A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act I William Shakespeare, 1590s, performed in 1594-96 William Shakespeare ACT I SCENE I Theseus passes judgement to Hermia, who refuses to marry Demetrius and agrees to run away with Lysander. They confide in Helena, who is already in love with Demetrius. THESEUS: Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour ​ ​ Draws on apace; four happy days bring in ​ ​ ​ Another moon– but, O, methinks, how slow ​ This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires, ​ ​ Like to a step-dame or a dowager ​ Long withering out a young man's revenue. ​ 1. Our nuptial hour: the time of our wedding. ​ 2. Apace: quickly. ​ 3. Four happy days bring in Another moon: there will be a full moon ​ in four days’ time. 4. Lingers: makes me wait for. ​ 5. A step-dame or a dowager Long withering out a young man’s revenue: like a step-mother or a widow who is growing old and ​ spending a young man’s inheritance (which he would not be able to claim until she died). HIPPOLYTA: Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; ​ ​ ​ Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities. ​ ​ 1. Steep: drown ​ 2. Solemnities: marriage ceremonies. ​ THESEUS: Go, Philostrate, ​ Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; ​ ​ Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals; The pale companion is not for our pomp. ​ Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, ​ And won thy love, doing thee injuries; ​ But I will wed thee in another key, ​ ​ With pomp, with triumph and with revelling. ​ ​ 1. Youth: young people ​ 2. The pale comparison is not for our pomp: we can’t have miserable ​ fellows in our festivities. 3. I woo’d thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries: ​ Theseus, a legendary ruler of Athens, fought with various monsters and killed the Minotaur that threatened to destroy the island of Crete; how princesses fell in love with him; and how he defeated an invasion of Amazons, and married their Queen, Hippolyta. 4. Another key: a different way (the image is from music). ​ 5. Triumph: public festival. ​ EGEUS: Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! ​ THESEUS: Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee? ​ EGEUS: Full of vexation come I, with complaint ​ Against my child, my daughter Hermia. Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her. Stand forth, Lysander– and my gracious duke, This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child; ​ ​ Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, ​ ​ And interchanged love-tokens with my child: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice verses of feigning love, ​ ​ ​ And stolen the impression of her fantasy ​ With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, ​ ​ ​ ​ Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats– messengers ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth; ​ ​ ​ ​ With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, ​ ​ Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, ​ ​ To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke, Be it so she; will not here before your grace ​ Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, ​ As she is mine, I may dispose of her: Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death, according to our law ​ Immediately provided in that case. 1. Bosom: heart ​ 2. Rhymes: love poetry ​ 3. With feigning voice: with a voice that pretends to be sincere. ​ 4. Feigning love: pretended love ​ 5. Stolen the impression of her fantasy: caught her imagination by ​ making an impression on her. 6. Gauds: silly toys ​ 7. Conceits: fancy things ​ 8. Knacks: knick-knacks; useless little gifts. ​ 9. Nosegays: bunches of flowers ​ 10. Sweetmeats: chocolates ​ 11. Prevailment: persuasive power ​ 12. Unharden’d: inexperienced ​ 13. Filch’: stolen ​ 14. Due: owed ​ 15. Be it so: If ​ 16. I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: I claim the traditional ​ right of an Athenian. 17. Law Immediately provided in that case: the law specifically ​ designed for such cases (against which there would be no appeal). THESEUS: What say you, Hermia? be advis’d fair maid: ​ ​ ​ To you your father should be as a god; One that composed your beauties, yea, and one To whom you are but as a form in wax ​ By him imprinted and within his power ​ To leave the figure or disfigure it. ​ ​ Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. 1. Be advis’d: think carefully ​ 2. But as a form in wax By him imprinted: nothing more than a wax ​ figure that he has modelled. 3. Disfigure: destroy. ​ HERMIA: So is Lysander. ​ THESEUS: In himself he is; ​ But in this kind, wanting your father's voice, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The other must be held the worthier. 