A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Egeus Father of Hermia
Lysander Hermia loves him
Theseus Duke of Athens
Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons
Oberon King of the Fairies
Helena Tells Hermia’s plans to Demetrius
Puck Robin Goodfellow
Hermia Arranges to meet Lysander in the woods
Titania Queen of the Fairies
Quince Wrote “Pyramus and Thisby”
Flute Plays Thisby
Demetrius Helena loves him, but he’s to marry Hermia
Bottom Wants to play all the roles
Snout Plays Wall
Snug Plays Lion
Dissension Discord, disagreement
Feigning Pretending
Beguile Charm, to influence by trickery or deception
Entreat To beg, ask earnestly
Austerity Self-denial, self-discipline
Wanes Diminishes, decreases
Amend Heal, repair, modify
Vile Evil, disgusting
Valor Courage
Dank Chilly, damp, moist
Nimble Agile, sprightly, able to move quickly
Enamored Filled with love, in love with
Relent To soften, yield, give up
Sever To separate, cut into
Vexation Annoyance
Visage Face, countenance
Sovereignty Power
Disparage To belittle, criticize unfavorably
Ensue To come at a later time, follow
Lamenting Expressing sorrow, mourning
Edict Decree, official order
Derision Ridicule, mockery
Fray Battle, conflict
Purge To cleanse, purify
Entice To tempt, allure, lead on by exciting hope or desire
Identify speaker and significance “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” Speaker- HelenaSignificance- She is just as beautiful as Hermia, but Demetrius loves Hermia, not Helena. This can also apply to the situation where Titania falls in love with Bottom while he has the head of a donkey.
Identify speaker and significance “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Speaker- LysanderSignificance- Said to Hermia when they are talking about their problem and then the proceed to talk about everything that can possible go wrong with true love. The message also describes the four lovers’ plot, where everything gets mixed up and definitely does not run smoothly.
Identify speaker and significance “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagination all compact.” Speaker- TheseusSignificance- These people can see things others cannot for their own reasons because they have powerful imaginations, also helping to support the theme of illusion versus reality.
What are Theseus and Hippolyta discussing at the play’s start? They are discussing their wedding plans.
What does Oberon send Puck to do to Titania? Put the love juice on her eyes while she sleeps so she will become enamored with the first thing she sees.
Upon overhearing Demetrius and Helena, what does Oberon command Puck to do? Put the love juice on Demetrius’ eyes and make sure Helena is the first one he sees when he wakes up.
When he wakes up, who does Lysander see and love? Helena
Why does Bottom want a prologue written for the play? To ensure the audience, especially ladies, know that they are just acting, and the lion is fake.
What has Puck done to Bottom? Replaced his head with that of a donkey.
What remedy corrects the crossed-loved couples? The remedy that undoes the love potion’s effect. This was used on Lysander to correct the lovers’ confusion.
Why does Oberon remove the spell he has cast over his queen? He feels sorry for her and wants her back. Also, he already got the changling boy.
Finding the two couples asleep in the woods and learning of their more balanced love, what order does Theseus give? The couples who are in love with each other can and will be married alongside each other and Theseus and Hippolyta.
What do the fairies do after the palace goes to sleep? They go through the palace, blessing it and the couples’ issues, meaning children of offspring.
Explain how A Midsummer Night’s Dream shows “Love is blind” and unreasonable and unpredictable. Essay Question. Your own response.
What does Shakespeare seem to be saying about the power of imagination in love? In art? Essay Question. Your own response.
Explain how acting and the nature of plays could be one of the major themes of this play. Consider characteristics and their various roles in the play (withing the play) for support of your answer. Essay Question. Your own response.
Explain in detail how the setting (time and place) contributes to the theme of illusion vs. reality. Be specific. Essay Question. Your own response.
Blank Verse The style Shakespeare wrote most of his plays in. It is not rhyming, iambic, meaning the last syllable is stressed, and written as a pentameter, meaning there are five lines.
July 23, 2019