StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
NAME:
ACT I, SCENE I: The Course of True Love
KEY PASSAGE | Act I, Scene I, lines 122–139
LYSANDER
Ah me! for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth:
But either it was different in blood,—
HERMIA
O cross! Too high to be enthrall’d to low!
LYSANDER
Or else misgraffèd in respect of years;—
HERMIA
O spite! Too old to be engag’d to young!
LYSANDER
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends:
HERMIA
O hell! to choose love by another’s eye!
LYSANDER
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness, did lay siege to it,
Making it momentary as a sound,
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied night
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,
And ere a man hath power to say, Behold!
The jaws of darkness do devour it up:
So quick bright things come to confusion.
Theseus’ ruling that Hermia must obey her father’s wishes is bad news for Hermia and
Lysander’s chances of ever being together. Hermia essentially has three options by law:
marry Demetrius, become a nun, or face execution. It’s not exactly an enviable position
she’s in. But, in this passage, Lysander attempts to put things in perspective, stating
that “the course of true love never did run smooth”—meaning, in other words, that most
people throughout history have faced obstacles on their paths to true love, which he
proceeds to name, to Hermia’s echo.
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: What are some challenges or obstacles love can face? Restate in your
own words the impediments that Lysander and Hermia list, and then add your own ideas of
obstacles to true love, both past and present. Finally, take a crack at speculating why love
is so fragile and difficult to maintain. Refer to passages from the text as well as your own
examples in your discussion.
VOCABULARY
beseech
be•seech verb
To entreat or beg
She traveled to the royal palace to beseech the
duke to spare her father’s life.
austerity
au•ster•i•ty noun
A way of life based on strictness or severity
Tibetan monks reject the luxuries of modern
society in favor of a simple life of devotion and
austerity.
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idolatry
i•dol•a•try noun
The worship of an image—or other objective
representation of power—as a god
While Moses was receiving the Ten
Commandments, many Israelites turned to
idolatry, worshipping a golden calf.
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extenuate
ex•ten•u•ate verb
To make an action or offense more excusable
Tyson felt that his mother’s heart surgery should
extenuate his absence from class on the day of
the test.
perjured
per•jured verb
Lied under oath
Annette perjured herself on the witness stand
when she claimed not to know the defendant,
who in fact was her ex-boyfriend.
transpose
trans•pose verb
To transfer something to a different time, place,
or context
For his next project, the director wanted to
transpose Richard III, Shakespeare’s classic
tragedy, into a modern-day setting.
CLOSE READ
1: What do we know or infer about how Theseus and Hippolyta became engaged? Is
anything particularly surprising about this? Explain, citing particular lines from the text.
2: Who are the different parties in the “complaint” that Egeus brings before the Duke?
Describe each person’s case and their desired outcome, as well as Theseus’ final verdict
on the matter.
3: What does Theseus’ verdict tell us about values and norms in Athenian society? What
about gender and status issues? Explain, citing details from the play.
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4: Who is Helena, and what is her involvement with Demetrius? With Hermia? What do all of
the four Athenian lovers have in common, relating to their desires?
5: Explain the meaning of Helena’s statement: “Things base and vile, holding no quantity
/ Love can transpose to form and dignity.” How does this statement reflect an important
theme of the play?
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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ACT I, SCENE II: The Rude Mechanicals
KEY PASSAGE | Act I, Scene II, lines 58–61
QUINCE
Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced.— But, masters, here are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request
you, and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night; and meet me in the
palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight; there will we rehearse:
for if we meet in the city, we shall be dogg’d with company, and our devices
known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties, such as our play wants.
I pray you, fail me not.
As we near the end of Act I, two storylines find a connective thread, as both the Athenian
lovers and the “rude Mechanicals” are bound for the woods outside the city of Athens—
albeit for entirely different reasons. Whereas Lysander and Hermia plan to elope (and
Demetrius and Helena plan to follow them), the amateur players decide to meet outside
the city to rehearse Pyramus and Thisbe in secret, so they aren’t “dogg’d with company.”
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: What do you think is the purpose of including this troupe of unskilled
performers in the play’s narrative? Is it here just for comic relief, or is there more? What does
any of this have to do with the themes and characters of Scene I? What does the humor of
this scene say about the play’s audiences? About the author’s personal attitudes?
VOCABULARY
gallantly
gal•lant•ly adverb
Done in a heroic or chivalrous manner
When the roof of the office building caught fire,
one of the security guards gallantly went inside
and helped everyone find their way out.
