Queen Mab, is a fairy referred to in William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet", where "she is the fairies' midwife", in her play, her activity is described in a famous speech by which fictional character in William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, a close friend to Romeo and a blood relative to Prince Escalus and Count Paris?
Queen Mab Queen Mab (pronunciation: "M/ă/v") is a fairy referred to in William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet", where "she is the fairies' midwife." Later, she appears in other poetry and literature, and in various guises in drama and cinema. In the play, her activity is described in a famous speech by Mercutio written originally in prose and often adapted into iambic pentameter, in which she is described as a miniature creature who performs midnight pranks upon sleepers. Being driven by a team of atomies, she rides her chariot over their noses and "delivers the fancies of sleeping men." Additionally, while driving "O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream," she was known to change her mind and instead "plague" "ladies' lips" "with blisters" if she smelled "sweetmeats" or candied fruit eaten to sweeten their breath. Along with this interpretation, others believe the blisters were a reference to the plague or to herpes simplex. She is also described as a midwife to help sleepers 'give birth' to their dreams. She may be a figure borrowed from folklore, and though she is often associated with the Irish Medb in popular culture, and has been suggested by historian Thomas Keightley to be from "Habundia", a more likely origin for her name would be from Mabel and the Middle English derivative "Mabily" (as used by Chaucer) all from the Latin "amabilis" ("lovable").
Snug (A Midsummer Night's Dream) Snug is a minor character from William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He is a joiner who comes from Athens who is hired by Peter Quince to play the part of the lion in Pyramus and Thisbe. When he is first assigned the part, he is afraid it may take him a while to finally remember his lines (even though the lion's role was nothing but roaring originally). Bottom offers to play the part of the lion (as he offers to play all other parts), but he is rejected by Quince, who worries (as do the other characters) that his loud and ferocious roar in the play will frighten the ladies of power in the audience and get Quince and all his actors hanged. In the end, the lion's part is revised to explain that he is in fact not a lion and means the audience no harm. This is a subtle reminder by Shakespeare that the mechanicals are not learned men.