Inside Shakespeare's mind:

Titania, Midsummer's Queen

Shakespeare's only romantic fairy tale written for children, became an obsession with young adults when they were introduced to Shakespeare and Titania their heroine. They simply adored the development of the play with its fairies, goblins and Puck. He left aside his high-profile literary text and took on the guise of a child wading through the woods, mingling with characters from a world of make-believe. He depended on dreams, herbal portions to create magic and bring lovers together. His central figure however is the silly Bottom that brings together from the opposite extremes mystic craftsman and lords and ladies of Athens.

Shakespeare goes soft on the clown when he humanize Bottom and lend him a gentle heart though he is a weaver without any art or character. On more than one occasion his stupidity precedes his wit. He has won a main place in the play because the meaning of a summer dream depends on his encounter with Titania. So, Shakespeare is a happy man when he was feeding dialogue into their mouths.

While the Duke of Athens was getting ready to wed the Amazon queen he had defeated in battle, he was also faced with other matrimonial matters arising out of a misunderstanding that involved Egeus, Hermia, Demetrius, Helena and Lysander in a wood close to Athens where we come face to face the real story of a fairytale.

Goblin Puck and one of the Fairy Queen's train discuss the quarrel between Oberon and Titania. (Enter Titania and Oberon with their Train from the woods of Athens)

After being smeared with a magical portion by Puck, Titania wakes up and falls in love with Bottom who wears a donkey’s head for a play. An incident from Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Oberon - I'll meet by moonlight, proud Titania.

Titania - What, jealous Oberon, Fairies skip hence; I have foresworn his bed and company.

O. - Tarry, rash wanton. Am not thy lord.

T. - Then I must be thy lady but I know when thou has stol'n away from my fairyland in the shape of Corin salt all day.

ACT. II, Sce. II

The quarrel is over the changeling boy she has adopted and he wants for a henchman. When she refuses to oblige, he orders Puck to fetch a flower whose juice squeezed on Titania's sleeping eyelids when she opens them, will make her fall in love with the first one she sees.

In the meantime Helena has followed Demetrius to the wood. Oberon with sympathy overtaken for Demetrius, orders Puck to squeeze the same juice on his eyelids while he puts the same drops on Titania. But, Puck makes a big mistake and choose Lysander instead who when he awakes, persues Helena. The damage done, Puck keeps to himself to watch the fun.

Mischievously, Puck gives an ass's head to Bottom, the weaver who is one in the group rehearsing a play for the edding to Theseus:- (in another part of the wood)

Oberon - What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken quiet, and laid the love juice on some true love's sight. Of they misprision must perforce ensure. Some true love turn'd, and not a false turn'd true.

Puck - Then fate ov'r-rules that one man holding troth, a million fail, confounding oath on oath.

O. - About the wood go swifter than the wind and Helena of Athens look thoufind.- ACT. III, Sce. III

Now the confusion is worse than ever Demetrius and Lysander fight over Helena to Hermia's sorrow. Presently, Titania wakes up and falls in love with Bottom with the ass's head.

The only left to do is to make all fall asleep and restore Lysander's sight. Oberon releases Titania and Puck removes the ass's head and one quarrel settled. (Enter Titania and Bottom with Oberon unseen)

Oberon - ........... Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower hath such force and blessed power.Now my Titania: wake you sweet queen.

Titania - My Oberon, what vision have I seen. Me though I was enamour'd of an ass.

O. - There lies your love.

T. - How came these things to pass. O' how mine eyes do loathe his visage now.

- ACT. IV Sce I

The fairy queen and king leave before dawn. Theseus assures everything will be fine for the lovers while hunting early with Hippolyta and Bottom goes finding his fellows after recovering from an apparent dream.

In performance

This play is a triple-narrative of Romantics, immortal and mechanicals and believed to have been written by Shakespeare for a wedding celebration with its loveliest lyrical verses. Around 1662, the play was ridiculed as an operatic version of the Fairy Queen with Purcell's music. There was a Covent Garden version in 1840 but the 1853 version with Samuel Phelps as Bottom was more Shakespearean. Later at the Princess, nine-year-old Ellen Terray was Puck fully dressed in flowers. This was followed by dozens ofrevivals at the Old Vic and Drury Lane with continuous productions by directors who gave their own twists to the play. They all became increasingly popular. The Royal Shakespeare Company boarded a spectacular version and the play keeps picking up momentum to date mostly among the younger audiences.

Outside England, USA had her first premier in New York in 1826 followed by yet another production highlighting Titania. The play has been filmed twice in Hollywood and Mendelsson's music has been used for many years while Weber based his opera on the play Oberon. In 1960 Benjamin Britten wrote the opera Midsummer Night's Dream which was so popular that other followed opera versions. There were also some of lyrics sung by Oberon in praise of Titania set to music but I cannot recall who the composer is.

'I know a bank where the wild thyme blows

Where Oxlips and nodding violets grows.

Quiet over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with englatine,

There sleeps Titania, some time of the night

Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight .....

- ACT. II