Was Shakespeare a Fairy? by Naomi Low

I know what you’re thinking. Fairies are nothing but bed time stories and picture books (and the one that collects baby teeth). At first glance, the whimsical aspect of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is completely fantastical. The people of Athens hear fables of them and know of their legends, but very few people have ever claimed to interact with them. Yet, in the story, they are very much real. 

Not only do the fairies exist, but Oberon, Titania, and Puck are integral characters. Their meddling and interference shift the plot and flow of Midsummer in ways that couldn’t happen without them. Their magic fills the forrest, effecting the paths of the four lovers (and Nick Bottom) and causing them all kinds of issues. Thinking of all this, I can’t help but wonder, what if we are living as the Athenians in this story. What if we live among this kingdom, unknowingly experiencing their spells but never making contact. 

Think about all the peculiar ways of our world; a sudden chill or breeze, mysterious twinkling in a dark forrest, or even the odd feeling of being watched when you’re out in nature. What if all of these things had a simple explanation. We have heard tales of these myths all throughout history and continue to do so today, suggesting that their presence isn’t entirely out of the question. 

Now, where exactly did William Shakespeare’s vivid imagination for such creatures come from? How did he develop such a specific structure for their world? One could wonder if, maybe, he himself was one of them? Perhaps he took a human form when entering the regular world, but then would re-sprout his fairy wings when he returned to the woodland world, shielded by his magical invisibility. 

We can’t forget about the sheer mystery of Shakespeare’s life. In actuality, we know very little about the man. Some people even question how much of his work was actually his. What if the reason for this was because of his whimsical double life? 

Yes, there’s really no evidence of this. But it never hurts to hope for the idea of a bit of magic weaved into our literary and theatrical history.