A Midsummer Night’s Dream Allusions

Centaur half man-half horse, drunken lawless behavior, mentioned as a choice for Theseus’ wedding
Leviathan sea monster, 1000-15000 feet long, mentioned when Oberon tells puck the flower love nectar works faster than the leviathan can “swim a league”
Hippolyta Amazonian queen, magic girdle, Theseus fiancé: he needed a duchess
Furies female goddesses of vengeance, mentioned when Pyramus is wondering what he did wrong in the play
Acheron a river black as night in Greek mythology, mentioned when Oberon say that the night is as black as Acheron so no one will see Puck with the nectar
Phoebus god of music (Apollo), rides chariot, has bow and arrow to heal and induce disease, mentioned when Bottom can’t decide what part to play
Philomela represeted by nightingale, told cruelties through weaving, raped and tongue cut out, references violence, foreshadowing, mentioned when fairies are singing ditty to keep bad things away from Titania
Theseus killed the Minotaur and escaped the labyrinth, duke of Athens, Hippolyta’s fiance
Griffin body of a lion, head and wings of an eagle, guards treasure, mentioned when Helena is comparing herself to Demetrius: dove vs griffin
Corin elderly shepherd, mentioned when Titania accuses Oberon of being with a human with a corin disguise
Cadmus founded Thebes, mentioned when it says that Theseus’ hounds cannot be as good as Sparta’s
Muses nine daughters of Zeus, mentioned as a choice for Theseus’ wedding
Diana (Dian) goddess of hunt and the moon, swore to never marry, mentioned when Theseus gives Hermia three choices: chastity, death, or to wed Demetrius
Ninus babylonian king, eponymous founder of Nineveh, mention in the play “Pyramus and Thisbe” but referred to as Ninny’s Tomb not Ninus’ Tomb
Heims personification of winter, mentioned when Titania mentions “old Heims’ thin and icy crown” when talking about the jealousy of Oberon after they meet in the forrest
August 18, 2019