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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

A line-by-line translation

Motifs/ Primary Devices:

Moon, Allusions, Objectification of women
Act 1, Scene 1 gender constructs, power dynamics, agency in love and juxtaposition.
Introduces the main conflict of the play
Introduces the themes of Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation
love out of balance and male dominance.
THESEUS and HIPPOLYTA enter along with PHILOSTRATE and others. THESEUS and HIPPOLYTA enter along with PHILOSTRATE
Theseus and Hippolyta become the first instance in which male and others.
dominance is conveyed.
THESEUS THESEUS
Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Now, beautiful Hippolyta 1 , the hour of our wedding is 1 Hippolyta is the legendary Queen
repetition of 'moon'
Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in speeding closer. In four joyful days there will be a new of the Amazons, a group of fearsome
Another moon. But oh, methinks how slow symbol: moon crescent moon, and we will marry. But oh! The old moon women warriors.
This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires, seems to me to shrink away so slowly! It delays me from
simile 5 Like to a stepdame or a dowager getting what I desire, just like an old rich widow will force
Long withering out a young man’s revenue. Theseus is presented as her stepson to wait forever to receive his inheritance.
eager to marry
Hippolyta.
HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night. Four days will quickly pass and turn to night. And each
solemnities Four nights will quickly dream away the time. night, we will dream away the time. And soon the
also means And then the moon, like to a silver bow dream: foreshadow
moon—like a silver bow newly bent into a curve in the
'serious',
10 New bent in heaven, shall behold the night sky—will look down on the night of our wedding
emphasizing Hippolyta's use of the word 'solemnities',
her lack of Of our solemnities. contrasts Theseus' keenness to marry her.
celebration.
want for this marriage. Furthermore, the word conveys that Hippolyta
THESEUS views her upcming marriage as nothing but THESEUS
Go, Philostrate, a necessity; signed off by the church Go, Philostrate, get the young people of Athens in the mood
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments. to celebrate. Wake up the lively and swift spirit of fun. Send
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth. Thesus, on the other hand sadness out to funerals—that pale emotion has no place at
15 Turn melancholy forth to funerals. refers to their wedding by our festivities.
By conveyingThe pale companion is not for our pomp. asking Philostrate to beckon the Athenian youth
to the idea for "merriments"
that melancholy needs to be turned PHILOSTRATE exits. juxtaposition: solemnities and merriments PHILOSTRATE exits.
away reflects an atmosphere in
which it is Theseus is referring to win her in battle.
present Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword Hippolyta, I wooed with you by fighting against you, and
And won thy love doing thee injuries. antithesis won your love by injuring you. But I’ll marry you in a
20 But I will wed thee in another key, different way—with splendid ceremonies, public festivities,
With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling. anaphora and semantic and celebration.
field of celebration.
EGEUS EGEUS
Happy be Theseus, our renownèd duke. Joy to you, Theseus—our famous and distinguished duke!

EGEUS enters with his daughter HERMIA, along with LYSANDER and EGEUS enters with his daughter HERMIA, along with
DEMETRIUS. LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS.

THESEUS THESEUS
Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee? Thank you, dear Egeus. What’s going on with you?

EGEUS EGEUS
Full of vexation come I with complaint I’ve come to you full of anger, to protest against the actions
25 Against my child, my daughter Hermia. of my daughter, Hermia. Step forward, Demetrius. My noble
Anaphora Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, lord Theseus, this man, Demetrius, has my blessing to
This man hath my consent to marry her. The use of anaphora marry her. Step forward, Lysander. Yet, my gracious duke,
Stand forth, Lysander. And my gracious duke, initiates the conflict this man, Lysander, has put a spell on my daughter’s heart.
This man hath bewitched the bosom of my child. Egeus is here to You, you, Lysander, you have given her poems, and
30 Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,introduce to the
episeuxis exchanged tokens of love with my daughter. You’ve come
And interchanged love tokens with my child. audience. beneath her window in the moonlight and pretended to
Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung The anaphora presents love her with your fake love songs. And you’ve stolen her
the two men in direct
Egeus claimsWith feigning voice verses of feigning love, compretition with other. fancy by giving her locks of your hair, rings, toys, trinkets,
Lysander's And stol'n the impression of her fantasy Furthermore, that knickknacks, little presents, flowers, and candies—all of
love for 35 With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, Egeus approves of which will powerfully influence an innocent child. You’ve 2 In ancient Mediterranean
Hermia is Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats—messengersDemetrius. sneaked and schemed to steal my daughter’s heart, civilizations, fathers had absolute
deceitful. Of strong prevailment in unhardened youth. transforming the obedience which she owes me into harsh authority over each family member,
Furthermore, including the power of life and death.
With cunning hast thou filched my daughter’s heart, in coveying Demetriusstubbornness. My gracious duke, if Hermia, standing here in
The idea that Turned her obedience (which is due to me) and Lysander in front of you, won’t agree to marry Demetrius, then I
Lysander 40 is To stubborn harshness. And, my gracious duke, opposition, is the first demand my traditional rights as a father in Athens 2 .
presented as Be it so she will not here before your grace indiction that they are Since she belongs to me, I can do what I want with her, as
'cunning', is foil characters.
because he Consent to marry with Demetrius, the law expressly states for just such a case as this: either
does not have Egeus' consent to marry Hermia.

Egeus reiterates this notion by statng that Hermia's obedience is

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I beg the ancient privilege of Athens. Egeus wants to exercise his she marries Demetrius, or she dies. This law indicates a male-dominant society.
As she is mine, I may dispose of her— Athenian privilege to have Hermia By extension this shows the agency that men and
killed if she does not marry Demetrius. women had when it to choice in love.
45 Which shall be either to this gentleman
objectification Egeus speaks about Hermia as though she is property:
Or to her death—according to our law 'she is ,mine,/ I may dispose of her --'
Immediately provided in that case.

THESEUS THESEUS
What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid: And what do you say, Hermia? Take this advice, pretty girl:
To you your father should be as a god, power dynamics you should see your father as a god, since he’s the one who
50 One that composed your beauties, yea, and one created your beauty. To him, you’re like a figure that he
To whom you are but as a form in wax, chremamorphism sculpted out of wax, giving him the power to leave it as it is
By him imprinted and within his power & metaphor. or to destroy it. Demetrius is a good man.
To leave the figure or disfigure it.juxtaposition & diction: 'disfigure'
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. Theseus declares Demetrius to be a worthy gentleman
based on nothing other than the fact that he is Egeus-approved.
parallelism
HERMIA HERMIA
55 So is Lysander. So is Lysander.

THESEUS THESEUS
In himself he is. Yes he is. But in this situation, because he lacks your
But in this kind, wanting your father’s voice, father's support, you must consider Demetrius to be better.
The other must be held the worthier.

HERMIA HERMIA
I would my father looked but with my eyes. I wish my father could look at them through my eyes.

THESEUS THESEUS
60 Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. Instead, your view of them must be influenced by your
father's wishes.

HERMIA The importance of a father's HERMIA

decision and male dominance
I do entreat your grace to pardon me. along with the lack of agency I beg your Grace
3 to forgive me. I don’t know what is 3 "Your Grace" is a form of address
I know not by what power I am made bold women had, are reiterated via making me bold enough to do this, or even how speaking similar to "your Majesty."
Nor how it may concern my modesty this antithetical paralleliem my thoughts to such an important person as you might
In such a presence here to plead my thoughts, harm my reputation for modesty. But I beg you to explain to
65 But I beseech your grace that I may know Hermia is portrayed as polite me the worst thing that could happen to me in this
The worst that may befall me in this case,and honourable, yet with a situation if I refuse to marry Demetrius.
If I refuse to wed Demetrius. firm mind. The volatility of the situation
Theseus reminds Hermia of her does not stir direspect in her.
youth - THESEUS THESEUS
implying she is Either to die the death or to abjure Theseus presents Hermia with two You’ll either be sentenced to death or to never again
still firit for options in the event that she does not interact with another man. Therefore, beautiful Hermia,
chid bearing. Forever the society of men.
70 Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires. marry Demetrius. really think about what you want. Think about how young
Know of your youth. Examine well your blood— He puts the punishments you are, and explore your feelings—if you do not give in to
Whether, if you yield not to your father’s choice, of death, and forever your father's wishes, will you be able to tolerate life wearing
semantic field: aburing the society of 4 Diana, otherwise known as
You can endure the livery of a nun, the robes of a nun, shut up in a dark convent, living your
virgnity/ men neck to neck. Artemis, was the ancient Greek
remaining For aye to be in shady cloister mewed, whole life without husband or children, chanting quietly to
This gives insight into the goddess of the moon and chastity.
unmarried75 To live a barren sister all your life, notion that women were
Diana 4 . Those who can control their passions and remain
Chanting faint hymns to the cold, fruitless moon.insignificant unless they virgins their whole lives are three times as blessed. But a
Thrice-blessèd they that master so their blood were a 'man's woman'. married woman lives happier in this world than a virgin,
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage. who achieves the blessing of chastity but grows, lives, and
But earthlier happy is the rose distilled withers to death as a flower on the stem.
80 Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn,
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness.

HERMIA HERMIA
So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, That is how I will grow, live, and die, my lord. I will not give
Ere I will yield my virgin patent up up the ownership of my virginity to my lord father. My soul
Unto his lordship, whose unwishèd yoke refuses to let him command me into the yoke of a marriage
85 My soul consents not to give sovereignty. I do not want.

THESEUS THESEUS
Take time to pause, and by the next new moon— Take some time to consider. By the next new moon—the
The sealing day betwixt my love and me day when my beloved and I will be joined in marriage—be
For everlasting bond of fellowship— ready either to die for disobeying your father's desires, to
Upon that day either prepare to die marry Demetrius, as your father wishes. Or else, you can go
90 For disobedience to your father’s will, to the temple of Diana and vow to spend the rest of your life
Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would, as a virgin priestess.
Allusion Or on Diana’s altar to protest
For aye austerity and single life.
Diana: Goddess of: the moon & fertility & chastity
DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Relent, sweet Hermia And, Lysander, yield Give in, sweet Hermia. And, Lysander, give up your crazy
95 Thy crazèd title to my certain right. Demetrius refers to Hermia claim to possession of what is mine.
as his 'certain right'.

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LYSANDER LYSANDER
You have her father’s love, Demetrius. Her father loves you, Demetrius. Let me have Hermia, and
Let me have Hermia’s. Do you marry him. you can marry him.

EGEUS EGEUS
Scornful Lysander, true, he hath my love, Rude Lysander, it's true, I do love him. And because I love
And what is mine my love shall render him. him, I will give to him what is mine. Hermia is mine, and I’m
100 And she is mine, and all my right of her shows male dominance, giving my rights to her to Demetrius.
I do estate unto Demetrius. objectification Of all the reasons Lysander
treating women as property lists that make him a fair
candidate for Hermia's, he notes that most
LYSANDER parallelism LYSANDER importantly, Hermia reciprocates this love. This
[To THESEUS] I am, my lord, as well derived as he, [To THESEUS] My lord, I’m as noble as Demetrius, and as Lysander the only person that pays
As well possessed. My love is more than his. rich. I love Hermia more than he does. My prospects are in heed to what Hermia wants.
My fortunes every way as fairly ranked, every way as good as Demetrius', if not better. And, more
105 (If not with vantage) as Demetrius'. importantly than all of those things I just boasted about, Lysander refers to Demetrius
And—which is more than all these boasts can be— alliteration beautiful Hermia loves me. Why shouldn’t I be able to as a 'spotted and inconstant
I am beloved of beauteous Hermia. draws attention to pursue my rights marry her? Demetrius—and I’ll declare man'. refering to the manner in
Why should not I then prosecute my right? the passion and this to his face—wooed Nedar’s daughter, Helena, and wonwhich he oscillates in love.
Demetrius, I’ll avouch it to his head, emotion in her love. Now Helena, that sweet lady, obsesses, deeply The word spotted is also used in
110 Made love to Nedar’s daughter, Helena, Lysander's words. obsesses, obsesses over this stained and unfaithful man, Act II 'spotted snakes'.
And won her soul. And she, sweet lady, dotes, idolizing him as if he were a god.
sibilance Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry the word "spotted" is used in Act 2
associated Upon this spotted and inconstant man. and Act 3: "spotted snakes" - may
with Helena and harsher consonance with be intentional characterisation of
the impact THESEUS Demetrius. THESEUS
Demetrius' I must confess that I have heard so much I must admit I’ve heard that too, and meant to speak about
behaviour 115 And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof, it with Demetrius. But because I was too busy with my own
has had But being overfull of self-affairs, concerns, I forget about it. But now, Demetrius and Egeus,
on her. My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come. come with me. I have some advice for you both that I want
And come, Egeus. You shall go with me. to give in private. As for you, beautiful Hermia, prepare
before leaving Hermia to
I have some private schooling for you both. contemplate her choices yourself to shape your desires to match what your father
120 For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself before the new moon, wants, or else the law of Athens—which I can’t modify or
To fit your fancies to your father’s will, Theseus reiterates the lessen in any way—demands that you either die or take a
possible consequences.
Or else the law of Athens yields you up When doing so he first asks vow of chastity and never marry. Come along, Hippolyta.
once again, (Which by no means we may extenuate) How are you, my love? Demetrius and Egeus, come with us.
Theseus puts Hermia to fit her fancies to
the ideas of To death, or to a vow of single life. her father's will; implying I have some work I need you to do regarding our wedding,
death and125a Come, my Hippolyta. What cheer, my love? what he most likely and there's something that concerns the two of you that I
single life considers he correct choice.
Demetrius and Egeus, go along. want to discuss.
side by side.
I must employ you in some business
Against our nuptial and confer with you
Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.

EGEUS EGEUS
130 With duty and desire we follow you. We follow you because it is our duty, and because we want
to.

They exit, except LYSANDER and HERMIA. They all exit, except LYSANDER and HERMIA.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? metaphor & visual How are you, my love? Why are your cheeks so pale? How is
How chance the roses there do fade so fast? Theimagery.
impact that choosing love
it that the roses in them have faded so quickly?
through another's eyes has: visual indication
HERMIA metaphor (tears) HERMIA
Belike for want of rain, which I could well Probably because they lacked rain, which I could easily give
Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes. them from the tears in my eyes.
emphasizes Hermia's sadness by comparing her tears to
LYSANDER storms pouring from her eyes. LYSANDER
135 Ay me! For aught that I could ever read, Oh dear! In every book that I have ever read, whether a
Could ever hear by tale or history, story or a history, the path of true love is never smooth or
The course of true love never did run smooth. easy. Perhaps the lovers are of different social classes—
But either it was different in blood—
Hermia and Lysander contemplate all the possible complications that can stand an obstacle in love.
HERMIA HERMIA
O cross! Too high to be enthralled to low. Oh, what an obstacle! Being a person of high rank in love
with someone of low stature.
they do this using:
juxtapositions
LYSANDER and mirroring each others LYSANDER
140 Or else misgraffèd in respect of years— thoughts. Or else they were very different ages—

HERMIA HERMIA
O spite! Too old to be engaged to young. Oh, vicious fate! Being too old to marry someone young.

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LYSANDER LYSANDER
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends— Or else their ability to choose depended on the wishes of
their relatives—

HERMIA Hermia reiterates the conflict HERMIA

O hell, to choose love by another’s eyes! that drives the play. Oh, what a hell, to have someone else's wishes determine
who you can love!

LYSANDER Lysander conveys that even without societal constructs, LYSANDER

love can be full of obstacles such as war, sickness, death.
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice, Or—even if two people loved each other and could choose
145 War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,metaphors & foreshadowing to marry—war, death, or sickness might intervene, so that
Making it momentary as a sound, (the dream - the events in the their love lasts no longer than a sound, is as fleeting as a
woods, under the love potion).
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream, shadow, short as a dream. Or it's as brief as a bolt of
Brief as the lightning in the collied night; light and dark imagery: lightning that—like a flash of passion—lights up heaven and
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and Earth, juxtaposition Earth but then disappears into darkness before you can
150 And ere a man hath power to say “Behold!” even say "Look!" That’s how bright things that are full of life
The jaws of darkness do devour it up. personification are destroyed.
So quick bright things come to confusion.
antithesis he highlights how ephemeral love
can be by comparing it to a lightning
HERMIA bolt.. HERMIA
If then true lovers have been ever crossed, Hermia rationalises that the If true lovers are always thwarted, then it proves that
only way to figure out whether
It stands as an edict in destiny. love is meant to be is by being destiny is saying that our thwarted love must be true. So
155 Then let us teach our trial patience, patient let’s make sure to approach our problem with patience.
Because it is a customary cross, dream: foreshadow Since all true love must be thwarted, then being thwarted is
As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs, If true hard is so hard to as much a part of love as dreams, sighs, wishes, and tears
Wishes and tears, poor fancy’s followers. come by and sustain, it are.
must be destined - therefore nothing more than patience
leads to its culmination. Lysander's aunt is everything that
LYSANDER LYSANDER
Theseus presented to Hermia in
A good persuasion. Therefore, hear me, Hermia. Lysander tells Hermia of That's the right way to think about it. So, listen, Hermia. I negative light - she has no children,
160 I have a widow aunt, a dowager his Aunt, who is described have an aunt who is a widow, who has property and great great wealth and treats Lysander as
Of great revenue, and she hath no child. as all the things Theseus wealth, and doesn’t have any children. Her house is about her own son.
told Hermia would lead to
From Athens is her house remote seven leagues, an unfulfilled life. twenty miles from Athens, and she thinks of me as a son.
And she respects me as her only son. That Lysander has no Dear Hermia, I could marry you there, where the harsh laws
There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee. judgement toward his aunt of Athens can’t follow us. So if you love me, sneak out of
165 And to that place the sharp Athenian law that never bore a child; your father’s house tomorrow night. I will wait for you in the
he shows acceptance
Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me then, beyond the constructs of thewoods, three miles out of town, at the spot where I once
Steal forth thy father’s house tomorrow night. time met you with Helena to celebrate May Day.
And in the wood, a league without the town—
Where I did meet thee once with Helena Once again, Lysander gives
170 To do observance to a morn of May— Hermia a choice in their love -
He emphasizes that Hermia only should consider his proposal to elope
There will I stay for thee. if she loves him.

HERMIA HERMIA
My good Lysander! Allusion My noble Lysander! I swear to you—by Cupid's strongest
I swear to thee by Cupid’s strongest bow, Hermia swears by all these bow, by his best gold-tipped arrow; by the innocent doves 5 Venus, or Aphrodite, was the
By his best arrow with the golden head, allusions to love that she will that drive Venus 5 ' chariot; by everything that binds souls ancient Greek goddess of love.
175 By the simplicity of Venus' doves, Allusionflee with Lysander. together and makes love grow; by the bonfire upon which
By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, Queen Dido of Carthage burned herself to death when she
And by that fire which burned the Carthage queen saw that her lover Aeneas had secretly sailed away from
When the false Troyan under sail was seen, Allusion - Historic her; and by all the promises that men have ever broken
By all the vows that ever men have broke antithesis: (which outnumber all the promises women have ever
180 (In number more than ever women spoke), antithetical behaviour of men vs. made). I will meet you tomorrow at the spot you have asked
In that same place thou hast appointed me, women - which Lysander does me to go to.
not feel the need to oppose.
Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee.
alliteration and assonance the use of lyrical language
often used in more emotionally driven
LYSANDER moments LYSANDER
Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena. Keep your promise, my love. Look, here comes Helena.

HERMIA HERMIA
Godspeed, fair Helena! Whither away? Welcome, beautiful Helena! Where are you going?
Helena's repetition of the word
HELENA enters. 'fair' conveys her understanding HELENA enters.
Helena's declaration that it is Hermia's beauty that of why Demetrius wants to marry
Demetrius loves proves to be significant, as she later
HELENA adds the notion of love looking not with the eyes but with the mind. HELENA
185 Call you me “fair?” That “fair” again unsay. Did you call me “beautiful?” Take it back. Your beauty is
Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair! repetition of 'fair' what Demetrius loves. Oh, lucky beauty! Your eyes are like
metaphors Your eyes are lodestars, and your tongue’s sweet air stars, and your sweet voice is more melodic than a lark’s
elaborating More tunable than lark to shepherd’s ear song is to a shepherd in the springtime, when the wheat is
Helena's
perception When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear. green and hawthorn buds appear. Sickness is contagious.
of why 190 Sickness is catching. Oh, were favor so, Oh, I wish beauty was also. I would catch yours, beautiful
Demetrius Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go. Hermia, before I left. My ear would be infected by your
'loves' My ear should catch your voice. My eye, your eye. voice, my eye by your eye, and my tongue would catch your
Hermia
My tongue should catch your tongue’s sweet melody. tongue's musical voice. If I owned the world, I’d give it all
Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, Helena's speech relays how up—with the exception of Demetrius—to be transformed
By using the word 'bated' Helena touches upon
195 she longs to be like Hermia in
how she places some blame on Hermia for every way in order to win
over Demetrius.
Demetrius's waivering love.

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The rest I’d give to be to you translated. into you. Oh, teach me how you look at Demetrius, and the
O, teach me how you look and with what art tricks you use to make him fall in love with you.
You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.
reflecting Demetrius' oscillation
HERMIA in love - 'sway the motion' HERMIA
I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. I frown at him, but he still loves me.
juxtaposition
HELENA antithetical parallelism HELENA
Helen yearns Oh, that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! Oh, if only your frowns could teach my smiles to have that
to possess the same ability!
power that attracts Hermia uses multiple juxtapositions to convey her Hermia relays that despite her love for him,
Demetrius to aversion to Demetrius; and how Demetrius only responds contrastingly:
to these by being further drawn to her. Demetrius avoids her
Hermia. HERMIA HERMIA
200 I give him curses, yet he gives me love. I curse him, but he responds with love.
the idea that Helena only has 'prayers' in hope to sway
HELENA Demetrius' focus towards her reflects the extreme limited HELENA
Oh, that my prayers could such affection move! agency that women had. Oh, if only my prayers could arouse that kind of affection!

HERMIA HERMIA
The more I hate, the more he follows me. The more I hate him, the more he follows me.
antithetical parallelism
HELENA HELENA
The more I love, the more he hateth me. The more I love him, the more he hates me.

HERMIA Helena & Hermia HERMIA

His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. effectively want the same thing: Helena, his foolishness is not my fault.
Demetrius to shift his attention away
from Hermia and toward
HELENA Helena. Despite Hermia's aversionHELENA
205 None, but your beauty. Would that fault were mine! It’s only your beauty’s fault. I wish I had that fault!
Hermia highlights that to him, Demetrius still chases after her, defying his oaths to Helena.
Demetrius's inconstant This causes Helena to betray
nature is not HERMIA HERMIA
her fault; Hermia by telling Demetrius about
Take comfort. He no more shall see my face.her plan Don’t worry. He'll never see my face again. Lysander and I
yet causes
Helena to Lysander and myself will fly this place. to elope with Lysander. which are running away from here. Before the first time I saw
envy her and Before the time I did Lysander see was told to Helena in confidence. Lysander, Athens seemed like paradise to me. But Lysander
in some ways Seemed Athens as a paradise to me. is so beautiful and graceful that, by comparison, he’s turned
make Hermia Hermia compares Athens to a
an object 210
of Oh, then, what graces in my love do dwell, hell that does not permit her what I thought was heaven into hell!
blame as well. That he hath turned a heaven unto a hell! love for Lysander.
lyrical language:
LYSANDER enhances dramatic value/ used when conveying emotion LYSANDER
Helen, to you our minds we will unfold. Helena, we’ll let you in on our plan. Tomorrow night—when 6 Phoebe was the ancient Greek
Tomorrow night when Phoebe doth behold Allusion to Phoebe: Phoebe 6 is reflected on the water and decorates the grass goddess of the moon.
Her silver visage in the watery glass, Goddess of the Moon with beads of pearly light (the time of night that always
215 Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass visual imagery romaticizes hides lovers on the run—we plan to sneak out through the
(A time that lovers' flights doth still conceal), the night when they gates of Athens.
Through Athens' gates have we devised to steal. will elope using visual imagery.
lyrical language, increases emotion
HERMIA HERMIA
[To HELENA] And in the wood where often you and I [To HELENA] In the woods where you and I used to laze
Upon faint primrose beds were wont to lie, Confides in Helena, only to around on the pale primroses, sharing all of the sweet
220 Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet, be betrayed as Helena, in secrets of our hearts—that’s where Lysander and I will
There my Lysander and myself shall meet. desperation; tells Demetrius. meet. Then we’ll turn away from Athens and look for new
And thence from Athens turn away our eyes friends and the company of strangers. Goodbye, sweet
To seek new friends and stranger companies. friend of my youth. Pray for us, and may fate give you
Farewell, sweet playfellow. Pray thou for us. ironic, as Helena does the
opposite.
Demetrius! Keep your promise, Lysander. We must refrain
225 And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius! from the pleasure of seeing each other until tomorrow at
Keep word, Lysander. We must starve our sight sibilance and synaesthesia midnight.
From lovers' food till morrow deep midnight.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
I will, my Hermia. I will, my Hermia.

