A+Midsummer+Night+Dream

media type="file" key="Ligia and Varada.mp3" width="240" height="20" Act I, Scene 1 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? Well, Theseus is impatient till the wedding, and thus, he feels that four nights will take forever to pass. Meanwhile, Hippolyta is excited but she has enough patience to wait four nights and so she tells Theseus that the time will pass by quickly.

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 suitors to Theseus because he wants Theseus to make his daughter, Hermia, who loves Lysander, marry Demetrius and obey her father or get permission from Theseus to kill/dispose of his child.

3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? Egeus and Theseus think that the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society is to obey their husband/father at all times. The choices that Theseus gives Hermia are that she may be killed, or marry Demetrius, or become a singleton/nun for the rest of her life.

4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? Lysander's comment complicates things because it makes Theseus fell more sympathetic towards Hermia and also makes him feel a bit unsure about Hermia and Demetrius together.

5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? Lysander and Hermia decide to run away and get married at Lysander's aunts house which is outside of Athens and thus the Athenian law cannot foil their plans. They tell Helena to make her feel better about Demetrius not loving her and also because they want her to know that she has a chance with Demetrius because Hermia is no longer in Athens as of tomorrow night.

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 plan because she thinks that Dmetrius will be so happy that she tells him the plan that he will fall in love with her.

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' basic dilemma is that she loves Lysander but her dad wants her to marry Demetrius who she does not like. Her choices outlined by Theseus and Egeus are that she may either listen to her dad or be killed. Lysander suggests a less harsh choice which is that they could run away and get married. Act I, Scene 2

8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? Nick Bottom wants to play all the points because he wants to prove to everyone that he is a terrific actor and also because he thinks that no one else can justify the parts the way he can, and then proceeds to show everyone how good he is.

9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? This scene is funny because it shows a portrayal of different characters which relate to people in real life. I think Shakespeare included this scene to poke fun at actors or directors he knew without directly hurting their feelings.

10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? The actors are to meet the next night in the forest to rehearse their parts and so that they are not overheard. Hermia and Lysander are also meeting their the next night to elope while being unknowingly followed by Helena and Demetrius.

11. How would you descibe Bottom's acting ability? What is Bottom's own opinion of his acting ability? In the book, it seemed as though Bottom's acting ability was weak and that it was just he that thought that it was superb. But in the movie clip, his acting was actually quite good but I think he still boasted about it a bit more than he should have. Basically, I think that his acting ability was average or mediocre but he seemed to think that it was the best in the world and that everybody else's was not even close to his.

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? We find out that they are constantly fighting because Titania won't give her dead friend's son to Oberon whom Oberon is jealous of.

11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? They have come to Athens to attend the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. In the movie, Oberon mentions that Titania had an affair with Theseus previously which could be another reason why he is mad at Titania.

12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? Every time their mood changes, nature either becomes violent or calm, people become happy or angry, and the seasons change weirdly when they are arguing.

13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Titania won't give up the changeling to Oberon because she had promised her friend when she was dying that she would take care of her child and not give him up to anybody.

14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? Oberon sends Puck to find a flower that Cupid's arrow had once hit making it a purplish colour. I think it suggests that the flower is what we now know as a pansy.

15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? Oberon's plan for Titania is to put the juice of the flower on her eyes, so that when she wakes up the first living thing she sees is the thing she falls madly in love with. Oberon also hopes that whatever she sees will be highly vile and repulsive.

16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? Helena shows amazing wit because to whatever Demetrius says she has a comeback/answer ready no matter how mean he is to her, which just goes to show the intense the madness of her love for him is.

17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? Her response to his threats is that he can do whatever he wants as long as she can be like a spaniel and follow him no matter what.

18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? Helena's behaviour is inappropriate for Athenian women because Athenian women are supposed to be modest and not beg and plead for love and jus basically listen to their father/husband and do as they are told. Helena is not being proper because she is basically begging and pleading Demetrius to love her, when he spurns her.

19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? Oberon tells Puck to anoint the flower juice on his eyes but at a time so that when he wakes up the first person he sees is Helena.I think he does this because he feels slightly sorry for Helena and maybe he feels like he is in the same position as her.

Act II, Scene 2

20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? Oberon wants her to fall in love with some vile thing so that the other fairies ridicule her and probably for his own plaesure and amusement.

21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? Hermia insists that Lysander sleep a little ways away from her to protect her modesty as they are not yet married.

22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Puck anoints Lysander's eyes because Oberon tells him to anoint the eyes of the Athenian wearing a toga and at the time that Puck sees Lysander he is wearing a toga.