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discretion
dis•cre•tion noun
The power to make decisions about a particular
situation
Though the federal government provides
funding for education, the specific allocation of
that funding is often left to the discretion of each
state.
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aggravate
ag•gra•vate verb
To make something (usually something that is
already bad) worse or more serious
The team placed Martin on the disabled list so
he wouldn’t aggravate his strained calf.
NAME:
obscenely
ob•scene•ly adverb
Done in a way that offends standards of
decency or morality
Some airlines charge obscenely expensive
prices for cancelling a ticket, often costing the
passenger twice as much as the ticket itself.
entreat
en•treat verb
To beg or implore; beseech
We listened to the lawyer entreat the jury to
convict Mr. Terwilliger of jaywalking.
CLOSE READ
1: What is the purpose of this gathering in Act I, Scene II? Compare and contrast the
characters in Scene I with the characters in Scene II.
2: Based on his first few lines, how would you describe Nick Bottom? What distinguishable
traits or quirks does he seem to possess? Cite examples.
3: What is Pyramus and Thisbe? Based on the exchange between the actors in Scene II,
what is this play about? Which other famous Shakespearean play does its storyline remind
you of?
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4: What is the actors’ discussion regarding the part of the lion? Briefly summarize this
discussion. Why are they apprehensive about this element of the play?
5: How does Quince finally get Bottom to agree to play Pyramus and only Pyramus? Explain
their disagreement and how it is resolved.
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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ACT II, SCENE I: The Merry Wanderer
KEY PASSAGE | Act II, Scene I, lines 229–235
HELENA
Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,
You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!
Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:
We cannot fight for love as men may do:
We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo.
I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,
To die upon the hand I love so well.
After notifying Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander’s plans to elope, Helena follows the
three of them into the woods. Demetrius wants to find his bride and kill Lysander, but
Helena can’t really seem to take a hint, even though Demetrius tells her—in plain and
direct words—that he doesn’t love her. Demetrius’ wholehearted disinterest isn’t enough
to make the woman he once wooed leave him alone, and here Helena lets him know just
how difficult it is for her, as a woman, to pursue a man’s love. Meanwhile, Oberon remains
hidden in the woods, eavesdropping.
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: How much do you agree with Helena’s self-assessment that women
are not made to woo, or “fight for love”? How are modern attitudes about these gender
differences different—especially in regard to courtship? Is this still a contentious topic?
Discuss, citing elements of the play that might be different if set in a modern setting.
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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VOCABULARY
changeling
change•ling noun
In folklore, a child of faeries or other
supernatural beings that has been substituted
for a human child
In the folktale, the villagers fear that the couple’s
pointy-eared son is a changeling who has been
brought to them in the night.
beguile
be•guile verb
To charm or entrance, often in a deceiving way
Stunning old-world architecture and charming
merchants beguile tourists into spending
thousands of dollars in the local bazaar.
amorous
am•o•rous adjective
Showing or expressing love and/or sexuality
The star couple put on an amorous display for
local paparazzi, holding hands and kissing on
the outdoor patio.
progeny
pro•ge•ny noun
Descendants; offspring
Queen Elizabeth II and her progeny are the
living inheritors of England’s royal bloodline.
wanton
wan•ton adjective
Showing willful, malicious, or unprovoked intent
Jeff was arrested for wanton endangerment
after he drove his car into the park, nearly
hitting a group of people.
disdainful
dis•dain•ful adjective
Arrogantly contemptuous or disrespectful
Consumers often grow attached to their
smartphones and become disdainful of other
brands.
CLOSE READ
1: Based on the Fairy’s reaction, what is Puck’s reputation in this enchanted forest? How
does their initial exchange help to give us a clearer understanding of Puck?
2: How would you describe Oberon and Titania’s marriage? How does their relationship
compare to those that are depicted in Act I? Provide examples.
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3: What is the source of Oberon and Titania’s latest disagreement? What does each side
want, and are they willing to come to an agreement? Why or why not?
4: What is the story Oberon tells about Cupid and the arrow? Which important element of
the play’s narrative does Oberon’s story introduce?
5: What is Oberon’s plan to get back at Titania, and what is his plan for Demetrius? What do
his plans for Titania and Demetrius indicate about his character? Explain.
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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ACT II, SCENE II: Love-in-Idleness
KEY PASSAGE | Act II, Scene II, lines 52–60
HERMIA
Lysander riddles very prettily:—
Now much beshrew my manners and my pride
If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied!
