midsummerdream

Act I, Scene 1  1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? She thinks that four days isn't very much, whereas Theseus thinks that it will be such a long time.

 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do?  Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius, but Lysander also wants to marry Hermia.

 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus?  Women are to marry whom their father's want them to marry. if they aren't going to marry anyone, then they must become a nun.

 What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? I think that he doesn't want to behead her, for her beauty.

 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? I think that it makes Theseus consider that Demetrius isn't a perfectly honest man.

 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena?  Hermia and Lysander decide to run away, and they tell Helena because they think that she will be happy that Hermia isn't there so Demetrius loves 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 plan? I think that Helen told Demetrius about Hermia and Lysander’s plan because she wanted Demetrius to love her.

 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? Hermia's two choices, if she won't marry Demetrius, are death or to become a nun. Another choice that Lysander later presents is that she runs away with him and they get married.

 Act I, Scene 2  8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? I think that Nick Bottom wants to play all of the parts, because he is full of himself and thinks that he can perform better that anyone else.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 9. In what way is this scene funny? This scene is ironic because one is at this play and the characters are creating a play.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? I believe that it may boost the story later on, like something big might happen during the play.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? The actors are to meet at Duke's Oak. Hermia and Lysander are meeting there as well.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? I think that Bottom takes his acting a little bit too far.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He thinks that he is a wonderful actor, compared to everyone else.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">podcast A1 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">media type="file" key="MSND A1 night quotes jake.v_isaac.t.mp3" width="240" height="20"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">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? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">We find out that they should not meet because they fight when they meet.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? Oberon accuses Titania of having an affair with Theseus, and Titania accuses Oberon of having an affair with Hippolyta. They are in Athens for Theseus's wedding. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? Oberon and Titania's arguments have caused the seasons to change, and for floods and famine to occur.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? She tells him that the changeling boy was entrusted to her alone, therefore she gets him rightfully.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? Oberon tells Puck to find some Pansies, flowers that have been shot by cupid's arrows, that make people love others.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? Oberon plans to make Titania fall in love with a vile creature, thus humiliating her.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She turns everything bad said against her into something good.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? I don't think that she even recognized the threats in her love for him.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? She is basically disobeying a man, which is very bad.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? Oberon tells Puck to anoint the eyes of "the Athenian man". <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> Act II, Scene 2 <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? Oberon wants Titania to see something vile so that she falls in love with it, and is humiliated by her love for the vile beast.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? Hermia insist that Lysander sleep a little ways from her so that she can keep her modesty, as they are not yet married.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Puck anoints Lysander's eyes because he is the first Athenian man that he sees, and he is tired of searching for "the Athenian man".

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? Helena that Lysander is playing a trick on her, because just a second ago, he loved Hermia.

<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;">Puck is symbolized by the snake, because he basically stole her heart.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">podcast A2

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">media type="file" key="MSND A2 scene 2 intro Jake.v_Isaac.t 2.mp3" width="240" height="20"

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Act III, Scene 1 <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> The actors decide to put a prologue at the beginning of the play, telling the ladies that they aren't killing themselves, and that the lion is actually a human.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> The actors find that it will be full moon on the day of the play, but just in case, someone should bring a lantern. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">They decide that since they cannot bring a wall into the wedding, they shall have a person acts as the wall, and their fingers will be the cracks.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> When Bottom comes back, he has an ass's head instead of his own, and they are surprised so they run away.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> Puck plans to become different animals to lead them in circles.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> Bottom is surprised at first when Titania loves him, but he cracks jokes about the fairies' names.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> This statement makes so much sense because there is no sense in all of the crazy love going around.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> Act III, Scene 2 <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander while he slept.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? They anoint Demetrius's eyes with the love juice, so that he is in love with Helena.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? Helena is upset because she thinks that now everybody is mocking her.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Helena accuses Hermia of teasing her.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? Hermia and Helena were friends since childhood.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Lysander now despises the time that he spent with Hermia.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander from her.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Helena thinks that she is losing her friend.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? Lysander and Demetrius plan to fight for Helena's love.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Oberon tells puck to lead the two boys away from each other, so that they will not fight each other.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? Oberon plans to beg for the changeling boy, and then take away her love of Nick Bottom.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? When the night ends, most fairies lose their powers, but Oberon doesn't.

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Puck successfully leads the boys away from each other, and then they go to sleep.

