A Midsummer Night

1
A Midsummer Nights Dreamby William Shakespeare

• This play was written and performed around
  1595-96 for a royal wedding.
• It is a romantic comedy.

2
Comedy

• Think about some romantic comedies that youve
  seen. What are some elements of this type of
  story?
• How do they start?
• What happens in the middle?
• How do the stories usually end?

3
Setting

• Athens, Greece
• The setting of this play is a mythical version
  of ancient Athens and Duke Theseuss palace where
  law and order abide.
• Woods outside of Athens
• Magical fairies roam the woods, ready to make
  mischief on humans and create chaos.

4
Characters Plot Strands

• Theseus and Hippolyta
• Duke and Queen of Athens
• Hermia, Lysander, Helena, Demetrius
• Four young lovers
• The Tradesmen
• a.k.a. The Rude Mechanicals
• Oberon, Titania , Puck
• Kink and Queen of the Fairies, and the kings
  assistant

5
Symbols/Motifs

• Moon night/ confusion lunacy (Luna is
  Latin for moon)
• Dreams/Sleep illusion, the fickle nature of love
• Athens law and order
• The Woods imagination, dreams, chaos
• Day/Night order/chaos

6
What techniques and dramatic elements does
Shakespeare use in this play?

• Shakespeare uses
• -humor to mock peoples common assumptions about
  love.
• -figurative language to explore the complexities
  of human
• emotions
• - dramatic irony to heighten the sense of
  comedy and humor in the play
• -soliloquy by major characters to draw the
  audience into central ideas and themes

7
Theme LOVE

• What is the true nature of love?
• Is love constant and unchanging, or changeable
  and fickle?

8
Who said that?

• The course of true love never did run smooth.
• Lysander
• What might love be compared to in this quote?
• What might this say about the nature of love?
• List as many different types of love as you can.

9
Types of Love Define

• Romantic Love
• Platonic Love
• Unrequited Love
• Blind Love
• Love at First Sight
• Unconditional Love

10
A Midsummer Night's Dream Introduction
Hermia and Lysander are in love
Hermias father (Egeus), however, insists that
she marry Demetrius.
Hermias friend Helena loves Demetrius. Who do
you think Demetrius loves?
Hermia
Lysander
Helena
Demetrius
11
From there...

• One summer night, two pairs of young lovers and a
  group of amateur actors wander into the fairies
  mad world.
• The magic begins..
• When Hermia and Lysander sneak off to the forest
  to elope, Demetrius and Helena follow.
• Meanwhile, Oberon and Titania, the king and queen
  of the fairies, are having a quarrel.
• The results for innocent human bystanders are
  disastrousand hilarious!

.
12
A Midsummer Nights Dream

• How will the fairies affect the situation of
• Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius?
• Can love triumph over magical mischief as well
  as more ordinary obstacles?