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy
Lie further off; in human modesty,
Such separation as may well be said
Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid:
So far be distant; and good night, sweet friend:
Thy love ne’er alter till thy sweet life end!
Now that Hermia and Lysander are alone together in the woods, nothing can stop their
love, right? Nothing except a little old-fashioned modesty, that is. When it’s time for
bedtime, Lysander suggests that they lie next to each other, but Hermia isn’t having it.
Although she loves him dearly, she also isn’t quite ready to consummate their love until
they’re married.
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: Revisit the questions in the previous scene’s discussion about gender
roles in courtship, but now apply them to the attitudes about modesty and proper behavior
that Hermia expresses here. Again, how do you feel about this? Are modern attitudes
different, and what, if any, kinds of factors have been responsible for this change? Refer to
the text as well as your own real-life observations.
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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VOCABULARY
clamorous
clam•or•ous adjective
Making loud or uproarious noises
Police arrived at Justin Bieber’s house, after
neighbors reported clamorous singing coming
from the pop star’s backyard.
surfeit
sur•feit noun
An excess or surplus of something
Because of poor attendance, the Cardinals’
promotional staff was left with a surfeit of
giveaway T-shirts after the game.
languish
lang•uish verb
To weaken or decline, usually due to inactivity
The market for compact discs continues to
languish, with digital downloads now the
preferred method of listening to music.
heresy
her•e•sy noun
A belief or practice that is directly contrary to
tradition or religion
Simply telling a joke about the Dear Leader
was considered a heresy, punishable by
imprisonment.
flout
flout verb
To openly defy a law or rule
Despite numerous risks, many motorists in the
United States continue to flout the laws against
texting while driving.
swoon
swoon verb
To faint or collapse because of something
emotionally overwhelming
Reading the letter from her husband Josiah,
whom she believed to be dead, caused her to
swoon right there on the porch.
CLOSE READ
1: What does Oberon do to Titania while she sleeps? What does he say will happen to her
once she wakes up?
2: How is Hermia and Lysander’s disagreement over where to sleep ultimately resolved?
Who holds the power in this situation, and why?
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3: What are the two points of confusion that lead to Puck’s mistake? What does the audience
know that Puck doesn’t?
4: How does Lysander react to Helena once he’s awake? What is Helena’s response to this?
5: What is the dream that Hermia awakens from, and what happens once she’s awake?
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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ACT III, SCENE I: The Queen of Faeries, Awoken
KEY PASSAGE | Act III, Scene I, lines 84–92
TITANIA
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again;
Mine ear is much enamour’d of thy note.
So is mine eye enthrallèd to thy shape;
And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me,
On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee.
BOTTOM
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that: and yet, to say the
truth, reason and love keep little company together now-a-days: the more the
pity that some honest neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleek
upon occasion.
TITANIA
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
After Puck transforms the actor Nick Bottom’s head into that of an ass, Titania wakes up
and falls instantly in love with the half-man, half-donkey standing nearby. Unaware of the
trick that’s being played on him, Bottom thinks the other actors are messing with him,
and vows to remain here until they return, clueless to the machinations of Oberon’s plot
to embarrass his wife. As for amorous Titania, he casually fends off her advances and
segues into a stand-up routine, making an ironic observation about love “now-a-days,”
and modestly admitting that he can “gleek ( joke) upon occasion.”
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: How does love bring its participant(s) into a heightened emotional
state? Discuss and then analyze how Shakespeare shows this through the exaggerated
way his characters speak and behave when they are under the influence of the love drug.
Cite particular passages that you like or find interesting.
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VOCABULARY
auditor
au•di•tor noun
A listener; in modern usage, an accountant
or bookkeeper who verifies the accuracy of
business records
For those who don’t wish to pay the university’s
full tuition, there is an option to sit in on selected
classes as an auditor.
knavery
kna•ve•ry noun
Mischief or trickery
Bugging the offices of his political opponents as
well as other episodes of knavery ultimately led
to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
enthralled
en•thralled verb
Captivated, with fascination or excitement
Fans were enthralled by the first two games of
the World Series, both of which were close and
went into extra innings.
kindred
kin•dred noun
Family or relatives
The kingdom’s royal kindred, including nieces
and nephews and first cousins, numbers well
into the hundreds.
enamored
e•nam•ored verb
Captivated, with love or extreme admiration
Ever since the fourth grade, Billy has been
enamored with his friend Ross’s older sister,
Becky.
CLOSE READ
1: What potential “problems” do the actors discuss at the beginning of Act III, Scene I,
and what do these potential problems all have in common? What solutions does Bottom
propose, and what do these solutions tell you about these actors?
