A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream

1. A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Characters

2. Characters Theseus, Duke of Athens Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons Egeus, father of Hermia Hermia, daughter of Egeus, in love Lysander Lysander, in love with Hermia Demetrius, suitor to Hermia Helena, in love with Demetrius Philostrate, one of Theseus’ lords Peter Quince, a carpenter Nick Bottom, a weaver Francis Flute, a bellows-mender Tom Snout, a tinker Snug, a joiner Robin Starveling, a tailor Oberon, King of Fairies Titania, Queen of Fairies Robin Goodfello, a puck Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Mote, Mustardseed, fairies of Titania.

3. Theseus, Hippolyta, & Philostrate Theseus is the Duke of Athens Hippolyta is the Queen of the Amazons Philostrate is one of Theseus’ lords

4. Egeus,father of HermiaDemetrius, suitor to Hermia

5. Hermia & Lysander Hermia, the daughter of Egeus, is in love Lysander Lysander is in love with Hermia

6. Demetrius and Helena Demetrius is pursuing Hermia with the intent to marry her. Helena is in love with Demetrius

7. Peter Quince, a carpenter. Peter Quince, a carpenter has written the play and taken the role of director. He invites his fellow actors to his house in Athens to hand out the scripts and roles to be performed for the Duke and the Duchess on their wedding day.

8. Nick Bottom, a weaver. Nick Bottom is a weaver who loves playacting and costumes and given the chance would play every part. Quince names him to play Pyramus, the gallant lover who kills himself thinking his love is dead.

9. Francis Flute, a bellows-mender Francis Flute, is the bellows mender (someone who fixes instruments) . Quince has chosen him to play Lady Thisbe.

10. Robert Starling, a tailor. Robert Starveling, a tailor is chosen to play Thisbe's mother and Moonshine (which is just that, the moon shining on the scene). Actors were often required to play more than one role and men always played the women's parts.

11. Tom Snout, a tinker. Tom Snout. A tinker (an unskillful mender) who is to play the role of Pyramus' father and a wall that Thisbe and Pyramus meet on each side of and talk.

12. Snug, the joiner. Snug the joiner (a person who joins organizations, causes etc.) is to play a lion. The lion's role is only to roar.

13. Titania, Queen of FairiesOberon, King of Fairies

14. Tatiana’s Fairies Cobweb Peaseblossom

15. Tatiana’s Fairies Mote Mustard Seed

16. Robin Goodfello, a puck. Puck is a nature spirit who stirs reality to tease, befuddle, and enchant humans and fairies alike. Whether this is done in spite or to teach lessons it is hard to say. In this play he gives his allegiance to the King of the Fairies, Oberon.

17. A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Act 1, Scene 1 and Scene 2

18. Theseus & Hippoltya plan their wedding THESEUS Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in Another moon. But oh, methinks how slow. This old moon wanes! HIPPOLYTA Four days will quickly steep themselves in night. Four nights will quickly dream away the time. And then the moon, like to a silver bow. New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities.

19. Theseus, Hermia, Egeus, Demetrius, & Lysander Egeus has given Demetrius permission to marry Hermia but Hermia and Lysander are in love and wish to marry. Demetrius is in love with Hermia but was once in love withHelena. Egeus has come to Theseus to get his way. Under law, a daughter must marry the person chosen by her father.

20. Egeus presents his case to Theseus. EGEUS Full of vexation come I with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia.— Stand forth, Demetrius.—My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her.—Stand forth, Lysander.—And my gracious duke, This man hath bewitched the bosom of my child. THESEUS What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid: To you your father should be as a god…

21. Hermia pleads with the Duke HERMIA I do entreat your grace to pardon me. I know not by what power I am made bold Nor how it may concern my modesty In such a presence here to plead my thoughts, But I beseech your grace that I may know The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

22. THESEUS Either to die the death or to abjure Forever the society of men… Take time to pause, and by the next new moon— The sealing day betwixt my love and me For everlasting bond of fellowship— Upon that day either prepare to die For disobedience to your father’s will, Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would, Or on Diana’s altar to protest For aye austerity and single life.

23. Hermia & Lysander plan to run away LYSANDER A good persuasion. Therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager Of great revenue, and she hath no child. From Athens is her house remote seven leagues, And she respects me as her only son. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee. And to that place the sharp Athenian law Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me then, Steal forth thy father’s house tomorrow night. And in the wood, a league without the town—

24. Hermia tries to comfort Helena HERMIA Godspeed, fair Helena! Whither away? HELENA Call you me “fair”? That “fair” again unsay. Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair… HERMIA I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. HELENA Oh, that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!

