TRick or treat: Puck's identity
Introduction:
In today's literary world, characters tend to fit a given archetype through their characterization, such as a hero, villain, or trickster. Many characters in classical literature are dynamic, but are still able to fit neatly into an character archetype. But what happens when a character fits into more than one? This is the case of Puck from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. His actions throughout the play classify him as both a trickster and a hero. Can we classify him as a single one or does his actions cause him to lean more to one side than another? It is my belief that Puck cannot be neatly classified as either hero or trickster, the only category he fits is that of a character paradox.
Fairy: “Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Call'd Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he
That frights the maidens of the villagery;
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern,
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn,
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm,
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?
Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck.
Are you not he?”
Puck: “Thou speak'st aright;
I am that merry wanderer of the night.
-A Midsummer Night's Dream AII-SI
Thesis:
Even though he exhibits traits belonging to both a classical hero and the trickster archetype, no matter how deeply he is studied and no matter how many times he appears in different works, Puck's true character will remain paradoxical.
Research:
Puck's Introduction- (above)
This first look into Puck's character leads us to make the immediate assumption that Puck is a trickster as he obviously takes pleasure in frightening young maidens and leading wanderers astray. However, we see Puck's good side as he blesses those he tricks with good luck, adding the paradoxical twist in character.
Puck's Interaction with the Lovers-
Puck's interaction with the four lovers in the play in quite interesting. Under the orders of his King, Oberon, Puck must use Cupid's Love Magic, which is in the form of a small western flower, to correct the love between Helena and Demetrius. Being told to only look for those dressed in as an Athenians, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and causes him to fall in love with Helena, thus causing conflict with his true love, Hermia. While he found pleasure in the mix-up, Puck still takes the time out to correct them. It may be construed that these actions are that of a trickster since Puck found enjoyment in the woes of mixed up lovers, but he was just following the orders Oberon gave him. Therefore, Puck was acting honorably, plus once he realized his mistake, he corrected it, actions that would go against the trickster nature.
Puck's Interaction with Titania and Bottom-
To get revenge on his wife for taking a changeling child, King Oberon decides to sprinkle the love juice on Queen Titania's eyes. Puck finds this as an opportunity to have some fun. He gives a local actor, Bottom, the head of an ass and arranges it so Lady Titania sees him and hence, falls in love. While he and Oberon fix them later, these actions were purely for the enjoyment of Puck, making them the actions of a trickster.
Puck outside of A Midsummer Night's Dream- (A Midsummer Night's Dream by Neil Gaiman and Were the World Mine)
To get an accurate view on Puck's character, I decided to look into a couple outside sources that also portray Shakespeare's famous fairy. In Neil Gaiman's rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare is commissioned to perform his play to the real King Oberon and Queen Titania along with their court. Believing he can do a better job than the actor, the real Puck knocks out the poor man portraying him and takes his rightful place in show. Obvious the work of a trickster.
Were the World Mine is the story of a gay young man, Timothy, who gets a hold of the flower blessed with Cupid's magic. He uses this magic to turn his entire town, with the exception of a few people, gay. Realizing that he took away some people's true love, he proceeds to correct the town. Before you say this is the work of a trickster, you must know his reasoning. This town is incredibly small minded and did not accept his sexuality. By turning the town gay, he meant to open their eyes to a part of who he is. When he corrects them, they are all more accepting of Timothy and he even finds the love of his life in the town. His actions were to better the people and can therefore be considered honorable.
Conclusion:
Between the play itself and the other renditions, Puck still remains a mystery. He is too much of a trickster to be considered a hero, and too much of a hero to be considered a trickster. It is with the present evidence that I conclude that Puck cannot be neatly put into a single archetype. Puck is a paradox.
In today's literary world, characters tend to fit a given archetype through their characterization, such as a hero, villain, or trickster. Many characters in classical literature are dynamic, but are still able to fit neatly into an character archetype. But what happens when a character fits into more than one? This is the case of Puck from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. His actions throughout the play classify him as both a trickster and a hero. Can we classify him as a single one or does his actions cause him to lean more to one side than another? It is my belief that Puck cannot be neatly classified as either hero or trickster, the only category he fits is that of a character paradox.
Fairy: “Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Call'd Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he
That frights the maidens of the villagery;
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern,
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn,
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm,
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?
Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck,
You do their work, and they shall have good luck.
Are you not he?”
Puck: “Thou speak'st aright;
I am that merry wanderer of the night.
-A Midsummer Night's Dream AII-SI
Thesis:
Even though he exhibits traits belonging to both a classical hero and the trickster archetype, no matter how deeply he is studied and no matter how many times he appears in different works, Puck's true character will remain paradoxical.
Research:
Puck's Introduction- (above)
This first look into Puck's character leads us to make the immediate assumption that Puck is a trickster as he obviously takes pleasure in frightening young maidens and leading wanderers astray. However, we see Puck's good side as he blesses those he tricks with good luck, adding the paradoxical twist in character.
Puck's Interaction with the Lovers-
Puck's interaction with the four lovers in the play in quite interesting. Under the orders of his King, Oberon, Puck must use Cupid's Love Magic, which is in the form of a small western flower, to correct the love between Helena and Demetrius. Being told to only look for those dressed in as an Athenians, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and causes him to fall in love with Helena, thus causing conflict with his true love, Hermia. While he found pleasure in the mix-up, Puck still takes the time out to correct them. It may be construed that these actions are that of a trickster since Puck found enjoyment in the woes of mixed up lovers, but he was just following the orders Oberon gave him. Therefore, Puck was acting honorably, plus once he realized his mistake, he corrected it, actions that would go against the trickster nature.
Puck's Interaction with Titania and Bottom-
To get revenge on his wife for taking a changeling child, King Oberon decides to sprinkle the love juice on Queen Titania's eyes. Puck finds this as an opportunity to have some fun. He gives a local actor, Bottom, the head of an ass and arranges it so Lady Titania sees him and hence, falls in love. While he and Oberon fix them later, these actions were purely for the enjoyment of Puck, making them the actions of a trickster.
Puck outside of A Midsummer Night's Dream- (A Midsummer Night's Dream by Neil Gaiman and Were the World Mine)
To get an accurate view on Puck's character, I decided to look into a couple outside sources that also portray Shakespeare's famous fairy. In Neil Gaiman's rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare is commissioned to perform his play to the real King Oberon and Queen Titania along with their court. Believing he can do a better job than the actor, the real Puck knocks out the poor man portraying him and takes his rightful place in show. Obvious the work of a trickster.
Were the World Mine is the story of a gay young man, Timothy, who gets a hold of the flower blessed with Cupid's magic. He uses this magic to turn his entire town, with the exception of a few people, gay. Realizing that he took away some people's true love, he proceeds to correct the town. Before you say this is the work of a trickster, you must know his reasoning. This town is incredibly small minded and did not accept his sexuality. By turning the town gay, he meant to open their eyes to a part of who he is. When he corrects them, they are all more accepting of Timothy and he even finds the love of his life in the town. His actions were to better the people and can therefore be considered honorable.
Conclusion:
Between the play itself and the other renditions, Puck still remains a mystery. He is too much of a trickster to be considered a hero, and too much of a hero to be considered a trickster. It is with the present evidence that I conclude that Puck cannot be neatly put into a single archetype. Puck is a paradox.