A+Mid+Summer+Night's+Dream

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 * “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”**

Hippolyta thinks different than Theseus, in that she says that four days will pass quickly.
 * Act I, Scene 1**
 * 1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus?**

Egeus brings his daughter and her two suitors because his daughter doesn't want to marry the man he approves of. Egeus wants Theseus to force her to marry him, or give him the permission by law to kill him.
 * 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do?**

Women in Athenian society are expected to marry whoever their fathers approve of, or face death. Theseus gives Hermia another option. She can choose to marry Demetrius, pick death, or have to become a nun for the rest of her life.
 * 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 says that Demetrius is an inconsistent man, because even after gaining her love, he suddenly turns his face to Hermia. This shows that he doesn't take relationships seriously.
 * 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things?**

They plan to sneak off into the woods and escape to Lysander's Aunt's home and get married. Since it is outside of Athens law, Theseus cannot do anything about it. They tell Helena because they want her to know that she can have Demetrius back.
 * 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena?**

Helena thinks that if she tells Demetrius about their plan, he will be so thankful that he will fall for 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?**

Hermia is forced to marry a man that her father wants her to marry. Hermia herself does not want to marry him, and instead, marry Lysander. She has the choices of marrying, dying, or become a nun. Lysander then comes up with a plan to escape, so they can live together outside of Athens.
 * 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**

Bottom Feels that he has the ability to portray the parts better than everyone else. Maybe he also just wants to impress the girls as well.
 * 8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts?**

Bottom thinks that he is the best at everything,
 * 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare includ****ed this scene?**

The actors are supposed to meet in the woods the following night. Oberon, Titania, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia are also going to appear in the woods.
 * 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time?**

I think that Bottom's acting is a bit over the top at times, but he himself thinks that he can play all parts to perfection.
 * 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting abi**lity?


 * Act II**

We have found out that the two are currently quarreling over a changeling child. Every time they meet, an arguement is born, causing natural disasters that harm humans.
 * 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?**

It is said that they had had affairs, Oberon with Hippolyta, and Titania with Theseus. They have both come to Athens to celebrate the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta.
 * 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens?**

Their quarrels have caused natural disasters and changes of seasons, causing troubles and grief to humans around.
 * 12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans?**

The changeling child was the child of a friend that was very dear to her. Now that she is gone, Titania promised that she would treat him as her own child. Therefore, she cannot hand the boy over to Oberon.
 * 13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon?**

Oberon send Puck out to find a special type of flower that, once the juices of it touches someone's eyes, they will fall in love with the next living thing they set their eyes on.
 * 14. What does Oberon send Puck to find?**

Oberon will drop the juices on Titania's eyes, and have her love a "monster". After a while, he will lift the spell to teach her a lesson.
 * 15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania?**

Instead of backing off or running away, she counters every insult that Demetrius has to offer.
 * 16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse?**

Helena says that she will allow him to do so, as long as she can be with him.
 * 17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse?**

Athenian women are supposed to obey the wishes of the males, and not only is Helena disobeying those rules, she is also trying to take a man who already has a marriage planned.
 * 18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women?**

Oberon tells Puck to drip the juices of the flower onto the eyes of an Athenian man, but only when it is ensured that the next person he sees is the Athenian women following close by.
 * 19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena?**

It is a sort of lesson for not giving up the changeling boy.
 * Act II, Scene 2**
 * 20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing?**

Since they are not yet married, Hermia wants to preserve her modesty.
 * 21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her?**

Oberon described Demetrius as a man dressed in Athenian garb. Lysander is also an Athenian, so Puck mistook him for another.
 * 22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes?**

Helena thinks of this as some sort of joke or a mockery. She is enraged by his acts and runs away.
 * 23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens?**

Hermia dreamt of Lysander laughing as a serpent was ripping out her heart. At that same moment, Lysander has fallen for Helena due to the flower, leaving Hermia heartbroken.
 * 24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality?**

They plan on writing a prologue for each of the parts, explaining that there is no need to be scared.
 * 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?**

Since it was confirmed that there will be a full moon on the night of the marriage, all they have to do is open a window. As for the wall, they will have a man play the part.
 * 26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall?**

When Bottom reappears, Puck has placed the head of an ass on him. Bottom does not know this, but the others think that he is a monster, or demon.
 * 27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears?**

Puck plans to further the fun by transforming into even more beasts, scaring the actors out of their minds.
 * 28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors?**

At first, Bottom is confused by her sudden affection for him, but he quickly goes along with the idea.
 * 29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies?**

Demetrius and Lysander has both suddenly fallen in love with Helena, for no reason at all (besides the effects of the flower). Titania has also fallen for Bottom for no real reason.
 * 30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play?**

