Mid+Summer+Nights+Dream+Questions

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

media type="file" key="MSND Marika and Nicole.mp3" width="240" height="20" Hippolyta is patient and exclaims that the four days "will quickly dream away." Theseus on the other hand wants to get the four days over with and says "How slow this old moon wanes."
 * 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? **

He wants Theseus to allow him to kill his daughter if she disobeys his orders to marry Demetrius.
 * 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? **

They were to listen and obey their father's. And then once married, to obey their husband. Theseus's rule is that she must marry Demetrius or she would be killed or sent to a nunnery.
 * 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? **

Lysander comments that Demetrius is an inconsistent lover because he left Helena and so he brings up the point that he might be inconsistent with Hermia as well.
 * 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? **

They plan to run away to Lysander's Aunt's house. They tell Helena because they have been friends for a long time, and trust her.
 * 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? **

She hopes it will make Demetrius love her. She loves Demetrius more than she respects her friendship with Hermia, her best friend.
 * 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? **

Hermia's dilemma is that she is in love with someone but must marry another man that she has no feelings for. Her choices are marrying a man she does not love, getting killed, or going to a nunnery. Lysander suggest they run away and get married.
 * 7. ** **Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest?**

**Act I, Scene 2**

He believes is the best actor, and better than all the other actors.
 * 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? **

The scene is funny because Nick Bottom makes a fool of himself, and yet makes fun of himself as well. He probably left this scene in to add humor to the play.
 * 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? **

They are meeting in the forest at the Duke's Oak. Hermia and Lysander are also meeting in there to run away.
 * 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? **

He thinks he is the most amazing actor. Personally, I think he is a weak actor.
 * 11. ** **How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability?**

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? The readers find out that Oberon and Titania have been having many arguments over the last few weeks, and they argue whenever they meet.

11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? Titania accuses Oberon of having affairs with Hippolyta, but then Oberon rebuts with accusations of Titania having affairs with Theseus. They have come to Athens together to watch Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding.

12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? According to Titania, whenever they fight, wind blows in vain, the water from the sea has dried up, fogs have begun to fall in the land, rivers overflow, making plowing farms useless, and people have started to randomly grow beards. The seasons have been messed up, making it snow in the middle of summer, and make it hot during the winter.

13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Titania refuses to give the changeling to Oberon because when the changeling's mother died, Titania promised her that she would protect her child forever.

14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? Oberon sends Puck to find the magical flower that has turned purple from cupid's arrow of love, so he can get his revenge on Titania.

15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? Oberon plans to squeeze the juice of the flower onto Titania's eyelids, and then make the first thing that she sees when she wakes up a vile animal.

16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? When Demetrius abuses Helena with words, all she does is flip them around, and use them to tell Demetrius how much she loves him.

17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? When Demetrius starts to threaten Helena with physical abuse, she just ignored it and continued to tell him that she didn't care, as long as she could be with him.

18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? Helena's behavior is inappropriate for Athenian women because in the play, all women are meant to obey whatever the men tell them to do, but with Helena, she defies everything that Demetrius tells her to do, making her defy a man.

19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? Oberon tells Puck to place some of the love flower's juice in the "Athenian man's" eyes, so Puck sets out to find the "Athenian man", not knowing Lysander was there as well.

Act II, Scene 2 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? Oberon wants Titania to wake up and love some vile thing because then later, when the potion wears off, she would be shameful for ever loving such a vile creature.

21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? Hermia insists that Lysander sleep a little ways from her because they are not married yet, so she wants him to lie further away, for her sake.

22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Puck anoints Lysander's eyes instead of Demetrius' eyes because he sees an "Athenian man", lying at a distance from a woman, so he assumes that they are the two people who continue to argue.

23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? When Lysander awakens and tells Helena how much he loves her, she thinks that he is mocking him, because he has Hermia, which, in her opinion, is better than herself in every way. She thinks he's mocking her, so she becomes mad, but also sad at the same time, and runs off.

24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Hermia's dream is a reflection of reality because in the dream, Lysander was looking at her cruelly while her heart was being eaten, which would be proof that Lysander left her, even if it's only the effect of the potion, and not his actual love.

‍Podcast Assignment (May be done with a partner)
==‍Act 1 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream takes place in the daytime, but it contains many images of the moon that foreshadow the night to come. Using GarageBand record yourself reading the lines in Act 1 that illustrate the imagery of night/moon (find and record at least 8). Create the mood and atmosphere of act 1 by adding a musical score to the background. Your podcast should start with:==

‍Share to iTunes and upload the mp3 to your wikispace.
25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? To prevent scaring the ladies when "Pyramus" kills himself, Bottom has decided to give the audience a prologue, telling them that he is not actually killing himself, and that he won't get hurt. Also, they plan to tell the audience that Pyramus is not Pyramus, but actually just Bottom the Weaver. To make sure that the ladies won't get scared when the lion roars, they plan to tell them that the lion isn't even a real lion, and that it's just Snug the joiner.

