Shakespeare’s most popular play, A Midsummer Night’s dream, is a romantic comedy that features young lovers that fall deeply in and out of love in a brief period of time. This play is unique because it demonstrates tragedy and comedy at the same time. The comedy not only provides amusement and laughter but also helps ease tension between characters. In the play, A “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, William Shakespeare produces a comedy through foolish characters and mistaken identities.…
Directions: Open and save this document to your computer. Look for answers as you read, but finish reading each scene before you compose your responses. Type and save your answers here; the boxes will expand as you write.…
"Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it (Act 1, Scene 5, Page 3)." This quote was said by Lady Macbeth and I found it interesting because, this quote is actually being compared to Lady Macbeth instead of Macbeth. The flower is being compared to her by how she treated other people. For example, when the king came to her house/castle, she actually treated him well. Also she was being compared to the serpent because, she actually want to kill the king. So the quote is saying that Lady Macbeth is nice and kind on the outside, but evil on the inside.…
Comic Fools To create humor in drama, one must either make witty wordplay, create an amusing situation, or use physical comedy. Often jokes may be incorporated into a play, or a comic situation may result in a series of complicated antics. The tradition for some of these comic devices has been carried over for hundreds of years, dating back to Shakespeare in the 1600's.…
Before Macbeth gives his famous “Is this a dagger which I see before me” soliloquy, he has decided that he was not going to kill the king. Lady Macbeth wants to become queen, so she has an argument with Macbeth. During the argument Lady Macbeth says, “When you durst do it, then you were a man”, saying that Macbeth is not a man unless he kills king Duncan. Lady Macbeth’s words make Macbeth perplexed and he goes into his soliloquy where he debates whether or not to assassinate the king.…
"Macbeth a play based on treason loyalty and knowledge consists of many different characters one unlike the other.…
Love can be acquired in many ways. It could range from physical traits, to a smile, and just having a very flattering personality. The three pairs of lovers in the play also display this quote significantly. The quote retells and shows how reason and love actually do not keep company , because sometimes you do not actually know why you are falling for another…
Situate the passage into the greater text: mention the act and scene numbers, as well as what happens at this point in the play/ Significance (1-2 sentences)…
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare is telling the readers that, love needs no reason to exist; it defies logic and ignores all circumstances. This compelling message is very thoroughly communicated with the connection of the fantasy world and reality. The connection occurs in a forest, where each character of significance is, at one point, present. Here, the characters experience unforeseen events, as a result of the debatable use of magic, from those in power. However, despite the extreme unusualness and complications, the characters challenge the circumstances, and persist in loving the one they feel closest to. In this play, this situation is best represented by three significant relationships. The first exists between a lover and her hater, the next involves a young and rebellious couple, and the last concerns an ill-fated mechanical and the queen of the fairies.…
In the play Macbeth written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s, relationship is affected by an act of murder placed upon Macbeth by his wife. Lady Macbeth after this scene shows a very controlling and unappreciative attitude for what Macbeth has done for her, kill King Duncan. She demonstrates in a metaphorical scene described by the Old Man, “A falcon, tow’ring in her pride of place,/Was by a mousing owl hawked and killed” (II. 4. 11-13). This quote is like Lady Macbeth’s unappreciative attitude for Macbeth’s deed for her. She is like the owl that is usual hidden away behind Macbeth, with Macbeth, the falcon who is usually the predator; she attacks him with the responsibility of killing Duncan. By controlling Macbeth, and making him go through with the murder she shows no sign of thankfulness. She tells him to “Go get some water,/And wash [the] filthy witness from [his] hands” after she has scarred him for life (II.…
(Scene opens: Everyone is laying on the ground, as though they are dead, focus on Hypnos.)…
The love of Hippolyta and Theseus is less playful than the four crossed lovers. But it is also less elastic, and lacks the endless sensory allusions that signal trouble. Titania and Oberon, who dwell in the sensory world, can embrace and bless the marriage state but cannot truly achieve it themselves. This triple wedding at the end of the play is not necessarily happy. Essentially, Shakespeare embraces the necessity of law without reveling in it. One cannot live their life in the sensory world without controlling their perception. This control is human reason, and judgement. The beauty of the world, and the capacity of our vision to perceive it, is even greater when we understand what we are seeing and why. A Midsummer Night's Dream is not…
In the play A Midsummer’s Night Dream, elements of insult comedy are found as Shakespeare incorporates to elevate the humor. Insult comedy is a form of comedy that is intended to offend or mock a person or group of people. Shakespeare utilizes this very well as a way to improve upon the plot, with examples such as Helena’s love for Demetrius and Demetrius’s hate for Helena, as well as describing the terrible acting of the Mechanicals. Insults are an effective form of comedy for Shakespeare and are seen throughout the play A Midsummer’s Night Dream.…
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare portrays the plays female characters in two different lights. While late 16th century English women were expected to become wives and mothers, A Midsummer Night’s Dream does not adhere to the set gender roles of the time. This can be seen through the character of Hermia who is a daring and strong willed female that transcends established norms. On the other, the character Helena represents desperate and submissive females, which were more commonplace than daring ones. William Shakespeare’s sovereign at the time, Elizabeth I, is given a positive critique by the playwright evident throughout the text.…
There is in fact a difference between knowing and understanding an idea or a concept. Based on the monologue delivered in act 1 of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lysander evidently has a positive outlook on love and will therefore be a good husband to Hermia. Lysander proves this by using imagery, comparisons, and euphony to demonstrate his understanding of the nature of love. Because of his deep knowledge of the way love works, he will be a caring and compassionate husband to Hermia.…