Midsummer's Night's Dream Analysis

Midsummer's Night's Dre am

AN ANALYSIS BASED ON READER'S RESPONSE THEORY
TSLB3453: LITERATURE FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

About the Student

Muhammad Mustaqim
bin Mat Ghani

PISMP TESL 5 SJKC YEAR 1 SEMESTER 1

What is Reader Response Theory?
Summary of Midsummer's Night's Dream
Efferent, Aesthetic
Literary elements and devices
Character, Plot, Setting, Diction, Theme, Figurative
language

What is Reader Response's Theory?

Louise Rosenblatt, a famous American researcher in the field of literature teaching,
proposes a very fascinating theory that emphasises on how crucial it is for the
reader to interpret meanings from a text. As a result, she came up with the
Reader’s Response Theory (RRT).
This theory brings forth the argument that readers, as much as the text, play an
active role in a reading experience (Rosenblatt, 1994). The Reader’s Response
Theory is predicated on the idea that a literary work occurs in the context of a
reciprocal relationship between the reader and the text. According to this theory,
the meaning is created through an interaction between the reader and the text
in a specific situation. When reading forms of literature, readers will have many
reactions and assumptions based on their own interpretation about the text.

Efferent and
Aesthetic

According to Rosenblatt (2005), there are two kinds of readings in the Reader-Response Theory;
Efferent
Aesthetic

Efferent reading: reading to “take away” particular bits of information. Here, the reader is not
interested in the rhythms of the language or the prose style but is focused on obtaining a piece of
information. Rosenblatt states, “the reader’s attention is primarily focused on what will remain as a
residue after the reading — the information to be acquired, the logical solution to a problem, the
actions to be carried out.” An example would be a deep sea fishing guide to decide where to go
fishing, or a textbook to learn about the economic causes of the Great Depression.
Aesthetic reading: reading to explore the work and oneself. Here, readers are engaged in the
experience of reading, itself. Rosenblatt states, “In aesthetic reading, the reader’s attention is
centered directly on what he is living through during his relationship with that particular text.” An
example would be reading Hemingway’s Old Man and The Sea to live through a deep sea fishing
adventure, or the Grapes of Wrath to plumb the emotional depths of living through the Great
Depression.

Midsummer's Night's Dream

~ THE SUMMARY ~

The story surrounded the marriage of Theseus, king of Athens, and Hippolyta, queen of the
Amazons. It is then followed by the introduction of Hermia and Lysander, a couple of lovers
who are about to elope and Demetrius, a young man who abandoned Helena, who he is
arranged to marry to. Helena, on the other hand, is still desperately in love with him.
The plot began when the lovers ran away into the forest. Helena, hoping to win over
Demetrius, told him about their whereabouts. Meanwhile, Oberan, who was having a fight
with his wife, Titania at that time, decided to play tricks on them by ordering Puck, a
mischievous and merry jester. Puck’s plan was backfired as he made a mistake by dropping
love juice potion on Lysander instead of Demetrius. A fight between them happened, as
Lysander is now deeply in love with Helenathanks to Puck’s trickery.
The story became more rich in plot as Titania, Oberon’s wife, was also affected by his love
juice and mistakenly fell in love with Nick Bottom. After much general confusion and comic
misunderstanding, Oberon’s magic restored Titania and the four lovers to their original
states. The duke invites the two couples to join him and Hippolyta in a triple wedding.

Literary Elements and Devices

-Characters-

Hermia. Egeus’s daughter, a young woman of Athens. Hermia is in love with Lysandera. Short statured.

Lysander. A young man of Athens, in love with Hermia. Run away to the forest and plans on eloping with her since her
father is against them.

Demetrius. A young man of Athens. Betrothed to Helena but abandoned her when he met Hermia, Helena’s childhood
friend.

Helena. A young woman of Athens. Still in love with Demetrius even after he left. Lack confidence in her looks.
.
Theseus. Heroic duke of Athens. Engaged to Hippolyta.

Hippolyta. Queen of Amazon. Engaged to Theseus after he conquered Amazon.

Oberon. The king of fairies. In a fight with wife over the control of a young Indian prince whom he wants for a knight.
Together with Puck, the causes of the play’s confusion and farce.

Titania. Oberon’s wife and queen of fairies. Beautiful. In love with Nick Bottom after being affected by the love potion.

Puck. Also known as Robin Goodfellow. Oberon’s jester, a mischievous fairy who delights in playing pranks on mortals.
Cause chaos within the group of Athens.

Nick Bottom. The overconfident weaver, chosen to play Pyramus in the craftsmen’s play for Theseus’s marriage
celebration. Head transformed into an ass (donkey) by Puck.

In the drama Midsummer’s Dream’s Night by William Shakespeare, many
characters are introduced into the chaotic, comical play. From the overall view, the
characters are generally categorised into three groups which are the lover group,
the trickster group and the Supporting group. The first group consisted of Hermia,
Lysander, Demetrius and Helena. On the other hand, the trickster group is made of
two fairies, Oberon and Puck. Lastly, all the supporting characters such as Titania,
Theseus, Hippolyta, Nick Bottom and others will go into the supporting group. In my


opinion, the characters in the play are strategically assigned to their own role. Puck

as the trickster and cause of all the trouble, really causes a chaotic yet
chucklesome setting to the lover group.
“Now I perceive they have conjoined all three”
“To bait me with this foul derision?”
These two verses tell us how the chaotic situation caused Helena to get upset since
she thinks Demetrius, Lysander and Hermis are making fun of her. The presence of
supporting characters is like an icing on cake, which makes the play more hilarious
and enjoyable for the readers.

