REVIEW
The following review will provide a comparison between Shakespeare's A Midsummer night's Dream and the film City Slickers discussing how each address the three basic elements of classic comedy:
- conflict
- confusion
- resolution
Now let's identify the elements of comedy as they occur in A Midsummer Night Dream and
compare them with the film City Slickers. Before continuing, list in your journals what you believe to be the main conflicts are in each work.
CONFLICT
A Midsummer Night s Dream City Slickers
Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius Mitch is disillusioned with
his life
Hermia wants to marry Lysander
Ed is having difficulty
Helena loves Demetrius adjusting to marriage
Theseus, the Duke, says that Hermia must
marry Demetrius or be put to death
Theseus and Hippolyta bickering as Phil's wife finds out that
their wedding day approaches he is having an affair
Titania and Oberon jealous of each
other's romantic infatuations with humans
Titania and Oberon quarrel over
who will raise the orphan child
Did you think of any other conflicts?
CONFUSION
Before continuing, list in your journal the types of confusion the characters experience as the plot progresses.
A Midsummer Night s Dream City Slickers
Hermia and Lysander run away Difficulty adjusting to Wild West
Demetrius and Helena follow them Fight with real cowboys
Demetrius wants to kill Lysander and Start a stampede
elude Helena
Mitch confronts Curley
They all get lost in the woods
They all get lost on the range
Oberon tells Puck to put love juice in
Titania's eyes; She'll fall in love with the Don't know how to finish the
first man she sees. cattle drive
Ditto Demetrius. More trouble with cowboys
Puck messes up, put the juice into Almost lose their herd
Lysander's eyes--who falls in love with
Helena. Many of the group drop out or get hurt
Having fun, Puck turns Bottom into an Mitch has to deliver a baby calf
ass.
Upon awaking, Titania falls in love
with Bottom
RESOLUTION
Before continuing, list in your journal how the conflicts are resolved
A Midsummer Night s Dream City Slickers
Oberon orders Puck to remove the Mitch, Ed, and Bruno
spells triumph over adversity
The human couples return home Mitch learns from Curley the
importance of finding the
Egeus is so happy to see Hermia "one thing"
that he allows her to marry
Lysander Mitch, Ed, and Bruno return
home with new perspectives
Helena and Demetrius marry
Mitch brings home a new addition
Theseus and Hyppolyta marry to the family
Oberon and Titania make up Ed returns with a new love interest
Bruno returns committed
to his wife and marriage
In both the play and the film, marriage or new beginnings are stressed.
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