A+Midsummer+Night's+Dream

“A 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? Hippolyta's reasoning is concerning how fast the next four days will pass different from how Theseus' next for days will pass because Theseus is so excited about their wedding and can't wait for it to happen. Theseus feels like the next four days will pass very slowly, whereas, Hippolyta thinks that the next four days wil pass very quickly and that their wedding will approach faster than they think it will.

2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? Egeus has brought his daughter and her 2 suitors to Theseus because he is against his daughter marrying Lysander and thinks that if Hermia will hear the same opinion about her marriage from 2 different people, her choice will change and that she will marry Demetrius. He wants to make sure that Hermia won't marry Lysander, and he knows that Theseus will agree with him and give her options that will make it hard not to choose 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? In Athenian society (according to Egeus and Theseus) the proper role for women was to listen to their fathers' orders and do as they were told. Because they were blood-related, they expected women to act as one with their fathers, respecting their opinions and following what they were told to do. Theseus finally decides to give Hermia 3 choices, to either become a nun, marry Demetrius or death.

4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? Lysander's comment about Demetrius's previous love affair with Helena complicates things because it makes it harder for Egeus to give reasons as to why Demetrius is better for Hermia. It shows that Demetrius might not be as trustworthy as Lysander, Hermia has one more reason to go against Egeus' wishes.

5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? Lysander and Hermia plan to run away to Verona and get married secretly that way the Athenian laws can't apply to them, they will be free to get married once they are out of Athens and the rules won't set them apart. They tell Helena about their plans because they want her to know that they will be getting married and Hermia won't be getting married to Demetrius. Because Helena is in love with Demetrius, she knows that she has a chance to flirt with him and catch his eye before he finds out about the secret wedding.

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? Helena decides to tell Demetrius of the secret wedding, although she is Hermia's best friend, because she thinks that telling Demetrius will improve her chances of Demetrius falling in love with her again. Now that she knows that Hermia isn't interested in Demetrius, she knows that she can try and be with Demetrius again.

7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? Hermia's basic dilema is that she wants to marry Lysander and they both love eachother but her father doesn't want her to. Her father has planned for her to marry Demetrius who loves Hermia, however, Hermia's best friend Helena is in love with Demetrius. Hermia's choices are to either marry Demetrius, become a nun or death. Lysander suggests that they run away to Verona and have a secret wedding, that way the Anethian laws can't touch them.

Act I, Scene 2 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? Nick Bottom wants to play all the parts because he thinks that he will be amazing at anything he tries, he thinks that every part should be played by him because he's 'the best'. He also thinks that no one else can do a better job and that he is a better actor than all the rest.

9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? These scene is funny because each character is different so they strengthen eachother, for example Peter Quice and Bottom are funny because Bottom wants to do everything and Peter always has to remind him that he can only have 1 part in the play. It's also funny because each character has their own sense of humor and you get to see the odd things that happen in building a play. Shakespeare included this scene because he wanted to ass some light humor to the story and take the readers attention away from the more serious side of the story. All of the characters aren't as serious as the characters in scene one which make sthe story more interesting and lively.

10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? The actors are to meet in the palace wood (a forest area) by moonlight. Helena and Lysander are planning to meet eachother there at the same time.

11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? So far, not too much has been revealed about Bottom's acting ability, but he seems like a high maintenance actor who wants a lot of attention focussed around himself. He would like to play all of the roles or at least the lead roll in whatever play he does. He thinks he is the greatest actor ever, meanwhile, he may not be. Bottom thinks that he is an amazing actor and is superior compared to everyone else, he thinks everyone is incapable of playing their parts and that his acting is so good that he could be every character in a play.