2: How does Shakespeare depict the actors’ amateurishness? Identify a couple of details or
moments from this scene that are used to provide comic relief.
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3: What does Puck do to Bottom, and what can we infer is his reason or motivation? How
do the other actors react to Bottom’s transformation?
4: What is Titania’s reaction when she wakes up? Analyze her dialogue at this particular
moment. What emotions does her dialogue convey, and what point do you think Shakespeare
is trying to make about love?
5: How are Bottom’s and Titania’s dialogues different? Why do you think Shakespeare
presents us with this contrast, and how does form reflect their characters?
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StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
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ACT III, SCENE II: Cupid’s Archery
KEY PASSAGE | Act III, Scene II, lines 110–121
PUCK
Captain of our fairy band,
Helena is here at hand,
And the youth mistook by me
Pleading for a lover’s fee;
Shall we their fond pageant see?
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
OBERON
Stand aside: the noise they make
Will cause Demetrius to awake.
PUCK
Then will two at once woo one,—
That must needs be sport alone;
And those things do best please me
That befall preposterously.
After Oberon realizes Puck’s mistake—mistaking Lysander for Demetrius, unaware that
there were two young Athenian men in the woods—the faerie king commands the “merry
wanderer of the night” to fix the mess he’s made. Puck agrees without protest. He isn’t
nearly as contrite about this mess as he is amused, even going so far as to call the whole
thing a “sport” that delights him as a spectator.
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: What is your opinion about Puck and the manner in which he behaves?
Is he wise and funny, having a little harmless fun at the expense of the less sharp? Is he
cruel, or uncaring of the harm he causes? Both or neither? Discuss Puck’s role in the play,
for good or ill, citing passages from the text to support your conclusions.
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VOCABULARY
dote
dote verb
To show excessive attention or affection to
someone
Every summer when Norman went home,
his parents would dote on him, serving him
breakfast in bed.
disparage
dis•par•age verb
To belittle or trivialize someone or something
Rather than trying to disparage his opponents,
the football coach was always complimentary
about the other side at his post-game press
conferences.
preposterously
pre•pos•ter•ous•ly adverb
Done in a manner showing senselessness or
absurdity
The movie’s preposterously conceived storyline
involved a rare elephant held for ransom in a
lighthouse.
officious
of•fi•cious adjective
Overzealous or meddlesome about telling
others what to do
The intern was so officious, she actually
lectured the other employees about texting
during office hours!
derision
de•ri•sion noun
Mockery; ridicule
As the president soon learned, no aspect of his
personal life was safe from the derision of the
network’s talk show hosts.
harbinger
har•bin•ger noun
An event that indicates something that will be
happening in the future
Melting ice on Lake Calhoun is a reliable
harbinger of spring’s approach.
CLOSE READ
1: What does Hermia believe has happened to Lysander? How does Demetrius respond to
her suggestion of Lysander’s whereabouts?
2: How does Puck react to learning that he used the flower juice on the wrong Athenian?
What does this reaction indicate about his character? Cite specific lines as evidence.
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3: What happens when Demetrius wakes up, and what is Helena’s reaction to this? Explain
her immediate reaction, including why she feels this way, referring to the text for support.
4: How does Hermia respond to being suddenly “rejected” by Lysander? What does this
show or tell about her character?
5: Whom does Oberon blame for this mess? What is his plan to make things right between
the Athenians? Describe this plan in detail, citing specific lines or quotations from the play
in your answer.
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ACT IV, SCENES I-II: Bottom’s Dream
KEY PASSAGE | Act IV, Scene I, lines 150–166
DEMETRIUS
My lord, fair Helen told me of their stealth,
Of this their purpose hither to this wood;
And I in fury hither follow’d them,
Fair Helena in fancy following me.
But, my good lord, I wot not by what power,—
But by some power it is,—my love to Hermia,
Melted as the snow—seems to me now
As the remembrance of an idle gawd
Which in my childhood I did dote upon:
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betroth’d ere I saw Hermia:
But, like a sickness, did I loathe this food;
But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
And will for evermore be true to it.
The confusion is resolved (at least for now) when Puck removes the spell from Lysander,
allowing the two couples to coexist in now-requited love. When Theseus, Hippolyta,
and Egeus arrive in the woods, they come upon the four sleeping lovers in confusion,
wondering why they are all together. Egeus declares that Lysander deserves to be
punished for flouting his will—that is, until Demetrius, still under the charms of the love-inidleness, attempts to explain.
