Question

The consequences of Oberon’s jealousy for Titania are comic rather than tragic. Comment.

Answer 1

Oberon‘s jealousy for Titania stemmed from Titania giving all her attention to the Indian boy that she was raising. He was also jealous of the fact that the beautiful Indian boy was in Titania‘s custody instead of his own. However, what enraged him was Titania‘s refusal to give up the boy even when he ordered her to. Oberon‘s desire to teach Titania a lesson results in a series of events that are comic and chaotic.
He devises a plan to pour a love potion on his wife‘s eyelids so that she falls in love with the first person she sees. Under the influence of the potion, Titania, the Queen of the fairies, falls in love with Bottom, whose face has been transformed by Puck into that of an ass. This juxtaposition of the characters of Titania and Bottom makes their interactions comic.
While Oberon was hatching the plan to teach Titania a lesson, he sees Demetrius entering the Woods followed by Helena. On seeing Demetrius‘ cold behaviour towards Helena, Oberon decides to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. Thus, Oberon asks Puck to pour the love potion on the Athenian, Demetrius. However, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and pours the love potion on his eyelids. This makes Lysander fall in love with Helena as she is the first person he sees after waking up. In the meantime, Oberon realises that Puck has used the potion on the wrong person, which has led Hermia to be separated from her true love, Lysander, and Demetrius is not in love with Helena as Oberon had planned. The confusion intensifies when Oberon pours the potion on a sleeping Demetrius and Helena enters the scene with Lysander still trying to convince her of his love. As soon as Demetrius wakes up, he falls in love with Helena and begins praising her beauty. This makes Helena think that Lysander and Demetrius are trying to mock her by falsely claiming that they love her. This chaotic situation is extended when Hermia enters the scene. Helena blames Hermia for conspiring in the mockery and Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander from her. These consequences are funny because at first, both the men were interested in Hermia, but the potion has now made them fall in love with Helena. Hermia is shocked to hear Lysander profess his love for Helena. And Helena is frustrated with Demetrius and Lysander because she thinks they are mocking her.
The absurdity of the two men fighting over a woman they don‘t really love, the quarrel between the two women over their misunderstandings as well as the love between a Queen and an ass make the consequences comic and not tragic because Oberon sets everything straight.