HERMIA exits. HERMIA exits.

Helena, adieu. Goodbye, Helena. May Demetrius love you just as you love
As you on him, Demetrius dote on you! parallelism him!
LYSANDER exits. LYSANDER exits.

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HELENA Helena's soliloquy HELENA

How happy some o'er other some can be! highlights the sense of injustice she How happy some people can be compared to others!
parallelism feels
230 Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. Throughout Athens, people think I'm as beautiful as
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so. Hermia. But what does that matter? Demetrius doesn't
He will not know what all but he do know. think so. The only opinion he has is his own. And as he
She calls Demetrius' love for Hermia
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes, a mistake. wanders, idolizing Hermia's eyes, likewise I admire his
So I, admiring of his qualities. Helena is acknowledging beauty. Love can transform crude and horrible things of no
7 Cupid, or Eros, was the ancient
235 Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Demetrius' flaws, but also her worth into beautiful and dignified things. Love doesn't look
Greek god of love.
Love can transpose to form and dignity. inability to stop loving him. with eyes, but with the mind. That's why they paint winged
Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. Helena's understanding of Cupid 7 blind. And Love doesn't have good judgment or
Allusion & And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. love is that it looks not with taste—wings and blindness make for undue speed in falling
personifiation the eyes. This directly
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgment taste— contradicts the reason she in love. Thus, Love is thought of as a child, because he
240 Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste. believes Demetrius "loves" often makes the wrong choice. Just like mischievous boys
metaphor And therefore is Love said to be a child, Hermia. Because of her who go back on their word as they play games, so too does
"fairness"
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. the boy Love perjure himself everywhere. Because before
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, Helena's understanding of the Demetrius saw Helena's eyes, he swore that he belonged to
So the boy Love is perjured everywhere. way in which men approach only me. And when he felt attracted to Hermia, he
245 For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia's eyne, love, is like "waggish boys" dissolved. His promises melted down like hail in the heat. I
playing a "game"/ bending
metaphor He hailed down oaths that he was only mine. the rules, often leaving the will go and tell him that beautiful Hermia is running away.
juxtaposition And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, object of their love in turmoil. Then he'll got to the forest tomorrow night to pursue her.
cold/ hot So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt. And if he thanks me for this piece of information, it will all
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight. be worth it. But in this way I plan to make my pain worse,
250 Then to the wood will he tomorrow night by seeing him go there and back again.
Pursue her. And for this intelligence Helena describes the intensity of the
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense. promises in love that Demetrius had made her.
But herein mean I to enrich my pain, She compares his oaths to hail. However, declares
how at the slightest display of "heat" from Hermia, his promises soon dissolved.
To have his sight thither and back again.
Comparing promises/ oaths to something
as forceful as a potentially dangerous HELENA exits. Helena decides to tell Demetrius HELENA exits.
element in nature highlights the importance about Hermia and Lysander's plan to elope.
Helena gives to commitment and loyalty. Her reasoning being that if he gave her any thanks
for this information, that would hold her remotely higher
in the way that he views her.
Act 1, Scene 2
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

QUINCE the carpenter, SNUG the cabinetmaker; BOTTOM the weaver, QUINCE the carpenter, SNUG the cabinetmaker; BOTTOM
FLUTE the bellows-repairman, SNOUT the tinker; and STARVELING the weaver, FLUTE the bellows 1 -repairman, SNOUT the 1 "Bellows," or a "pair of bellows,"
the tailor all enter. repairman 2 ; and STARVELING the tailor all enter. are a device used to blow air into a
The mechanicals who work in Theseus' palace are practicing to fire.
perform a play on Theseus' wedding night.
The scene is intended to provide comic relief while touching upon 2 The original text labels Snout a
some of the broader thematic concepts of the play, even through "tinker," one who repairs metal
metatheatre. objects for a living.
The mechanicals talks in prosaic language. A feature conveying their lower social status.
Their speech sometimes contains malapropisms, further reflecting
QUINCE their social status, in addition to adding comedy to the scene. QUINCE
Is all our company here? Are all of us here?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
You were best to call them generally, man by man, You'd be best off calling their names generally 3 , one 3 Bottom often mixes up words.
according to the scrip. person at a time, following the order of the names on the Here he says "generally" when he
list. means "separately."

QUINCE QUINCE
Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought Here is the list of the names of every man in Athens who we
5 fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude malapropism consider good enough to act in the short play we’re going
an interlude is an interval
before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding day at to perform for the duke and duchess on the night of their
night. juxtaposition not, 'their' wedding wedding day.
creating comedy: day is not at night...
BOTTOM BOTTOM
First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, First, Peter Quince, tell us what the play is about. Then read
then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a the names of the actors, and in that way build up to a
10 point. conclusion.

QUINCE juxtaposition/ malapropism QUINCE

Marry, our play i s The most lamentable comedy and most Indeed 4 , I will. Our play is called The Very Tragic Comedy 4 The original text's "marry" is a
cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe. lamentable means sorrowful of the Awful Deaths of Pyramus and Thisbe. mild oath, common in Shakespeare's
also not funny time. It refers to the Virgin Mary.
merry but involves two deaths
Shakespeare's genuine attempt at
BOTTOM comedy BOTTOM
A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry. Believe me, it’s a great piece of work, and very funny, too.
Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the Now, Peter Quince, call out the actors on your list. Men,
15 scroll. Masters, spread yourselves. gather around.

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QUINCE QUINCE
Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver? Answer when I call your name. Nick Bottom, the weaver?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Ready. Name what part I am for and proceed. Here. Say which part I’m going to play, and then continue.

QUINCE QUINCE
You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus. Nick Bottom, you will play the role of Pyramus.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
What is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant? What’s Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?
The play they have chosen to perform
on a day of celebration (as extensively reiterated by Theseus
QUINCE in scene i). QUINCE
20 A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love. A lover who, very nobly, kills himself for love.
antithesis
BOTTOM BOTTOM
That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. That role will require some tears from me if I am to perform
Obviously, the audience
If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will cannot look at their own eyesit well. If I perform it, the audience better check their own
move storms. I will condole in some measure. To the eyes. I’ll make tears fall like rainstorms. I’ll make them
rest. Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play weep. I'll express grief—just the right amount of grief, of
5 Hercules was an ancient Greek
25 Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all course. Okay, now list the other actors. But, actually, my
split. Allusion His misinformed allusion of Hercules to a tyrant. first choice would be to play a tyrant. I'd make a wonderful mythological hero, famous for his
twelve tasks.
The raging rocks Hercules 5 , or any other part that requires ranting and
And shivering shocks raving that will bring the house down.
Shall break the locks
Bottom uses rhyme (or attempts to)
30 Of prison gates. when referring to a mythological hero's The raging rocks
And Phoebus' car Allusion way of speaking. And shivering shocks 6 Phoebus was the ancient Greek
Shall shine from far Will break the locks sun god.
And make and mar Of prison gates.
The foolish Fates. And Phoebus 6 ' cart
35 This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. This Will shine from afar
He gives is Ercles' vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more And make and mar
himself a pat
on the back condoling. The foolish Fates.
for his understanding
of what a tyrants speech would sound like. That was high art! Now say who the other actors are. That
Hercules is not a tyrant - another moment speech was in the style of Hercules, the tyrant's style. A
of Shakespearean humour.
lover would be more weepy.

QUINCE QUINCE
Francis Flute, the bellows-mender? Francis Flute, the bellows-repairman?

FLUTE FLUTE
Here, Peter Quince. Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE QUINCE
40 Flute, you must take Thisbe on you. Flute, you’ll play the part of Thisbe.

FLUTE FLUTE
What is Thisbe? A wandering knight? Who’s Thisbe? A knight on a quest?
juxtaposition
QUINCE QUINCE
It is the lady that Pyramus must love. Thisbe is the lady whom Pyramus loves.

FLUTE FLUTE
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard No, really, please don’t make me play a woman. I’m
coming. Flute's reasoning for not playing a woman is nonsensical. growing a beard.
He could just shave...
QUINCE But instead of suggesting the obvious (shave...) Quince suggests QUINCE
wearing a mask
45 That’s all one. You shall play it in a mask, and you That makes no difference. You’ll be wearing a mask, and
may speak as small as you will. though Quince implies speaking in a gentle you can make your voice as high as you want.
duality in meaning manner, the specific use of the world 'small'
sibilance reinstates the gender dynamics elaborated
BOTTOM throughout the play. BOTTOM
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll If I can wear a mask, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll speak in an
oxymoron speak in a monstrous little voice: “Thisne, Thisne!” amazing high-pitched voice. Pyramus will say: “Thisne,
malapropism “Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisbe dear and lady Thisne!” Then I'll say: “Ah, Pyramus, my dear love! I’m your
50 dear!” Bottom wants to be every character dear Thisbe—your dear lady!”
He just states that he would play the role of a tyrant best.
Now asks to play a role that would fall entirely on the other end
QUINCE of the spectrum. QUINCE
No, no. You must play Pyramus. And Flute, you Thisbe. No, no. You’re playing Pyramus. And Flute, you’re playing
Thisbe.

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BOTTOM BOTTOM
Well, proceed. Well, all right. Continue.

QUINCE QUINCE
Robin Starveling, the tailor? Robin Starveling, the tailor?

STARVELING STARVELING
Here, Peter Quince. Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE QUINCE
55 Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother. Tom Robin Starveling, you’re going to play Thisbe’s mother. Tom
Snout, the tinker? Snout, the repairman?

SNOUT SNOUT
Here, Peter Quince. Here, Peter Quince.

QUINCE QUINCE
You, Pyramus' father. Myself, Thisbe’s father. Snug the You’ll play Pyramus’ father. As for myself, I’ll play Thisbe’s
joiner, you, the lion’s part. And I hope here is a play father. Snug, the cabinetmaker, you’ll play the part of the
60 fitted. lion. Now, I hope the play has been well cast.

SNUG SNUG
Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, Do you have the lion’s part written down? If you do, please
give it me, for I am slow of study. humour give it to me, because I'm a slow learner.

QUINCE QUINCE
You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. You can improvise the whole thing, because it's just roaring.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will do Let me play the lion, too! I’ll roar so well that it’ll delight
65 any man’s heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I anyone who hears me. I’ll roar so well that the duke will say,
will make the duke say, “Let him roar again. Let him “Let him roar again. Let him roar again.”
roar again.”
use of auditory imagery creates animation to the humour
QUINCE QUINCE
An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the If you roar too terrifyingly, you’ll scare the duchess and the
duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek. And that other ladies, and make them scream. And that would be
70 were enough to hang us all. The idea that the women would be afraid by enough to get us all hanged.
a human pretending to be a Lion - portraying
weakness as a feminine trait.
ALL ALL
That would hang us, every mother’s son. They'd hang every single one of us.
juxtaposition implying that weakness is a female
trait and then highlighting that without
BOTTOM a 'mother' their would be no 'son' BOTTOM
I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies I agree, my friends, that if you scare the ladies out of their
out of their wits, they would have no more discretion wits, they’d have no choice but to hang us. But I’ll aggravate 7 7 Bottom thinks "aggravate" means
but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I malapropism
Bottom means the my voice so that I’ll roar as gently as a baby dove. I’ll "quiet" or "moderate," when in fact it
75 will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar opposite.
juxtaposition roar like a melodic nightingale. means the opposite.
catering to the you an ’twere any nightingale. simile
imagined horror of
the women -
and how this QUINCE QUINCE
might lead to You can play no part but Pyramus. For Pyramus is a You can’t play any part but Pyramus. Because Pyramus is a
them being
hung. sweet-faced man, a proper man as one shall see in a irony & foreshadowing - good-looking man, the most handsome man you could find
summer’s day, a most lovely, gentlemanlike man. later when they are on a summer’s day, the most lovely gentlemanly man.
rehearsing the play in the
80 Therefore you must needs play Pyramus. woods, Bottom's head is Therefore you must play Pyramus.
changed into that of a donkey.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to Very well, I’ll do it. What would be the best beard for me to
play it in? not the same one as Thisbe =) wear for the part?
(sorry I had to)
QUINCE QUINCE
Why, what you will. Why, whichever one you want to wear.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard, I’ll play the role wearing either a straw-colored beard, or a
85 your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or brownish-yellow beard, or a deep red beard, or a bright 8 Bottom refers here to a gold coin,
your French crown-color beard, your perfect yellow. yellow beard the color of a French crown 8 . or "crown."

QUINCE Allusion to QUINCE

syphilis, random jab
Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and at the French. Some French heads have no hair at all 9 , so maybe you 9 Here, Quince makes a joke about
then you will play barefaced. But masters, here are your could play the role clean-shaven. But, gentlemen, here are bare French "crowns," or heads. He
parts. And I am to entreat you, request you, and desire your scripts. I beg you, ask you, and desire you to please alludes to syphilis, "the French
disease," which causes hair loss.
90 you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the learn your lines by tomorrow night. Then meet me by
Note: 'con' is not a malapropism, it is an archaic word for 'learn'

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palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. moonlight in the duke’s forest a mile outside of town. There
There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city we we will rehearse, because if we do it in the city, we’ll be
shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In bothered by crowds of people and everyone will know what
the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as we're going to perform. In the meantime, I’ll make a list of
95 our play wants. I pray you, fail me not. props that we’ll need for the play. Now, I beg you, don't
miss the rehearsal.

BOTTOM malapropism BOTTOM

We will meet, and there we may rehearse most obscenely We’ll be there, and there we’ll rehearse obscenely 10 and 10 Bottom means "unseen," not
and courageously. Take pains. Be perfect. Adieu. courageously. Work hard, memorize your lines perfectly. obscene.
Farewell.

QUINCE QUINCE
At the duke’s oak we meet. We’ll meet at the giant oak tree in the duke’s forest.

They all exit. They all exit.

Act 2, Scene 1
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

A FAIRY and ROBIN GOODFELLOW enter from opposite sides of the A FAIRY and ROBIN GOODFELLOW enter from opposite sides
stage. of the stage.

ROBIN ROBIN
How now, spirit? Whither wander you? How are you, spirit? Where are you going?
Highlights the omnipresence
FAIRY of the fairy realm. FAIRY
Over hill, over dale, Over hill, over valley, through bush, through thorn, over
Thorough bush, thorough brier, park, over fenced-in pastures, through water, through fire. I
Over park, over pale, Use of lyrical language wander everywhere faster than the moon revolves around
5 Thorough flood, thorough fire. the Earth. I serve the fairy queen, decorating the grass with
I do wander everywhere defies the laws of physics: dew. The tall cowslip flowers are her bodyguards: the spots
Swifter than the moon’s sphere. element of magic you see on their gold coats are rubies, fairy gifts. Their
references to nature are prevalent
And I serve the fairy queen throughout the speech of those from the sweet smells come from those spots. Now I must go find
To dew her orbs upon the green.fairy realm. some dewdrops, and hang a pearl of dew in every cowslip
10 The cowslips tall her pensioners be: personification flower. Farewell, you silly unsophisticated spirit. I must go.
In their gold coats spots you see. the reference to precious gems such as The queen and her elves will be here soon.
Those be rubies, fairy favors. rubies and pearls furthers the romanticsed depiction
There is irony in the romanticising of the fairy realm: their actions
In those freckles live their savors. of the fairly realm directly impact the natural world (as Titania soon relays in her
I must go seek some dewdrops here creates a relationship between the fairy
realm and nature. monologue). Furthermore, the puppeteering the human realm and
15 And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear. causing further chaos.
Farewell, thou lob of spirits. I’ll be gone.
Our queen and all our elves come here anon.

ROBIN ROBIN
The king doth keep his revels here tonight. The king is having a party here tonight. Be careful that the
Take heed the queen come not within his sight. queen doesn’t come within his sight, because King Oberon
20 For Oberon is passing fell and wrath is beyond angry. She stole an charming boy from an Indian
1 In Shakespeare's time, fairies
Because that she, as her attendant hath king to be her servant. She’s never kidnapped 1 such an
A lovely boy stolen from an Indian king. semantic field of innocence and gentilty
created around the changeling.
adorable human child, and Oberon is jealous. He wants the were thought to swap children in their
cradles. The child substituted for the
She never had so sweet a changeling. child to be a knight within his own retinue, to wander with original child was called a
Characterisation of Oberon:
And jealous Oberon would have the child typical midsummer male character him through the wild forests. But the queen refuses to give "changeling."
25 Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild. He wants to use the boy to be a up the beloved boy. Instead she crowns the boy’s head with
servant to him.
But she perforce withholds the lovèd boy, flowers and treasures him. Now Oberon and Titania refuse
Crowns him with flowers, and makes him all her joy. to meet each other, whether in the forest or the fields, by
And now they never meet in grove or green, juxtaposition in Titania's intentions the clear water of a stream, or beneath the stars. They just
visual By fountain clear or spangled starlight sheen. to truly care for the boy. argue, so that all their elves get frightened and sneak off to
imagery 30 But they do square, that all their elves for fear hide in acorns.
& sibilance Creep into acorn cups and hide them there.
Highlights the consequences of Oberon
FAIRY and Titania's brawls. FAIRY
Either I mistake your shape and making quite, Either I’m completely mistaken, or else you’re that
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite mischievous and naughty spirit named Robin Goodfellow.
Called Robin Goodfellow. Are not you he Characterisation of Puck Aren’t you the one who plays pranks on the maidens in the
35 That frights the maidens of the villagery, highlighting his village, skimming the cream off the milk; clogging up the
Skim milk, and sometimes labor in the quern mischievious youth flour mill so they can't grind grain into flour; and making
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn, housewives breathless by keeping their milk from turning
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm, into butter no matter how much they churn? Don't you stop
Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm? beer from foaming, and lead people out at night the wrong
40

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Those that “Hobgoblin” call you, and “sweet Puck,” way while you laugh at them? But those who call you
You do their work, and they shall have good luck. “Hobgoblin,” or “sweet Puck"— you do their work for them
Are not you he? and make sure they have good luck. Aren't you him?

ROBIN ROBIN
Thou speak’st aright. You are correct. I am the mischievous wanderer of the
I am that merry wanderer of the night. night. I joke to Oberon and make him smile. Sometimes I’ll
45 I jest to Oberon and make him smile trick a fat, well-fed horse by neighing as if I'm a young filly.
When I a fat and bean-fed horse beguile, Puck talks proudly about the Sometimes I hide at the bottom of an old gossipy woman’s
Neighing in likeness of a filly foal. pranks he plays; on humans cup in the form of a crab apple. When she drinks, I bob
And sometime lurk I in a gossip’s bowl and animals (and most likely against her lips so that she spills the beer on her old wrinkly
In very likeness of a roasted crab, other fairies). neck. Sometimes an old woman telling a sad story will
He also conveys that he can
50 And when she drinks, against her lips I bob
kinaesthetic mistake me for a three-legged stool and try to sit on me.
shapeshift to embody any
imagery: And on her withered dewlap pour the ale. creature/being. Then I slip out from underneath her butt and she falls
bob The wisest aunt telling the saddest tale down, crying, “I'm sitting cross-legged like a tailor!” Then
Sometime for three-foot stool mistaketh me. she starts to cough, and everyone around holds their bellies
Then slip I from her bum, down topples she, and laughs. Their laughter grows, and they sneeze, and I
55 And “Tailor!” cries, and falls into a cough, swear none of them has ever wasted an hour in greater fun.
And then the whole quire hold their hips and laugh, But make room, fairy! Here comes Oberon.
And waxen in their mirth, and neeze, and swear
A merrier hour was never wasted there.
But, room, fairy! Here comes Oberon.

FAIRY FAIRY
60 And here my mistress. Would that he were gone! And here’s my queen. I wish he’d go away!

OBERON OBERON
Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania. I'm not glad to see you this night, proud Titania.

OBERON, the Fairy King, and his followers enter. On the other side of The Fairy King OBERONand his followers enter. On the
the stage, TITANIA, the Fairy Queen, and her followers enter. other side of the stage, the Fairy Queen TITANIA and her
followers enter.
TITANIA TITANIA
What, jealous Oberon? Fairies, skip hence. What, are you jealous, Oberon? Fairies, let’s leave this place.
I have forsworn his bed and company. I’ve sworn I’ll never sleep with him or be near him again.

OBERON OBERON
Tarry, rash wanton. Am not I thy lord? Wait, you impulsive and willful creature. Am I not your lord
Even in the fairy realm, there is a sense of and husband?
latent male dominance; however, this is often
TITANIA counteracted by an empowered Titania. TITANIA
65 Then I must be thy lady. But I know If you were, then I would have to be your lady and wife, to
When thou hast stolen away from Fairyland, whom you are faithful. But I know that you snuck away
And in the shape of Corin sat all day, metaphor from Fairyland disguised as a shepherd 2 , and spent all 2 The original text uses the names

consonance Playing on pipes of corn and versing love day playing music and reciting love poems to an infatuated "Corin" and "Phillida" to stand in for a
Corin and Phillida are typical shepherd and shepherdess. The
To amorous Phillida. Why art thou here, names for shepherds and shepherdess. Why have you come here, all the way from the
names were common in pastoral
70 Come from the farthest steep of India? shepherdesses. furthest mountains of India? Because, of course, that poetry.
But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon, She then recounts his bouncing Amazon Hippolyta—your half-boot-wearing
Your buskined mistress and your warrior love, affair with Hippolyta, mistress and warrior lover—is getting married to Theseus,
To Theseus must be wedded, and you come 'the bouncing Amazon' and you’ve come to bless their wedding bed with joy and
To give their bed joy and prosperity. prosperity.

OBERON Oberon accuses Titania of having an affair with Theseus OBERON

75 How canst thou thus for shame, Titania, How can you shamelessly make insinuations about my
Knowing I know thy love to Theseus? Glance at my credit relationship with Hippolyta, when you know that I know
with Hippolyta, visual imagery juxtaposed with claim of rape about your love for Theseus? Didn't you entice him through
Didst thou not lead him through the glimmering night the glimmering night away from Perigouna, whom he had
From Perigouna, whom he ravishèd? stating that Theseus had just abducted and raped? And didn't you make him be
80 And make him with fair Ægles break his faith, raped Perigouna unfaithful to Aegles, Ariadne, and Antiopa?
With Ariadne and Antiopa?Oberon accuses Titania of multiple affairs,
implying that she has not only being
TITANIA unfaithful herself but condoned the behaviour TITANIA
These are the forgeries of jealousy. These are lies that emerge from your jealousy. Not once,
And never, since the middle summer’s spring, since the beginning of midsummer—whether on a hill, in a
Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead, valley, a forest, or a meadow, by a pebbly spring or rushing
85 By pavèd fountain, or by rushy brook, personification and use of brook, or on a beach next to the ocean—have my fairies and
Or in the beachèd margent of the sea, the liquid approximant 'w' I been able to meet and perform our ring dances to honor
to create auditory imagery
To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind, the whistling wind without you showing up with your
But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport. shouting to interrupt our fun. Because of that, the winds
Therefore the winds, piping to us in vain, Titaniia's monolgue highlights: have gotten angry at our lack of response to their calls. In
90 As in revenge, have sucked up from the sea 1. The force of nature revenge the winds have made nasty fogs rise up from the
Contagious fogs, which falling in the land 2. How the fairy realm can sea, and make rain fall upon the land so that rivers have
Have every pelting river made so proud result in tremendous natural grown so large they flood the land around them. All the
That they have overborne their continents.damage; therefore elaborating work done by farmers' and their oxen has been ruined, and
hyperbole the effect it has on the human, 'natural' realm.

