In act 2, scene 1, we learn quite about about these three characters:
PUCK
OBERON
TITANIA
Let's start with Puck ...
He's a trickster, who is Oberon's jester and charged with making him laugh. At the beginning of the scene, through his conversation with another Fairy (one of Titania's followers whose task is to drop the dew on flowers) we learn about some of his tricks -- tricking a fat horse into believing a beautiful filly is interested; causing an old woman (a "gossip") to spill her drink all over her chin ("withered dewlap"); and causing someone telling a sad tale to fall from a "three-footeth stool".
Next is Oberon ...
We learn that he's feeling quite jealous about Titania's affection for the young Indian boy (who is also referred to as the Changeling boy). Oberon wants the young boy to train as a knight in his service, but Titania refuses to give him up. In addition, Oberon is jealous of Titania's affection for Theseus.
We also learn that Oberon has asked Puck to find the Little Western Flower to place on Titania's eyes. Since this flower was hit with one of Cupid's arrows, it has the power to cause someone to fall in love with whomever they see first. His plan is to place it on Titania's eyes so she'll fall in love with some beast and then Oberon can steal away the Indian Boy.
Finally, Titania ...
She is also feeling quite jealous about Oberon's comings and goings. She accuses him of wooing Phillida, but also of being in love with Hippolyta.
More importantly, she explains why she has such an attachment to the Indian Boy and why she won't give him up. The boy is the child of one of Titania's followers. They were close friends and would gossip together while watching the trading ships in India come and go. Because this woman was a human, and not a fairy, she died giving birth to the boy and Titania promised to keep him safe. Therefore, she refuses to give him to Oberon.
In addition, she is growing quite tired of all the fighting with Oberon. She tells him about all the disruptions in nature that are occurring because they are fighting -- the seasons are changing, crops are dying, rivers are overflowing, and there are lots of diseases killing people. She entreats Oberon to finish the fight, but he refuses to give up his quest for the Indian boy.
In the second part of the scene, Oberon observes the interaction between Helena and Demetrius. She is chasing after him, relentlessly pursuing him as he searches for Hermia and Lysander. She tells him that she is like her spaniel (yes, she encourages him to think of her as his DOG!) and that she loves him so much that she just can't leave him alone. He threatens her and her virginity and runs away from her.
Oberon ends the scene by giving Puck instructions to find the Athenian man and place the Little Western Flower's juice on his eye so that when he awakens, he may
PUCK
OBERON
TITANIA
Let's start with Puck ...
He's a trickster, who is Oberon's jester and charged with making him laugh. At the beginning of the scene, through his conversation with another Fairy (one of Titania's followers whose task is to drop the dew on flowers) we learn about some of his tricks -- tricking a fat horse into believing a beautiful filly is interested; causing an old woman (a "gossip") to spill her drink all over her chin ("withered dewlap"); and causing someone telling a sad tale to fall from a "three-footeth stool".
Next is Oberon ...
We learn that he's feeling quite jealous about Titania's affection for the young Indian boy (who is also referred to as the Changeling boy). Oberon wants the young boy to train as a knight in his service, but Titania refuses to give him up. In addition, Oberon is jealous of Titania's affection for Theseus.
We also learn that Oberon has asked Puck to find the Little Western Flower to place on Titania's eyes. Since this flower was hit with one of Cupid's arrows, it has the power to cause someone to fall in love with whomever they see first. His plan is to place it on Titania's eyes so she'll fall in love with some beast and then Oberon can steal away the Indian Boy.
Finally, Titania ...
She is also feeling quite jealous about Oberon's comings and goings. She accuses him of wooing Phillida, but also of being in love with Hippolyta.
More importantly, she explains why she has such an attachment to the Indian Boy and why she won't give him up. The boy is the child of one of Titania's followers. They were close friends and would gossip together while watching the trading ships in India come and go. Because this woman was a human, and not a fairy, she died giving birth to the boy and Titania promised to keep him safe. Therefore, she refuses to give him to Oberon.
In addition, she is growing quite tired of all the fighting with Oberon. She tells him about all the disruptions in nature that are occurring because they are fighting -- the seasons are changing, crops are dying, rivers are overflowing, and there are lots of diseases killing people. She entreats Oberon to finish the fight, but he refuses to give up his quest for the Indian boy.
In the second part of the scene, Oberon observes the interaction between Helena and Demetrius. She is chasing after him, relentlessly pursuing him as he searches for Hermia and Lysander. She tells him that she is like her spaniel (yes, she encourages him to think of her as his DOG!) and that she loves him so much that she just can't leave him alone. He threatens her and her virginity and runs away from her.
Oberon ends the scene by giving Puck instructions to find the Athenian man and place the Little Western Flower's juice on his eye so that when he awakens, he may