A Midsummer Night's Dream Act IV Scene ii

Act IV Scene ii

In Athens, the working men, Quince, Flute, Starveling, and Snout are gathered. They are unable to locate Bottom and so must give up setting up the play for they are certain that none but Bottom can do justice to the role in all of Athens. Flute enters soon and discloses that Theseus has left the temple, and there have occurred two other marriages besides that of Theseus. They are all certain that if they had been allowed to enact the play then they would have certainly been given a handsome pension by the duke.

Bottom soon runs in and tells them all that he has seen amazing things that they wouldn't believe. They are all very happy to see him and press him to reveal what he had seen but he only hurries them to prepare for the play.

Analysis

This brief scene can be seen as a new beginning for the play, this scene and the following epilogue all occur after the main strife has been resolved. The last act is the peak of the comedic aspect of the play, as the workmen do a poor job of relating the tragic tale of Pyramus and Thisbe.

In this scene, we learn about the wedding of the two couples that had been the source of conflict in the play, and Bottom returns to his dejected and sad friends. In this way, the scene can put the emotions of the previous acts behind, and instead focus on the emotion of Joy. In the same way, the older themes are abandoned in the following acts, such as that of out-of-balance love and magic. Instead, the theme of a play within a play is developed.