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The ox hath therefore stretched his yoke in vain, the corn has rotted before it could grow ripe. Animal pens
95 The ploughman lost his sweat, and the green corn stand empty in flooded fields, and the crows are fat from
Hath rotted ere his youth attained a beard. Titania uses words and eating the bodies of sheep and cattle killed by disease. The
The fold stands empty in the drownèd field, imagery conveying village greens where men play games together are filled
And crows are fatted with the murrain flock. destruction caused by with mud, and the maze-like paths people have made
The nine-men’s-morris is filled up with mud, Oberon's brawls. through the high-grown grass have faded away because no
100 And the quaint mazes in the wanton green one walks on them. The humans have not gotten the winter
For lack of tread are undistinguishable. they should have, and the nights to not receive the
The human mortals want their winter here. blessings of the hymns or carols of that season. As a result
No night is now with hymn or carol blessed. the moon, who controls the tides, is pale with anger, and
Therefore the moon, the governess of floods, moistens the air so that colds and flu spread everywhere.
105 Pale in her anger, washes all the air, personification of moon Because of this disturbance in the normal natural order, the
That rheumatic diseases do abound. seasons have changed: bitter frosts descend upon red
And thorough this distemperature we see roses. And Old Man Winter wears an icy crown decorated
The seasons alter: hoary-headed frosts with sweet summer flower buds, like some kind of cruel
Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose, prank. The spring, summer, fruitful autumn, and angry
110 And on old Hiems' thin and icy crown winter have all changed out of their normal clothes, and
An odorous chaplet of sweet summer buds now the confused world can't tell one from the other. And
Is, as in mockery, set. The spring, the summer, all of these bad outcomes are the result of our argument.
The childing autumn, angry winter change personification We are the cause of this.
Their wonted liveries, and the mazèd world,
115 By their increase, now knows not which is which.
And this same progeny of evils comes
From our debate, from our dissension. Titania overtly stating the mishaps the fairy realm is capable of causing.
We are their parents and original. Foreshadowing how Oberon's meddling with the four lovers will result in a mishap.

OBERON OBERON
Do you amend it then. It lies in you. So fix it, then. You have the power to do that. Why would
120 Why should Titania cross her Oberon? Titania want to argue with her Oberon? All I’m asking for is
I do but beg a little changeling boy, to have that little human boy to be my attendant.
To be my henchman. juxtaposition of 'little changeling boy' to the
idea of him being, effectively, enslaved by Oberon.
TITANIA TITANIA
Set your heart at rest. Calm your little heart. I wouldn't trade the child for all of
The Fairyland buys not the child of me. Fairyland. His mother was one of my priestesses, and we
125 His mother was a votaress of my order, often used to gossip together in the spiced night air in India,
And in the spicèd Indian air by night or sit on the beach by the ocean watching merchant ships
Full often hath she gossiped by my side, sail by on the water. We'd laugh when we saw the wind fill
And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands, Allusion: Neptune, God up the sails, as if that amorous wind had made them
use of Marking th' embarkèd traders on the flood, of the sea. pregnant and big-bellied. She would imitate the ships—she
internal rhyme
130 When we have laughed to see the sails conceive was pregnant at the time with the little boy—and she would
And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind; the liquid consonants, 'l' pretend to sail over the land to get me little presents, and
Which she, with pretty and with swimming gait and 'w' bring gentility to then come back carrying gifts like she was a trading ship
Following—her womb then rich with my young squire— this image of the returning from a voyage, rich with cargo. But she was a
Would imitate, and sail upon the land changeling's mortal, and she died giving birth to the boy. For her sake I
135 To fetch me trifles and return again pregnant mother will not give him up.
As from a voyage, rich with merchandise. and her interaction's
with Titania.
But she, being mortal, of that boy did die.
And for her sake do I rear up her boy, Titania's loyalty is brought out through the retelling of why she
And for her sake I will not part with him. will not waiver in her commitment to raise this boy.
Her character doesn't seem as capable of adultery as Oberon casually accused her of.
OBERON OBERON
140 How long within this wood intend you stay? How long do you plan to stay in this forest?

TITANIA TITANIA
Perchance till after Theseus' wedding day. Perhaps until after Theseus’ wedding day. If you will join us
If you will patiently dance in our round in our circle dance and moonlight celebrations without
And see our moonlight revels, go with us. causing trouble, then come with us. If not, stay away from
If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts. me, and I’ll avoid your lands.

OBERON The air of superiority in the OBERON

145 Give me that boy and I will go with thee. way Oberon speaks, sheds Give me that boy and I’ll come with you.
light on his patriarchal mindset;
TITANIA despiteTitania's strong female TITANIA
character.
Not for thy fairy kingdom. Fairies, away! Not for your entire fairy kingdom. Fairies, let’s go! We’re
We shall chide downright, if I longer stay. going to have a real fight if I stay any longer.

OBERON OBERON
Well, go thy way. Thou shalt not from this grove Well, then go on your way. You won’t leave this grove until
Till I torment thee for this injury. [To ROBIN I’ve made you suffer for this insult.
150 GOODFELLOW]
My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest [To ROBIN GOODFELLOW] My noble Puck, come here. Do
Since once I sat upon a promontory you remember that time when I was sitting on a cliff and
And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back heard a mermaid riding on a dolphin’s back sing with such a

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Theseus outlines a scene
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath that could only be sweet and harmonious voice that the rough waters of the
155 That the rude sea grew civil at her song embedded within the ocean grew calm, and some stars shot out of the sky in
And certain stars shot madly from their spheresperception of the fairy: order to hear her sing?
To hear the seamaid’s music?
the reference to a mermaid,
how the 'sea grew civil' at her melodious song; and how
stars shot out of their spheres.
TITANIA and her followers exit. TITANIA and her followers exit.

ROBIN ROBIN
I remember. I remember.
Introduces the plot device of the love potion
OBERON OBERON
That very time I saw (but thou couldst not) On that night, I saw Cupid (even though you couldn't);
160 Flying between the cold moon and the Earth, Cupid with all his arrows, flying from the cold moon to the
Cupid all armed. A certain aim he took earth. He aimed at a beautiful virgin who sat upon a throne
At a fair vestal thronèd by the west, in the western end of the world, and he shot his love arrow
And loosed his love shaft smartly from his bow hard enough to pierce a hundred thousand hearts. But I
As it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts.Oberon recounts to Puck saw young Cupid’s fiery arrow weakened by the virginal
165 But I might see young Cupid’s fiery shaft a time when he saw Cupid'sbeams of the watery moon, and so the royal virgin was
arrow misfire due to the
Quenched in the chaste beams of the watery moon, unaffected by the arrow, and so continued on with her
force of the moon
And the imperial votaress passèd on, saying it. The arrow was virginal thoughts, without a care. But I noticed where
In maiden meditation, fancy-free. observed by Oberon, Cupid’s arrow fell. It fell on a little western flower, which
Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell. piercing through a flower. used to be as white as milk but turned purple when it was
170 It fell upon a little western flower, wounded by the arrow of love. Young women call that 3 Oberon refers to the biblical sea
Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound. metaphor for loss flower “love-in-idleness." Bring me that flower. I showed monster here.
And maidens call it “love-in-idleness.” of virginity the plant to you once. If the juice of that flower is dropped
Fetch me that flower. The herb I showed thee once. on the eyelids of a sleeping person, that man or woman will
he asks Puck to fetch him the
The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid flower in order to use it on then fall madly in love with the next living creature he or
175 Will make or man or woman madly dote Titania, so she can she sees. Bring me this plant, and return here before
Upon the next live creature that it sees. Leviathan 3 can swim three miles.
temporarily fall helplessly in love
Fetch me this herb, and be thou here again with some wild creature.
Ere the leviathan can swim a league. biblical allusion
In which time Oberon would
attempt to
ROBIN procure the ROBIN
I’ll put a girdle round about the Earth changeling. I'll circle the world in forty minutes.
180 In forty minutes. something that would only be possible by a
supernatural being.
OBERON OBERON
Having once this juice, Once I get this juice, I’ll spy on Titania until she falls asleep
I’ll watch Titania when she is asleep and then drop some of it on her eyes. The first thing she
And drop the liquor of it in her eyes. sees when she wakes up—whether it's a lion, bear, wolf,
The next thing then she waking looks upon— bull, monkey, or an ape—she'll fall deeply and madly in love
185 Be it on lion, bear, or wolf, or bull, Oberon's short soliloquy with. And before I remove the spell from her eyes—which I
On meddling monkey or on busy ape— highlights his plan to distract can do by using another plant—I’ll make her give that little
She shall pursue it with the soul of love. Titania's attention by using boy to me. But who’s that coming this way? I've made
And ere I take this charm from of her sight— the liquid from the myself invisible and listen in on their conversation.
As I can take it with another herb— herb/flower.
190 I’ll make her render up her page to me.
But who comes here? I am invisible. Oberon overtly tells us how he can quickly become 'invisible' to the human realm, effortlessly.
And I will overhear their conference. He also open states his intention to eavesdrop.

ROBIN exits. ROBIN exits.

DEMETRIUS enters, followed by HELENA. DEMETRIUS enters, followed by HELENA.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
I love thee not, therefore pursue me not. I don’t love you, so stop following me. Where are Lysander
the use of juxtpositions are
Where is Lysander and fair Hermia? repeatedly employed in and beautiful Hermia? I want to kill Lysander, but Hermia
195 The one I’ll slay, the other slayeth me. relevance to the complications kills me with her beauty. You told me they snuck into this
Thou told’st me they were stol'n unto this wood. in love. forest. And here I am, going crazy in the middle of the
And here am I, and wood within this wood, woods because I cannot find my Hermia. Go away, get out
Because I cannot meet my Hermia. of here, and stop following me.
Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.

HELENA Helena acknowledges Demetrius' flaws and loves HELENA

200 You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant. him despite them. You attract me to you, you heartless magnet! But you must
But yet you draw not iron, for my heart metaphor not attract iron, because my heart is as true as steel. If you
Is true as steel. Leave you your power to draw, give up your power to attract me, then I won’t have any
And I shall have no power to follow you. repetition of the word 'power': power to follow you.
Helena highlights how Demetrius has the power to 'draw' her
DEMETRIUS and contrastingly how she has DEMETRIUS
Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair? no power to repel that unless his Do I invite you to follow me? Do I speak to you kindly?
205 Or rather, do I not in plainest truth
power to draw her leaves. Instead, don’t I tell you as clearly and plainly as possible
Agency in love/ power
Tell you I do not, nor I cannot, love you? dynamics that that I do not and cannot love you?

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Zoomorphism used in Helena's
HELENA
likening of herself to a spaniel/ HELENA
And even for that do I love you the more.being treated as Demetrius' And for that I love you even more. I’m your little dog. And,
I am your spaniel. And, Demetrius, Spaniel. Demetrius, the more you beat me, the more I’ll love you.
The more you beat me, I will fawn on you. Treat me like a dog—kick me, hit me, ignore me, try to lose
210 Use me but as your spaniel—spurn me, strike me, semantic field: me. Just allow me to follow you, even though I'm not good
Neglect me, lose me. Only give me leave, violent/ abusive enough for you. Is there a worse position I could ask to be
Unworthy as I am, to follow you. held in your heart than to be treated as you would treat a
What worser place can I beg in your love— Helena longs to be in dog? And yet I would consider it a place of honor.
And yet a place of high respect with me— Demetrius' life, even in a position
215 Than to be usèd as you use your dog? where she is treated as an animal.
Helena's desperation and longing
for Demetrius, despite acknowledging his flaws on more than
DEMETRIUS one occasion, emphasizes theDEMETRIUS
Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit.profound impact that the Don’t tempt me to hate you any more than I already do. It
For I am sick when I do look on thee. power dynamics and male makes me sick just to look at you.
dominant society could have on women.
HELENA antithetical parallelism HELENA
And I am sick when I look not on you. And I am sick when I'm not looking at you.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
You do impeach your modesty too much, You shouldn't risk your reputation or your virginity by
220 To leave the city and commit yourself leaving the city and putting yourself into the hands of
Into the hands of one that loves you not, someone who doesn’t love you in the middle of the night in
To trust the opportunity of night night presented as a time where ill-acts a deserted place, what with all the bad ideas that occur to
And the ill counsel of a desert place can go unseen/ be concealed. people in deserted places.
With the rich worth of your virginity. Demetrius effectively implies that
her actions are warranting rape.
HELENA HELENA
225 Your virtue is my privilege. For that Helena dismisses his Your goodness will protect me. And, anyway, the beauty of
It is not night when I do see your face.
words reflecting the thought your face shines, so it doesn't seem like nighttime to me.
of assault. Instead compares her
Therefore I think I am not in the night. image of Demetrius to the Besides, the forest doesn’t seem deserted, because for me
Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company, opposite of the darkness of you are the entire world. So how can anyone say I’m alone,
For you in my respect are all the world. the night. when the whole world is here to look at me?
230 Then how can it be said I am alone She adds that she does not feel as though she is in a deserted place
When all the world is here to look on me? as she considers Demetrius to be her entire world,
and so therefore, the entire world was currently with her.
hyperbolic metaphor
DEMETRIUS Helena's okayness with this DEMETRIUS
I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes, type of extremely depracating I’ll run away from you and hide in the bushes, and leave you
And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts. and abusive behaviour, showsto the mercy of wild animals.
The idea that he would be unbothered by how she has embodied patriarchy
anyone causing her harm;and okay to leave her (possibly to an extreme
repetition/ HELENA in that situation. extent) - but also highlights HELENA
likeness to The wildest hath not such a heart as you. the normalcy of men's Not even the wildest animal is as vicious as you. Run
hard-hearted
235 Run when you will, the story shall be changed.treatment of women in this whenever you want to. The old story of the lustful god
adamant. Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase. manner, at the time. Apollo chasing the virginal nymph Daphne will be flipped:
Allusions to The dove pursues the griffin. The mild hind Apollo will run, and Daphne will pursue him. The dove will
Apollo and Makes speed to catch the tiger —bootless speed, Zoomorphism chase the griffin. The gentle deer will race to catch the tiger.
Daphne When cowardice pursues and valor flies. Speed is useless when the cowardly person is chasing the
brave one.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
240 I will not stay thy questions. Let me go. I’m not going to wait around listening to your arguments.
Or if thou follow me, do not believe Threatens to assault her again. Let me go by myself. Or if you follow me, understand that I’ll
But I shall do thee mischief in the wood. do bad things to you in the forest.

HELENA HELENA
Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field Helena is once again, OKAY with Well, you've already done bad things to me in the church, in
You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius! Demetrius doing her mischief. the town, and in the fields. Curse you, Demetrius! Your bad
245 Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex. behavior is an insult to all women. We can't fight for love as
We cannot fight for love as men may do. men can. We should be pursued. We weren’t made to be the
The lack of We should be wooed and were not made to woo. pursuer.
agency in love
that women have. consonance 'w' DEMETRIUS exits. This line DEMETRIUS exits.
reiterates the power dynamics encapsulates the entirety
of Helena's desperate behaviour.
ROBIN enters. ROBIN enters.

I’ll follow thee and make a heaven of hell, To die upon I’ll follow you and turn this hell of mine into a heaven, by
the hand I love so well. Even dying by the hands of Demetrius would ensuring that I am killed by the one I love so much.
This line can be paralleled to be considered being in Heaven (as opposed to
Hermia saying (Act I Scene i) not chasing him around - because wherever he is not, feels like hell)
that Lysander has turned Heaven HELENA exits. HELENA exits.
to hell for her. Heaven being Athens, which has turned into a hell as it does not
allow their OBERON OBERON
love.
250 Fare thee well, nymph. Ere he do leave this grove, Goodbye, nymph. Before he leaves this forest, you’ll be
Thou shalt fly him and he shall seek thy love. foreshadowing: running from him and he'll be chasing after your love.
the upcoming comedy of errors
Demetrius's love for Helena eventually returns.

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ROBIN ROBIN
Ay, there it is. Yes, here it is.

Hast thou the flower there? Welcome, wanderer. Do you have the flower? Welcome, traveler.

OBERON OBERON
255 I pray thee, give it me. Please, give it to me.[He takes the flower from ROBIN.] I
[He takes flower from ROBIN] know a hill where wild thyme blooms, and oxlips and
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, The speech of the fairy violets grow. It’s covered with a canopy of luscious
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, realm is laden with honeysuckle, sweet musk-roses, and sweetbrier. Titania
Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine, references to nature. sometimes sleeps there at night among the flowers,
260 With sweet musk roses and with eglantine. soothed to sleep by dances and delights. In that place
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, snakes shed their skin, producing clothes just large enough
Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight. to wrap a fairy in. There I’ll wet her eyes with the juice of
And there the snake throws her enameled skin, this flower, and fill her with pathetic fantasies.[He gives
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in. ROBIN part of the flower] You take some of it and search the
265 And with the juice of this I’ll streak her eyes 1. Oberon is about to forest: there's a sweet Athenian lady who is in love with a
squeeze the flower on
And make her full of hateful fantasies. Titania's eyelids. young man who does not want her. Put some juice on his
[He gives ROBIN some of the flower] eyes, and do it in a way that ensures that the lady will be
the Take thou some of it and seek through this grove: the next thing he sees. You’ll recognize the man by the
absolute A sweet Athenian lady is in love 2. Oberon has asked Athenian clothes he's wearing. Be careful when you do it, so
irony 270 With a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes. Puck to do the same, that when it's done he loves her more than she loves him.
But do it when the next thing he espies on who he thinks is the only Then meet me before the rooster’s first crow at dawn.
May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man man with Athenian garments in the woods.
By the Athenian garments he hath on. Dramatic irony and foreshadowing:
Effect it with some care, that he may prove the audience knows that Lysander and Hermia are also in the forest.
275 More fond on her than she upon her love. Oberon and Puck do not know this.
The Athenian garments are therefore not enough information for Puck.
And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.

ROBIN ROBIN
Fear not, my lord. Your servant shall do so. irony Don't worry, my lord. As your servant, I'll follow your
Oberon's meddling with the human realm, further disrupts the orders.
love equilibrium. Sustaining the motif of love out of balance.
They all exit, in opposite directions. They exit, in opposite directions.

Act 2, Scene 2
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

TITANIA enters. TITANIA enters.

TITANIA TITANIA
Come now, a roundel and a fairy song. Come, dance in a circle and sing a fairy song. Then go off for
Then for the third part of a minute, hence— a while to do your work. Some of you can kill the worms
Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds, plaguing the rosebuds. Others can fight with bats for their
Some war with reremice for their leathern wings leathery wings, so we can use them to make coats for my
5 To make my small elves coats, and some keep back small elves. And still others of you can keep away the loud
The clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders owl that hoots in surprise when it sees us pretty fairies. Now
At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep. sing me to sleep, then go off to your work and let me rest.
Then to your offices and let me rest.

The FAIRIES sing. The FAIRIES sing.

Demetrius is previously referred to as
FIRST FAIRY FIRST FAIRY
a 'spotted' and inconstant man.
[Sings] [Singing]
You spotted snakes with double tongue, Snakes with spots and forked tongues;
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen. And prickly porcupines, don’t be seen.
Newts and blindworms, do no wrong. Poisonous lizards, do no harm.
Come not near our fairy queen. Don’t come near our fairy queen.

FAIRIES FAIRIES
[Sing] Philomel, with melody [Singing]
10 Sing in our sweet lullaby. Nightingale, melodiously
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby. Sing our sweet lullaby.
Never harm Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby.
irony
Nor spell nor charm Let no harm
Come our lovely lady nigh. Or spell or charm
15 So good night, with lullaby. Come near our lovely lady.
lyrical language. Say good night with a lullaby.

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FIRST FAIRY FIRST FAIRY

[Sings] Weaving spiders, come not here. [Singing]
Hence, you long-legged spinners, hence! Spiders with your webs, stay away.
Beetles black, approach not near. You long-legged things, begone!
Worm nor snail, do no offense. Black beetles, don’t come near.
Worms and snails, don’t be bad.

FAIRIES FAIRIES
20 [Sing] Philomel, with melody [Singing]
Sing in our sweet lullaby. Nightingale, melodiously
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby. Sing our sweet lullaby.
Never harm Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby.
Nor spell nor charm Let no harm
25 Come our lovely lady nigh. Or spell or charm
So good night, with lullaby. Come near our lovely lady.
Say good night with a lullaby.

TITANIA falls asleep. TITANIA falls asleep.

SECOND FAIRY SECOND FAIRY

Hence, away! Now all is well. Come on, let’s go! All is well. One of us can remain alone
One aloof stand sentinel. and stand guard.

OBERON enters. OBERON enters.

OBERON OBERON
[Squeezing flower juice on TITANIA ’s eyelids] [Squeezing flower juice on TITANIA ’s eyelids] Whatever you
30 What thou seest when thou dost wake, first see when you wake up, take it as your true love. Love
Do it for thy true love take. and yearn for him. Whether he’s a lynx, a wildcat, a bear, a
Love and languish for his sake. leopard, or a wild boar with bristly hair—when you wake, it
Be it ounce or cat or bear, will look like your love in your eyes. May you wake up when
Pard or boar with bristled hair, Zoomorphism something disgusting is close by.
35 In thy eye that shall appear,
When thou wakest, it is thy dear.
Wake when some vile thing is near.

The FAIRIES exit. The FAIRIES exit.

OBERON exits. OBERON exits.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood. My beautiful love, wandering like this in the wood is making
And to speak troth, I have forgot our way. you weaker and weaker. And, to speak truthfully, I’m lost. If
40 We’ll rest us, Hermia, if you think it good. you think it’s a good idea, let's take a rest, and wait until it's
And tarry for the comfort of the day. daytime and less difficult to travel.

LYSANDER and HERMIA enter. LYSANDER and HERMIA enter.

HERMIA HERMIA
Be it so, Lysander. Find you out a bed, Let’s do that, Lysander. Find yourself somewhere to sleep,
For I upon this bank will rest my head. and I will rest my head on this little ridge.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
One turf shall serve as pillow for us both. We can sleep next to each other on the same ground. We’ll
45 One heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth. have one heart, one bed, two bodies, and one vow.

HERMIA HERMIA
Nay, good Lysander. For my sake, my dear, Hermia maintaining her No, good Lysander. For my sake, my dear, sleep a little
Lie further off yet. Do not lie so near. honourable character. farther away. Don’t lie so close to me.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence. Remains unclear to both Oh, my sweetheart, what I was saying was totally innocent.
Love takes the meaning in love’s conference.the audience and possibly When lovers talk to each other, they should interpret what
even Hermia whether
50 I mean that my heart unto yours is knit Lysander does mean it all the other has said in a loving way. What I meant is that my
So that but one heart we can make of it. 'innocently'. heart is bound to yours, so we can think of them as one
Two bosoms interchainèd with an oath— heart. Our two bodies are joined together by our vows of
So then two bosoms and a single troth. love, so that's why we have two bodies and one faithful
Then by your side no bed-room me deny. vow. So if I am lying by your side, I will not be lying to you.
55 For, lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.

HERMIA HERMIA
Lysander riddles very prettily. Lysander has some skill with words. A curse upon my
Now much beshrew my manners and my pride manners and my pride if I was saying that you were a liar.

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If Hermia meant to say Lysander lied. But, my noble love, for the sake of love and propriety, sleep
But, gentle friend, for love and courtesy a little further away. It's proper for a well-behaved bachelor
60 Lie further off in human modesty. characterisation of Hermia and girl to sleep separately. For now, stay a distance away.
Such separation as may well be said And, good night, my sweet friend. May your love for me
Becomes a virtuous bachelor and a maid. the importance she gives to never change for your whole life!
So far be distant. And, good night, sweet friend. being 'honourable'
Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet life end!

LYSANDER LYSANDER
65 Amen, amen to that fair prayer, say I. I say "amen" to that beautiful prayer. And may my life end if
And then end life when I end loyalty! the irony here is that when Hermiamy loyalty to you ever does. I’ll sleep over here. May the
Here is my bed. Sleep give thee all his rest! wakes, Lysander, under the god of sleep give you all his rest!
spell of the love potion, is in love
with Helena
HERMIA HERMIA
With half that wish the wisher’s eyes be pressed! May half that rest be yours.

HERMIA and LYSANDER sleep. HERMIA and LYSANDER fall asleep.

ROBIN enters. ROBIN enters.

Through Puck's error Shakespeare gently mocks the unnecessary
afflictions love can cause.
ROBIN ROBIN
Through the forest have I gone. I’ve gone all through the forest, but I've found no Athenian
70 But Athenian found I none, on whose eyes to use the love juice of this flower. [Sees
On whose eyes I might approve LYSANDER and HERMIA] Whoa! Who is this? He’s wearing
This flower’s force in stirring love. Athenian clothes. This must be the man who shunned the
[Sees LYSANDER and HERMIA] Athenian girl. And here’s the girl, sleeping soundly on the
Night and silence! Who is here? damp, dirty ground. Pretty girl! She shouldn’t lie near this
75 Weeds of Athens he doth wear. hard-hearted, crude man. [Squeezes flower juice on
This is he, my master said, LYSANDER ’s eyelids] Villain, I throw all the power that this
Despisèd the Athenian maid. magic charm has on your eyes. When you wake up, may
And here the maiden, sleeping sound sibilance love stop you from falling back to sleep. Wake up when I’m
On the dank and dirty ground. consonance gone, because now I must go to Oberon.
80 Pretty soul! She durst not lie
Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. this juxtaposes Lysander's character (thus far) in every way. Ironically, under the influence of the love potion, Lysander
[Squeezes flower juice on LYSANDER’s eyelids] embodies these misclaims in his attitude towards Hermia. Though at no point does his character share the same
Churl, upon thy eyes I throw cruelty displayed by Demetrius toward Helena.
All the power this charm doth owe.
85 When thou wakest, let love forbid
Sleep his seat on thy eyelid.
So awake when I am gone,
For I must now to Oberon.

ROBIN exits. ROBIN exits.

DEMETRIUS and HELENA enter, running. DEMETRIUS and HELENA enter, running.

HELENA antithesis HELENA

Stay, though thou kill me, sweet Demetrius. Stop, Demetrius! Even if it's just to kill me.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
90 I charge thee, hence, and do not haunt me thus. I demand that you get out of here, and stop following me
like this.
semantic field:
HELENA kill, haunt, darkling, peril HELENA
the complications in love
O, wilt thou darkling leave me? Do not so. Oh, will you leave me in the dark? Don't!

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Stay, on thy peril. I alone will go. Stay at your own risk. I’m going on my own.

DEMETRIUS exits. DEMETRIUS exits.

HELENA HELENA
Oh, I am out of breath in this fond chase. Oh, I’m out of breath from this foolish chase of love. The
The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.juxtaposition more I pray, the less good fortune I am given. Hermia is
95 Happy is Hermia, wheresoe'er she lies,irony happy, wherever she is, because she has blessed and
For she hath blessèd and attractive eyes. need to compare herself magnetic eyes. How did her eyes become so bright? Not
How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears.to Hermia constantly, from crying salty tears. If that was the cause, well, my eyes
In calling her- If so, my eyes are oftener washed than hers. hence diluting her get washed by tears more often hers. No, no, I’m as ugly as
self as ugly asNo, no, I am as ugly as a bear, self-worth. All this a bear, because animals that see me run away in fear. So it’s
a bear, the trouble being caused by
audience100 For beasts that meet me run away for fear. the inequality in power
not a shock that Demetrius runs from me the way he
can see that Therefore no marvel though Demetrius and agency, in love.
does—as if I were a monster. What cruel and lying mirror
Helena's self- Do, as a monster, fly my presence thus. made me compare my eyes with Hermia’s bright ones?
worth has onlyWhat wicked and dissembling glass of mine [Sees LYSANDER] But who is this here? Lysander, on the
spiralled Made me compare with Hermia’s sphery eyne? ground? Is he dead or asleep? I see no blood or injuries.
further South.
105 Earlier she was able to acknowledge that in all Athens,
she was thought as beautiful as Hermia.
Here she likens herself to a bear and a monster - simile
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[Sees LYSANDER] But who is here? Lysander, on the Lysander, good sir, wake up if you’re alive.
ground?
Dead or asleep? I see no blood, no wound.
Lysander, if you live, good sir, awake.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
[Waking] And run through fire I will for thy sweet [Waking up] I’d not just wake up, but run through fire for
110 sake. you. Radiant Helena! Mother Nature shows her magic by
Transparent Helena! Nature shows art letting me see through your body into your heart. Where is
That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart. Demetrius? Oh, that name deserves to be killed by my
Where is Demetrius? Oh, how fit a word sword!
Is that vile name to perish on my sword! irony - he said previously that if his loyalty were to
ever waive, it's he who would deserve to die.
HELENA HELENA
115 Do not say so, Lysander. Say not so. Don’t say that, Lysander. Don’t say that. Why does it matter
What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though? if he loves Hermia? Lord, what does it matter? Hermia still
Yet Hermia still loves you. Then be content. loves you. So be happy.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Content with Hermia? No. I do repent Happy with Hermia? No. I regret all that boring time I spent
juxataposition +
The tedious minutes I with her have spent. colour symbolism/ light and with her. It's not Hermia I love. It's Helena. Who wouldn’t
120 Not Hermia but Helena I love. darkness choose a dove over a crow? What a man wants is influenced
Who will not change a raven for a dove? by his reason, and reason makes it obvious that you are
The will of man is by his reason swayed, reflects when Helena talks about better than Hermia. Just as fruits and vegetables don't
And reason says you are the worthier maid. Hermia having 'swayed' the ripen until the right season, I—being young—did not until
Things growing are not ripe until their season. motion of Demetrius' heart. now have a fully mature sense of reason. Now, with fully
125 So I, being young, till now ripe not to reason. developed taste and judgment, my reason has more control
And touching now the point of human skill, over my desires. And it’s leading me to look into your eyes,
Reason becomes the marshal to my will Suggesting love is perpetuated where I find the richest collection of love stories ever
And leads me to your eyes, where I o'erlookby reason/ that it should be. written.
Love’s stories written in love’s richest book.

HELENA HELENA
130 Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? Why is it my destiny to always be made fun of? What have I
When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? done to you to deserve this kind of mockery? Isn't it
Is ’t not enough, is ’t not enough, young man, enough, isn't it enough, young man, that I never have and
That I did never, no, nor never can, never will get a kind look from Demetrius? Must you also
Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye, make fun of my defectiveness? Honestly, you are being
135 But you must flout my insufficiency? Helena's sense of self. cruel to woo me so disdainfully, without meaning it. So
Good troth, you do me wrong, good sooth, you do, goodbye, though I have to say that I thought you were a
In such disdainful manner me to woo. much kinder and nobler person. Oh, how terrible that a
But fare you well. Perforce I must confess lady who’s been rejected by one man would then be
I thought you lord of more true gentleness. Lysander's character being mocked for that rejection by another man!
marred due to Puck's error.
140 Oh, that a lady of one man refused
Should of another therefore be abused!The fact that she calls Lysander's (to him what is earnest) love abusive.
Esp. in light of everything she is willing to tolerate from Demetrius.
HELENA exits. HELENA exits.
Lysander's changed love
LYSANDER under the influence of the LYSANDER Effectively, here, Lysander too lacks
She sees not Hermia. Hermia, sleep thou there. potion shows the audience She doesn’t see Hermia. Hermia, keep sleeping over there, agency; but unknowingly.
And never mayst thou come Lysander near! that rather than being and never come near me again! Eating too many sweet
For as a surfeit of the sweetest things archetypes of love, the things makes people sick to their stomachs, and the
145 The deepest loathing to the stomach brings, four lovers are four figures mistakes that people make are always hated most by the
Or as the heresies that men do leave thrown into the confusing one who made them. Hermia, you're my sweet and my
Are hated most of those they did deceive,
circumstances love can mistake, so I hate you more than anyone. Now, I’ll use all
present.
So thou, my surfeit and my heresy, my love and energy to honor Helen, and be her loyal man.
Of all be hated, but the most of me.
150 And, all my powers, address your love and might
To honor Helen and to be her knight. parallelism: he was just talking about being
loyal to Hermia.
LYSANDER exits. LYSANDER exits.

HERMIA HERMIA
[Waking up] Help me, Lysander, help me! Do thy best
To pluck this crawling serpent from my breast. [Waking up] Lysander, help me! Help me! Do your best: try
Ay me, for pity! What a dream was here. to get this slithering snake off of my chest. Oh goodness!
155 Lysander, look how I do quake with fear. What an awful dream I just had. Lysander, look at how I'm
Methought a serpent eat my heart away, shaking with fear! I thought a serpent was eating up my
And you sat smiling at his cruel pray. heart, and you just sat there, watching and smiling.
Lysander!—What, removed?—Lysander, lord!— Lysander! What, are you gone? Lysander, my lord! What, is
What, out of hearing, gone? No sound, no word?— he so far away that he can't hear me? Not a sound, not a
160 Alack, where are you? Speak, an if you hear. word in reply? Alas, where are you? Say something if you
Speak, of all loves! I swoon almost with fear. can hear me. Please, say something! Anything! I'm so afraid
No? Then I well perceive you all not nigh. that I'm almost fainting. No? Nothing? Then I guess you are
not nearby. I'll either find you right away, or else I'll die.

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Either death or you I'll find immediately.

HERMIA exits HERMIA exits.

Act 3, Scene 1
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

While TITANIA sleeps onstage, BOTTOM, QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, While TITANIA sleeps onstage, BOTTOM, QUINCE, FLUTE,
SNOUT, and STARVELING enter. SNUG, SNOUT, and STARVELING enter.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Are we all met? Are we all here?

QUINCE QUINCE
Pat, pat. And here’s a marvelous convenient place for Right on time. And this is a great place for us to rehearse.
our rehearsal. This green plot shall be our stage, this This clearing will be the stage, and this hawthorn bush will
hawthorn-brake our tiring-house, and we will do it in be our dressing room. We'll rehearse the play exactly the
5 action as we will do it before the duke. same way that we’ll perform it for the duke.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Peter Quince. Peter Quince.

QUINCE QUINCE
What sayest thou, bully Bottom? What is it, my fine friend Bottom?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that
that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword will never please the audience. First of all, Pyramus has to
10 to kill himself, which the ladies cannot abide. How take out a sword and use it to kill himself, which the women
answer you that? in the audience won’t be able to stand. What do you think
about that?

SNOUT SNOUT
By 'r lakin, a parlous fear. By the Virgin Mary, that’s a serious problem.

STARVELING STARVELING
I believe we must leave the killing out, when all is I think, in the end, we’ll have to leave out all the killing.
done.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
15 Not a whit. I have a device to make all well. Write me Not at all! I’ve got an idea that will solve the problem. Write,
a prologue, and let the prologue seem to say we will do as I describe, a prologue that explains to the audience that
no harm with our swords, and that Pyramus is not killed we won’t actually hurt anyone with our swords, and that
indeed. And for the more better assurance, tell them Pyramus isn’t really killed. And to make everyone even
that I, Pyramus, am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver. more comfortable, explain that that while I look like
20 This will put them out of fear. Pyramus I'm not actually him, I'm really Bottom the weaver.
That will stop the audience from being afraid.

QUINCE QUINCE
Well. We will have such a prologue, and it shall be Good. We’ll perform that prologue, and we'll write it in
written in eight and six. traditional ballad form, with alternating lines of eight- and
six-syllables.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
No, make it two more. Let it be written in eight and No, add two more. Write it with alternating lines of eight
eight. and eight syllables.

SNOUT SNOUT
25 Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion? Won’t the women be frightened by the lion?

STARVELING STARVELING
I fear it, I promise you. I’m very worried about that.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves. To Sirs, you should all think about this: bringing in—God
bring in—God shield us!—a lion among ladies is a most protect us!—a lion in front of women is really an awful thing
dreadful thing. For there is not a more fearful wildfowl to do. Because there's not a more frightening wild bird
30

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than your lion living. And we ought to look to ’t. living than the lion. We should remember that.

SNOUT SNOUT
Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion. So we'll have another prologue that explains he’s not
actually a lion.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be No, you should announce to the audience his actual name,
seen through the lion’s neck. And he himself must speak and make it so that half of his face is visible through the lion
through, saying thus—or to the same defect—“Ladies,” or costume. And he himself should say something like the
1 Bottom means "effect" when he
35 “Fair ladies,” “I would wish you” or “I would request following, or something else to the same defect 1 :
you” or “I would entreat you” “not to fear, not to “Ladies,” or “Beautiful ladies,” “I would ask you” or “I would says defect.
tremble, my life for yours. If you think I come hither request you” or “I would beg you” “not to fear, not to
as a lion, it were pity of my life. No, I am no such tremble, because I would defend your lives by giving up my
thing. I am a man as other men are.” And there indeed own. If you thought I came here as a real lion, it would
40 let him name his name, and tell them plainly he is Snug endanger my life. No, I am no lion. I am a man, just like
the joiner. other men.” And at that point he should say his name, and
tell them plainly that he’s Snug the carpenter.

QUINCE QUINCE
Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things: Good, that’s what we’ll do. But there are two more
that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber. For, you problems we have to solve. How are we going to bring
know, Pyramus and Thisbe meet by moonlight. moonlight into the room where we perform? Because, you
know, Pyramus and Thisbe meet in the moonlight.

SNOUT SNOUT
45 Doth the moon shine that night we play our play? Will the moon be shining on the night we’re performing our
play?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
A calendar, a calendar! Look in the almanac. Find out A calendar; we need a calendar! Look in an almanac. Look
moonshine, find out moonshine! up when the moon shines, look up when the moon shines!

QUINCE QUINCE
[Takes out a book] Yes, it doth shine that night. [He takes out and consults a book] Yes, the moon will shine
that night.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Why then, may you leave a casement of the great chamber Well then, you could leave a window open in the great room
window where we play open, and the moon may shine in at where we’ll be performing, and the moon will shine in
50 the casement. through the window.

QUINCE QUINCE
Ay. Or else one must come in with a bush of thorns and Yes, or else someone will have to come in carrying a bundle 2 English peasants in Shakespeare's
a lantern, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present, of sticks 2 and a lantern and say he’s come to disfigure 3 , time believed that the man in the
the person of Moonshine. Then, there is another thing: or represent, the character of Moonshine. Then there's moon carried a bundle of sticks on his
back.
we must have a wall in the great chamber. For Pyramus another problem: we need to have a wall in the great room.
55 and Thisbe, says the story, did talk through the chink Because Pyramus and Thisbe talked to each other through 3 Quince incorrectly uses the word
of a wall. a little hole in a wall, as the story goes. "disfigure" when he means to say
"figure."

SNOUT SNOUT
You can never bring in a wall. What say you, Bottom? You’ll never be able to bring in a wall. What do you think,
Bottom?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Some man or other must present Wall. And let him have Someone has to play the part of Wall. For a costume, he can
some plaster, or some loam, or some roughcast about him be covered in some plaster or clay with pebbles stuck to
60 to signify wall. And let him hold his fingers thus, and him to show that he’s a wall. Then he can hold his fingers
through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisbe whisper. like this [He holds up his hand with two fingers split slightly
apart], and Pyramus and Thisbe can whisper to each other
through that crack.

QUINCE QUINCE
If that may be then all is well. Come, sit down, every If we do that, everything will be fine. Now sit down
mother’s son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you everyone and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you start.
begin. When you have spoken your speech, enter into that When you've said your lines, go behind that bush as if it
65 brake. And so everyone according to his cue. were a curtain offstage. Everyone else, do the same
according to whether you should be on or offstage.

ROBIN enters unseen. ROBIN enters, unseen by the other characters onstage.

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ROBIN ROBIN
[Aside] What hempen homespuns have we swaggering here, [To himself] Who are these country bumpkins making so
So near the cradle of the fairy queen? much noise so close to the fairy queen's bed? What? Are
What, a play toward? I’ll be an auditor. they about to perform a play? I’ll be the audience. And I’ll
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause. act in it, too, if I see a reason to.

QUINCE QUINCE
70 Speak, Pyramus. Thisbe, stand forth. Speak, Pyramus. Thisbe, come forward.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS] Thisbe, the flowers of odious savors [As PYRAMUS] Thisbe, flowers with odious smelling sweet—
sweet—

QUINCE QUINCE
“Odors,” “odors.” “Odors,” “odors.”

BOTTOM BOTTOM
[As PYRAMUS] [As PYRAMUS] —odors smelling sweet, are like your breath,
75 —odors savors sweet, my dearest Thisbe dear. But listen, a voice! Wait here for a
So hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear. moment, and I’ll be back soon!
But hark, a voice! Stay thou but here awhile,
And by and by I will to thee appear.

BOTTOM exits. BOTTOM exits.

ROBIN ROBIN
[Aside] A stranger Pyramus than e'er played here. [To himself] A stranger Pyramus has never been performed
anywhere.

FLUTE FLUTE
80 Must I speak now? Should I talk now?

ROBIN exits. ROBIN exits.

QUINCE QUINCE
Ay, marry, must you. For you must understand he goes Yes, you should. You’re supposed to show that you think
but to see a noise that he heard, and is to come again. that Pyramus just went to check on a noise he heard and
will soon come back.

FLUTE FLUTE
[As THISBE] Most radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of [As THISBE] My shining Pyramus, you are as white as a lily,
hue, the color of a red rose on a splendid rosebush, a lively
85 Of color like the red rose on triumphant brier, young man and also a lovely Jew, as trustworthy as a horse
Most brisky juvenal and eke most lovely Jew, that never gets tired. I’ll meet you, Pyramus, at Ninny’s
As true as truest horse that yet would never tire. grave.
I’ll meet thee, Pyramus, at Ninny’s tomb.

QUINCE QUINCE
“Ninus' tomb,” man. Why, you must not speak that yet. That’s “Ninus’ grave,” man. And also, don’t say that part yet,
90 That you answer to Pyramus. You speak all your part at because you're supposed to say it to Pyramus. You just said
once, cues and all. Pyramus, enter. Your cue is past. It all your lines at once, cues and all. Enter, Pyramus. You
is “never tire.” missed your cue. It’s “never gets tired.”

FLUTE FLUTE
Oh. [As Thisbe] As true as truest horse that yet would Oh! [As THISBE] As trustworthy as a horse that never gets
never tire. tired.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
95 [As PYRAMUS] If I were fair, Thisbe, I were only thine. [As PYRAMUS] If I were handsome, my lovely Thisbe, I
would still be entirely yours.

BOTTOM enters, with an ass' head instead of his own. ROBIN also BOTTOM enters, with a donkey's head instead of his own.
enters. ROBIN also enters.

QUINCE QUINCE
Oh, monstrous! Oh, strange! We are haunted. Pray, Oh! A monster! How strange! We’re being haunted. Pray,
masters! Fly, masters! Help! gentlemen! Run, gentlemen! Help!

QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, SNOUT, and STARVELING exit. QUINCE, FLUTE, SNUG, SNOUT, and STARVELING exit.

ROBIN ROBIN
I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you about a round I’ll follow you. I’ll lead you all in circles, through bogs,

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Through bog, through bush, through brake, through through bushes, through hedges, and through thorns.
100 brier. Sometimes I’ll take the shape of a horse, sometimes a dog
Sometime a horse I’ll be, sometime a hound, or a pig or a headless bear. Sometimes I’ll be A fire! And I’ll
A hog, a headless bear, sometime a fire. neigh like a horse, bark like a dog, grunt like a pig, growl
And neigh, and bark, and grunt, and roar, and burn, like a bear, and burn like a fire wherever you run.
Like horse, hound, hog, bear, fire, at every turn.

ROBIN exits. ROBIN exits.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
105 Why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to make Why are they running away? This is some practical joke of
me afeard. theirs to try to scare me.

SNOUT enters. SNOUT enters.

SNOUT SNOUT
O Bottom, thou art changed! What do I see on thee? Oh, Bottom, you’ve been changed! What do you have on
your head?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
What do you see? You see an ass head of your own, do What do you think I have on my head? You see something
you? you've imagined with your own asinine head, right?

SNOUT exits. QUINCE enters. SNOUT exits. QUINCE enters.

QUINCE QUINCE
110 Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee. Thou art translated. God bless you, Bottom, God bless you. You’ve been
transformed.

QUINCE exits. QUINCE exits.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
I see their knavery: this is to make an ass of me, to I see what joke they're trying to pull. They want to make an
fright me if they could. But I will not stir from this ass of me, to scare me if they can. But I won’t move from
place, do what they can. I will walk up and down here this spot, whatever they do. I’ll walk back and forth and
and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid. sing a song so that they’ll hear me and know I’m not afraid.
115 [Sings] [Singing]
The ouzel cock, so black of hue The blackbird, so black in color
With orange-tawny bill, With an orange-and-tan beak,
The throstlewith his note so true, The thrush with its beautiful voice,
The wren with little quill— The wren with its high piping voice—

TITANIA TITANIA
120 [Waking] What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? [Waking up] What angel wakes me from my bed of flowers?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
[Sings] [Singing]
The finch, the sparrow, and the lark, The finch, the sparrow, and the lark,
The plainsong cuckoo gray, The gray cuckoo with his unchanging song
Whose note full many a man doth mark Whose voice so many men hear
125 And dares not answer “Nay”— But don’t dare say no to it—
For indeed, who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Indeed, who would try to win an argument with a stupid
Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry “cuckoo” bird? 4 The similarity of the words
never so? Who would say that a bird was lying, now matter how many
"cuckoo," seen in the original text, and
times the bird called out that his wife was cheating 4 on "cuckold" led to common jokes about
him? cuckoos and men with unfaithful
wives.

TITANIA TITANIA
I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again. Noble human, I beg you, sing again. My ears cannot get
130 Mine ear is much enamored of thy note. enough of your voice, and my eyes are entranced by your
So is mine eye enthrallèd to thy shape. looks. Though this is the first time I have ever seen you, the
And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me power of your beauty compels me to swear that I love you.
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for I don’t think you should have a good reason to love me. And
135 that. And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep yet, to be honest, reason and love are seldom found
little company together nowadays. The more the pity that together these days. It’s a shame that some mutual friend
some honest neighbors will not make them friends. Nay, of theirs doesn’t introduce them. Ha, I've been known to
I can gleek upon occasion. tell a joke from time to time.

TITANIA TITANIA
Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful. You’re as wise as you are beautiful.

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BOTTOM BOTTOM
140 Not so, neither. But if I had wit enough to get out of That’s not true, either. But if I were wise enough to get out
this wood, I have enough to serve mine own turn. of this forest, I’d have all the wisdom I needed.

TITANIA TITANIA
Out of this wood do not desire to go. Please don't wish that you could leave this forest. You will
Thou shalt remain here whether thou wilt or no. stay here whether you want to or not. I’m not some
I am a spirit of no common rate. ordinary fairy. The summer itself serves me as one of my
145 The summer still doth tend upon my state. followers. And I love you. So come with me. I’ll give you
And I do love thee. Therefore go with me. fairies to serve you, and they’ll bring you jewels from the
I’ll give thee fairies to attend on thee. ocean depths, and sing to you as you sleep on a bed of
And they shall fetch thee jewels from the deep, pressed flowers. And I’ll remove you from your physical
And sing while thou on pressèd flowers dost sleep. body, so you will be a spirit of the air. Peaseblossom,
150 And I will purge thy mortal grossness so Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed, come here!
That thou shalt like an airy spirit go.
Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth, and Mustardseed!

Four fairies enter: PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and Four fairies—PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and
MUSTARDSEED. MUSTARDSEED—enter.

PEASEBLOSSOM PEASEBLOSSOM
Ready. Ready.

COBWEB COBWEB
And I. Me too.

MOTH MOTH
155 And I. Me too.

MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
And I. Me too.

ALL ALL
Where shall we go? Where should we go?

TITANIA TITANIA
Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. Be kind and considerate to this gentleman. Follow where he
Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes. walks. Run and jump joyfully where he can watch you. Feed
160 Feed him with apricoks and dewberries, him apricots and blackberries, along with purple grapes,
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries. green figs, and mulberries. Steal honey from the
The honey bags steal from the humble-bees, bumblebees, and make candles from beeswax taken from
And for night tapers crop their waxen thighs the bees' legs. Then light the candles with the fire from
And light them at the fiery glowworms' eyes glowworms' eyes so that my love will have light when he
165 To have my love to bed and to arise. goes to bed and wakes up. Pluck the wings from colorful
And pluck the wings from painted butterflies butterflies, then use them to fan moonbeams away from his
To fan the moonbeams from his sleeping eyes. sleeping eyes. Fairies, bow and curtsy to him.
Nod to him, elves, and do him courtesies.

PEASEBLOSSOM PEASEBLOSSOM
Hail, mortal. Hello, mortal!

COBWEB COBWEB
170 Hail. Hello!

MOTH MOTH
Hail. Hello!

MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
Hail. Hello!

BOTTOM BOTTOM
I cry your worships' mercy, heartily. I beseech your I beg your pardon, sirs, very much. Will you tell me your
worship’s name. names, sirs?

COBWEB COBWEB
175 Cobweb. Cobweb.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master I would like to get to know you better, good Mister Cobweb.
Cobweb. If I cut my finger, I shall make bold with you. If I cut my finger, I’ll use you as a bandage. And your name,
Your name, honest gentleman? good sir?

