A+Midsummer+Night's+Dream

Hippolyta's reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass is that the days will pass very quickly, and before they know it, it will be time for them to get married. To Theseus, it seems that time is going very slow, and it will be a long time before the four days pass and they get married. Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus to explain to him that his daughter wants to marry Lysander, but he wants her to marry Demetrius. Egeus expects Theseus to allow him to kill his daughter if she does not marry the man of his choosing. According to Egeus and Theseus, the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society is to follow their father's orders. Theseus told Hermia to reconsider her options for four days, as she may prefer marrying Demetrius to dying or serving as a nun. Lysander's comment about Demetrius's previous love affair with Helena complicates things by making Demetrius seem less respectable. Lysander and Hermia decide to escape Athenian law and live with Lysander's aunt. They tell Helena so she will not worry, and so she knows she will be free to be with Demetrius. Helena decides to tell Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander's plans in hope that Demetrius will show gratitude for her actions and love her. The choices outlined by Theseus and her father are that Hermia must either die, marry Demetrius, or become a nun. Lysander suggests that they elope to his aunt's house, outside the law of Athens.
 * Act I, Scene 1 **
 * 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? **
 * 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? **
 * 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? **
 * 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? **
 * 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? **
 * 6. Even though Helena loves Demetrius and is Hermia’s best friend, why does she decide to tell Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander’s plans? **
 * 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? **

Nick Bottom feels that he would do the best job acting all of the parts, so he should. Nick Bottom constantly interrupts Quince, asking to play each part. Shakespeare may have included this scene to contrast the previous scene. The actors are to meet in the forest outside of the town. Hermia and Lysander are meeting there at the same time. Bottom's acting ability could be described as mediocre. Bottom's own opinion of his acting ability is that he is so good that he can play all of the parts in a play.
 * Act I, Scene 2 **
 * 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? **
 * 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? **
 * 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? **
 * 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? **

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 * Night Images**


 * Act II, Scene 1**

Oberon and Titania argue every time that they meet, as they fight over a half-fairy child and accuse each other of cheating. They accuse each other of having affairs with Theseus and Hippolyta. They come to Athens for the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. Fogs and winds have become more frequent, and floods occurred. Titania won't give up the changeling to Oberon because she promised her servant that she would take care of her child. Oberon sends Puck to find flowers with the power of Cupid's arrows. Oberon plans to use the juice of flowers with the power of Cupid's arrows to make Titania fall in love with the first thing she sees when she wakes up, and that will hopefully be an ugly beast. Helena tells him that every time he insults her, it makes her love him more. She said that nothing bad could happen to her, because when she is with him, all is fine. Athenian women are normally won over by men, but she is trying to get a man to love her. Oberon tells Puck to use the flowers on an Athenian man while he is sleeping, so when he wakes up and sees the girl, he will love her.
 * 10. What does the reader find out about the current relationship between Oberon, King of the Fairies, and Titania, Queen of the Fairies, from Puck and the first fairy?**
 * 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens?**
 * 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans?**
 * 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon?**
 * 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find?**
 * 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania?**
 * 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse?**
 * 17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse?**
 * 18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women?**
 * 19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena?**

Oberon wants Titania to wake up and fall in love with some vile thing to get revenge on her and get the child. Hermia insists Lysander sleep a little ways from here because they are not married, and she wishes to retain her dignity. Puck anoints Lysander's eyes because he believes that this is the Athenian man Oberon told him to. Helena thinks that Lysander is mocking her by saying he loves her. In her dream, a serpent stole her heart away, while in reality, her love Lysander was stolen away due to the magical flowers.
 * Act II, Scene 2**
 * 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing?**
 * 21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her?**
 * 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes?**
 * 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens?**
 * 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality?**

The actors are going to have a prologue explaining that Pyramus is actually Bottom, and he does not kill himself. The lion will have some of his face exposed, and explain to the ladies that he is just a normal man, and will tell them to not be afraid. The actors will either have a window open for the moonlight, or have an actor come in with a lantern and vines to act as the moonlight. The wall will be acted by a person, and they will form a hole with their hand for Pyramus and Thisbe to talk through. The rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears because Puck turned his head into an ass's head. Puck plans to follow them to torment them. Bottom is glad that someone would love him, and he enjoys having servants. This is such an apt statement at this point in the play because the flowers are causing people to fall in love without reason.
 * Act III, Scene 1**
 * 25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars?**
 * 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall?**
 * 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears?**
 * 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors?**
 * 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies?**
 * 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play?**

Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander. Puck is going to cause Demetrius to love Helena and cause Lysander to love Hermia. Helena is upset when Demetrius says he loves her because she thinks he is just mocking her, like Lysander. Helena accuses Hermia of also mocking Helena with the other two. Hermia and Helena had been close friends in the past. Lysander treats Hermia poorly, and says he hates her. She can't believe what he says because he had loved her the day before, and all the time before. Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander's love from her. Helena is afraid of Hermia because she threatens to claw out her eyes. Lysander and Demetrius are going off to fight to the death. Oberon tells Puck to pretend to be each man, causing each one to chase him, tire out, and go to sleep. Oberon is going to get the child from Titania, then lift the power of the flowers. Oberon doesn't fear the coming of day because his powers work during the day. Puck's endeavours are successful, tiring out each man and causing them to sleep. ==== **Review Question: The climax, or turning point, of //A Midsummer Night’s Dream// comes at the end of Act 3. In point form describe the major plot points of Act Three starting from when Titania falls in love with Bottom leading to the climax or turning point of the play near the end of act three.** ====
 * Act III, Scene 2**
 * 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing?**
 * 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake?**
 * 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along?**
 * 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia?**
 * 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past?**
 * 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says?**
 * 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena?**
 * 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia?**
 * 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do?**
 * 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men?**
 * 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania?**
 * 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day?**
 * 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work?**
 * Titania falls in love with Bottom
 * Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander
 * Oberon uses flowers on Demetrius to make him love Helena
 * Helena thinks Lysander and Demetrius are mocking her while they love her due to the flowers
 * Hermia wonders why Lysander no longer loves her
 * Helena thinks Hermia is in on what they are doing
 * Lysander and Demetrius go to fight to the death over Helena
 * Puck pretends to be each man, tiring out Lysander and Demetrius and causing them to sleep
 * Puck uses the flowers on Lysander's eyes

