Original: Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.
Modern: Puppet? Why am I called that? Yes, now I see how this game is being played.

Original: Now I perceive that she hath made compare
Modern: Now I understand that she has made a comparison

Original: Between our statures; she hath urged her height;
Modern: Between our heights; she has emphasized how tall she is;

Original: And with her personage, her tall personage,
Modern: And with her appearance, her tall appearance,

Original: Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail’d with him.
Modern: Her height, indeed, has won him over.

Original: And are you grown so high in his esteem;
Modern: And have you risen so high in his opinion

Original: Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
Modern: Because I am so short and small?

Original: How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak;
Modern: How short am I, you made-up beanpole? Tell me;

Original: How low am I? I am not yet so low
Modern: How short am I? I’m not so short

Original: But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
Modern: That my fingernails can’t reach your eyes.

In Act III, Scene 2 of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Puck reports to Oberon about his successful application of the love potion to the Athenian’s eyes, though he has mistakenly enchanted Lysander instead of Demetrius. When Oberon realizes the error upon seeing Demetrius still pursuing Hermia while Helena continues to suffer rejection, he sends Puck to fetch Helena while he applies the love juice to Demetrius’s eyes. Helena arrives being pursued by the now-enchanted Lysander, who professes passionate love for her. When Demetrius awakens and sees Helena, he too falls instantly in love with her due to Oberon’s magic.

The scene erupts into chaos as both Lysander and Demetrius now compete fiercely for Helena’s affections, while Hermia arrives confused and distressed to find Lysander rejecting her completely. Helena, bewildered by this sudden reversal, believes that all three are conspiring to mock her, since she cannot fathom that both men would genuinely love her after years of rejection. The four young Athenians engage in heated arguments and accusations, with the men nearly coming to blows over Helena, while Hermia and Helena’s friendship dissolves into bitter recriminations. Oberon, observing the escalating conflict he has inadvertently caused, commands Puck to lead the men astray in the fog to prevent violence and to correct the magical mishap.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows multiple interconnected plots that unfold over the course of a single midsummer night in Athens and the nearby enchanted forest. The play opens with Duke Theseus of Athens preparing to marry Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Meanwhile, Egeus brings his daughter Hermia before Theseus, demanding she marry Demetrius according to his wishes. Hermia refuses because she loves Lysander, and Theseus gives her until his wedding day to decide between marrying Demetrius, becoming a nun, or facing death. Hermia and Lysander plan to elope by meeting in the forest, and they confide in Hermia’s friend Helena, who is desperately in love with Demetrius despite his rejection of her.

In the forest, the fairy king Oberon and queen Titania are feuding over custody of a changeling boy. Oberon instructs his mischievous servant Puck to fetch a magical flower whose juice, when applied to sleeping eyes, makes the person fall in love with the first creature they see upon waking. Oberon plans to use this on Titania to humiliate her into giving up the boy, and he also orders Puck to help Helena by making Demetrius fall in love with her. However, Puck mistakenly applies the juice to Lysander’s eyes instead, causing him to fall in love with Helena when he awakens. Meanwhile, a group of Athenian craftsmen rehearsing a play in the forest becomes entangled in the magical chaos when Puck transforms their leader Bottom’s head into that of a donkey, and the enchanted Titania falls in love with him.

The romantic confusion deepens when Oberon discovers Puck’s error and applies the love juice to Demetrius’s eyes as well, causing both young men to pursue Helena, who believes they are mocking her. Hermia becomes confused and angry when Lysander rejects her for Helena. Oberon orders Puck to separate the four lovers and fix the situation. After obtaining the changeling boy from the distracted Titania, Oberon releases her from the spell and restores Bottom to his normal form. Puck leads the exhausted lovers through the forest until they fall asleep, then applies an antidote to Lysander’s eyes so he will love Hermia again upon waking. Theseus discovers the four lovers in the forest the next morning, and since Demetrius now truly loves Helena, the duke overrules Egeus and declares a triple wedding. The play concludes with the three couples’ wedding celebration, where the craftsmen perform their comically inept play, followed by the fairies blessing the palace and its inhabitants.