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PEASEBLOSSOM PEASEBLOSSOM
180 Peaseblossom. Peaseblossom.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother, Please, give my regards to Mrs. Peapod, your mother, and to
and to Master Peascod, your father. Good Master Mr. Peapod, your father. Good Mr. Peaseblossom, I’d like to
Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance get to know you better too. And now, may I ask what your
too. Your name, I beseech you, sir? name is, sir?

MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
185 Mustardseed. Mustardseed.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Good Master Mustardseed, I know your patience well. Good Mr. Mustardseed, I know how you have patiently
That same cowardly, giantlike ox-beef hath devoured many suffered, and how those cowardly, gigantic sides of beef
a gentleman of your house. I promise you your kindred have caused so many of your family members to get eaten. I
hath made my eyes water ere now. I desire you of more promise you that many of your mustard relatives have
190 acquaintance, good Master Mustardseed. made my eyes water before now. I'd like to get to know you
better, good Mr. Mustardseed.

TITANIA TITANIA
Come, wait upon him. Lead him to my bower. Serve him well, and lead him to the place I sleep. I think the
The moon methinks looks with a watery eye. moon looks sad, and when she cries, every little flower
And when she weeps, weeps every little flower, cries, lamenting the fact that they are forced to remain
Lamenting some enforcèd chastity. chaste. Make my lover stay quiet. Bring him to me in
195 Tie up my love's tongue. Bring him silently. silence.

They exit. They all exit.

Act 3, Scene 2
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

The Fairy King OBERON enters. The Fairy King OBERON enters.

OBERON OBERON
I wonder if Titania be awaked. I wonder if Titania is awake. And, if she is, I wonder what
Then, what it was that next came in her eye, thing she saw first that she must love completely now.
Which she must dote on in extremity.

ROBIN enters. ROBIN enters.

Here comes my messenger. Here comes my messenger. What’s going on, crazy spirit?
5 How now, mad spirit? What fun have you had tonight around this haunted forest?
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?

ROBIN ROBIN
My mistress with a monster is in love. My mistress is in love with a monster. While she was
Near to her close and consecrated bower, sleeping nearby in her secret bed beneath a canopy of
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour, flowers, there came a bunch of fools—ignorant manual
10 A crew of patches, rude mechanicals workers who earn their money working in shops in Athens.
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls, They met to rehearse a play they hope to perform on
Were met together to rehearse a play Theseus’ wedding day. The silliest blockhead of that whole
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial day. dumb group, who played Pyramus in their play, finished his
The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort, scene and went offstage to sit in the bushes. While he sat
15 Who Pyramus presented in their sport, there I played a prank on him, and stuck an ass' head on
Forsook his scene and entered in a brake, him. Soon it was time for him to respond to his Thisbe, and
When I did him at this advantage take, he came out of the bushes. When they saw him, his friends
An ass’s nole I fixèd on his head. ran away, like wild geese that spot an approaching hunter,
Anon his Thisbe must be answerèd, or like a flock of red-headed jackdaws rising, cawing, and
20 And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy, madly flying across the sky at the sound of a gunshot. When
As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, one of the friends heard my footsteps, he fell head over
Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, heels, shouted “Murder!” and called for help from Athens.
Rising and cawing at the gun’s report, Their fear was so strong that they lost their common sense,
Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky, and began to think that inanimate objects were trying to
25 So at his sight away his fellows fly; get them, such as thorns that caught at their clothing,
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls. sleeves, and hats. I led them away in their frightened
He “Murder!” cries and help from Athens calls. confusion, and left sweet, transformed Pyramus there. At
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears thus that moment, it just so happened that Titania woke up and
strong, fell in love with an ass.
30

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Made senseless things begin to do them wrong.

For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch,
Some sleeves, some hats—from yielders all things catch.
I led them on in this distracted fear
And left sweet Pyramus translated there.
35 When in that moment so it came to pass,
Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.

OBERON OBERON
This falls out better than I could devise. This has turned out even better than I could have planned.
But hast thou yet latched the Athenian’s eyes But have you put the love juice on the eyes of that
With the love juice, as I did bid thee do? Athenian, as I told you to?

ROBIN ROBIN
40 I took him sleeping—that is finished too— I did it while he was sleeping, so that task is completed too.
And the Athenian woman by his side, And the Athenian woman was sleeping near him. So, when
That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed. he woke up, he certainly must have seen her.

DEMETRIUS and HERMIA enter. DEMETRIUS and HERMIA enter.

OBERON OBERON
[Aside to ROBIN] Stand close. This is the same [To ROBIN so only he can hear] Be quiet. This is the
Athenian. Athenian we were talking about.

ROBIN ROBIN
45 [Aside to OBERON] This is the woman, but not this the [To OBERON so only he can hear] That’s the woman I saw,
man. but that is not the man.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Oh, why rebuke you him that loves you so? Oh, why be so mean to someone who loves you so much?
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe. You should aim such cruel language only at your worst
enemy.

HERMIA HERMIA
Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse. I’m scolding you at the moment, but I should be treating
50 For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse. you even worse than that. I’m frightened that you’ve given
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep, me good reason to curse you. If you killed Lysander while
Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep, he was sleeping, then you’re already knee-deep in blood,
And kill me too. and you should just plunge in deeper and kill me too. He is
The sun was not so true unto the day more faithful to me than the sun is to the day. Would he
55 As he to me. Would he have stolen away have snuck away from me while I was asleep? I’ll only
From sleeping Hermia? I’ll believe as soon believe that’s true when a hole appears through the center
This whole Earth may be bored, and that the moon of the Earth, and the moon sneaks through it to surprise her
May through the center creep and so displease brother, the sun, on the other side of the world. The only
Her brother’s noontide with th' Antipodes. possibility is that you murdered him. A murderer should
60 It cannot be but thou hast murdered him. look like you do—so pale and grim.
So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
So should the murdered look, and so should I, That’s how someone who’s been murdered should look.
Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty. And that’s how I should look, too, because you’ve pierced
Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear, me through the heart with your cruelty. And yet you, the
65 As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere. murderer, look as bright and shining as the planet Venus,
glimmering in its orbit in the sky.

HERMIA HERMIA
What’s this to my Lysander? Where is he? What does any of that have to do with my Lysander? Where
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me? is he? Oh, good Demetrius, will you bring him to me?

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
I had rather give his carcass to my hounds. I would rather feed his corpse to my dogs.

HERMIA HERMIA
Out, dog! Out, cur! Thou drivest me past the bounds Get away, you dog! Go away, you mutt! You’ve driven me
70 Of maiden’s patience. Hast thou slain him then? past what any woman could endure. Have you killed him,
Henceforth be never numbered among men! then? From now on you should not even be thought of as a
Oh, once tell true, tell true even for my sake— human being. Oh, tell the truth for once. Tell the truth, for
Durst thou have looked upon him being awake, my sake. You wouldn’t have even dared to look at him when
And hast thou killed him sleeping? O brave touch! he was awake, but then you murdered him while he was
75 Could not a worm, an adder, do so much? sleeping? Oh, how brave of you! A snake, a poisonous
An adder did it, for with doubler tongue snake, would do it just the same. And in fact a snake did do
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung. it, because no snake has ever had a more forked, lying
tongue than you have, you serpent.

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DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
You spend your passion on a misprised mood. You’re working yourself into a rage out of a
I am not guilty of Lysander’s blood. misunderstanding. I’m not guilty of killing Lysander. As far
80 Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell. as I know, he’s not dead.

HERMIA HERMIA
I pray thee, tell me then that he is well. I beg you, then: tell me he’s all right.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
An if I could, what should I get therefore? If I could tell you that, what would I get out of it?

HERMIA HERMIA
A privilege never to see me more. The privilege of never seeing me again. Now I’m going to
And from thy hated presence part I so. depart from your presence, which I hate. I hope you never
85 See me no more, whether he be dead or no. see me again, whether he’s dead or not.

HERMIA exits. HERMIA exits.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
There is no following her in this fierce vein. There’s no point in following her when she’s so angry. So,
Here therefore for a while I will remain. for a while I’ll just stay here. Sadness becomes harder to
So sorrow’s heaviness doth heavier grow bear when it’s combined with a lack of sleep. Now I’ll try to
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe, lighten my sadness by getting a little sleep. [He lies down
90 Which now in some slight measure it will pay, and falls asleep]
If for his tender here I make some stay.
[Lies down and sleeps]

OBERON OBERON
[To ROBIN] What hast thou done? Thou hast mistaken [To ROBIN] What have you done? You’ve made a complete
quite, mistake and put the love-juice on someone who was truly
95 And laid the love juice on some true love’s sight. in love. Because of your mistake someone’s true love has
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue been turned false, instead of someone's false love being
Some true love turned, and not a false turned true. turned into a true love.

ROBIN ROBIN
Then fate o'errules that, one man holding troth, That’s the fate of love. For every man who’s faithful to his
A million fail, confounding oath on oath. love, a million others cancel out each oath of love they
make with a new one, over and over again.

OBERON OBERON
100 About the wood go swifter than the wind, Race all through the forest, moving faster than the wind,
And Helena of Athens look thou find— and find Helena of Athens. She’s lovesick, and her face is
All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer, pale because of all of her sighing, which is bad for the
With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear. blood. Use some magic illusion to bring her here, and I’ll
By some illusion see thou bring her here. put the love juice on his eyes for when she arrives.
105 I’ll charm his eyes against she do appear.

ROBIN ROBIN
I go, I go. Look how I go, I'm going, I'm going. See how I go? Faster than an arrow 1 In Shakespeare's day, Tartars
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar’s bow. from a Tartar’s bow 1 . were renowned for their skill at
archery.

ROBIN exits. ROBIN exits.

OBERON OBERON
[Squeezing flower juice into DEMETRIUS ’s eyes] [Squeezing flower juice on DEMETRIUS ’s eyelids] Purple
Flower of this purple dye, flower, hit by Cupid’s arrow, sink into the pupils of his eyes.
110 Hit with Cupid’s archery, When he sees the girl he should love, make her seem to him
Sink in apple of his eye. as bright as Venus shining in the sky. When you wake up, if
When his love he doth espy, she’s nearby, beg her to answer your love with love.
Let her shine as gloriously
As the Venus of the sky.
115 When thou wakest, if she be by,
Beg of her for remedy.

ROBIN enters. ROBIN enters.

ROBIN ROBIN
Captain of our fairy band, Leader of fairies, Helena is coming. So, too, is the young
Helena is here at hand, man whom I mistook for this one sleeping here, and he’s
And the youth, mistook by me, begging her to love him. Should we watch this absurd
120 Pleading for a lover’s fee. show? Lord, mortals are such fools!
Shall we their fond pageant see?

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Lord, what fools these mortals be!

OBERON OBERON
Stand aside. The noise they make Stand out of the way. The noise they’re making is going to
Will cause Demetrius to awake. wake up Demetrius.

ROBIN ROBIN
125 Then will two at once woo one. Then both of them will pursue one girl at the same time.
That must needs be sport alone. Watching that will be unparalleled entertainment.
And those things do best please me Ridiculous things are the things I like best.
That befall preposterously.

LYSANDER and HELENA enter. LYSANDER and HELENA enter.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Why should you think that I should woo in scorn? Why would you think that I’m making fun of you when I tell
130 Scorn and derision never come in tears. you of my love for you? Mockery is never accompanied by
Look, when I vow, I weep. And vows so born, tears. Look, I cry when I swear my love for you. And when
In their nativity all truth appears. vows are made by someone who is crying, that shows how
How can these things in me seem scorn to you, true and since the vow is. How can you think I am mocking
Bearing the badge of faith to prove them true? you, when my tears are like a badge of honesty?

HELENA HELENA
135 You do advance your cunning more and more. You display your sneaky ways more and more clearly. What
When truth kills truth, O devilish holy fray! a nasty fight it will be, when one “true” vow invalidates
These vows are Hermia’s. Will you give her o'er? another “true” vow you made earlier. These promises
Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh. you’re making to me belong to Hermia. Are you going to
Your vows to her and me, put in two scales, just jilt her? If you weigh the vows you’ve made to Hermia
140 Will even weigh, and both as light as tales. against the vows you made to me, they’ll cancel each other
out, and weigh nothing. They’ll be as weightless as lies.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
I had no judgment when to her I swore. I had no true power of reason when I swore those vows to
her.

HELENA HELENA
Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er. In my opinion, you don’t have any reason now, as you are
breaking those vows.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you. Demetrius loves her, and he doesn’t love you.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
[Waking] O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! [Waking up] Oh, Helena, goddess! Divine, perfect nymph!
145 To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? My love, to what can I compare your eyes? Crystal is like
Crystal is muddy. Oh, how ripe in show mud compared to them. Oh, your lips look like ripe,
Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! tempting cherries just touching together! The pure white
That pure congealèd white, high Taurus' snow, snow on the tops of the Taurus mountains, fluffed by winds
Fanned with the eastern wind, turns to a crow from the east, look as black as a crow in comparison to the
150 When thou hold’st up thy hand. Oh, let me kiss whiteness of your hands. Oh, let me kiss your pure white
This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss! hand in a pledge of happiness!

HELENA HELENA
O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent Oh cruelty! Oh hell! I see you’ve all joined together to
To set against me for your merriment. humiliate me for your own enjoyment. If you were civilized
If you were civil and knew courtesy, or had good manners, you wouldn’t hurt me this way. Can’t
155 You would not do me thus much injury. you just hate me, as I know you do? Do you have to team up
Can you not hate me, as I know you do, to mock me too? If you were true men, as you pretend to
But you must join in souls to mock me too? be, you wouldn’t treat a noble woman this way—making
If you were men, as men you are in show, vows and promises and praising my beauty in such over-
You would not use a gentle lady so the-top ways when I know you both hate me in your hearts.
160 To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, You’re both competing for Hermia’s love, and now you’re
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts. competing to see who can mock me more. What an
You both are rivals, and love Hermia, impressive feat, what a manly thing to do, to put tears in a
And now both rivals to mock Helena— poor girl's eyes through your mockery! No truly noble
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, person would offend an innocent girl like this, or torture a
165 To conjure tears up in a poor maid’s eyes poor soul's patience just so you can have some fun.
With your derision! None of noble sort
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
A poor soul’s patience, all to make you sport.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
You are unkind, Demetrius. Be not so. You’re being mean, Demetrius. Don’t be. You love Hermia.
170

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For you love Hermia. This you know I know. You know I know it. And here, with everyone’s best interests
And here, with all good will, with all my heart, in mind, and with all my heart, I give up all my claim to
In Hermia’s love I yield you up my part. Hermia’s love and give it to you. Now you give up your claim
And yours of Helena to me bequeath, to Helena’s love and give it to me, because I love her, and
Whom I do love and will do till my death. will continue to love her, until I die.

HELENA HELENA
175 Never did mockers waste more idle breath. No one has ever put in so much pointless effort just to make
fun of someone.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Lysander, keep thy Hermia. I will none. Lysander, keep your Hermia. I’m not interested. If I ever
If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone. loved her, all that love is now gone. My heart visited her as if
My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourned, it was on a little journey, but how my heart has returned
And now to Helen is it home returned, home to Helena and it will remain with her.
180 There to remain.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Helen, it is not so. Helena, it’s not true.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Don’t insult a true love you don’t know anything about, or
Lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. else you risk paying a terrible price. Look, your love is
Look, where thy love comes. Yonder is thy dear. coming. Over there is the one you love.

HERMIA enters. HERMIA enters.

HERMIA HERMIA
185 Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, While the darkness of night makes eyes work less well, it
The ear more quick of apprehension makes. helps ears to work better. While it blocks the ability to see, it
Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, more than makes up for that by increasing the ability to
It pays the hearing double recompense. hear. My eyes couldn’t find you, Lysander. But thankfully my
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found. ears heard your voice. Why did you so cruelly leave me
190 Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound alone?
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go? Why should I stay, when love pushed me to go?

HERMIA HERMIA
What love could press Lysander from my side? What love could make you move from my side?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Lysander’s love, that would not let him bide, I could not wait because of my love for beautiful Helena,
195 Fair Helena, who more engilds the night who shines in the night more brightly than all those fiery
Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. orbs and stars. Why are you looking for me? Wasn’t it
Why seek’st thou me? Could not this make thee know obvious that I left you because of the hatred I feel toward
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so? you?

HERMIA HERMIA
You speak not as you think. It cannot be. You don’t believe what you’re saying. It can’t be.

HELENA HELENA
200 Lo, she is one of this confederacy! So, she’s a part of your little gang! Now I see that all three of
Now I perceive they have conjoined all three them have joined together to create this game of lies in
To fashion this false sport, in spite of me. order to hurt me. Hurtful Hermia! Ungrateful girl! Have you
Injurious Hermia! Most ungrateful maid! conspired and schemed to torment me with this awful
Have you conspired, have you with these contrived mockery? Have you forgotten about all the confidential
205 To bait me with this foul derision? conversations we’ve shared, the vows of sisterhood we
Is all the counsel that we two have shared, made, the hours we spent together while scolding time for
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent moving so fast and forcing us apart? Our schoolgirl
When we have chid the hasty-footed time friendship, our childhood innocence? Hermia, we used to
For parting us—oh, is it all forgot? sit together like two gods of craftsmanship, and sew one
210 All schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence? flower with our two needles, working on the same single
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods, piece of cloth. We would sit on the same cushion, singing
Have with our needles created both one flower, the same song in perfect tune, as if our hands, our sides,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, our voices and our minds were joined as one. We grew up
Both warbling of one song, both in one key, together, like two cherries—which seem to be separate but
215 As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds, are also joined together. Two loving cherries sharing one
Had been incorporate. So we grew together, stem. That's just how it was with us, who seemed to have
Like to a double cherry—seeming parted two bodies but one heart, like doubled coats of arms that
But yet an union in partition— belong separately to a husband and wife who also share a
Two lovely berries molded on one stem; single crest. Are you really going to rip apart our old
220

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So, with two seeming bodies but one heart, friendship by joining these men to humiliate your poor
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry, friend? It’s not friendly, and it’s not ladylike. All women, not
Due but to one and crownèd with one crest. just me, will scold you for acting this way, even though I’m
And will you rent our ancient love asunder the only one who’s getting hurt.
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
225 It is not friendly, ’tis not maidenly.
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feel the injury.

HERMIA HERMIA
I am amazèd at your passionate words. I’m shocked by your angry words. I don't hate you. It seems
I scorn you not. It seems that you scorn me. like you hate me.

HELENA HELENA
230 Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, Didn't you get Lysander to mock me by following me
To follow me and praise my eyes and face? around, praising my eyes and face? And didn't you make
And made your other love, Demetrius— your other love, Demetrius—who just before kicked me with
Who even but now did spurn me with his foot— his foot—to call me a goddess, a nymph, and some divine,
To call me goddess, nymph, divine, and rare, rare, precious angel? Why would he say that to a girl he
235 Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this hates? And why does Lysander deny that he loves you,
To her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander when he loves you all the way down to his very soul, and
Deny your love, so rich within his soul, offer me his affection, unless you told him to and he agreed
And tender me, forsooth, affection, to it? Why do you care that I’m not as blessed as you are—so
But by your setting on, by your consent? surrounded by love, so fortunate—and am instead
240 What though I be not so in grace as you— completely miserable, my love unreturned? You should pity
So hung upon with love, so fortunate— me for it, not despise me.
But miserable most, to love unloved?
This you should pity rather than despise.

HERMIA HERMIA
I understand not what you mean by this. I don’t understand what you’re saying.

HELENA HELENA
245 Ay, do. Persever, counterfeit sad looks, Yes, do that. Keep it up, pretend to be serious, but then
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back, make faces at me behind my back, wink at each other, and
Wink each at other, hold the sweet jest up— keep the joke going. You're doing such a good job with this
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled. prank it will go down in history. If you had any compassion,
If you have any pity, grace, or manners, refinement, or manners, you wouldn’t pretend to fight over
250 You would not make me such an argument. me. But goodbye. It’s partly my own fault (given how I've
But fare ye well. 'Tis partly my own fault, acted), but I can fix it by leaving, or dying.
Which death or absence soon shall remedy.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Stay, gentle Helena. Hear my excuse. Stay, sweet Helena. Listen to my excuse. My love, my life,
My love, my life, my soul, fair Helena! my soul, beautiful Helena!

HELENA HELENA
255 Oh, excellent! Oh, nice one!

HERMIA HERMIA
[To LYSANDER] [To LYSANDER] My love, don’t mock her like that.
Sweet, do not scorn her so.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
If she cannot entreat, I can compel. [To LYSANDER] If Hermia’s pleas don't get you to stop, I can
force you to.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Thou canst compel no more than she entreat. You can’t force me to stop any more than Hermia can plead
260 Thy threats have no more strength than her weak for me to. Your threats aren't any stronger than her weak
prayers. begging. Helena, I love you. On my life, I swear I do. I swear
Helen, I love thee. By my life, I do. on my life, which I will risk by fighting this man to prove
I swear by that which I will lose for thee he's lying when he says that I don't love you.
To prove him false that says I love thee not.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
265 I say I love thee more than he can do. I say that I love you more than he does.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
If thou say so, withdraw and prove it too. If that’s what you say, draw your sword and prove it.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Quick, come. You’re on. Let’s do it.

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HERMIA HERMIA
Lysander, whereto tends all this? Lysander, what does all this mean?

HERMIA holds LYSANDER back. HERMIA holds LYSANDER back.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
[To HERMIA] Away, you Ethiope! [To HERMIA] Go away, you African 2 ! 2 Here Lysander draws attention to
Hermia's darker complexion as a
brunette, compared to Helena's fair
complexion. He continues to do so by
comparing Hermia to a "Tartar" a few
lines down.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
270 No, no. He’ll No, no. He’s just pretending like he’s trying to break loose.
Seem to break loose. Take on as you would follow,
But yet come not. You are a tame man, go! [To LYSANDER] Act like you’re going to follow me, but then
you won't. You’re a coward. Go away!

LYSANDER LYSANDER
[To HERMIA] Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, [To HERMIA] Let go of me, you cat, you clinging burr. Let go
let loose of me, vile thing, or I’ll shake you off of me like a snake.
275 Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.

HERMIA HERMIA
Why are you grown so rude? What change is this, Why have you become so rude? What’s changed you, my
Sweet love? sweet love?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Thy love? Out, tawny Tartar, out! Your love? Get away from me, you dark-skinned Tartar! Get
Out, loathèd medicine! O hated potion, hence! away, you disgusting poison. You hated potion, get away!

HERMIA HERMIA
280 Do you not jest? Are you joking?

HELENA HELENA
Yes, sooth, and so do you. Yes, of course he is, and so are you.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee. Demetrius, I’ll honor what I said and fight you.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
I would I had your bond, for I perceive I wish I had that in writing, because it seems to me that
A weak bond holds you. I’ll not trust your word. Hermia's rather weak arms somehow seem to be holding
you back. I don’t trust your word that you actually want to
fight.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
285 What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? What? Should I hurt Hermia, hit her, kill her? Although I hate
Although I hate her, I’ll not harm her so. her, I'm not going to harm her.

HERMIA HERMIA
What, can you do me greater harm than hate? What, do you think you could hurt me any more than by
Hate me? Wherefore? O me! What news, my love? saying you hate me? Hate me? Why? What’s happened, my
Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander? love? Am I not Hermia? Are you not Lysander? I’m as
290 I am as fair now as I was erewhile. beautiful now as I was just before. You loved me last night.
Since night you loved me. Yet since night you left me. But last night you left me. So—God forbid—did you actually
Why then, you left me—Oh, the gods forbid!— leave me?
In earnest, shall I say?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Ay, by my life, Yes, I swear on my life that I did, and I never wanted to see
295 And never did desire to see thee more. you again. So give up your hopes, your questions, and your
Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt. doubts. You can be sure that there's nothing more true than
Be certain, nothing truer. 'Tis no jest this: it’s not a joke that I hate you and love Helena.
That I do hate thee and love Helena.

HERMIA HERMIA
O me! [To HELENA] You juggler! You canker-blossom! Oh no!
300 You thief of love! What, have you come by night
And stol'n my love’s heart from him? [To HELENA] You trickster, you little worm, feasting on
flower buds! You thief of love! What, did you sneak in at
night and steal my love’s heart from him?

