A Midsummer's Night Dream ; need help?

Question

Hi everyone , okay so I had to do some summer reading and I have to summarize every act(chapter) in this play.

So , in the first part I think I kind of get the idea of it. A guy named Theseus is going to get married to Hippolyta in 4 days ( I think ) and his friend Egeus is mad because his daughter is in love with a guy named Lysander and Egeus wants his daughter Hermia to marry Demetrius ( who's a pretty fake guy )

and even though Lysander and Demetrius are equal in wealth , Egeus is more fond of Demetrius.

So , I just want to know if I misunderstood anything and I'm wondering if you guys can help me out.

Thank you

Answer 1

Not really, but you did actually miss the exciting whole bit in between with the Faries (Titania, Oberon, and Puck and others), as well as the "clowns" (Quince, Snug, Bottom - very important character BTW, and others).

Also the part you missed/overlooked has some of the most awesome poetry around!  

Aside from that,  it would probably be best to break it all down by ACT, list the characters and then tell what how they affect one another. What you started with does work.  

It will all make more sense and be far more exciting to read.  

M.S.N.D. is a good story, but don't leave out the most exciting parts.

Answer 2

Summary

Encountering Oberon in another part of the forest, Puck explains the outcome of his experiments with the love potion. Oberon is pleased to learn that Titania has fallen in love with the monstrous Bottom and that Puck has also fixed the disdainful Athenian. Just after Puck assures him that Demetrius must now love Helena, Demetrius and Hermia enter the scene. Oberon recognizes Demetrius, but Puck realizes this is not the same Athenian he bewitched with the potion. Because her darling Lysander has mysteriously disappeared, Hermia accuses Demetrius of murdering him and hiding the body. Demetrius insists that he didn’t kill his enemy, but Hermia refuses to believe him. Giving up the argument in despair, Demetrius sinks to the ground and falls asleep, while Hermia continues her search for the missing Lysander.

Oberon reprimands Puck for anointing the wrong Athenian with the love juice. To correct the situation, Oberon sends Puck in search of Helena and then squeezes the magic potion into the cold-hearted Demetrius’ eyes. Lysander and Helena enter the scene, still bickering because Helena thinks he is mocking her. Their voices wake Demetrius, who falls in love with Helena at first sight, compliments of Oberon’s potion. Hearing what she believes are Demetrius’ phony declarations of love, Helena is furious: Both Lysander and Demetrius are now making fun of her. When Hermia enters, the situation gets even worse.

Not knowing about the potion-induced change in Lysander’s feelings for her, Hermia is shocked when he declares he no longer loves her. Of course, Helena thinks that Hermia is also in on the farce and can’t believe her closest childhood friend could be so nasty. After the lovers have all fought and fled the scene, Oberon forces Puck to fix the problem before the men kill each other. He advises Puck to create a deep fog in which the lovers will get lost and, finally, fall asleep in exhaustion. When they awake in the morning, the night’s crazy events will seem like a dream except that Demetrius will be in love with Helena. Oberon then rushes to Titania’s bower to beg for the Indian boy.