25. HERMIA I give him curses, yet he gives me love. HERMIA The more I hate, the more he follows me. HELENA The more I love, the more he hateth me. HERMIA His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. HELENA None, but your beauty. Would that fault were mine! HERMIA Take comfort. He no more shall see my face. Lysander and myself will fly this place… Farewell, sweet playfellow. Pray thou for us. And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius!— Exit HERMIA Exit LYSANDER

26. Helena’s soliloquy How happy some o'er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so. He will not know what all but he do know. And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes, So I, admiring of his qualities. Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity. Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind… I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight. Then to the wood will he tomorrow night Pursue her. And for this intelligence If I have thanks, it is a dear expense. But herein mean I to enrich my pain, To have his sight thither and back again.

27. A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Act 1 Scene 2 Athens. QUINCE’S House

28. QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens… play… before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding day at night. Marry, our play is The most lamentable comedy and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. BOTTOM First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point. BOTTOM What is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant? QUINCE A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.

29. QUINCE Francis Flute, the bellows-mender? FLUTE Here, Peter Quince. QUINCE Flute, you must take Thisbe on you. FLUTE What is Thisbe? A wandering knight? QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love. FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming. QUINCE That’s all one. You shall play it in a mask, and you may speak as small as you will.

30. QUINCE Tom Snout, the tinker? SNOUT Here, Peter Quince. QUINCE You, Pyramus' father.—Myself, Thisbe’s father.

31. QUINCE: Robin Starveling, the tailor? STARVELING: Here, Peter Quince. QUINCE: Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother. Snug the joiner, you, the lion’s part.—And I hope here is a play fitted. SNUG: Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study. QUINCE: You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.

33. A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Act 2, Scene 1 and Scene 2

34. The Enchanted ForestFairy & Robin Goodfellow In Act Two, Scene One we are in the forest near Athens where a Fairy & Puck enter the stage from opposite sides. This is our introduction to the fair creature of wood through these two characters and their conversations about themselves, each other and their allegiances to and warnings about the King Oberon and Queen Titania who both plan to enter the wood that night bearing certain grievances over ownership of a small changeling the Queen has claimed.

35. ROBIN How now, spirit? Whither wander you? FAIRY  Over hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier… I serve the fairy queen To dew her orbs upon the green… Our queen and all our elves come here anon. ROBIN The king doth keep his revels here tonight. Take heed the queen come not within his sight. For Oberon is passing fell and wrath Because that she, as her attendant hath A lovely boy stolen from an Indian king. She never had so sweet a changeling. And jealous Oberon would have the child. . . But she perforce withholds the lovèd boy, Crowns him with flowers, and makes him all her joy. FAIRY Either I mistake your shape and making quite, Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite Called Robin Goodfellow…Those that “Hobgoblin” call you, and “sweet Puck,” You do their work, and they shall have good luck. Are not you he? ROBIN Thou speak’st aright. I am that merry wanderer of the night. I jest to Oberon and make him smile…A merrier hour was never wasted there. But, room, fairy! Here comes Oberon. FAIRY And here my mistress. Would that he were gone!

36. Titania, Queen of FairiesOberon, King of Fairies Titania and Oberon, the Queen and King of the fairies have entered the forest, each with their own 'court'. They are less than happy to see each other for many reasons but the main issue on this midsummer's eve is the child that Titania has taken possession of and Oberon wants for himself.

37. OBERON Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. TITANIA What, jealous Oberon?—Fairies, skip hence. I have forsworn his bed and company. OBERON Tarry, rash wanton. Am not I thy lord? TITANIA Then I must be thy lady. But I know When thou hast stolen away from Fairyland, And in the shape of Corin sat all day, Playing on pipes of corn and versing love To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here, Come from the farthest step of India? But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon, Your buskined mistress and your warrior love, To Theseus must be wedded, and you come To give their bed joy and prosperity. OBERON How canst thou thus for shame, Titania, Knowing I know thy love to Theseus? Glance at my credit with Hippolyta, Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night From Perigouna, whom he ravishèd? And make him with fair Ægles break his faith, With Ariadne and Antiopa?

38. TITANIA These are the forgeries of jealousy. And never, since the middle summer’s spring, Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead, By pavèd fountain, or by rushy brook, Or in the beachèd margent of the sea, To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind, But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport…From our debate, from our dissension. We are their parents and original. OBERON Do you amend it then. It lies in you. Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg a little changeling boy, To be my henchman. TITANIA Set your heart at rest. The Fairyland buys not the child of me. His mother was a votaress of my order, And in the spicèd Indian air by night Full often hath she gossiped by my side… Following—her womb then rich with my young squire …But she, being mortal, of that boy did die. And for her sake do I rear up her boy, And for her sake I will not part with him. OBERON How long within this wood intend you stay? TITANIA Perchance till after Theseus' wedding day. If you will patiently dance in our round And see our moonlight revels, go with us. If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts. OBERON Give me that boy and I will go with thee. TITANIA Not for thy fairy kingdom.—Fairies, away! We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. OBERON Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove Till I torment thee for this injury.

