Allusions in A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a famous comedy written by William Shakespeare in which the characters use classical mythological allusions to relate to the audience. In order for these allusions to have a great effect on the audience, the meaning of these allusions must be recognized. Spread throughout the play, Shakespeare employs many allusions used by several characters. Five of these allusions are apparent in the speeches of Titania and Helena. These characters use allusions as a reference in which the audiences of that time would understand and perhaps laugh at.
Titania uses two mythological allusions in her conversation with Oberon in Act 2, Scene 1. She makes mythical allusions to Phillida and Neptune. She uses these allusions as evidence to back up the points she is trying to get across to Oberon.
The first example of an allusion that Titania uses is that of Phillida. Tatania quotes, "to amorous Phillida" (Shakespeare 39). Phillida is a reference to the traditional ...