A+Mid+Summer+Night's+Dream

__**Act I, Scene 1**__ media type="file" key="MSND Act 1.mp3" width="240" height="20"

Hippolyta feels that the next four days will pass very quickly but Theseus feels that the next four days will feel long and drag on.
 * 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus?**

Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus to ask him for permission to kill his daughter is she doesn't marry Demetrius. Hermia wants to marry Lysander but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. Egeus expects to have permission granted to kill Hermia if she doesn't marry Demetrius but Theseus adds his own judgement on what should happen, should Hermia not marry Demetrius.
 * 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do?**

Egeus and Theseus believe that women and daughters are property of their husband or father and should listen to everything they say. Theseus decides that Hermia has the choice to go to a nunnery or be killed should she not 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?**

This make Demetrius sound less of a candidate to marry Hermia because it appears as if he changes his mind about who he loves often.
 * 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things?**

Lysander and Hermia plan to run away to outside of Athens to Lysander's aunt's house and get married there where the law can't touch them. They tell Helena because she is Hermia's best friend and also so she knows that she has an oppurtunity to snatch Demetrius' heart.
 * 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena?**

She decides to tell him because she thinks that he will be so grateful for this information that he will fall in love with her.
 * 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?**

Hermia is in a position where she must marry Demetrius, whom she does not love, work in a nunnery for the rest of her life, or be killed. Lysander suggests that they run away together and get married without anyone knowing.
 * 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? **

__**Act I, Scene 2**__

He wants to play all the parts because he thinks that he would be able to do a better job acting than everyone else.
 * 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts?**

This scene is funny because it focuses on someone who thinks they're the best and likes to be in charge of everything. People like this are often fun to watch because they look stupid. Shakespeare included this scene to foreshadow that something will happen in the forest because Lysander and Hermia are also heading to the forest.
 * 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene?**

They are meeting in the forest. Lysander and Hermia are also meeting there, at the same time.
 * 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time?**

Bottom's acting is obsessive and not even good. Though Bottom believes that his acting is of top class and he is better than everyone in the play that they are doing.
 * 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? **

__**Act II, Scene 1**__

**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?** Oberon and TItania are fighting, and Puck and the fairy want to stop them from fighting.

**11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens?** They have come to Athens to attend the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta.

**12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans?** When they fight the seasons become unnatural and there are floods and famines and other natural disasters.

**13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon?** Titania won't give up the changeling because the mother of the child was her servant, and died. She now takes care of the child for her servant's sake.

**14. What does Oberon send Puck to find?** Oberon sends Puck to find magical pansies.

**15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania?** Oberon plans to put the juice of the pansies on Titania's eyes, and make her fall in love with the first thing she sees. He wants her to fall in love with something vile and beastly.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Helena reverses the verbal abuse, responding to "You make me sick" with "I'm sick when I'm not with you".

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">She says he can abuse her as he wants, she wants any attention from him.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Athenian women are supposed to have a little more self respect and not be a slave for a man.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Oberon tells Puck to put pansy juice on the athenian man's eyes, and make sure the lady near him is the first thing he sees.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">__**Act II, Scene 2**__ media type="file" key="MSND Act 2.mp3" width="240" height="20"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Because he wants revenge and to discrace her.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Because she in not yet married and she wants to keep her modesty.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Because Lysander fit the description, and Hermia was a little ways away from him, also fitting the description.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Helena thinks that Lysander is mocking her and tells him to stop abusing her.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">**24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality?** <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">In her dream, a serpent eats her heart, which is like in reality her love is now not in love with her.


