William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
Directions: You are required to answer one of the main questions, which will appear in red. This question is due no later than Thursday, Nov. 13. Following the red questions will be other questions, in black, which you should read and think about--they may help you answer the main question. However, you are not required to answer these questions in writing.
Please answer the question as thoughtfully as possible, after reading the lecture. Then post your answer to the English 102 Message Board by the deadline.
If you are registered in Section 7622, you'll use Message Board 1. Click on the button below to visit your Message Board:
If you are registered in Section 7623, you'll use Message Board 2. Click on the button below to visit your Message Board:
Your responses to other students' answers are due by midnight on Saturday, Nov. 15. In order to get the full 20 points, you MUST respond thoughtfully to at least 3 or 4 other people's postings.
Remember: This discussion question is worth a possible 20 points. Late answers will receive 0 points. Points will be assigned according to the thoughtfulness of your answer, not by whether it is "right" or not, since sometimes there is no "right" answer. Just be sure your ideas are supported by the material in the story (see Lecture 1).
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
1. What does this play seem to be saying about true love?
2. In this play, how do appearances confirm or contradict reality?
3. The play is full of love stories. How do the different relationships reveal different ideas about love and marriage?
1. As the play opens, how long is it until the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta?
2. What is Egeus's complaint about his daughter, Hermia?
3. Why doesn't Hermia want to marry Demetrius?
4. According to Theseus, what are Hermia's choices?
5. There is an anachronism in this scene; what is it?
6. What plans do Lysander and Hermia make after Theseus and Egeus leave the room?
7. Why is Helena unhappy?
8. Why does Helena decide to tell Demetrius about Hermia and Lysander's plans?
8. Bottom is a ham, who wants to play all the parts in the play. How does Quince flatter him into playing the part of Pyramus?
10. Why are Oberon and Titania angry at each other?
11. What kinds of tricks does Robin Goodfellow (Puck) play on people?
12. What calamities have fallen upon the world as a result of Titania and Oberon's fighting?
13. Why does Titania refuse to give the boy to Oberon?
14. What magic power does the "love-in-idleness" flower have? What does Oberon plan to do with it?
15. What does Oberon order Robin (Puck) to do? What mistake does he make?
16. When Lysander awakes, who does he see? What is his reaction?
17. What is Helena's reaction to Lysander's declaration of love?
18. By the end of Act II, how does Lysander feel about Hermia?
19. What trick does Robin play on Bottom at the beginning of Act III?
20. How do his friends react to Bottom's new appearance?
21. What happens when Titania wakes up and sees Bottom?
22. Of what does Hermia accuse Demetrius, when she wakes and finds Lysander gone?
23. In Act III, Scene 2, Robin brings Helena to Demetrius while he is sleeping. What happens when Demetrius wakes up?
24. What is Helena's reaction to Demetrius's vows?
25. What happens when Hermia arrives on the scene?
26. What is hypocritical about Helena's pleas to Hermia in Act III, Scene 2, lines 200ff.?
27. What is Robin's reaction to the conflict between the lovers?
28. What does Oberon order Robin to do to fix the mess he's made?
29. In Act IV, what is Oberon's reaction when he sees Titania's infatuation with Bottom?
30. When the lovers are awakened in the forest by Theseus, what does Demetrius tell Theseus? What is Theseus's decision?
31. How do the lovers account for the events of the previous night?
32. When Bottom awakes, how does he account for the events of the previous night?
33. All of the conflicts are resolved by the end of Act IV. Why is Act V necessary?
34. In Act V, how does Philostrate describe "Pyramus and Thisbe"?
35. Why do the fairies come to Theseus's house in Act V?
36. What does Robin say in his closing speech? Who is he addressing?