26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? For the moonlight, they plan to leave a window open from above so the actual moon will shine down on them. On the contrary, for the wall, they would have a person standing there with his hands outstretched, with his fingers immitating "O" shape, so that the crack they tawould talk through would be evident.

27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? When Bottom reappears, everyone runs off because Puck has mischievously turned Bottom's head into that of an ass.

28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? When Puck follows the other actors, he plans to turn into something scary and scare every single one of the actors separately, using different forms.

29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? Bottom seems to be very pleased with how the fairies are addressing him and serving him for bottom seems to be a very high head held man, to Titania he seems rather surprised at how all of a sudden this queen is inlove with him but brushes that off because of the special treatment he is recieving. 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? At this point in the play, that saying is very ironic. It is ironic because the main big love triangle happenning between Lysander, Helena, Demetrius and Hermia is all messed up and everyone seems to love one and another for no reason because of the love potion but before they had great reasons for their feelings. =‍__ 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? Puck and Oberon form a plan to lead Demetrious and Lysander apart and make them all very sleepy so thet Puck can slip the flowers "love'' juice into Lysanders eyes and make sure Hermia is the first person Lysander sees when he awakes so that he is again inlove with her and this all will seem like a dream.

33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? She does want this, but only if it is real. She believes Demetrius is mocking her, so she is upset.

34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? She thinks that Hermia is in on the joke and is trying to continue the mockery of her.

35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? They had been best friends, like sisters, since their childhood.

36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Lysander says he hates Hermia and calls her names. She cannot believe him because only the night before he was in love with her.

37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of seducing Lysander and mocking her in return.

38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Helena is afraid of Hermia because she believes Hermia would beat her in a fight.

39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? They are going off to fight to the death over Helena.

40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? He tells Puck to separate them and make them fall asleep. When they are asleep he will put the flower's juice into Lysander's eyes and he will fall in love with Hermia; this will set everything right.

41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? He was going to stop her from loving the ass. Then he will ask her kindly for the boy.

42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Because Oberon still has powers in the day but the other fairies don't.

43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? Puck's trickery works very well. He pretends to be Lysander so that Demetrius will follow him until he is tired enough to sleep. Puck then pretended to be Demetrius so that Lysander would follow him and become tired fro the chase and fall to sleep. After they are both asleep, Puck will put the flower's juice into Lysander's eyes so that he will fall in love with Hermia; setting everything back to the way it should be ====‍**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 p****lay near the end of act three.**====
 * Titania falls in love with Bottom
 * Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander
 * Puck anoints Demetrius's eye's
 * He falls in love with Helena
 * Lysander and Demetrius fight over Helena
 * Hermia and Helena fight
 * They all fall asleep
 * Puck anoints Lysanders eys so he will fall back in love with Hermia

Act IV, Scene 1

44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? Bottom is quite at home with the attention of the fairies and Titania.

45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? Oberon thinks it's quite humorous that Titania fell in love with Bottom.

46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? Oberon does not have to explain; Tatania wakes up and thinks it was all a dream.

47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? They are in the woods hunting to celebrate the May morning before the wedding.

48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? Theseus thinks that they woke up early for the May morning.

49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? Demetrius explains that he was not seeing clearly when he loved Hermia, now that he can see the truth, he loves Helena.

50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? Theseus decides they shall all get married at the wedding.

51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? Young people can't be sure because it all seems so unreal, they dont believe it so they plan on camparing what happened from their point of view

52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? Bottom decides he will get Quince to write him a ballad about his odd dream, and let him sing it through the middle of the play.

Act IV, Scene 2 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? The artisans are now worried for Bottom, fearing he is lost.

54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? The artisans regret losing their pay if they are not able to perform the play.

55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? Bottom suddenly arrives at the last minute, so they must hurry to get to the Duke's palace in time

‍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?==== Bottom's character is an arrogant over confident type. He needs the attention of others and by wanting it so badly, sometimes acts like an ass. He's quite opposite of Theseus because Theseus is more reserved. Since he is King, he is watched more carefully and it wold not be suitable for him to act so boisterously.

====‍b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?==== They first believe it was a dream, but upon realizing they all had the same dream they are confused. Demetrius is changed permanently because he is now in love with Helena. ====‍c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation?==== He is saying the infatuation isn't as strong as love can be and that it can't hold you for very long.

