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A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon Quotes

Oberon

Quote 4

OBERON
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye,
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,
To take from thence all error with his might
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.
When they next wake, all this derision
Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision.
And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,
With league whose date till death shall never end. (3.2.387-394)

Oberon posits that this night's crazy events will seem like a dream tomorrow, which will hopefully cause the four Athenian lovers to forget everything and go back to Athens as proper pairs.  The Athenians are thus able to choose their own version of reality – they can consider the night either real or a dream.

Oberon

Quote 5

OBERON
And, gentle Puck, take this transformèd scalp
From off the head of this Athenian swain,
That he awaking when the other do
May all to Athens back again repair
And think no more of this night's accidents
But as the fierce vexation of a dream.
But first I will release the Fairy Queen. (4.1.65-71)

Oberon again hints that, if all of the young Athenians think of the past night as a dream, everything will be forgotten.  This way, not only do the lovers have some easy resolution, but Puck and Oberon are absolved of any blame for their mischief and manipulation.  The dream world, in this respect, is as much a remedy as an excuse.

Oberon

Quote 6

OBERON
Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessèd be,
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be,
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand.
Never mole, hare-lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,
Shall upon their children be. (5.1.418-431)

Right before this speech of Oberon's, Puck gave a pretty dark view of the rest of the world. Oberon rescues the play from a dark ending by giving a lighter, happier account of man's place in the natural world.  The Fairy King touches on man's natural means to immortality: the act of procreation.  Though the characters will naturally die, their love will live on in their children.  Again, Oberon is responsible for showing magic in the natural world.