme in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. The purpose of this writing is to understand theme in the drama. The writer uses theory of theme and close reading method. The writer finds that there are some themes in the drama including magic. To conclude, William Shakespeare makes the drama like a fantasy by using magic theme.

Keywords: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, theme, magic

1. Introduction

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular drama by William Shakespeare. In the play, there are many themes which William Shakespeare used when writing the drama. One of the themes is magic.

2. Theory and Methodology

According to Merriam-Webster.com “Theme is a subject or topic of discourse or of artistic representation guilt and punishment is the theme of the story or a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic, or concern the campaign has lacked a theme.”

According to Merriam-Webster.com “Magic is the use of means (such as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces.”

The methodology in this writing is to analyze the magic theme in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.

3. Biography of William Shakespeare

            The exact date of William Shakespeare’s birth is unknown, but it is accepted that he was born in April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. He was the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. He was educated at the King’s New School and studied the basic Latin text and grammar. In 1582, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. Six months later after their marriage, Hathaway gave a birth their first child, a daughter named Susanna. In 1585, they had twins, named Hamnet and Judith. On April 23, 1616, William Shakespeare died and was buried at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford.

4. Summary of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

In Athens, there are a law which is a daughter should marry a man who is chose by her father or die. Hermia, Egeus’ daughter, refuses to marry Demetrius because she has Lysander. Hermia and Lysander decide to run away to the wood at midnight. They want to live with Lysander’s aunt. They tell their plan to Helena, who Hermia’s old friend and she loves Demetrius. Helena follows them to the wood. In the wood, there are king and queen of fairies. They have fight. The king of fairy asks Puck to make a love potion which it makes Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with Helena.

5. Discussion

            William Shakespeare using magic in his comedy drama which is symbolized by Oberon (The king of fairies), Titania (The queen of fairies), the fairies and a love poison which is made by Robin Goodfellow (Puck). 
 

OBERON. “Young girls call it “love-in-idleness.” Bring me that flower. I showed it to you once. If its juice is put on someone’s eyelids while they’re asleep, that person will fall in love with the next living creature he or she sees.” (act 2, scene 1, page 6, line 153-157)

Oberon is jealous because Titania has an adorable boy from an Indian king. He wants the child for himself, but she refuses to hand over the boy to Oberon. Then they have a fight and Titania decides to go with the fairies. Oberon is mad and he asks Puck to make a love potion.

ROBIN. I took that opportunity to stick a donkey’s head on him. (Act 3, scene 2)

            Robin also can change Bottom’s head to an ass which happen when Titania fall in love with Bottom after Puck gives the love potion to Titania’s eyelids.
 

OBERON. (OBERON gives a new flowerto ROBIN) When they’re asleep, crush some of this flower’s juice into Lysander’s eyes. The flower’s juice has the power to erase all the damage that’s been done to his eyes, and to make him see normally, the way he used to. (act 3, scene 2, page 15)

Although Puck gives the potion to the wrong person, that is, Lysander, magic in the drama can finish the suspense and returns Lysander back to himself who loves Hermia.

6. Conclusion

Theme is one of the intrinsic elements in drama. According to the analysis, theme which can be found in the drama A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is magic. Magic in the drama is successful to make the drama like a fantasy.

References 
Kennedy, X.J. 1978. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama  2^nd ed. Boston:    

Little, Brown, and Company, Ltd.
“Magic”. Merriam-Webster.com.1828. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magic 

(accessed on 1 June 2017)
Meyer, Michael. 1976. The Bedford Introduction to Literature 2^nd ed. Boston: Bedford Books of St.

Martin’s Press.
“Theme”. Merriam-Webster.com. 1828. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theme 

(accessed on 1 June 2017)
 Thrall, William Flint, and Addison Hibbard. 1960. A Handbook To Literature. New York: Odyssey

Press.