Shelley Burton English 2100: Writing About Literature Spring 2013 Instructor: Jessica Camargo Informal Essay The

Green World refers to an environment, usually a forest, where a character escapes to undergo a personal transformation before reentering the real world. The Green World is oftentimes a place of enchantment and magic, with many supernatural forces present. Characters are no longer within the restrictions and laws that govern the city. This fantasy realm plays a huge role in uniting all of the couples in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream. The audience (or reader) is first introduced to the Green World setting in Act II, Scene I when a spirit named Puck meets a fairy in the forest. This exchange between Puck and the fairy and the heated exchange between Oberon and Titania that follows reveal the nature of the supernatural creatures residing in Fairyland. Being that the Green World is a place of magic, Oberon enlists the help of Puck to collect the potion from a flower to use on Titania while she is sleeping. When she awakes, she will fall in love with the first living thing she sees. This reveals the power of the magic in this enchanted forest. When Titania awakes, she is overcome with infatuation for a part-human, part-donkey creature named Bottom. This is all part of Oberons diversion for manipulating Titania into surrendering the changeling boy that she has developed an obsession for. When Oberon decides to lift the spell, Titania and Bottom are both as they were before the application of the potion, with only a blurred memory of the events. When Hermia and Lysander venture into the forest, they are met with the chaos and confusion that is to be expected in the Green World. Their relationship is tested when Pucks potion, intended for Demetrius, causes Lysander to mistakenly fall in love with Helena. When the potion is correctly administered to Demetrius, Helena finds herself with two admirers and Hermia finds herself with no one. This sets up the obstacles the characters must face in order to emerge from the forest as their true selves.

Ultimately, because of the magic in the Green World, all of the couples are united the way they are intended to be. Oberon is reunited with Titania because of his powerful spell. Likewise, Hermia and Lysander find their relationship mended and Demetrius finally reciprocates Helenas love. Even though the magic of the Green World is dark, it is necessary for the plot of the story. It is because of this magical fantasy world that all of the couples are able to end up with one another. William Shakespeare uses the Green World as the main setting for the action to take place in A Midsummer Nights Dream. This fantasy realm provides a basis for understanding the events that will unfold. Here, creatures and entities can exist that would not be accepted in the outside world. These supernatural beings are meant to pose a challenge to the main characters by presenting them with obstacles that they must overcome. After meeting these challenges, the characters are able emerge from the Green World with a totally new perspective. All of the couples are satisfied with their relationships and it is because of their time spent in the Green World that they are able to end up together.