| King of the Fairies | Oberon |
| a bellows mender | Flute |
| or Robin Goodfellow | Puck |
| In love with Hermia, (Egeus’s choice) | Demetrius |
| a tailor | Starveling |
| Queen of the Fairies | Titania |
| Father to Hermia | Egeus |
| Queen of the Amazons | Hippolyta |
| a weaver | Bottom |
| Master of the Revels to Theseus | Philostrate |
| a carpenter | Quince |
| Member of the Fairies | Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed |
| daughter to Egeus, in love w/ Lysander | Hermia |
| in love with Hermia (Hermia’s choice) | Lysander |
| a joiner | Snug |
| a tinker | Snout |
| in love with Demetrius | Helena |
| Which word best describes Egeus’s frame of mind when he meets Theseus? | vexed |
| Which best expresses the issue presented to Theseus by Egeus? | the desires of the daughter threaten the authority of the father |
| What are the three choices offered to Hermia by Theseus? | marry Demetrius, die, or become a nun |
| Why does Lysander accuse Demetrius of being a “spotted and inconstant man”? | Demetrius was once engaged to Helena, but then broke off the engagement to go after Hermia. |
| Lysander, like a good, resourceful suitor, hatches a plan. Which best details his solution to their “lover’s trial”? | Meet me in the woods later and we’ll scoot out to my aunt’s house in the country |
| Which best describes Helena’s problem | She is attractive enough, but her old boyfriend has got the hots for her bestie |
| Of the mechanicals, who is the “brains” of the outfit? He is in charge of the script, assigns the roles and arranges for the rehearsal times and place. | Quince |
| Of the mechanicals, which one puts himself forward as a principal player, wanting to fill all the roles and boasting of his acting abilities? | Bottom |
| What is the excuse that Flute gives to try to get out of playing the part of a woman? | I have a beard coming |
| At the beginning of the 2nd act we hear of Oberon and that he is “passing fell and wrath.” What best identifies why? | Titania won’t let him have alittle Indian boy to be a “night of his train” |
| We also meet a “shrewd and knavish sprite” who is known for the mischief he causes and for doing the work of Oberon. What is his name? | Puck |
| When Oberon and Titania meet they “square” or fight. At the end of this encounter who wins, that is who, at the end of their disagreement in this scene, leaves having what he or she wants? | Titania |
| Oberon sends his assistant on a mission to fetch something he needs to effect a plan he has in mind. What does he send him to get? | the flower that has juices which makes an individual fall in love with the first thing he or she sees |
| Oberon’s deliberations are interrupted by the arrival of one pair of lovers, Demetrius and Helena. She is pursuing him; he is pursuing Hermia and being rude in rejecting Helena. Oberon elects to intervene. What best describes what Oberon directs his assistant to do? | anoint the eyes of the disdainful youth so that the next thing he espies is the lady pursuing him. |
| Once Oberon and his assistant depart, the other pair of Athenian lovers arrives, Lysander and Hermia. These two have fled Athens to escape the “sharp Athenian law.” Lysander suggests that they “tarry for the comfort of the day” sharing “one turf as pillow for us both.” What excuse (clever guy) does he offer Hermia for why they can’t just go to his maiden aunt’s house for the night? | I seems that we have lost our way. |
| Hermia is, of course, very much in love with Lysander. After all she has risked either death or the convent in defying her father, then fled the city in order to marry him. Does she “yield her virgin patent up to his sovereignty” as he perhaps was hoping she might do? | No. She forces him to sleep away from her |
| Oberon’s assistant discovers Lysander and Hermia sleeping. He mistakes Lysander for the Athenian Oberon had in mind (Demetrius) and promptly fulfills his master’s order. As a result what happens when Helena, now abandoned in the woods by Demetrius, arrives and awakens Lysander. | He falls in love with her. |
| What best describes the conclusion Helena comes to as a result of her encounter with Lysander. | That Lysander is mocking her and her “insufficiency” |
| When Hermia awakens she is alone in the woods. What does she do? | at first cries out for Lysander, but hearing no reply, goes looking for him |
| In the opening of act III we meet the mechanicals again. Why have they come into the woods? | They have come to rehearse for the play |
| In discussing their performance they determine that they must not “frighten the ladies” or they risk being hanged. Name on of the two “scary” things their plot line includes | roar of the lion. |
| These “hempen homespuns” (the mechanicals) have an audience even though they don’t know it. Who happens upon them and decides he will “be an auditor (listener)/ and an actor too perhaps, if he sees cause.” | Puck |
| They settle all the issues about “scary” things and props, then being to rehearse. Bottom, playing Pyramus, leaves the playing area and goes into the woods to await his next cue. What happens to him there? | Puck turns his head into an ass’s (donkeys) |
| When Bottom emerges he frightens away all his friends. He thinks they are messing with him and begins to sing to show them he is not afraid. Who is awakened by Bottom’s raucous singing? | Titania |
| What happens when Bottom meets this “spirit of no common rate” thanks to Oberon’s intervention. | she falls madly in love with him |
| In another part of the woods, Demetrius has discovered Hermia alone and is vigorously pursuing his suit for her hand. She fends him off and suspects that he has done something bad. What is her fear? | that he has murdered Lysander |
| Demetrius decides “there is no following her in this fierce vein,” so he lies down and falls asleep. Oberon sends his assistant to find and lead Helena to where Demetrius is asleep. Then Oberon works his magic. What happens when Demetrius awakens and sees Helena? | He falls madly in love with her |
| When the two men go off into the woods to fight, Hermia says, “you, mistress, all this coil is ‘long of you” and makes as if to attack Helena. What does Helena do?” | runs away |
