My Shakespeare Portfolio by Abigail Desiré Díaz Díaz

1. Athens

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 00:58:10 UTC

This world was ruled by Theseus and can be found other important characters at this scenery as: Hippolyta, Egeus, Hermia, Lysander, Demetruis and Helena. In the first two acts, Hermia is forced to marry Demetrius so she plans to escape through the forest with Lysander.

2. Fairies

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 00:58:18 UTC

This world is set on an enchanted forest with fairies like: Oberon, Titania and Puck.

3. Mechanicals

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 00:58:27 UTC

A group of craftsmen conformed by Bottom, Quince, Snout, Snug, Flute, and Starveling are planning to perform a play for Theseus wedding.

Parallel story

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 01:25:27 UTC

Throughout the book this three worlds collide. We can visualize the Athens world with the Mechanicals go to the the enchanted forest.

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 01:29:05 UTC

According to Pints of History (Tollen, 2023) us Spanish speakers can understand easily Shakespearian language. "That’s because foreigners regularly translate the bard’s plays — into German, Spanish, Mandarin, etc. — so they’re free to use language they understand. But English-language productions usually refuse to translate or even to edit Shakespeare (Tollen, 2023)."

Example

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 01:41:21 UTC

In A Midsummer Night's dream we can identify the next quote: "Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth (Shakespeare, 2004)" (Act 1, Scene 1). In modern times phrase would be reworded as: "Awaken the lively and quick spirit of joy."

Wordplay or pun

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 01:44:05 UTC

"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was (Shakespeare, 2004) (Act 4, Scene 1)."

Love

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 19:23:22 UTC

We can evidence in many Shakespeare's books the theme of love. In Act 1 of "A midsummer night's dream" Hermia is forced to marry Demetrius, even though she didn't want to. Also, we can see on Shakespeare's bestseller "Romeo and Juliet", how Romeo and Juliet are forbidden by their family to love themselves.

Power

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 19:24:41 UTC

Theseus used his power as a Duke and forced Hermia to marry Demetrius or she will face death. Likewise, in Macbeth the power of the king lead to a big downfall.

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 20:18:01 UTC

At the beginning, I was a little bit skeptical about reading a Shakespeare novel because of its complex language. Nevertheless, after reading the introduction and its prologue, I am thrilled of completing the book. I expect mythological creatures and difficult conflicts from this classic. A big concern of mine is trying to keep going with the storyline since it's a book with different settings and stories. I hope that I can learn to appreciate exemplar novels as William Shakespeares'.

What may be the best way to understand Shakespeare's language?

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 20:19:02 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 20:19:49 UTC

Act 1

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 20:49:40 UTC

Theseus: Duke of Athens and is marrying Hippolyta.
Hippolyta: Engaged to Theseus.
Egeus: Wants his daughter Hermia to marry Lysander.
Hermia: Is forced to marry Demetrius but loves Lysander.

Athens, Greece

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 20:51:03 UTC

The Enchanted Forest

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-05 20:52:05 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-06 01:16:24 UTC

In the very first pages of the book, Hermia is forced to marry Demetrius but her heart belongs to Lysander. Hermia and Lysander planned to escape through the forest. In the meantime, the Mechanicals prepare a play for Theseus' wedding.

Which is your favorite character?

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-06 01:19:24 UTC

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-06 01:21:21 UTC

"Love is patient, love is kind… it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking… Love never fails. ((NIV), n.d.)"

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-06 01:26:33 UTC

Lysander: Wants to elope with Hermia.
Demetrius: Edges wants him to marry Helena.
Helena: She is in love with Demetrius.
The Mechanicals: A group that is planning a play for the wedding.

Act 2

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-20 23:22:25 UTC

Oberon: King of the fairies.
Titania: Queen of the fairies.
Puck: A naughty fairy that helps out Oberon.
Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth and Mustardseed: Fairies that help out Titania.

Proverbs 16:9

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-20 23:41:22 UTC

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps ((NIV), n.d.).”

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:10:35 UTC

Oberon and Titania are fighting about an Indian boy. As a consequence, Oberon plans to make Titania fall in love with a beast using a magical flower. Later, Demetrius rejects Helena. As a result, Oberon decides to send Puck to use the flower on him too. However he placed nectar on Lysander's eyes instead of Demetrius.

Forest

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:18:49 UTC

Titania's bower

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:19:13 UTC

Jeremiah 17:9

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:21:22 UTC

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? ((NIV), n.d.)"

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:24:49 UTC

Titania falls in love with Bottom, at the same time Demetrius and Lysander are trying to pursue Helena. Because of the mess, Oberon orders Puck to fix what he has done.

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:28:08 UTC

Forest

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:28:34 UTC

What does the forest symbolizes?

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-21 01:29:51 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:12:58 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:13:08 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:13:26 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:13:39 UTC

Forest

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:14:58 UTC

Athens, Greece

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:15:17 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:18:41 UTC

Titania is madly in love with Bottom till Oberon lifts the spell. Robin removes the flower effect from Bottom. Demetrius now loves Helena, so Theseus overrules Egeus and allows both couples to marry alongside him. Also, the craftsmen worry about Bottom’s absence, but he returns just in time for their play at the Duke’s wedding.

Proverbs 19:21

abigaildd8 — 2025-03-27 16:22:13 UTC

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. ((NIV), n.d.)”

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-07 16:19:26 UTC

Theseus's Palace

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-09 01:16:36 UTC

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-09 01:20:15 UTC

Theseus, Hippolyta, Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena celebrate their weddings. For entertainment, they watch a play performed by the Mechanicals. The play, Pyramus and Thisbe, is meant to be serious but ends up being unintentionally hilarious. The act ends with Robin addressing the audience, suggesting that if they didn’t enjoy the play, they should think of it as just a dream.

Helena

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-09 01:20:49 UTC

Who is she?

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-09 01:26:52 UTC

Helena Queen of Athens. I chose Helena because her journey through love, rejection, jealousy, and self-worth is one of the most emotional in the play. She represents the painful side of unreciprocated love and shows a lot about how wanting validation can influence our decisions.

Character Analysis

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-09 01:35:30 UTC

Attributes:
Helena is a emotional, loyal to a cause, and insecure individual. She’s intelligent and poetic but often self-critical and desperate for affection.

Behavior & Actions:

Helena is heartbroken because Demetrius loves Hermia, not her. Instead of confronting him, she degrades herself by trying to win his love.
She follows Demetrius into the woods, she accepts emotional abuse in exchange for closeness to Demetrius.
Helena believes that Lysander and Demetrius are mocking her. This leads a major confusion and pain to Helena.

Conflict Resolution

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-09 01:36:41 UTC

Helena’s main conflict is emotional: she feels unloved, unwanted, and inferior. By the end of the play, this conflict seems “resolved” because Demetrius loves her again.

This suggests her conflict has been repressed rather than resolved. She never

abigaildd8 — 2025-04-10 02:23:03 UTC

In my opinion, the play ends happily for most characters. Everyone is married with whom they wanted to, and peace is restored. Thus, Egeus was unhappy since his demands were ignored. Also, Robin didn't confess or pay for his actions. So while the ending looks happy, some conflicts were just pushed aside.