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Kayla Elizabeth Moore

Professor Mary Leech
ENGB 3006: Intro. to Shakespeare
10/26/2015
A Midsummer Nights Dream Response
As in every work there is some aspect of imagination at play, whether it be on the part of
the playwright or on that of their characters. In A Midsummer Nights Dream it is evident that
both are at play, in that there is a noticeable theme of imagination in terms of its origin and where
it comes to fruition. Especially with the character of Bottom and Puck this idea is explored,
alongside of magic and dreams.
In the realm of Titania and Oberon, almost everything they discuss or do is involved with
imaginary or magical concepts. For instance, as both of these entities are rulers over
differentiating parts of a magical world, their entire beings in the work largely play into the
aspect of imagination and the fictitious. Their existence in the work alone can definitely
demonstrate the secondary theme of imagination and magic, alongside of their roles played in
dreams and the supernatural occurrences throughout the play involving the mortal world.
Alongside of these two entities come those around them, including the characters of Puck
and Bottom. Puck and Bottom especially play into the world of imagination in that aspects of
their existence and actions. Puck particularly plays into the world of magic in that his actions
carry out multiple magical mistakes, for instance in the situation involving Titania and Bottom.

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This fallacy plays into the imagination of the audience and therefore plays into imagination as an
underlying tone throughout the work.
Alongside of this mistake made by Puck, there also comes the speech made by Bottom
upon his waking at the end of Act IV Scene I. This speech made by bottom incorporates aspects
of imagination and dreams to create the epitome of this secondary theme. By stating that his
dreams have a deeper meaning than just something in his mind, and that Peter Quince [should]
write a ballad of this dreamcalled Bottoms Dream (4.1.212-213), Bottom exemplifies how
and where imagination begins. This dream is indicative of the fact that the imagination begins in
the mind, perhaps subconsciously, but comes to fruition in the arts and the way in which people
conduct themselves in the physical world.
With such an idea comes the reality of imagination in the physical world. For example, in
the text Bottoms play is a sort of parody on Pyramus and Thisbe, which comes to fruition from a
dream. As dreams can only be so vivid and slightly remembered by humans, it is evident that his
conscious imagination comes to play, and in a sense creates a sort of magic. This magic is
created by his own means, being magical to himself, and his work could be perceived as magic
by his intended audience.
As there is myth and art presented in this work, so comes imagination. The preceding
situations embody how magic and imagination definitely flow throughout the body of the text to
create an underlying theme, and also express how in the real world imagination can be used.
These situations, particularly that of Bottom and his dream, exemplify how imagination stems
and comes into fruition throughout any situation, and epitomizes the affect that dreams can have
on the conscious imagination in the world of art, and in the realm of this play

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