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Act One

The Duke, Theseus, is engaged to marry Hippolyta.  Hermia has been forbidden by her father, Egeus, to marry her love, Lysander,  and has been ordered to marry Demetrius.  Demetrius loves Hermia but she does not love him; Helena loves him.   They go to Theseus to have him decide, who enforces Egeus's decision.  He tells Hermia that she must either marry Demetrius or become a nun.  Later, Hermia and Lysander decide to run away together; they tell Helena and she decides she will tell Demetrius in order to try to win his favor.

Quince, Snug, Bottom, Snout, Starveling, and Flute meet to discuss a play that they are going to put on for the Duke at his wedding.  They decide they will meet in the woods to rehearse.

Act Two

Puck tells a fairy that Titania (the Fairy Queen) has a changeling who Oberon (the Fairy King)  is jealous of and they are in a fight.  Oberon and Titania meet and argue.  It seems that they are both jealous of various relationships the other has had.  Titania wants Oberon to come back to her, but he says this will only happen if she gives him the changeling as a henchman; she won't.  Titania leaves and Oberon discusses with Puck a way to get back at her.  He wants Puck to get a particular flower whose juice will make Titania instantly love the first creature she lays eyes on.   Oberon is hoping that it will be some sort of wild animal. 

Demetrius enters, followed by Helena.  He wants her to go away and leave him alone, so he can find Lysander and Hermia in peace, but she refuses to.  They exit, and Puck returns with the flower.  Oberon tells him that while he anoints Titania's eyes, Puck should do the same to the man in the woods, so that he will love Helena.

Oberon goes and puts the flower's juice on Titania's eyelids while she is sleeping.   He exits and Hermia and Lysander enter and go to sleep.  Puck comes along, thinking that Lysander is the man Oberon was speaking of, and puts the juice on his eyes.   Helena and Demetrius enter, still arguing.  Helena has run out of breath and Demetrius leaves her behind.  She spots Lysander and goes over to him just as he wakes up, so that he ends up falling in love with her.  She is convinced that he's just making fun of her, and runs off.  He follows, and Hermia wakes alone.

Act Three

The players meet to rehearse in the woods.  Bottom wanders off and Puck turns him into a donkey-man, hoping that Titania will see and fall in love with him.  Bottom's friends are frightened when they see him, and run off.  He begins to sing, and Titania awakes, instantly falling in love with him.  She has her servants wait on him.

Puck reports back to Oberon on these humorous developments.  Demetrius and Hermia enter and are fighting.  Oberon and Puck discover that they have made a mistake.   Demetrius has gone to sleep, so Oberon tells Puck to go get Helena.  Lysander and Helena enter, and she is very annoyed with him by now.  Demetrius awakens and now he loves Helena also.  She thinks that he is teasing her too, since he has never acted in love with her before.

Hermia enters and is very upset that Lysander seems not to love her anymore.   Helena thinks that she is in on the joke too and they become angry with each other.   All four argue and leave.  Oberon is more that a little mad with Puck as to the way things have turned out, and tells him that he has to fix it.  Puck leads everyone together and they all sleep.  Puck puts an antidote on Lysander's eyelids.

Act Four

The lovers are sleeping on the ground.  Titania and Bottom are together with her servants.  They seem quite in love and fall asleep together.  Puck and Oberon enter and Oberon gives Titania the antidote.  Titania awakes and tells Oberon that she has had an odd dream.  They go off, having made up.  Theseus, Hippolyta., Egeus, and their servants enter to find the lovers, who wake up.  They tell things as best they can, and a triple wedding is planned.  Bottom finally wakes up and says that he must go tell his friends what has occurred.

They players seem very concerned for Bottom, but then he shows up and they are relived.   It is time for the play.

Act Five