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HELENA HELENA
Fine, i' faith! Really, honestly! Have you no modesty, no decency, not
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, even a little bit of shame? What, do you want to make me
No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear mad enough that I'll respond to you, despite my usual
305 Impatient answers from my gentle tongue? gentleness? You disgust me! You liar, you doll!
Fie, fie! You counterfeit, you puppet, you!

HERMIA HERMIA
“Puppet”? Why so? Ay, that way goes the game. “Doll?” Why do you say that? Ah, I see where you're taking
Now I perceive that she hath made compare this. She’s comparing our difference in height. She’s shown
Between our statures. She hath urged her height, off how tall she is, and used her body—her tall body, her
310 And with her personage, her tall personage, height—to win him over. Does he admire you so highly
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevailed with him. because I’m so small and short? So how short am I, you
And are you grown so high in his esteem painted pole? Tell me. How short am I? I’m not so short that
Because I am so dwarfish and so low? I can't reach up to gouge your eyes out with my fingernails.
How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak.
315 How low am I? I am not yet so low
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HELENA HELENA
[To LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS] [To LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS] I beg you—even though
I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen, you're making fun of me, gentlemen—don’t let her hurt me.
Let her not hurt me. I was never cursed. I've never been good at trading insults. I’m not mean like
320 I have no gift at all in shrewishness. her. I’m shy, like a girl should be. Don’t let her hit me. You
I am a right maid for my cowardice. might be thinking that I could overpower her because she is
Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think, somewhat shorter than me.
Because she is something lower than myself,
That I can match her.

HERMIA HERMIA
325 “Lower”? Hark, again! “Shorter?” See, there it is again!

HELENA HELENA
Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. Good Hermia, please don’t be so angry with me. Hermia, I
I evermore did love you, Hermia, always loved you, and kept your secrets confidential. I
Did ever keep your counsels, never wronged you— never did anything to hurt you—other than, out of love for
Save that, in love unto Demetrius, Demetrius, telling him about your plan to sneak into this
330 I told him of your stealth unto this wood. forest. He followed you. And I followed him, out of love. But
He followed you. For love I followed him. he shouted at me to go away and threatened to hit me, kick
But he hath chid me hence and threatened me me—and to kill me too. And now, so that you'll let me go
To strike me, spurn me—nay, to kill me too. without attacking me further, I'll carry my foolishness back
And now, so you will let me quiet go, with me to Athens and won’t follow you anymore. Let me
335 To Athens will I bear my folly back go. You see how naïve and foolish I can be.
And follow you no further. Let me go.
You see how simple and how fond I am.

HERMIA HERMIA
Why, get you gone! Who is ’t that hinders you? So, get going! Who's stopping you?

HELENA HELENA
A foolish heart, that I leave here behind. My silly heart, which I’m leaving behind here.

HERMIA HERMIA
340 What, with Lysander? What, with Lysander?

HELENA HELENA
With Demetrius. With Demetrius.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Be not afraid. She shall not harm thee, Helena. Don’t be afraid. She won't hurt you, Helena.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part. No, sir, she won't, even if you take Hermia's side.

HELENA HELENA
Oh, when she’s angry, she is keen and shrewd! Oh, when she's angry, she gets vicious and mean. She was a
345 She was a vixen when she went to school. hellcat when we were in school. And though she’s little,
And though she be but little, she is fierce. she's fierce.

HERMIA HERMIA
“Little” again? Nothing but “low” and “little”! “Little” again? Nothing but “short” and “little!” Why do you
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? allow her to mock me like this? Let me at her!
Let me come to her.

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LYSANDER LYSANDER
350 [To HERMIA] Get you gone, you dwarf, [To HERMIA] Get out of here, you dwarf, you tiny little
You minimus of hindering knotgrass made, creature made of knotgrass weed, you tiny bead, you acorn!
You bead, you acorn!

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
You are too officious You’re trying too hard to help a woman who doesn't want
In her behalf that scorns your services. anything from you. Leave Helena alone. Don’t talk about
355 Let her alone. Speak not of Helena. her. Don’t try to help her. And if you plan on showing so
Take not her part. For if thou dost intend little love to Hermia, you’ll pay for it.
Never so little show of love to her,
Thou shalt aby it.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Now she holds me not. Hermia’s not holding me anymore. So follow me, if you
360 Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right, dare, to find out through a duel which of us has more right
Of thine or mine, is most in Helena. to Helena.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
“Follow”? Nay, I’ll go with thee, cheek by jowl. “Follow?” No, I’ll walk next to you, side by side.

DEMETRIUS and LYSANDER exit. DEMETRIUS and LYSANDER exit.

HERMIA HERMIA
You, mistress, all this coil is long of you. You, mistress, are the cause of all this fighting. No, don't
Nay, go not back. walk away from me!

HELENA HELENA
365 I will not trust you, I, I don't trust you. And I'm not going to stay anywhere near
Nor longer stay in your curst company. you. You may have faster hands in a fight than I do, but I can
Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray. run away faster because my legs are longer.
My legs are longer though, to run away.

HELENA exits. HELENA exits.

HERMIA HERMIA
I am amazed and know not what to say. I'm shocked and don't know what to say.

HERMIA exits. HERMIA exits.

OBERON OBERON
370 [To ROBIN] This is thy negligence. Still thou [To ROBIN] This is your fault. You continually make
mistakest, mistakes, or else you're making trouble on purpose.
Or else committ’st thy knaveries willfully.

ROBIN ROBIN
Believe me, King of Shadows, I mistook. Believe me, King of Shadows—it was a mistake. Didn’t you
Did not you tell me I should know the man tell me that I’d recognize the man by the Athenian clothes
375 By the Athenian garment he had on? he was wearing? I can't be blamed for what I've done—I put
And so far blameless proves my enterprise, the love juice on an Athenian’s eyes. And so far I’m glad it
That I have 'nointed an Athenian’s eyes. worked out this way, as I find all this uproar entertaining.
And so far am I glad it so did sort,
As this their jangling I esteem a sport.

OBERON OBERON
380 Thou seest these lovers seek a place to fight. You can see that these lovers are looking for a place to fight.
Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night. Therefore, rush, Robin, and make the night dark and
The starry welkin cover thou anon cloudy. As quickly as possible, cover the starry sky with a
With drooping fog as black as Acheron, low fog as dark as hell, and lead around these manic rivals
And lead these testy rivals so astray so that they get so lost that they won't run into each other.
385 As one come not within another’s way. Imitate Lysander’s voice to get Demetrius all riled up with
Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue, insults. Then rage a bit in Demetrius’ voice. And in that way
Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong. you’ll lead them away from each other until tiredness
And sometime rail thou like Demetrius. creeps over them with its heavy legs and bat-like wings that
And from each other look thou lead them thus, they fall dead asleep.[He gives a different flower to ROBIN]
390 Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep Then crush this flower over Lysander’s eyes, because its
With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep. juice has the ability to remove from his eyes the mistaken
[Gives ROBIN another flower] love he was given by the first love juice—and to make his
Then crush this herb into Lysander’s eye, eyes see the way he would normally. When they wake, all
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property this mockery and fighting will seem like a dream or an
395 To take from thence all error with his might insignificant hallucination. Then the lovers will return to
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight. Athens, bound together by love until they die. While you’re
When they next wake, all this derision working on this job I've given you, I’ll go visit Titania and

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Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision. ask her for the Indian boy. And then I’ll reverse the spell on
And back to Athens shall the lovers wend, her eyes and she will stop loving that monster. Then
400 With league whose date till death shall never end. everything will be at peace.
Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,
I’ll to my queen and beg her Indian boy.
And then I will her charmèd eye release
From monster’s view, and all things shall be peace.

ROBIN ROBIN
405 My fairy lord, this must be done with haste. My fairy lord, all this must be done quickly. The dragons
For night’s swift dragons cut the clouds full fast, that pull the night's chariot are speeding through the sky. In
And yonder shines Aurora’s harbinger, the distance the morning star, which appears just before
At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there, the dawn, is shining, and all the ghosts that wander in the
3 In Shakespeare's day, people who
Troop home to churchyards. Damnèd spirits all, night are marching back to their graveyards. The damned
410 That in crossways and floods have burial, souls of all those who committed suicide 3 , buried at committed suicide were not allowed a
Christian burial, and thus were
Already to their wormy beds are gone. crossroads or at the bottom of a river, have already interred in the places Robin mentions.
For fear lest day should look their shames upon, returned to their wormy graves. They fear that day will
They willfully themselves exile from light expose their shame, and so they avoid all sunlight and
And must for aye consort with black-browed night. remain forever in darkest night.

OBERON OBERON
415 But we are spirits of another sort. But we’re a different sort of spirit. I've often enjoyed the
I with the morning’s love have oft made sport, pleasures of the morning, and like a forest ranger, wander
And like a forester the groves may tread the woods until in the East the sun rises, all fiery
Even till the eastern gate, all fiery red, red—spreading its rays over the ocean and turning the salty
Opening on Neptune with fair blessèd beams, green water to gold. But anyway, hurry. Don’t delay. We can
420 Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams. get all this done before it's day.
But notwithstanding, haste. Make no delay.
We may effect this business yet ere day.

OBERON exits. OBERON exits.

ROBIN ROBIN
Up and down, up and down, Here and there, here and there,
I will lead them up and down. I will lead them here and there.
425 I am feared in field and town. I am feared in the country and in town.
Goblin, lead them up and down. Goblin, lead them here and there.
Here comes one. Here comes one of them.

LYSANDER enters. LYSANDER enters.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Where art thou, proud Demetrius? Speak thou now. Where are you, arrogant Demetrius? Say something.

ROBIN ROBIN
[As DEMETRIUS] [In DEMETRIUS’ voice] I’m over here, you villain. I have my
430 Here, villain. Drawn and ready. Where art thou? sword out and am ready to fight. Where are you?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
I will be with thee straight. I’ll find you in a moment.

ROBIN ROBIN
[As DEMETRIUS] Follow me then [In DEMETRIUS’ voice] Then follow me to flatter ground,
To plainer ground. which will be better for fighting.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Lysander, speak again! Lysander, say something! You quitter, you coward, have you
435 Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled? run away? Say something! Are you in some bush? Where are
Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head? you hiding?

LYSANDER exits. DEMETRIUS enters. LYSANDER exits. DEMETRIUS enters.

ROBIN ROBIN
[As LYSANDER] Thou coward, art thou bragging to the [In LYSANDER’s voice] You coward! Are you bragging to the
stars, stars and telling the bushes that you're looking for a fight,
Telling the bushes that thou look’st for wars, but then you won't actually come find me? Come here,
440 And wilt not come? Come, recreant. Come, thou child! coward! Come here, you child! I’ll whip you with a stick.
I’ll whip thee with a rod. He is defiled You're such a coward, anyone who tries to fight you with a
That draws a sword on thee. sword would be disgraced.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Yea, art thou there? Hey, are you there?

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ROBIN ROBIN
[As LYSANDER] Follow my voice. We’ll try no manhood [In LYSANDER’s voice] Follow my voice. This isn’t a good
445 here. place to test our manhood in a fight.

DEMETRIUS and ROBIN exit. DEMETRIUS and ROBIN exit.

LYSANDER enters. LYSANDER enters.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
He goes before me and still dares me on. He walks ahead of me and keeps daring me to follow him.
When I come where he calls, then he is gone. But when I get to the spot where he’s calling from, he's not
The villain is much lighter-heeled than I. there. This scoundrel is much quicker than I am. I chased
I followed fast, but faster he did fly, him as fast as I could, but he ran away from me even faster,
450 That fallen am I in dark uneven way, and now I’m lost in this dark part of the forest with uneven
And here will rest me. ground. I’ll rest here. [He lies down] May the comfort of
[Lies down] daytime arrive soon! Because as soon as I see the gray light
Come, thou gentle day! of morning, I’ll find Demetrius and get my revenge for this
For if but once thou show me thy grey light, insult. [He falls asleep]
455 I’ll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.
[Sleeps]

ROBIN and DEMETRIUS enter. ROBIN and DEMETRIUS enter.

ROBIN ROBIN
[As LYSANDER] [In LYSANDER’s voice] Ha, ha, ha! Coward, why aren’t you
Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not? coming?

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Abide me, if thou darest! For well I wot Wait for me, if you dare! You keep running away from me,
460 Thou runn’st before me, shifting every place, dashing all over the place, but you don’t dare to stand and
And darest not stand nor look me in the face. face me eye to eye. Where are you now?
Where art thou now?

ROBIN ROBIN
[As LYSANDER] Come hither. I am here. [In LYSANDER’s voice] Come this way. I’m over here.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Nay, then, thou mock’st me. Thou shalt buy this dear No, you’re just mocking me. You’ll pay dearly for this if I
465 If ever I thy face by daylight see. ever see your face in the daylight. Now run wherever you
Now go thy way. Faintness constraineth me want. I’m so tired I need to lie down and sleep on this cold
To measure out my length on this cold bed. ground. But expect me to come find you by the dawn. [He
By day’s approach look to be visited. lies down and falls asleep]
[Lies down and sleeps]

HELENA enters. HELENA enters.

HELENA HELENA
470 O weary night, O long and tedious night, Oh, exhausting, long, and boring night, please end already!
Abate thy hours. Shine comforts from the east, You reassuring dawn, start shining in the east, so I can go
That I may back to Athens by daylight back to Athens in the daylight and leave behind these
From these that my poor company detest. people who hate spending time with me. Now sleep, which
And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow’s eye, can make us forget our sorrows, help me escape for a while
475 Steal me awhile from mine own company. from my own company. [She lies down and falls asleep]
[Lies down and sleeps]

ROBIN ROBIN
Yet but three? Come one more. Still only three? One more is needed. Two men and two
Two of both kinds make up four. women make four. Now here she comes, angry and sad.
Here she comes, cursed and sad. Cupid is a tricky, deceitful boy to drive poor girls crazy like
480 Cupid is a knavish lad this.
Thus to make poor females mad.

HERMIA enters. HERMIA enters.

HERMIA HERMIA
Never so weary, never so in woe, I’ve never been so exhausted or so sad. I’m covered in dew
Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers, and scratched by thorns, and I can’t crawl any farther. I
I can no further crawl, no further go. of Puck can’t go any further. My legs can’t keep moving, even
485 My legs can keep no pace with my desires. though I want them too. This is where I’ll rest until the
Here will I rest me till the break of day. morning comes. May the gods protect Lysander if he and
Heavens shield Lysander if they mean a fray! Demetrius do end up fighting! [She lies down and falls
[Lies down and sleeps] asleep]

note: 'con' is not malapropism. It is an archaic word for 'learning attentively'

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ROBIN ROBIN
On the ground Sleep soundly on the ground. And I'll apply a remedy to
490 Sleep sound. your eye, dear lover. [He squeezes flower juice into
I'll apply LYSANDER's eyes] When you wake up, you will be truly
To your eye. delighted to see the lady you once loved. And you'll be a
Gentle lover, remedy. walking reminder of that country saying—each man should
[Squeezes flower juice into LYSANDER's eyes] take what's his. Yes, Jack will have his Jill. Nothing can go
495 When thou wakest, wrong. The man will have his lady again, and everything
Thou takest will be all right.
True delight
In the sight
Of thy former lady's eye.
500 And the country proverb known—
That every man should take his own—
In your waking shall be shown.
Jack shall have Jill.
Nought shall go ill.
505 The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be
well.

ROBIN exits. ROBIN EXITS.

Act 4, Scene 1
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA continue to sleep LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA continue to
onstage. TITANIA enters with BOTTOM (who still has a donkey’s head) sleep onstage. TITANIA enters with BOTTOM (who still has a
and the fairies PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED. donkey’s head) and the fairies PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB,
OBERON enters behind them, unseen by the others. MOTH, and MUSTARDSEED. OBERON enters behind them,
unseen by the others.
TITANIA TITANIA
[To BOTTOM] Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed [To BOTTOM] Come and sit here on this flowery bed while I
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy, caress your lovable cheeks, and stick roses into the fur of
And stick musk roses in thy sleek, smooth head, your silky, smooth head, and kiss your big, beautiful ears,
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy. my gentle darling.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
5 Where’s Peaseblossom? Where’s Peaseblossom?

PEASEBLOSSOM PEASEBLOSSOM
Ready. At your service.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Monsieur Cobweb? Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Sir Cobweb?

COBWEB COBWEB
Ready. At your service.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Monsieur Cobweb, good monsieur, get you your weapons in Monsieur Cobweb, my good sir, get out your weapons and
10 your hand and kill me a red-hipped humble-bee on the kill for me a red-tailed bumblebee that has landed on a
top of a thistle. And, good monsieur, bring me the honey thistle. And, good sir, bring me its honey. Now don’t
bag. Do not fret yourself too much in the action, overwork yourself too much in doing it, sir. Oh, and good
monsieur. And good monsieur, have a care the honey bag sir, be careful not to break the honey-sac. I’d be sad if you
break not. I would be loath to have you overflown with a drowned in honey, sir.
15 honey bag, signor.

COBWEB exits. COBWEB exits.

Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed? Where’s Sir Mustardseed?

MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
Ready. At your service.

BOTTOM Characterisation
P of Puck BOTTOM
as you,
highlighting
Give me your neaf, Monsieur Mustardseed. Pray mi his mi Give me your first, Sir Mustardseed. Please, no need to take
leave your courtesy, good monsieur. off your hat and bow, good sir.

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MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
What’s your will? What would you like?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
20 Nothing, good monsieur, but to help Cavalery Cobweb to Nothing, good sir, except for you to help Sir Cobweb scratch
scratch. I must to the barber’s, monsieur, for methinks my head. I should go to the barber’s, sir, because I think I’m
I am marvelous hairy about the face. And I am such a getting amazingly hairy on my face. And I am such a
tender ass, if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch. sensitive ass that if my hair even tickles me even slightly, I
have to scratch.

TITANIA TITANIA
What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love? Would you like to hear some music, my sweet love?

BOTTOM BOTTOM
25 I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let’s have the I have a fairly good ear for music. Let’s have someone play 1 The triangle and sticks were
tongs and the bones. the triangle and smack some sticks together. 1 played as a kind of clapper, and were
not instruments that anyone with a
good ear for music would regularly
listen to.

TITANIA TITANIA
Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat. Or tell me, sweet love, what you want to eat.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Truly, a peck of provender. I could munch your good dry Actually, I’d like two gallons of animal feed. Or I wouldn’t
oats. Methinks I have a great desire to a bottle of mind munching on some good dry oats. Though I think I
30 hay. Good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow. would also really like a bundle of hay. Good, sweet hay has
no equal.

TITANIA TITANIA
I have a venturous fairy that shall seek I have an adventurous fairy who’ll go find a squirrel’s secret
The squirrel’s hoard and fetch thee new nuts. stockpile and get you fresh nuts.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
I had rather have a handful or two of dried peas. But, I’d rather have a handful or two of dried peas. But, please,
I pray you, let none of your people stir me. I have an don’t let any of your attendants wake me up. An exposition 2 2 Bottom means “disposition”
35 exposition of sleep come upon me. for sleep has come over me. rather than “exposition,” and is trying
to say simply that he's in the mood to
sleep.

TITANIA TITANIA
Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. Sleep my love, and I will put my arms around you. Fairies,
Fairies, be gone, and be all ways away. get out of here. Go off in all directions.

THE FAIRIES exit. THE FAIRIES exit.

So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle I’ll wrap my arms around you just as the tendrils of the
Gently entwist. The female ivy so woodbine plant gently twist around the sweet honeysuckle,
40 Enrings the barky fingers of the elm. and just as the female ivy curls around the branches of the
Oh, how I love thee! How I dote on thee! elm tree. Oh, how I love you! How I love to take care of you!

BOTTOM and TITANIA fall asleep. BOTTOM and TITANIA fall asleep.

OBERON OBERON
Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet sight? Welcome, good Robin. Do you see this sweet sight? I've now
Her dotage now I do begin to pity. begun to pity Titania for her obsessive crush. I met her a
For, meeting her of late behind the wood, while ago near the edge of the forest as she was searching
45 Seeking sweet favors from this hateful fool, for pretty flowers for this intolerable idiot, and I scolded her
I did upbraid her and fall out with her. and fought with her. She had put a little crown of fresh,
For she his hairy temples then had rounded sweet-smelling flowers around his hairy forehead. And the
With a coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers, dew, which used to decorate the flowers like the most
And that same dew, which sometime on the buds beautiful pearls, now lay in the center of the flowers like
50 Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls, tears of shame for being forced to sit on that ass' head. After
Stood now within the pretty flowerets' eyes taunting her as much I wanted to, she quietly asked me to
Like tears that did their own disgrace bewail. stop, and then I asked her for the Indian boy. Right away
When I had at my pleasure taunted her she agreed to give him to me, and sent a fairy to bring him
And she in mild terms begged my patience, to my chamber in Fairyland. Now that I have the boy, I’ll
55 I then did ask of her her changeling child, undo the awful flaw affecting Titania's eyes. And, gentle
Which straight she gave me and her fairy sent Puck, remove the ass’ head from the head of this Athenian
3 Once again, we see a reference to
To bear him to my bower in Fairyland. yokel, so that when he wakes up along with the others, they
And now I have the boy, I will undo can all return to Athens and remember the craziness of this Diana, the goddess of the hunt and
virginity.
This hateful imperfection of her eyes. night as nothing more than the wild troubles of a bad
60 And, gentle Puck, take this transformèd scalp dream. But first I’ll cure the fairy queen. [Squeezing juice
From off the head of this Athenian swain, from the second flower into TITANIA's eyes] Be the way you
That, he awaking when the other do, used to be, and see the way you used to see. This juice

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May all to Athens back again repair comes from a flower bud belonging to Diana 3 , and it has
And think no more of this night’s accidents the power to overturn the effects of the juice from Cupid’s
65 But as the fierce vexation of a dream. flower. Now, Titania, wake up, my sweet queen.
But first I will release the fairy queen.
[Squeezing flower juice into TITANIA's eyes]
Be as thou wast wont to be.
See as thou wast wont to see.
70 Dian’s bud o'er Cupid’s flower
Hath such force and blessèd power.
Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen.

ROBIN enters. ROBIN enters.

TITANIA TITANIA
[Waking] My Oberon, what visions have I seen! [Waking up] My dear Oberon, what a wild dream I had! I
Methought I was enamored of an ass. dreamed I was in love with an ass.

OBERON OBERON
75 There lies your love. Your love is lying right there.

TITANIA TITANIA
How came these things to pass? How did all this happen? Oh, my eyes can’t stand to see his
Oh, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now! face now!

OBERON OBERON
Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head. Be quiet for a while. Robin, remove his ass’ head. Titania,
Titania, music call, and strike more dead call to your fairies for some music, so that these five 4 Oberon refers to the four Athenian
80 Than common sleep of all these five the sense. humans 4 will sleep more deeply than is normal. lovers and Bottom here.

TITANIA TITANIA
Music, ho! Music such as charmeth sleep! Music, now! Play music that magically makes people sleep.

Music. Music plays.

ROBIN ROBIN
[Taking the ass’ head off BOTTOM] [Taking the ass’ head off of BOTTOM]
Now when thou wakest, with thine own fool’s eyes peep. Now when you wake up, you'll see things with your own
foolish eyes once more.

OBERON OBERON
Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands with me, Play the music! Come here, my queen, take my hands. And
85 And rock the ground whereon these sleepers be. we’ll dance on the ground where these sleepers are lying,
[Dances with TITANIA] and so rock them to sleep.[Dances with TITANIA] Now that
Now thou and I are new in amity, you and I are again at peace, tomorrow at midnight we will
And will tomorrow midnight solemnly perform a ceremonial dance at Duke Theseus’ palace to
Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly, celebrate and bless his marriage with good fortune. These
90 And bless it to all fair prosperity. two pairs of faithful lovers will get married along with
There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be Theseus, all in great joy.
Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity.

ROBIN ROBIN
Fairy King, attend, and mark. Fairy King, pay attention, and listen. I can hear the singing
I do hear the morning lark. of the lark, which sings when it is morning.

OBERON OBERON
95 Then, my queen, in silence sad, Then, my queen, let’s quietly and seriously follow after the
Trip we after the night’s shade. night, crossing the earth faster even than the moon.
We the globe can compass soon
Swifter than the wandering moon.

TITANIA TITANIA
Come, my lord, and in our flight Come, my lord, and as we fly you can tell me what
100 Tell me how it came this night happened in the night that resulted in me sleeping with
That I sleeping here was found these humans on the ground.
With these mortals on the ground.

OBERON, TITANIA, and ROBIN exit. OBERON, TITANIA, and ROBIN exit.