After she wakes up and Lysander is not in sight, she accuses Demetrius of murdering him.
 * Act III, Scene 2**
 * 31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing?**

Oberon orders Puck to place the spell on Demetrius as well, and make sure he sees Helena
 * 32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake?**

At first, she didn't seem to be too bothered by it, but since Lysander is also suddenly "in love" with her, she thinks they are ganging up to make a mockery of her.
 * 33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along?**

Helena thinks that even Hermia is in on this. She then proceeds to insult her harshly.
 * 34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia?**

They have both been extremely close friends for a long time, possibly best friends.
 * 35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past?**

Lysander turns on her, and calls her name, and bombards her with insults. She doesn't believe what she is hearing, for she was who she was a few hours ago.
 * 36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says?**

Hermia doesn't know of the current situation, and therefore accuses Helena a "thief of love".
 * 37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena?**

Helena states that even though she is "low", Hermia can still be as fierce as a vixen.
 * 38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia?**

Lysander and Demetrius are off to fight for Helena.
 * 39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do?**

Oberon tells Puck to send out a magical fog that puts all to sleep, while at the same time he splits the two up. After, Puck needs to drop the juices on Lysander to set things back to normal.
 * 40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men?**

Oberon is going to reverse the spell by pouring the juices of the flower into her eyes again.
 * 41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania?**

I think by the line "we are spirits of another", he means that they cannot be seen, so they don't need to worry.
 * 42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day?**

Puck's trickery worked out perfectly, causing the two men to be separated.
 * 43. How well does Puck’s trickery work?**


 * Act IV, Scene 1**

Bottom has quickly grown accustomed to the "power" he has been giving, He has taken up the attitude of a ruler almost immediately.
 * 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies?**

I think that Oberon actually feels a little bit sorry for her, and thinks he may have gone too far. He talks about even though they did have arguments, he pities her for what she has gone through.
 * 45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom?**

Oberon sort of states that the things she has gone through were real, but quickly changes the subject as Titania asks more about it.
 * 46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her?**

They are all going to take part in a fox hunt before the marriage ceremony.
 * 47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning?**

Theseus thinks that the four lovers have rose early to celebrate the marriage ceremony.
 * 48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods?**

Demetrius says that he no longer loves Hermia, and instead, he has fallen in love with Helena again. He compares his love to Hermia as an illness that he has recovered from.
 * 49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness?**

Since it is the day of his marriage, he would like to keep things happy, so that may explain his decision. Theseus has given the permission for the couples to have their marriage on that day.
 * 50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people?**

I think that the four cannot distinguish whether they are awake or dreaming to well because of the effects from the fog Puck shrouded them in.
 * 51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming?**

All that Bottom has gone through has given him that idea to write a ballad called "Bottom's Dream", and present it to the Duke.
 * 52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke?**


 * Act IV, Scene 2**

The artisans now acknowledges the importance Bottom was to the entire play. They praise him and how he is the best at the role.
 * 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost?**

Since two other couples were getting married on that day, the pay would be tripled, and they would be rich.
 * 54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play?**

Bottom says that the Duke has already dined, or eaten, so it is time for them to choose a play to watch. If they don't hurry, they will miss the opportunity to perform.
 * 55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace?**


 * Act V**

He believes that the story is "more strange than true", which shows that he does not believe the story they have told . The other plays each had something Theseus disliked, all except for Pyramus and Thisbe.
 * 56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people?**
 * 57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments****?**

Philostrate has already seen the terrible acting of the play, and insists that it is too horrible for Theseus to watch. He also says that the only entertainment value of the play is to make a mockery of it.
 * 58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it?**

He would rather have a simple play that the actors worked hard for, than a perfect play by those who do not take much interest in anything but the money.
 * 59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"?**

This shows one of the many flaws of the play. It really accents how unprofessional they are.
 * 60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact?**

Shakespeare tells us the story from the audience's point of view as well, and those comments mock the play even further.
 * 61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching?**

I don't think she really enjoyed the play too much, because her comments seemed to be a bit more harsh than the others.
 * 62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play?**

It is basically the opposite of the entire play. The play has been a disaster up until that point. The one everyone laughed at, Thisbe, managed to recite all his lines properly.
 * 63. In what way is Thisby’s final speech humorous?**

Oberon tells the fairies to sing and dance with them.
 * 64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do?**

Puck is telling us that he is glad if we enjoyed the play, but if we didn't, imagine this was all just a dream.
 * 65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?**

Completion 25/25 Effort 20/25 COntent 21/25

Total 66/75

Podcast 1 - 17/20 Podcast 2 - 20/20