A+Midsummer+Night's+Dream+Questions

=Midsummer Night's Dream Night Images= =media type="file" key="Midsummer.mp3" width="240" height="20"= = =

=__Act I, Scene 1__=

She thinks that the 4 days are going to pass quickly, but theseus' response is that it will be very slow.
 * 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus?**

Egeus has Brought Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius to Theseus because he hopes Theseus will be able to enforce the ancient Athenian law he has made on his daughter.
 * 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do?**

That you have to listen to your father and that she doesn't get to choose who she wants to marry, and her father wants her to marry Demetrius or she has to go to a nunnery and become a nun, or she has to be killed.
 * 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia**

Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’ previous love affair with Helena complicates things because it reveals that Demetrius has been unfaithful, therefore weakening his argument and his reputation as a good lover for Hermia.
 * 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things?**

They plan on running away together so they can get married because Hermia's father won't let her. I think they also told Helena because that is Hermia's best friend.
 * 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena?**

Helena decides to tell Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander's plan because she thinks that Demetrius will be so grateful that he will love her again.
 * 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?**

She has to choose whether she wants to marry Demetrius, go to a nunnery and become a nun, or be killed, but Lysander said that they could run away together to his aunt's house, where they'll be safe and be together and get married.
 * 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest?**

=__**Act I, Scene 2 **__=

Nick Bottom __thinks__ he is a great actor, and thinks his acting skills are much greater then his partners. His ego is also sky-high, and he wants the most attention on stage.
 * 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? **

The scene has humor because of the irony "A bad play, inside a good play"
 * 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? **

The actors were to meet in the woods. Hermia, and Lysander were also going to be meeting there that night.
 * 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? **

Bottom's acting style is that he tries to impress the audience the best he can. He thinks he is a great actor, but in reality, he is actually a very poor actor.
 * 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? **

=__**Act II Scene 1**__=

Puck tells the first fairy not to let them see eachother because Titania made Oberon jelous by being stolen by another person when they were little.
 * 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? **

Oberon and Titania had affairs with Hippolyta and Theseus, respectively. They have come to Athens to celebrate Theseus' wedding.
 * 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? **

The Quarrel between the king and queen of the fairies has affected humans by making the seasons go awry, changing the weather, ruining crops and creating starvation.
 * 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? **

Titania will not give up the changeling child to Oberon because she feels she is responsible for looking after it after it's mother
 * 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? **

Oberon sends Puck to find a flower that has special love powers within it.
 * 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? **

Oberon plans to send Puck out to put this flower juice in Titania's eyes. Then he will make sure that Titania will wake up looking at a beast. if the plan suceeds, Titania will fall in love with a wild beast.
 * 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? **

Helena says that the more Demetrius yells at her, the more she will love her.
 * 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? **

Helana says that he can abuse her if he wants, and she wants to be his spaniel, his dog.
 * 17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? **

She is 'Wooing' the man, when that should be the man's job
 * 18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? **

He tells puck to put the juice in Demetrius' eyes so he will love Helana
 * 19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? **

=__ Act II, Scene 2 __=

It is Oberon's revenge for Titania not letting him have the changeling.
 * 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? **

Hermia says that they are not married yet, so they must not sleep together yet.
 * 21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? **

Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, so he accidenty puts the juice in Lysander's eyes
 * 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? **

Helana is shocked, and thinks he is unfair to Hermia.
 * 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? **

In Hermia's dream, a snake comes and eats her heart. While she is sleeping Helena comes and steals Lysander. The metaphor for "losing your heart" means 'having a loved on taken away from you
 * 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? **

=__** Act III, Scene 1 **__=

They are going to write a prologue explaining that Bottom is not really Pyramus, and that he doesn't actually die.
 * 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 have a window open on the stage for the "moon light" to shine though. They are also planning on using a person as a wall, as they can not just bring a wall onto the stage.
 * 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? **

The actors all run off because Puck put a spell on Bottom that transformed his head into an ass' head.
 * 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? **

Puck tries to make sure that Bottom will be looking at Titania as she wakes up.
 * 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? **

He enjoys the treatment from the fairies serving him drinks and other stuff.
 * 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? **

This is such an apt statement at this point in the play because it ties back to everything that has happened to the lovers so far. The whole story seems to be based on the fact that there is no rhyme or reason to love and that love cannot be forced.
 * 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? **

=__** Act III, Scene 2 **__=

Hermia accuses Demertrius of killing Lysander.
 * 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? **

Puck is going to make sure that Lysander will wake up facing Hermia, and Demetrius will wake up facing Helena.
 * 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? **

Helena thinks that she is being joked around, and being made fun of.
 * 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? **

Helena accuses Hermia of being in this joke with Demtrius, and Lysander.
 * 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? **

They used to be very close as children.
 * 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? **

Lysander treats Hermia with hate, that really shocks her.
 * 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? **

Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander from her.
 * 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? **

Helena is afraid of Hermia, because she knows that Hermia would beat her in a fight.
 * 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? **

Lysander and Demetrius are going out in the woods to go fight over Helena
 * 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? **

Oberon tells Puck to overcast the night, lead the two men away from eachother and tire them out so they will sleep. Then, Oberon tells puck to anoint Lysander's eyes with another herb that will clear his sight and make him fall in love with Hermia once more.
 * 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? **

