A Midsummer Night's Dream Workshop Study Guide - The New ...

Midsummer Study Guide, page 3appears to be well, and Demetrius disavowshis former love to Hermia. Instead he asks tomarry Helena, and Theseus proclaims,“Egeus, I will over-bear your will; for in thetemple by and by with us, these couplesshall be eternally knit.” They all go off toget married and watch the entertainment.Bottom awakes and remembering hisamazing “dream” says “I had a dream, pastthe wit of man, to say, what dream it was.”Peter Quince and his friends find Bottomand rejoice his return. They return to Athensto perform their play for the weddingfestivities.The three newly married couples, Egeus andthe rest of the court gather to enjoyentertainment. When it is apparent thatBottom and his compatriots are not the mostexperienced actors in Athens, Theseus says,“for never any thing can be amiss whensimpleness and duty tender it.” Soon, it istime for the entertainment to end and the daydraws to an end.Oberon, Titania, Puck and their cohortsreturn one last time, to bless the Duke andhis Lady, the lovers and all Athens, saying,“Hand in hand, with fairy grace, will wesing and bless this place.” The play closeswith Puck’s entreaty “Give me your hands ifwe be friends, and Robin shall restoreamends.”Before a workshop:Read “the lover’s fight” scene, Act III,scene ii, from Demetrius line “Oh,Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect,divine” to Demetrius’ line “Follow!Nay, I’ll go with thee cheek by jowl”Circle any words that sound like an “action”or “emotion.’ What do the majority of“emotion words” tell you about whateveryone is feeling and thinking in thisscene? Example: Hermia says to Helena “Iam amazed at your passionate words”Then, note “action” words- is someonedoing something physical on those words?Example: Lysander’s line “Stay, gentleHelena”In Elizabethan England playgoers demandeda different play every day, which preventedactors from rehearsing a lot. Why might theplaywright include stage direction andemotional clues to performance right in theplay text itself? Does the scene becomeclearer to your modern ear once you findclues for action and emotion in thelanguage?Find the definitions of:PoetryIambic PentameterRhymed CoupletsDuring a Workshop:Every time you hear a rhymed couplet (lookthat one up) raise your hand! Does theplaywright use rhymed poetry for a reason?What do you think his reason was?Help your fellow “actors” to imagine thelover’s scene as a big wrestling match.Every time you hear an insult, raise yourhand. How does the playwright make theinsults funny, and not hurtful? Or does hemean them to hurt and why?After a Workshop, Talk AboutThis:Doubling the roles in Midsummer:Scholars know Shakespeare’s actors doubledin roles- they played more than onecharacter in the play. How does doublingwork in this play? Did you notice any reallyquick changes during the play? How wouldyou double a role?

Midsummer’s Study Guide Page 4Writing and Exploring:Pair off with another student and“interview” each other as if one of you wereHermia, Helena, Lysander or Demetrius andthe other was a gossip columnist. Write apersuasive essay about what each characterthinks and feels about the others and whythey do or do not make such a good couple!Design your own costumes for Oberon andTitania. Cut out magazine pictures, draw orfind real clothing that you think they mightwear. Research in books or online whatEnglish Renaissance clothing looked like, orpick modern clothes that you think fit bothcharacters. Remember, they are fairies- howmight that influence your design choices?Words Invented by Shakespeare andUsed for the First Time in This Play:BeachedBedroomEyeballsMimicMoonbeamPremeditatedFind for yourself where they appear in theplay! Can you spot them in performance?Do they mean what you thought they meant?Websites:For FurtherInformation/Exploration:Our website has a great “ask Jeanette”section-email us questions about theshow you saw, and get an answerback!!http://www.shakespearetavern.com/BTC/btcaskjeanette.htmlMr. William Shakespeare and The Internet:http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/ this sitecontains excellent resources and is a greatmetasite.The Shakespeare Globe Centre USA:http://www.shakespeareglobeusa.org/Books:Midsummer Night’s Dream Arden EditionShakespeare: The Invention of the Humanby Harold BloomAsimov’s Guide to Shakespeare by IsaacAsimovStaging In Shakespeare’s Theatres byAndrew Gurr and Mariko IchikawaShakespeare A to Z by Charles BoyceSpark NotesOur performance text is:The Applause First Folio of Shakespeare inModern Type, Neil FreemanFor more information on the First Folio ofShakespeare go to:http://web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Annex/DraftTxt/index.htmlMovie Versions:A Midsummer Night’s Dream- The Kevin Kline/Michelle Pfeiffer version sets the story in a Victoriandaydream world.The 1935 Max Reinhardt directed version features ayoung Mickey Rooney as Puck, James Cagney asBottom, and the music of Mendelssohn.DefinitionsBeached- having a sandy shorelineBedroom- room or space within a bedEyeballs-organ for visionMimic- performer skilled at imitating or apingMoonbeam-ray of reflected light from the linePremeditated-contemplated beforehandAnswers: What play features an arranged marriage?Romeo and Juliet. How does it end- very, very badly!Stichomythia: dialog with short lines that toss backand forth like a tennis match.