In Athens, a law allows fathers to force their daughters into marriage, with dire consequences for disobedience. Egeus demands that his daughter Hermia marry Demetrius, but she loves Lysander. Hermia and Lysander plan to escape to his aunt's house to marry, while Hermia's friend Helena, in love with Demetrius, betrays Hermia's secret. In the enchanted wood, Oberon, the fairy king, seeks revenge on his queen Titania for refusing to give him a changeling boy. He instructs Puck to use a love potion to make Titania fall in love with the first creature she sees upon waking. Puck mistakenly enchants Lysander instead, causing him to fall for Helena, abandoning Hermia. Confusion ensues as both Lysander and Demetrius, under the potion's spell, pursue Helena, leading to a quarrel between the two women. Oberon, realizing Puck's error, remedies the situation by restoring Lysander's love for Hermia. Eventually, the lovers reconcile, and Demetrius, now genuinely in love with Helena, agrees to marry her. Egeus consents to Hermia's marriage to Lysander, and the couples plan their weddings. The fairy king and queen, pleased with the resolution, decide to celebrate the nuptials with festivities, leaving the audience to ponder whether it was all a dream.
By Charles Lamb · First published 1808 · Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Comedy