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? Theseus thinks that they are passing very slowly but Hippolyta thinks that the next four days will pass in no time

2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? Egeus has brought his daughter and her suitors hoping that Theseus will convince his daughter to marry Demetrius or give him (Egeus) the permission to kill her if she doesn't.

3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? The proper role for women were marrying the one their father wanted them to marry and also obeying their father. Egeus believes that Hermia is his property so he wants her to marry Demetrius and Theseus rules for Hermia to marry Demetrius or for her to become a nun.

4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? It complicates things because in the previous relationship he was unfaithful so people might be he would be unfaithful with Hermia. Also Helena still loves Demetrius so she could do evil things to them if they were to wed.

5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? They plan to run away and get married outside the city. They tell her because Helena doesn't seem like a threat and it seems like it is in her best interest that they marry. Also it will clear the road for 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? She decides to tell him because she thinks if she tells this to Demetrius, he will be grateful to her and then love her (Helena) not Hermia.

7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? Hermia wants to marry Lysander but her father and Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius or become a nun or die. Lysander also suggests they run away and get married.

Act I, Scene 2 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? He wants to play all the parts because he thinks he is the best actor, he thinks he is perfect for every role and he wants the fame and fortune.

9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? It is funny in the way nick bottom thinks he is the best and the others play along when really he isnt that great of an actor. I think he inculded this scene because he did not want to whole play to be dramatic and sad.

10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? They are to meet in the woods, a mile from town. Lysander and Hermia are also going there.

11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? Bottom is not a very good actor, he doesn't act too much in this scene but we can clearly tell. Bottom however thinks he is the best actor and is perfect for any role.

media type="file" key="A Midsummer Night's Dream - Podcast.m4a" width="300" height="50" by andy and jerry

Act II, Scene 1 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? We find out that the Current relationship between them are, they are fighting and arguing over a baby.

11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? They may have been involved in a affair with Theseus and Hippolyta. They came to Athens to attend the wedding of Theseus and HIppolyta.

12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? It has caused natural disasters, the seasons have changed and gotten screwed up and humans are dying due to famine.

13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? She wont give up the changeling because she promised her dead friend that she will be the one to look after the baby.

14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? He sends him off to find the love juice.

15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? He's plans are to put the love juice in her eyes and hopes that the first thing she will is something ugly which she will get so absorbed with then he will be able to take the baby. Also he does it for revenge.

16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She always finds a way to turn it in to something good.

17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? Her response is the same as the verbal abuse and she just ignores him and keeps on following.

18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? It is inappropriate in the way she disobeys the men, who has power over her.

19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? He tells Puck to put the love juice in Athenian man's eyes when he is sleeping and to have Helena near him so he can wake up to she her first so he will love her back.

Act II, Scene 2 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? He wants that because he wants to be able to laugh at her and amuse himself and also be able to take the baby because the vile thing wont mind if a baby disappears. Also he does it for revenge.

21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? She insists that because they are not yet married and she wants to lie further off in human modesty.

22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? He anoints Lysander's eyes because he mistakes him for Demetrius because they are both Athenian and dressed like Athenians and he is sleeping a distant away from Hermia.

23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? She thinks he is joking and making a mean joke on her.

24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? The serpent eating her heart is a metaphor for Lysander's sudden change of love.

media type="file" key="Act 2 Scene 2.m4a" width="300" height="50" by Jerry and Andy

25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? They are going to make a prologue which explains that Bottom who is Pyramus is not actually dead and that Snout isn't a real lion.
 * Act III, Scene 1

26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? On the day of the play there will be moonlight so they will open up the chamber window to let it in but just in case an extra person can walk in with a lantern and be the moon. For the wall a man can have some some plaster or some loam or some rough cast to signify a wall.

27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? They run away because Bottom appears with an ass's head.

28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? He is going to chase them through the forest and while he is doing that he will change shapes and sizes to scare them.

29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? He makes fun of their name and as for Titania he thinks that she shouldn't love him.

30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? It is an apt statement at this point because you see examples of people not loving who they want but due to the love potion, it has caused a lot of conflict,

Act III, Scene 2 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander.

32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? They are going fix it by putting the love potion in Lysander's eyes when he falls asleep so he can fall in love with Hermia not Helena.

33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? She is upset because she thinks that Lysander and him are making fun of her and joking with her. Yes but she thinks that he is joking because a couple hours earlier he hated her and now he is suddenly in love with her.

34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Helena accuses Hermia of being a part of this "joke".

35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? They were as close as two lovely berries moulded on one steam.

36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Lysander treats Hermia like dirt and like he hates her. She can't believe because they were running away together to get married and at the castle he was talking about how he loved her so much.

37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander's love from her.

38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? When they were younger Hermia was a vixen and she thinks that she might still be like that.

39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? They are off to duel for the love of Helena.

40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? He tells Puck to lead the men apart by impersonating their voices and then slip the love juice in Lysander's eyes.

41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? He is going to go and ask one more time for the changling boy.

42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? He isn't afraid because unlike most fairies he is still able to be powerful in the sun.

43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? His trickery works very well.


 * 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**
 * 1. Titania falls in love with Bottom**
 * 2. Oberion finds out that Puck has mistakenly annointed Lysander's eyes instead of Demetrius's.**
 * 3. Hermia thinks that Demetrius has killed Lysander.**
 * 4. Lysander and Demetrius both fall in love with Helena**
 * 5. Helena thinks that everyone is mocking her.**
 * 6. Helena and Hermia have a catfight**
 * 7. The two men go off to duel**
 * 8. Puck seperates the two men and correctly annoints Lysander's eyes.**

media type="file" key="Act 3 Scene 1 and 2.m4a" width="300" height="50" by Jerry and Andy ||

Act IV, Scene 1 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? He has adjusted very well and is loving every moment of the attention. He also bossies around the fairies like they are his slaves.

45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? He realized he was being a jerk, when all Titania wanted was to keep her friends promise.

46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? He will probably lie and make up stories about how her love was so strong he couldnt break it.

47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? They are going hunting as celebration for the wedding of Hippolyta and Theseus.

48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? He thinks that they are going hunting with them and that they fell asleep because they came here too early so they were tired.

49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? He says he came here because he was following Hermia, who was running away. He compares his love for Hermia to a sickness because it started quickly, lasted for a bit and then ended.

50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? That they are all to be married at the wedding of Hippolyta and Theseus, it will be a triple wedding.

51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? They woke up with vague memories. They woke up and then told Theseus the story but they weren't sure wheter it was a dream or not.

52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? He is going to entertain the Duke by writing a song about his dream and then later on singing it at the party.

Act IV, Scene 2 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? They all think that Bottom was a great actor and that the play could have been a huge succes if he didn't get lost.

54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? They regret losing Bottom in the forest and that he won't be able to perform. Also they regert losing the fame and fortune.

55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? They must hurry, so they can arrive on time for the wedding.

media type="file" key="Act 4 Scene Bottom's song.m4a" width="300" height="50"

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? ==== ==== In my opinion Bottom's character is very cocky, loud and self centered. Even after the dream I think he has remained the same because he wants Quince to write him a song so he can rich, famous and he can be in the spot light. He is the opposite of Theseus in the sense that Theseis is very serious and strict but still kind hearted but Bottom is very goofy, he's a bit of a jerk and he is extremely cocky. ==== ==== b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience? ====

They respond to the dream as it was not real and a very vague memory. I think that Demetrius has changed permanetly because Demetrius is now loving a women who he hated before.
==== c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation? ==== ==== I think he is saying that true love is very hard to come by and that most of the times love is just infatuation. He does a great methapor for the love juice from a flower which is the symbol of pure love. Also I think that he is trying to send the message that true love is hard to come by and that love doesn't run smoothly because romance isnt something easy. ====

Act V 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? He dismissed it because Hippolyta said how is it possible for four people to have the same dream at once.

57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? He choses the play Pyramus and Thisbe because he thinks that never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it.

58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? He keeps Theseus from seeing this play because he says its only ten minutes long but its ten minutes too long, which means its boring and terrible. He says there is not one word apt, one player fitted, and tragical, my lord, it is.

59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? It means nothing can be wrong with it of you worked hard for it or on it.

60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? Nothing is really accomplished with the Prologue because Quince just tells the whole story, which will make people not wanna watch it. However people now know that no one is really dead or a lion.

61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? The comments from the audience are somewhat funny, he also used the audience to point out the flaws of the play within the play and the errors that the actors had made in a humorous manner.

62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? She thinks it's really silly and stupid but closer to end she found the play more touching.

63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? As she is dying she bids fare well to crowd in a very comedic and unserious manner and also because she asks Pyramus are you sleeping when we can tell he is clearly dead because he has a sword sticking out of him.

64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? He tells the fairies to bless the newly wed lovers.

65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? His purpose is that the people who liked it can remember the play and give a round of applause but the people who did not like the play can forget all about it and remember it as a dream.

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 "Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!"

breaking the play’s illusion of reality When the lion forget to roar and says an extra word before he roars.

using the wrong word or name " I see a voice... I can hear my Thisbe's face."

repeating a word excessively " Now die, die, die, die, die, die, die."

ridiculous metaphor " The wall is down that parted their fathers."

===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?=== It helps you understand what the audience thinks of the play while it is being presented. We can relate to their comments and understand the humor of the play much better. It also points out the humorous parts of the play and everything that is wrong with the play which makes the play even more humorous. Through the comments and the reactions of the audience we can learn more of how the play is affecting the audience.

===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?=== Some examples are Peter and Stewie from Family guy, Barney and Ted from How I Met Your Mother, Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter.

===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?=== It is inappropriate in the way that it shows a couple dying on a wedding which kind of ruins the mood. It is ironic because Pyramus and Thisbe who were destined to be together and who were lovers, couldn't be separated but the four young lovers, frequently changed their minds and didn't give it a second thought due to the love potion.

 COMPLETION 10/10  EFFORT 7/10  CONTENT 7/10

 TOTAL 24/30