==‍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!==

Bottom's Dream By Nicole Buckle and Marika Horân

One night some artisans met To practice a play. Then they started to fret, When Bottom went away.

The one with plenty of sass, Disappeared into the dark and, Came out with the head of an ass, He was the ugliest thing in the land

Then they ran away with all their might, When the weaver came into sight. Trying to make me a fool? Oh spite! They are trying to give me a fright!

The fairy queen fell in love with thee. Unfortunately, her love was blind. Her vision clouded, she could not see. For pansy juice had swayed her mind.

Her fairy train treated him well. She madly loved him, doth, He was treated like a king, it was swell, By Cobweb, Peaseblossom, Mustardseed and Moth.

When Bottom awoke, He was in a field of long grass, Under a tall oak, He no longer had the head of an ass.

Act V 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people?Theseus dismisses the stories of the four young people because he sees them as little more than mad and idle fantasies. He believes that the minds of lovers often invent such strange and unbelievable stories and that the tales he has just heard are no more than the invention of the young peoples' overactive and slightly confused minds.

57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments?Theseus chooses the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments because he had either witnessed the others performed, or they were not suitable for a wedding ceremony. I also believe that Philostrate's description of the play, meant to deter the Duke, may have made him all the more curious.

58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it?Philostrate tries to keep Theseus from seeing the play because he believes that it is a terrible rendition that's poorly acted and the Duke and his guests would never enjoy it. He tells the Duke that it is played by hard-handed men that work in Athens, that they have no experience with memorizing lines or performing and that when he witnessed the play rehearsed it was utterly ridiculous.

59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"?When Theseus says "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it," he means that nothing can be wrong when it is simple and unadorned, good effort has been put into it and it is presented in good will. In short, less is more.

60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact?By having the Prologue tell the whole story the actors insure that the audience will not be surprised or startled by anything and that the audience knows exactly what is happening or supposed to be happening in the play. This way, even if the play is hard to follow, the people watching will know what point it's at based on the summary in the prologue.

61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching?Shakespeare uses the comments from the audience to enhance the humor of the play by making them spoof the entire thing. Most of the comments made by Theseus and his guests were sarcastic and joking, constantly making fun of what was happening on stage.

62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play?Hippolyta initially thought the play to be very silly and ridiculous but, by the end she begins to feel and sympathize some for the characters of Pyramus and Thisbe.

63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous?Thisbe's final speech is humorous because Shakespeare is using it to make fun of other tragedies. He has made the speech far more ridiculous and over the top than it needed to be.

64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do?Oberon tells the fairies to stray all through the house of Theseus and to bless the lovers in order to make their love forever true and to insure their children shall not be marred at birth.

65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?Puck's final speech is used as an epilogue. Its purpose is to offer apologies and ask the audience's forgiveness for any shortcomings of the performance.

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="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">**excessive alliteration-** "Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, he bravely broached his boiling bloody breast." <span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">**breaking the play’s illusion of reality-**Theseus: "The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again." Pyramus/Bottom (in response): "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." <span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">**using the wrong word or name-** "Wilt thou at __Ninny's__ tomb meet me straightway?" "Since vile lion hath here __deflowered__ my dear?" <span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">**repeating a word excessively-**"O grim-looked night! O night with hue so black! O night, which ever art when day is not! O night, O night! Alack, alack, alack! And thou O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall, that stand'st between her father's ground and mine! Thou wall, O wall O sweet and lovely wall, show me thy chink to blink through with mine eyne." <span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">**ridiculous metaphor-** "Sweet moon, I thank thee, for thy sunny beams."

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">** 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? ** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The observing of another audience helps you understand the relationship between audience and performers because it gives you a more omniscient view of the play as you see both the audience within the play and the actors. This makes you more engaged in the play and makes you think more critically about what you are seeing.

===‍ ‍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? === <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Many sitcoms such as The Big Bang Theory or Fraser often create comic effects in this manner. I cannot think of any others as I do not watch television all that often and have only seen each of these shows once.

===‍ ‍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? === <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration because it is a tragedy, in which both lovers end up dead. Perhaps a play shown at a wedding ceremony should be more joyful than tragic. The play could be deemed appropriate because it shows intense and passionate love between two people. In this sense it is appropriate for the wedding. The play within a play is an ironic comedy on what the two pairs of young lovers have gone through because the tragedy within it, though more severe, reflects the discord and chaos that the lovers experienced previously. As stated in the play "The course of true love never did run smooth."