“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
Study Guide Questions
Act One, Scene One
1. Who is Theseus? Why is he anxious for the rising of the new moon?
2. Why is Egeus angry? Why has he come to see Theseus?
3. What was the proper role for women/daughters in Athenian society according to Egeus and Theseus?
4. What are your impressions of Hermia? Whom does she love?
5. What alternatives does Theseus offer Hermia?
6. How does Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’ previous love affair with Helena complicate things?
7. Where do Lysander and Hermia agree to meet that night? Why?
8. What is the relationship between Hermia and Helena?
9. How does Helena betray the secret Hermia tells her? Why?
10. Why do you suppose Egeus prefers Demetrius to Lysander? Do you think a father has the right to interfere in his daughter’s love life?
11. Do you think Egeus would actually have his daughter killed if she continued to refuse Demetrius?
Act One, Scene Two
1. What is the purpose of meeting at Peter Quince’s house?
2. Who is Nick Bottom? How does he make trouble at the meeting?
3. Why does Bottom want to play all the parts?
4. Where do the actors plan to rehearse? Who else is meeting in these same woods at the same time?
5. What do the others seem to think of Bottom? How does he seem to feel about himself?
6. In what way is this scene funny? Why do you suppose Shakespeare included this scene?
Act Two, Scene One
1. What does the reader find out about the current relationship between Oberon, King of the Fairies, and Titania, Queen of the Fairies, from Puck and the first fairy?
2. How have Oberon and Titania been involved in the past with Theseus and Hippolyta, and why have they come to Athens?
3. Why won’t Titania give up the changeling to Oberon?
4. What are Oberon’s plans for Titania?
5. How does Helena react to Demetrius’ verbal abuse?
6. What is her response to his threats of physical violence?
7. In what way is Helena’s behavior inappropriate for Athenian women?
8. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about Demetrius and Helena?
Act Two, Scene Two
1. Why does Oberon want Titania to wake and fall in love with some vile thing?
2. Why does Hermia insist Lysander sleep a little ways from her?
3. On whose eyelid does Puck press the magic nectar? Why?
4. How does Hermia react to Lysander’s sudden love for her when he awakens?
5. How is Hermia’s dream a reflection of reality?
Act Three, Scene One
1. How are the actors going to keep from scaring the ladies when Pyramus kills himself or when the lion roars?
2. How does Puck play tricks on the actors in the wood?
3. How does Bottom react when he realizes that he has the head of an ass?
4. How does Titania react when she sees Bottom?
5. Bottom says, ‘…reason and love keep little company together nowadays.’ Why is this such an apt statement at this point in the play?
Act Three, Scene Two
1. How does Oberon realize that Puck has made a mistake and bewitched the wrong Athenian youth?
2. What does Hermia think has happened to Lysander? Why does she think so?
3. How are Puck and Oberon going to correct Puck’s earlier mistake?
4. Why is Helena upset when Demetrius says he loves her? Isn’t this what she had wanted all along?
5. Of what does Helena accuse Hermia?
6. How does Lysander treat Hermia? Why can’t she believe what he says?
7. Why do Hermia and Helena argue?
8. What does Oberon tell Puck to do about the two young men?
9. What is Oberon going to do about Titania?
Act Four, Scene One
1. Why does Oberon return Titania to normal?
2. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her? Do you think he will tell her the truth?
3. How do Theseus, Egeus and the others happen to find the four lovers? Why is Theseus surprised by their appearance?
4. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness?
5. What would Egeus like Theseus to do? What does Theseus do instead?
6. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming?
7. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that dream to entertain the Duke? How do you feel toward Bottom, now that he is back to ‘normal?’ Do you pity him?
Act Four, Scene Two
1. Why are the tradesmen upset? What don’t they just assign someone else the role of Pyramus?
2. What news does Snug bring? How does this make the tradesmen feel?
3. Why do you suppose this scene is so short? What do you find funniest about this scene?
Act Five, Scene One
1. Why does Theseus choose Pyramus and Thisbe over the other shows he might watch?
2. What is accomplished by having the Prologue tell the whole story that the actors are going to enact?
3. How does the audience react as the suicides are being enacted?
4. How does Shakespeare use the comments from the audience to enhance the humor of the play that they are watching?
5. For what does Puck apologize in the last speech?