A Midsummer Nights Dream motif (moh-TEEF): a recurring object, concept, or structure in a work of literature.

A motif ma also be two contrasting elements in a work, such as goo! an! e"il. #n the $ook of %enesis, we see the motif of separation again an! again throughout the stor . #n the "er first chapter, %o! separates the light from the !arkness. Abraham an! his !escen!ants are separate! from the rest of the nation as %o!&s chosen people. 'oseph is separate! from his brothers in or!er that life might be preser"e!. Another motif is water, seen in %enesis as a means of !estro ing the wicke! an! in (atthew as a means of remitting sins b the emplo ment of baptism. )ther motifs in %enesis an! (atthew inclu!e bloo! sacrifices, fire, lambs, an! goats. A motif is important because it allows one to see main points an! themes that the author is tr ing to e*press, in or!er that one might be able to interpret the work more accuratel . A Handbook to Literature, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. A (i!summer +ight,s -ream has man motifs present. These motifs a!! to the e*ploration of themes, as well as the atmosphere, an! characterisation in the pla . -epen!ing on the motifs (re"iew notes) there ma be connections ma!e with theme, as well as the progression of the pla itself. For e.g. the motif of the e es is an important one. There are a few references ma!e to the e es an! their connection to lo"e- the !ifference in lo"ing with the e es an! lo"e that goes be on! what is seen. (agic is another motif that is connecte! to lo"e an! the supernatural. There is magic in"ol"e! in the joining of the lo"ers, as well as in the blessing of the be!s of the "arious couples. Along with recurring images, there is much contrast in the pla - !a "s. night. fairies "s. mortals. sanit "s. ma!ness. appearance "s. realit . PLOT /hakespeare,s pla s follow the mo!el of the fi"e act pla . There is the long e*position, followe! b rising action, an! then the clima* (act three), which lea!s to a falling action an! ultimatel a !enouement (the happ en!ing in terms of come! ). #n this an! other /hakespearean pla s, the 0ourts represent or!er (a!herence to the social hierarch an! the rules thereof). the forests, or pastoral en"ironments, represent free!om wherein rules are bent. there is confusion. or!er is !isrupte!. The confusion,s taking place in the forest ma be seen as being appropriate as this place woul! allow them to be open to mistakes. The forest is also appropriate in that it is here that the supernatural inter"enes in the plot. The fight between )beron an! Titania is highlighte!, as well as the !iscor! that results from it. 1uck also a!!s to the !iscor!, but to that of the couples in the woo!s. 2is role is pi"otal here as his inter"ention throws off 2ermia an! 3 san!er,s plans, an! also gi"es -emetrius time to la claim to 2ermia as well. (agic,s role in the pla makes the forest the i!eal place for this to take place. #n a!!ition to location, the time of !a a!!s to the element of magic an! the supernatural in the pla . The night time is the time which allows for mischief to take place un!er the changing nature of the moon. As the forest is the space for foll , it is thus i!eal for us to meet the artisans there. The absur!it of their rehearsal is fitting for the woo!s. Also, there is the element of !iscor! wherein $ottom tries to o"erstep his role as actor into the role of !irector. The subject of their pla also makes their location appropriate. the lo"ers in the pla the rehearse mirror the situation of 2ermia an! 3 san!er somewhat.

Their pla also highlights the sort of absur!it that is in"ol"e! when people are in lo"e. #n the same wa their interpretation of the pla lacks sense, lo"e sometimes results in this sort of beha"iour. 2owe"er, in a /hakespearean pla , or!er nee!s to be restore! in some wa . The pla starts in the 0ourts. 2ermia an! 3 san!er run awa to escape the laws an! or!ers there. #t highlights the somewhat oppressi"e nature of the 0ourts an!, b e*tension, the patriarchal societ in which the pla is set an! au!ience for whom it was performe!. 4hile the lo"ers run awa to the woo!s, it is important that the return to Athens in the en!. )r!er is restore! at the en! of the pla . the 0ourts represent this. Therefore, it ma be seen as fitting that the action returns to Athens for the happ en!ing to take place. Their return also brings them back un!er the or!er of the !uke (higher patriarchal figure than Egeus), who sanctions the marriages.

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The 2app En!ing7 At the en! of the pla there are three couples that get marrie!. 3ike all /hakespearean come!ies, there is the happ en!ing. 2owe"er, one must consi!er the nature of these relationships. The onl one that seems to ha"e been naturall on a path to marriage is that of 2ermia an! 3 san!er. 2owe"er, there,s represent a usurping of tra!ition. the get marrie! !espite 2ermia,s father,s wishes. 3o"e pre"ails o"er the oppressi"e male figure. #t is, though, another male figure that makes the union possible. 2elena an! -emetrius, relationship seem somewhat 8uestionable. #s it true7 #s it just because of the spell7 This ma be seen in two or more wa s. #t can be sai! that lo"e itself cast a spell on -emetrius, causing him to temporaril lose focus of the one with whom he is reall in lo"e, or it ma also be sai! that he has to be kept un!er the spell in or!er to remain with 2elena. #f the latter is true, then -emetrius ma be seen to be in a situation similar to that of 2ippol ta- being that the are somewhat trappe!. E"en though the -uke seems e*cite! to get marrie! to 2ippol ta, we must remember also that he gains her as his bri!e through using force. 2e basicall ki!naps her an! takes her for his wife. The nature of this relationship is 8uestionable as it begins out of the use of force. 9uestionable also is the )beron an! Titania,s marriage. )beron has use! magic to manipulate Titania into gi"ing him what he wants. 2e also humiliates her an! entertains himself when he causes her to fall in lo"e with $ottom. :::1ower is important in this pla - who has it, who wants it, who is controlle! b it.