A+Midsummer+Night's+Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Act I, Scene 1 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? She is more laid back and can wait and he is super anxious and want to get married early.

2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? So that Theseus can force her to marry the one he want, Demetrius or give him the right to kill his daughter.

3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? To obey her father. He gives her the choice to marry Demetrius, to let her father kill her or to become a nun for the rest of her life.

4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? Because it shows that his love is constantly changing and that he might not truly love Hermia.

5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? To run away and get married where the law saying that the father can decide who she marries doesn't apply. Because they think they can trust her and then she can start an relation ship with Demetrius. They also don't want her to be jealous of Hermia.

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? Because she thinks it will make Demetrius trust and love her more.

7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? That she wants to marry Lysander but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. That she could marry Demetrius, her father could kill her or to be a nun for the rest of her life. That they sneak away and get married at his aunts house.

Act I, Scene 2 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? Because he thinks he is the best actor and could play them the best.

9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? Because it shows an overconfident, cocky person making a fool of himself. To help turn the play into a comedy.

10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? Out in the forest to practice their parts. Lysander and Hermia are meeting in the forest.

11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? I thinks it is good but not as good as he himself thinks. He thinks he is the best actor ever and could play all the roles by himself.

Act 2, Scene 1 1. 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? Titania and Oberon are fighting over a changeling child. Puck is very mischievous and tricky.

2. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? Oberon had an affair with Hippolyta and Titania had one with Theseus. They have come to see Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding.

3. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? It caused floods, drought, storms and bad things happened.

4. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Because it belonged to a close servant and she promised to take care of the child.

5. What does Oberon send Puck to find? A flower that was hit by a cupids arrow. If you put some of the juice in someones eye while their asleep they will fall in love with the fist thing they see when they wake up.

6. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? To make her fall in love with a ugly creature by putting some of the flowers juice in her eye.

7. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She takes it and turns it around to make her points. She says the more he says no, the more she loves him.

8. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? She keeps following him no matter what and says she will be his dog.

9. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? She is not obeying the man and she should not be chasing him but he chasing her.

10. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? To put some of the juice in Demetrius's eye, to make him fall in love with Helen.

Act II, Scene 2 11. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? For revenge and he thinks it will be funny.

12. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? So that she can keep her modesty.

13. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Because he thinks he is Demetrius. Oberon said anoint the young Athenian man. Puck thinks it is Lysander.

14. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? That it is a trick and more abuse.

15. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Because the snake is evil and it eats away her beloved.

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? By writing a prologue explaining that Pyramus isn't actually dead. Also to make the lion costume show that it isn't a real lion.

26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? By performing on a full moon or having someone hold a lantern. Have someone stand with their hands outstretched pretending to be the wall.

27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? Because Puck gave him the head of a donkey.

28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? Watch, and if he decides he needs to interfere he will.

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? Because the lovers in the story are being separated and confused at that point.

Act III, Scene 2 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? She accusing

32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? He is going to put the juice in Lysanders eyes so he will fall in love with Hermia again.

33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? Because she thinks it is a trick. He couldn't just stop loving Hermia and fall in love with Helena that quickly.

34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Of being in on tricking her and stealing Demetrius.

35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? They had been best friends.

36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Not very nicely like when he loved her and he insults her.

37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena?

38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Because she is stronger and would win in a fight.

39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? To fight over Helena in the forest.

40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? To lead them a way from each other and make them fall asleep.

41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? He is going to talk to her about the changeling again and if she gives it to him he will fix her love for Bottom.

42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Because unlike most fairies who lose power during the day him and Titania are very powerful and don't.

ell does Puck’s trickery work? Very well, he is totally successful. ====**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 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?

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?

Extending the thought process.
====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?====

====b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?====

====c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation?==== 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?

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?

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. excessive alliteration  breaking the play’s illusion of reality  using the wrong word or name  repeating a word excessively  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?===

===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?===

===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?===

media type="file" key="Midsummer Act 1 Ben, Simon and cyrus.m4a" width="300" height="50"

media type="file" key="Act2.m4a" width="300" height="50"
media type="file" key="Act3 sarsbnmrrysamn2.m4a" width="300" height="50"

media type="file" key="Act4 2.m4a" width="300" height="50" = = = =