AMND+Questions

Act I, Scene 1

1. How is Hippolyta’s reasoning concerning how quickly the next four days will pass different from that of Theseus? Hippolyta feels like the next four days will pass by quite quickly, as she isn't restless and impatient about getting married. 2. Why has Egeus brought his daughter and her two suitors to Theseus? What does Egeus expect him to do? Egeus expects Theseus to help solve the issues that he has with his daughter wanting to marry Lysander. His hopes are that Theseus will convince Hermia to marry Demetrius. 3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus? What is Theseus’s ruling concerning Hermia? Women are supposed to do what their fathers say and marry whom their fathers wish. Theseus rules that Hermia can either marry Demetrius, die, or live in a Nunnery. 4. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena complicate things? Lysander is just trying to make it seem like Demetrius' love for Hermia isn't true. It's as if he just switched his affection right over to Hermia from Helena. And by Lysander mentioning this it just makes it more complicated with Hermia and Helena. 5. What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? Why do they tell Helena? Hermia and Lysander plan to run away together to Lysander's aunt's house outside of Athens. They tell Helena because once they leave, Helena will be free to pursue Demetrius without any distractions. 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? Because for some reason she thinks that if she tells Demetrius about their plans he will thank her for being honest, forget about Hermia, and fall back in love with her. 7. Identify Hermia’s basic dilemma. What are the choices outlined for her by Theseus and her father? What other choice does Lysander suggest? Her dilemma is to either marry someone who she doesn't love or to have a terrible life for years to come. Her choices are to either marry Demetrius, die, or go live in a Nunnery. And the one other choice that Lysander suggests is to run away together to his aunt's home outside of Athens.

Act I, Scene 2

8. Why does Nick Bottom want to play all the parts? He wants to play all the parts because he thinks that he is by far the best actor there, and is just an amazing person. 9. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene? This scene is funny because it basically on a conceited actor trying to prove that he can do everything, that he can play any and every part even when both characters are on the stage. 10. Where are the actors to meet the following night? Who else is meeting there at the same time? The actors are to meet in the forest the following night. This is the same night Hermia and Demetrius are going to be there. 11. How would you describe Bottom’s acting ability? What is Bottom’s own opinion of his acting ability? The best way to describe Bottom's acting ability is overconfident, he is a decent actor for someone that doesn't specialize in the field but he seems to think that he is a professional.

media type="file" key="AMND Act 1.mp3" width="240" height="20" By Sarrah and Clayton.

Act II, Scene 1

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? We find out that Oberon ad Titania are arguing over the child that Titania is taking care of. 11. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta; why have they come to Athens? The were both involved with them because of past affairs with them. Oberon apparently had an affair with Hippolyta, and Titania apparently had an affair with Theseus. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">12. What effect has their quarrel had on nature, on the seasons, on humans? Their emotions control the weather. For example: When the two are angry at one another the weather is quite stormy. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">13. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon? Because she promised to take care of the changeling. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">14. What does Oberon send Puck to find? Oberon sends Puck to find the flowers to drop into Titania's eyes. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">15. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania? Oberon plans to drop the juice of the "love" flower into Titania's eyes. Once done so, she will be distracted and Oberon can take the child. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">16. How does Helena react to Demetrius’s verbal abuse? She responds to his verbal abuse with more love and affection. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">17. What is her response to his threats of physical abuse? She wants him to beat her as much as she wants. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">18. In what way is Helena’s behaviour inappropriate for Athenian women? Helena should be wooed and not the one trying to woo. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">19. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena? Oberon tells Puck to put some of the juice into Demetrius' eyes so he will fall in love with Helena.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Act II, Scene 2

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">20. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing? So that she will be distracted by her love, and lose focus on taking care of the child. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">21. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her? Because as much as they love each other, they still aren't married so I guess she just wants her space. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">22. Why does Puck anoint Lysander’s eyes? Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">23. How does Helena react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens? She acts like it's a mockery and that she is being made fun of. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">24. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In the dream it's a snake eating her heart, this compares to reality where Lysander has lost his love for her.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Act III, Scene 1

