Irony In A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare demonstrates irony in many different ways. First, Nick Bottom, the weaver, is turned into an ass, which plays on his name, Bottom, as well as the way in which he acts. Next, the mechanicals’ play is a “lamentable comedy and cruel death” (Shakespeare I.ii), which is an oxymoron because comedy and death are often two opposing concepts. Lastly, Theseus declares he “wooed [Hippolyta] with [his] sword” (Shakespeare I.i), when wooing is the opposite of battle. First, Bottom is turned into an ass, which is ironic because of his name, Bottom, and also because he can act similar to an ass. Bottom’s curse horrifies the rest of the mechanicals. The stage directions state “[enter Puck invisible, and Bottom who now wears asses-head]”. To go from something as unpretentious and calming as rehearsing a play to the notion that a spirit has been haunting them must be terrifying to all of the mechanicals.
Comedy and death are polar opposites, and not many people can find an element of comedy in death. Also, when articulating his impression of the play to Theseus, the duke of Athens, Philostrate says “A play there is, my Lord, which is brief but tedious: there is not one word apt, one player fitted” (Shakespeare V.i). Brief means short, while tedious means long, and a play cannot both be short and