The Prankster
In William Shakespeare’s play, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Puck is Oberon’s jester. Shakespeare divides the action of the play into different groups of characters. Puck is the closest character to a protagonist in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Puck is probably the most important character in the play in that he sets many of the plays events in motion with his magic. Throughout the play, Puck lives to play pranks on the characters. Puck’s charming spirit pervades the atmosphere of the entire play. The actions that Puck makes are the main reasons for the complications throughout the play. Puck’s main role in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” really does not come into play until Act III when Puck turns Bottom’s head into the head of a donkey. Puck and Bottom are in the woods with a few other characters that are in the play within the play. Puck then changes Bottom’s head into the head of a donkey which scares everyone away. Puck does this to show Bottom’s foolish arrogance. Bottom then shows that he does not care by saying: I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me; to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid.