Puck states, "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"(III. ii. 115). Puck makes this declaration in his amazement at the crazy behavior of the young Athenians. If you look at the play closely though, you discover that not only are the Athenians fools, but the faries, and the mechanics as well.
             There are four young Athenian lovers, Lysander, Demetrius, Hermina, and Helena. Two out of the four are madly in love, but of course they could not live happlily ever after, everything worth telling a story has a twist. "...But I beseech your grace that I may know the worst that may befall me in this case If I refuse to wed Demetrius."(I. i. 63-66), announces Hermina. The cause of such an outburst by Hermina is the disapproval of Lysander by her father. Her father, Egeus would rather see, and already has promised Demetrius that Hermina would marry him. Thesus responds, "Either to die the death, or to objure Forever to the society of men."(I. i. 67-68). Lysander persuades, "There, gental Hermina, may I marry thee; And to that place the sharp Athenian law Cannot pursue us, If thou lovest me, then Steal forth thy father's house tommrow night, And in the wood a league without the town (Where did I meet thee once with Helena To do observance to a morn of May), There will I stay for thee." (I. i.163-170). Hermina foolishly decides to take the risk of her life to run away with Lysander to secretly marry. By doing this she caused Demetrius to follow her into the forest, and since Demetrius went after Hermina, Helena followed her love, Demetrius. From this Hermina started the on-going love triangle: Hermina chasing after Lysander, Demetrius chasing after Hermina, and finally Helena chasing Demetrius.
             Not all is well in fairy land either. Oberon complans, "Why should Titiania cross her Oberon? I do but beg a little changeling boy To be my henchmen."(II. i. 123-124). Titiania reponds...