A+Midsummer+Night's+Dream

Act I, Scene 1 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? Theseus can't wait to be married and so the next four days will pass very slowly, he says, but Hippolyta isn't so keen and says that the next four days will pass very fast. 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? He's mad that Hermia wants to marry Lysander instead of Demetrius who is his choice and he brings the three people to Theseus so that Theseus can invoke the law of Athens and make Hermia marry Demetrius. 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? To marry their father's choice of husband. Theseus's ruling is to make Hermia marry her fathers choice or else she must die. 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? It complicates things by making Demetrius seem less fit to marry Hermia. 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? They plan to elope that evening and Hermia tells Helena because she feels bad for Helena and because they decide to open their hearts to Helena because Helena is both their friend. 6. Even though Helena loves Demetrius and is Hermia’s best friend, why does she decide to tell Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander’s plans? Because then Demetrius will thank her for the information. 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? She wants to marry Lysander but her father is making her marry Demetrius, and he gives her two choices: marry Demetrius or die. Lysander suggests they elope. Act I, Scene 2 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? Because he thinks he is a great actor and loves attention. 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? It's funny because Bottum is such a silly character because he thinks he is a great actor but he is not. I believe Shakespeare added this scene for comic relief after all the serious talk of marriage and eloping and death. 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? In the woods where Hermia and Lysander are also planning to elope there. 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? Bottom is a bit of a clown because he's a little too over the top but he still believes he's great. ACT 2 10. 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? Their relation is bad and they are arguing over a little boy stolen from an Indian king. The reader also learns that the fairies try to keep the two apart because when the two meet they fight using the earth around them.  11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? They both love Theseus and Hippolya, Oberon loves Hippolya and Titania loves Theseus and they have come to Athens for the wedding.  12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? Their quarrel has made the wind extra hot "as in revenge" which results in a continuous fog, which then falls on the land and makes the rivers over flow. This kills crops and makes the farmer angry, and then it gets cold at night and with the cold comes diseases killing more people.  13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Because the changeling's mother was a votress of Titania's order, and when the mother died Titania decided to rear up the boy for the mother's sake.  14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? A flower that had been hit by Cupids arrow because the nectar makes anybody who gets some on their eyelids fall in love with the next person they see.  15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? To put the juice from the flower on her eyes when she's asleep and make her fall in love with a hideous creature for revenge.  16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She loves him more every time he says something mean to her.  17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? She keeps saying how much she loves him and how he actually loves her.  18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? It's inappropriate for her to be wooing someone because she is a woman and in those days woman where supposed to be woo'd not actually woo someone.  19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? To find Demetrius and put some of the flowers nectar on Demetrius' eyelids so that when he wakes up he will see Helena and will fall in love with her.  Act II, Scene 2  20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? To get revenge on her for not giving him the changeling boy.  21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? So as to keep her innocence and good name. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Because he believes that Lysander is Demetrius because he is wearing Athenian clothing. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? She believes he is insulting her and being sarcastic, so she runs away. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Her dream is a serpent eating away her heart while Lysander watches, which is like reality because Lysander no longer loves her because now he loves Helena, and was saying things like how sorry he was that he had wasted his time going after Hermia.

Act III, Scene 1 Colin and Grayson's fairie's song podcast media type="file" key="Fairie's song 1.mp3" width="240" height="20"

25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? They are going to write a prologue explaining that Pyramus isn't actually Pyramus but actually Bottom and that no harm will come to him. For lion they plan to have the man come out in half a costume so they can see that he is actually a man and not a lion. 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? For moonlight they will open a window to let the moonlight come in and if that doesn't work because of clouds or no moon they will get a man with a lantern to come in and say he is the moon. With the wall they will a guy to be the wall since they can't bring a wall in, and the man will make a hole with his fingers so that Bottom and the other actor can speak through the hole in the wall. 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? Because they believe they are haunted because Bottom has the head of an ass. 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? To create more mischief. 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? He finds it funny and starts making fun of the names of all the fairies. 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? Because a lot of the love in the play doesn't make a lot of sense.

Act III, Scene 2 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? She accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander. 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? They are going to get Puck to bring Helena to Demetrius and Oberon is going to anoint Demetrius' eyes, so that when he sees Helena he will fall in love with her. 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? She is upset because she doesn't believe it. She doesn't believe it because until then he always told her how much he hated her. 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? She accuses Hermia of being in on a trick with the two men plot against her. 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? They had been best friends, Hermia had even told Helena about her and Lysander's plans to run off together. 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? He treats her like Demetrius had treated Helena earlier in the play, he is mean and says how much he hates her. She can't believe it though because just a little while ago he was in love with and she had done nothing in between then and now except sleep. 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander's love. 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Helena is afraid of Hermia because even though Hermia is shorter she is stronger and more willing to fight. 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? They are going off to fight for Helena's love. 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Oberon tells Puck to go off and trick the two men by changing his voice, and acting like the two of them. Puck will pretend to be Demetrius and trick Lysander into walking around until he falls asleep, and also Lysander for Demetrius. He will make the two go in different directions so they cannot harm each other and then when they fall asleep he will anoint their eyes and set them by their lovers so that when they wake up all will be well. 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? He is going to ask her for the changeling boy again. 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Oberon doesn't fear the coming of day because the higher type of fairies don't lose their powers in daytime unlike those of most fairies. 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? It works very well the two men are confused and go in opposite directions just as planned. Act IV, Scene 1 Colin and Grayson's Podcast media type="file" key="5-04 Bottoms Dream 1.mp3" width="240" height="20"

