Hugh Bonneville started his career at
the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s
Park, understudying Ralph Fiennes
as Lysander, one of the four lovers
in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He
and Fiennes meet up again to try to
untangle the extraordinary plot of
one of Shakespeare’s most enduringly
popular plays, a great comedy of love
and enchantment.
1. Based on what you see and what others say about the play, create a list of words
that you think could describe A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
2. List three things you learned about the play (consider the characters, setting, or
motifs).
3. Why is Midsummer Night’s Dream considered a romantic comedy? Describe the
conflict.
Bonus – finish watching the video and submit a paragraph summarizing what you learned.
Include and explain at least three facts from throughout the remainder of the video.
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Additional Notes:
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Additional Notes:
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Character Review Quiz:
Use the previous pages to complete the following in order to review the characters.
1. Draw arrows between the four lovers to mark who loves who. The arrow should go
in the direction of the person the lover is in love with. In between each pair of
lovers, describe the problem(s) their loves face.
Problem:
Problem:
Helena
Lysander
Demetrius
Problem:
Problem:
Hermia
2. Draw a picture that represents each player’s roll in the play.
Robin Starvling
Nick
Bottom
Snug
Francis
Flute
Tom
Snout
Peter
Quince
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3. Label the aristocratic and fairy royalty below:
Aristocrat
Fairy
Duke/King
Queen
Servant
The Setting:
Which option would you choose if you were Hermia?
What is one conflict that occurs in the Magic Forest?
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6
1. What did people believe about the Midsummer Night?
2. What is Shakespeare’s comedy plot based on?
3. What are two of the things audiences laugh at in this play?
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 1
Act 1, Scene 1
Pre-Viewing: Why do young people in love sometimes experience conflict with their parents? How would you react
if your parents arranged your marriage?
Quotation
Your understanding
Theseus
For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
To fit your fancies to your father’s will,
Or else the law of Athens yields you up
(Which by no means we may extenuate)
To death or to a vow of single life. –
1.1.119-123
Summarizes the three choices Theseus gives Hermia.
Lysander
Through Athen’s gates we have devised to steal.
Hermia
And in the wood where often you and I
Upon faint primrose beds were wont to lie…
There my Lysander and myself shall meet,
And thence from Athens turn away our eyes
To seek new friends and stranger companies.
1.1.218-224
What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do?
Helena
I will go tell [Demetrius] of fair Hermia’s flight.
Then to the wood will he tomorrow night
Persue her. And, for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense.
But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
To have his sight thither and back again.
1.1.252 - 257
What does Helena plan to do? Why?
Summarize: The main events/complications that occur between the lovers. How do these events work to create
romantic comedy?
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Act 1, Scene 2
Quotation
Quince
Marry, our play is “The most lamentable comedy
and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.”
1.2.11 – 13
Your understanding
Explain the humor in these phrases (hint: consider meanings of
bolded words – use a dictionary if necessary!)
Bottom
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too.
I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice…
1.2.49-50
Bottom
We will meet, and there we may rehearse most
obscenely and courageously.
1.2.103 - 104
Summarize: The main events/complications that occur for the players. Why is this scene funny?
Act 2, Scene 1
Quotation
Titania
Your understanding
Why is Titania mad at Oberon?
Why are thou here,
Come from the farthest steep of India,
But forsooth, the bouncing Amazon,
Your buskined mistress and your warrior love,
To Theseus must be wedded, and you come
To give their bed joy and prosperity?
2.1.70-75
Oberon
I do but beg a little changeling boy
To be my henchman.
What else do Oberon and Titania quarrel over?
Titania
Set your heart at rest:
The Fairyland buys not a child of me.
His mother was a vot’ress of my order…
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Extension Questions
1. By scene six, the audience has met all four key couples in the play. Describe the problems/issues
each couple faces at this point in the plot.
a. Theseus and Hippolyta -
b. Demetrius and Helena -
c. Lysander and Hermia -
d. Oberon and Titania –
2. Provide specific EXAMPLES of each form of comedy you believe to be present so far in the play.
High Comedy
Low Comedy
Romantic
Farce
Personal Response - Rate your level of agreement with the following statements and explain.
Egeus is justified in being angry with his daughter.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Helena’s betrayal of her friend is understandable.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
EXPLAIN:
EXPLAIN:
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 2
Pre-Viewing: How would you feel if someone you liked suddenly stopped liking you? How would you feel
about the person they started liking?
Quotation
Act2.1
Oberon
Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell.
It fell upon a little western flower…
Fetch me that flower; the herb I showed thee once.
The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid
Will make or man or woman madly dote
Upon the next live creature that it sees…
Having once this juice,
I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep
And drop the liquor of it in her eyes.
The next thing then she, waking, looks upon
(Be it lion, bear, or wolf, or bull…)
She shall pursue it with the soul of love.
And ere I take this charm from off her sight…
I’ll make her render up her page to me.
2.1. 171-192
Oberon
Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove.
{He gives Robin part of the flower.}
A sweet Athenian lady is in love
With a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes,
But do it when the next thing he espies
May be the lady. Though shalt know the man
By the Athenian garments he has on.
2.1.267-272
Act 2.2
Hermia
Be it so, Lysander. Find you out a bed,
For I upon this bank will rest my head.
Your understanding
What powers does the flower possess?
Summarize Oberon’s plan in your own words
What is Oberon’s new plan? What complications could arise
from this?
What do Lysander and Hermia disagree on? How does this add
comedy?
Lysander
One turf shall serve as pillow for us both;
One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth.
2.2.45-50
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Quotation
Your understanding
Puck
Night and silence! Who is here?
Weeds of Athens he doth wear.
This is he my master said
Despised the Athenian maid.
And here the maiden, sleeping sound
On the dank and dirty ground…
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw
All the power this charm doth owe.
2.2.76-85
What mistake does Puck make? Why does he make this mistake?
Lysander
Content with Hermia? No, I do repent
The tedious minutes I with her have spent.
Not Hermia, but Helena I love.
2.2.118-120
Explain the switch that has happened and Helena’s reaction to it.
Helena
Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?
When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?
Is ‘t not enough, is ‘t not enough, young man,
That I did never, no, nor never can
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius’ eye,
But you must flout my insufficiency?
2.2.130-135
Summarize: The main events/complications that occur between the lovers in Act 2. How do these events add to the
romantic comedy?
Extension Questions:
1. Evaluate and Connect - How might the magical herb described by Oberon act as a metaphor for the way
infatuation operates in real life? Explain.
2. Predict - In act 2, Shakespeare sets up a number of unresolved situations. Identify these situations, and
discuss various possible outcomes for each.
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 3
Pre-Viewing: Imagine your best friend has started dating your crush. How would you react? Jot down
some of the feelings and reactions you might have toward this situation.
Quotation
Act 3.1
Describe the Player’s solutions to the following
problems:
1. Ladies being afraid of the lion/sword -
Your understanding
Why are these solutions comical?
2. The moonlight -
3. Bringing a wall into the Duke’s chambers -
Quince
Ay, or else one must come in with a bush of thorns
and a lantern and say he comes to disfigure or to
present the person of Moonshine.
3.1.58-60
Explain the malapropisms
Bottom as Pyramus
Thisbe, the flowers of odious savors sweet –
3.1.81
Quince
Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou art translated!
Bottom
I see their knavery. This is to make an ass of me, to
fright me, if they could
3.1.120-122
Titania
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
3.1.150
Why are the players afraid of Bottom? How is his reaction
comical?
Explain the humor in Tatania’s comment.
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Quotation
Act 3.2
Hermia
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
Being o’er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep
And kill me too.
The sun was not so true unto the day
As he to me. Would he have stolen away…?
3.2.49-53
Oberon
About the wood and swifter than the wind,
And Helena of Athens look thou find…
By some illusion see thou bring her here.
I’ll charm his eyes against she do appear.
Demetrius
O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!
To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
Your understanding
What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of? Why does she think
this?
Explain how Oberon plans to “fix” the situation. What problem
could this cause?
Explain the new switch that has happened and Helena’s reaction
to it.
Helena
O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
To set against me for your merriment.
If you were civil and knew courtesy,
You would not do me thus much injury.
3.2.140-151
Lysander {to Hermia}
Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose,
Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.
3.2.270-271
Hermia {to Helena}
O me! You juggler, you cankerblossom,
You thief of love! What, have you come by night
And stol’n my love’s heart from him?
How does Lysander react to Hermia? Why is this comical?
Explain what happens between Hermia and Helena? Why?
Helena
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,
No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
Impatient answers from my gentle toungue?
Fie, Fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you!
Summarize: the main conflicts that occur between the lovers in Act 3.
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Extension Questions
1. What makes Act 3 a good example of farce? Specifically cite examples of the elements of farce.
Exaggeration
Absurd Situation
Surprise
Bottom is wiser than he appears.
