Bethel University
The role of magic in “ A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is prevalent throughout the whole play. It’s used for good intentions, but leads to mischevious things, which turns the play into a comedy. Love is something that should be naturally sparked, but when the use of magic intervenes, it can have dire consequences. Magic has a role as if it was a hidden character of comedy and it’s the foundation of the play. Magic, “defined as a concept used to describe a mode of rationality or way of thinking that looks to invisible forces to influence events, effect change in material conditions, or present the illusions of change”(Magic, defined by Encyclopaedia …show more content…
Oberon, once again instructs Puck to try and remedy the Lysander and Helena love situation by removing the spell from Lysander’s eyes. Puck uses magic to create a fog, so they could not see each other, and helps Demetrius and Lysander fall asleep in the confusion of the thick fog.(Hacht,2007). While they are asleep on the ground Puck states,”on the ground, sleep and sound. I’ll apply to your eye, gentile lover remedy(4:1:48-52). Oberon did , so he could get Demetrius to love Helena and Lysander to love Hermia.
Magis is used again to remedy the love that Titania has for Bottom. Oberon puts another spell on her to break her from the love potion. This was done only after Oberon received the Indian boy servant from Titania that he always wanted, which was also a cause of the fights between them.
Magic has a hidden role of comedy throughout the play. Puck’s careless, mischievous, cynical use of magic causes a ruckus among the cast of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. He changes into different animals and objects to get a reaction out people, which make others laugh.. The magic created tension, comedy, and mended relationships. Without the magic, the play would have been stagnant and