Act 3 Summary

Act Three, Scene One

All of the actors arrive in the woods and discuss the play they are working on, Pyramus and Thisbe. Bottom is afraid that if Pyramus commits suicide with his sword, it might seem too real and make the women scared. As a result, they agree to write a prologue which tells the audience that Pyramus is really only Bottom the Weaver and that he does not really kill himself.

Next, Snout becomes afraid that Snug's role as the lion will cause a similar fright. So, they start to write another prologue to tell the audience that it is not a lion, but only Snug the joiner. The men then choose that Snug should speak to the audience directly and that half his head should be visible through the costume.

Finally they start to rehearse the play, with the puck eavesdropping in the background. Each of the actors makes several word mistakes, giving the phrases completely different meanings. The puck leaves when Bottom goes offstage, and reappears with Bottom, who now wears an asses head which the puck put on him. Bottom is blissfully unaware that he is transformed into an ass, and humorously asks the others why they run away from him.

Then Titania wakes up and sees Bottom, with his asses head, and falls in love with him. She begs him to keep singing and making jokes for her, and begs him to remain in the forest with her. She then calls four fairies in to take care of Bottom and take him to her garden.

Act Three, Scene Two

At the start of act three scene two, puck returns to Oberon and tells him what happened to Titania. Oberon is thrilled that Titania is being humiliated in this way. He then asks about the Athenian he wanted to fall in love with Helena. At this point Demetrius and Hermia come in.

Hermia is convinced that Demetrius has killed Lysander in his sleep, and in her anger she curses Demetrius for his actions. She finally goes away, leaving Demetrius to fall asleep in front of Oberon. Oberon, mad that Robin has ruined his plan to make Demetrius love Helena, sends Robin off to get her. The puck soon returns with both Helena and Lysander.

Helena believes that Lysander is only mocking her with his words of love, and tells him that his phrases have nothing of meaning. Accidentally she wakes up Demetrius, on whose eyes Oberon has applied with the herb. Demetrius sees her and also falls in love with Helena.

In the middle of this arguement over which man loves Helena more, Hermia arrives. She is shocked by Lysander's words and does not believe that he could possibly love Helena. Helena assumes that Hermia is part of the “plan”, and punishes her for violating the close friendship, which they have enjoyed since childhood.
Demetrius and Lysander begin to argue over Helena even more intensely, at which point Hermia breaks in and tries to stop Lysander. He rejects her, calling her a serpent and a dwarf, and finally leaves with Demetrius to fight over which man should get Helena.

Oberon and Robin step forward, having watched the entire scene. Oberon is furious about the mess that Robin has created and orders him to separate Demetrius and Lysander. He then tells the puck to make the men fall asleep, and to rub the juice on Lysander's eyes and make him see Hermia when he awakes. Robin mimics the mens' voices, causing them to follow shadows and sounds and effectively separating them and they then go to sleep.