Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Character Analysis in A Midsummer Night's Dream

A type of fairy called a "puck," Puck is Oberon's faithful servant, but is also mischievous and enjoys nothing more than playing tricks and causing trouble. He has all sorts of magical abilities, from changing shape, to turning invisible, to assuming different people's voices, to transforming a man's head into an ass's head. He is not, however, beyond making a mistake, as his mix-up between Demetrius and Lysander makes clear.

Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Quotes in A Midsummer Night's Dream

The A Midsummer Night's Dream quotes below are all either spoken by Robin Goodfellow (Puck) or refer to Robin Goodfellow (Puck). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
You are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Called Robin Goodfellow. (19)

Related Characters: Robin Goodfellow (Puck)

Page Number and Citation: 2.1.33-35

Explanation and Analysis:

The setting of the play shifts from the human center of Athens to the mystical forest. There, a fairy encounters another figure and inquires about his identity. Though this passage might seem to be a perfunctory interaction between two characters, it also develops important themes relating to deception and identity. The fairy, for instance, introduces recognition by way of mis-recognition: The line “mistake your shape and making quite” serves as an odd and inverted greeting. When the fairy does seek to identity Robin, he begins not with his name but with a description of how he is “shrewd and knavish”—both Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consecte

When in that moment, so it came to pass,
Titania waked and straightway loved an ass. (33)

Related Characters: Robin Goodfellow (Puck) (speaker), Nick Bottom, Titania

Related Symbols: The Love Juice

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.35-36

Explanation and Analysis:

The first being that Titania sees when she awakes is a bewitched Bottom who now has the head of a donkey. Puck explains those events to Oberon with what might be best described as delighted glee. These lines fulfill Oberon’s earlier hope that Titania would spy something “vile” when she awoke. Indeed, his wish seems to have been fulfilled far beyond his hopes. For she has fallen in love not only with a “vile” human but actually a partial animal: an “ass” both in name (Bottom) and body. That Puck conveys this information with his characteristic singsong tone presents it Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Q

Lord, what fools these mortals be! (117)

Related Characters: Robin Goodfellow (Puck) (speaker), Hermia, Helena, Lysander, Demetrius

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.117

Explanation and Analysis:

Puck has just seen Helena being pursued by Lysander—and both are about to enter the stage with Demetrius. He correctly expects that the two will compete for her love and looks forward to the show. This line corroborates the way Puck sees himself as a theater director for the events that transpire—as opposed to a character directly involved in the narrative. Describing the other characters as “mortals” sets up a clear divide between the supernatural forest creatures and the normal humans. And considering them to be “fools” places them in a position of subservience: They are following the pre-designed games Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perfe

Not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door. (297)

Related Characters: Robin Goodfellow (Puck) (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 5.1.404-407

Explanation and Analysis:

As the play draws to a close, Puck enters alone and reflects on its denouement. He avows to leave behind a tranquil environment.Earlier, Snug mistakenly worried that the audience of his play would mistake it for real. Here, Puck acts as if the play in fact is real and promises to sweep up after it andscrupulously clean the space of anything from the play that remains. Puck thus reiterates both how all that has occurred will soon fade into the past and be "unreal" to the audience that watched the play, but also that the play will leave remnants behind Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempo

If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumbered here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend,
If you pardon, we will mend.
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long,
Else the Puck a liar call.
So, goodnight unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends. (430)

Related Characters: Robin Goodfellow (Puck) (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 5.1.440-

Explanation and Analysis:

Puck is left alone on the stage at the play’s end to address the audience directly. He recommends that they think of what has transpired as a dream. This final monologue verifies the parallels that have been made between the performance of theater and the experience of a dream. Puck likens the actions to “visions” and trivializes the action by describing it as a “weak and idle theme”—as something that would appear ephemerally, in one’s dream. In that case, it would be easy to “mend” any offense because the consequences of that offense would be non-existent. Puck insists on his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore l

Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Character Timeline in A Midsummer Night's Dream

The timeline below shows where the character Robin Goodfellow (Puck) appears in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...suddenly asks if Robin is the mischievous fellow who goes by the nickname "sweet puck." Puck happily admits it, and brags a while about his mischief. (full context)

Puck quiets as Oberon and Titania enter. Oberon tells her, "ill met by moonlight, proud Titania"... (full context)

...Titania is gone, Oberon vows to punish her for not obeying him. He calls to Puck, and reminds him of the time when Cupid aimed to hit the virgin queen of... (full context)

...sleeping eyelids, they will fall madly in love with the next living thing they see. Puck promises to circle the world in forty minutes and bring Oberon the flower. He exits. (full context)

After they exit, Oberon promises that soon Demetrius will seek Helena's love. Once Puck returns with the love-in-idleness flower, Oberon tells him that "A sweet Athenian lady is in... (full context)

Once Hermia and Lysander fall asleep, Puck enters, complaining that he's searched the forest and hasn't found the Athenian youth he's looking... (full context)

Meanwhile, Puck, invisible, enters. Puck is amused by the laborers' constant mistakes, and decides to stay and... (full context)

...and missing their cues. The play calls for Pyramus to exit at one point, and Puck follows Bottom offstage. When Bottom returns, his head has been replaced by the head of... (full context)

...Oberon wonders whether Titania has woken and with whom or what she's fallen in love, Puck enters and tells Oberon that Titania has fallen in love with a monster. He explains... (full context)

But just as Oberon asks about Puck's success with the Athenian youth and Puck says he used the potion as Oberon asked,... (full context)

Oberon realizes what has happened and scolds Puck: "What hast though done? Thou hast mistaken quite / and laid the love juice on... (full context)

Oberon puts the love ointment on Demetrius' eyes as Puck returns with the warning that Helena is on her way and trailed by the lovelorn... (full context)

Oberon suspects Puck of having intentionally caused this mayhem. Puck swears he made an honest mistake, though he... (full context)

Through Puck's trickery and his ability to assume any of their voices, the four lovers all end... (full context)

Oberon and Puck enter. Oberon says that he now feels sorry for Titania, especially since she gave him... (full context)

Puck enters, followed by Oberon, Titania and their fairy followers. They dance and sing to bless... (full context)

Everyone exits but Puck, who delivers an epilogue, in which he advises the audience that "If we shadows have... (full context)

Puck enters, followed by Oberon, Titania and their fairy followers. They dance and sing to bless... (full context)

Everyone exits but Puck, who delivers an epilogue, in which he advises the audience that "If we shadows have... (full context)

Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Character Analysis

Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Quotes in A Midsummer Night's Dream

Act 2, scene 1 Quotes

Act 3, scene 2 Quotes

Act 5, scene 1 Quotes

Robin Goodfellow (Puck) Character Timeline in A Midsummer Night's Dream