A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

ANALYZING THE TEXT QUESTIONS

ACT I, SCENE I 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? Note how Shakespeare portrays the patience and calmness of Hippolyta in contrast to the impatience and need for action of Theseus. Hippolyta is much calmer than Theseus. Theseus wants the days to go faster, so he decides to party for 4 days. Hippolyta thinks the next 4 days will pass like a dream.

2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? He is trying to make his daughter Hermia marry Demetrius; however, she loves Lysander.

3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? Women have no rights and are the property of their fathers. They have to follow what the man in their live tells them to, and should treat their fathers like Gods.

4. What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? • Marry Demetrius • Become a nun • Or death

5. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? He is basically telling Egeus that he will cheat on Hermia because Demetrius had done it before with Helena. (It makes Demetrius unfaithful and unfit for marriage.)

6. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? They plan to run away with each other to Lysander's aunt house where they will marry. They also plan to meet in the woods tomorrow night so that they can travel together.

7. Why do they tell Helena what they plan to do? So that Helena can stop being upset and stop thinking that Hermia is going to marry Demetrius.

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? Helena plans to betray Hermia by turning her into a whore because if Demetrius finds her sleeping with Lysander, Demetrius will declare her unfaithful leaving Hermia as the only faithful woman left, and that will make him love her.

1 ACT I, SCENE II 1. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? He wants to be the only one playing all the parts because he likes the attention and thinks he is the best actor of the group.

2. How do you suppose the threat of being hanged if they scare the ladies will affect the artisans’ interpretation of the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisby? They have to censor the play so much that way it won’t scare the ladies. They edit the story to make it funnier and less scary.

3. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? It’s funny because it shows how much of a jackass Bottom is and because they are making all the wrong decision about how to perform their play. Shakespeare probably put it in there to lighten the story up a little bit.

4. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting in these same woods at the same time? All the actors meet in the woods, and all the lovers: Demetrius and Helena, and Lysander and Hermia.

ACT II, SCENE I 1. 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? Titana and Oberon are married and they are fighting about a changeling that belongs to Titania.

2. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta, and why have they come to Athens? Titania loves Theseus and Oberon loves Hippolyta. They've both come to Athens to bless the wedding.

3. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? Their disagreement causes storms to happen and causes harm and disasters to humans.

4. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? She promised the changeling’s mother that she would take care of her child. So, it is her job to take care of the child.

5. What does Oberon send Puck to find? A flower pierced by Cupid's arrow. It is called Love-in-Idleness.

6. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? Put the flower juice on her eyes to make her fall in love with an animal or monster.

7. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? Helena doesn’t seem to care what Demetrius says about her.

8. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? That she is like a dog - the more he beats her, the more she'll love him. She wants to be a like a dog – loyal and near him. 2 9. In what way is Helena’s behavior inappropriate for Athenian women? It is inappropriate behavior because she is chasing Demetrius and he should be the one chasing her.

10. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? He said that he had to put the flower's juice on Demetrius’s eyes so that way he falls in love with Helena.

ACT II, SCENE II 1. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? It is an act of revenge because she didn’t give him the changeling.

2. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? It is inappropriate because they are not married, and it is against society rules: they must remain virgins until their wedding day.

3. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? He mistook Lysander for Demetrius.

4. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? She is mad, offended, and confused about the whole thing. She thinks Lysander is playing a trick on her.

5. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Her dream of a snake eating her heart out represents Lysander's new betrayal (he now loves Helena).

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