A+Midsummer+Night's+Dream

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

__**Note ; all podcast's are on Tom Lee's wikispace. - Leetom1**__

**Act I, Scene 1** 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? Hippolyta's reasoning differs from that of Theseus' because she says that the next four days will pass very quickly and that differs from Theseus because he thinks the next four days will take forever. 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? Egeus expects Theseus to honor the Athenian Law and allow himself to kill his daughter if she chooses to refuse him and be wed Lysander instead of Demetrius. 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? According to Egeus and Theseus the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society is that they are supposed to honour the person that helped give them life and respect their decisions when they tell them who to marry and who to not. 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? Lysander's comment about previous love between Demetrius and Helena complicates things because it shows that Demetrius is not a truthful character and that this is one of this faults. 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? Lysander and Hermia plan to meet out in the woods to marry out at his Aunts house, They choose to do this because he knows they can escape Athenian law out in the woods and finally marry his love. They tell Helena because she will see Demetrius watching them and then once he realizes that Lysander and Hermia are in love then he will find love with Helena and fulfil her dream. 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 chooses to tell Demetrius because if she tells him she think that in some kind of twist, Demetrius will find them and realize there is no love between Helena and himself and that she will then fall madly in love with herself and her dream will become true. 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 is going through having to marry someone she does not love at all and her true lover, Lysander has to watch her lover be wed another man. Egues is offering to Helena the option to 1. Marry Demetrius, 2. Become a nun and live the life as such or 3. Die in the hands of Demetrius or Theseus.

**Act I, Scene 2** 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? Nick Bottom wants to play all of the parts in the play because he thinks that the more roles that he plays the more the crowd and the Duke will show affection and graditude for him after the play. He also thinks that the parts will not be played well if he is not playing them because he sees himself as superior in acting skills towards his fellow actors. 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? This scene is funny because Nick Bottom thinks the is the best actor the world has ever scene, when in fact, he is not. He calls all the names out loud incorrectly. 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? The actors of the play are all meeting that following night to rehearse their play in the woods so they can prepare for their performance and the Dukes wedding. Also meeting down there is Lysander and Hermia in which they will be wed down there but also following them is Demetrius and then also following Demetrius is Helena. 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? I would start describing Bottom's acting ability by saying that he is very over dramatic in everything he does and he tries to act all of the roles thinking that he can manage all of these diverse parts. He envisions himself as the worlds best actor even tho he is not. He thinks that his acting ability's can manage everything when sadly he is not that much of a skilled actor.

**Act 2 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? The reader finds out that the King and Queen are fighting about a changeling child. 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? Before the present day, Oberon had an affair with Hippolyta, also Titania and Theseus had an affair. They had come to Athens to attend Theseus' and Hippolyta's Wedding. 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? When Titania and Oberon fight, Seasons change at the wrong time, flooding and the rotting of crops happens. 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Titania decides to refuse giving up the changeling to Oberon because the child was the child of Titania's former servant of a friend. When that servant had past away she made the request to 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? Oberon sends Puck to find a flower in which its special juices contain powers that can make you fall deeply in love. 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? To get back at Titania and seek revenge, she gets the plants magical juices to be put on her eyes as she sleeps to make her fall deeply in love with some kind of horrible animal. 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She Helena takes all of the abuse and acts as if he is not saying all of the horrible things that he really is saying. She also replies by complimenting him despite him trying to be as mean as possible to her. 17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? Helena completely ignores his physical threats and instead twists his words and continues to pursue him through the woods. 18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? Will Athenian woman are supposed to be obedient to men and show nothing but respect to them and not talk back to them at all. 19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? Oberon tells puck that there is an Athenian man being followed by an Athenian woman. He tells puck to place the juice of this flower on Demetrius' eyes so he will fall for Helena. But there is a mix up in all this and the Athenian man is mistaken for Lysander and this stirs up quite the conflict.

**Act 2, Scene 2** 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? She wants to get back at Titania for not giving him the Changeling child he also finds humour in this situation. 21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? Because she insists on maintaining her modesty until she be weds Lysander. 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Puck anoints Lysander because he mistakes him for the wrong Athenian man because he is dressed as one, just like Demetrius. 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? Helena automatically assumes that Lysander is playing a cruel trick on her. 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Hermia dreamt that a veil snake was eating her heart. This dream happens to be a reflection of reality because when she wakes up, Her lover has left her, for another woman. This could be a reflection of reality because it may symbolize the fact that she is losing the most important person in her heart.

**Act 3 Scene 1** 25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? The actors have planned to use a prologue and give it out to the audience during the play so they are informed of what is really going on during the play and that the lion is not a real lion and Pyramus killing himself is just acting. 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? The plan is to open the roof of the enclosure in the spot the full moon will appear and hopefully illuminate the stage and if that does not go as planned then they have arranged for a man to walk infront of the stage with a light. As for the wall, the actors have planned to have someone stand all spread out, arms and legs wide, and stand there as if he is a wall. 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? The actors all run away from bottom as he reappears because when he does reappear, he reappears as with the head of a Ass thanks to Puck. They are all frightened by the mere sight of him so they flee from him. 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? He plans to take away Bottom from the rehearsal in the woods and then use his magical powers to change his appearance into that of a head of an Ass. 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies?He insists to Titania that he is a hideous beast but in Titania's eyes he is the most magnificent thing she has ever seen and she only says this because she has had love juice from the magical flower spilled upon her eyes. Bottom is very respectful and thankful to Titania and all of her 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. It is such an apt statement at this point in the play because in the play the lovers in it are all now pledging their love towards the wrong person due to a love potion. The love potion that has been placed on their eyes and has caused them to fall in love for no reason at all and therefore giving their love no reason at all.

**Act 3, Scene 2** 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? When Hermia can not find Lysander she assumes that Demetrius has murdered him. She is of course wrong and Demetrius is actually planning to murder him the next day. Hermia falls in to a state of sadness and distress because she thinks her true love, Lysander, has been murdered by Demetrius. 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? They are going to place the flowers love juice on Lysander's eyes and make him fall in love with his true love, Hermia. This will correct their earlier mistake of making both Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with Helena. 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? She is upset with Demetrius because when he says that he loves her, she assumes he is just making fun of her. She thinks this because just a few moments ago he was saying how disgusting and horrible she is and now to change from that and say that he loves her, she thinks he is tricking him. 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? She accuses Hermia of making fun of her by using Lysander and Demetrius to fake being in love with her and this makes her very upset. 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? Both Helena and Hermia were once the best of friends. They quote "used to tell each other everything" and now they are far from their old days in the past. 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? She treats him as though he is just joking and the reason she can't believe what he says (pledging his faithful love to Helena) is because they were just about to marry and in her eyes this is unbelievable. 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? She accuses Helena of stealing her lover from her, her lover being Lysander. She thinks that her lover has deserted her and that Helena has stolen her man that she is just about to marry. 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? She is afraid of Hermia because she is and always has been a coward. She cowers from Hermia because Helena has always been higher up than her socially. 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? Lysander and Demetrius are heading off to battle for the love of Helena but this love is only due to the love potion that has been spilled up Lysander's eyes by mistake. 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? He orders Puck to go and follow the two men as they head out to battle and when they are ready to battle he should go and distract them both from fighting each other and instead make them run away from each other and fall asleep somewhere. Then once they are asleep, then they can fix what has been done wrong. 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? He plans to reverse the spell that has been put upon her which made her fall in love with Bottom only after she gives him back the changeling child. 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? He does not fear the coming of day because unlike other fairies because Oberon and Titania, being the King and Queen of all fairies, can posses their powers while all others cannot on this day. 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? Puck's trickery works very well because he manages to keep Demetrius and Lysander from fighting for the love of Helena. He also makes them both fall asleep away from each other which is exactly what Oberon wanted him to do.


 * 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**
 * Snug, Bottom, Snout, Quince, Flute and Starveling all have a meeting in the woods to rehearse the play.
 * A Prologue is created for their play to tell the audience that the Lion is actually Snug and that Pyramus does not really kill himself.
 * An actor is chosen to be the wall in the play.
 * At the start of rehearsal Bottom follows Puck out into the woods and is changed into a beast with the head of an ass which frightens all away.
 * After all have fled from Bottom he begins to sing out loud and wakes Titania.
 * Titania being under the love potion falls instantly with Bottom/
 * Demetrius and Hermia are spotted by Bottom and Puck and then Bottom and Puck realize that they have placed the love juice on the wrongs person's eyes.
 * Hermia accuses Helena of stealing her love.
 * Demetrius and Lysander head of into the woods to battle for the love of Helena but Puck separates them and makes them both fall asleep.
 * Puck corrects his past mistakes and places the love juice on Lysander's eyes to make him fall in love with his real love, Hermia.

