| Theseus | Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword and won thy love doing thee injuries. |
| Egeus | I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: as she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be either to this gentleman or to her death, according to our law immediately provided in that case. |
| Hermia | I would my father looked but with my eyes. |
| Lysander | I am, my lord, as well derived as he, as well possessed. My love is more than his; my fortunes every way as fairly ranked (if not with vantage) as Demetrius. |
| Lysander | The course of true love never did run smooth. |
| Hermia | By all the vows that ever men have broke (in more than ever women spoke), in that same place thou hast appointed me, tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. |
| Bottom | If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms; I will condole in some measure. To the rest — yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split. |
| Quince | You can play no part but Pyramus, for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man. |
| Robin | Thou speakest aright. I am that merry wanderer of the night. I jest to Oberon and make him smile. |
| Oberon | Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. |
| Titania | The spring, the summer, the childing autumn, angry winter, change their wonted liveries, and the mazed world by their increase now knows not which is whih. And this same progeny of evils comes from out debate, from our dissension; we are their parents and original. |
| Oberon | Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove till I torment thee for this injury. |
| Robin | I’ll put a girdle round about the earth in forty minutes. |
| Helena | I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius, the more you beat me I will fawn on you … what worser place can I beg in your love (and yet a place of high respect with me) than to be used as you use your dog? |
| Helena | Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex. We cannot fight for love as men may do. We should be wooed and were not made to woo. |
| Oberon | And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes and make her full of hateful fantasies. |
| Lysander | One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; one heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. |
| Hermia | Lie further off yet. Do not lie so near. |
| Robin | Through the forest have I gone, but Athenian found I none on whose eyes I might approve this flower’s force in stirring love. |
| Lysander | And run through fire I will for thy sweet sake. Transparent Helena! Nature shows art, that through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Where is Demetrius? O, how fit a word is that vile name to perish on my sword? |
| Helena | Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? |
| HerMia | Help me, Lysander, help me! Do thy best to pluck this crawling serpent from my breast. |
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Acts 1-2 Quotes
August 7, 2019