The midsummer festival was celebrated with dances around bonfires which were supposed to bring good luck. The people collected plants with medicinal or magical powers. On the eve of Midsummer, the Mummers provided entertainment at the 'Festival of Fire' reviving memories of legends like St George and the Dragon. They also drank alcohol and it was a time to celebrate the fertility of crops and of the people. Dating, marriage and love was being "foreseen" and it was also a time of superstition and magic which also meant that bad spirits came out on the night. Young maidens and men could discover who their true love is through dreams and the "Midsummer Madness" was believed to affect the community, especially young lovers.
A lot of these believes and celebrations are related to a midsummer nights dream. It was a time of celebration, (Theseus and Hippolyta had a big celebration before and after their marriage), bad spirits came out on the night which in the play were the fairies and Puck who acted mischievous throughout the play. Love and marriage was also foreseen (the four lovers fell in love and got married). Magical plants were collected, Oberon and Puck used the magical flower which made the lovers fall in love with the wrong people. Demetrius and Titania found out who there true loves were through there dreams.
A lot of these believes and celebrations are related to a midsummer nights dream. It was a time of celebration, (Theseus and Hippolyta had a big celebration before and after their marriage), bad spirits came out on the night which in the play were the fairies and Puck who acted mischievous throughout the play. Love and marriage was also foreseen (the four lovers fell in love and got married). Magical plants were collected, Oberon and Puck used the magical flower which made the lovers fall in love with the wrong people. Demetrius and Titania found out who there true loves were through there dreams.