**Act 4, Scene 1** 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? He now has learned to enjoy all of this attention and he has become more demanding when it comes to asking the fairies for favours. 45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? When Oberon comes across Titania and Bottom lying in her bed he seems to pity her and feel bad that she is falling uncontrollably in love with this hideous monster that is Bottom. 46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? Oberon seems to act like he does not know what she is talking about when she asks questions. He also changes the subject very quickly whenever something that involves him is brought up. 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? They are all out to hunt and celebrate the morning of this forced marriage between Hermia and Demetrius. 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? Theseus jumps to the conclusion that the four young people have got up a little earlier for the hunt and are all their to celebrate this marriage of Hermia and Demetrius. 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? He explains how his love for Hermia like melting snow to symbolize that he loves her no more. He also says "I was betrothed ere I saw Hermia. But, as in health, come to my natural taste, Now i do wish it, love it, long for it, and will for evermore be true to it" (pg.76) When Demetrius says this he shows that any form of love that he once showed to Hermia is nevermore and that he is truly in love with Helena. 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? Theseus's decision about the four young people is that he will let them marry. He is persuaded to make this decision because Demetrius pledges his faithful love to Helena. 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 4, Scene 2** 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? All of the artisans make a mockery of Bottom, thinking that he thinks he is the best actor of all. Then in the absence of Bottom they all begin to realize that they need him and that without him this play would be nothing. He is now a respected performer among his fellow artisans. 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? The actors biggest regret would be that they will not receive their pay for performing the play for the Duke. But when Bottom appears out of nowhere they realize that it is still not to late to perform the play so they quickly head off to the Duke's palace to get ready to perform. 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? Despite thinking that they had missed their opportunity to perform, They are suddenly informed that the Duke has not yet married and there is still time to make it to the Duke's palace and perform their play.

==**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?** ==== When Titania falls madly in love with Bottom due to a love potion and gives Bottom the power to command the fairies to doe things for him, he uses them as slaves. This makes him very arrogant and seem self-centered. He sees himself as being astoundingly good at everything even though he rarely is;but in the other hand, Theseus attempts to use his witty-ness to help others solve problems. For example, when Egeus comes to him for his advice on the affairs of her daughter, he tries to do his best to make the right decisions. Bottom is in fact nothing and can really achieve absolutely nothing at all but continues to try and do things that he can not do and brags about it.

====**b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?** ==== Typically, most dreamers look back on their dreams of that of a fiction story and think nothing of it being a reality. However, Bottom sees this dream as being so incredibly realistic, so real in his mind. The dream is supposed to feel like a dream because of the fairies but in fact he has actually lived this entire dream. He can not get over the thought that it is was just a dream and instead holds it in his mind that it was a reality.

====**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 that Shakespeare is trying to say to the reader that true love is hard to obtain, and that a Lovers' path is not always easy and smooth. In fact, i think that he is trying to say that the path of love is the exact opposite of that most people think. There may be many obstacles in the path of true love and obtain it is not easy like many want it to be.


 * Act 4, Scene 3**

56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? Theseus decides to dismiss these stories about the four young people because Hippolyta say that all the stories of the four lovers perfectly match each others. Hippolyta says "But, all the story of the night told over, And all their minds transfigured so together, More witnessth than fancy's images, And grows to something of great constancy. But however, strange and admirable."(p.83)

57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? Despite Philostrate attempting to get Theseus not to watch the play of Pyramus and Thisby, Theseus chooses to see the play despite Philostrates efforts to not see it. Theseus says,"I will hear that play, For never anything can be amiss, When simpleness and duty tender it."(p.85).

58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? Philostrate seems to not want Theseus to see the play because he claims that this play is "nothing, Nothing in the world" and that all of the actors that will partake in it are not real actors. He says, "Hard-handed men,...., which never laboured their unbreathed memories, With this same play, against your nuptial."(p.85) He claims that the play will only be worth it if they mock it the entire play.

