William Shakespeare often compares imagination and reality in his plays. He explores this comparison through the role and purpose of forests in A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It. A Midsummer Night's Dream focuses on imagination and escape, while As You Like It focuses on reality and self-discovery. The forest in A Midsummer Night's Dream represents imagination. Puck, a fairy servant and friend of Oberon, watches six Athenian men rehearse a play that will be performed for Theseus' wedding in the forest. Puck turns Nick Bottom's head into that of a donkey. The other players see Bottom and run away screaming. He follows them saying: "Sometimes I will be a horse, sometimes a dog, a pig, a headless bear, sometimes a fire, and neigh, and bark, and growl, and roar, and burn, like a horse, a dog , a pig. , bear, fire, at every turn” (3.1.110-113). Puck chases the players, making them believe a wild animal is chasing them. In our daily lives, people often think logically and down-to-earth, but the mind wanders when a person is emotional, especially when feeling fear. Fear can disrupt a person's mind. When the mind wanders, imagination comes into play. One thing can become another: a harmless bush can become a crouching lion. Towards the end of the play, Theseus and Hippolyta discuss the unrealism of the four lovers' experience. Theseus declares: “I can never believe in these ancient fables, nor in these fairy toys. The madman, the lover, and the poet are all endowed with a compact imagination” (5.1.2-3 and 5.1.7-8). Theseus doesn't believe in fairy tales, and what the four lovers say is not true. According to him, the madman, the lover and the poet have a boundless imagination. A lover's emotions can spiral out of control. When a person is emotional,...... middle of paper...... reality. Through the Forest of Arden, a person has time to contemplate life. Reality is a dream dictated by the imagination. As Puck says, "If we shadows have offended, think of this, and all will be righted: You have only slept here while these visions appeared. And this weak and idle theme, which no longer yields only a dream…” (5.1.440-445).Works CitedShakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Comp. Folger Shakespeare Library. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009. Print.Shakespeare, William. As you like it. Comp. Folger Shakespeare Library. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2009. Print.Shakespeare, William. As you like it. Trans. Gayle Holste. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 2009. Print.Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream. Trans. John Crowther. New York, NY: Spark, 2003. Print.