Literary Elements and Devices

-Plots- Exposition
Typical family dispute. A daughter refuses to marry a man chosen by her family. Deeply in
love with Lysander, Hermia plans to elope and run into the woods.

Rising Action

Oberon, who is in a quarrel with his queen, Titania, plans to get revenge on her. His plan of

using magic love juice from a flower to make people fall in love with the next creature they

see, is shared with Puck. However, confused, the mischievous fairy king’s servant makes a

blunder.

Cimax


The plan is still going on. Titania is now falling in love with an ass’s head. The confusion starts

getting more chaotic as the fight starts to become lethal.

Falling Action
Oberon restores Titania’s eyesight and they reconcile. Lysander and Hermia now love each
other again. After Bottom’s ass head is removed, he returns to the city to rejoin his friends as
they prepare themselves for the play.

Resolution
The three couples are married on the same wedding day. The play of 'Pyramus and Thisbe' is
presented before the wedding guests. Lasty, Puck and the fairies return to bless the palace
and its people.

Basically, this amusing drama contains five plots. The first plot reveals a typical family
dispute. A daughter refuses to marry a man chosen by her family. Who ever guessed that a
small mistake can lead to a bigger mistake, thus expanding the richness of the story. The
third plot, which is the climax, is marked by the fact that Queen Titania is now falling in love
with an ass’s head. The confusion starts getting more chaotic as the fight starts to become
lethal. Luckily, the falling action shows things are getting better. Everyone’s state caused by
the love juice is restored and Bottom returns to the city to rejoin his friends as they prepare
themselves for the play. At the end, all of the three couples married on the same wedding


day. The play of 'Pyramus and Thisbe' is presented before the wedding guests and ends with

Puck and fairies returning to bless the palace and its people. In my own experience, a good
story does start out with a conflict between family, friends and so on. However, the
determining part whether the story will continue to pique our interest or lose it, is solely relied
on the rising action plot. In this context, the time when Puck mistakenly gives the love juice to
Lysander instead of Demetrius.
“And the youth, mistook by me”
“Pleading for a lover's fee”
Even though Puck’s action is maliceless, it is very cruel to see quarrel between lovers happen
because of magic. Still, it is very funny.

Literary Elements and Devices

-SETTINGS-

Court of Athens Fairy wood

Next, the story of comedy and romance is taking place at the Athen. When
mentioning the city of Athens, a majority of us would probably think of the great
gods in Greek mythology. Majestic structures, finest art craft, marble-infused
decorations and altars for their gods are some of many beauties in this city.
Another key setting of this play is the no ordinary wood. What makes such wood to
be so remarkable is that it is the home for magical plants and mythical creatures
such as fairies.


“To bear him to my bower in Fairyland.”

For me, choosing fantasy settings is a very smart move to make a literature work
more indulging. Fantasy is all about the creativity of our imagination and unbound
to reality. Hence, many new unimaginable things can be created in the writing.

Literary Elements and Devices

-Diction-

Since it is written by a very renowned author in classical literature,
readers should expect the use of Old English choice of words. Words
such hast, thou and thee are some of the examples. During this time
of era, usage of those words in real life is almost never used in
conversation. The only place where it commonly be used would be in
fantasy genre literature such as this play.
“But hast thou yet latched the Athenian’s eyes”
This type of literature is a thought-provoking piece to understand.
Even though it is very hard to find the easier meaning behind these
verbs, it is what has become the identity of such literature works.

Literary Elements and Devices

-Themes-

Love
Imagination
Patriarchy.

Midsummer’s Night’ Dreams have lots of themes. However, one major theme that we
can identify from this reading is love. This story is built around the love story
between Hermia and Lysander, which they are played tricks upon by Puck.
“How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale?”
“How chance the roses there do fade so fast?”


From these verses, we can see how deep love and concerns Lysander does have for

his lover. Love, as the all-time classic genre for every movie, book and music, will
always make hearts pounding.

Literary Elements and Devices

-Figurative Languages-

Personification
Metaphor
Imagery

Figurative language makes a text beautiful and interesting, maybe twisted and
intriguing, and, for sure, not exactly what it says. It's the reader's job to figure it out.
One of them is personification.
''Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is wing'd Cupid
painted blind.''


In this quotation, love is being treated like an entity of action. Shakespeare

personifies love by implying that love has eyes with which to see, and that love is
blind as only a living being could be. In my opinion, the use of such personification
is tallied with the setting and storyline which is a love story in a fantasy world

Summary

From the start till the end, I find this drama to
be really comical romance which is my
favourite. The author do not only push our
imagination to imagine the settings but also
test our capability of understanding on what he
tried to convey to fellow readers. Such work
must be appreciate by all readers.

Thank you for reading!