A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Content Questions

As we read through the play, complete the questions whenever we finish the scene. Make sure to write complete and detailed answers (these will be useful to review for quizzes, find key parts for essays and assignments, and study for the final exam).

 

Act I

Scene i

1. Who is Theseus? Who is Hippolyta? What are they planning? How long until this plan takes place?

 

2. Who are the two men who wish to marry Hermia? What has each one done to win her hand in marriage?

 

3. Why has Egeus come before Theseus? What does he want to do if Hermia does not listen to his choice for her husband?

 

4. What does Theseus say are the two possible punishments for Hermia if she refuses to obey her father? How long does he give her to make her choice?

 

5. What is Lysander’s plan to ensure that he and Hermia can get married?

 

6. What is the source of Helena’s frustration?

 

7. Why do Hermia and Lysander tell Helena of the escape plan?

 

8. Why does Helena plan to tell Demetrius what Hermia and Helena plan to do?

 

Scene ii

1. What is the title of the play the group of “wannabe” actors plan to put on? For what event do they hope to perform it?

 

2. Describe Bottom’s personality. What character is he supposed to be in the play? List all the characters he wants to play by the end of the scene.

 

3. How does Quince talk Bottom out of playing the lion in the play? How does this further demonstrate Bottom’s personality traits?

 

4. Where and when do the actors plan to meet for the first rehearsal? What is significant about this time and place?

 

Act II

Scene i

1. What is the cause of the fight between Oberon and Titania?

 

2. What types of tricks does Puck like to play on humans?

 

3. How do Oberon and Titania know Theseus and Hippolyta?

 

4. Describe the relationship between Oberon and Titania.

 

5. What does Oberon instruct Puck to get for him? Why does this item have magical powers? What powers does it have?

 

6. What does Oberon plan to do to Titania with the magical power?

 

7. Describe the interaction between Helena and Demetrius. Which of the two characters creates more sympathy for you? Which character do you find more troubling? Give reasons for each answer.

 

8. After witnessing Helena and Demetrius in the forest, what does Oberon instruct Puck to do?

 

Scene ii

1. What types of things does Oberon hope Titania sees when she wakes up? Why does he hope she sees these things?

 

2. Why does Hermia tell Lysander to sleep far away from her? Why does this end up causing a problem?

 

3. Why does Puck put the magic juice in Lysander’s eyes?

 

4. What happens when Lysander wakes up?

 

5. Why does Helena think Lysander is now claiming to be in love with her?

 

6. At the end of scene ii, who (of the Athenian youth) is in love with who?

 

Act III

Scene i

1. What changes does Bottom suggest to the play? Why does he have these suggestions?

 

2. How do the actors plan to stage the moonlight and the wall in the play? What would be the actual effect on the audience?

 

3. What spell does Puck cast on Bottom? Why is this spell a pun?

 

4. Why does Bottom believe the other actors and behaving strangely towards him?

 

5. What does Titania see when she wakes up? What effect does this have on her?

 

6. What does Titania do with Bottom?

 

Scene ii

1. What is Oberon’s reaction to learning about the spell cast on Titania?

 

2. What does Hermia believe has happened to Lysander?

 

3. What do Oberon and Puck do to correct Puck’s mistake?

 

4. What happens to Demetrius when he wakes up? What does Helena think is the cause of Demetrius’s and Lysander’s actions?

 

5. When Hermia arrives on the scene, what does Lysander says caused him to leave her alone in the forest?

 

6. What does Helena think Hermia’s part is in the “prank”?

 

7. When Hermia finally believes that Lysander now loves Helena, who does she blame?

 

8. Why do Lysander and Demetrius leave the scene (what do they go to do)?

 

9. Why do Helena and Hermia leave the scene?

 

10. Why does Puck say he is blameless for the mixed up spells?

 

11. What does Oberon say he will do with Titania?

 

12.  What tricks and spells does Puck place on the four young humans at the end of this scene?

 

Act IV

Scene i

1. What types of requests is Bottom making of the fairies who have been ordered to serve him?

 

2. What has Titania done for Oberon (this is mentioned by Oberon, but occurred off stage)? What does Oberon now do for Titania?

 

3. What does Puck do for Bottom?

 

4. Describe Oberon’s and Titania’s relationship by the time they leave the forest together? What is your opinion of this relationship?

 

5. Why are Theseus and Hippolyta in the forest?

 

6. What do the younger generation tell Theseus when they wake up? What is his reaction? Who is has no verbal reaction to this new information? What do you think the silent characters would be thinking? How would you stage this to indicate their opinions to the audience?

 

7. How do the younger generation (and then Bottom) explain the strange events of the previous night?

 

Scene ii

1. Before Bottom returns to the other actors what are they saying about him? How is this typical of human behaviour?

 

2. What good news does Bottom tell the actors?

 

Act V

Scene i

1. After hearing about the events in the forest from the younger generation, how does Theseus explain what they described? How does Hippolyta explain it?

 

2. What is the purpose of putting on a play for the newly married couple after the wedding feast?

 

3. How does Philostrate describe the play from Bottom and his group?

 

4. Ancient Greece (and especially Athens) is the origin of theatre as we know it. Theseus would have some of the greatest writers and actors in the ancient world at his beck and call. Why would he pick the play by The Mechanicals?

 

5. Highlight at least three errors in the lines or the performance of the play.

 

6. What is the opinion of the audience of the play being presented to them?

 

7. What does it mean to “break the fourth wall”? In what ways is this achieved through this scene?

 

8. Aside from the main reason (to have a humourous scene to end a zany comedy) why might Shakespeare have chosen to present a play within his play?

 

9. Why do the fairies come to the palace that night?

 

10. In what ways can Puck’s final speech (V.i.406-421) be read as Shakespeare speaking directly to the audience?