Act II Questions

1. Why does Oberon want to help other people's love lives when his own is unstable?
Oberon and Titania's love is not built trust and they don't share a sexual connection. Oberon helps Helena because he can see her desire of Demetrius and his scorn for her. He realizes that they once had a sexual relationship, but now he dotes on Hermia who does not love him back. Oberon notices all of this and decides that while he plays a cruel trick on his wife so that he can achieve what he wants, he will also help the mortal Helena so that she too can be happy.
2. How might the magical herb described by Oberon act as a metaphor for the way infatuation operates in real life?
The magical herb described by Oberon acts as a metaphor for the way infatuation operates in real life. This is because you can't control who you are attracted to and much less who you love. Your infatuations can change at the blink of an eye, with no rhyme or reason. That's just the way love works, and that is also how the magical herb Oberon talks about works.
3. How would you describe the character of Puck? What kind of mood does he create?
I would describe Puck as a lively sprite who is an accomplished prankster. He creates a playful and yet turmoiled mood all throughout the play. Though he messes up Oberon's plan, he is able to ultimately fix his accident, and right things for the four mortals that wander in the woods.
4. By the end of act 2, what is similar about the following pairs: Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena, and Oberon and Titania?
At the end of act 2 the pairs of: Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena, and Oberon and Titania all have something in common. This is that they were all lovers, but now in this act, one of the lovers in the pair's affections have turned to someone else, whether it be from the magical herb or from their own will, something is wrong. In this case, Lysander loves Helena instead of Hermia, Titania loves Bottom instead of Oberon, and Demetrius loves Hermia instead of Helena, as Oberon had planned. There has been a big mix up and somehow it needs to be fixed.
5. At the end of act 2, why does Lysander turn his back on Hermaia?
Lysander turns his back on Hermia at the end of act 2 because Puck mistakenly places the juice from the magical herb on his eyes, thinking him to be Demetrius. He was doing Oberon's bidding- Oberon having told him to put the juice on a man with Athenian garments on, not knowing that there were two in the woods at the time.