Emily Graham

Freytags Pyramid and A Midsummer Nights Dream

Exposition and Inciting Incident (Act I) In a five-act play, the first act typically presents the setting and the main characters. The central conflict is also developed. In A Midsummer Nights Dream, Athens is introduced and the wood in which much of the action of the story will take place is mentioned. The reader or audience meets Theseus, ruler of Athens, and Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, whom Theseus will wed in four days. Egeus, a nobleman, approaches Theseus accompanied by his daughter Hermia and two young men named Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus introduces the storys central conflict: both Lysander and Demetrius love Hermia. Hermia loves Lysander in return, but Egeus wishes his daughter to marry Demetrius. Egeus demands that Hermia be killed or sent to a convent, as the law dictates, should she refuse to obey her father. To escape this harsh Athenian law, Lysander and Hermia plan to meet in a wood outside Athens and flee to an aunts house where they can be wed. The two inform Helena, a friend of Hermias, of their plan. Helena, however, is desperately in love with Demetrius, who once swore love to her but now scorns her for Hermia. Helena vows to inform Demetrius of Hermia and Lysanders plan to escape. The reader or audience is also introduced to a group of artisansQuince, Bottom, Snug, Flute, Snout, and Starvelingwho plan to perform a dramatization of the Pyramus and Thisby story to celebrate Theseus and Hippolytas wedding; they arrange to meet for rehearsal in the wood outside Athens the following night. Rising Action (Act II) In the second act of a five-act play, the central conflict is developed. In act II of A Midsummer Nights Dream, the reader or audience is introduced to a conflict between Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies. Oberon wishes Titania to give him a small Indian boy she has in her charge, but she refuses because the boy is the son of a former friend who died in childbirth. Oberon asks his loyal fairy servant Puck to find him a special flower, the juice of which, placed in a sleeping persons eyes, has

Emily Graham
the power to make that person fall in love with the first creature he or she sees on awakening. Oberon plans to use this flower on Titania as part of a plan to obtain the boy from her. Oberon then observes Demetrius, who has followed Hermia into the wood, as he rejects Helena who faithfully follows him. Oberon tells Puck to put some of the magic juice in the scornful Athenian youths eyes. While Oberon anoints Titanias eyes, Puck blunders and administers the potion to Lysander rather than to Demetrius. Helena, who has been abandoned by Demetrius, awakens Lysander who immediately falls in love with and follows her, forgetting his former affection for Hermia. Climax (Act III) The third act of a five-act play presents a decisive occurrence that determines the future course of events in the play. In act III of A Midsummer Nights Dream, the artisans rehearse their play as an amused Puck observes. Puck transforms Bottom, giving him an asss head, and Bottoms strange appearance startles his companions so that they all run away. Bottom then awakens the sleeping Titania, who, under the influence of the juice of the flower, immediately falls in love with him. Meanwhile, Oberon and Puck try to correct their mistake, so they anoint Demetriuss eyes and bring Helena and Lysander to where Demetrius lies sleeping. Demetrius awakes, also falls in love with Helena, and argues with Lysander about who deserves Helenas affections. Hermia, upset that Lysander has abandoned her, enters the scene to hear Lysander declare that he hates her and loves Helena. Helena, meanwhile, is convinced that all three have joined together to mock her. Helena and Hermia fight, and Demetrius and Lysander go off to duel for Helenas love. Oberon orders Puck, who is delighted with all the mayhem he has caused, to separate Demetrius and Lysander and keep them from fighting and to anoint Lysanders eyes with an herb that will remove his charmed love for Helena and restore his love for Hermia. Puck manages to lead the men away from each other until they grow frustrated with their search and sleep. Puck then places the remedy on Lysanders eyes. Falling Action (Act IV) The fourth act of a five-act play presents events that happen as a result of the climax, or crisis. In act IV, Oberon removes the charm from Titanias eyes now that he has obtained the changeling boy from her, and Puck removes the spell that gave Bottom an asss head. Thus, an end comes to the conflict between Titania and Oberon. The fairies put a charmed sleep upon Demetrius, Helena, Hermia, Lysander, and Bottom, so that the five will believe their experiences in the wood are dreams. As Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and other nobles go out hunting, they encounter the missing Athenians. Once Theseus learns that Demetrius no longer wishes to marry Hermia and loves Helena, Theseus declares that the two happy couples shall be wed alongside him and Hippolyta. Meanwhile, the artisans have been despairing Bottoms absence. After he awakens, Bottom rejoins his companions and tells them that their play is to be performed. Resolution and Dnouement (Act V) The fifth act of a five-act play presents the event that resolves, or ends, the central conflict. It also ties up loose ends. In act V of A Midsummer Nights Dream, the three newly married couples celebrate their nuptials by watching the artisans play about Pyramus and Thisby, which proves to be unintentionally comic. After all retire to bed, Puck, Oberon, Titania, and the other fairies come to bless the newly married couples.