Importance of Act V in A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night Dream is a play that could arguably be considered to be completed fully in the first four acts, yet Shakespeare included a fifth. Why is this? The climax of the play is presented to the audience in act three and then a fair enough conclusion is given in act four. Act five is short and sweet not much happens but a strong point is made to the viewers in explaining that all the themes of love that and chaos that were depicted as being so serious in earlier the play are actually not at all and that in reality it should be perceived as good natured and rather hilarious.

Thesus summons for Egeus to give a performance before everyone is off to bed. Egues reluctantly tells a story of Pyramus and Thisbe after giving warning that Thesus will not like it. Thesus says he wants this performance as long as there is something of value in the story. The stroy is acted out in a very strange and awkward manner, each character was acting ain a seemingly joking manner especially Bottom. This was to send a message to the viewers of the scene as well as the actual audience that not all is so serious that there can be fun and love is not always such a dramatic tense emotion. To even further this at the end of the performance the audience was given the option to hear and see the epilogue or a bergamask dance. To show the acceptance of the comical performance Thesus chooses to see the dance which is performed by both Flute and Bottom.

After all this Puck comes in to end the play and a good note. He says that the fairies will come and bless the castle and the lovers that they will remain in love and be happy and have beautiful children. Everyone goes off to bed feeling good and far less tense in comparrison to the other acts in the play. The need of Act five was to show that love is not something that people should get overly worked up about, and that is can be a good happy think and should be more often that not.