Oberon feels bad about what he did to Titania, so he sends Puck out to reverse the spell.
 * 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? **

Oberon doesn't fear the coming of the day because he believes that he too powerful to be troubled by this and that it is inconsequential. He has already achieved what he wanted with Titania and the day cannot hinder his plans
 * 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? **

Puck illusions work quite well, he managed to deceive both Lysander, and Demetrius and bring them back to normal without making them confront each over there fighting.
 * 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? **

==**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 wakes and instantly falls in love with Bottom. -Oberon and Puck learn of Puck's mistake and plan to correct it by anointing Demetrius's eyes. -Demetrius wakes and falls in love with Helena, leading Helena to believe that both the men are mocking her. -Hermia finds the group and Helena accuses her of being part of the cruel mockery. -Hermia learns that Lysander now loves Helena and she accuses Helena of stealing Lysander's heart. -Lysander and Demetrius go to fight eachother for Helena's love. -Puck leads the two men a forest He is going to make a ballad called "Bottom's Dream" and have it performed in the middle of the play.

=__** Act IV, Scene 2 **__=

The rest of the acting crew are so exited to see Bottom, that when he comes into the market, they all run up to him and hug him.
 * 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? **

The acting crew would regret not being paid, if they were not able to perform the play.
 * 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? **

The acting group must hurry to Duke's palace, because they have been chosen to perform there play at the weddings.
 * 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? **

= __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 believe that Bottom's character acts a bit overconfident and full of himself, but only behaves that way to compensate for his own insecurity. He is of a lower status and doesn't seem to have accomplished very much in his life. Bottom is the opposite of Theseus because he is of a lower to middle class, while Theseus is well off and of the upper class. Another reason he is the opposite of Theseus is that he has accomplished virtually nothing in his life and Theseus is very accomplished, having won many battles and having control of the city of Athens.

==== **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 respond to the dream experience upon waking by having little or no memory of what had really transpired the night before. They found it quite hard to tell whether they were truly awake or still asleep, dreaming. The character changed permanently by the dream experience is Demetrius, as his love has been transferred from Hermia back to Helena.

==== **c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation?** ====

Shakespeare is saying that love and infatuation are not the same thing and that they should not be confused. These two things are often mixed up and it becomes harder and harder to distinguish what love really is. I think that Shakespeare may not have believed in love at all.

=== Act 4 Podcast: Bottom decides to commission Peter Quince to write a ballad called “Bottom’s Dream.” On your own or with a partner, imagine that you have been asked to write the lyrics and compose the musical accompaniment. Remember that at the beginning of act 4, Bottom told the fairies that he likes to listen to the “tongs and bones” (act 4, scene 1, line 30). Tongs were pieces of metal struck against each other and bones were actual bones. These instruments were used in comical or in less sophisticated musical performances. Write the poetry for the ballad ( a minimum of 2 stanzas, 4 lines each), then put it to music! ===

= = = = =**__ Act V, Scene 1 __**=

He dismisses the story about the four young people because he doesn't want any issues on the day of his wedding.
 * 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? **

Theseus reads the description of the play, and likes the oxymorons, so he decides to chose it.
 * 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? **

Philostrate tells Theseus that when he was watching them practice, he was almost crying of laughter because it was so bad.
 * 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? **

With the line "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it," Theseus is trying to say that the play deserves a chance because the simple folk have tried hard and put much effort into their play; and that even though it will be a laughable event, it is unlikely that the actors will pull off any tricks.
 * 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? **

The prologue explains any "confusion" about what object is what, and that the "actors" aren't actually the characters they are playing.
 * 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? **

The comments from the couples, are to add more humor to the play.
 * 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? **

Hippolyta doesn't like the way that Pyramus acted
 * 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? **

In Thisby's final scene, he stops talking in a girl voice, and loses the wig.
 * 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? **

Oberon tells the faries to go bless the lovers and the house, then to get back to him by daybreak
 * 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? **

The purpose of puck’s final speech is almost to act as a disclaimer, stating that if you’re not satisfied or are offended by the play, you should pretend it is just a dream
 * 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? **


 * Extending the thought process: **

**excessive alliteration** - "... Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, he bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast..."
 * 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. **


 * 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." or "...No assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers..."


 * using the wrong word or name - ** "...Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;


 * repeating a word excessively - ** "...die,die,die,die..."

**ridiculous metaphor** **-** "Sweet moon, I thank thee, for thy sunny beams."

=== 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? === The observing of another audience helps you understand the relationship between audience and performers because it gives you a more omniscient view of the play as you see both the audience within the play and the actors. This makes you more engaged in the play and makes you think more critically about what you are seeing.

=== 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? ===

Some examples of comic television shows that have "clueless" and "all-knowing characters playing off each other might be things the The Simpsons or Monty Python, where there will almost always be one laughable character who is either exploited or shunned by the more "intelligent" characters.

=== 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? === The play was unsuitable for a wedding for many reasons. To start, they couples getting married were in high status, and the actors' experience failed to fur fill the actors desires. Another reason was that in the end of the play the lovers(Pyramus, and Thisbe) killed themselves, and it was inapropriet to act a scene where the lovers had died, just as the newly couples (Hermia & Lysander), (Helena & Demtrius) got married.

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