A hunting horn blows. THESEUS enters with, EGEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and A hunting horn blows. THESEUS enters with, EGEUS,
his servants. HIPPOLYTA, and his servants.

THESEUS THESEUS
Go, one of you, find out the forester. Go, one of you, and find the forest ranger. Now that we've

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For now our observation is performed. completed the May Day ceremonies, and since we are still in
105 And since we have the vaward of the day, the early part of the day, my love will get to hear the
My love shall hear the music of my hounds. musical barking of my dogs as we go hunting. Unleash the
Uncouple in the western valley. Let them go. dogs in the western valley. Let them go. Now go, I say, and
Dispatch, I say, and find the forester. find the forest ranger.

One of the servants exits. One of the servants exits.

We will, fair queen, up to the mountain’s top, My beautiful queen, we’ll go up the mountaintop and listen
And mark the musical confusion to the musical chaos of the dogs' barking and their echoes.
Of hounds and echo in conjunction.
HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, I was with Hercules and Cadmus 5 once, when their 5 These are two of ancient Greece's
110 When in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear Spartan hunting dogs surrounded a bear. I’d never before most famous mythological heroes.
With hounds of Sparta. Never did I hear heard barking that courageous. Not just the forests, but also
Such gallant chiding. For, besides the groves, the skies, the waterfalls, everything nearby seemed to be
The skies, the fountains, every region near part of the same communal cry. I’d never heard such wild
Seemed all one mutual cry. I never heard music, such lovely thunder.
115 So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.

THESEUS THESEUS
My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind, My dogs are bred from Spartan line. They have the same
So flewed, so sanded, and their heads are hung fleshy folds around their jaws, the same sandy color, and on
With ears that sweep away the morning dew, their heads they have the same ears that hang low enough
Crook-kneed, and dew-lapped like Thessalian bulls, to brush the morning dew from the grass. They have
120 Slow in pursuit, but matched in mouth like bells, crooked knees, and folds of skin hang down under their
Each under each. A cry more tunable necks, like bulls from the region of Thessaly. Though they're
Was never hollaed to, nor cheered with horn, not very fast when chasing prey, their barks sound like a set
In Crete, in Sparta, nor in Thessaly. of bells—different notes, but all perfectly in tune. No one
Judge when you hear. has ever blown a hunting horn in answer to a more melodic
125 But, soft! What nymphs are these? pack of dogs—not in Crete, or Sparta, or Thessaly. Judge for
yourself when you hear them. But wait! Who are these girls?

EGEUS EGEUS
My lord, this is my daughter here asleep. My lord, this is my daughter, asleep. And that's Lysander.
And this, Lysander. This Demetrius is. This one here is Demetrius. This is Helena—old Nedar’s
This Helena, old Nedar’s Helena. daughter Helena. I wonder why they’re all here together.
I wonder of their being here together.

THESEUS THESEUS
130 No doubt they rose up early to observe Most likely they woke up early to celebrate May Day and,
The rite of May, and hearing our intent knowing we would be here, they came to attend and honor
Came here in grace our solemnity. our ceremony. But tell me, Egeus, isn’t today the day when
But speak, Egeus. Is not this the day Hermia has to tell us whether she's chosen Demetrius,
That Hermia should give answer of her choice? death, or to become a virgin priestess?

EGEUS EGEUS
135 It is, my lord. It is, my lord.

THESEUS
Go tell the hunters to wake them by blowing their horns.

One of the servants exits. One of the servants exits.

Wind, horns, and shouts within. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and Someone shouts offstage. Horns are blown. LYSANDER,
HERMIA wake and start up. DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA wake up.

THESEUS THESEUS
Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is past. Begin Good morning, my friends. Valentine’s Day is over. Have you
these woodbirds but to couple now? lovebirds only begun to couple up now?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
Pardon, my lord. Forgive us, my lord.

LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA all kneel. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA all kneel.

THESEUS THESEUS
I pray you all, stand up. Please, all of you, stand up.

LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA all stand up. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA all stand up.

140 [To LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS] [To LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS] I know you two are bitter
I know you two are rival enemies. rivals. What has happened to make the world such a gentle

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How comes this gentle concord in the world, place that two people who hate each other somehow don't
That hatred is so far from jealousy distrust each other, and in fact are willing to sleep next to
To sleep by hate and fear no enmity? an enemy without fear of being harmed?

LYSANDER LYSANDER
145 My lord, I shall reply amazèdly, My lord, I can only respond that I am also baffled, and feel
Half sleep, half waking. But as yet, I swear, as if I am half asleep, half awake. I can't honestly say how I
I cannot truly say how I came here. wound up here. But I think—and I want to speak honestly,
But as I think—for truly would I speak, and now that I think about it, I'm sure it's true. I came here
And now do I bethink me, so it is— with Hermia. Our plan was to escape from Athens so that
150 I came with Hermia hither. Our intent we could, without the threat of Athenian law—
Was to be gone from Athens, where we might,
Without the peril of the Athenian law—

EGEUS EGEUS
[To THESEUS] Enough, enough, my lord. You have enough! [To THESEUS] Enough, enough, my lord. You’ve heard
I beg the law, the law, upon his head. enough: I ask that the law, the law, be brought down upon
155 They would have stol'n away, they would, Demetrius, his head. Demetrius, these two were going to run away in
Thereby to have defeated you and me, order to trick us, stealing your wife from you and stealing
You of your wife and me of my consent, from me of my ability to order that she should be your wife.
Of my consent that she should be your wife.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
[To THESEUS] My lord, fair Helen told me of their [To THESEUS] My lord, the beautiful Helena told me they
160 stealth, were going to sneak away to escape into this forest. In a
Of this their purpose hither to this wood. fury, I followed them here, and the lovely Helena followed
And I in fury hither followed them, me because of her love for me. Now, my good lord, I don't
Fair Helena in fancy following me. know what made this happen—but by some power it did
But, my good lord, I wot not by what power— happen—my love for Hermia melted away like snow. That
165 But by some power it is—my love to Hermia, love seems to me now like a memory of some worthless
Melted as the snow, seems to me now trinket I used to love when I was a child. Now the only
As the remembrance of an idle gaud person to whom I want to be faithful, who owns my entire
Which in my childhood I did dote upon. heart, who is the greatest pleasure to my eye, is Helena. I
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, was engaged to her before I ever met Hermia. But then, like
170 The object and the pleasure of mine eye, a sick man who can't stand the food that sustains him, I
Is only Helena. To her, my lord, hated her for a time. But now, healthy once again, my
Was I betrothed ere I saw Hermia. normal taste has returned. Now I want Helena. I love her,
But like in sickness did I loathe this food. and long for her, and will always be true to her.
But as in health, come to my natural taste,
175 Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
And will for evermore be true to it.

THESEUS THESEUS
Fair lovers, you are fortunately met. Beautiful lovers, it's lucky that you've met me here. You'll
Of this discourse we more will hear anon. tell me more about all of this later. Egeus, I’m overruling
Egeus, I will overbear your will. your commands. Later on in the temple these couples will
180 For in the temple by and by with us be married alongside Hippolyta and me. And now, because
These couples shall eternally be knit. the morning is nearly over, we'll set aside our planned
And, for the morning now is something worn, hunting. Come with us to Athens. Three men and three
Our purposed hunting shall be set aside. women, we'll throw a feast and celebration. Come along,
Away with us to Athens. Three and three, Hippolyta.
185 We’ll hold a feast in great solemnity.
Come, Hippolyta.

THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and the servants and followers exit. THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and their servants and
followers exit.
DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
These things seem small and undistinguishable, Everything that happened seems distant and difficult to
Like far-off mountains turnèd into clouds. figure out, like mountains that look like clouds from far
away.

HERMIA HERMIA
Methinks I see these things with parted eye, It seems to me that my eyes are out of focus, and
190 When everything seems double. everything looks double.

HELENA HELENA
So methinks. Me too. It's like I came upon Demetrius like a jewel I found
And I have found Demetrius like a jewel, by accident, so that while he is in my possession, he might
Mine own, and not mine own. really belong to someone else.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Are you sure Are you sure that we’re awake? It seems to me like we are
195 That we are awake? It seems to me sleeping, and dreaming. Do you think the duke was really
That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you think just here, and told us to follow him?

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The duke was here, and bid us follow him?

HERMIA HERMIA
Yea, and my father. Yes I do, and my father was here too.

HELENA HELENA
And Hippolyta. And Hippolyta.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
200 And he did bid us follow to the temple. And he told us to follow him to the temple.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Why then, we are awake. Let’s follow him Well, then, we’re awake. Let’s follow him. And as we go, why
And by the way let us recount our dreams. don't we tell each other our dreams?

LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA exit. LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA exit.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
[Waking] When my cue comes, call me, and I will answer. [Waking up] When it's my cue, call me—and I'll say my line.
My next is "Most fair Pyramus." Heigh-ho! Peter Quince? My next cue is "Most handsome Pyramus." Hey there! Peter
205 Flute the bellows-mender? Snout the tinker? Starveling? Quince? Flute the bellows-repairman? Snout the
God's my life, stol'n hence, and left me asleep? I have repairman? Starveling? My God, they went away from here,
had a most rare vision. I have had a dream—past the wit and left me asleep? I have had the strangest dream. I have
of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if had a dream so strange that it's beyond explanation. A man
he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was—there would be a fool if he tried to explain this dream. I thought I
210 is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and methought was—well, nobody could describe what I was. I thought I
I had—but man is but a patched fool if he will offer to was, and I thought I had—but a man would have to be a
say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not true fool to try and say what I thought I had. My dream was
heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand is not so odd that no man's eyes have heard, or his ears have
able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to seen, or his hands have tasted, or his tongue felt, or his
215 report what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince to heart described what it was like. I will get Peter Quince to
write a ballad of this dream. It shall be called write a ballad about this dream. It will be called "Bottom's
"Bottom's Dream" because it hath no bottom. And I will Dream" because it's so complex that it has no bottom. And
sing it in the latter end of a play before the duke. I'll sing it for the duke at the end of the play. Or, better yet,
Peradventure, to make it more gracious, I shall sing it to make it more pleasing, I'll sing it when Thisbe dies.
220 at her death.

BOTTOM exits. BOTTOM exits.

Act 4, Scene 2
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

QUINCE QUINCE
Have you sent to Bottom’s house? Is he come home yet? Have you checked Bottom’s house? Has he come home yet?

QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING enter. QUINCE, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING enter.

STARVELING STARVELING
He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported. No one’s heard from him. There's no question he's been
kidnapped by fairies.

FLUTE FLUTE
If he come not, then the play is marred. It goes not If he doesn’t come, then the play will be ruined. We won't
forward. Doth it? be able to perform it. Will we?

QUINCE QUINCE
5 It is not possible. You have not a man in all Athens It wouldn't be possible. There's not another man in all of
able to discharge Pyramus but he. Athens who can play Pyramus besides Bottom.

FLUTE FLUTE
No, he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man It's true. To be blunt, he’s the smartest craftsman in Athens.
in Athens.

QUINCE QUINCE
Yea, and the best person too. And he is a very paramour Yes, and the best looking too. And his voice is the paramour
10 for a sweet voice. of sweetness.

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FLUTE FLUTE
You must say “paragon.” A “paramour” is, God bless us, You mean “paragon.” A "paramour 1 " is, God bless us, 1 A "paramour" is an adulterous
a thing of naught. something naughty. lover.

SNUG SNUG
Masters, the duke is coming from the temple, and there Gentlemen, the duke is leaving the temple, along with two
is two or three lords and ladies more married. If our or three additional lords and ladies who were also married.
15 sport had gone forward, we had all been made men. If we could only have performed our play, we would all have
gotten rewards and been set for life.

SNUG enters. SNUG enters.

FLUTE FLUTE
O sweet bully Bottom! Thus hath he lost sixpence a day Oh that sweet, good guy, Bottom! By not being here he's
during his life. He could not have ’scaped sixpence a missed out on a pension of six pence a day for the rest of his
day. An the duke had not given him sixpence a day for life. He wouldn't have been able to avoid getting six pence a
playing Pyramus, I’ll be hanged. He would have deserved day, even if he'd wanted to. If the duke wouldn’t have given
20 it. Sixpence a day in Pyramus, or nothing. him six pence a day for playing Pyramus, I'd go jump off a
bridge. And he would have deserved it. Pyramus is worth six
pence a day, or nothing at all.

BOTTOM enters. BOTTOM enters.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Where are these lads? Where are these hearts? Where are my boys? Where are my good fellows?

QUINCE QUINCE
Bottom! O most courageous day! O most happy hour! Bottom! Oh, what a great day! Oh, what a happy moment!

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Masters, I am to discourse wonders—but ask me not what, Gentlemen, I have incredible stories to tell you—but don’t
for if I tell you I am no true Athenian. I will tell ask me what, because if I told you, then I would not be a
25 you everything, right as it fell out. true Athenian citizen. I’ll tell you everything, exactly how it
happened.

QUINCE QUINCE
Let us hear, sweet Bottom. Tell us, good Bottom.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
Not a word of me. All that I will tell you is that the You won't get a word out of me! All that I'll tell you is that
duke hath dined. Get your apparel together, good strings the duke has had his dinner. Gather your costumes, some
to your beards, new ribbons to your pumps. Meet new strings for your false beards, and some new ribbons to
30 presently at the palace. Every man look o'er his part. decorate your shoes. Then meet me at the palace as soon
For the short and the long is, our play is preferred. In as you can. We should each look over our lines again. In
any case, let Thisbe have clean linen. And let not him sum, our play is going to be performed! So make sure that
that plays the lion pair his nails, for they shall hang Thisbe has clean underpants. And make sure whoever is
out for the lion's claws. And most dear actors, eat no playing the lion doesn't cut down his nails, because they
35 onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath. And are going to need to stand in for the lion's claws. And, my
I do not doubt but to hear them say, "It is a sweet most dear fellow actors, please don't eat onions or garlic.
comedy." No more words. Away, go away! We must have sweet-smelling breath so the audience will
say, "it's a sweet play." Enough talk. Come on, let's go!

They exit. They all exit.

Act 5, Scene 1
Shakespeare Shakescleare Translation

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and PHILOSTRATE, with other attendant THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and PHILOSTRATE enter, along with
lords other lords and servants.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
'Tis strange, my Theseus, that these lovers speak of. My dear Theseus, what these lovers are describing is
strange.
Puckhighlighting his
mis
THESEUS THESEUS
More strange than true. I never may believe I think the story is more strange than it is true. I don't
These antique fables nor these fairy toys. believe any of these ancient stories or fairy tales. Lovers

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Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, and madmen have so much going on in their heads, such
5 Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend active imaginations, that they see and hear things that cool,
More than cool reason ever comprehends. calm, rational people can't understand. Madmen, lovers,
The lunatic, the lover, and the poet and poets all are all controlled by their imaginations: The
Are of imagination all compact. ones who see devils and monsters all over the place—those
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold— are the madmen. Lovers, who are just as wild, see a gypsy's
10 That is the madman. The lover, all as frantic, face and think it is as beautiful as Helen of Troy's. Poets,
Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt. who are always glancing around as if they are overcome by
The poet’s eye, in fine frenzy rolling, passion, make constant connections between things that
Doth glance from heaven to Earth, from Earth to heaven. are earthly and things that are heavenly. And they take the
And as imagination bodies forth unreal things that tumble out of their imagination and write
15 The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen about them as if they were actual places or things. When
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing people who have such strong imaginations feel some kind
A local habitation and a name. of joy, they imagine that it must be some entity or power
Such tricks hath strong imagination, that brings or creates that joy. Or if, in the night, they feel
That if it would but apprehend some joy, some fear, they see a bush and imagine it’s a bear!
20 It comprehends some bringer of that joy.
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
But all the story of the night told over, But the full story that the lovers are telling about last
And all their minds transfigured so together, night—along with the fact that they all described it the
25 More witnesseth than fancy’s images same way—suggests that it's something that they really
And grows to something of great constancy, experienced rather than some imagined fantasy. It has a
But, howsoever, strange and admirable. consistency to it that suggests truth, even if it is strange and
unbelievable.

THESEUS THESEUS
Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth. Here come the lovers, full of joy and laughter. Joy to you,
Joy, gentle friends! Joy and fresh days of love kind friends! May joy and sweet days of love be with you
30 Accompany your hearts! always.

The lovers enter: LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA. The lovers —LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and
HERMIA—enter.
LYSANDER LYSANDER
More than to us May even more joy than you wish for us await you—on your
Wait in your royal walks, your board, your bed! royal journeys, at your table, and in your bed!

THESEUS THESEUS
Come now, what masques, what dances shall we have Now, what performances and dances will we see to pass
To wear away this long age of three hours these three hours between dinner and bedtime? Where is 1 The original text refers to a
35 Between our after-supper and bedtime? our Master of the Revels 1 ? What entertainments do we "manager of mirth," or Master of the
Where is our usual manager of mirth? have ready? Isn’t there a play for us to watch to ease the Revels—a member of court who
organizes entertainments.
What revels are in hand? Is there no play, torture of free time? Call Philostrate.
To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?
Call Philostrate.

PHILOSTRATE PHILOSTRATE
40 Here, mighty Theseus. I’m here, Theseus.

THESEUS THESEUS
Say, what abridgement have you for this evening? Tell us, what entertainment do you have that will shorten
What masque, what music? How shall we beguile the evening? What plays, what music? How will we enjoy
The lazy time if not with some delight? this boring time without some entertainment?

PHILOSTRATE PHILOSTRATE
[Giving THESEUS a paper] [Giving THESEUS a piece of paper] That is a list of all of the
45 There is a brief, how many sports are ripe. performances that are ready to go. Choose which one your
Make choice of which your highness will see first. highness would like to see first.

THESEUS THESEUS
[Reads] [Reading] “The battle between Hercules and the Centaurs
“The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung at the wedding feast of Pirothous, sung by an Athenian
By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.” eunuch accompanied by a harp.” No, we don’t want that.
50 We’ll none of that. That have I told my love, I’ve already told that story to Hippolyta, telling her of the
In glory of my kinsman Hercules. glory of my cousin Hercules. What else? “The riot of the
“The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals, drunk Bacchanals who in the grip of their drunken frenzy
Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.” rip the singer Orpheus to shreds.” That’s a story often told in
That is an old device, and it was played plays, and I saw it when I returned from conquering Thebes.
55 When I from Thebes came last a conqueror. “The nine Muses mourning the death of learning and the
“The thrice three Muses mourning for the death arts, which lately have become so reduced.” That’s a
Of learning, late deceased in beggary.” satire—a sharp and critical satire—and wouldn’t be right to
That is some satire, keen and critical, perform at a wedding. “A boring short drama about young

e Characterisation of Puck
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Demetius decudes
Not sorting with a nuptial ceremony. Pyramus and his love Thisbe. Very sad and funny.” Funny
60 “A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus and sad? Short but still boring? That’s like hot ice and very
And his love Thisbe. Very tragical mirth.” strange snow. What will we think of this play which claims
“Merry” and “tragical?” “Tedious” and “brief?” to be such contradictory things?
That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow.
How shall we find the concord of this discord?

PHILOSTRATE PHILOSTRATE
65 A play there is, my lord, some ten words long, My lord, it is a play that's about ten words long, which is the
Which is as brief as I have known a play. shortest play I’ve ever encountered. But, my lord, it’s ten
But by ten words, my lord, it is too long, words too long, which is what makes it tedious. In the
Which makes it tedious. For in all the play entire play, there is not one well-placed word, and not one
There is not one word apt, one player fitted. actor is a good fit for his part. It is tragic, my noble lord,
70 And tragical, my noble lord, it is. because Pyramus does kill himself. When I saw the suicide
For Pyramus therein doth kill himself. during rehearsal, I must admit that it brought tears to my
Which, when I saw rehearsed, I must confess, eyes—but I've never cried tears of such loud and merry
Made mine eyes water—but more merry tears laughter.
The passion of loud laughter never shed.

THESEUS THESEUS
75 What are they that do play it? Who are the people performing it?

PHILOSTRATE PHILOSTRATE
Hard-handed men that work in Athens here, Manual workers from here in Athens who have never until
Which never labored in their minds till now, now spent much doing anything that required thinking.
And now have toiled their unbreathed memories Now they’ve overburdened their under-exercised brains to
With this same play against your nuptial. create this play for your wedding.

THESEUS THESEUS
80 And we will hear it. And we will watch it.

PHILOSTRATE PHILOSTRATE
No, my noble lord. No, my noble lord. It’s not something you’ll like. I’ve seen it,
It is not for you. I have heard it over, and it’s worthless, as worthless as anything ever
And it is nothing, nothing in the world— created—unless you find their sad attempt funny, with their
Unless you can find sport in their intents, bad acting and incorrectly remembered lines.
85 Extremely stretched and conned with cru 'l pain
To do you service.

THESEUS THESEUS
I will hear that play. I’ll watch this play. Because nothing can be bad when it’s
For never anything can be amiss motivated by a simple desire to bring pleasure to a person's
When simpleness and duty tender it. betters. Go and bring them in. And find your seats, ladies.
90 Go, bring them in. And take your places, ladies.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
I love not to see wretchedness o'er charged I don’t enjoy seeing incompetent people overwhelmed and
And duty in his service perishing. made to look bad when they are only trying to serve.

PHILOSTRATE exits. PHILOSTRATE exits.

THESEUS THESEUS
Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing. Why, my noble love, you won’t see any such thing.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
He says they can do nothing in this kind. Philostrate says they’re not good at acting.

THESEUS THESEUS
95 The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing. Then we’re even more kind, for giving them thanks for
Our sport shall be to take what they mistake, something they’re not good at. Our entertainment will be to
And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect watch their mistakes, and what their own poor talent can't
Takes it in might, not merit. accomplish. Our noble generosity will see the effort they
Where I have come, great clerks have purposèd are giving rather than the quality of their performance.
100 To greet me with premeditated welcomes, When I have visited foreign cities, great scholars have tried
Where I have seen them shiver and look pale, to greet me with speeches they've rehearsed. And I have
Make periods in the midst of sentences, seen them shiver and turn pale from nervousness, and
Throttle their practiced accent in their fears, pause incorrectly in the middle of their sentences, and
And in conclusion dumbly have broke off, of Puck mess up the tones of voice they've practiced, and then
105 Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet, Characterisation of Puck finish by suddenly breaking off without even welcoming
Out of this silence yet I picked a welcome, highlighting his me. Trust me, my love, even in their silence I could sense
And in the modesty of fearful duty mischievious the welcome they meant to give. I can understand the same
I read as much as from the rattling tongue meaning from those who are modest and frightened but
Of saucy and audacious eloquence. also want to do their duty as I can from those who can rattle
110
malapromi

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Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity off a speech with wit, talent, and eloquence. As I see it, my
In least speak most, to my capacity. love, tongue-tied simplicity says the most precisely by
saying the least.

PHILOSTRATE enters. PHILOSTRATE enters.

PHILOSTRATE PHILOSTRATE
So please your grace, the Prologue is addressed. If it please your Grace, the actor who will deliver the
prologue is ready.

THESEUS THESEUS
Let him approach. Let him come forward.

QUINCE enters, performing as the PROLOGUE. QUINCE enters, performing as the PROLOGUE.

PROLOGUE PROLOGUE
If we offend, it is with our good will. If our play offends you, it is our intention 2 . That you know 2 As the Prologue, Quince
115 That you should think we come not to offend, we have not come here to offend, but it is our intention. completely alters the meaning of his
But with good will. To show our simple skill, Showing off the little skill we have in acting will end up speech by speaking it with the
punctuation in the wrong places.
That is the true beginning of our end. getting us executed. Understand, then, that we come in a
Thus, he paints a very different picture
Consider then we come but in despite. spirit of ill will. We don’t come here with the purpose of of the acting company than he intends
We do not come as minding to contest you, making you happy. We did not come here for your complete to.
120 Our true intent is. All for your delight delight. You should regret that the actors are ready. By
We are not here. That you should here repent you, watching their show, you’ll find out everything you’re likely
The actors are at hand, and by their show to know.
You shall know all that you are like to know.

THESEUS THESEUS
This fellow doth not stand upon points. This guy doesn’t pay attention to punctuation.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
125 He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt. He knows He rode his prologue like a wild colt. He didn’t know how to
not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not enough to make it stop. The moral here, my lord, is that it’s not
speak, but to speak true. enough to speak. You have to speak correctly.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
Indeed he hath played on his prologue like a child on a Yes, he’s performed the prologue like a child plays a
recorder—a sound, but not in government. recorder—he can make sounds, but not with any purposeful
control.

