A Midsummer Night's

Dream ACT I

Directions: Open and save this document to your computer. Look for answers as you read, but
finish reading each scene before you compose your responses. Type and save your answers here;
the boxes will expand as you write.

SCENE I
1. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus
expect the Duke to do?
Egeus brought his daughter and her 2 suitors the Theseus so he could tell Hermia her
options. Egeus expected Theseus to tell Hermia to marry Demetrius.

2. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus
and Theseus?
The proper role for women/daughters in Athenian Society was that they needed to obey
and listen to their fathers.

3. List the specific actions by Lysander that Egeus cites as "bewitching" (lines 27-39).
Lysander acted like he didn’t care if Hermia loved him or not.

4. What has Hermia done for which she asks Theseus's pardon (line 60)?
Hermia asked what would happen if she didn’t marry Demetrius.

5. What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? (beginning line 65)

Theseus’ ruling concerning Hermia was to marry Demetrius, join a convent or die.

6. List the points made by Lysander (lines 101-112) in defending his right to marry Hermia.
Lysander said his love for Hermia is greater than Demetrius’ and he said their fortunes
are the same if not his are greater.

7. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena
complicate things?
He is trying to say Demetrius will not stay loyal to Hermia.

8. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation?
Lysander and Hermia plan to run away and get married at his aunts house outside of
Athens.

9. Why do they tell Helena what they plan to do?

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 They tell Helena their plan to do so she can get Demetrius to fall in love with her.

10. Even though Helena loves Demetrius and is Hermia’s best friend, why does she decide to
tell Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander’s plans?
She is trying to get Demetrius to love her instead.

11. Reread Hermia's speech, lines 152-157. Are these honest emotions, or is she enjoying
somewhat being the center of a frustrated romance? Put this speech into your own words.
I think what this speech is trying to say is that if two people are meant to be together,
they will be. I think Hermia’s speech were honest emotions.

12. What do all of the images and metaphors in Hermia's vow speech (lines 171-181) have in
common?
All of the images and metaphors are have to do with the love with Lysander.

13. What is the point of Helena's first speech? State it in one sentence. (lines 184-197)
The purpose of the speech was to depict her jealousy over Hermia’s excellence.

14. Explain the ways in which Love is childlike and blind. Use Helena's speech (lines 232+)
as your reference.
Sometimes love is childlike and blinding because being in love makes you do things
you might definitely not normally do.

SCENE II
1. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts?
Nick bottom is overly Confident and he wants to play all of the parts because he thinks
he is the best.

2. How do you suppose the threat of being handed if they scare the ladies will affect the
artisans’ interpretation of the tragedy of Pyramus and Thisby?
They need to down play it so they don’t scare the ladies to where they cannot enjoy the
play.

3. Why must Thisbe be played by a man?

In Shakespeare time, men played the roles of women.

4. Copy down lines (including line numbers) to support each point about the Mechanicals:
 Bottom misuses words (malapropisms):
“I will discharge in either your straw color.” line 86

 Bottom likes to be in charge:

“We will meet and there we may rehearse most.” line 100

 Snug is well-suited to be the lion:

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 “Have you the lions part written? Pray you if it” line 64

5. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene?
Bottom is being a moron and making himself look like an idiot. He is doing everything
in the play wrong.

6. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting in these same
woods at the same time?
All of the actors meet in the woods. All of the true lovers who wanted to be married to
each other were in the woods as well.

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