When analyzing a character as complex as Oberon in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, one has to break down the analysis into several components, those being their role in the play, the character's motivation, their behavior, speech, and how their actions effect other characters throughout the play.

Oberon's Role in the Play

Oberon's role in A Midsummer Night's Dream is being the King of the Fairies and ruling the fairy world with Titania, to whom he is betrothed. Oberon's "role" if you will, is to be the mediator with Puck to watch over the lovers while they are in the Athenian Woods. Oberon is also a manipulator; his job is to settle the disputes between the pairs of lovers, though his actions are benign, and he indeed creates all of the problems the lovers encounter. Oberon's role is also to make sure there is an equal balance in...