Chapter Plot Synopsis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Study Guide by William Shakespeare

he applies the juice to Demetrius’ eyes when Helena is nearby. However, the immediate outcome is that Demetrius and Lysander, who were previously in love with Hermia, have now both fallen for Helena. She, on the other hand, believes they are making fun of her with the help of Hermia. But Hermia is only baffled at the cruel rejection of her Lysander. Oberon orders Robin to intervene again in order to prevent violence from breaking out. They are separated and fall asleep. Robin puts an antidote juice on Lysander’s eyes to stop him loving Helena.

ACT IV

Oberon and Robin remove the magic spells from Titania and Bottom. Titania has agreed to hand over the boy and the king and queen of the fairies are reunited. Theseus, out walking early in the morning with his companions, discovers the four lovers asleep in the wood. He wakes them up and they try to explain their change in feeling. Theseus overrules the objections of Egeus and says that the two couples shall be married alongside him and Hippolyta. Bottom wakes up when everyone else has left the wood. He ponders on his strange ‘dream’ and then runs to find the other craftsmen. They are upset at the loss of their friend and the cancellation of the play - when he bursts in on the scene they are delighted and rejoice.

ACT V

It is the evening of the three marriages. Theseus agrees to the staging of the craftsmen’s play. It is to be a tragedy called ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’. It is badly written and acted, but its faults prove extremely entertaining in performance and Bottom is an unexpected success in the lead role. When the humans have all gone to bed the fairies enter the house. They bless all of the people there and their children to come.