Character analysis

Though there is little character development in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and no true protagonist, I believe Puck is the most important character in the play. He is portrayed as being mischievous and  quick-witted. He is important as his action set many of the play’s events in motion with his magic, by means of both deliberate pranks on the human characters (transforming Bottom’s head into that of an ass) and unfortunate mistakes (smearing the love potion on Lysander’s eyelids instead of Demetrius’s).

 Puck’s childish spirit, magical fancy, fun-loving humour, and lovely personality, evocative language adds to the atmosphere of the play. With contrasts, such as the  comparison between the rough, dirty male sprites and the delicate fairies. Puck seems to illustrate many of these contrasts within his own character: he is graceful but not too overpowering as Oberon is always watching him. he is given  a certain mischievousness, which leads him to transform Bottom’s head into that of an ass merely for the sake of enjoyment. He is good-hearted but capable of cruel tricks. Finally, whereas most of the fairies are beautiful, Puck is often portrayed as somewhat bizarre looking. Indeed, another fairy mentions that some call Puck a “hobgoblin,” a term whose connotes are decidedly less glamorous than those of “fairy”.