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Tragedy in Comedy EssayTragedy in Comedy is only a bad dream. This assertion ironically captures the fable created by Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream. While in the play, the night spent by the three couples and the performers in the woods offside Athens is felt by them to be a wild dream, for the audience viewing this comedy, the tragic elements at the beginning of the play look less like the reality in Shakespeares make-believe world. This world has gods and lovers, half-man half-donkey, and goblins spreading love potions. The play captures many elements from the English mythological tradition, and uses them with poise and reserve. As one of the most popular adaptations for film and theatre in modern times, the play survives its intricate plot, typical characterization and reserved prose. The play begins in the rest home of Egeus with Hermia fighting against the wish of her father to marry the man chosen by him. In response, he invokes the ancient Athenian law that stat es that a daughter mustiness marry according to the wishes of her father, or else face death.But Egeus gives Hermia another choice, to observe a lifelong chastity in the worship of the goddess Diana as a nun. Hermia decides to drive away with her lover, Lysander and they both flight to marry in the house of Hermias aunt. They then escape to the afforest outside Athens. Hermia has told of this to no one only her friend Helena, who, out of jealousy at being rejected by Demetrious, decides to tell him this in order to gain his favor. The humor here lies in the bitchy love soulal matters that make Helena betray her friends secret.In paintings and other art depicting the scene of confiding, the two are shown in close consultation, skinny and bonding. Thus, the scene is essential in the way that it builds up to the confusion, with Helena trailing Demetrius in his quest to trace Hermia and her lover. It to a fault breaks away from the image, where sacrifice is easily rejected for per sonal happiness. Such a hedonistic impulse can only mean that the scene is set for the fight or pleasure, in which each person will vie for the lovers hand.This fight takes a ridiculous proportion, when Oberon, king of the fairies brings forth the hobgoblin, Puck, to lace the sleeping Titania with love potion. Helena is shown from the nonplus to be in pursuit of personal gain. This takes comic proportions when the spellbound Dymetrius and Lysander, a result of an incompetent Pucks mistaking of Lysander for Demetrius, fall madly in love with her. She feels that this sudden reversal must mean that the two are mocking her. So she can no longer indulge in egotism centered pursuit, for the objects that she sought now seek her in maddening courtship. Herein lays Helenas comedy.But it is finally Puck who saves the day, by removing the spell from Lysander, who whence goes back to his affectionate relationship with Hermia. The band of half a dozen rude mechanicals, or stage actors who ar e to perform at the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, find their way into the forest where the love in idleness has caused chaos. It is Pucks mischief again, in transforming Nick Bottom, an actor, into a man with the head of a donkey. His singing then awakens Titania, who has also been cast with the love potion. This is done on Oberons command, for he wishes to procure her changeling as a henchman.This is perhaps the part, when Titania falling madly in love with Bottom, showers Bottom with all that is deserving of a nobleman, a part that is most loved by the audiences of this play. It reaches a tragicomic poise that is eloquent and infantry all at once (Khoury, 2006). Oberon later orders Puck to remove the curse from Titania, who in turn frees Bottom from the donkeys head. Oberon commands that Lysander should be freed of the magical hold, but it should remain on Demetrius. The serialization is complete. Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on their morning hunt and find the lovers asleep.U pon waking them, a grand ceremony is held by Oberon. Egeus agrees to Hermias junction with Lysander, and a group wedding takes place. The lovers believe that the nights event must have been a dream, and watching a performance by the six workmen, though not particularly pleasing the lovers find a sense of pleasure and contentment. Oberon and the fairies enter after some time to bless them with good fortune. References Shakespeares Sources for A Midsummer Nights Dream. Shakespeare-online. com. Retrieved on 2009-11-01. The Tempest available at http//shakespeare. mit.edu/tempest/full. html Retrieved on 2009-11-01. The Tempest http//www. enotes. com/a-tempest/ Retrieved on 2009-11-01. The tempest revisited in Martinique Aime Cesaires Shakespeare. (Critical essay) Khoury, J. (2006) The tempest revisited in Martinique Aime Cesaires Shakespeare. (Critical essay) ledger for Early Modern Cultural Studies September 22, 2006 http//www. accessmylibrary. com/article-1G1-154756422/tempest-revi sited-martinique-aime. html Retrieved on 2009-11-01. http//cscanada. net/index. php/css/article/viewFile/559/pdf_398 Retrieved on 2009-11-01.