Act Four, Scene One
Bottom asks the fairies to scratch his head, and is hungry for some hay. Titania, completely in love with him, orders the fairies to find him food. Together they then soon fall asleep.
Oberon enters and looks at Titania. He tells puck that Titania gave him her young boy earlier in the woods, and so it is time for him to remove the spell from her eyes. He orders Robin to change Bottom back to normal, but first he wakes up Titania. She at first thinks she dreamed about being in love with an ass, but then sees Bottom still asleep by her side. Oberon helps her off the ground and tells her that tomorrow they will dance at the weddings of Theseus and the other two couples.
Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus arrive where the lovers are sleeping. They are in the woods to celebrate dogs in preparation of the day's ceremonies. Theseus sees the lovers and has them woken by sounding the hunting horns.
The lovers tell Theseus what they remember from the night before, and Lysander declares his love for Hermia while Demetrius speaks of his love for Helena. Theseus decides to override Egeus' will and have all three of them get married in Athens that day. They eventually all depart for Athens. Bottom wakes up and realizes that he has been abandoned in the woods by his friends.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Monday, May 7, 2007
Act 3 Summary
Act Three, Scene One
All of the actors arrive in the woods and discuss the play they are working on, Pyramus and Thisbe. Bottom is afraid that if Pyramus commits suicide with his sword, it might seem too real and make the women scared. As a result, they agree to write a prologue which tells the audience that Pyramus is really only Bottom the Weaver and that he does not really kill himself.
Next, Snout becomes afraid that Snug's role as the lion will cause a similar fright. So, they start to write another prologue to tell the audience that it is not a lion, but only Snug the joiner. The men then choose that Snug should speak to the audience directly and that half his head should be visible through the costume.
Finally they start to rehearse the play, with the puck eavesdropping in the background. Each of the actors makes several word mistakes, giving the phrases completely different meanings. The puck leaves when Bottom goes offstage, and reappears with Bottom, who now wears an asses head which the puck put on him. Bottom is blissfully unaware that he is transformed into an ass, and humorously asks the others why they run away from him.
Then Titania wakes up and sees Bottom, with his asses head, and falls in love with him. She begs him to keep singing and making jokes for her, and begs him to remain in the forest with her. She then calls four fairies in to take care of Bottom and take him to her garden.
Act Three, Scene Two
At the start of act three scene two, puck returns to Oberon and tells him what happened to Titania. Oberon is thrilled that Titania is being humiliated in this way. He then asks about the Athenian he wanted to fall in love with Helena. At this point Demetrius and Hermia come in.
Hermia is convinced that Demetrius has killed Lysander in his sleep, and in her anger she curses Demetrius for his actions. She finally goes away, leaving Demetrius to fall asleep in front of Oberon. Oberon, mad that Robin has ruined his plan to make Demetrius love Helena, sends Robin off to get her. The puck soon returns with both Helena and Lysander.
Helena believes that Lysander is only mocking her with his words of love, and tells him that his phrases have nothing of meaning. Accidentally she wakes up Demetrius, on whose eyes Oberon has applied with the herb. Demetrius sees her and also falls in love with Helena.
In the middle of this arguement over which man loves Helena more, Hermia arrives. She is shocked by Lysander's words and does not believe that he could possibly love Helena. Helena assumes that Hermia is part of the “plan”, and punishes her for violating the close friendship, which they have enjoyed since childhood.
Demetrius and Lysander begin to argue over Helena even more intensely, at which point Hermia breaks in and tries to stop Lysander. He rejects her, calling her a serpent and a dwarf, and finally leaves with Demetrius to fight over which man should get Helena.
Oberon and Robin step forward, having watched the entire scene. Oberon is furious about the mess that Robin has created and orders him to separate Demetrius and Lysander. He then tells the puck to make the men fall asleep, and to rub the juice on Lysander's eyes and make him see Hermia when he awakes. Robin mimics the mens' voices, causing them to follow shadows and sounds and effectively separating them and they then go to sleep.
All of the actors arrive in the woods and discuss the play they are working on, Pyramus and Thisbe. Bottom is afraid that if Pyramus commits suicide with his sword, it might seem too real and make the women scared. As a result, they agree to write a prologue which tells the audience that Pyramus is really only Bottom the Weaver and that he does not really kill himself.
Next, Snout becomes afraid that Snug's role as the lion will cause a similar fright. So, they start to write another prologue to tell the audience that it is not a lion, but only Snug the joiner. The men then choose that Snug should speak to the audience directly and that half his head should be visible through the costume.
Finally they start to rehearse the play, with the puck eavesdropping in the background. Each of the actors makes several word mistakes, giving the phrases completely different meanings. The puck leaves when Bottom goes offstage, and reappears with Bottom, who now wears an asses head which the puck put on him. Bottom is blissfully unaware that he is transformed into an ass, and humorously asks the others why they run away from him.
Then Titania wakes up and sees Bottom, with his asses head, and falls in love with him. She begs him to keep singing and making jokes for her, and begs him to remain in the forest with her. She then calls four fairies in to take care of Bottom and take him to her garden.
