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The Story What happens in a Midsummer Night’s Dream A Midsummer Night’s Dream of the moon, which will prove so important throughout the play. A note on using this summary It’s always better, if you can, to fi rst experi- Th e Duke is impatient for the fun of the wed- ence the play through the text – by reading it, ding. Hippolyta reassures him that the time speaking it, performing it. It’s also wonder- will go by quickly. Th eseus instructs Philostrate, ful, if you can, to see a live performance of his Master of the Revels (or party planner!), “Dream,” which is one of Shakespeare’s most to “stir up the Athenian youth to merriments” popular comedies. – that is, to organize some fun parties to pass the time before the big wedding day. Th is summary is designed as a roadmap for times when you get a bit lost in the story, or Th en, a sudden interruption: In barges need a review. We’ve written the summary as Egeus, an important citizen of Athens, drag- a running description of the imagined stage ging with him Hermia, his daughter, and two action, rather than as a story version of the play. young men, Lysander and Demetrius. Th ere are some very good illustrated story ver- Egeus greets the Duke, who asks what’s going sions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; it has on. Egeus, “full of vexation,” complains that inspired many retellings over the years. But his daughter is refusing to marry the man he our emphasis here is on Shakespeare’s original has chosen for her. He accuses Lysander of art – live performance on a stage. So in our stealing his daughter’s heart with love letters summary we keep the details fairly simple, and gifts and songs sung under her window, and speak of characters entering and exiting, and asks for “the ancient privilege of Athens” as upon the Globe stage. – the power to choose whom his daughter will marry. Scene One (Act 1, scene 1) According to the old law – if the Duke choose to enforce it – Hermia has two options: Th e play takes place in ancient Greece, in the marry Demetrius, or… face death! city of Athens and the forest around it. Th e ac- tion mostly takes place in one afternoon, the next Th e Duke subtly slips in another alternative, evening and morning, and then that following which is to become a nun and never see a man evening. again. Hermia doesn’t jump for that option. Th e fi rst characters we meet areDuke Th eseus Hermia boldly stands up for the love she and of Athens and Hippolyta, the Amazon queen. Lysander share, and tells the Duke she can never love Demetrius. Th e Duke responds that As the play begins, Th eseus and Hippolyta he cannot go against the old law. But realizing enter, talking of their upcoming wedding, that he is dealing with a strong-willed young which will occur on the evening of the next woman, Th eseus asks her to “take time to new moon – in four days. It’s a peaceful, pause” and gives her until his wedding day to lyrical beginning, and introduces the image make her decision. Demetrius speaks up and asks Hermia to Helena, left alone, complains about how some give in to his love; then he turns to Lysander people can be happier than others, and com- and tells him to back off . Lysander fi res back ments on the blindness of love, as captured in with the fi rst real joke of the play, a sarcastic the image of blindfolded Cupid, the god of comment that says, in eff ect, “Hey Demetrius love. She feels sorry for herself, and seems to – Egeus likes you so much, why don’t you let hint that perhaps Hermia did give Demetrius me keep Hermia and you can marry the old enough of a response to encourage him. man!” Egeus, needless to say, does not think that is funny. Th en she too has a big, daring idea: She will go tell Demetrius of Hermia’s plan. She Lysander then passionately speaks up for his knows he’ll want to follow her, and perhaps rights before the Duke and argues that he is Helena will get a bit of attention as a reward equal to Demetrius, with one vital diff erence: for her information. She’s so desperate she’ll Hermia loves him. Th en, to demonstrate how spill the secrets of her best friend! unworthy his rival is, Lysander reminds ev- eryone that Demetrius once doted on Helena So, the next night, Hermia and Lysander will before he began his pursuit of Hermia. De- be running off into the woods… followed in secret by Demetrius… who will be followed in metrius is silent, and, we can assume, embar- secret, no doubt, by… Helena! rassed to have this mentioned before Egeus and the Duke. Scene Two (Act 1, scene 2) Th e Duke says he’d heard about Demetrius’s inconstancy, and had meant to talk to Deme- Th e scene shifts suddenly to from the Duke’s trius about it, but had been too preoccupied palace to the working-class section of Athens. We meet a group of craftsmen, who are now with his upcoming wedding. Th en he tells off work. Th ey are meeting to rehearse their Egeus and Demetrius to come with him for a own little play for the Duke’s wedding. Th ere talk (perhaps as a way of giving the young lov- is a contest in Athens for the honor (and prize ers a chance to talk in private?). So Th eseus money) of being selected as the top entertin- and Hippolyta leave with those two, leaving ment for the Duke’s wedding celebration. Hermia and Lysander alone. Th e director is Peter Quince, a carpenter. He Hermia is devastated and on the verge of tears has the play – “Th e most lamentable comedy – what will she do? Lysander comforts her and most cruel death of Pyramus and Th isbe.” with stories of how “true love” is always dif- fi cult. Th en he has a big, daring idea: “Let’s “Pyramus and Th isbe” is a Romeo and Ju- run away!” He proposes that they elope and liet story about two young lovers separated get married. Hermia agrees, and they plan to by their families, who build a wall between meet in the woods the next night. their houses. In the story, the lovers fi nd a hole in the wall and whisper plans to meet at Just then Helena wanders in, still moping over midnight. Th isbe, the girl, gets to the meet- Demetrius’s rejection. Hermia explains that ing place fi rst, but is scared off by a lion, who she’s pushed Demetrius away, but he won’t chews on her scarf. Pyramus, the boy, comes leave her alone; then she breaks the news of late, and fi nds the bloody scarf, and thinks their plan to her best friend. Th e girls hug Th isbe has been killed by the lion, and, feel- and say goodbye, and Hermia and Lysander ing overwhelmed with grief, stabs himself in run off to get ready for their escape the next the heart. Th isbe comes back, fi nds Pyramus night. dead, and takes his sword and does the same. It’s a sad story, but a beautiful play about can play both Pyramus and Th isbe, changing young love. his voice between parts. Quince enters fi rst, or at least speaks fi rst Next, he wants the Lion’s part, given to Snug, (it’s also possible all the others are waiting and demonstrates what a great job he could do for him), asking, “Is all our company here?” with the roaring. When Quince wryly com- Th e crew is just meeting, probably just after ments that overdoing it might frighten the la- fi nishing work for the day. He is immediately dies, Bottom quickly adjusts, saying he could interrupted by Nick Bottom, a weaver, who “aggravate” his voice (another word confusion) suggests that it is better to call them “gener- to make it as gentle as a dove. ally” – he means “individually,” but makes the fi rst of his many malapropisms, or confusions At this point, Quince loses patience and or word choice – “man by man, according to exclaims, “You can play no part but Pyramus!” the script.” Bottom has no response, but we can guess that he is a bit miff ed, because the rest of Quince’s Also present are: Snug, the joiner; Tom lines are more complimentary, as if he realized Snout, the tinker; Starveling, a tailor; and he might lose Bottom and thus sink the play. Francis Flute, a bellows-mender, and the youngest member of the company. In the end, everyone is given “parts” – their lines only, written out – and asked to learn Quince holds up a scroll of “every man’s name them quickly, by tomorrow night, and to meet thought fi t, through all Athens, to play in our in the woods at midnight. Quince doesn’t interlude before the Duke and Duchess, on want any of the other groups stealing their his wedding-day at night.” Th ere is a compe- “devices,” or ideas. Th ey part, with Bottom’s tition in Athens to create the best entertain- demand ringing in their ears: “Take pains, be ment for the Duke’s wedding reception, and perfect!” these fellows hope to be chosen.

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