A SHORT STORY OF
Mid Summer by : Manuel Arguilla
INTROUDCTION
This story is about a man meeting a very beautiful Filipina woman by the well in a sizzling summer day.
It stars with the man and his cart
tied to his bull on a long dry road, when he suddenly sees a woman who stood
unmoving watching the man come towards her. The woman was described from head
to toe with such detail as the man looked from a distance. The man followed the
woman to where she went and led him to the well under a big mango tree. He
watched her as she filled the jar and placed it on top of her head. the woman
leaves and the man goes to the well and gathers water for his bull and himself
while still thinking of the woman. The man eats his food under the shade of the
tree when the woman comes back to refill her jar. The man referring to the
woman as "Ading" and inviting her to eat with him. The woman
addresses the man as "Manong" and thankfully refuses his invitation
to eat. They converse and suddenly the woman spills water all over the food and
apologizes by getting him water but Manong insists that he fetch it from the
well. Ading notice Manong well built muscles and body as he fetches water, showing
her how strong he is. He drinks his water as Ading lifts the bucket for him.
The strong ends with Ading inviting him to their home and Manong follows her
with his cart and bull.
The Theme of the story is all about
attraction and being enamored during the first meeting between Manong and
Ading. The story is set in the middle of summer where the readers can feel the
hotness and scorching heat of a growing relationship. The story is not so
special meeting a man and woman that might have a promising relationship in the
future. The characters conversation is plain just like the landscape setting
but it was filled with passion and emotions that captivate the readers easily.
The overall story is simple and uncomplicated yet bringing us modernized
Filipino to look back on our past and appreciate its simplicity.
CHARACTERS:
PLOT :
Duke Theseus and Hippolyta are preparing for their
wedding, when Egeus arrives with his daughter Hermia, along with Lysander and
Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander love each other; but Egeus wants Hermia to marry
Demetrius (who is loved by Helena). Theseus insists that Egeus must have his
way, and gives Hermia a month to marry Demetrius, or either die or become a
nun. Hermia and Lysander decide to run away and to meet in the forest. Hermia
tells Helena of their plans, and she in turn tells Demetrius, in the hope that
he will like her more for telling him. Demetrius chases after the eloping couple,
and Helena chases after him.
A group of tradesmen meet to discuss a play on the
theme of Pyramus and Thisbe which they want to perform at Theseus’ wedding.
They plan to rehearse in the forest.
Oberon and Titania, the king and queen of the
fairies, are arguing over who should have a changeling boy that Titania has
stolen. Titania will not give him up, so Oberon takes his revenge by having his
servant Puck find a special flower whose juice he will squeeze onto Titania’s
eyes while she is asleep. This will maker her fall in love with the first
person she sees upon waking. Oberon, seeing Demetrius reject Helena, tells Puck
to put the potion on Demetrius’ eyes also. But Puck mistakes Lysander for
Demetrius, and Lysander wakes to see Helena, whom he falls in love with and
chases after, leaving Hermia alone.
The rustics begin their rehearsal near where
Titania is sleeping. Puck gives Bottom an ass’s head. Bottom frightens his
friends away, and in doing so wakes Titania. She falls in love with him, and
Bottom is treated like a lord by the fairy retinue.
Hermia, having lost Lysander, thinks Demetrius has
killed him, and when he denies it she goes to look for him. Oberon is furious
with Puck for his mistake and tells him to find Helena and bring her to him.
Oberon squeezes the flower onto Demetrius’ eyes while he sleeps. Lysander
enters with Helena, begging for her love, telling her Demetrius does not love
her; Demetrius then wakes, sees Helena, and begs for her love. Hermia enters
and is snubbed by Lysander, while Helena thinks all three are tricking her.
Demetrius and Lysander challenge each other to a
duel. Oberon gets Puck to imitate the two men’s voices, leading them around
until they fall asleep. Puck puts an antidote on Lysander’s eyes so that he
resumes his love for Hermia.
Oberon then releases Titania from her spell,
having received the changeling boy from her. Puck removes the ass’s head from
Bottom.
Theseus and Hippolyta arrive to hunt in the
forest, along with Egeus, where they discover the sleeping lovers. They hear
their story, and Theseus decrees they shall be married as they wish, despite
Egeus’ will.
Bottom is reunited with his friends, and they
rehearse their play, which has been selected as one of those to be made
available as entertainment at the wedding. After supper, Theseus chooses their
play, which is presented in front of an audience of all the lovers. They all
retire to bed, and Oberon and Titania enter to sing and dance; Oberon blesses
the three couples, and Puck is left to address the audience.
ART AND DELIVERY :
The author made the
scenes very clear and organized and often use flashbacks which can still be
seen in modern filipino short stories. He
uses a simple english so that the readers, could easily understand the flow of
the story. This somehow sets the standards or techniques of filipino authors.
CONCLUSION:
All the
Mechanicals' hard work finally pays off—they get to perform a play that touches
on the severity of what could have happened to two doomed
lovers (Pyramus and Thisbe here serve as a tragic reflection of the happier
Lysander and Hermia). While the humans leave the play in party hats, the
fairies come out and close the play, saying matters in the world are really
more serious than all this might suggest. Puck reminds us that everyone will
die, which is a nice conclusion. Oberon and Titania offer the real conclusion
by promising that the characters are all busy (even while they speak) making
babies, which is a good way to preserve yourself from death. Also, Oberon
promises the couples will be happy and in love for the rest of their lives.
MIDSUMMER ( VIDEO ) BY: MANUEL ARGUILLA
" THE END"
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