“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of William Shakespeare many plays. This play is set in a forest just outside of the city called Athens. This plays centres around a love-square. This is all caused by the mistakes that have been made by a fairy named Robin, but also known as Puck. Over the next few blogs I will be analysing a soliloquy of one of the most important charters in the play, the mistakable Robin.
William Shakespeare used many soliloquies throughout his plays. One of his most famous soliloquies is Robin’s in Act 2, scene 2. This is the changing point in the play, allowing for events to unfold and undertake.
Over the next few blogs I will deconstruct Robin’s soliloquy and explain why this is important to the rest of the play.
Background to Robin soliloquy
(Act 2, Scene 2)
Robin is introduced to the audience after the complicated ‘love-square’ has been presented. Oberon who is the king of the fairies had asked Robin who is jester is asked to go out into the forest and bring him back a lover flower, that is used to be placed into the person eyelids and for when they wake up, the first person they see they will fall in love with them. The reason Oberon has asked Robin to get the flower is because he was planning to put the powder into Titania’s eyes that is the queen of fairies and is Oberon’s wife. So that when she wakes up she will fall in love with a beast. The reason is because Oberon wants Titania to love him again.
This is when the love triangle comes into place because of when Oberon had used the love flower to put into Titania’s eyes. He also saw Demetrius being rude to Helena so tells Robin to put the juice into “an Athenian’s eyes” so he will fall in love with her. Both of these people are both Athens of the kingdom. But Robin thinks that Lysander must be the one because he is wearing Athenian clothes and sees Lysander lying near Hermia.
Just before all this Lysander and Hermia were having an argument about Lysander sleeping next to Hermia. So after there argument Lysander moves away from Hermia so they can sleep. So when Lysander moves away and falls asleep Robin thinks this is the Athenian Oberon is talking about so puts the flower juice into Lysander’s eyes.
This is when the love triangle comes into place because of when Oberon had used the love flower to put into Titania’s eyes. He also saw Demetrius being rude to Helena so tells Robin to put the juice into “an Athenian’s eyes” so he will fall in love with her. Both of these people are both Athens of the kingdom. But Robin thinks that Lysander must be the one because he is wearing Athenian clothes and sees Lysander lying near Hermia.
Just before all this Lysander and Hermia were having an argument about Lysander sleeping next to Hermia. So after there argument Lysander moves away from Hermia so they can sleep. So when Lysander moves away and falls asleep Robin thinks this is the Athenian Oberon is talking about so puts the flower juice into Lysander’s eyes.
The impotence of Robin’s Soliloquy
(Act 2, Scene 2)
As in the last few blogs we have broken down Robin Soliloquy and explained what happened before the time of the Soliloquy. As Lysander wakes up from his sleep and sees Helena standing over him. As the powder works, Lysander falls in love with Helena because of the powder. And Lysander starts saying rhymes expressing his feelings to her. Helena on the other hand thinks that they are paying out on her. But she doesn’t know about Robin putting the powder into Lysander’s eyes. This springs forth the complicated ‘love-square’ because of how Helena loves Demetrius and he loves Hermia. But Hermia loves Lysander and Lysander falls in love with Helena.
Robin’s Soliloquy
(Act 2, Scene 2)
At the beginning of the soliloquy Robin talks about how he was searching through the forest and he hasn’t found an Athenian boy to use the flower on. This can be seen when Robin says. “Through the forest have I gone. But Athenian found I none”.
Through the forest have I gone.
But Athenian found I none,
On whose eyes I might approve
This flower’s force in stirring love.
Then all of a sudden he sees Lysander and Hermia. He thinks this was the Athenian boy because of how he is wearing Athenian clothes. This can be seen when Robin says. “Weeds of Athens he doth wear. This is he, my master said”.
(sees LYSANDER and HERMIA)
Night and silence! Who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear.
This is he, my master said,
Despisèd the Athenian maid.
Robin presumes this must be the boy because of the clothes he’s wearing Athenian clothes and is laying near Hermia. But he mistakes her for the one who is treated poorly by the Athenian.
And here the maiden, sleeping sound
On the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! She durst not lie
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
Robin squeezes the flower juice into Lysander’s eyes. Hoping that when Athenian wakes up he should she girl he poorly treated and fall in love with her.
(squeezes flower juice on LYSANDER’s eyelids)
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe.
When thou wakest, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eyelid.
Robin then proceeds to tell the audience about what he has done and then wakes up the Athenian and heads back to Athens to see Oberon
So awake when I am gone,
For I must now to Oberon.
In the process of breaking down Robins Soliloquy I have explained the love-square and the characters that have been in these past few blogs.
Through the forest have I gone.
But Athenian found I none,
On whose eyes I might approve
This flower’s force in stirring love.
Then all of a sudden he sees Lysander and Hermia. He thinks this was the Athenian boy because of how he is wearing Athenian clothes. This can be seen when Robin says. “Weeds of Athens he doth wear. This is he, my master said”.
(sees LYSANDER and HERMIA)
Night and silence! Who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear.
This is he, my master said,
Despisèd the Athenian maid.
Robin presumes this must be the boy because of the clothes he’s wearing Athenian clothes and is laying near Hermia. But he mistakes her for the one who is treated poorly by the Athenian.
And here the maiden, sleeping sound
On the dank and dirty ground.
Pretty soul! She durst not lie
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy.
Robin squeezes the flower juice into Lysander’s eyes. Hoping that when Athenian wakes up he should she girl he poorly treated and fall in love with her.
(squeezes flower juice on LYSANDER’s eyelids)
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe.
When thou wakest, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eyelid.
Robin then proceeds to tell the audience about what he has done and then wakes up the Athenian and heads back to Athens to see Oberon
So awake when I am gone,
For I must now to Oberon.
In the process of breaking down Robins Soliloquy I have explained the love-square and the characters that have been in these past few blogs.