A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Short Questions & Answers (Act

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

-William Shakespeare

Act – 01 (Scene – 01)

Q. Why has Theseus ordered a festival?

Answer: Being the Duke of Athens, Theseus has ordered a festival to celebrate his marriage to Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, who he enjoys through battle. The marriage is going to take place in four days of when there's a new moon. He desires to “… fire up the Athenian youth to merriments. Awake the pert and nimble spirit of cheerfulness.”

Q. What does Theseus, the Duke of Athens, pledge Hippolyta?

Answer: Theseus promises Hippolyta that their marriage will be one of joy, without fighting in war, he used to win her by declaring, “… but I'll wed thee in another key.”

Q. Why does Egeus bring Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius to Theseus?

Answer: Egeus brings Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius to Theseus because he (Egeus) wants Hermia to marry Demetrius. Against Egeus’will, Hermia wants to marry Lysander. Egeus wants Theseus to bring the law taking that a son marry the hubby her father chooses for her or face the consequences death or expulsion to a monastery. This is illustrated when says, “. I supplicate the ancient honor of Athens.”

Q. Why does Theseus tell Hermia to return to terms along with her father’s choice of hubby for her?

Answer: Theseus tells Hermia to return to terms with the hubby her father has chosen for her or “... prepare to die for defiance to your father’s will, or on Diana’s alter to protest for aye austerity and single life.

Q. What's Hermia’s decision?

Answer: Hermia chooses to enter in monastery rather than marry someone other than Lysander, who she feels is her true love. She demurrers, “ … So will I grow, so live, so die, my Lord, ere I’ll be suitable to yield my abecedarian case over.”

Q. Why does Theseus lead Egeus and Demetrius down?

Answer: Theseus leads Egeus and Demetrius down saying, “. But, Demetrius, come and are available Egeus, you shall accompany me,” so as to talk with them intimately. This is also a device to allow the actors to leave the stage so that Lysander and Hermia may compass alone.

Q. What's Lysander's plan?

Answer: Lysander’s plan is that Hermia and he'll flee to his aunt’s house in a veritably place of where, “… the sharp Athenian law cannot pursue.” them and where they'll be married.

Q. Why does Helena want to be like Hermia?

Answer: Helena wants Hermia to, “… educate me how you look and with what art.” because Demetrius loves Hermia and Helena wants his love for her own. She thinks that if only she were like Hermia, she could have his love.

Q. Why do Hermia and Lysander tell Helena the plan?

Answer: Hermia and Lysander tell Helena their plan because Helena complains to Hermia that Demetrius wants only Hermia. They assure Helena that Hermia won't be available to Demetrius and, as Hermia pledges, “. He shall no more see my face,” since Hermia and Lysander are going to elope.

Q. What does Helena shall do with this information?

Answer: Helena intends to tell Demetrius that Hermia is going to elope with Lysander in the stopgap that he'll pursue them, only to realize it is Helena he really loves at which point Helena will “… have his sight thither and back again.”

Act – 01 (Scene – 02)

Q. Who are known as the craftsmen in the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Answer: The rude craftsmen or artisans are six professed workers who come together to put on a play for the majesty of Athens. The members of the group are Quince, the carpenter; Snug, the joiner; Bottom, the sewer; Flute, the bellows- repairman; Snout, the tinker; and Starveling, the needle worker.

Q. Why do the artisans meet?

Answer: The artisans meet to assign and bandy the places they will have, “… to play in our interim before the Duke and the Duchess on his marriage day at night.” Quince wrote and is directing this play for Theseus’ and Hippolyta’s marriage, which is to be held during the new moon, four days hence.

Q. Why is Quince, the one assigning the places?

Answer: Quince is the person assigning the places because he wrote the play with, “… lug’s name which is allowed fit.” for certain places. As the director, it's his job to cast the actors in the corridor for which they're most suited – an easy job for him since he's also the dramatist (playwright).

Q. What's Bottom’s response to his assigned part?

Answer: Bottom’s response to his assigned part is that he wants to know who Pyramus is and, when told, proclaims he'll have everyone crying with his depiction of this nut that dies. To quote, “I’ll move storms; I'll conclude in some measures.”

Q. What's Flute’s misgiving about his assignment?

Answer: Flute’s misgiving about his assignment is that he's growing a beard and women don't have beards- so how can he play the part of a woman? As he protests, “… Nay, faith let not me play a woman. I've a beard coming.”

Q. Why does Bottom want to play Flute's part?

Answer: Bottoms requests, “…. let me play Thisbe, too,” because he wants to wear the mask the character will be wearing and use a small voice, as Flute will have to do to portray a woman.

Q. What's Snug's solicitude?

Answer: Snug's solicitude is that he'll not have enough time to memorize his lines since he is, “ laggardly of study” as he expressions it, and the play is to be in only four days.

Q. Why does Bottom want to play Snag's part?

Answer: Bottoms requests, “… let me play the captain too,” so that he may roar as Snug will have to for this part. Nethermost seeks the instigative or “… fun” parts for himself, perhaps giving us a hint as to his nature.

Q. What do Quince and Bottom caution about the part of the captain?

Answer: Quince and Bottom forewarn the Lion not to horrify the ladies in the audience because, “… that were enough to hang us all.”

Q. Why does Quince contend Bottom play Pyramus?

Answer: Quince insists Bottom, “… mast needs play Pyramus,” because he has both the bearing and the fish of this character. Remembering that Quince wrote the play with Bottom in mind for the function of Pyramus will also help explain Quince’s affirmation on Bottom playing this particular rule.

Q. Where are the men to meet coming?

Answer: The men are coming to meet, “… At the Duke Oak…”, which happens to be in the haunted wood, although the artisans aren’t apprehensive that the brownies are now in hearthstone there.

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