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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 3.15.97: Top | Help
Don't mean to burst your bubble, but the character of Puck in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is not a character from English folklore, but a fairy creature imported from Germany from the Saxons. Robin Goodfellow, on the other hand, is taken directley from English folklore and is of the "brownie" or "boggart" family of fairies. Shakespeare synthesised "Puck" in the play with Robin Goodfellow, while in actuality, they are two distinct entities. A "puck" taken from Saxon folklore is a mischevious creature, much like a Robin Goodfellow, who generally are amiable to humans, but can be very mischevious when provoked. The character of Puck is used by Shakespeare to 1) act as a initiator of the plot, by carrying out Oberon's wishes, and 2) acts as a greek chorus to the action taking place. Remember that the setting is in Athens. As for why Puck is with lesser fairies is not really important. Shakespeare goes against tradition often in the play and has changed forever the depiction of fairies in literature.
Posted by paul mckenzie on April 01, 1997 at 12:32:30
In Reply to "Oberon & Puck" posted by Alice on March 26, 1997 at 15:12:59
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 3.15.97: Top | Help