MM Oct 27

Summary Essay for Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Class began with the eighth reading quiz of the semester. Dr. Mathur then showed a clip from the 1999 film adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. On Monday, we talked about the overarching plot of the various romantic couples in Acts One and Two – today we considered the possibility of a comedic subplot. More specifically, we looked at the story that Nick Bottom and his fellow actors chose to act out – Pyramus and Thisbe – and its effect on the other love plots in the play. We were given some time to write freely on this topic, and then the floor was open for discussion. As the discussion unfolded, several ideas were thrown around. Perhaps the scene with Bottom and the other actors is meant to be comedic, and make the entire depiction of love in Dream seem comedic. This would lead us to the conclusion, as Annie pointed out, that desire is mutable. In a Shakespearean comedy, that inference is certainly a plausible one. Dr. Mathur then asked a summary question in order to lead the class discussion onto a different route: “Why are Oberon and Titania fighting?” Of course, the couple is fighting over the changeling Indian boy, which tempts Oberon to gain revenge by playing a prank on her (Puck, Oberon’s jester, is the one who actually pranks Titania). We then watched the outcome of the prank in the film adaptation – Bottom and Titania fall in love, despite the fact that Bottom’s head being replaced by the head of an ass. Small group discussion followed, during which we discussed Oberon’s plan, whether of not his plan humiliated Titania or elevated Bottom, and whether or not Titania enjoys her relationship with Bottom more than hers with Oberon. We came to the following conclusions: Titania seems to enjoy her relationship with Bottom more while under the spell; Titania is not humiliated, but neither is Bottom elevated (he is still a figurative ass, and now quite literally one); and, ultimately, Oberon’s plan is successful – he gets the boy back.