Alice In Wonderland And A Midsummer Night's Dream Analysis

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are two pieces of fiction that have been read for generations. Though their plots differ, each story exemplifies different ideologies of fantasy, and has similar fictional elements. Both stories feature a protagonist’s exit from the mundane world into a world of fantasy, and in both stories these protagonists return to their world changed by their experiences in the alternate realm. The stories of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland develop differently, and should therefore require antagonists with unique qualities. However, this is not the case. In fact, when juxtaposed, Puck and the Queen appear to have similar characteristics as they both derive their

It could be argued that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a portal quest, the portal being sleep. However, this classification is incomplete, because as aforementioned, elements of the fantastic are not meant to leak back through. An example of leakage occurs when the lovers leave the forest, and Demetrius is still under the effects of Puck’s love potion. It is also worth mentioning that the different experiences between the characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream relate to different classifications of fantasy. The lovers themselves never see or consciously interact with the inhabitants of the marvelous while they are in the forest. Instead, their interactions with the marvelous occurs when they are asleep. Furthermore, Bottom falls asleep before he interacts with any elements of the fantasy realm. By taking this into account it is possible to question whether any of the aspects of the marvelous truly occurred, or if, like Alice’s Adventures, the events are the subject of a dream-quest. The title of the play itself can be used to further this case. Nevertheless, characters from both stories emerge from the marvelous realm with changed views of their mundane

Within these separate marvelous realms there are key similarities between Puck and the Queen. Each antagonist resides and utilizes ultimate power within their respective fantasy realm. While it could be argued that Puck does not hold ultimate power in comparison to the fairy monarchs, Puck utilizes his powers most. He is the most dynamic magical character, which makes him a more powerful variable than those of a higher rank. Puck’s actions also directly affect and impede the journey of the protagonists within Midsummer Night’s Dream-primarily Helena. The love potion which makes both Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with Helena badly damages her friendship with