Midsummer Night S Dream Comprehension Questions
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Midsummer Night’s Dream Comprehension Questions
Answer the questions in complete sentences. Be sure to back up your answer with evidence from the text.
Act 1, Scene I (1.1)
1. What event will soon be happening in Athens? 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? 4. What is Theseus’ ruling concerning Hermia? 5. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’ previous love affair with Helena complicate things? 6. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? 7. Why do they tell Helena what they plan to do? 8. Even though Helena loves Demetrius and is Hermia’s best friend, why does she decide to tell Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander’s plans?
Who says the following lines, to whom they say it, and what is the context?
This man hath bewitched the bosom of my child.
Either to die the death, or to abjure/ For ever the society of men.
Relent, sweet Hermia, and Lysander, yield/Thy crazed title to my certain right.
The course of true love never did run smooth.
Call you me fair? That fair again unsay/Demetrius loves your fair.
O happy fair!
Act I, scene ii (1.2)
1. Who are the actors practicing for the play and what are their regular jobs? 2. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? 3. What are the parts in the play Pyramus and Thisbe? 4. What part does Quince finally give to Bottom? 5. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? 6. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting in these same woods at the same time?
Who says the following lines, to whom they say it, and what is the context?
You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.
That will ask some tears in the true performing of it.
What is Thisbe? A wandering knight? We will meet, and there we may rehearse most obscenely, and courageously. Take pains, be perfect, adieu.
Act II, scene i
1. What is going on between Oberon and Titania? 2. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? 3. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? 4. What does Oberon send Puck to find? 5. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? 6. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? 7. In what way is Helena’s chasing after Demetrius inappropriate for Athenian women? 8. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena?
Act II, scene ii
1. What does Oberon do while Titania is sleeping? 2. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little way from her? 3. Why does Puck put the juice in Lysander’s eyes? 4. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? 5. How is Hermia’s dream of the serpent a reflection of reality?
Who said the following lines, to whom did they say it, and what is the context?
Over hill, over dale/Thorough bush, thorough briar/Over park, over pale.
Take heed the Queen come not within his sight/For Oberon is passing fell and wrath/Because that she, as her attendant, hath/A lovely boy stolen from an Indian king
But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport
Thou shalt not from this grove/Till I torment thee for this injury
Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell/It fell upon a little western flower
I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.
I am your spaniel, and Demetrius/The more you beat me, I will fawn on you
And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes/And make her full of hateful fantasies
2.2
One turf shall serve as pillow for us both/One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.
Who is here?/Weeds of Athens he doth wear/This is he, my master said/Despised the Athenian maid Lysander, if you live, good sir awake
Content with Hermia? No, I do repent/the tedious minutes I with her have spent.
Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? Act III, scene i (3.1)
1. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? 2. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? 3. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play?
Who said the following lines, to whom did they say it, and what is the context?
My mistress with a monster is in love
O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?/Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe
Act III, scene ii (3.2)
1. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? 2. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? 3. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? 4. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? 5. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? 6. What is Oberon going to do about Titania?
Who said the following lines, to whom did they say it, and what is the context?
Why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to make me afeard.
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman/Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes.
Act IV, scene i (4.1)
1. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? 2. What does Demetrius say is the reason they are in the woods? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? 3. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? 4. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that dream to entertain the Duke?
Who said the following lines, to whom did they say it, and what is the context?
Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms/Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away.
And now I have the boy, I will undo/This hateful imperfection of her eyes
Come, my lord, and in our flight/Tell me how it came this night/That I sleeping here was found/With these mortals on the ground
Act IV, scene ii (4.2)
1. What opinion do the other actors now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? 2. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? 3. Why must the actors hurry to the Duke’s palace? Who said the following lines, to whom did they say it, and what is the context?
It is not possible. You have not a man in all Athens able to discharge Pyramus but he.
All that I will tell you is, that the Duke hath dines. Get your apparel together, good strings to your beards, new ribbons to your pumps.
Act V
1. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisbe rather than the other entertainment? 2. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? 3. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? 4. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?
Who said the following lines, to whom did they say it, and what is the context?
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet/Are of imagination all compact.
Now, until the break of day/Through this house, each fairy stray/To the best bride-bed will we/Which by us shall blessed be
If we shadows have offended/Think of this, and all is mended/That you have but slumbered here/While these visions did appear.