A Midsummer Night’s Dream Reading Questions
Act I
1. What are Theseus and Hippolyta talking about at the beginning of the play?
2. How does Hippolyta come to be betrothed to Theseus?
3. Who is Egeus, and why is he upset?
4. What is the Athenian law about whom a daughter may marry? What are Hermia’s legal options in this situation?
5. Who is Lysander, and what plan does he make with Hermia?
6. Who is Helena, and why does she plan to tell Demetrius about Hermia and Lysander’s plan?
7. Who are the characters in scene two, and what are they planning?
Act II, Scene I
8. Why are Oberon and Titania angry at one another?
9. What is Puck’s reputation?
10. What is happening in the world because of Titania and Oberon’s fighting?
11. What plan does Oberon devise to defeat Titania and get the Indian child?
12. How does Demetrius treat Helena?
13. What instructions does Oberon give Robin at the end of the scene? Knowing that this is a comedy, what do you foresee happening?
Act II, Scene II
14. What does Lysander want to do that Hermia will not allow?
15. What mistake does Puck make, and what is the result?
16. How does Helena interpret Lysander’s odd behavior?
17. When Hermia awakes, alone, she has had a nightmare. What was it about? How does it relate to her real situation?
Act III, Scene I
18. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the women when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars?
19. How are the actors going to manage the setting/scenery such as the moonlight and the wall?
20. Why do the rest of the actors run off when Bottom appears?
21. What does Puck plan to do when he follows after the other actors?
Act III, Scene II
22. What does Hermia accuse Demetrius of doing?
23. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius tells her he loves her? Isn’t this what she has wanted all this time?
24. How does Lysander treat Hermia?
25. Of what does Hermia accuse Helena?
26. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Lysander?
27. What is Oberon going to do about Titania?
Act IV:
28. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom?
29. What is Theseus’s first explanation as to why the young lovers are asleep in the woods?
30. What explanation does Demetrius give? Why does he compare his love to Hermia as an illness?
31. What is Theseus’ decision regarding the four lovers?
32. What opinion do the other craftsmen now have of Bottom since they think he is lost?
33. What news does Bottom bring to his companions?
Act V:
34. Why does Theseus choose to see the production of Pyramus and Thisbe?
35. Why does Philostrate try to keep Theseus from seeing the play? What does he say is wrong with it?
36. How does Shakespeare use the comments in the audience to enhance the humor in the play?
37. In what way is Thisbe’s final speech humorous?
38. What is the purpose of Puck’s final speech?