William Shakespeare’s Theseus at the Theatre Stage

Life imitates art, or does art imitate life? At the core of this philosophical conundrum, the common connection is that art and humanity are tightly intertwined. Similarly, within William Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a plethora of contrasts and conundrums are presented: concord versus discord, reality versus fantasy, and balance versus imbalance. These themes are explored through the cast of characters and their relationships within the play.

While the prominent theme is both dreaming and magic, an underlying theme emerges’ the connection between art and humanity.

Within A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the six laborers or “Rude Mechanicals” most closely align with the human realm of the play, unifying the audience as collective participants and spectators through the shared experience of theatrical storytelling (3 . 2. 9). The “Crew of Patches” as later named by Puck, appear in the first act in preparation of a theatrical interlude to be performed in honor of Theseus and Hippolyta’s upcoming nuptials (3.2.9). From the beginning of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a distinct line is drawn between the class of characters, which can be separated into four categories: the human nobles, the quartet of lovers, the fairy nobles and servants, and finally, the working-class laborers.

Each laborer is named or distinguished by his profession. When examining the individual vocations of each mechanical, a pattern emerges. The laborers all work to bring together or unify something through various techniques such as weaving, sewing, and repairing. This same pattern is evident through my avocation’ acting. Although the mechanicals is named by their vocations, they identify themselves as actors in the play. In the first act, as the men are preparing for practice, Peter Quince draws the attention of the group by asking: “Is all our company here ?” (1.2.1).

A few lines later, Bottom the Weaver distinctly refers to the troop as actors: “First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors”(1.2.8-9). With the introduction of the mechanicals as amateur actors, the distinct class line becomes blurred. As actors, the men work collectively as artists to entertain their noble audience, counterparts they otherwise would not have the opportunity to interact with. This line of separation is most blurred in the final act. As the nobles wait for the following interlude to begin, Theseus and Philostrate discuss choosing the mechanical play as the next performance. Philostrate discourages Theseus from choosing the retelling of Pyramus, and Thisby describes the production as “tedious” and later adds that “there is not one word apt, one player fitted”(5.1.64-65).

Instead of heeding the suggestion of his noble council, Theseus specifically chooses the mechanical’s play benevolently, stating: “I will hear that play; For never anything can be amiss When simpleness and duty tender it” Our sport shall be to take what they mistake: And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect”(5.1.81-83.90-91). The transition or merger of the mechanicals from workmen to actors not only blurs the class distinction line but also triggers the unification of people through the collective experience of the mechanic’s performance.

At first glance, the workmen’s role or representation as actors within the overall play seems simple comedic relief and entertainment. However, despite a lack of self-awareness and artistic skill, the mechanicals represents uniting man with the “magic” of the theater through the art of storytelling. Although the interlude of Ovid’s tragic tale represents what could have happened in the wood if the quartet of lovers spiraled into deeper discord, at the core of the interlude performance exists laborers “playing” actors and escaping the everyday world of their working-class lives in Athens.

It is through the theater that actors can inhabit the life of another but also maintains their human perspective. The poetic liberty that Bottom and company assume in the pre-production of the play speaks to their desire to create a magical or dramatic illusion for the audience. It is the actor’s duty to initiate a shared experience by creating a symbolic world for everyone to participate in collectively. This duty is acknowledged by the mechanicals, as evident in the third act as the men prepare for practice. The mechanicals put a lot of faith in theatrical “magic,” or at least in their ability to portray it, to the point that they are concerned about the women in attendance being afraid of the lion character or horrified by lovers’ suicides.

Bottom instructs Peter Quince to “Write me a prologue, and let the prologue seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords and that Pyramus is not killed indeed” (3.1.17-20). Another example of the mechanical’s modes of storytelling is their discussion concerning how to represent Moonshine in the interlude. The aura of Moonshine denotes a bewitching, glimmering view of moonlight imagery that is more poetic or artistic than a factual element that can be found in nature. Peter Quince uses his own poetic liberties to suggest that Moonshine is represented “with a bush of thorns and a lantern” (3.1.59-60).

This image, although it is meant to be comical, suggests that a more artistic approach be taken to appeal to the audience’s imagination rather than relying on the natural phenomenon of nature. Utilizing Moonshine and Wall as actual human characters combines art and humanity, even if by accidental farce. The theater is a mode of metamorphosis that allows the actor to transform, not literally as Bottom is “translated” in the comedy, but by encouraging the audience to suspend belief and become a spectator in a world created by the artists representing it (3.1.119-20). Furthermore, it is through the human representation of a poetic concept that art and humanity become akin. Overall, the actions of the mechanicals in A Midsummer Night’s Dream establish the idea that theater is entertainment for the working and noble classes and accessible art for all.

Theater becomes a vehicle in which unification or concord is achieved through the lens of shared humanity. It is the mechanical’s interlude performance that represents the artistic experience of acting as well as the collective bond that is present in the theater. This interlude serves as the “cells,” although comical, represent the artistic experience of acting as well as the collective bond that is present in the theater within and outside of the play. Audiences, whomever they may be, are encouraged to suspend reality and engage in the illusion as a unified group. The theater has the power to both enchant the audience and alter their perception as if each member is part of the collective sharing of a dream or fantasy. Art has the power to bring humanity together as one, as if by magic.

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