| Oberon has watched all this commotion. What does he then direct his assistant to do? | Prevent them from hurting each other and match them up right |
| In another part of the woods, Titania and Bottom have been enjoying one another’s company. At that moment, which expression best describes Titania’s attitude toward Bottom? | She dotes upon him (loves him a lot) |
| What subterfuge (sneaky thing) did Oberon accomplish while Titania was under the spell he cast upon her? | made her seem like a fool |
| Morning comes and Duke Theseus and Hippolyta come into the woods. What brings them out so early? | they are hunting |
| Egeus is with the Duke and when they discover the four lovers together and that Lysander and Hermia had stolen away to get married he “begs the law upon his head” What is the Duke’s decision? | he overrules Egeus because Demetrius now prefers Helena |
| After the night’s complicated encounters the lovers are left rather amazed. As they speak with one another upon the Duke’s departure, they all agree that it seems | that yet we sleep, we dream |
| When Bottom awakens he recalls his own dream. He determines that it is so remarkable that he must have Peter Quince write a ballad of it. What name does he plan to give the ballad? | Bottom’s Dream |
| Back in Athens, the mechanicals have reassembled. Do they believe that the play can go forward without Bottom and Pyramus? | No because they think Bottom is the only person who can play the role |
| From the conversation among the mechanicals, what big event do we discover has taken place up at the temple? | the wedding of the Duke and Hippolyta |
| When Bottom rejoins the others they are overjoyed. He promises to “tell everything right as it fell out” but not just yet. What exciting news does he bring that leaves them no time to talk? | they are going to perform their play for the married couple |
| Bottom advises them to prepare themselves “let Thisby have clean linen, and let not him that plays the lion pare his nails” He also cautions the actors not to eat two things “for we are to utter sweet breath”. Can you name one of the two things he tells them to avoid? | Onions and garlic |
| At the beginning of Act V Hippolyta and Theseus discuss the stories told by the lovers of their experiences in the wood. What is Theseus’ opinion of these “antic fables” and “fairy toys” | the imagination is by nature fantastic and not to be trusted |
| As the Duke, Hippolyta and the lovers “wear away the long age between their after supper and bedtime,” whom do they call upon to find out what entertainment might be available? | Philostrate |
| THe Duke elects to see the play offered by the mechanicals. Who objects at first saying to him “I love not to see wretchedness o’ercharg’d and dtuy in his service perishing” | Philostrate |
| as the play proceeds, the lovers and occasionally Theseus and Hippolyta carry on a running commentary. Which expression best characterizes their remarks? | clever, witty and superior |
| What piece of architecture prevents Pyramus and Thisby from getting together? | a wall played by Snout |
| When Pyramus and Thisby decide to run away together, where do they agree to meet? | at midnight at the edge of the woods |
| Both Pyramus and THisby end up doihng themselves in. What is their chosen method of suicide? | by sword |
| What does Theseus agree to watch in lieu of hearing more poetry? | they all dance |
| When the Duke and his guests retire for the night the fairies enter the house. What have they come to do? | Bless the bed and house of the newlyweds |
| Oberon’s assistant is given the last lines in the play. What does he solicit from the audience after telling everyone good night? | applause |
| “now fair hippolyta our nuptial hours draws on apace four happy days bring in another moon but o methinks how slow this old moon wanes she lingers my desires like to a step-dame o a dowager long withering out a young man’s revenue | theseus |
| thous speakest aright i am that merry wanderer of the night i jest to oberon and make him smile when i a fat and bean fed horse beguile neighing in likeness of a filly foal | puck |
| set our heart at rest the fairy land buys not the child of me his mother was a vot’ress of my order and in the spliced indian air by night full often hath she gossiped by my side | titannia |
| having once this juice i’ll watch titania when she is asleep and drop the liquor of it in her eyes the next thing she waking looks upon… she shall pursue it with the soul of love and ere i take this charm from off her sight as i can take it with another herb i’ll make her render up her page to me | oberon |
| o spite oh hell i see you all are bendt to set against me for your merriment if you were civil and knew courtesy your would not do me thus much injury can you not hate me as i know you do but you must join in souls to mock me too | helena |
| puppet why so ay that way goes the game now i percieve that she hath made compare between our statures she hath urged her height and with her personage her tall personage her height forsooth she hath prevailed with him and are you grown so high in his esteem because i am so dwarfish and so low how low am i thou painted maypole speak how low am i i am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes | hermia |
| i have had a most rare vision 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 patc’d fool if he will offer to say what me thought i had | bottom |
| the lunatic the lover and the poet are of imagination all compact one sees more devils than vast hell can hold that is the madman the lover all as frantic sees helen’s beauty in a brown of Egypt the poets eye in a fine frenzy rolling doth glance from heaven to earth from earth to heaven and as imagination bodies forth the forms of thins unknown the poets pen turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing a local habituation and a name | theseus |
| i will hear that play for never anything can be amiss when simpleness and duty tender it | theseus |
| if we shadows have offended think but this and all is mended that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear and this weak and idle theme no more yielding but a dream | bottom |
Midsummer Night’s Dream
August 6, 2019