Disagree
EXPLAIN:
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
Puck is to blame for the Lovers’ problems.
Disagree
EXPLAIN:
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
I feel sorry for Helena.
EXPLAIN:
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 3 - 4
Pre-Viewing: Predict – how will this comedy turn out. In other words, who will end up with who? Explain
your reasoning.
Quotation
Act 3.2 – 4.1
Oberon
Hie, therefore, Robin, overcast the night;…
And lead these testy rivals so astray
As one come not within another’s way…
An from each other look thou lead them thus,
Till o’er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep…
Then crush this herb into Lysander’s eye…
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.
3.2.375-390
Your understanding
Summarize Oberon’s new solution?
Theseus
Fair lovers, you are fortunately met.
Of this discourse we more will hear anon. –
Egeus, I will overbear your will,
For in the temple by and by, with us,
These couples shall eternally be knit. –
4.1.184-188
Explain Theseus’s decision. Why do you think he changes his
mind?
Bottom
I have had a dream past the wit of man to say
what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go
about to expound this dream. Methought I was –
there is no man can tell what. Methought I was
and methought I had – but man is but a patched
fool if he will offer to say what methought I had.
4.1.215-220
Summarize Bottom’s reaction to his memories of the evening.
What does he decide not to do and why?
Summarize: the outcomes for the lovers. How does this help make the story a romantic comedy?
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Pyramus and Thisbe
by Edwand Rivers
As told by the Ovid, this story is similar to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
It takes place in ancient Babylon, where these two children grew up in a oneroom house that was connected to the other. Over the years, they fell in love
with each other, but could only talk through a hole in their wall because their
parents refused them to see each other.
Finally, Pyramus got fed up with his parents and so did Thisbe. They decided to run off one night and elope. Pyramus
gave Thisbe the location of the place they would meet, and they agreed.
Thisbe was the first to arrive at the first Mulberry bush outside of the city, but as she was waiting, a lioness walked by
with her jaws covered in blood from a previous kill that day. Thisbe, frightened at her sight, ran non-stop to the
nearest cave. Soon after, Pyramus walked by and saw a cloak, his love gift to her, covered in blood and torn to
pieces with the footprints of the lioness left behind. He immediately thought that his only love had been killed by a
hungry lion, and unsheathed his sword (her love gift to him), letting the cold, hard steel pierce his broken heart.
Thisbe, bringing courage to her heart, ran back and found her only love lying on the ground next to the blood-covered
Mulberry bush with his sword impaling his chest.
She gasped in horror as she asked the still breathing Pyramus what happened. Barely able to stay awake, he told
her what happened and she cried in sorrow. She took Pyramus' blood-stained sword and asked him to wait for her
while she brought the blade into her own soft flesh. Thus they died together, in love and peace.
This is why the berries on the Mulberry bush are red, instead of their original white, in commemoration of the two
young lovers and their great sacrifice.
1. What original elements of the play do the rude mechanicals plan to incorporate into their play?
2. What is funny about their plans to put on the play?
3. Predict: how will the Duke and his audience react to this production? Why do you think this?
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 5
Pre-Viewing: Think of a performance that was so badly presented it was entertaining? Describe the
experience and your reaction to it. Why was it entertaining?
Quotation
Your understanding
Act 5.5
Theseus
“A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus
And his love Thisbe, very tragical mirth.”
“Merry” and “tragical”? “Tedious” and “brief”?
That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow!
5.1.60-64
Why does Theseus find the title amusing?
Describe the following characters’ acting abilities
with examples:
1. Snout as the wall
Explain how their acting creates comedy.
2. Bottom as Pyramus
3. Snug as the lion
4. Flute as Thisbe
Bottom
O, wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame,
Since lion vile hath here deflowered my dear…
5.1.306-307
Explain the malapropism.
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Quotation
Your understanding
Act 5
Oberon
Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be,
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be,
And the blots of Nature’s hand
Shall not in their issue stand.
Never mole, harelip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are…
Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate
Every fair take his gait,
And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace,
And the owner of it blest,
Ever shall in safety rest.
5.1.418-437
Summarize each of the blessings Oberon gives the lovers.
What is the purpose/message of Puck’s
speech?
Remembering that plays are normally
performed in front of a live audience,
what do you think it means when Puck
says “Give my your hands if we be
friends”?
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Comedy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Brainstorm specific examples of the following types of comedy in the play.
High Comedy
Low Comedy
Situational Comedy (Farce)
Romantic Comedy
Which type of comedy do you think is the driving force of the play? Explain.
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