Theme Of Control In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Controlling or Controlled
Author Shannon L. Alder once said, “The need for control always comes from someone that has lost it.” In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oberon lost the baby to his wife so now he wants to control her to get the baby back. In the play, Shakespeare shows that one is either or the controlled. People control each other for the power, they control each other for the valuable materials, and people are controlled because they don’t know how to control. If one is in the world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream they’re controlled or they’re controlling.

Most people control other people for the feel of power. During the play Puck stumbles upon Nick Bottom and his colleagues. Puck likes the feel of control so he turns Nick Bottom into a donkey. When one of his colleagues, Snout, see’s him, Snout says, “O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee?” (Shakespeare 3.1.1050). Once Puck changed Nick Bottom into a donkey he thought they were trying to frighten and scare him. Bottom decides to sing to show them that he is not scared but while he is singing Titania wakes up and says, “What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?” (Shakespeare 3.1.115).

When someone loses what they

Demetrius and Lysander are both controlled by Puck because Puck puts the juice of the flower on their eyes. Another controlled person is Nick Bottom. He is controlled by Puck and by Titania. Titania wanted Nick to stay with her but he said, “Not so, neither; but if I had wit enough to get out of this wood, I have enough to serve my own turn” (Shakespeare 3.1.135). Once Nick Bottom told this to her she wrapped a vine around his feet and said, “Out of this wood do not desire to go; Thou salt remain here, whether thou wilt or no” (Shakespeare 3.1.140). This shows Nick Bottom being controlled by Puck and Titania while Titania is also being controlled by