====**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.**====
 * <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Titania

Act 3 Vision Quotes Isaac, Jakemedia type="file" key="MSND A3 Vision Quotes Jake.v_Isac.t.mp3" width="240" height="20"

Act IV, Scene 1 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? Bottom seems to think that he deserves the attention and should have gotten it sooner.

45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? Oberon's immediate reaction is that his plan has succeeded, but he soon realizes that he was being mean.

46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? Oberon tells her that it was only a dream. 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? They are making use of the morning, so that they can hunt longer.

48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? Theseus thinks that they came here because of his wedding.

49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? He says that he was confused and now he sees the light. He compares his love with Hermia as a sickness and says that it wasn't his natural taste, and now that he normal he loves Helena.

50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? Theseus overrides Egeus's decision and says that they shall all be wed on the same day.

51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? They are all confused by how sudden their love for each other was swiching around, so they thought that it couldn't have been reality.

52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? Bottom wants Quince to write him a song called Bottoms Dream so that he can 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? Before, the artisans thought that Nick Bottom was a joke, but now they realize his worth.

54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? They say that they would have earned a lot of money by performing the play.

55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? They must go quickly so that they can still perform the play.

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====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 that Bottom is a comical character that we are meant to laugh at. I think that Bottom is the opposite of Theseus because he craves attention, and that is basically thrown at Theseus.====

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 characters think that they will be made fun of if they say anything. I think that the permanently changed character was Oberon, because he realized that his decicion to humiliate the queen was childish.

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 that Shakespeare is saying that love has no sense and prevails against logic.

Act V 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? Theseus thinks that their stories are impossible, and says that they were dreaming.

57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? Theseus says that the other plays are not for nuptials, or he had seen them before. He decides on Pyramus and Thisby because he would like a love story at the wedding.

58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? Philostrate doesn't want Theseus to see the play because he knows that it is performed by terrible actors.

59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? He is saying that you can't go wrong when your idea is simplistic.

60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? I think that the prologue has comedic qualities, but it also shows us the kind of audience of that time.

61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? The comments that the audience makes remind you of the other play that you are watching, which is humorous because it is a play within a play. The comments themselves are humorous as well, which add humor to the already hilarious play.

62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? Hippolyta thinks that it is the silliest thing that she has ever heard.

63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? She uses metaphors that are ridiculous and slightly offensive.

64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? Oberon tells the fairies to bless the palace and the beds of the lovers.

65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? He is cleaning up the mess that he made, and says that if you didn't like the play, then it was only just a dream.

Extending the thought process:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> excessive alliteration bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast;

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> breaking the play’s illusion of reality No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me' is Thisby's cue: she is to enter now, and I am to spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will fall pat as I told you.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> using the wrong word or name This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> repeating a word excessively <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ridiculous metaphor These yellow cowslip cheeks, This cherry nose, His eyes were green as leeks.

===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?=== It shows us that they were pretty mean to bad actors, who were making honest mistakes.

===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 Simpsons, Homer is very clueless, and almost everyone takes advantage of him.

===c) Identify ways in which Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration.===

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?
It is an ironic commentary on the previous love conflict because

COMPLETION 9/10 EFFORT 7/10 CONTENT 7/10 TOTAL 23/30

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Write out topic <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The effect of dreams on the characters

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Thesis Statement: The different effects of the dream on the various characters in A Midsummer Nights Dream

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Paragraph two - Most of the characters in this play believe that they were only dreaming, but they were still changed by it <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -Even after the so called ”dream” Demetrius still loved Helena <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -Oberon became much more sane after the dream, because he saw that his revenge was childish <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -I think that the dream gave Bottom confidence because it showed him that he is recognized

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Paragraph Three- The characters denied that the dream actually happened <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -All of the characters denied that it was real, and I think that this impacted the effect that the dream had on them <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -Oberon told Titania that she was only dreaming, which eased her confusion <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> - and strike more dead Than common sleep of all these five the sense. means that she was only dreaming

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Paragraph Four - However, the" dream" actually did effect the “reality” of A Midsummer Night's Dream <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -I think that Bottom’s dream affected his acting in the play <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> -I think that the play affected the lovers more than if they didn't have the dream <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">-At the end of the play, Puck and Oberon make the mess they made right again

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Conclusion <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> In conclusion I think that the “dream” effected the characters in ways that they didn’t even realize but it didn't make that much of an effect.