39. Oberon and Robin Goodfellow plot against Titania OBERON Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove Till I torment thee for this injury.—(to ROBIN GOODFELLOW) My gentle Puck, come hither… Fetch me [the] flower. The herb I showed thee once. The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid Will make or man or woman madly dote…Exit ROBIN I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep And drop the liquor of it in her eyes. The next thing then she waking looks upon— Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, On meddling monkey or on busy ape— She shall pursue it with the soul of love. And ere I take this charm from of her sight— As I can take it with another herb— I’ll make her render up her page to me. But who comes here? I am invisible. And I will overhear their conference. Enter DEMETRIUS, HELENA following him

40. Demetrius, Helena, & Oberon While Oberon contemplates his plan to steal the changeling from Titania, he overhears Demetrius and Helena arguing. Helena continues to declare her love and commitment to Demetrius while he desperately looks for Hermia who has run away with Lysander.

41. DEMETRIUS I love thee not, therefore pursue me not. Where is Lysander and fair Hermia… Thou told’st me they were stol'n unto this wood. And here am I, and wood within this wood, Because I cannot meet my Hermia. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more… HELENA … I shall have no power to follow you. DEMETRIUS … do I not in plainest truth Tell you I do not, nor I cannot, love you? HELENA And even for that do I love you the more… The more you beat me, I will fawn on you... DEMETRIUS Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit. For I am sick when I do look on thee. HELENA And I am sick when I look not on you… DEMETRIUS I will not stay thy questions. Let me go. Or if thou follow me, do not believe But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. HELENA You do me mischief…We cannot fight for love as men may do. We should be wooed and were not made to woo. ExitDEMETRIUS I’ll follow thee and make a heaven of hell, To die upon the hand I love so well. Exit HELENA OBERON Fare thee well, nymph. Ere he do leave this grove, Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love. Enter ROBIN Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer.

42. Oberon details his attack on Titania & shares a plan with Robin so that Demetrius falls in love with Helena OBERON I pray thee, give it me. (takes flower from ROBIN) I know a bank where the wild thyme blows… There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight. with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes And make her full of hateful fantasies. (gives ROBIN some of the flower) Take thou some of it and seek through this grove: A sweet Athenian lady is in love With a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes. But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on. Effect it with some care, that he may prove More fond on her than she upon her love. And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow. ROBIN Fear not, my lord. Your servant shall do so. (They all exit, separately.)

43. A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Act 2 Scene 2 The Enchanted Forest

44. After a long day, Titania’s fairies sing her to sleep when Oberon arrives. (Enter TITANIA, Queen of Fairies, with her train of FAIRIES) TITANIA Come now, a roundel and a fairy song…Sing me now asleep. Then to your offices and let me rest… FAIRIES(sing)Philomel, with melody… Sing in our sweet lullaby… Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby… Never harm…Nor spell nor charm… Come our lovely lady nigh… So good night, with lullaby. TITANIA sleeps Exeunt FAIRIES Enter OBERON

45. Oberon casts his spell on Titania OBERON (squeezing flower juice on TITANIA’s eyelids) What thou seest when thou dost wake, Do it for thy true love take. Love and languish for his sake. Be it ounce or cat or bear, Pard or boar with bristled hair, In thy eye that shall appear, When thou wakest, it is thy dear. Wake when some vile thing is near. Exit OBERON Enter LYSANDER and HERMIA

46. LYSANDER Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood. And to speak troth, I have forgot our way. We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good. And tarry for the comfort of the day. HERMIA Be it so, Lysander. Find you out a bed, For I upon this bank will rest my head. LYSANDER One turf shall serve as pillow for us both. One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. HERMIA Nay, good Lysander. For my sake, my dear, Lie further off yet. Do not lie so near. LYSANDER O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence. Love takes the meaning in love’s conference. I mean that my heart unto yours is knit, So that but one heart we can make of it. HERMIA Lysander riddles very prettily. Now much beshrew my manners and my pride If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied. But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy Lie further off in human modesty. Such separation as may well be said Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid. So far be distant. And, good night, sweet friend.Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end! LYSANDER Amen, amen to that fair prayer, say I. And then end life when I end loyalty! Here is my bed. Sleep give thee all his rest! HERMIA and LYSANDER sleep

47. Enter ROBIN 55 ROBIN  Through the forest have I gone.  But Athenian found I none,  On whose eyes I might approve  This flower’s force in stirring love. (sees LYSANDER and HERMIA)  Night and silence! Who is here?  Weeds of Athens he doth wear.  This is he, my master said, Despisèd the Athenian maid.  And here the maiden, sleeping sound  On the dank and dirty ground.  Pretty soul! She durst not lie  Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. (squeezes flower juice on LYSANDER’s eyelids)  Churl, upon thy eyes I throw  All the power this charm doth owe.  When thou wakest, let love forbid  Sleep his seat on thy eyelid.  So awake when I am gone,  For I must now to Oberon.

49. A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream Act 3, Scene 1, Scene 2 and Scene 3

50. Finding Shakespeare’s Beat:Meter and Free Verse • Meter: A strict rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in each line. • Free Verse: Poetry written in loose form with no set rhythm.