Midsummer Night's Dream

     In Midsummer Night's Dream, William Shakespeare puts a great deal of effort into the forest scenes which have been transitioned to the film screen many times, specifically Max Reinhardt's 1935 Hollywood version. The melodies and music of this specific movie help bring out the musical aspect of this play; this aspect of the play cannot be perceived as well when reading the play. Watching the forest scene helps emphasize the importance of the Indian boy, or changeling because of the dramatic entrance that accompanies the boy with the use of musical fairies. Additionally, the dialogue between Oberon and Titania is evident as a conflict when read through the textual writings of the play, despite the fact that I was not sure of why exactly the Indian boy was so sought after. However, after observing the scene in which Oberon and Titania argue amidst the presence of the other characters, it becomes clear why Titania wants the Indian boy to be her attendant so badly. The tone from their dialogue and just having the visual presentation from watching the actual movie helps reveal the truth: that the mother of this Indian boy had died giving birth to him and she was a worshipper of Titania. Therefore, she feels obligated to raise this child. Overall, the musical elements of Reinhardt's interpretation along with the actual dialogue were crucial in helping me understand the issue of why the Indian boy was so valuable.

An artist's representation of the forest outside Athens at nighttime 

http://www.litcharts.com/lit/amidsummernightsdream/act2scene1