Oberon, the Fairy King, has quarreled with his queen Tytania over a young mortal boy she has adopted. Until she agrees to hand over the boy, he has set the seasons awry — summer can become winter and spring can become fall. Oberon sends his sprite Puck to find a magic flower whose juice can cause a person to fall in love with the first creature they see upon waking. He plans to use this to trick Tytania into giving up the boy. 

The two young lovers Lysander and Hermia have run away from Athens to elope; Hermia’s father wants to use the strict Athenian laws to force her to marry another suitor named Demetrius. Demetrius chases after the couple, pursued by Helena, who is hopelessly in love with him despite his cruel rebuffs. Oberon feels for Helena and orders Puck to use the magic flower to make Demetrius fall in love with her. 

Elsewhere in the woods, a group of workers meet in secret to discuss a play they hope to perform at the wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. After much persuasion by Quince, the director of the play, Bottom and Flute agree to play the roles of the star-crossed lovers Pyramus and Thisbe. The group plans to meet for rehearsal later that night.  

Lysander and Hermia are lost in the woods. Exhausted, they lie down to sleep. Puck mistakenly thinks he has found Demetrius and sprinkles the flower’s juice onto Lysander’s eyelids. Helena happens upon them and wakes Lysander. When he immediately professes his love for her, she assumes he’s mocking her and storms off. Lysander follows, leaving Hermia alone. 

In Tytania’s bower, the fairies soothe their queen to sleep. Oberon silently appears to put her under the flower’s spell. 

Quince and the players meet to rehearse. Puck amuses himself by turning Bottom into a donkey. The other players are terrified and flee the woods, but Bottom doesn’t quite understand what has happened. He begins to sing to comfort himself, awakening Tytania, who falls helplessly in love with him. 

Oberon’s delight in Tytania’s enchantment is short-lived. When Demetrius appears still looking for Hermia, Oberon realizes Puck’s mistake and puts the juice of the flower on Demetrius’ eyes as he sleeps. Helena and Lysander stumble upon Demetrius and wake him, causing both men to now swear their love for Helena. Hermia arrives and chaos erupts as all four lovers quarrel viciously. Oberon gives Puck an antidote to the magical flower and orders him to lure the young lovers to sleep once more. Once they’ve collapsed with exhaustion, Puck applies the antidote to Lysander’s eyelids.  

As the sun begins to rise, Oberon gives Tytania the antidote. She is horrified by the ass she has taken to her bed and is happily reconciled with Oberon. The four young lovers awaken to a world that makes sense once more — Demetrius loves Helena, and Lysander and Hermia are reunited. Bottom wakes up, no longer a donkey but a man once again, convinced the previous night was just a strange dream. He finds his friends and they learn that their play has been chosen to be performed at Theseus’ wedding.  

After returning to Athens, the four lovers appear before Theseus to ask his forgiveness for transgressing city laws. Theseus magnanimously invites them to be married alongside him and Hippolyta. Quince and the players perform their tragedy of “Pyramus and Thisbe,” and as midnight strikes the three happy couples retire to bed. Oberon, Tytania and the fairies arrive to bless the sleeping lovers.