A+mid+summer+nights+dream

media type="file" key="MSND ACT 1.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? She believes that it will pass slowly, while he thinks it will go quickly. 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? Hermia will not listen to him when he tells her to marry someone she doesn't love, so he expects egeus to uphold Athenian law, and sentence her death if she fails to comply. 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? To obey the men in the family, cook, clean, to be a stay at home mom. 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? That he may not love hermia, he may still love Helena. 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? Run away to their aunt’s house, out of Athenian law, to get married. 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? SO he will follow them, and she will follow him, and they will fall in love. 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? To die, become a nun, or wed to Demetrius. 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? He thinks he is the best actor ever. 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? Because the other actors tell bottom he is too good and he will scare the women, to add some humour. 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? In the forest, Oberon and Titania. 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? Obnoxious, amazing. media type="file" key="amsndact2.m4a" width="240" height="24" align="left"
 * Act I, Scene 2 **

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? That they are angry at each other. 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? They were at Theseus' wedding. 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? It is changing the path of life. 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? She made a promise to the mother, who was her friend, that she will take care of him. 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? The flower of love. 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? To put the juice of the flower on her eyes when she is sleeping, so that she will fall in love with the first animal she sees. 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She just likes him more. 17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? She says he could treat her however he wants, like a dog. 18. In what way is Helena’s behavior inappropriate for Athenian women? She is letting herself be treated like a dog. 19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? To put the juice on Demetrius' eyes so he will fall in love with Helena. 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? So she will forget about the boy so he could have him. 21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? She wants to stay true to herself until they are fully married. 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? By accident. 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? She thinks he is playing a mean trick. 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? Lysander no longer loves her.
 * Act II, Scene 1 **
 * Act II, Scene 2 **

**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? They are going to keep telling the audience that it is not real. 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? A person play the wall, and to do the play on a night of full moon. 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? Because he has the head of a donkey. 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? He likies the popularity. 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? That emotions take over rationalities. 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? Being in on the cruel joke. 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? Put the juice on Lysander eyes and make him fall in love with hermia again. 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? Because he told her he didn't and now he does, but Lysander said it first and she thought it was a trick so she thinks Demetrius is in on it too. 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Being in on the trick she thinks the men are playing on her. 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? Best friends since childhood. 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? Acidly, Because she thought he loved her. 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Being Jealous. 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? She is a wimp. 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? Fight to the death over Helena. 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Imitate their voices, run them around until they fall asleep near the respective women, and put the juice on lysander's eyes. 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? To ask for the boy again. 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Because he has power all the time, unlike other fairies. 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? Very well.
 * Act III, Scene 2**

**Act IV, Scene 1** 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? He likes all the attention. 45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? He feels guilty. 46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? That they dreamed it all. 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? Searching for the 4 run always. 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? That they were running away from Athenian Law. 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? That it was something he got over. 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? That they would wed with him and Hippolyta with the ones they truly love. 51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? Because it is too good to be true. 52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? To write it as a story, “Bottoms Dream”.

53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? They miss him. 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? Bottom. 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? Because if they get there late they won’t be allowed to perform.
 * Act IV, Scene 2**

56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? Because Hippolyta convinced him. 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? Because he hasn’t seen it and thought he could use the humour. 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? He thinks it is a waste of time. 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? You can’t overlook something simple. 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? Because the actors weren’t the best in the world. 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? Sarcasm and wittiness. 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? She cries when the actors kill themselves, and laughs at the funny parts. 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous? Because he asks if Pyramis is sleeping with a sword sticking out of his side. 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do? 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech? If they did not like the play, it was all a dream.
 * Act V**