1. In this kind: in a matter like this ​ 2. Wanting: lacking ​ 3. Voice: approval ​ HERMIA: I would my father look'd but with my eyes. ​ ​ ​ 1. I would (wish) my father look: The relationship (or lack of it) ​ ​ ​ between seeing and judging, the eyes and the mind is central to the concerns of the play. THESEUS: Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. ​ HERMIA: I do entreat your grace to pardon me. ​ I know not by what power I am made bold, Nor how it may concern my modesty, ​ ​ In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; ​ ​ ​ But I beseech your grace that I may know The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius. 1. Concern my modesty: affect my reputation for modesty. ​ 2. In such a presence: i.e. before the Duke ​ 3. Plead my thoughts: express my feelings ​ ​ THESEUS: Either to die the death or to abjure ​ ​ ​ ​ For ever the society of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires; ​ ​ Know of your youth, examine well your blood, ​ Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice, You can endure the livery of a nun, ​ ​ For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd, ​ ​ ​ ​ To live a barren sister all your life, ​ ​ Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. ​ ​ Thrice blessed they that master so their blood, ​ ​ ​ ​ To undergo such maiden pilgrimage; ​ ​ But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd, ​ ​ ​ ​ Than that which withering on the virgin thorn Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness. ​ ​ 1. Die the death: be legally put to death ​ 2. Abjure: renounce ​ 3. Question your desires: ask yourself what you really want. ​ 4. Know of your youth: remember that you are young. ​ 5. Livery: habit ​ 6. Aye: ever ​ 7. Mew’d: shut up ​ 8. Sister: nun ​ 9. Moon: Diana, goddess of the moon and of chastity ​ 10. Master: discipline ​ 11. Maiden pilgrimage: life vowed to celibacy ​ 12. Earthlier happy: more happy on earth ​ 13. Rose distill’d: the rose that is plucked, whose scent is ​ distilled to make perfume. 14. Single blessedness: the particular state of grace granted (in ​ many religions) to those who vow to never to marry, and live in celibacy. HERMIA: So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, ​ Ere I will my virgin patent up ​ ​ Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke ​ ​ ​ My soul consents not to give sovereignty. ​ ​ 1. Virgin patent: right to remain a virgin ​ 2. His lordship: the domination of this man. ​ 3. Yoke: a wooden cross-piece linking two oxen together for the ​ purpose of ploughing; from this it becomes a symbol of bondage and servitude. 4. Give sovereignty: acknowledge as lord and master. ​ THESEUS: Take time to pause; and, by the nest new moon, ​ ​ ​ The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, ​ ​ For everlasting bond of fellowship, Upon that day either prepare to die For disobedience to your father's will, Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would; Or on Diana's altar to protest ​ For aye austerity and single life. ​ ​ 1. Take time to pause: wait a short time before making your ​ decision. 2. Sealing-day: the day on which they will seal (make official) ​ their vows. 3. Protest: vow ​ 4. Austerity: strict simplicity. In the Christian church nuns and ​ monks vow to live in poverty, chastity, and obedience. DEMETRIUS: Relent, sweet Hermia: and, Lysander, yield ​ Thy crazed title to my certain right. ​ ​ 1. Crazed title: crazed; uncertain claim (because Hermia’s father ​ does not admit it). LYSANDER: You have her father's love, Demetrius; ​ Let me have Hermia's– do you marry him. ​ ​ 1. Do you marry him: you go and marry him. ​ EGEUS: Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love, ​ And what is mine my love shall render him. And she is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius. ​ ​ 1. Estate unto: give to. The phrase is a legal one, continuing the ​ idea that Hermia is a mere possession. LYSANDER: I am, my lord, as well deriv’d as he, ​ ​ ​ As well possess'd; my love is more than his; ​ ​ My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd, ​ If not with vantage, as Demetrius'; ​ ​ And, which is more than all these boasts can be, I am beloved of beauteous Hermia: Why should not I then prosecute my right? ​ ​ Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head, ​ ​ ​ ​ Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, ​ And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, ​ ​ Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, ​ ​ Upon this spotted and inconstant man. ​ ​ 1. Well deriv’d: nobly descended, of good family. ​ 2. Well-possess’d: rich in possessions. ​ 3. My fortines every way as fairly rank’d: my financial position ​ and prospects rank me as high. Fortunes: position in life. ​ ​ 4. With vantage: even better ​ 5.