A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
William SHAKESPEARE

ACT II, scene 1
Excerpt from p. 68 ‘The clearing is suddenly…’ to line 187 : ‘And I will overhear their conference.’

EXCERPT 6

Vocabulary :

* Moonës sphere (l.7) : the moon, planets and stars were thought to be fixed to transparent spheres which rotated about the Earth * Changeling (l.23) = a child secretly exchanged for another in infancy * Tailor (l.54) : the expression probably refers to someone falling on their backside or ‘tail’. * Corin and Phillida (l.66-68) : names traditionally used for shepherds (bergers)and shepherdesses in pastoral*. * Step (l. 69) : the furthest limit of exploration * Perigouna…Aegles … Ariadne … Antiopa (l. 78-80) : lovers of Theseus during his legendary adventures * Nine men’s morris (l. 98) : a game with pegs, which could be played outdoors by cutting a pattern of squares in the turf. * Hiems (l. 109) : winter personified as an old man. * Votaress (l. 123) : a woman who has taken vows

I ; to set this excerpt in context, first read the beginning of Act II, line 1 to line 59 and find the answers to the following questions (answer in your own words and justify by quoting) 1) Where and when is the scene set ? 2) Who are Oberon and Titania ? What are they quarrelling about ? 3) Who is Puck ? What do we learn about him ?

II ; Excerpt from p. 68 ‘The clearing is suddenly…’ to line 187

II ; Read the excerpt down to ‘Titania departs in anger with her train’ (l. 145) 1) - What do Oberon and Titania accuse each other of ? (l. 60 to 80) * Why is it ironical ?

2) - What do we learn about the Indian boy ? (l. 120 to 137) * What does Oberon want him for ?

3) – What does Titania think Oberon and herself are responsible for ? * Floods (l. 90 – 92 ) : rivers were made to overflow * L. 95… the corn/vegetation was made to rot/to get moldy, ie not to get mature. * L. 97 the cattle has been poisoned