23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? Helena becomes terribly mad and feels abused and insulted because she thinks that Lysander is mocking her and she has already been abused a lot that day so she just basically snaps.

24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Hermia's dream is a reflection of reality because Lysander has just "eaten" her heart or love by falling in love with another.

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 write a two prologues at the beginning of the play explaining that Bottom is bottom and not really killing himself and that the lion is really just Snug the joiner.

26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? For the moonlight, the actors have decided to open the window and hope that enough moonlight will shine in. For the wall, they have decided to have a man dressed up as a wall stand there with his fingers in a circle so that Pyramus and Thisbe can whisper through the wall.

27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? The actors run off because when Bottom appears his head has been replaced by an ass's and all the actors think there has been some dark magic.

28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? Puck plans to make them even more scared, basically stir the pot even more and leave Bottom alone.

29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? At first Bottom is very surprised when Titania shows interest in him but by the end, he doesn't mind and infact enjoys the attention he is receiving from everyone and the way they are fawning over him.

30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? The quote is a big aspect of the play because at the current situation between the lovers there is no reason to why they love each other. For instance, Helena loving Demetrius even though he hates her so much and Lysander suddenly starting to love Hermia, etc.

Act III, Scene 2 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander because she sees no other logical explanation of why he would desert her in the middle of the night.

32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? Oberon tells Puck to anoint the antidote on Lysander's eyes while Oberon anoints the love juice on Demetrius's eyes while making sure the fist person he sees is Helena.

33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? Helena is upset because she thinks that Demetrius, Lysander, and Hermia are all on this joke together and therefore Demetrius is just playing along to make her seem like a fool when she believes him.

34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Helena accuses of Hermia being in on the "joke" and trying to make her seem like a fool and Helena asks her whether she has forgotten that they are such good friends.

35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? We learn that Hermia and Helena had grown up together and that they are very close, almost like sisters.

36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Lysander insults Hermia and calls her ugly and asks her why anyone would ever love her. Hermia doesn't believe him because she sees no logical explanation to why he would suddenly stop loving her.

37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander's love away from her and putting a magical spell on the guys to make them stop loving her and start loving Helena instead.

38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? Helena is afraid of Hermia because Hermia apparently has very violent tendencies when she gets mad and Helena fears that Hermia could kill her if she tried.

39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? Lysander and Demetrius are going off to fight and duel out who will get to marry/love Helena.

40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Oberon tells Puck to make Demetrius and Lysander confused and tired so that they fall asleep.

41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? Oberon is going to anoint Titania's eyes with the antidote because he feels jealousy/pity for her.

42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Oberon doesn't fear the coming of day because he knows that everything will turn out all right in the morinig.

43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? Puck's trickery works very well because he makes sure that all the antidotes and juices are applied and also makes sure that all the lovers are near each other and sleeping, etc. ====**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 love with Bottom
 * Titania tells her fairies to take good care of Bottom, which at first surprises him but then he learns to accept it.
 * Bottom quotes, "...reason and love keep little company together nowadays."
 * In another part of the wood, Puck tells Oberon that Titania has fallen in love with a monster.
 * Oberon, happy, asks Puck whether he anointed the eyes of the Athenian as well. Puck replies cheerfully yes.
 * At that moment, Demetrius and Hermia walk in, Oberon recognizes Demetrius but Puck says that this was not the man.
 * As Oberon and Puck watch, Hermia accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander becuase he has left her in the middle of the night.
 * Demetrius denies but Hermia leaves in a terrible rage, Demetrius tired by his heavy sorrow and lack of sleep decides to rest.
 * Oberon yells at Puck because he anointed the wrong man's eyes.
 * Oberon then tells Puck to go find Helena while he anoints Demetrius's eyes with the love potion.
 * Soon after, Helena appears followed by Lysander.
 * Lysander is trying to tell Helena how much he loves her but she is mad and thinks that he is mocking her.
 * While Lysander and Helena are fighting, Demetrius awakes and falls in love with Helena.
 * Helena is greatly upset and thinks that both the guys are playing some sort of cruel joke on her.
 * Hermia then enters, and is greatly relieved upon finding Lysander alive and well.
 * When Lysander is asked by Hermia why he left her in the midlle of the night, he replies by telling that his love made him go.
 * Hermia is confused about who he is talking about. Lysander then says curtly Helena.
 * Hermia does not believe him and almost starts to laugh. Helena then becomes very distraught as she thinks that even her best friend is against her.
 * Hermia and Helena then start fighting and insulting each other because each thinks the other stole her love.
 * Eventually Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius then start arguing and physically fighting amongst themselves.
 * Soon Lysander and Demetrius exit to go fight about who gets Helena.
 * After being verbally abused by Hermia, Helena runs away frightened and confused, while Hermia goes the other way, also confused.
 * Oberon then blames everything on Puck and then tells him to make Demetrius and Lysander go to sleep.
 * Puck confuses and manipulates Demetrius and Lysander until they are so confused and both fall down and sllep.
 * Soon thereafter, Helena enters the scene and she too exhausted falls down and sleeps.
 * Minutes later, Hermia arries and also sleeps.
 * After everyone is asleep, Puck anoints the antidote of the love juice on Lysandar's eyes meaning that when he wakes he will back in love with Hermia.
 * Therefore, by the end of act three everything should be back to normal.

