Bottom is Tops in A Midsummer Night's Dream
The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the play "No Fear Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. Specifically it will discuss Bottom's role in the play, and critics' views of this role. It will also look at why this lighthearted comedy is so appealing to readers even today. Bottom's character is amusing and a bit sad, but the basis for his character with the head of an ass goes far back into medieval myth and legend. Bottom is based on a long tradition of mockery and criticism of the Catholic Church and Shakespeare uses the character quite effectively to show the authoritarian role of the Church in Elizabethan times. However, there are many other critical interpretations of his character. Some call Bottom Shakespeare's best comedic character, and whatever his meaning, he certainly makes the audience sit up, take notice, and chuckle.Throughout the play, the character of Bottom just seems to stand out. There are many theories about what his character represents, including Shakespeare taking quite a critical look at the Catholic Church in Elizabethan England. One famous Shakespeare critic, Harold Bloom, notes, "[T]the symbolism of the carnival ass and sacred drolerie survived
Many critics feel Bottom is the best comedic character Shakespeare ever created. Critic Richard Alleva writes, "The fellow you encounter in the play [is] surely Shakespeare's greatest purely comic character" (Alleva 20). Bottom's personality is bawdy, enthusiastic, a bit befuddled, and funny. He is a weaver by trade but he seems unafraid to take to the stage with his friends in the forest. He is unaware Puck has changed his head to the head of an ass, which makes his antics even more amusing throughout the play. He says to his friend Snout, "What do you think I've got on my head? You're acting like an ass, don't you think?" (III i. 98). This was sure to get a laugh out of the audience while making Bottom appear foolish and unaware of his own surroundings. Later he continues, "I see what they're up to. They want to make an ass of me, to scare me if they can" (III i. 100). He still does not understand what is going on around him, and what the results will be. He has his head in the sand, so to speak, and this could also reference the Church. Shakespeare may have been saying the Church was out of touch with things that were right there in front of them, and using this buffoonish character makes that message funny and yet poignant at the same time. While Bottom is clearly funny, some critics feel there is much more to him than a funny character who pokes fun at those around him. Some feel he may have political overtones. While many critics feel Bottom is purely comedic, or a veiled criticism of the Catholic Church, still others feel Bottom may be an obscure reference to the unrequited feeling Queen Elizabeth (Titania
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Approximate Word count = 1104
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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