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">25. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars? They're going to make a prologue and announce the events before they take place so people don't think that the actors are actually dying. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">26. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall? They're going to open a casement and let the moonlight shine through so that Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight. And as for the wall they're going to get an actor to stand with plaster around him and make a hole with his hand to represent the crack. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">27. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom reappears? They run off because Puck decided to have some "fun" and transform Bottom head into that of a donkey. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">28. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors? Transform into all these kinds of animals such as a horse, dog, pig, and a headless bear. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">29. How does Bottom react to Titania and the other fairies? He acts somewhat surprised yet he's very happy to be getting all the attention. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">30. Bottom says, "…reason and love keep little company together nowadays." Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play? It's an apt statement because Bottom doesn't really understand why Titania loves him.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Act III, Scene 2

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">31. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing? She accuses Demetrius of killing Lysander. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">32. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake? Make Lysander fall back in love with Hermia with that juice of the love flower. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">33. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along? She's upset because she thinks that he's making a mockery of her, but she's not completely upset because she likes the attention. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">34. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia? Helena accuses Hermia of being apart of Lysander and Demtrius' mockery towards her. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">35. How close had Hermia and Helena been in the past? Very close, enough to be like family. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">36. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says? He treats her as if he never loved her. At one point he throws Hermia back into the mud. And Hermia can't believe what Lysander says because of their past love and experiences. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">37. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena? Hermia accuses Helena of being a thief of love, and a canker-blossom. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">38. Why is Helena afraid of Hermia? She's afraid of her because she knows that Hermia is stronger than her and that she could probably beat her up. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">39. What are Lysander and Demetrius going off to do? Fight each other. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">40. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men? Pretend to be Demetrius around Lysander and pretend to be Lysander around Demetrius. In him doing this he will run around and tire them out until they fall asleep. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">41. What is Oberon going to do about Titania? He's going to make her fall back in love with him. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">42. Why doesn’t Oberon fear the coming of day? Because he's capable of doing things during the day. His "powers" work 24/7, or so he says. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">43. How well does Puck’s trickery work? It works enough to get the two men to fall asleep. ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Review Question: The climax, or turning point, of A Midsummer Night’s Dream comes at the end of Act 3. In point form describe the major plot points of Act Three starting from when Titania falls in love with Bottom leading to the climax or turning point of the play near the end of act three.** ====
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Titania fall in love with Bottom.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> She commands him to stay in the forest with her and the fairies.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Puck returns to Oberon to tell him the news of Titania's love for Bottom.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Hermia wakes up to see that Lysander is gone and curses out Demetrius thinking that he killed him.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Oberon is mad the Puck screwed up the plan and sends him off to get Helena.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Puck returns with Lysander and Helena.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Helena thinks that Lysander is mocking her with his words of love and in turn wakes up Demetrius who has had the juice applied to his eyes.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Hermia returns and is shocked to see Lysander's words of love towards Helena.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Helena assumes that Hermia is also part of the mockery and rages at her for violating the close friendship that they've shared.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Demetrius and Lysander start to get more heated about who should get Helena and in the midst of it Hermia tries to stop Lysander only to be rejected and call rude names.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Oberon and Puck step in and Oberon is furious about that mess that Puck has started.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Oberon orders Puck to follow the two men and make themm very tired by out running them, once done so Puck must put the juice into Lysander's eyes.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Puck then finds both women and brings them near their "lovers".

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Act IV, Scene 1 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies? He's adjusted to start to get really used to it. He's accustomed. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom? He's jealous of all the attention Bottom is receiving. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? Oberon had no explanation, instead he changed the subject and asked Titania to dance. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning? Because they were on a traditional fox hunt. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods? Theseus thinks that they were in the woods to join the celebration. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness? His explanation is that Helena told him about Lysander and Hermia leaving to get married outside of the Athenian law, and that's why he was out in the woods. He explains that his love for Hermia was gone like melted snow, he wasn't truly in love with her but liked her more for her lust. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people? His decision is since it's his wedding day that they'll have a "triple wedding", he wants it to be a happy day. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming? They can't be sure because they don't know how they all ended up together in the forest, and that they're all still half asleep when greeted by Theseus and company. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke? Bottom is going to get Quince to write a ballad about Bottom's experience with Titania and the fairies. Once this is done he will perform is with song at Theseus' wedding in front of the Duke.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Act IV, Scene 2

