Oberon is a king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania, Queen of the Fairies.
First Appearance Huon de Bordeaux (c. 1215–1230) by Anonymous (Old French chanson de geste)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List Huon de Bordeaux (c. 1215–1230) by Anonymous (Old French chanson de geste) — First major literary appearance of Oberon (as a fairy king aiding Huon); The Tragical History of Guy of Warwick (1592) by Samuel Rowlands — English Renaissance romance invoking Oberon as fairy king in chivalric tradition; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (c. 1595; 1600 Quarto) by William Shakespeare — Oberon’s definitive dramatic incarnation as king of the fairies; Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (1623) by William Shakespeare — First Folio printing of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Fairy Queen (1692) by Henry Purcell (libretto adapted from Shakespeare) — Baroque semi-opera adaptation; Oberon (1789) by Christoph Martin Wieland — Epic romantic poem; Oberon (1826) by Carl Maria von Weber — Opera adaptation of Wieland’s poem; A Midsummer Night’s Dream: and Other Stories by E. Nesbit (1890) (A midsummer night’s dream.–Hamlet, prince of Denmark.–Twelfth night.–King Lear) [Internet Archive]; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1909) directed by Charles Kent & J. Stuart Blackton — Early silent film adaptation; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) directed by Max Reinhardt & William Dieterle film version; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1968) directed by Peter Hall — Royal Shakespeare Company film version; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1970) directed by Peter Hall film adaptation…
Description Oberon is a king of the fairies in medieval and Renaissance literature. He is best known as a character in William Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which he is King of the Fairies and spouse of Titania, Queen of the Fairies.
