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Luck In A Midsummer Night's Dream

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Throughout the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, there many occurrences that are realistically impossible. All of these coincidental events can ultimately be linked to the overarching theme of chance and pure luck. A perfect example of this happens in Act 3 Scene 1, which is defined as Bottom’s transformation. The reason for this is because Bottom the weaver, a character with an arrogant personality, ends up turning into a donkey. What happens after can only be categorized into the reoccurring theme. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, Bottom’s transformation contributes to the underlying theme of chance and pure luck. Act 3 Scene 1 starts out with the Rude Mechanicals meeting at a spot in the woods. …show more content…

Michelle Lee, a published writer and Shakespeare critic, states that “The enigmatic influence of fate, fortune, and the heavens on the lives of human beings forms a compelling theme in Shakespearean dramas and comedies” (Lee, 2004, para. 1). Lee is essentially saying the theme of chance and pure luck is an essential theme in Shakespearean dramas and comedies. This is certainly evident in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She goes on to say “Critics suggest that Shakespeare's depiction of fortune in the comedies relies in large part on medieval and Renaissance perceptions of this obscure force. Fortune is generally a deceiver in the comic plays, set to test the virtue of those seeking favor or gain, and stands in contrast with the providential designs of God….. this is apparent in comedies such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Lee, 2004, para. 2). At first, she explains briefly about why fortune was used, as well as the motivation behind it, but then she goes on to talk about what fortune truly means. She states fortune stands in contradiction with the plans of God, and more specifically goes against what is actually expected. This is huge in many of Shakespeare's comedies and dramas, and Lee even says this is conspicuous in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Not only is the theme of chance and pure luck expressed in the written play, but it is also indicated in various recorded versions of A Midsummer Night’s

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