Key learning points

1. ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ ends with an epilogue given by the character of Puck.
2. Puck’s epilogue breaks the fourth wall and offers to make “amends” for any offence caused by the play.
3. Puck’s characterisation in the epilogue could be considered different to his characterisation in the rest of the play.
4. Perceptive analysis can involve making thoughtful connections between different moments in a text.

Keywords

• Epilogue - a speech or piece of writing that comes at the end of a text and makes a comment on what has happened in the story.

• Breaking the fourth wall - when a character in a play speaks directly to the audience, acknowledging the audience exists.

• Foreshadow - a hint or indication of what will happen later in the story.

• Perceptive - thoughtful, noticing small details.

• Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices, foreshadowing.

Common misconception