Act IV, Scene 1

44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? Bottom has adjusted quite well, and he has started to enjoy the attention he is getting from Titania and her fairies.

45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? Oberon tells Puck that he feels pity over the way Titania is fawning over Bottom but I think that there is also a slight amount of jealousy behind his feelings.

46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? Oberon just basically avoids the question and says that he will tell her later and asks her to dance to take her mind of what happened.

47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? Theseus and Hippolyta are happy because it's the day of their wedding and they have gone fox-hunting as a fun treat. Egeus has either tagged along or been invited along by Egeus.

48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? Theseus's first explanation is that the young people are there because they have woken up early to take part in the festivities planned for the day but have fallen asleep tired.

49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? Demetrius says that he does not know why but he has fallen in love with Helena and that falling in love with Hermia was a illness because it was almost like he was delusional like how you sometimes become when you have a hig fever.

50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? Theseus, heavily influenced by Hippolyta, decides to overrule Egeus and let the lovers marry and stay with whom they actually love.

51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? The lovers aren't sure because after being told they have to obey so many rules they are finally allowed to express their feelings and marry and stay with who they actually love.

52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? Bottom is going to use his "dream" to write a ballad that will be performed at the wedding, called Bottom's Dream, with there being a double play on the words play.

Act IV, Scene 2

53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? The other artisans seem to have high regard for Bottom now that he is no longer there, and are talking among themselves while saying things like Bottom had great talent, and every peeny he would have got was earned by him, etc. Basically, it showed a different side of not only the artisans but also of Bottom as they seem to think he was quite a great actor and friend.

54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? After being "not" able to perform in the play the thing they most regret is that Bottom will not get his six pence from the duke which they think he deserves, and they say how he would not been able to meet it otherwise so basically how his dream will not be fulfilled.

55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? The artisans must hurry because Bottom has just told them that they will be performing in a matter of hours at the Duke's palace because they have been selected as they people who perform.

Extending the thought process.
====a) The fourth act opens and ends with Bottom at center stage. What is your opinion of Bottom’s character? How might he be the antithesis, or opposite, of Theseus’s character?==== ==== I think that Bottom is a character that we all know in real life as well. He is someone that thinks he is the greatest when in truth he is not that at all. Sometimes, he seems to be scared or misunderstood but covers it up by showing off. I think that Shakespeare tried to convey a meesage through Bottom's character. It seems as though he was trying to tell us that in all of us there is a strange, misunderstood, afraid little boy or girl but it is up to us how we decide to cover that fact. I think that Bottom is the anithesis of Theseus because Theseus is semmingly perfect, while Bottom is a struggling person who covers up his mistakes by saying that he is perfect. I think the main difference between the two is that, one is and the other one tries to be. ==== ====b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?==== ==== Most of the dreamers after waking are surprised because they wonder what has happened and why they are suddenly either in love with someone else or why they dreamt about what happened happened. When the lovers awake and tell their stories to Theseus and Theseus overrules Egeus, I think that the lovers were very surprsed but then decided to go with the flow and accept the terms as that is what made them the happiest. If though,Theseus had made Hermia become a nun or die, they probably would have not been very happy at all and possibly even blamed everything on their dream. Bottom when awaking, decides to not believe what has happend in his dream, and call it a dream and move on in life. But because Bottom's character is a self-centered person he manages/decides to use his dream to fulfill his own "dreams." The character that is changed permanently is Demetrius because before going to "sleep" or entering the dream he is in love with Hermia and afterwards he is in love with Helena. So basically, the dream changes his love and marriage decision permanently. THe rest of the characters still love who they did and are still have the same characters, such as Bottom still being self-centered. ====

