How important is Peter Quince to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream? What might not happen without him?

At first glance, Peter Quince is not a central character in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. After all, he's not part of the Athenian relationship debacle, nor does he have a central comedic role like Bottom. That said, Quince is more important than many readers might think, as he's the director and writer of the play-within-a-play, the centerpiece of Act 5. Indeed, it seems that Quince is in charge of the bulk of the rude...

At first glance, Peter Quince is not a central character in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. After all, he's not part of the Athenian relationship debacle, nor does he have a central comedic role like Bottom. That said, Quince is more important than many readers might think, as he's the director and writer of the play-within-a-play, the centerpiece of Act 5. Indeed, it seems that Quince is in charge of the bulk of the rude mechanicals' theatrical exercise, as he assigns the roles and generally seems to manage the other tradesmen's energies (especially Bottom's). The play becomes an important comedic device, as it provides not only a hilarious conclusion to an already uproarious play, but it also becomes a brilliant commentary on the nature of theatrical narrative and artistic representation. Since the play-within-a-play would not happen without Quince's organizational efforts, and since this play becomes a vital aspect of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Quince actually proves to be an essential element of the narrative, even if he isn't one of the central characters.