Characters per Scene

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1 — Athens (Theseus’ court)

Love quadruple:

Helena → Demetrius → Hermia ↔ Lysander

Theseus

  • Duke of Athens; preparing to marry Hippolyta and decides Hermia must obey her father.

Hippolyta

  • Queen of the Amazons; engaged to Theseus.

Egeus

  • Hermia’s strict father who demands she marry Demetrius.

Hermia

  • Loves Lysander but is ordered to marry Demetrius.

Lysander

  • Hermia’s true love; plans to run away with her.

Demetrius

  • Wants to marry Hermia even though Helena loves him.

Helena

  • In love with Demetrius, but he rejects her.

Philostrate

  • Theseus’ servant who organizes entertainment for the wedding.

Act 1, Scene 2 — The craftsmen (mechanicals)

  • Peter Quince

    • Carpenter who organizes the play Pyramus and Thisbe.

  • Nick Bottom

    • Confident and comedic weaver who wants to play every role.

  • Francis Flute

    • Bellows-mender forced to play the female role (Thisbe).

  • Tom Snout

    • Tinker who plays the wall in the play.

  • Robin Starveling

    • Tailor who plays Moonshine.

  • Snug

    • Joiner who plays the lion.

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1 — The forest

Puck

  • Oberon’s mischievous fairy servant who causes magical confusion.

Oberon

  • King of the fairies; plans to use magic to control Titania and help Demetrius love Helena.

Titania

  • Queen of the fairies; arguing with Oberon over a changeling boy.

Fairies

  • Titania’s attendants who serve and protect her.

Helena

  • Still chasing Demetrius and begging for his love.

Demetrius

  • Rejects Helena and continues searching for Hermia.

Act 2, Scene 2 — The forest (later at night)

Titania

  • Falls asleep and is enchanted by Oberon’s love potion.

Oberon

  • Places the potion on Titania’s eyes so she falls in love with the first thing she sees.

Puck

  • Accidentally puts the potion on Lysander instead of Demetrius.

Hermia

  • Runs away with Lysander but wakes up alone.

Lysander

  • Is magically enchanted and suddenly falls in love with Helena.

Helena

  • Finds Lysander and is confused when he suddenly declares love for her.

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1 — The forest (the mechanicals rehearse)

Nick Bottom

  • Weaver and comic character; turned into a donkey by Puck.

Peter Quince

  • Carpenter organizing the play Pyramus and Thisbe.

Francis Flute

  • Bellows-mender playing the female role Thisbe.

Tom Snout

  • Tinker playing the Wall.

Robin Starveling

  • Tailor playing Moonshine.

Snug

  • Joiner playing the Lion.

Puck

  • Mischievous fairy who turns Bottom’s head into a donkey.

Titania

  • Fairy queen who wakes under the love spell and falls in love with Bottom.

Fairies

  • Titania’s attendants who serve Bottom when she falls in love with him.

Act 3, Scene 2 — The forest (the lovers’ confusion)

Oberon

  • Fairy king who realizes Puck enchanted the wrong man.

Puck

  • Sent to fix the mistake but causes more confusion.

Demetrius

  • Now enchanted to love Helena.

Helena

  • Believes the men are mocking her.

Lysander

  • Still enchanted and now loves Helena instead of Hermia.

Hermia

  • Confused and angry because Lysander suddenly rejects her.

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1 — The forest

Titania

  • Fairy queen who is under the love potion and adores Bottom.

Nick Bottom

  • Weaver with a donkey head who is treated like royalty by Titania.

Fairies

  • Titania’s servants who attend to Bottom.

Oberon

  • Fairy king who finally reverses the love spell on Titania.

Puck

  • Removes Bottom’s donkey head and helps restore order.

Theseus

  • Duke of Athens who finds the lovers sleeping in the forest.

Hippolyta

  • Accompanies Theseus on the morning hunt.

Egeus

  • Still wants Hermia to marry Demetrius.

Hermia

  • Wakes up with the others in the forest.

Lysander

  • Now loves Hermia again after the spell is fixed.

Helena

  • Finally loved by Demetrius.

Demetrius

  • Under the spell and happily in love with Helena.

Act 4, Scene 2 — Athens (Quince’s house)

  • Peter Quince

    • Worried because Bottom is missing.

  • Francis Flute

    • Actor in the craftsmen’s play.

  • Tom Snout

    • Actor playing the Wall.

  • Robin Starveling

    • Actor playing Moonshine.

  • Snug

    • Actor playing the Lion.

  • Nick Bottom

    • Returns and tells them they will perform their play for the Duke.

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1 — Athens (Theseus’ palace)

  • Theseus

    • Celebrates his wedding and watches the play.

  • Hippolyta

    • Questions the strange story told by the lovers.

  • Philostrate

    • Suggests entertainment options for the celebration.

  • Hermia

  • Lysander

  • Helena

  • Demetrius

    • The three couples celebrate their marriages.

The play within the play

The mechanicals perform “Pyramus and Thisbe”:

  • Peter Quince

  • Nick Bottom

  • Francis Flute

  • Tom Snout

  • Robin Starveling

  • Snug

Ending

  • Oberon

  • Titania

  • Puck

The fairies bless the marriages and Puck gives the final speech to the audience.