Why is dreaming the only possible answer for what happens to the characters throughout the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream?"

• Falling in love with someone you rejected long
  before.


• Falling out of love with someone you risked your
  life for.


• Some guy whose head turns into that of an
  ass.


• A (married) woman falling for said
  ass.

It's like the cliche: "You can't write
this stuff." This play is all about the willful suspension of disbelief, and a great
show to understand and perform. Everything comes together so perfectly, that only magic
could cause such chaos and resolve it so easily.

And who
wouldn't want a little bit of magic? Helena loved Demetrius, and he loved her at one
time-- why not get him to love her again? This also clears the way for Hermia and
Lysander to marry, because her father preferred Demetrius while he continued his pursuit
of Hermia. This also makes Theseus look more attractive to Hippolyta because he gets to
be the "good guy" and allow his subjects to follow their hearts. And a "full-of-himself"
actor got his come-uppance and a lovely little fantasy to
remember.

It's all a bit too much. So maybe we're the ones
dreaming. We can come up with some crazy stuff, and sometimes we're better for the
experience.