The reader finds out that the relationship between Oberon and Titania isn't a great relationship. Puck and the first fairy reveal that Oberon and Titania they always fight whenever they're together and since their moods control the weather, the atmosphere around them is affected by the way they feel. Puck and the fairy don't want to harm other people so they hesitate when it comes to getting the two together. 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? In the past, Oberon and Titania have been involved with Theseus and Hippolyta through past relationships with one another. Oberon and Titania are coming to Athens because they're going to attend Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding. 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? Their quarrel has effected nature because their emotions and the way they are feeling controls the environment around them and the weather, it has effected natures patterns and the way animals would normally run their lives. The seasons have been affected because the weather patterns are changing and not taking the course that they should be and sudden changes in the weather will affect everything on the planet. This includes innocent people, people can lose their lives to life threatening weather. People have dies or their lives can be greatly effected by the changes in the atmosphere. 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Titania wont give up the changeling to Oberon because changeling is the son of one of her best friends. She doesn't necessarily want him for his differences, like Oberon. She wont give him up because she made a promise to look after the changeling, if anything happened to his mother. Since his mother died, Titania has been left with the responsibility to look after the changeling because his mother was Titania's best friend. 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? Oberon sends Puck to find the flower that Cupid's arrow has supposedly fallen. It has the power to make people fall in love and Oberon tells Puck to go and find that flower. 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? Oberon's plans for Titania are to put the juice of the flower on Titania's eyelids, while she's sleeping. Then, when she wakes up, she will fall in love with the first thing she sees, Oberon will make sure that she wakes up when a vile creature is near her, that way she'll fall in live with that hideous creature. 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? Helena reacts to Demetrius' verbal abuse by turning each insult that he throws at her, into a compliment for him. She doesn't appear insulted by his words and seems to enjoy the negative attention that he's giving her. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Helena's response to Demetrius' threats of physical abuse is that no matter what he does to her, she loves him so much that she will stay by his side. Whatever he does to her doesn't matter to her, as long as she is with him. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Helena's behaviour is inappropriate for an Athenian woman because women weren't supposed to be begging and desperate for a man's love. They were supposed to stay collected and they weren't the ones who would make efforts for a man's attention, but the men would have to get the attention of the women. For example, in one part of the story, Helena says " We cannot fight for love, as men may do. We should be woo'd and were not made to woo". <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oberon tells Puck to apply the love juice from the flower to Demetrius' eyelids to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. He saw them fighting in the forest and also saw how much Helena was in love with Demetrius. He also saw how much Demetrius didn't love her back, so he decided to help Helena out by making Demetrius fall in love with her. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Act II, Scene 2 20. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oberon wants Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing because he wants to get revenge on her. He doesn't like the fact that she gets to care for the changeling boy and he wants the changeling boy for himself. Humiliating her is his way of getting back at her for not giving the boy to him. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? Hermia insists that Lysander sleep a little bit further away from her because they aren't officially married yet and she wants to keep her sense of pride and is also trying to have some manners. Her modesty is also part of the reason why she makes this choice. Sleeping beside someone who you weren't married to wasn't a very repectable thing to do at the time.
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">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?

<span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Puck anoints Lysander's eyes because Puck thinks that Lysander is Demetrius. Since Puck was told to anoint the eyes of an Athenian man, and Lysander seems to be an Athenian man to Puck, Puck anoints his eyes, thinking that he was Demetrius.

<span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? Helena reacts to Lysander's sudden love for her by thinking that he is playing a joke on her. She wonders why he could be so cruel and thinks that he is mocking her. She is confused and mad at him and doesn't reallly know what to think. She tries to get away from him and remind him of his love for Hermia.

<span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Hermia's dream was a reflection of reality because she dreamt about a serpent trying to eat out her heart while Lysander sat there watching and laughing. It reflects what was really happening because Lysander was falling for Helena at the time and had left Hermia all on her own. Lysander was no longer in love with Hermia and she was about to get her heart broken, just like how her heart was "torn out" or broken in her dream. Her dream showed Lysander's unreliable side and in reality he isn't trustworthy because he is going to break her heart.