THESEUS THESEUS
130 His speech was like a tangled chain. Nothing impaired, His speech was like a tangled chain. Unbroken, but all
but all disordered. Who is next? jumbled up. Who’s next?

Enter BOTTOM as PYRAMUS; FLUTE as THISBE; SNOUT as WALL; BOTTOM enters as PYRAMUS; FLUTE as THISBE; SNOUT as
STARVELING as MOONSHINE; and SNUG as LION. WALL; STARVELING as MOONSHINE; and SNUG as LION.

PROLOGUE PROLOGUE
Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show. Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps you're wondering about
But wonder on, till truth make all things plain. the subject of this play. Keep on wondering, until the truth
This man is Pyramus, if you would know. makes everything clear. This man is Pyramus, if you'd like to
135 This beauteous lady Thisbe is certain. know. It's certain that this beautiful lady is Thisbe. This
This man, with lime and roughcast, doth present man, dusted in lime and plaster, is playing the Wall, that
Wall, that vile wall which did these lovers sunder. awful wall that separated these lovers. Through a little hole
And through Wall’s chink, poor souls, they are content in the Wall, the poor souls are content to whisper. And no
To whisper. At the which let no man wonder. one should be amazed by that. This man, who has the
140 This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn, lantern, dog, and thorn bush, is playing the role of
Presenteth Moonshine. For, if you will know, Moonshine. Because, if you'd like to know, the lovers didn't
By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn think it was shameful to meet each other in the moonlight
To meet at Ninus' tomb—there, there to woo. by Ninus’s tomb—there, they would woo each other. This
This grisly beast, which “Lion” hight by name, dreadful beast, which is called “Lion,” scared away, or
145 The trusty Thisbe, coming first by night, rather frightened, the faithful Thisbe when she arrived first
Did scare away, or rather did affright. at the meeting place one night. And, as she ran away, she
And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall, dropped her cloak, which the awful Lion stained with his
Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain. bloody mouth. Soon Pyramus arrives, a sweet and tall
Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall, young man, and finds his faithful Thisbe’s cloak covered in
150 And finds his trusty Thisbe’s mantle slain. blood. Because of that, he raised his sword—his
Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, bloodthirsty responsible blade—and bravely stabbed his
He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast. raging, ferocious chest. Then Thisbe, waiting in the shade of
And Thisbe, tarrying in mulberry shade, the mulberry bushes, took out his dagger and killed herself.
His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest, To hear the rest of the story, let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and
155 Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain the two separated lovers explain it more fully while they
At large discourse, while here they do remain. stand here on the stage.

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THESEUS THESEUS
I wonder if the lion be to speak. I wonder if the lion will speak.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
No wonder, my lord. One lion may when many asses do. It wouldn’t be shocking, my lord. When a bunch of asses are
up on stage talking, a lion might talk too.

WALL WALL
In this same interlude it doth befall At this moment of the play I, Snout, play a wall. I want you
160 That I, one Snout by name, present a wall. to know that this wall has a little hole in it, through which
And such a wall, as I would have you think, the lovers Pyramus and Thisbe often secretly whispered.
That had in it a crannied hole, or chink, This clay, this plaster, and this stone that I have on me show
Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe, that I’m that wall. That's the truth. And this is the crack,
Did whisper often very secretly. running horizontally right to left, through which the fated
165 This loam, this roughcast, and this stone doth show lovers will whisper.
That I am that same wall. The truth is so.
And this the cranny is, right and sinister,
Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.

PROLOGUE, THISBE, LION, and MOONSHINE exit. PROLOGUE, THISBE, LION, and MOONSHINE exit.

THESEUS THESEUS
Would you desire lime and hair to speak better? Would you ever hope to hear plaster speak more
eloquently?

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
170 It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard It’s the smartest barrier that I’ve ever heard speak, my lord.
discourse, my lord.

THESEUS THESEUS
Pyramus draws near the wall. Silence! Pyramus is approaching the wall. Be quiet!

PYRAMUS enters. PYRAMUS enters.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
O grim-looked night! O night with hue so black! Oh, grim-looking night! Oh, night colored so black! Oh
O night, which ever art when day is not! night, which always exists when day does not! Oh night, oh
175 O night, O night! Alack, alack, alack, night! Sad, sad, sad. I’m afraid my Thisbe has forgotten her
I fear my Thisbe’s promise is forgot! promise! And you, oh Wall, oh sweet, oh lovely Wall, which
And thou, O Wall, O sweet, O lovely Wall, stands between Thisbe’s father’s land and mine. You Wall,
That stand’st between her father’s ground and mine. oh Wall, oh sweet and lovely Wall. Show me your hole that I
Thou Wall, O Wall, O sweet and lovely Wall, can peer through with my eye!
180 Show me thy chink to blink through with mine eyne!

WALL holds up two fingers, spread a bit apart. WALL holds up two fingers, spread a bit apart.

Thanks, courteous Wall. Jove shield thee well for this! Thanks, considerate Wall. May Jove 3 protect you for
But what see I? No Thisbe do I see. doing this. But what do I see? I don’t see Thisbe. Oh wicked 3 Jove, or Zeus, was the ancient
O wicked Wall through whom I see no bliss! Wall, through which I see no happiness! Curse your stones chief God in classical Mediterranean
Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me! for tricking me like this! civilizations.

THESEUS THESEUS
185 The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again. Since the wall has thoughts and feelings, I think it should
curse back at him.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
No, in truth, sir, he should not. “Deceiving me” is [As himself] No, in fact, sir, he shouldn't. "Tricking me” is
Thisbe’s cue. She is to enter now and I am to spy her the cue for Thisbe to speak. She’s going to enter now, and
through the wall. You shall see, it will fall pat as I I’ll spot her through the wall. You’ll see, it’ll happen just as I
told you. Yonder she comes. am telling you. There she comes.

THISBE enters. THISBE enters.

THISBE THISBE
190 O Wall, full often hast thou heard my moans, Oh Wall, you’ve so often heard my moans because you
For parting my fair Pyramus and me! separate me from my handsome Pyramus! My cherry lips
My cherry lips have often kissed thy stones, have often kissed your stones which are held together by
Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee. plaster.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
I see a voice. Now will I to the chink, I see a voice! Now I’ll go to the hole to find out if I can hear
195 To spy an I can hear my Thisbe’s face. Thisbe? my Thisbe’s face. Thisbe?

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THISBE THISBE
My love thou art, my love, I think. You are my love, my love, I think.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover’s grace. Whatever you think, I am your gracious lover. And, like 4 Here, Bottom gets his words
And like Limander am I trusty still. Limander 4 , I’m still faithful to you. wrong again. The reference should be
to the Greek hero Leander, instead of
the non-existent Limander.

THISBE THISBE
And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill. And I’ll be as faithful as Helen of Troy 5 , until the day I’m 5 The correct reference should be to
destined to die. the Greek heroine Hero, who was
Leander’s faithful lover. Helen of Troy
was notoriously unfaithful.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
200 Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true. Not even Shafalus was as faithful to his lover Procrus 6 as I 6 The correct reference here should
am to you. be to Cephalus and Procris, who were
famous lovers in Greek myth.

THISBE THISBE
As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you. I’m as faithful to you as Shafalus was to Procrus.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
Oh, kiss me through the hole of this vile wall! Oh, kiss me through the hole in this awful wall.

THISBE THISBE
I kiss the wall’s hole, not your lips at all. I’m kissing the wall’s hole, not your lips at all.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
Wilt thou at Ninny’s tomb meet me straightway? Will you meet me at Ninny’s grave right now?

THISBE THISBE
205 Tide life, tide death, I come without delay. No matter what comes in life or death, I will be there
without delay.

PYRAMUS and THISBE exit. PYRAMUS and THISBE exit.

WALL WALL
Thus have I, Wall, my part dischargèd so. In this way, I, Wall, have played my part. Now, since I’m
And, being done, thus Wall away doth go. done, Wall can go away.

WALL exits. WALL exits.

THESEUS THESEUS
Now is the moon down between the two neighbors. With the wall gone, now the two lovers will see each other
by the light of the moon.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
No remedy, my lord, when walls are so willful to hear There's nothing you can do about it, my lord, when walls
210 without warning. have ears.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard. This is the silliest thing I’ve ever seen.

THESEUS THESEUS
The best in this kind are but shadows, and the worst The best plays are a kind of illusion, and the worst are no
are no worse if imagination amend them. worse if you use your imagination to fix them up.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
It must be your imagination then, and not theirs. Then it's your imagination that's good, not theirs.

THESEUS THESEUS
215 If we imagine no worse of them than they of themselves, If we imagine these actors as being no worse than they
they may pass for excellent men. Here come two noble imagine themselves to be, then they'd seem like
beasts in, a man and a lion. accomplished actors. Here come two noble beasts, a man
and a lion.

LION LION
You, ladies, you whose gentle hearts do fear You gentle-hearted ladies—who fear even the smallest
The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, monstrous mouse that sneaks along the floor—may shake
220 May now perchance both quake and tremble here, and tremble when the wild lion roars in its most violent
When lion rough in wildest rage doth roar. rage. Therefore, know that I, Snug the carpenter, am neither

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Then know that I, as Snug the joiner, am a cruel lion nor a lioness, because if I were a lion that had
A lion fell, nor else no lion’s dam. come to this place in order to fight, then it would cost me
For if I should as lion come in strife my life.
225 Into this place, ’twere pity on my life.

LION and MOONSHINE enter. LION and MOONSHINE enter.

THESEUS THESEUS
A very gentle beast, of a good conscience. It’s a noble beast, with a good conscience.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
A very best at a beast, my lord, that e'er I saw. He’s the best actor at being a beast that I’ve ever seen, my
lord.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
This lion is a very fox for his valor. This lion seems like a fox, by being more sly than
courageous.

THESEUS THESEUS
True. And a goose for his discretion. True. And he's just about as wise as a goose—that is, not
wise at all!

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
230 Not so, my lord. For his valor cannot carry his Not true, my lord. He’s not courageous enough pull off
discretion, and the fox carries the goose. being discreet, just as the fox pulls along the goose by
carrying it in its mouth.

THESEUS THESEUS
His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his valor, for He’s not discreet enough to be brave, actually, just as the
the goose carries not the fox. It is well. Leave it to goose can't carry the fox. It doesn't matter. Let's leave all
his discretion, and let us listen to the moon. this to his discretion, and listen to the what the moon has to
say.

MOONSHINE MOONSHINE
235 This lanthorn doth the hornèd moon present— This lantern symbolizes the horned moon 7 . 7 The "horned moon" is the
crescent moon.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
He should have worn the horns on his head. He should have worn the horns on his head 8 . 8 The horns on the head were a
traditional symbol for the cuckold, or
a man whose wife has been unfaithful
to him.

THESEUS THESEUS
He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible within He’s not shaped like a crescent moon, so his horns are
the circumference. probably invisible inside the circle.

MOONSHINE MOONSHINE
This lanthorn doth the hornèd moon present. This lantern represents the crescent moon. I am pretending
240 Myself the man i' th' moon do seem to be. to be the man in the moon.

THESEUS THESEUS
This is the greatest error of all the rest. The man That’s a bigger mistake that all the others. The man should
should be put into the lanthorn. How is it else the “man be put inside the lantern. How else can he be the “man in
i' th' moon?” the moon?”

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
He dares not come there for the candle. For you see, it He doesn't dare to go in there on account of the candle.
245 is already in snuff. Because, you see, the candle must first be put out.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
I am aweary of this moon. Would he would change! I’m tired of this moon. If only he would wane away.

THESEUS THESEUS
It appears by his small light of discretion, that he is It seems by the meager amount of light he's giving off that
in the wane. But yet, in courtesy, in all reason, we he is waning. But, to be polite, we’ll have to wait to find out.
must stay the time.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
250 Proceed, Moon. Continue, Moon.

MOONSHINE MOONSHINE
All that I have to say is to tell you that the lanthorn All I have to say is that the lantern is the moon. I’m the man

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is the moon; I, the man in the moon; this thornbush, my in the moon. This thorn bush is my thorn bush. And this dog
thornbush; and this dog, my dog. is my dog.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Why, all these should be in the lanthorn, for all these Well, all of these should be in the lantern, because all of
255 are in the moon. But silence! Here comes Thisbe. them are in the moon. But be quiet! Here comes Thisbe.

THISBE enters. THISBE enters.

THISBE THISBE
This is old Ninny’s tomb. Where is my love? This is old Ninny’s tomb. Where is my love?

LION LION
[Roaring] O! [Roaring] Grr!

THISBE runs off, leaving her cloak behind. THISBE runs off, leaving her cloak behind.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Well roared, Lion! Nice roar, Lion!

THESEUS THESEUS
Well run, Thisbe! Nice running, Thisbe!

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
260 Well shone, Moon! Truly, the moon shines with a good Nice shining, Moon! Really, the Moon shines quite well.
grace.

LION bites and shakes THISBE’s cloak, staining it with blood. LION bites and shakes THISBE’s cloak, staining it with
blood.
THESEUS THESEUS
Well moused, Lion! Way to shake that mantle around the way a cat shakes a
mouse, Lion!

PYRAMUS enters. PYRAMUS enters.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
And then came Pyramus. And then Pyramus arrived.

LION exits. LION exits.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
And so the lion vanished. So then the lion disappeared.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
265 Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams. Sweet Moon, I thank you for your sunny beams. I thank you,
I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright. Moon, for shining now so bright, because by the light of
For by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams, your helpful, golden, glittering beams, I will be able to see
I trust to take of truest Thisbe sight. my faithful Thisbe. But wait. Oh, misfortune! Look, you poor
But stay, O spite! knight, what an awful sight! Eyes, do you see? How can this
270 But mark, poor knight, be? Oh, my dainty duck! Oh, my dear! What? Your beautiful
What dreadful dole is here! cloak, is it stained with blood? Come, you cruel Furies!
Eyes, do you see? Come, come you Fates, and cut the thread of my life.
How can it be? Conquer, crush, bring to an end, and kill!
O dainty duck! O dear!
275 Thy mantle good,
What, stained with blood?
Approach, ye Furies fell!
O Fates, come, come,
Cut thread and thrum.
280 Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!

THESEUS THESEUS
This passion and the death of a dear friend would go Watching this performance would be almost enough to
near to make a man look sad. make a man sad—so long as a good friend of yours died
while you were watching it.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. Curse my heart, but I feel sorry for this man.

PYRAMUS PYRAMUS
O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame? Oh why, Mother Nature, did you create lions? A dreadful lion
285 Since lion vile hath here deflowered my dear, has deflowered 9 my darling, who is—no, no—who was 9 Bottom means to say "devoured,"

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Which is—no, no—which was the fairest dame the most beautiful woman that ever lived, loved, liked, or
That lived, that loved, that liked, that looked with smiled. Come, tears, overwhelm me! Come out, sword, and
cheer. wound me in the chest—yes, on the left side where the not deflowered.
Come, tears, confound! heart beats. [He stabs himself] And so, I die, so, so, so. Now
290 Out, sword, and wound! I am dead. Now my soul has flown from my body. Tongue,
The pap of Pyramus— see no more. Moon, disappear.
Ay, that left pap
Where heart doth hop. [Stabs himself]
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
295 Now am I dead.
Now am I fled.
My soul is in the sky.
Tongue, lose thy light.
Moon, take thy flight.

MOONSHINE exits. MOONSHINE exits.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
300 No die, but an ace for him, for he is but one. This guy is just a single face of a die 10 —the one, because 10 Demetrius interprets Pyrmaus'
he's a true original. use of the word "die" as in the
singular of "dice," used for gaming.

Now die, die, die, die, die. [He dies]

Now die, die, die, die, die.
[He dies]
LYSANDER LYSANDER
Less than an ace, man. For he is dead. He is nothing. He’s a die with even fewer than one dot. He's dead, so he's
nothing.

THESEUS THESEUS
With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover and With the help of a doctor he might recover and become an
prove an ass. ass.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
How chance Moonshine is gone before Thisbe comes back What's going to happen since Moonshine has left before
305 and finds her lover? Thisbe comes back. How will she be able to find her lover?

THESEUS THESEUS
She will find him by starlight. Here she comes, and her She’ll see him by starlight. Here she comes. Her crying will
passion ends the play. end the play.

THISBE enters. THISBE enters.

HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
Methinks she should not use a long one for such a I don’t think this Pyramus deserves a whole lot of crying. I
Pyramus. hope she does her part quickly.
310 I hope she will be brief.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, which The difference in who's better between Pyramus and Thisbe
Thisbe, is the better. He for a man, God warrant us, she is razor thin. God save us from him, as a man. But God save
for a woman, God bless us. us from her, as a woman.

LYSANDER LYSANDER
She hath spied him already with those sweet eyes. She's seen him already with those sweet eyes of hers.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
315 And thus she means , videlice t — And so she’ll start moaning, as we expected—

THISBE THISBE
Asleep, my love? Are you asleep, my love? What, are you dead, my dove? Oh,
What, dead, my dove? Pyramus, wake up! Speak, speak. Can you talk? Dead,
O Pyramus, arise! dead? A tomb must cover your sweet eyes. Your lily-white
Speak, speak. Quite dumb? lips, your cherry-red nose, your marigold-yellow cheeks are
320 Dead, dead? A tomb gone, gone. Lovers, moan. His eyes were as green as leeks.
Must cover thy sweet eyes. Oh, you three Fates, come, come to me, with hands as pale
These lily lips, as milk. Place your hands in blood, since you have cut with
This cherry nose, scissors the thread of his life. Tongue, don't say a word.
These yellow cowslip cheeks Come, trusty sword. Come, trusted sword, stain my breast
325 Are gone, are gone. with blood.[She stabs herself] Goodbye, friends! This is how
Lovers, make moan. Thisbe dies. Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. [She dies]
His eyes were green as leeks.
O Sisters three,
Come, come to me
330

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With hands as pale as milk.

Lay them in gore,
Since you have shore
With shears his thread of silk.
Tongue, not a word.
335 Come, trusty sword.
Come, blade, my breast imbrue. [Stabs herself]
And, farewell, friends.
Thus Thisbe ends.
Adieu, adieu, adieu.
340 [She dies]

THESEUS THESEUS
Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead. Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the dead.

DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Ay, and Wall too. Yes, and Wall too.

BOTTOM BOTTOM
[Out of character] No, assure you. The wall is down [As himself] No, I assure you. The wall that separated their
that parted their fathers. Will it please you to see the fathers' land has been taken down. Would you like to see
345 epilogue, or to hear a Bergomask dance between two of the epilogue or see two of our actors perform a country
our company? dance?

THESEUS THESEUS
No epilogue, I pray you, for your play needs no excuse. No epilogue, please. Your play does not need to offer any
Never excuse—for when the players are all dead, there apology for itself through an epilogue. Never
needs none to be blamed. Marry, if he that writ it had apologize—when the actors are all dead, no one must be
350 played Pyramus and hanged himself in Thisbe’s garter, it blamed. In fact, if the man who wrote the play had
would have been a fine tragedy. And so it is, truly, performed as Pyramus and hanged himself with Thisbe’s
and very notably discharged. But come, your Bergomask. stockings, it would have been a very good tragedy. And
Let your epilogue alone. that's exactly what it is, honestly, and remarkably
performed. Now please, perform your country dance. But
don't worry about performing your epilogue.

The actors dance. BOTTOM and FLUTE exit. Everyone dances. BOTTOM and FLUTE exit.

The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. Lovers, The hands of the clock have struck midnight. Lovers, let's
355 to bed. 'Tis almost fairy time. go to bed. It’s almost fairy time. I’m afraid we’re going to
I fear we shall outsleep the coming morn sleep past morning because we've stayed up so late
As much as we this night have overwatched. tonight. This obviously idiotic play has done a good job to
This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled help us pass the tired hours of night. Sweet friends, let’s go
The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed. A to bed. For two weeks we will continue to celebrate, with
360 fortnight hold we this solemnity, parties and new fun every night.
In nightly revels and new jollity.

ROBIN ROBIN
Now the hungry lion roars Now the hungry lion roars and the wolf howls at the moon,
And the wolf behowls the moon, while the tired farmer snores, exhausted from all the work
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores, he's done. The embers of the fire glow, while the owl’s
365 All with weary task fordone. screeching hoot makes the man lying in his sickbed think
Now the wasted brands do glow, about the shroud that will cover him in death. Now is the
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud, time of night when the graves all open wide, and release
11 Hecate was the ancient Greek
Puts the wretch that lies in woe their spirits to glide over the paths of graveyards. And we
goddess of dark places.
In remembrance of a shroud. fairies—who run from the sun just like Hecate 11 , following
370 Now it is the time of night darkness like a dream—are jolly. I will ensure that not even
That the graves all gaping wide, a mouse will disturb this blessed house. I’ve been sent
Every one lets forth his sprite, ahead with a broom to sweep the dust behind the door.
In the churchway paths to glide.
And we fairies, that do run
375 By the triple Hecate’s team
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic. Not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallowed house.
380 I am sent with broom before
To sweep the dust behind the door.

OBERON and TITANIA enter with all their servants and followers. OBERON and TITANIA enter with all their servants and
followers.

OBERON OBERON
Through the house give glimmering light, The dying fire gives off a glimmering light throughout the
By the dead and drowsy fire. house. Now every elf and fairy, hop as lightly as a bird on a

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Every elf and fairy sprite twig, and sing this little song along with me, and dance.
385 Hop as light as bird from brier.
And this ditty, after me,
Sing and dance it trippingly.

TITANIA TITANIA
First, rehearse your song by rote, First rehearse your song from memory, and sing each word
To each word a warbling note. with a bird-like note. With everyone holding hands, we'll
390 Hand in hand with fairy grace sing and bless this place with fairy grace.
Will we sing and bless this place.

OBERON OBERON
[Sings] Now until the break of day, [Singing]
Through this house each fairy stray. Now, until the dawn,
To the best bride bed will we, Each fairy wander through this house.
395 Which by us shall blessèd be. Titania and I will go
And the issue there create To the bless the royal marriage bed,
Ever shall be fortunate. So that the children conceived in it
So shall all the couples three Will have good luck.
Ever true in loving be. All three of the couples will always be
400 And the blots of Nature’s hand Faithful in love,
Shall not in their issue stand. And none of the defects of nature
Never mole, harelip, nor scar, Will appear in their children.
Nor mark prodigious, such as are They won’t have moles, or cleft lips, or scars,
Despisèd in nativity, Or abnormal birthmarks,
405 Shall upon their children be. All of which will cause upset
With this field dew consecrate, If a baby is born with it.
Every fairy take his gait. Fairies, take this holy dew from the fields,
And each several chamber bless And as you walk
Through this palace with sweet peace. Through the rooms of the palace,
410 And the owner of it blessed Bless them with sweet peace.
Ever shall in safety rest. And the owner of the palace
Trip away. Make no stay. Will always be blessed and safe.
Meet me all by break of day. Now go, but don’t stay long.
Meet me at dawn.

OBERON and TITANIA and the FAIRIES sing and dance. OBERON and TITANIA and the FAIRIES sing and dance.

All exit except for ROBIN. They all exit except for ROBIN.

ROBIN ROBIN
If we shadows have offended, If we actors have offended you, simply think about it this
415 Think but this, and all is mended— way, and everything will be better: you just slept here, and
That you have but slumbered here saw these visions in a dream. This foolish and silly plot was
While these visions did appear. only a dream. Ladies and gentlemen, don't rebuke me. If
And this weak and idle theme, you forgive us, we'll make everything better. And since I,
No more yielding but a dream, Puck, am honest, I promise to make everything better—if
420 Gentles, do not reprehend. we're lucky enough to escape your boos and hisses.
If you pardon, we will mend. Otherwise, call me a liar. So, good night to all of you. If we
And, as I am an honest Puck, are friends, please give us a round of applause—and Robin
If we have unearnèd luck will make it all up to you.
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
425 We will make amends ere long.
Else the Puck a liar call.
So good night unto you all.
Give me your hands if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

ROBIN exits. ROBIN exits.

How to Cite
To cite this Shakescleare translation:

MLA
Florman, Ben. "A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Shakescleare
Translation." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 11 May 2014. Web. 21 Apr 2020.

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 Get translations of every Shakespeare play at www.litcharts.com

Chicago Manual
Florman, Ben. "A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Shakescleare
Translation." LitCharts LLC, May 11, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/a-midsummer-nights-dream.

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