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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare

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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare classic repertory company STUDY GUIDE A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare LEAP Education Outreach Supporters lifelong enrichment arts programs Funded in part by generous individual contributors, Massachusetts Cultural Council and local cultural councils, Roy A. Hunt Foundation, Fuller Foundation, Watertown Community Foundation, and the Foundation for MetroWest. Co-sponsored by administrative office 200 dexter avenue watertown, ma 02472 artistic director jim petosa managing director harriet sheets the in residence at theprofessional arsenal center theatre for company the arts Contents ‘‘ If we shadows have offended, 2 Biography of William Shakespeare 6 Scansion in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Think but this, and all is mended: 3 A Timeline of Shakespeare’s Life That you have but slumbered here, 7 Why Do We Still Stage While these visions did appear; 3 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and Study Shakespeare? And this weak and idle theme, Summary 7 Other Plays by William Shakespeare No more yielding but a dream, 4 The Influence of Gentles, do not reprehend. Greek and Roman Mythology 8 Pre-Show and Post-Show Questions If you pardon, we will mend. 5 Shakespearean Insults 8 Works Cited – Puck Act 5, scene 1 6 About Pyramus and Thisbe: the “Play within a Play” Biography of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) William Shakespeare is widely lease. This loss prompted Shakespeare accepted as one of literature’s most and a few of his peers to construct the influential writers. Much of the ‘‘Globe Theatre, a home specifically for biographical knowledge of his life, their troupe. It opened in 1599, burned however, is taken from records and in 1613 due to sparks from a cannon speculation. Although no birth records fired on stage, and was quickly rebuilt. exist, church records indicate that he When King James VI ascended to the was born around April 23, 1564, in throne in 1603, The Lord Chamberlain’s Stratford-upon-Avon, and was the third Men became known as The King’s Men. child of heiress Mary Arden and leather Shortly thereafter, Shakespeare retired merchant John Shakespeare. He most from acting but continued to write. likely attended the local elementary During his lifetime, he is thought to school, the King’s New Grammar have written thirty-seven plays. School, but never continued on to a Shakespeare died on his birthday, university. April 23 in 1616, but his plays have lived We know little about his teenage on and thrived all over the world. He is years until he married Anne Hathaway easily the most produced playwright of at the age of 18. She was 26 at the time, all time, inspired countless others, and ‘‘ and pregnant. Their first child, Susanna THE PORTRAIT OF SHAKESPEARE THAT APPEARS revolutionized the English language ON THE COVER OF THE FIRST FOLIO Shakespeare, was born seven months and literature. His plays are staged later. Two years later, Anne gave birth were tradesmen’s sons or provincial all over the world with unmistakable to twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet, men. relevancy to a wide variety of issues sadly, only lived to be eleven years old, During his first few years in London, and human psychology. dying of the Black Plague in 1586. Shakespeare developed a reputation The Shakespeares moved to for his poetry. His first published poem London in 1585, the year the twins were “Venus and Adonis” was immensely born. Shakespeare began working as popular. In 1594, Shakespeare joined Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare an actor and writer for touring theatre the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and To digg the dust encloased heare troupes, including Strange’s Men, began writing many of the more Blessed by y man y spares hes stones Pembroke’s Men, and Sussex’s Men. famous plays we have today. They And curst be he y moves my bones These troupes were in constant need performed for Queen Elizabeth – Inscribed on of new material and often one of their in many local theaters and toured Shakespeare’s tombstone actors would write their own material. the surrounding towns. The Lord Shakespeare was not the only writer Chamberlain’s Men often performed of his time to lack of formal training; at “The Theatre.” However, in 1597 it several other established playwrights was forced to close due to an expired A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide ‘‘ 2 A Timeline of Shakespeare’s Life 1564 Born in Stratford-upon-Avon 1582 Marries Anne Hathaway 1585 Moves to London to pursue theatre career 1589 Writes his first play HENRY VI, Part I 1592 London closes theatres due to plague 1593 Starts to write sonnets 1594 Publishes first works of poetry 1594 Starts managing, as