Act Three, Scene Two
At the start of act three scene two, puck returns to Oberon and tells him what happened to Titania. Oberon is thrilled that Titania is being humiliated in this way. He then asks about the Athenian he wanted to fall in love with Helena. At this point Demetrius and Hermia come in.
Hermia is convinced that Demetrius has killed Lysander in his sleep, and in her anger she curses Demetrius for his actions. She finally goes away, leaving Demetrius to fall asleep in front of Oberon. Oberon, mad that Robin has ruined his plan to make Demetrius love Helena, sends Robin off to get her. The puck soon returns with both Helena and Lysander.
Helena believes that Lysander is only mocking her with his words of love, and tells him that his phrases have nothing of meaning. Accidentally she wakes up Demetrius, on whose eyes Oberon has applied with the herb. Demetrius sees her and also falls in love with Helena.
In the middle of this arguement over which man loves Helena more, Hermia arrives. She is shocked by Lysander's words and does not believe that he could possibly love Helena. Helena assumes that Hermia is part of the “plan”, and punishes her for violating the close friendship, which they have enjoyed since childhood.
Demetrius and Lysander begin to argue over Helena even more intensely, at which point Hermia breaks in and tries to stop Lysander. He rejects her, calling her a serpent and a dwarf, and finally leaves with Demetrius to fight over which man should get Helena.
Oberon and Robin step forward, having watched the entire scene. Oberon is furious about the mess that Robin has created and orders him to separate Demetrius and Lysander. He then tells the puck to make the men fall asleep, and to rub the juice on Lysander's eyes and make him see Hermia when he awakes. Robin mimics the mens' voices, causing them to follow shadows and sounds and effectively separating them and they then go to sleep.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Act 2 summary
Act Two, Scene One
Puck and another fairy that serves Queen Titania meet. She tells him that Titania is coming to the woods outside of Athens that night. Puck tells the fairy that it would be better if Titania and his master, Oberon, did not meet since they only argue when they do so.
Seconds later both Oberon and Titania come, both accompanied by their respective fairy followers. Immediately they begin an argument, with both of them accusing each other of betrayal and jealousy. Titania has stolen a young boy whom she keeps with her and spends her time caring for. Oberon, jealous of the attention the boy is receiving, demands that Titania give the boy to him, a request she says no to.
After Titania leaves, Oberon promises to get revenge on her for causing him embarrassment. He sends his puck to fetch some pansies, the juice of which is supposed to make a person love the first thing he or she sees upon waking up. Oberon's plan is to put the juice onto Titania's eyes while she sleeps, so that she will fall in love with the first animal she sees after waking up. Puck leaves him and Oberon hides himself.
Demetrius and Helena arrive in the woods right next to where Oberon is hiding. Demetrius tells Helena to go away, and that he does not love her even though she has told him about Hermia and Lysander trying to run away. She threatens to chase him down if he should try to leave her in the woods.
Oberon, having overheard the entire conversation, decides to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. He tells Robin Goodfellow to take some of the juice and go put it in the eyes of the Athenian man in the woods, but doing so only when it is certain that the woman by his side will be the first person he sees. The puck agrees, and goes off to carry out his errand.
Act Two, Scene Two
Titania calls for a quick dance in the woods with her fairies, after which they sing her to sleep. Oberon takes the opportunity to sneak up and drop the pansy juice onto her closed eyelids. Soon thereafter Lysander and Hermia, tired of walking and getting lost, decide to go to sleep as well. They lie down, but Hermia demands that Lysander sleep a short distance away in order to keep up her sense of modesty since she is not married to him yet.
The puck enters, having vainly searched the woods for an Athenian. He spies Lysander lying apart from Hermia and assumes that this must be the hard-hearted Athenian which Oberon spoke about. Robin Goodfellow quickly drops some of the juice onto Lysander's eyes.
Demetrius, followed closely by Helena, runs into the clearing where Lysander is lying asleep. She begs him to stop running away from her, but he refuses and leaves her there alone. Helena finally sees Lysander on the ground and shakes him awake, unwittingly becoming the first woman he sees when he opens his eyes. Lysander immediately falls in love with Helena, and tells her that he deeply loves her. She thinks it is a cruel joke and tells him to stop abusing her.
Helena leaves, and Lysander decides to forget about Hermia and follow Helena instead. Hermia wakes up because she is scared about a dream she has had in which a serpent eats her heart. She calls for Lysander, but he is no longer near her. She then leaves her bed to go search for him.
Puck and another fairy that serves Queen Titania meet. She tells him that Titania is coming to the woods outside of Athens that night. Puck tells the fairy that it would be better if Titania and his master, Oberon, did not meet since they only argue when they do so.
Seconds later both Oberon and Titania come, both accompanied by their respective fairy followers. Immediately they begin an argument, with both of them accusing each other of betrayal and jealousy. Titania has stolen a young boy whom she keeps with her and spends her time caring for. Oberon, jealous of the attention the boy is receiving, demands that Titania give the boy to him, a request she says no to.