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost? They think that without him they won't be able to do the play seeing as he's the best actor to play Pyramus the main character in their play. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play? Either their lifes or their fortune and fame. Lifes because Flute mentions that he'll be hung. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Because once Bottom returns he alerts them that the Duke has chosen their play to be performed, so they have lots of work to do before their time comes to perform.

Extending the thought process.
====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">a) The fourth act opens and ends with Bottom at center stage. What is your opinion of Bottom’s character? How might he be the antithesis, or opposite, of Theseus’s character? ==== Bottom's character to me is like the opposite of Theseus because Theseus to me is for the most part trying to make others happy and make everything good, while Bottom is all about himself. He thrives on being the center of attention. ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience? ==== ==== The characters respond by being very confused they all don't know how they got there, and they all seem to have no memory of prior events either. Demetrius is changed permanently by the "dream" because before they all entered the woods he was in love with Hermia and once he'd taken the juice from the flower his affection changed towards Helena. ==== ====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation? ====

==Act 4 Podcast: Bottom decides to commission Peter Quince to write a ballad called “Bottom’s Dream.” On your own or with a partner, imagine that you have been asked to write the lyrics and compose the musical accompaniment. Remember that at the beginning of act 4, Bottom told the fairies that he likes to listen to the “tongs and bones” (act 4, scene 1, line 30). Tongs were pieces of metal struck against each other and bones were actual bones. These instruments were used in comical or in less sophisticated musical performances. Write the poetry for the ballad ( a minimum of 2 stanzas, 4 lines each), then put it to music!==

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Act V

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">56. Why does Theseus dismiss the stories of the four young people? Because he wanted his wedding day to be a happy day. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">57. Why does Theseus choose to see the play about Pyramus and Thisby rather than the other entertainments? Because he thinks it will be quite entertaining, and he wants to give the actors a shot at fame. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">58. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it? Philostrate thinks that Theseus won't enjoy the play. He says that the acting in it is poorly constructed and that they're all just a bunch of regular working men. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">59. What does Theseus mean by the lines, "For never anything can be amiss, when simpleness and duty tender it"? Theseus means that, nothing can really be bad when it's created by simple people who try hard. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">60. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are then going to enact? This prologue lets the audience know about the events that are going to take place and explains them. This is so that the audience isn't confused. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">61. How does Shakespeare use comments from the audience to enhance the humour of the play that they are watching? Shakespeare uses interaction between the actors and the viewers, by using mistakes from the actors to draw opinion. This results in a humourous approach to the play. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">62. What is Hippolyta’s reaction to the play? She thinks it's quite silly. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">63. In what way is Thisbe’s final speech humorous? For one, it's acted by a male actor and that adds some humour to the character. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">64. What does Oberon tell the fairies to do?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">65. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Extending the thought process:

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">FInd at least one example of each of the following that occurs during the play within the play. Write down the quote that illustrates example.

===a) In reading the play-within-a-play, we become the audience for the drama played out by Theseus, Hippolyta, and the others. These performers, in turn, form the audience for the reenactment of Pyramus and Thisbe. How does observing another audience help you understand the relationship between audience and performers?===

===b) Modern television shows often create comic effects by having a silly, innocent, or “clueless” character and a sarcastic, knowing, clever character play off of each other. What examples can you think of?=== - Two and a Half Men - Desperate Housewives - Grey's Anatomy - Bridesmaids - Suburgatory - Phineas and Ferb ===c) Identify ways in which Pyramus and Thisbe might be unsuitable for a wedding celebration. Are there any ways in which the play might be appropriate? In what ways is the play-within-a-play an ironic commentary on what the two pairs of young lovers (Demetrius and Helena, Lysander and Hermia) have gone through earlier?===