Bottom enjoys the attention of Titania and her fairies, and takes it for granted. Oberon begins to pity Titania for being in love with such an ugly and annoying thing, and lifts the power of the flowers. Oberon ignores Titania's question about what happened to her, and avoids the subject. They are out in the woods to celebrate the ceremony that day by hunting with hounds. Theseus's first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods is because they woke up early to go to his ceremony. Demetrius explains that he loves Helena now, like he did before he loved Hermia. He compares his love for Hermia to an illness because like a sickness, his love for Hermia was temporary. Theseus's decision is that the four young people can get married to their lovers that day. The young people can't be sure whether they are awake or dreaming because everything that happened was crazy, but they all remember the same thing. Bottom is going to turn his dream into a ballad which he will perform for the Duke.
 * Act IV, Scene 1**
 * 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies?**
 * 45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom?**
 * 46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her?**
 * 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning?**
 * 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods?**
 * 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness?**
 * 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people?**
 * 51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming?**
 * 52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke?**

The other artisans praise Bottom and say they can't do the play without him since they think he is lost. They regret losing the large amounts of money they could have made by performing the play. The artisans must hurry to the Duke's palace because their play was chosen to be performed at the ceremony.
 * Act IV, Scene 2**
 * 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost?**
 * 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play?**
 * 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace?**

**a) The fourth act opens and ends with Bottom at center stage. What is your opinion of Bottom’s character? How might he be the antithesis, or opposite, of Theseus’s character?**
====Bottom's character is very self-centred, always wanting to be the centre of attention. He might be the opposite of Theseus's character because he only cares about himself, while Theseus helps others, such as offering Hermia the option to live in a nunnery, and later allowing both couples to get married.====

Shakespeare is saying that love does not make sense, and can change randomly. In this play, Demetrius changes his mind on who he loves for no reason.
== Act 4 Podcast: Bottom decides to commission Peter Quince to write a ballad called “Bottom’s Dream.” On your own or with a partner, imagine that you have been asked to write the lyrics and compose the musical accompaniment. Remember that at the beginning of act 4, Bottom told the fairies that he likes to listen to the “tongs and bones” (act 4, scene 1, line 30). Tongs were pieces of metal struck against each other and bones were actual bones. These instruments were used in comical or in less sophisticated musical performances. Write the poetry for the ballad ( a minimum of 2 stanzas, 4 lines each), then put it to music! ==

media type="file" key="Bottom's Dream block 2.mp3"

Theseus dismisses the stories of the four young people because he says that lovers are alike madmen, and can think they saw things. Theseus chooses to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments because its description contained oxymorons, such as describing it as "a tedious short scene", Philostrate tries to keep Theseus from seeing the play because he had saw it, and it was badly performed. He says that it was so badly performed that it made him laugh instead of cry. Theseus means that if they try from the heart with good intentions, it will be fine. By having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are going to enact, it ruins it, since the audience would know what would happen.
 * Act V**
 * 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people?**
 * 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments?**
 * 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it?**
 * 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"?**
 * 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact?**
 * 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching?**

Hippolyta thinks the play is humorous. Thisby's final speech is humorous because Thisbe initially asks if Pyramus is asleep after he stabbed himself and Thisbe continues to talk after stabbing herself. Oberon tells the fairies to go into this house until morning. The purpose of Puck's final speech is to clean up the mess he's created.
 * 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play?**
 * 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous?**
 * 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do?**
 * 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?**

**excessive alliteration** - "Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast" **breaking the play’s illusion of reality** - "No, in truth sir, he should not. "Deceiving me" is Thisbe's cue. She is to enter now, and I am to spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes."
 * Extending the thought process:**
 * FInd at least one example of each of the following that occurs during the play within the play. Write down the quote that illustrates example.**
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">using the wrong word or name **- "Wilt though at Ninny's tomb meet me straightaway?"
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">repeating a word excessively **- "Now die, die, die, die, die."
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ridiculous metaphor **-

=== a) In reading the play-within-a-play, we become the audience for the drama played out by Theseus, Hippolyta, and the others. These performers, in turn, form the audience for the reenactment of Pyramus and Thisbe. How does observing another audience help you understand the relationship between audience and performers? === Observing another audience helps you understand the relationship between audience and performers by seeing the thought process of audience members as you yourself are also an audience member.

=== b) Modern television shows often create comic effects by having a silly, innocent, or “clueless” character and a sarcastic, knowing, clever character play off of each other. What examples can you think of? === In the show Spongebob, Patrick is a lazy, innocent, clueless character. His neighbour, Squidward, knows much more than him, makes fun of Patrick for his stupidity, and speaks with sarcasm.

=== c) Identify ways in which Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration. Are there any ways in which the play might be appropriate? In what ways is the play-within-a-play an ironic commentary on what the two pairs of young lovers (Demetrius and Helena, Lysander and Hermia) have gone through earlier? === Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration because it is about how love can cause tragedy to happen, and a wedding should be something happy.