The Mystical Mind of Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s two most magical plays are A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest. Both of which happen to have a supernatural element entwined with the brilliant themes Shakespeare is known for. In The Tempest, there are rivaling brothers. In A Midsummers Night Dream we see loves difficulty. Magic may be the main role in both of these plays, but the magic would be carried out without the help of two ever faithful servants, Puck and Ariel.
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream we meet Lysander and Demetrius. They are both in love with Hermia, but she only returns the love of Lysander. Demetrius is the man her father wants her to marry but she does not love him. Enter Helena. Helena is in love with Demetrius but he does not return her love. After learning Lysander and Hermia are running off to elope, Helena tells Demetrius and they both follow them into the woods. Demetrius goes to stop the elopement and Helena goes to be near Demetrius. It is in the woods when we see the magical elements of the play come together. The king of the fairies, Oberon, is quarrelling with his wife the queen of the fairies, Titania. In the woods, Hermia, Helena, Lysander and Demetrius get caught in the crossfire of the fairy king and queen.
Oberon enlists the help of his servant Puck, a mischievous sprite. Oberon plans on using a love potion to make Titania fall back in love with him. While Puck is out finding the flower that was once hit with cupid’s arrow, Oberon sees Helena and Demetrius. Oberon observes how Demetrius is cruel to Helena telling her to stop following him and that he could never love her as much as he loves Hermia. Puck comes back and Oberon tells him to find the Athenian youth being chased by a lady and anoint his eyes. After looking all over the woods, Puck finds two sleeping Athenians a man and a woman. He is relieved to find them and puts the potion on the man’s eyes. However, Puck has put the potion on the wrong man’s eyes. Now Lysander and Demetrius are in love with Helena. And Hermia now knows what it is like for Helena. She loves someone that does not love her back. After messing with them a little bit, Puck fixes everything and all is right. Lysander loves Helena and Demetrius loves Helena.
In The Tempest, we meet Prospero, a man that has been banished to an island with his daughter because his brother stole the title that was rightfully his. Prospero’s magic lies in the books he was able to escape with. He has used his magic to imprison the servant spirits that do his bidding. He has also used his magic to bring his brother to the island so he can seek revenge. He has other ulterior motives, such as, setting the love scene for his daughter and a prince.
Most of Prospero’s deeds are carried out by his servant spirit Ariel. Ariel is an air spirit who was imprisoned in a tree by the witch Sycorax. He is released from the tree by Prospero, but he is now the servant of Prospero and has to do whatever Prospero asks of him. Ariel just wants