| Act 1 Scene i | Theseus and Hippolyta are getting marriedEgeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius but she loves Lysander; she can listen to her father, die, or become a nun; Lysander and Hermia plan to run away outside of Athens |
| Act 1 Scene ii | The actors want to perform their play “Pyramus and Thisbe” and the duke’s (Theseus) wedding. Bottom wants all the parts; Flute doesn’t want to play the girl because he has a beard coming in; snug plays the lion because he is dumb and won’t scare the ladies |
| Act 2 Scene i | Puck is a rude, sneaky HobgoblinTitania and Oberon are fighting over who should keep the Indian boy; their fight is causing natural disasters and disease; the boys mom used to work for Titania but died during childbirth; Oberon sends Puck to get a flower that will make Titania love an animal |
| Act 2 Scene ii | Oberon and Puck see Demetrius and Helena fighting; Oberon tells Puck to make Demetrius love Helena with the flower; Hermia and Lysander fall asleep in the woods and Puck put the flower juice on Lysander’s eyes instead; Lysander falls in love with Helena when she wakes him Hermia wakes up up from her dream of a serpent eating her heart; she goes to look for Lysander |
| Act 3 Scene i | Actors are practicing their play in the forest; they will tell the audience snug is not actually a lion; someone will hold up a lantern to play the moon; Puck turns Bottom into a donkeyTitania wakes up and sees Bottom as a donkey, falling in love; she tells her fairies to serve him instead |
| Act 3 Scenes ii-iii | Puck and Oberon realize Puck put the juice on the wrong eyes; Demetrius still loves Hermia; Oberon sends Puck to get Helena and puts the juice on Demetrius’ eyesHelena thinks everyone is making fun of her and is mad; the girls fight (Helena makes fun of Hermia’s height)To stop the boys from hurting eachother Oberon tells Puck to lead them separate ways; then Puck must undo the spell on LysanderOberon plans to get the boy from Titania and then remove her spell |
| Act 4 Scenes i-ii | Bottom tells the fairies to feed him hay and oats (still a donkey)Oberon steals the Indian boy then tells Puck to undo Titanias love for Bottom and turn Bottom back into a manHippolyta, Theseus, and Egeus discover the four lovers in the woods; Demetrius and Helena will get married as well as Lysander and Hermia;Everyone thinks this was a dream The actors will perform their play at the palace |
| Act 5 – Epilogue | Philostrate does not recommend “Pyramus and Thisbe” for entertainment but Theseus chooses it anyways; the play is terrible and the audience laughs even though its sadOberon, Titania, and Puck bless the house so the three marriages will be successful |
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Summaries by Scene
August 15, 2019