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? She says to him that the time will go quickly, and the wait makes it that much better. 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? He brought them so that Theseus can judge who Egeus' daughter will marry. He obviously wants her to 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? For the daughter to marry whoever the father wanted, or die. Theseus also said that she could join a nunnery, and she should decide by next moon. 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? It goes against what Egeus is saying and it only makes Hermia's dad angrier towards him. 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? They decide to elope. Hermia tells Helena this so that Helena will be happy, since they are friends. 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? So that Demetrius will see that he has no choice but to marry Helena, or so she thinks. 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 can't marry the ma she loves, only the man that her father wants her to. She can either marry that man, die, or live in a nunnery, never to have children. Lysander suggests eloping. Act I, Scene 2 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? Because he is self-centered, and thinks he is the best actor for every part.

9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? Because it is so casual, even though it probably is based on one of the actors in the troupe. Bottom's character is also extremely exaggerated. 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? At the forest, by the duke's tree. Lysander and Hermia are also meeting there 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? Probably very amateurish, despite the fact he thinks himself the best in the land.

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? Whenever they are together, bad things happen. 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? Each accuse each other of affairs with either Theseus or Hippolyta, respectively. They have come to celebrate the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? It causes flood and famine, and death.

13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Because it was a boy of her mortal friend who died.

14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? A flower that has been shot by Cupid's arrow, and turned purple.

15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? For her to fall in love with a hideous animal, for revenge, and to get the changeling.

16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She turns it around into a witty comeback.

17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? She says it would make her happier since she wouldn't be ignored.

18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? Athenian woman are supposed to do whatever the man says.

19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? Make Demetrius fall in love with Helena.

Act II, Scene 2 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? Because it would give him revenge and entertainment.

21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? So she can keep her modesty. 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Because he doesn't know who the athenian man is and he mistakes Lysander for that man. 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? Suprised and angry, as if it was all a trick. 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Since she was dreaming of Lysander abandoning her, and bad things abusing her, more or less.

Act III, Scene 1 25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? By adding a prologue at the beginning to say that Pyramus doesn't die and is Bottom, and that the lion is only a man, not a lion.

26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? They were going to open a window at night, but then decide for an actor to play the moon, and for an actor to play the wall.

27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? Because he has an Asses head

28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? Scare them and cause more confusion.

29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? He doesn't know what is happening, but since everything is all ready so weird, he just accepts the fact that things aren't what they seem.

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 the story just gets more obscene as the play goes on.

Act III, Scene 2 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? Killing Lysander.

32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? By annointing the eyes of Demetrius

33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? Because it is so sudden, that she thinks Demetrius and Lysander are both trying to tease her. 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Joining with the man in jesting, and betraying womankind everywhere.

35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? Very.

36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Like he hates her. Since they were eloping earlier, and were in love. 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Stealing Lysander 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Because she is 'small but fierce' 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? fight for Helena 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Trick them into falling asleep and annointing the eyes of Lysander so he falls back in love with Hermia 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? Steal her 'indian' boy 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Because he has a plan. 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? So well that they end up sleeping almost next to each other. ==== **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.** ====
 * 1-Titania falls in love.**
 * 2-Fight between Hermia and Demetrius**
 * 3-Fight between the girls**
 * 4-Puck's Trick**
 * 5-Everyone is asleep again.**

Act IV, Scene 1 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? He accepts that nothing is as it seems to be, so he has basically played along with what they were doing.

45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? He feels pity for her.

46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? He almost avoids it, by hinting that it was all her. 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? For the fox hunt that occured before the wedding. 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? To observe the rite of Spring 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? He explains that for no reason he is again in love with Helena, and not Hermia. He compares it to a illness because an illness can be so sudden, coming and going very quickly at times. 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? they will have a triple wedding, so Hippolyta wont be angry with Theseus.

51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? Since that everything that happened that previous night was so obscene, as well as the duke's offer, that the four aren't sure what to believe. 52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? He will sing a ballad about his dream after the performance. Act IV, Scene 2 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? They are upset, not just about the play or the money, but also about Bottom's safety. 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? The funding from the duke, since it was to be a triple wedding. 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? Because the wedding is about to start.

Extending the thought process.
==== 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? ==== Bottom's character is very self-centered, and not the smartest guy, but a nice guy overall. Theseus is strong-willed, same as Bottom, but he is not over confident, which mostly leads to Bottom's downfalls. Their social statuses are almost the opposite as well.

==== b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience? ====

Like it was odd, but not really life-changing. Demetrius is the only one permanently affected by the dream, since he is still in love with Helena.
==== c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation? ==== It can be so sudden, and unexpected.

Act V 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? Because they are so obscure that he can't believe them. 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? Because he thinks it will be humourous, and he believes the other performances will be inappropriate for the wedding. 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? He says it is very bad, written and acted, and the men have never needed to do anything with their minds before, but he does make a good point. 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? If there is enough effort put into it, it cannot be bad. 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? So that the audience knows what is happening. 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? It points out something that might not of been so obvious. 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? She feels pity to the actors. 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? It isn't, it is the best said line in the whole play-in-a-play, and the most serious. 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? Bless the house. 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? To poke fun at the audience, and to prove a point, and make you think. Extending the thought process:

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-Now die,die,die... breaking the play’s illusion of reality-The lion taking off his head. using the wrong word or name-Ninny's Tomb! repeating a word excessively-Bottom does this at once point in the play, where he repeats the words in three different line, along with other rhyming words. ridiculous metaphor -hands as pale as milk

===‍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?=== If you are merely the audience of one play, you might poke fun at it and not realize, but in this play, you poke fun at the play and the audience, a large difference.

===‍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?=== Good Burger- an old movie, easy to tell who is who. Most manga or anime has a few idiots, and a lot of other people making comments at them.

===‍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?=== It is unsuitable because of the deaths, but is suitable because of the romance. It is similar, because Pyramus and Thisbe were supposed to meet at a place, but everything went wrong, the same happened in the play, without anyone dying.

COmpletion 25/25 Effort 18/25 Content 17/25

Total 60/75