Phases in the Play Nicole Encin

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a journey through the three phases of a Shakespearean festive comedy. The audience is taken from unhappiness to confusion to finally reunion. Anything is possible in this story and the reader must engage in verisimilitude in order to fully enjoy this story. Verisimilitude is a willing suspension of disbelief. For instance, within A Midsummer Night's Dream, fairies interact with humans at the same level.

The first phase of a Shakespearean festive comedy emits feelings of unhappiness and frustration. This can be caused by anything from separation of loved ones to unrequited love to cruel people being in control. At the end of the first phase, a feeling of escape comes over the characters and audience. It is time to get out of the cloud of unhappiness that has set over the land and sit back and have some fun. In A Midsummer Night's Dream the opening act shows many signs of frustration and leaves the characters all feeling upset, edgy, and impatient. Helena experiences unrequited love from Demetrius, Titania won't grant Oberon's request and Theseus is growing ever impatient as he must wait to enjoy his soon to be bride until their marriage in a couple of...