After Titania leaves, Oberon promises to get revenge on her for causing him embarrassment. He sends his puck to fetch some pansies, the juice of which is supposed to make a person love the first thing he or she sees upon waking up. Oberon's plan is to put the juice onto Titania's eyes while she sleeps, so that she will fall in love with the first animal she sees after waking up. Puck leaves him and Oberon hides himself.
Demetrius and Helena arrive in the woods right next to where Oberon is hiding. Demetrius tells Helena to go away, and that he does not love her even though she has told him about Hermia and Lysander trying to run away. She threatens to chase him down if he should try to leave her in the woods.
Oberon, having overheard the entire conversation, decides to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. He tells Robin Goodfellow to take some of the juice and go put it in the eyes of the Athenian man in the woods, but doing so only when it is certain that the woman by his side will be the first person he sees. The puck agrees, and goes off to carry out his errand.
Act Two, Scene Two
Titania calls for a quick dance in the woods with her fairies, after which they sing her to sleep. Oberon takes the opportunity to sneak up and drop the pansy juice onto her closed eyelids. Soon thereafter Lysander and Hermia, tired of walking and getting lost, decide to go to sleep as well. They lie down, but Hermia demands that Lysander sleep a short distance away in order to keep up her sense of modesty since she is not married to him yet.
The puck enters, having vainly searched the woods for an Athenian. He spies Lysander lying apart from Hermia and assumes that this must be the hard-hearted Athenian which Oberon spoke about. Robin Goodfellow quickly drops some of the juice onto Lysander's eyes.
Demetrius, followed closely by Helena, runs into the clearing where Lysander is lying asleep. She begs him to stop running away from her, but he refuses and leaves her there alone. Helena finally sees Lysander on the ground and shakes him awake, unwittingly becoming the first woman he sees when he opens his eyes. Lysander immediately falls in love with Helena, and tells her that he deeply loves her. She thinks it is a cruel joke and tells him to stop abusing her.
Helena leaves, and Lysander decides to forget about Hermia and follow Helena instead. Hermia wakes up because she is scared about a dream she has had in which a serpent eats her heart. She calls for Lysander, but he is no longer near her. She then leaves her bed to go search for him.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Act 1 summary
Act One, Scene One
Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is preparing the city for a large festival to his wedding with Hippolyta. Egeus, a nobleman, comes into the room with his daughter Hermia, the man Hermia loves is Lysander, and the man Egeus wants her to marry is Demetrius. He begs Theseus for the ancient Athenian right to either make his daughter marry Demetrius or have the power to kill her.
Theseus offers Hermia two options: she has to marry Demetrius or join a nunnery. He then leaves the room with the other men, leaving Hermia and Lysander behind on stage. Lysander quickly convinces Hermia to sneak into the woods the next night so that they may get married at his aunt's house outside of Athens. She agrees to the plan.
Helena arrives and regrets the fact that Demetrius only loves Hermia, even though Helena loves him far more than Hermia ever could. Lysander tells her to not worry since he and Hermia are sneaking away that night. Helena, while she is alone, says that she will tell Demetrius about Hermia's plans because that might make him start to love her again.
Act One, Scene Two
A couple of actors gather and Peter Quince hands out several parts to a play they want to perform for the Theseus' wedding. The play is based on Pyramus and Thisbe, and is meant to be a comedy and a tragedy at the same time. One of the actors, Nick Bottom, is afraid that if the make the lion in the play too real, it might frighten the ladies and get them all killed. They finally all agree to meet in the woods outside of the city the next night to rehearse their parts.
Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is preparing the city for a large festival to his wedding with Hippolyta. Egeus, a nobleman, comes into the room with his daughter Hermia, the man Hermia loves is Lysander, and the man Egeus wants her to marry is Demetrius. He begs Theseus for the ancient Athenian right to either make his daughter marry Demetrius or have the power to kill her.
Theseus offers Hermia two options: she has to marry Demetrius or join a nunnery. He then leaves the room with the other men, leaving Hermia and Lysander behind on stage. Lysander quickly convinces Hermia to sneak into the woods the next night so that they may get married at his aunt's house outside of Athens. She agrees to the plan.
Helena arrives and regrets the fact that Demetrius only loves Hermia, even though Helena loves him far more than Hermia ever could. Lysander tells her to not worry since he and Hermia are sneaking away that night. Helena, while she is alone, says that she will tell Demetrius about Hermia's plans because that might make him start to love her again.
Act One, Scene Two
A couple of actors gather and Peter Quince hands out several parts to a play they want to perform for the Theseus' wedding. The play is based on Pyramus and Thisbe, and is meant to be a comedy and a tragedy at the same time. One of the actors, Nick Bottom, is afraid that if the make the lion in the play too real, it might frighten the ladies and get them all killed. They finally all agree to meet in the woods outside of the city the next night to rehearse their parts.
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