44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? He has adjusted very well because he loves the attention he is getting from everyone. 45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? Oberon starts to feel badly that she has fallen in love with such a vile thing. 46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? He sort of evades the question telling Puck to take off the asses head and then he plays some music. 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? They are on a hunting party. 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? His first explanation is that they woke up early to observe the woods and hearing of their intent they came in grace of their marriage ceremony. 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? He tells of how he heard of the two lover's plans to run off and came after them, and he compares his love to Helena to an illness because he really loves Helena. 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? His decision is that they should all get married along side him and Hippolyta that day. 51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? They can't be sure this is such good luck for them and everything's going to work out, and after the nigh had had, it all seems slightly crazy. 52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? He is going to get Quince to write a ballad called "Bottom's Dream" and sing it to the duke. Act IV, Scene 2 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? They think that he is a great actor who was the only thing holding together the play. 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? They regret not being able to make the money because none of them had ever been paid that much in one day. 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? They must hurry to the dukes palace because Bottom just arrived and the duke and the new couples are just coming out of the church.

<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Extending the thought process.**
====<span style="font-size: 1.066em; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">a) The fourth act opens and ends with Bottom at center stage. What is your opinion of Bottom’s character? How might he be the antithesis, or opposite, of Theseus’s character? ==== I believe that Bottom's character is the comic relief of the play because he is the funniest character in the play and although he's not really a huge part of the main story he is still a very important character. He might be the opposite then of Theseus' character because Theseus is a very serious character and really isn't that funny.

====<span style="font-size: 1.066em; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience? ==== The dreamers think that all of it must have been a dream however they find it strange that they all had the same dream. The one who is most changed from the experience is either Demetrius or Bottom. It might be Demetrius because at the start of the play he hated Helena and was very open about it, but then of course when he wakes up he loves her. The other person most affected is Bottom because he never really thought it was a dream and was very sad because he wouldn't get the same attention ever again as that night. ====<span style="font-size: 1.066em; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation? ==== I think Shakespeare might being trying to say how strange love is and how it can come and go very quickly.

Act V 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? He dismisses the stories of the young people because the stories sound crazy and because he says "Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, Such shaping fantasies that apprehend More than cool reason ever comprehends. 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? He chooses to see the Pyramus and Thysby play because the other forms of entertainment doesn't sound right for a wedding and because on the description for Pyramus and Thysby it says things like " A tedious brief scene" and a tragical mirth". 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? Philostrate tries to keep Theseus from seeing the play because the play isn't very good. He says that the players are inept and that the lines are bad. 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? He means that whenever someone is motivated by simpleness and duty he can't fail. 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? Telling the whole story before the play is acted just foreshadows how bad the play will be and obviously tells the whole story to the audience. 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? He use the comments from the witty well educated people in the audience to enhance the humor of the play being played out by dim witted simple minded characters. 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? She thinks it's funny saying "this is the silliest stuff that ever I have heard". 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? Thisby's final speech is humorous because she thinks Pyramus is asleep and everything is rhymed and she still has lines after she kills herself. 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? Oberon tells the fairies to give the house glimmering light. 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? The purpose of Puck's final speech is to make the watcher of the play believe he has dreamed if he did not like the play. Extending the thought process:

FInd at least one example of each of the following that occurs during the play within the play.

<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">excessive alliteration
<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Bottom as Pyramus in his first lines excessive alliteration occurs: "O grim looked night, O night with hue so black, O night which ever art when day is not" and he continues this for his next 9 lines.

<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> breaking the play’s illusion of reality
<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">When the wall gets up and goes or when Pyramus starts talking directly at the duke.

<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> using the wrong word or name
<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Bottom makes the mistake of saying Ninny's tomb instead of Ninus' tomb, which is the same mistake he made during practice.

<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> repeating a word excessively
<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">When Pyramus is dying he says "Now die, die, die, die, die" when only one would have sufficed.

<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> ridiculous metaphor
<span style="color: #1a1a18; font-family: Times,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">The lantern representing the moon and the man holding the lantern being a metaphor for the man is ridiculous because he is not in the lantern so he couldn't possibly be the man in the moon and it's just unnecessary.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**a) In reading the play-within-a-play, we become the audience for the drama played out by Theseus, Hippolyta, and the others. These performers, in turn, form the audience for the reenactment of Pyramus and Thisbe. How does observing another audience help you understand the relationship between audience and performers?** === Observing another audience shows you what it looks like to watch both the performers and yourself (the audience) and the play is also there for comic relief I believe, the play really wouldn't be that funny without the play and the performers such as Bottom.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**b) Modern television shows often create comic effects by having a silly, innocent, or “clueless” character and a sarcastic, knowing, clever character play off of each other. What examples can you think of?** === In the TV show "The fresh prince of Bel-Air" the main character isn't very smart but he goes off to live with his uncles family who is smart, especially the son and the butler.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**c) Identify ways in which Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration. Are there any ways in which the play might be appropriate? In what ways is the play-within-a-play an ironic commentary on what the two pairs of young lovers (Demetrius and Helena, Lysander and Hermia) have gone through earlier?** === <span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding because of the deaths of the two lovers at the end, however it might be appropriate because of the two lovers being in love just like the newly weds. It's an ironic commentary on what the pairs of young lovers went through because in the play within a play the lovers die for each other and the night before all of the lovers were willing to die for their loves.**

Completion 10/10 Effort 8/10 Content 8/10

total 26/30