<span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">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? The actors are going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars, by forewarning the audience abpout what is going to happen next. They are planning to tell the audience not to be frieghtened and they will tell them what happeneds next (even though it might give away some of the play) just so the audience wont be scared. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? The actors are going to manage settings/scenery, such as the moonlight and the wall, by using props to act as tham. They will use a lantern as the moonlight and they will use an actor as the wall. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? All of the actors run off when Bottom reappears because Bottom's head has been turned into that of a donkey's. They're all slightly scared by it and don't know what to do so they just run away. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? When Puck follows the other actors, he plans to chase them around and scare them because he is having a lot of fun. He just wants to play tricks on them, so he gets the best out of what he has done by scaring all of the other actors away. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? Bottom reacts to Titania and the other fairies, at first, by not believeing what is happening is real. He is in desbelief and doesn't know what to make of the situation. As he tries to get used to this idea, he tries to be witty with the fairies and enjoys himself a bit. At this point, Bottom is very happy with himself and loves his life. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? This quote was very appropriate at this point of the play, considering the circumstances, because Bottom is trying to say that reasoning/logic and love aren't together nowadays because people are falling in love without thought or reason. He says this because one of the most beautiful and powerful fairies has just fallen in love with him, and Bottom is only a commoner who passion in life is the theatre. It shows how two completly different people can fall in love. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Act III, Scene 2 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? Hermia accuses Demtrius of killing Lysander because he was jealous of their love. Shethinks that he has killed Lysander because Demetrius wants to marry Hermia. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? Puck and Oberon are going to fix Puck's mistake by applying the love juice to the eyes of Demetrius that way he will finally fall in love with Helena. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? Helena is upset when Demetrius says he loves her because she thinks that he is playing a cruel joke on her with Lysander. She feels like his words aren't what he truly feels. She feels like he is deceiving her and mocking her. It is true that she wanted to hear this all along, but only in true honesty and not as part of what she thinks is a cruel joke. This is why she isn't as bothered when Demtrius says he loves her as when Lysander says it. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Helena accuses Hermia of plotting against her with Demetrius and Lysander. She thinks that Hermia is part of the joke and wants her to stop them. She thinks that Hermia is the 'mastermind' of the prank and wonders why her best friend would mock her. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? Hermia and Helena were best friends in the past. They would do everything together and loved to be with eachother. They were such good friends that they thought of eachother together as one instead of two seperate people. They spent a lot of time together and told eachother everything. They were a big part of the other persons lives and grew up together. They were practically sisters. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Lysander treats Hermia like he has never loved her. He treats her pretty badly and rejects her, he acts as if she was just a way to get to Helena and like he hates her very much. Hermia can't believe what Lysander is saying because just moments ago, he was completly in love with her and they were about to go and get married. He was willing to sneak off and go against peoples' wishes in order to get married to her and now he turns completly around and tells her that he hates her. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of taking Lysander's love for her away from him. She thinks that Helena has stolen Lysander's love for Hermia and made hiim fall in love with Helena. She doesn't understand why Helena would do such a thing to her her best friend. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Helena is afraid of Hermia because Hermia has threathened to hurt Helena. Even though Hermia might be shorter than Helena, Helena is scared that Hermia would go as far as to hurt Helena because she is so upset over what has hapened. Helena thinks that Hermia is going to attack her. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? Lysander and Demetrius are going of to fight over who will win the heart of Helena. They are going to have a battle over Helena and whoever wins will get her. They think that this will solve all of their problems. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Oberon tells Puck to confuse the two young men, that way he can make eveything, and all of their love, right again. He tells Puck to go and make them tired that way they will fall asleep and Oberon can put the love juice in their eyes. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oberon is going to trick Titania into giving him the changeling boy and after Titania has given the boy to him he will release her from the spell that she is in. Then she will fall out of love with Bottom and things will go back to normal again. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Oberon doesn't fear the coming of day because he feels like he has enough time to make everything go back to normal. He thinks that he will be able to pull everything off. He also feels like he does his best work as morning is approaching and that there is nothing to worry about. <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pucks trickery works quite well because he is able to keep them from finding the other and he is alsoable to make them fall asleep, which is exactly what Oberon wanted. He is also able to make sure that everyone is set in place for his plan to work. And no one sees him or suspects a thing while he pulls all of this off. ====<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.06em;">**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.** ==== = = - Titania falls in live with Bottom because of the love juice. - Titania makes sure that all of Bottom's needs are met and Bottom is having a fantastic time. - Puck and Oberon realize that Puck has made a mistake with who he applied the love juice to. - Demetrius and Hermia aren't getting along well and Hermia thinks that Lysander is dead. - Oberon and Puck try to fix the situation by applying the love juice to Demetrius' eyes. - The situation gets worse, Demetrius and Lysander are both in love with Helena. - Hermia finds them and is furious with Helena and upset with Demetrius. - Everyone is mad at someone else and Demetrius and Lysander decide to go have a fight in the woods to make things fair.

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