59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? Theseus means that nothing can be impossilbe to do or turn completely bad if one has worked hard to achieve perfection and flawlessness. He says this line while talking to Philostrate about his decision weather or not to see this play. He says this to tell Philostrate, who keep saying that the play is nothing, that even some workmen from Athens who have just managed to put together a play can have flawless acting in their play and achieve perfection while acting.

60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? By having the Prologue, the actors seem to achieve nothing but laughs at them because Peter Quince just simply tells the audience the whole story and the audience makes a mockery of him by saying, "He hath rid his prologue, like rough colt. He knows not the stop.... His speech was like a tangled chain. Nothing impaired, but all disordered."(p.86)

61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? The readers have the chance to see from the point of view of the audience viewing the play while also reading about the play; therefore, we can relate to their comments and understand the humor of the play much better. The comments of the audience point out all the things that are going wrong with the acting and the play and this just simply makes the play even more humorous while you are reading it.

62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? Hippolyta is mocking the play by saying, " This is the the silliest stuff that I ever heard."(p.89). However, Theseus, is thinking the exact opposite of this and keeps defending the play and credits the actors and replies to Hippolyta, "The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend them."(p.89)

63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? Normally death is not a funny thing but when Thisby dies during the play he makes his farewell very uplifting and not serious at all, as it was intended to be. In the her last sentences, she says, "Tongue, not a word! Come, trusty sword, Come blade, my breast imbrue! And farewell friends! Thus Thisbe ends!"(p.93) This scene is supposed to make the audience cry but this ending makes the audience laugh at this utter mistake.

64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? Oberon orders his fairies to faries to make sure that absolutely nothing shall interrupt the lovers in their bedroom chamber. He says, "With this field-dew consecrate, every fairy take his gait, and each several chamber bless, Through this palace, with sweet peace; and the owner of it blest, ever shall in safety rest."(p.96)

65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? The purpose of Puck's final speech is to wrap everything up and tell the audience that if they didn't like the play, it is all just a dream and should always remember it as a dream and if you liked it, show your complementary by giving a round of applause.


 * Extending the thought process: **

"Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!"(p.91) "O **dainty duck**! O **dear**!"(p.91) "For, by thy **gracious, golden, glittering gleams**,"(p.91)
 * 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 **

"Which is-**no,no**-which was the fariest dame."(p.91)
 * breaking the play’s illusion of reality**

"I **see a voice**.... I can **hear my Thisbe's face**." (p.89)
 * using the wrong word or name**

"Now **die, die, die, die, die**"(p.92) "**O** grim-looked **night**! **O night** with hue so black! **O night**, which ever art when day is not! **O night, O night**! ....... and though **O wall**, **O**sweet, **O** loverly **wall**... Thou **wall**, **O wall**, **O** sweet and lovely **wall**,"(p.88)
 * repeating a word excessively**

"My soul is in the sky. Tongue, lose thy light, moon take thy flight!"(p.92)
 * 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?** ===

The readers get a chance to see from the point of view of what the audience is viewing during the play while also reading about the play; therefore, we can relate to their comments and understand the humor of the play much better and make it more humorous for the reader. The comments of the audience point out all the things that are going wrong with the acting and the play and this just simply makes the play even more humorous. Through the reactions and the comments of the audience, the readers can find out when the play is turning in to a disaster and when the play is actually influencing the audience. This way, we can easily understand the realationship between audience and the 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?** === I think of a show called The Simpsons, were the son, Bart Simpson is very clever and is able to even trick his dad, Homer who is very dumb and "clueless" Ronald and Hermione from Harry Potter are also a fantastic example of this. While Ron is very immature and sometimes even dumbstruck while Hermion is an all-knowing, smart character.

===**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?** ===

In the play of Pyramus and Thisbe, I see this as unsuitable for a wedding celebration because the play is a tragedy and weddings are supposed to be a joyful celebration. Also, there is a scene where two of the loving couple dies in the play, which is very inappropriate considering that three pairs of lovers are in the audience. It is ironic because Pyramus and Thisbe destined to be together, but failed to do so due to the lack of communication and false understanding and the four young lovers can strongly relate to this situation that were contantly seperated by numerous obstacles.

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