 * Erika and Leanna**

__**Act III, Scene 1**__ media type="file" key="MSND Act 3.mp3" width="240" height="20"

They are going to write a prologue, telling the audience that Pyramus is really Bottom, and he doesn't really kill himself. Also, it will reveal that the lion is just Snout, and he will be visible in the lion costume.
 * 25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars?**

If the moon does not shine though, they will have a man hold a lantern for the moon. For the wall, they will have a man with the essence of wall, stand with his fingers as a crack in the wall for Pyramus and Thisbe to talk through.
 * 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall?**

Puck gives Bottom the head of an ass, but Bottom doesn't know. He thinks the other actors are trying to play him for a fool.
 * 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears?**

Puck plans to become an animal, and scare them more. He plans to become a hog, a horse, a bear, a fire, a hound, at every turn.
 * 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors?**

Bottom makes fun of the fairies' names, and he tells Titania she has little reason to love him, but reason and love don't always connect.
 * 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies?**

This statement applies to the love quadrangle between Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius. Helena loves Demetrius madly, but she has no reason because he hates her so. Demetrius loves Hermia, but Hermia loves Lysander. Now Lysander is in love with Helena, but she thinks he's mocking her. Hermia does not know yet.
 * 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play?**


 * Erika and Leanna**

__**Act III, Scene 2**__


 * 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing?**
 * She accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander in his sleep. **


 * 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake?**
 * They are going to put the pansy juice in Lysander's eyes so he will fall in love with Hermia again. **


 * 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 thinks that Demetrius is also mocking her along with Lysander. She does want Demetrius to love her but not if it is to mock her. **


 * 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia?**
 * Helena accuses Hermia of also working with Lysander and Demetrius to mock her. Helena is upset with this because she and Hermia were best friends. **


 * 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past?**
 * They had been best friends throughout school. **


 * 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says?**
 * He treats her in almost the same way Demetrius treated Helena before he had the pansy juice anointed in his eyes. The difference is Lysander is not as cruel and does not threaten Hermia in any way. Helena can't believe what he says because earlier he had shown his detest for her and had even threatened to hurt her. How could someone change in an instant? **


 * 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena?**
 * Hermia accuses Helena of taking her love Lysander's heart. **


 * 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia?**
 * Because Hermia has been fierce in the past, despite her small size. **


 * 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do?**
 * They are going off to fight each other to see who would win Helena, as if she were a prize. **


 * 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men?**
 * He tells him to separate them and make them fall asleep. **

He is going to ask her once again to give him the changling boy.
 * 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania?**

Because he is a "stronger" fairy and is able to use his powers during the day as well as at night.
 * 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day?**

With Puck turning Bottom's head into that of an ass, Oberon's intention of Titania falling in love with a monster has come true. Therefore, in a way you could say that Puck's trickery has payed off.
 * 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work?**

====**Review Question: The climax, or turning point, of //A Midsummer Night’s Dream// comes at the end of Act 3. In point form describe the major plot points of Act Three starting from when Titania falls in love with Bottom leading to the climax or turning point of the play near the end of act three.**====
 * Titania falls in love with Bottom.
 * Oberon finds out from Puck that Titania has fallen in love with a monster (Bottom).
 * With the argument between Hermia and Demetrius, Oberon learns that Puck has made a futile mistake when he anoited the eyes of the Athenian man.
 * Oberon commands Puck to birng Helena here and he will anoint the eyes of Demetrius so he will fall in love with her.
 * Helena and Lysander enter the stage just as Demetrius awakes and falls in love with Helena. This leads to Helena thinking Lysander //and// Demetrius are mocking her. Hermia also comes into the argument and is accused by Helena that she too is in on the mockery.
 * Lysander and Demetrius decide to fight for Helena's love but before they can do so, Puck leads them apart and they fall asleep.
 * To make the four return to their proper loving pairs, Puck is told to anoint only Lysander's eyes so he falls back in love with Hermia.


