A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Act One Scene One
The scene starts with a couple, Theseus and Hippolyta, discussing their wedding day.
Their wedding is in four days and Theseus is telling Hippolyta even though he won her love by
violence, he will marry her romantically. A man named Egeus then walks in with his daughter
Hermia and two men: Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus is upset because he only allowed
Demetrius to marry Hermia but Hermia wants to marry Lysander instead. Demetrius has
permission but Lysander has her heart. Egeus explains how Hermias only options are to marry
Demetrius or be killed. Theseus believes she should obey her father since he owns her and is to
do whatever he says. Hermia and Theseus then argues about the fairness of her options and
Hermia stands her ground about only loving Lysander. Lysander then makes is known that
another woman, Helena, loves Demetrius and how Demetrius is unfaithful. Everyone then all
ends up in one conversation about how nobody should dictate who another is allowed to love and
be with until Lysander informs Hermia about a way to be together, running away. Hermia and
Lysander realize they can marry each other once out of Athens so they can’t be penalized by the
law. Helena walks in and makes it obvious that she is jealous over Hermia’s beauty. Lysander
and Hermia then tell her about how they plan on running away and once they both walk out
Hermia reveals how she is angry that Hermia and Demetrius are supposed to marry and how she
will tell Demetrius that Hermia will run away.
Act One Scene Two
A group of workers discuss a play they want to perform after Hippolyta and Theseus
wedding for the celebration. Quince tries to talk but is constantly interrupted by Bottom, Quince
then says the play they will perform is The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of
Pyramus and Thisbe. The play is then described and character roles are assigned. Bottom keeps
interrupting trying to play more than one character, but then convinced Pyramus is a good role
for him. Snug, another worker, is nervous about not memorizing his lines but is calmed by
Quince. The group then agrees to meet the next night at an oak tree in the duke’s forest and the
scene ends with them all leaving.