well as writing for, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men 1600 Writes HAMLET, one of his greatest plays 1603 The Lord Chamberlain’s Men is renamed the King’s Men in honor of the new King James’ patronage 1604 Retires from acting 1605 Writes MACBETH to pay homage to the King’s heritage 1613 The Globe theatre burns down 1614 The Globe is rebuilt 1616 Shakespeare dies and is buried at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-Upon-Avon GLOBE THEATRE adapted from http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/timeline.htm OF THE THE INSIDE SKETCH OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Summary Theseus, duke of Athens, prepares of characters. The first are craftsmen both because she thinks that they are for his marriage to Hippolyta. He tells rehearsing a play that they hope to tricking her. Hermia is so jealous that his Master of the Revels, Philostrate, to perform for the duke and his bride. she tries to fight Helena. Demetrius find entertainment for the celebration. The second are fairies. Oberon, the and Lysander almost fight over Helena, Egeus marches into Theseus’s court fairy king, and Titania, the fairy queen, but Puck leads them apart until they with his daughter, Hermia, and two are arguing over a young Indian prince are lost separately in the forest. young men, Demetrius and Lysander. given to Titania by the prince’s mother; When Titania wakes, the first creature Egeus wants Hermia to marry Oberon wishes to make him a knight, she sees is Bottom, a craftsmen, whose Demetrius (who loves Hermia), but but Titania refuses. Seeking revenge, head Puck transformed into that of an Hermia is in love with Lysander and Oberon sends his servant, Puck, to donkey. Titania falls in love with him. won’t marry Demetrius. Egeus asks acquire a magical flower, the juice of Meanwhile, Oberon obtains the Indian Hermia to be punished because she which can be spread over a sleeping boy, Puck spreads the love potion on won’t do what he says. Theseus gives person’s eyelids to make that person Lysander’s eyelids, and by morning all Hermia until his wedding to decide fall in love with the first thing he or she is well. Theseus and Hippolyta discover if she will marry Demetrius or not, sees upon waking. Oberon tells him to the sleeping lovers in the forest and warning her that she will be punished spread its juice on the sleeping Titania’s take them back to Athens to be if she does not. Hermia and Lysander eyelids. Having seen Demetrius reject married—Demetrius now loves Helena, plan to escape the following night Helena’s love, Oberon also orders Puck and Lysander now loves Hermia. After and marry in the house of Lysander’s to spread the juice on the eyelids of the group wedding, the lovers watch aunt. They tell Helena, who used to be Demetrius. Puck finds Lysander and Bottom and his fellow craftsmen engaged to Demetrius and still loves Hermia. He thinks that Lysander is perform their play, PYRAMUS AND him even though he left her for Hermia. Demetrius and uses the love potion on THISBE. When the play is completed, Hoping to regain his love, Helena tells him. Lysander happens to see Helena Puck asks the audience for its Demetrius that Hermia and Lysander when he wakes up and falls deeply in forgiveness and approval and to urge it are eloping. That night, Demetrius love with her. As the night progresses to remember the play as though it had follows Hermia and Lysander into the and Puck attempts to undo his mistake, all been a dream. woods; Helena follows too. both Lysander and Demetrius end up In the woods are two other groups in love with Helena. Helena is angry at A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Study Guide 3 The Influence of Greek and Roman Mythology Because A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM takes place in Athens, Greece, Shakespeare includes many references to Greek and Roman myth. Most of the references actually correspond to ancient Roman belief. The following is a glossary of some of the main mythological names and terms that occur in the play, and where they are mentioned. THESEUS: National hero of Athens. He NEPTUNE: (II.i.131) Roman name for HERCULES: (IV.i.98) The Greek hero, was known for many heroic adventures the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon. son of Jupiter and Alcmene, a mortal including slaying the Minotaur, a woman, who was famous for his creature who is half man, half bull. APOLLO: (II.i.239) Pursuer of Daphne in strength. He performed twelve labors Although he is a major character in the Roman myth Apollo and Daphne. to free himself from the bondage A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, under Eurystheus. Once he died, he Shakespeare actually borrowed this became immortal. character from Greek mythology. CADMUS: (IV.i.98) Brother of Europa. HIPPOLyta: Queen of the Amazons, a He planted dragon seeds from which group of female warriors.
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