====c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation?==== I think that Shakespeare has clarified what he wanted to say about love and infatuation, through Bottom's line, "love and reason keep little company nowadays." Basically, he has wanted to say that love is a unreasonable, unpractical, and weird thing. He is saying that everyone loves but that there is no logic or reason to why they do. For instance, the lovers constantly flipping who they love because of a little bit of love juice. I think that that is a perfect metaphor for how hard it is to find true love nowadays, because true love withstands anything, and Lysander's supposedly true love for Hermia disappeared as soon as Puck put love juice on his eyes.But Shakespeare also shows that true love does exist, such as Hermia's for Lysander, because even though he was so rude to her she still continued to love him till the end. Basically, Shakespeare shows how true or untrue, reasonable or unreasonable, logical or illogical love can be.

Act V

56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? Theseus dismisses the stories because he says that in love you are ready to believe anything and that that is probably what happened with them as they just started to think things were happening even though they weren't, as if in a dream.

57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? He decides to see Pyramus and Thisbe because he says that he has either already seen the other plays or something like the others, or he thinks that they wouldn't be proper at a wedding ceremony, etc. and also because according to Philostrate the actors are horrible and Theseus is in the mood to laugh and have fun.

58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? Philostrate thinks that the play is extremely tedious and short, and very boring. He does not want Theseus to see it in fear because Theseus might get angry at the actors for being so bad which would ruin his wedding and night. He also says that watching the play is being tortured slowly and cruelly.

59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? He says that even though the play is bad and boring, it is not wrong because of the effort and duty and simpleness the actors have put in it.

60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? They tell the entire story so that the ladies are not frightened by what happens in the play or so that no one is disturbed by the proceedings.

61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? Shakespeare uses comments to make the play funnier because it provides a blunt insight into how bad the play is and at times it also helps in breaking the fourth wall between the actors and the audience.

62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? Hippolyta at first, thinks the play is the silliest thingshe's seen but by the end of the play she has started to pity the men.

63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? Thisbe's final speech is humorous because the words that are used make everything sound really funny, but in the movie the performance was actually pretty good.

64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? Oberon tells the fairies to spread out and sing and dance so that they shall be able to bless the house.

65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? Puck's final speech is there to ask for forgiveness from the audience in case they have offended anybody.

Extending the thought process:

FInd at least one example of each of the following that occurs during the play within the play. Write down the quote that illustrates example.

excessive alliteration: "He bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast;" breaking the play’s illusion of reality: " No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me' is Thisby's cue: she is to enter now, and I am to spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes." using the wrong word or name: " And, like Limander, am I trusty still" " And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill." repeating a word excessively: " That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd with cheer." ridiculous metaphor: " This lanthorn doth the horned moon present;"

===a) In reading the play-within-a-play, we become the audience for the drama played out by Theseus, Hippolyta, and the others. These performers, in turn, form the audience for the reenactment of Pyramus and Thisbe. How does observing another audience help you understand the relationship between audience and performers?=== Viewing the relationship through watching a horrible play helps even more because it shows you what is supposed to happen and what is happening. It also shows how much the audience undestands through the actors performance but of course, the acting being horrible, it was hard to understand as much as the people in Elizabethan Age probably would have. It also shows you what the people in those days found funny and what they didn't. ===b) Modern television shows often create comic effects by having a silly, innocent, or “clueless” character and a sarcastic, knowing, clever character play off of each other. What examples can you think of?=== The first one I can think of is According to Jim in which Jim thinks he is the all knowing smart person and is constantly playing of the "dumber" characters who are actually smarter than him. Another example would be in Wizards of Waverly Place when Alex (selena gomez) plays a snarky character, who seems to be sarcastic and smarter to her best friend Harper throughout the series.

===c) Identify ways in which Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration. Are there any ways in which the play might be appropriate? In what ways is the play-within-a-play an ironic commentary on what the two pairs of young lovers (Demetrius and Helena, Lysander and Hermia) have gone through earlier?=== Pyramus and Thisbe could be unsuitable because it is a tragedy and on your wedding day which is a day of great joy most people don't want to be reminded of tragedy and so forth. It could be appropriate in a way because it is about deeply loving someone which is usually why you get married. Ther is a bit of irony in the play-within-the-play beacuse the two mains are killed because of misunderstanding what has happened and similarly the lovers mostly fall in in love because of magic or misunderstanding of who sees who when woken.

Completion 25/25

Effort 25/25

Content 22/25

Total 73/75

Podcast 1 - 17/20

Podcast 2 - nhi