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YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: Put yourself in the place of Egeus, Theseus, and/or Hippolyta, after
hearing Demetrius’ summation of the double-reverses of his love for Helena, then Hermia,
and then Helena again. What is your reaction? Do you buy it? Are you skeptical or downright
incredulous? Give your reasons, taking into consideration your character’s—or your own—
feelings about such things as love, tolerance, enchantment, mythology, and youth.
VOCABULARY
amiable
a•mi•a•ble adjective
Pleasant, friendly in manner
The hosts at the bed-and-breakfast were
amiable and welcoming, offering to bring us
anything we needed.
betrothed
be•trothed verb
Engaged to be married
Although he was betrothed to the duchess,
Jean-Luc was secretly in love with a peasant
girl from Orleans.
concord
con•cord noun
Harmony, agreement, consensus
The struggle to achieve peace and concord
between the warring factions in the Middle East
has been a long and arduous process.
solemnity
sol•em•ni•ty noun
A quality of great seriousness
Someone’s loud, ringing cellphone briefly
interrupted the solemnity of the funeral service.
stealth
stealth noun
The state of being secretive or clandestine in
doing something
The ninja warrior used the utmost stealth to
sneak into the fortress unnoticed.
CLOSE READ
1: What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania once she’s fallen in love with Bottom? How do his
emotions about her change, and which lines indicate this?
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2: How does Oberon win the power struggle between him and Titania?
3: What is Bottom’s reaction to his “dream,” and what does he decide should be done about
it? Is this an indication that his character has returned to normal? How so?
4: What purpose does Act IV, Scene II, serve in the play? What information or expanded
knowledge are we given?
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ACT V, SCENES I-II: The Wedding Party
KEY PASSAGE | Act V, Scene I, lines 1–17
HIPPOLYTA
’Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of.
THESEUS
More strange than true. I never may believe
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold;
That is the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
In the opening lines of Act V, Theseus and Hippolyta have just wed and are on their way
to their wedding dinner when they pause to discuss the strangeness they witnessed in
the woods in the previous act. Hippolyta is of the mind that the two couples—Demetrius
and Helena; Lysander and Hermia—are telling the truth about what transpired in the
woods, but Theseus is a little more skeptical, owing to the unreliable nature of “lovers and
madmen.”
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NAME:
YOUR STUDYSYNC® TV
Discussion Prompt: What do poets, lunatics, and lovers all have in common? Are they more
similar than different from each other? What point, if any, do you think Shakespeare is
making, via Theseus, in this observation? Do the events in the narrative support Theseus’
conclusion? Why or why not?
VOCABULARY
transfigured
trans•fig•ured verb
Transformed; changed in appearance (usually
into an elevated or higher state)
My grandmother felt transfigured by her twoweek retreat at a spa in the mountains of Nepal.
palpable
pal•pa•ble adjective
Having the ability to be touched or felt
The excitement was palpable in the auditorium
as the recently reunited band was about to play
its first show in fifteen years.
audacious
au•da•cious adjective
Daringly bold or confident, sometimes to a
negative degree
The editor made audacious predictions about
what would happen to the global economy if
the treaty wasn’t ratified.
reprehend
rep•re•hend verb
To express disapproval of or reprimand
Before anyone could reprehend Gary for his
rude behavior, he quickly disappeared into the
festival crowd.
confound
con•found verb
To astonish or confuse, by not meeting
expectations
The strange lights seen at night near Marfa,
Texas, still confound people, although many
researchers think they’re headlights on the
highway.
amends
a•mends noun
Correction of a past issue or wrong by apology
and compensation
Now that they both played on the same team,
the two former rivals shook hands and made
amends.
CLOSE READ
1: Why does Theseus choose Pyramus and Thisbe as the night’s entertainment? What is his
assistant Philostrate’s opinion of the play?
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Reading Guide
StudySync | A Midsummer Night’s Dream
NAME:
2: How do the royals (Theseus and Hippolyta) as well as the Athenians regard the play?
What are some of their responses? Cite particular lines from this scene.
3: Which role does Snout play, and why does he feel the need to explain this role to the
audience? How does the audience respond to this creative choice? Cite specific lines or
passages in your answer.
4: Regarding the quality of the performance, Theseus states, “The best in this kind are
but shadows, and the worst are no worse if imagination amend them.” What does this line
mean? How does his wife agree or disagree with him?
5: Briefly describe Oberon and Puck’s final speeches. How do their final monologues relate
to the theme(s) or structure of the play?
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Reading Guide
studysync.com