A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, written by William Shakespeare, is a complex play with three distinct plot lines that intersect and weave together throughout the story. The structure of the play is intricate and carefully crafted to create an engaging and entertaining experience for the audience. In this analysis, we will examine how each of these plot lines develops over the course of the play and how they come together to form a cohesive whole.

The first plot line in A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream follows the romantic entanglements of four young lovers: Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena. This plot line begins in Act I, Scene 1 when we are introduced to these characters and their complicated relationships. Hermia loves Lysander but is being forced by her father to marry Demetrius. Meanwhile, Helena loves Demetrius but he is not interested in her.

As the play progresses, this plot line becomes more complicated as magic intervenes. Puck mistakenly puts love potion on Lysander’s eyes instead of Demetrius’s eyes causing him to fall in love with Helena while Demetrius falls in love with Hermia due to the same mistake. The confusion and chaos that ensue create comedic moments that add depth and humor to this plot line.

In Act IV Scene 1, everything gets sorted out when Oberon orders Puck to reverse the spell so that everyone ends up with their true love interest - Hermia with Lysander and Demetrius with Helena. This resolution brings closure to this plot line but also sets up another major conflict in the play.

The second plot line revolves around Titania and Oberon, two fairy monarchs who are fighting over a changeling boy. This plot line begins in Act II Scene 1 when we see Titania refusing to give up the child she has been taking care of since his mother died. Her refusal angers Oberon who then decides to play a trick on her by having Puck use magic to make her fall in love with Bottom, who has been transformed into an ass.

This plot line adds another layer of complexity to the play as it explores the power dynamics between these two fairy monarchs and their relationship with mortals. This conflict is resolved in Act IV Scene 1 when Oberon gets what he wants - Titania gives up the changeling boy and they reconcile.

The third plot line revolves around a group of amateur actors who are trying to put on a play for the Duke’s wedding. This plot line begins in Act I Scene 2 when we see them discussing their roles and rehearsal schedule. They decide to perform the tragedy Pyramus and Thisbe but struggle with their lines and stage directions.

As this plot line develops, it intersects with the other two plot lines when Puck transforms Bottom’s head into that of an ass during his rehearsal causing him to run away from his fellow actors. However, he ends up being cared for by Titania who falls in love with him due to Puck’s magic spell.

In Act V Scene 1, this plot line reaches its climax when the amateur actors finally perform their play before Theseus and Hippolyta at their wedding. The performance is comically bad but still manages to entertain the audience and bring joy to all involved.

Overall, A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream is a well-structured play that weaves together three distinct plot lines in a way that creates depth, humor, and meaning. Each of these plot lines serves a unique purpose in advancing the story while also adding richness and complexity to the world created by Shakespeare. Through careful pacing, character development, and resolution of conflicts, Shakespeare creates a cohesive whole that stands as one of his most beloved plays.