This presentation is about magic theme which can be found in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

1. MAGIC THEME IN A
MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S
DREAM BY WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE
Putri Arti Lestari

2. Abstract
This paper is an analysis of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William
Shakespeare. The purpose of this writing is to understand theme in the drama.
The writer uses theory of theme and close reading method. The writer finds that
there are some themes in the drama including magic. To conclude, William
Shakespeare makes the drama like a fantasy by using magic theme.
Keywords: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, theme, magic

3. Introduction
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular drama
by William Shakespeare. In the play, there are many themes which
William Shakespeare used when writing the drama. One of the
themes is magic.

4. Theory and Methodology
 According to Merriam-Webster.com “Theme is a subject or topic of
discourse or of artistic representation guilt and punishment is the
theme of the story or a specific and distinctive quality, characteristic,
or concern the campaign has lacked a theme.”
 According to Merriam-Webster.com “Magic is the use of means (such
as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural
forces.”
The methodology in this writing is to analyze the magic theme in
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.

5. Biography of William Shakespeare
The exact date of William Shakespeare’s birth is unknown, but it is accepted that
he was born in April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. He was the
son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. He was educated at the King’s New School
and studied the basic Latin text and grammar. In 1582, William Shakespeare married
Anne Hathaway. Six months later after their marriage, Hathaway gave a birth their first
child, a daughter named Susanna. In 1585, they have twins, named Hamnet and Judith.
On April 23, 1616, William Shakespeare died and was buried at the Holy Trinity Church
in Stratford.

6. Summary of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
In Athens, there are a law which is a daughter should marry a man who is
chose by her father or die. Hermia, Egeus’ daughter, refuses to marry Demetrius
because she has Lysander. Hermia and Lysander decide to run away to the wood
at midnight. They want to live with Lysander’s aunt. They tell their plan to
Helena, who Hermia’s old friend and she loves Demetrius. Helena follows them
to the wood. In the wood, there are king and queen of fairies. They have fight.
The king of fairy asks Puck to make a love potion which it make Demetrius and
Lysander fall in love with Helena.

7. Discussion
William Shakespeare using magic in his comedy drama which is
symbolized by Oberon (The king of fairies), Titania (The queen of fairies), the
fairies and a love poison which is made by Robin Goodfellow (Puck).
OBERON. “Young girls call it “love-in-idleness.” Bring me that
flower. I showed it to you once. If its juice is put on someone’s eyelids
while they’re asleep, that person will fall in love with the next living
creature he or she sees.” (act 2, scene 1, page 6, line 153-157)
Oberon is jealous because Titania has an adorable boy from an Indian
king. He wants the child for himself but she refuses to hand over the boy to
Oberon. Then they have a fight and Titania decides to go with the fairies. Oberon
is mad and he asks Puck to make a love potion.

8. ROBIN. I took that opportunity to stick a donkey’s head on him. (Act 3,
scene 2)
Robin also can change Bottom’s head to an ass which happen when Titania
fall in love with Bottom after Puck gives the love potion to Titania’s eyelids.
OBERON. (OBERON gives a new flowerto ROBIN) When they’re asleep,
crush some of this flower’s juice into Lysander’s eyes. The flower’s juice
has the power to erase all the damage that’s been done to his eyes, and to
make him see normally, the way he used to. (act 3, scene 2, page 15)
Although Puck gives the potion to the wrong person, that is, Lysander, magic
in the drama can finish the suspense and returns Lysander back to himself who
loves Hermia.

9. Conclusion
Theme is one of the intrinsic elements in drama. According to
the analysis, theme which can be found in the drama A Midsummer
Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is magic. Magic in the drama
is successful to make the drama like a fantasy.