 * || **__Act IV, Scene 1__**

He loves the attention and ignores the fact that he is starting to act more and more like a donkey.
 * 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies?**

He starts to feel some pity and begins to feel slightly sorry for her. He somewhat regrets what he's done.
 * 45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom?**

He tells her that it was a dream and nothing of the sort actually happened.
 * 46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her?**

They have gone out for a hunt together before Theseus' and Hippolyta's wedding.
 * 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning?**

He thinks that they are there to give their respects to him and Hippolyta.
 * 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods?**

He is now in love with Helena and no longer loves Hermia thanks to the pansie juice. I don't believe he compares his love for Hermia to an illness, but more to melted snow; meaning the love has "melted" away and is no longer there.
 * 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his** **love** **for Hermia to an illness?**

He decides to override Egeus' will and says that they will have a triple wedding.
 * 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people?**

Because Oberon has used some kind of magic? I'm not really sure...
 * 51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming?**

I think he will use his dream as a comedic story.
 * 52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke?**

__**Act IV, Scene 2**__

They use sarcasm to make him sound talented and a good role model. It could also be the opposite and they could have changed their earlier opinions.
 * 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost?**

Money. They are simple artisans and would never had been able to make that much money in one day.
 * 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play?**

Because the wedding is about to start and their play was chosen to be performed.
 * 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace?**

**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 think Bottom is too full of himself and believes he is better than everyone else. He could be thought of as the oppostie of Theseus becuase Theseus has power but is also respected for actually being honest and a good leader whereas Bottom is not good at leading and isn't really respected by his peers.

**b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?**
Most of the dreamers are very confused when they wake up and strongly believe that it was all just a dream. Demetrius is the only one who was permanently changed by the dream becuase he is now in love with Helena and not Hermia.

**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 wanted to hit on the fact that love can be very dream like and there are always many bumps in the road, wheather they be a dream or reality. ||

__**Act V**__ Because he doesn't believe what they have said.
 * 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people?**

Because he has either seen them, find them not fit for a wedding, or doesn't like the idea of the others.
 * 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments?**

Because he knows that it is only a group of artisans performing the play. He says that they are not talented and are bad at acting. Furthermore, the play is supposed to be a tragedy.
 * 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it?**

Nothing should be forgoten, even when it is plain and simple.
 * 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"?**

Not much, only that Pyramus does not kill himself and that the lion is not real.
 * 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact?**

Since the actors are not very good, they respond to what the audience has to say in a way that is of lower class and more idiotic.
 * 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching?**

At the beginning of the play, she is not impressed at all, but as it goes on, she begins to find it humorous and enjoys it more.
 * 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play?**

She dies but also says goodbye when no one is there to listen
 * 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous?**

He tells them to sing and dance as some entertainment and to bless the couples.
 * 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do?**

He speaks the epilogue of the play and sums it up.
 * 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?**


 * Extending the thought process (below: Erika and Leanna; above: Leanna)**


 * Find at least one example of each of the following that occurs during the play within the play. Write down the quote that illustrates example.**
 * excessive alliteration** "Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast."
 * breaking the play’s illusion of reality** When Bottom talks to Theseus in the middle of the play (line 186) just before Thisbe enters. Bottom says to Theseus: "She is to enter now." He directly addresses the audience when it is not in the script.
 * using the wrong word or name** Limander instead of Leander (line 199-201)
 * repeating a word excessively** Adieu, Alack, Die
 * ridiculous metaphor** "A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus and his love Thisbe, very tragical mirth." (merry and tragical, tedious and brief)

===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?=== When we are not in the audience or the performers, we can see the interaction between the two better because we can see the audience's reactions.

===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?===
 * Tweety Bird and Sylvester
 * Gregory House and His Team
 * Tom and Jerry

===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?=== Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding because it was meant to be a tragedy and weddings are supposed to be a day of happiness. Also because the two main characters die. The play might be appropriate because it talks about the true love of Pyramus and Thisbe and a wedding is obviously for two people who deeply love each other. The play-within-a-play is somewhat ironic because its about two lovers who love each so much to the point that they would kill themselves for the other. Would the young lovers also do the same if they were in that situation?

COMPLETION 10/10 EFFORT 8/10 CONTENT 8/10 TOTAL 26/30