Can You Comment On The Mechanicals In "A Midsummer Night's Dream"?

The Mechanicals in Shakespeare's Play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' are trademen who lived in Athens. As tradesmen, they are craftsmen and this profession involves making things for a living. The role of the craftsman is used by Shakespeare to echo a lesson he wants to teach us the audience (and possibly his actors) about the nature of plays and how they are made.

Plays are constructed things, just like the items that each tradesman makes. Plays are made in the same way that a chair is made. There needs to be a design, there needs to be the correctly chosen materials and the lengths and breadths and other the material also needs to be tailored specifically to the making of a specific kind of chair. So it is with making plays.

Throughout their scenes, Shakespeare teach us about the nature of drama and the way that plays are constructed. It's easy enough to find for yourself. Look at their scenes and you can find great examples of Shakepeare's tips on 'character', 'casting', 'directing' and all sorts of things related to the making of drama.

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