Oberon, the King of the Fairies, is a man of prestige with unusual powers and a mind that outwits his foes. In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Oberon and his wife, Titania, are king and queen of all the fairies who inhabit the earth. In the story, Oberon comes into a few problems, which he handles quite peculiarly. He is a man who wants his orders carried out with strict obedience, but also has a nice side to him.
Oberon wants to let Titania know who is boss. One of the first disputes in the play is between Oberon and Titania over a small Indian boy who they both want for themselves. "Give me that boy and I will go with thee." (2.1.148) When Titania disobeys Oberon on this subject, and he realizes she can't be swayed with the usual coaxing, he becomes angry. "Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove till I torment thee from this injury." (2.1.251-152) He yells for a while, but he doesn't hurt or belittle her. Instead he decides to outwit his wife and take the Indian boy from her without her even knowing. .
When someone disobeys Oberon he's not going to let him or her get off the hook without some kind of punishment or retribution. When Titania decides she can get the best of Oberon he makes her look foolish. He anoints her eyes with a flower that will make her fall in love with the next thing she sees. He orders his henchmen, Puck, to find someone and turn his or her head into the head of an ass. When Titania awakens from her sleep she sees Bottom with an ass head and instantly falls in love with him. "What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?" (3.1.131) Now while she is fully entranced with her lover Oberon asks her for the Indian boy. Of course she agrees and gives it to him without a struggle. Oberon has received what he wants and made fun of his wife by making her fall in love with someone who has an ass head. He is not completely mean though, he does anoint her eyes with the flower that will turn her back to normal and he has Puck return Bottom to his normal state.
