Shakespeare Characters Explained
Titania, Oberon, and their Assistants
Titania and Oberon
Titania
Titania is the queen of the fairy kingdom. She is married to Oberon, but at the time the story takes place, their relationship is placed in jeopardy as Oberon becomes more and more jealous of an Indian boy that had been put in Titania's care. The boy had been willed to her by a very close friend who had died while birthing the child. The book does not not specify how long ago this was or how old the boy is now. We do know that Oberon wants him as a servant, and Titania feels this would go against the dead mother's wishes. She does not wish for Oberon to "Buy a child of me" (II.i.126), as she puts it. When she and Oberon have their big fight in Act One, Scene Two, she accuses him of making love to Hippolyta.
Oberon
Oberon is king of the fary kingdom and holds power over Titania. He is angry with her and doesn't seem to understand why she is withholding the Indian boy from him. "Why should Titania cross her Oberon?" he states in Act One, Scene Two. "I do but beg a little changeling boy / to be my henchman" (II.i.123-124). Oberon, in his anger at Titania, accuses her of dating Theseus. She denies this, saying that she and Theseus were friends long ago. Robin Goodfellow, does most of Oberon's bidding.
Robin Goodfellow and the Fairies
Robin Goodfellow (Puck)
Robin is a fairy, Oberon's servant. He does Oberon's bidding willfully, but enjoys making mischief on everyone else. It is unclear whether he puts the love juice on Lysander's eyes on purpose or accident, though Shakespeare leans towards the latter.
Fairies
The fairies serve Titania. There is one main fairy, referred to simply as Fairy. The four fairies that are named are Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed.