A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

ACTIV SCENEI

Bottom falls asleep in Titania’s arms, and Oberon takes the

 Now we're back to Titania and Bottom, who are lounging around on a bed of
flowers while Titania's fairies wait on them.
 Titania lavishes Bottom with her affection, twiddling his cheeks and kissing his
large donkey ears.
 Bottom still doesn't know his head has been transformed into that of an ass.
 He calls for Peaseblossom to scratch his head and for Cobweb to go kill him a
bee and bring back its honey.
 Bottom announces he should go to the barber because he's feeling kind of hairy,
and when he's hairy, he feels itchy all over.
 Titania distracts Bottom from these worldly concerns, and asks him if he'd like to
hear some music. Bottom says he has a good ear for music, and calls for "tongs
and bones." (These are old rural musical instruments—the tongs were struck like
a triangle, and the bones rattled in the hands, like clappers.)
 Titania asks Bottom if he'd like something to eat.
 He asks for oats and hay.
 Titania says she can have a fairy steal some nuts from a squirrel, but he admits
he'd rather have dried peas.
 None of it matters, though, because Bottom is feeling very sleepy. Titania tells
him to go to sleep and she'll snuggle with him.
 Titania sends all of the fairies away and compares her strange pairing with
Bottom to the relationship between the gentle ivy that twists around the ugly,
barky elm. (She doesn't say it, but we can assume she's the pretty and delicate
half of that metaphor.)
 Titania declares her love for Bottom again and they take a nap together.
 Puck shows up to join Oberon, who's been hanging out, invisible style. Oberon
says that earlier, when he found lovesick Titania snuggling with Bottom, he took
the opportunity to ask her for the "changeling child."
 Titania, who was busy decorating Bottom's head with flowers, agreed to give him
up.
 Since Oberon's now got what he wanted all along (the "lovely Indian boy"), he
decides to release Titania from her spell and orders Puck to remove the ass

1
 head from Bottom and make it so that Bottom wakes up and thinks the whole
experience has been nothing but a "dream."
 Oberon releases Titania from the spell by touching her eyes with a thing he calls
"Dian's bud" (probably the same remedy that cured Lysander), which he says is
more potent than even Cupid's power.
 Oberon bids Titania to see things as she should, and tells her to awaken, calling
her his "sweet queen."
 Titania wakes up immediately and tells him she has had an insane dream that
she was in love with a donkey. Oberon points her in the direction of Bottom. She
asks how on earth this happened, especially being that she hates the sight of
Bottom now.
 Oberon tells Titania to relax; Puck will change Bottom's head back, and he
instructs Titania to call up music that will make the five Athenians sleep more
soundly than normal.
 Puck fixes Bottom's head.
 Oberon takes Titania's hands. They'll rock the young Athenian lovers to sleep on
the ground and celebrate their regained friendship tomorrow night, when they'll
dance at Duke Theseus's house and bless all the pairs of lovers that will be
happily wedded at that time.
 Puck announces that he hears a lark—a.k.a. a bird—announcing the morning.
 Oberon and Titania will follow the night as it crosses around the world. During
that trip, Titania wants Oberon to explain the whole thing, especially why she was
caught sleeping with a donkey-faced man.
 Theseus, Duke of Athens, shows up in the wood with his bride-to-be (Hippolyta),
Egeus (Hermia's dad), and group of assembled people.
 Theseus sends someone out to find the Forester.
 The Duke announces that it's time for the big hunt (a popular hobby for royals
and nobles).
 Theseus tells Hippolyta they'll go up to the mountaintop to listen to the musical
confusion of the baying hunting hounds echoing all around.
 Hippolyta recalls a time she heard a similar thing when she was in Crete with
Hercules and Cadmus, and yes, the sound was pretty amazing.
 Theseus brags about his awesome hunting hounds.
 In the midst of praising his dogs, he spots the sleeping youths, and asks, "What
nymphs are these?"
 Egeus identifies the four youths as Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius.
Theseus guesses they woke up early to observe the Rites of May.
 Brain Snack: The Rites of May (a.k.a. "Maying") involved going into the woods at
dawn and gathering up branches and flowers to decorate villages and homes.

2
 Theseus remembers this is the day Hermia should give her answer about
marrying Demetrius or becoming a nun.
 Some huntsmen blow their horns to wake up the youngsters.
 The young lovers all awaken and kneel to Theseus. He teases them a little,
saying that St. Valentine's day has passed (a day when the birds were supposed
to choose their mates), so he wonders why these birds (the youths) are only
choosing their mates now.
 Also, Theseus wants to know how these kids ended up asleep together in the
wood.
 Lysander begins to reply. He says he doesn't quite know how he got to this spot,
but he can explain why they're in the wood. Lysander admits that he and Hermia
fled to the wood in an attempt to get out of Athens, where they could escape
Athenian law and get married.
 Egeus cuts him off, demanding that Theseus bring the law down on Lysander's
head for trying to run off with his daughter.
 Demetrius pipes up and admits that Helena told him of the other pair's plan to
steal away to the woods. Demetrius says he followed them into the forest in a
fury, and Helena followed him in fancy. However, it seems that Demetrius's love
for Hermia has melted. Instead, Helena has become the apple of his eye.
 Also, Demetrius brings up that he was engaged to Helena before he left her for
Hermia.
 Theseus thinks everything is turning out for the best. He tells Egeus he's
overriding his choice, and the couples (paired off according to their wishes) will
be married in the temple at the same time as he and Hippolyta.
 Everybody returns to Athens for the weddings.
 As all the grownups leave, Demetrius, Lysander, Helena, and Hermia are left to
sort out the night. Demetrius thinks everything is dreamlike and Hermia seems to
be seeing double. Helena is just happy to have woken up to find that Demetrius
loves her.
 Demetrius, still groggy, asks everyone if they're sure they're all awake. He
wonders if the Duke was really just there, and if they were supposed to follow
him.
 Demetrius (still charmed) concedes that they must be awake and says they
should all recount their dreams on their way back to Athens.
 As the four youths leave, Bottom awakens suddenly, crying out that, when his
cue comes, he'll come on stage with his next line. He calls out for his friends,
thinking he's still in the play, and realizes that he's been left alone in the wood.
 Bottom tells us he's had a rare vision. He knows he's had a dream, but humans
don't have a mind capable of describing how crazy the dream was. Bottom
attempts it anyway.

3
  Bottom decides that, since he can't properly tell the dream, he'll go to Quince and
have him write the dream as a ballad. It will be called "Bottom's Dream," as it has
no bottom (meaning it's all tangled up and has no narrative grounding or sense)
and it's also his name.
 Bottom concludes that he'll sing the ballad during the play they're putting on for
the Duke's wedding. He also decides that the song should be sung during
Thisbe's death scene.

Original Translation
LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and
HERMIA continue to sleep onstage. TITANIA HERMIA continue to sleep onstage. TITANIA
enters with BOTTOM (who still has a enters with BOTTOM (who still has a
donkey’s head) and the fairiesdonkey’s head) and the fairies
PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and PEASEBLOSSOM, COBWEB, MOTH, and
MUSTARDSEED. OBERON enters behind MUSTARDSEED. OBERON enters behind
them, unseen by the others. them, unseen by the others.
TITANIA TITANIA
[To BOTTOM] Come, sit thee down upon this [To BOTTOM] Come and sit here on this
flowery bed While I thy amiable [loveable] flowery bed while I caress [to touch
cheeks do coy [caress], And stick musk roses somebody/something in a gentle and loving
in thy sleek, smooth head, And kiss thy fair way] your lovable cheeks, and stick roses into
large ears, my gentle joy. the fur of your silky, smooth head, and kiss
your big, beautiful ears, my gentle darling.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Where’s Peaseblossom? Where’s Peaseblossom?
PEASEBLOSSOM PEASEBLOSSOM
Ready. At your service.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Scratch my head, Peaseblossom. Where’s Sir
Monsieur [Bottom addresses the fairies as Cobweb?
though they were French or Italian
gentlemen] Cobweb?
COBWEB COBWEB
Ready. At your service.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Monsieur Cobweb, good monsieur, get you Monsieur Cobweb, my good sir, get out your
your weapons in your hand and kill me a red- weapons and kill for me a red-tailed
hipped humble-bee on the top of a thistle [a bumblebee that has landed on a thistle. And,
wild plant with purple flowers and sharp good sir, bring me its honey. Now don’t
points (prickles) on its leaves]. And, good overwork yourself too much in doing it, sir.

4
monsieur, bring me the honey bag. Do not fret Oh, and good sir, be careful not to break the
[trouble] yourself too much in the action, honey-sac. I’d be sad if you drowned in
monsieur. And good monsieur, have a care honey, sir.
the honey bag break not. I would be loath
[hate] to have you overflown [swamped] with
a honey bag, signor [sir].
COBWEB exits. COBWEB exits.
Where’s Monsieur Mustardseed? Where’s Sir Mustardseed?
MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
Ready. At your service.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Give me your neaf [hand], Monsieur Give me your hand first, Sir Mustardseed.
Mustardseed. Pray you, leave your courtesy Please, no need to take off your hat and bow,
[stop bowing to me; Bottom wants to shake good sir.
hands with the fairy, who insists on showing
the respect that Titania commanded.], good
monsieur.
MUSTARDSEED MUSTARDSEED
What’s your will? What would you like?
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Nothing, good monsieur, but to help Cavalery Nothing, good sir, except for you to help Sir
[cavaliere] Cobweb to scratch. I must to the Cobweb scratch my head. I should go to the
barber’s, monsieur, for me thinks I am barber’s, sir, because I think I’m getting
marvelous [unusually] hairy about the amazingly hairy on my face. And I am such a
face. And I am such a tender ass [fool (with sensitive ass that if my hair even tickles me
obvious irony)], if my hair do but tickle me, I even slightly, I have to scratch.
must scratch.
TITANIA TITANIA
What, wilt thou hear some music, my sweet Would you like to hear some music, my sweet
love? love?
BOTTOM BOTTOM
I have a reasonable good ear in music. Let’s I have a fairly good ear for music. Let’s have
have the tongs and the bones [metal tongs someone play the triangle and smack some
struck with a key, and bone clappers rattled sticks together.
between the fingers]. [The triangle and sticks were played as a kind
of clapper, and were not instruments that
anyone with a good ear for music would
regularly listen to.]
TITANIA TITANIA
Or say, sweet love, what thou desirest to eat. Or tell me, sweet love, what you want to eat.

5
BOTTOM BOTTOM
Truly, a peck [bundle (literally, a quarter of a Actually, I’d like two gallons of animal feed.
bushel)] of provender [fodder]. I could munch Or I wouldn’t mind munching on some good
your good dry oats. Methinks I have a great dry oats. Though I think I would also really
desire to a bottle [truss, small bundle] of hay. like a bundle of hay. Good, sweet hay has no
Good hay, sweet hay, hath no fellow [equal]. equal.
TITANIA TITANIA
I have a venturous fairy that shall seek The I have an adventurous fairy who’ll go find a
squirrel’s hoard and fetch thee new nuts. squirrel’s secret stockpile and get you fresh
nuts.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
I had rather have a handful or two of dried I’d rather have a handful or two of dried peas.
peas. But, I pray you, let none of your people But, please, don’t let any of your attendants
stir [disturb] me. I have an exposition of wake me up. An exposition for sleep has
[Bottom means ‘disposition to’] sleep come come over me.
upon me. [Bottom means “disposition” rather than
“exposition,” and is trying to say simply that
he's in the mood to sleep.]
TITANIA TITANIA
Sleep thou, and I will wind [wrap] thee in my Sleep my love, and I will put my arms around
arms. Fairies, be gone, and be all ways [in all you. Fairies, get out of here. Go off in all
directions] away. directions.
THE FAIRIES exit. THE FAIRIES exit.
So doth the woodbine [bindweed or I’ll wrap my arms around you just as the
convolvulus] the sweet honeysuckle Gently tendrils of the woodbine plant gently twist
entwist. The female ivy [Proverbially the vine around the sweet honeysuckle, and just as the
(=wife) embraces the elm (=husband)] so female ivy curls around the branches of the
Enrings the barky fingers [branches covered elm tree. Oh, how I love you! How I love to
with bark] of the elm. Oh, how I love thee! take care of you!
How I dote on thee!
BOTTOM and TITANIA fall asleep. BOTTOM and TITANIA fall asleep.
OBERON OBERON
Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet Welcome, good Robin. Do you see this sweet
sight? Her dotage [obsession] now I do begin sight? I've now begun to pity Titania for her
to pity. For, meeting her of late [recently] obsessive crush. I met her a while ago near
behind the wood, Seeking sweet favors [gifts the edge of the forest as she was searching for
of flowers] from this hateful fool, I did pretty flowers for this intolerable idiot, and I
upbraid [reproach] her and fall out with her. scolded her and fought with her. She had put
For she his hairy temples then had rounded a little crown of fresh, sweet-smelling flowers
[encircled] With a coronet of fresh and around his hairy forehead. And the dew,

6
fragrant flowers, And that same dew, which which used to decorate the flowers like the
sometime [formerly] on the buds Was wont to most beautiful pearls, now lay in the center of
swell like round and orient [lustrous] pearls, the flowers like tears of shame for being
Stood now within the pretty flowerets' [little forced to sit on that ass' head. After taunting
flowers] eyes Like tears that did their own her as much I wanted to, she quietly asked me
disgrace bewail. When I had at my pleasure to stop, and then I asked her for the Indian
taunted her And she in mild terms [gentle boy. Right away she agreed to give him to
language] begged my patience, I then did ask me, and sent a fairy to bring him to my
of her [ask her to give me] her changeling chamber in Fairyland. Now that I have the
child, Which straight [immediately] she gave boy, I’ll undo the awful flaw affecting
me and her fairy sent To bear him to my Titania's eyes. And, gentle Puck, remove the
bower in Fairyland. And now I have the boy, I ass’ head from the head of this Athenian
will undo This hateful imperfection of her yokel
eyes. And, gentle Puck, take this transformèd [an uneducated and unsophisticated person
scalp From off the head of this Athenian from the countryside], so that when he wakes
swain, That, he awaking when the other up along with the others, they can all return to
[others] do, May all to Athens back again Athens and remember the craziness of this
repair [return] And think no more of this night as nothing more than the wild troubles
night’s accidents [happenings] But as the of a bad dream. But first I’ll cure the fairy
fierce [extravagant] vexation of a dream. But queen.
first I will release the fairy queen. [Squeezing juice from the second flower into
[Squeezing flower juice into TITANIA's eyes] TITANIA's eyes]
Be as thou wast wont to be. See as thou wast Be the way you used to be, and see the way
wont [accustomed] to see. Dian’s bud you used to see. This juice comes from a
[Oberon explained that he can remove this flower bud belonging to Diana, and it has the
spell with ‘another herb’–perhaps Artemisia power to overturn the effects of the juice from
(wormwood) , a plant sacred to Artemis Cupid’s flower. Now, Titania, wake up, my
(Diana) goddess of chastity.] o'er Cupid’s sweet queen.
flower Hath such force and blessèd power. [Once again, we see a reference to Diana, the
Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen. goddess of the hunt and virginity.]
ROBIN enters. ROBIN enters.
TITANIA TITANIA
[Waking] My Oberon, what visions have I [Waking up] My dear Oberon, what a wild
seen! Methought I was enamored of [in love dream I had! I dreamed I was in love with an
with] an ass. ass.
OBERON OBERON
There lies your love. Your love is lying right there.
TITANIA TITANIA
How came these things to pass [happen]? Oh, How did all this happen? Oh, my eyes can’t
how mine eyes do loathe his visage now! stand to see his face now!

7
OBERON OBERON
Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head. Be quiet for a while. Robin, remove his ass’
Titania, music call, and strike more dead head. Titania, call to your fairies for some
Than common sleep of all these five the sense music, so that these five humans will sleep
[charm the senses of all these five into an more deeply than is normal.
abnormally deep sleep]. [Oberon refers to the four Athenian lovers and
Bottom here.]
TITANIA TITANIA
Music, ho! Music such as charmeth sleep! Music, now! Play music that magically makes
people sleep.
Music. Music plays.
ROBIN ROBIN
[Taking the ass’ head off BOTTOM] [Taking the ass’ head off of BOTTOM]
Now when thou wakest, with thine own fool’s Now when you wake up, you'll see things
eyes peep. with your own foolish eyes once more.
OBERON OBERON
Sound, music! Come, my queen, take hands Play the music! Come here, my queen, take
with me, And rock the ground whereon these my hands. And we’ll dance on the ground
sleepers be [The dance marks the renewal of where these sleepers are lying, and so rock
love and harmony between Oberon and them to sleep. [Dances with TITANIA] Now
Titania]. [Dances with TITANIA] Now thou that you and I are again at peace, tomorrow at
and I are new in amity [friendship], And will midnight we will perform a ceremonial dance
tomorrow midnight solemnly [ceremoniously] at Duke Theseus’ palace to celebrate and
Dance in Duke Theseus' house triumphantly, bless his marriage with good fortune. These
And bless it to [with] all fair prosperity. Theretwo pairs of faithful lovers will get married
shall the pairs of faithful lovers be Wedded, along with Theseus, all in great joy.
with Theseus, all in jollity.
ROBIN ROBIN
Fairy King, attend, and mark. I do hear the Fairy King, pay attention, and listen. I can
morning lark. hear the singing of the lark, which sings when
it is morning.
OBERON OBERON
Then, my queen, in silence sad [sober], Trip Then, my queen, let’s quietly and seriously
we after the night’s shade. We the globe can follow after the night, crossing the earth faster
compass [encompass] soon Swifter than the even than the moon.
wandering moon.
TITANIA TITANIA
Come, my lord, and in our flight Tell me how Come, my lord, and as we fly you can tell me
it came this night That I sleeping here was what happened in the night that resulted in me
found With these mortals on the ground. sleeping with these humans on the ground.

8
OBERON, TITANIA, and ROBIN exit. OBERON, TITANIA, and ROBIN exit.
A hunting horn blows. THESEUS enters with, EGEUS, A hunting horn blows. THESEUS enters with, EGEUS,
HIPPOLYTA, and his servants. HIPPOLYTA, and his servants.
THESEUS THESEUS
Go, one of you, find out the forester. For now Go, one of you, and find the forest ranger [a
our observation [ritual (to celebrate May person in charge of patrolling and maintaining
Day)] is performed. And since we have the an area of forest
vaward [the first part] of the day, My love and enforcing regulations]. Now that we've
shall hear the music of my hounds [The completed the May Day ceremonies, and
Elizabethans took care in matching the voices since we are still in the early part of the day,
of their hounds to sound in harmony my love will get to hear the musical barking
together]. Uncouple [unleash; hounds, of my dogs as we go hunting. Unleash the
fastened together in pairs, were trained to dogs in the western valley. Let them go. Now
keep silent when leashed] in the western go, I say, and find the forest ranger.
valley. Let them go. Dispatch [see that it is One of the servants exits.
done quickly], I say, and find the forester. My beautiful queen, we’ll go up the
One of the servants exits. mountaintop and listen to the musical chaos
We will [will go], fair queen, up to the of the dogs' barking and their echoes.
mountain’s top,
And mark the musical confusion
Of hounds and echo in conjunction [listen to
the mingled cry of hounds and echo together].
HIPPOLYTA HIPPOLYTA
I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, When I was with Hercules and Cadmus once,
in a wood of Crete they bayed the bear [drove when their Spartan hunting dogs surrounded a
the bear to a position where it was forced to bear. I’d never before heard barking that
turn and face the hounds] With hounds of courageous. Not just the forests, but also the
Sparta [Hippolyta boasts of a superior skies, the waterfalls, everything nearby
hunting expedition with mythical seemed to be part of the same communal
companions: Crete and Sparta were both cry. I’d never heard such wild music, such
famous for the hounds they bred, but Cadmus lovely thunder.
(the founder of Thebes) belonged to a much [These are two of ancient Greece's most
earlier time than Hercules.]. Never did I hear famous mythological heroes.]
Such gallant chiding [yelping]. For, besides
the groves, The skies, the fountains, every
region near Seemed all one mutual cry. I
never heard So musical a discord, such sweet
thunder.
THESEUS THESEUS
My hounds are bred out of the Spartan kind My dogs are bred from Spartan line. They
[breed], So flewed [with deep, hanging lips have the same fleshy folds around their jaws,

9
and cheeks], so sanded [with sand-colour the same sandy color, and on their heads they
markings], and their heads are hung With ears have the same ears that hang low enough to
that sweep away the morning dew, Crook- brush the morning dew from the grass. They
kneed, and dew-lapped [with folds of skin have crooked knees, and folds of skin hang
(dew-laps) under their chins] like Thessalian down under their necks, like bulls from the
[from Thessaly, a northern part of ancient region of Thessaly. Though they're not very
Greece] bulls, Slow in pursuit, but matched in fast when chasing prey, their barks sound like
mouth like bells, Each under each. A cry a set of bells—different notes, but all
[pack of hounds] more tunable Was never perfectly in tune. No one has ever blown a
halloo’d [the cry made by huntsmen in hunting horn in answer to a more melodic
response to the hounds] to, nor cheered pack of dogs—not in Crete, or Sparta, or
[encouraged] with horn, In Crete, in Sparta, Thessaly. Judge for yourself when you hear
nor in Thessaly. Judge when you hear. But, them. But wait! Who are these girls?
soft [wait a minute]! What nymphs [creatures
of the wood] are these?
EGEUS EGEUS
My lord, this is my daughter here asleep. And My lord, this is my daughter, asleep. And
this, Lysander. This Demetrius is. This that's Lysander. This one here is Demetrius.
Helena, old Nedar’s Helena. I wonder of their This is Helena—old Nedar’s daughter
being here together. Helena. I wonder why they’re all here
together.
THESEUS THESEUS
No doubt they rose up early to observe The Most likely they woke up early to celebrate
rite of May, and hearing our intent Came here May Day and, knowing we would be here,
in grace our solemnity. But speak, Egeus. Is they came to attend and honor our
not this the day That Hermia should give ceremony. But tell me, Egeus, isn’t today the
answer of her choice? day when Hermia has to tell us whether she's
chosen Demetrius, death, or to become a
virgin priestess?
EGEUS EGEUS
It is, my lord. It is, my lord.
THESEUS THESEUS
Go tell the hunters to wake them by blowing Go tell the hunters to wake them by blowing
their horns. their horns.
One of the servants exits. One of the servants exits.
Wind, horns, and shouts within. LYSANDER, Someone shouts offstage. Horns are blown.
DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA wake and start LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and HERMIA
up [all jump to their feet]. wake up.
THESEUS THESEUS
Good morrow, friends. Saint Valentine is Good morning, my friends. Valentine’s Day
past. Begin these woodbirds but to couple [to is over. Have you lovebirds only begun to

10
form pairs] now? [It was proverbially said that couple up now?
the birds chose their partners on Saint
Valentine’s Day (14th February).]
LYSANDER LYSANDER
Pardon, my lord. Forgive us, my lord.
LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and
HERMIA all kneel. HERMIA all kneel.
THESEUS THESEUS
I pray you all, stand up. Please, all of you stand up.
LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and
HERMIA all stand up. HERMIA all stand up.
[To LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS] [To LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS]
I know you two are rival enemies. How I know you two are bitter rivals. What has
comes this gentle concord in the world, That happened to make the world such a gentle
hatred is so far from jealousy [suspicion] To place that two people who hate each other
sleep by hate [by the side of one who hates somehow don't distrust each other, and in fact
you] and fear no enmity? are willing to sleep next to an enemy without
fear of being harmed?
LYSANDER LYSANDER
My lord, I shall reply amazedly [in My lord, I can only respond that I am also
confusion], Half sleep, half waking. But as baffled, and feel as if I am half asleep, half
yet, I swear, I cannot truly say how I came awake. I can't honestly say how I wound up
here. But as I think—for truly would I speak, here. But I think—and I want to speak
And now do I bethink me, so it is—I came honestly, and now that I think about it, I'm
with Hermia hither. Our intent Was to be sure it's true. I came here with Hermia. Our
gone from Athens, where we might, Without plan was to escape from Athens so that we
[out of reach of] the peril of the Athenian could, without the threat of Athenian law—
law—
EGEUS EGEUS
[To THESEUS] Enough, enough, my lord. [To THESEUS] Enough, enough, my lord.
You have enough! I beg the law, the law, You’ve heard enough: I ask that the law, the
upon his head. They would have stol'n away, law, be brought down upon his
they would, Demetrius, Thereby to have head. Demetrius, these two were going to run
defeated [deprived] you and me, You of your away in order to trick us, stealing your wife
wife and me of my consent, Of my consent from you and stealing from me of my ability
that she should be your wife. to order that she should be your wife.
DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
[To THESEUS] My lord, fair Helen told me [To THESEUS] My lord, the beautiful Helena
of their stealth [secret escape], Of this their told me they were going to sneak away to
purpose hither [intention to come here] to this escape into this forest. In a fury, I followed

11
wood. And I in fury hither followed them, them here, and the lovely Helena followed me
Fair Helena in fancy [in her love] following because of her love for me. Now, my good
me. But, my good lord, I wot [know] not by lord, I don't know what made this happen—
what power—But by some power it is—my but by some power it did happen—my love
love to Hermia, Melted as the snow, seems to for Hermia melted away like snow. That love
me now As the remembrance of an idle gaud seems to me now like a memory of some
[worthless plaything] Which in my childhood worthless trinket [a piece of jewellery or
I did dote upon. And all the faith, the virtue small object for decoration that is not worth
[power] of my heart, The object and the much money] I used to love when I was a
pleasure of mine eye, Is only Helena. To her, child. Now the only person to whom I want to
my lord, Was I betrothed [the person to be faithful, who owns my entire heart, who is
whom one is engaged] ere [before] I saw the greatest pleasure to my eye, is Helena. I
Hermia. But like in sickness [as though I were was engaged to her before I ever met
sick] did I loathe this food. But as in health, Hermia. But then, like a sick man who can't
come [returned] to my natural taste, Now I do stand the food that sustains him, I hated her
wish it, love it, long for it, And will for for a time. But now, healthy once again, my
evermore be true to it. normal taste has returned. Now I want
Helena. I love her, and long for her, and will
always be true to her.
THESEUS THESEUS
Fair lovers, you are fortunately met. Of this Beautiful lovers, it's lucky that you've met me
discourse we more will hear anon [presently]. here. You'll tell me more about all of this
Egeus, I will overbear [overrule] your will. later. Egeus, I’m overruling your
For in the temple by and by with us These commands. Later on in the temple these
couples shall eternally be knit. And, for the couples will be married alongside Hippolyta
morning now is something worn [almost and me. And now, because the morning is
gone], Our purposed [intended] hunting shall nearly over, we'll set aside our planned
be set aside. Away with us to Athens. Three hunting. Come with us to Athens. Three men
and three, We’ll hold a feast in great and three women, we'll throw a feast and
solemnity [celebration]. Come, Hippolyta. celebration. Come along, Hippolyta.
THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and the THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, EGEUS, and their
servants and followers exit. servants and followers exit.
DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
These things seem small and Everything that happened seems distant and
undistinguishable, Like far-off mountains difficult to figure out, like mountains that
turnèd into clouds. look like clouds from far away.
HERMIA HERMIA
Methinks I see these things with parted eye It seems to me that my eyes are out of focus,
[double vision (where the eyes do not focus and everything looks double.
together)], When everything seems double. [After morning has arrived and the fairy

12
 charms have worn off, Hermia still feels the
residue of the night’s confusion. She likens
this feeling to the experience of seeing
double. With these words Hermia references
the prominent theme of doubling threaded
throughout the play, embodied by the
doubling of the human and fairy realms as
well as the double pair of lovers.]
HELENA HELENA
So methinks. And I have found Demetrius Me too. It's like I came upon Demetrius like a
like a jewel, Mine own, and not mine own. jewel I found by accident, so that while he is
in my possession, he might really belong to
someone else.
[Helena even says, “And I have found
Demetrius like a jewel,/mine own, and not
mine own” (4.1.176-177). She is making an
analogy saying that Demetrius is like a
diamond that she found. She possesses it
because she found it, but someone can easily
come and take the diamond away and claim it
as their own instead.]
DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Are you sure That we are awake? It seems to Are you sure that we’re awake? It seems to
me That yet we sleep, we dream. Do not you me like we are sleeping, and dreaming. Do
think The duke was here, and bid us follow you think the duke was really just here, and
him? told us to follow him?
HERMIA HERMIA
Yea, and my father. Yes I do, and my father was here too.
HELENA HELENA
And Hippolyta. And Hippolyta.
LYSANDER LYSANDER
And he did bid us follow to the temple. And he told us to follow him to the temple.
DEMETRIUS DEMETRIUS
Why then, we are awake. Let’s follow him Well, then, we’re awake. Let’s follow him.
And by the way let us recount our dreams. And as we go, why don't we tell each other
our dreams?
LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HELENA, and
HERMIA exit. HERMIA exit.
BOTTOM BOTTOM
[Waking] [Waking up]

13
When my cue [Bottom thinks he is still at the When it's my cue, call me—and I'll say my
rehearsal] comes, call me, and I will answer. line. My next cue is "Most handsome
My next [i.e. next cue] is "Most fair Pyramus." Hey there! Peter Quince? Flute the
Pyramus." Heigh-ho [Bottom yawns-with a bellows-repairman? Snout the repairman?
last vestige of the ass’s ‘Hee-haw’]! Peter Starveling? My God, they went away from
Quince? Flute the bellows-mender? Snout the here, and left me asleep? I have had the
tinker? Starveling? God's my life, stol'n strangest dream. I have had a dream so
hence, and left me asleep? I have had a most strange that it's beyond explanation. A man
rare vision. I have had a dream—past the wit would be a fool if he tried to explain this
of man to say what dream it was. Man is but dream. I thought I was—well, nobody could
an ass if he go about [try] to expound describe what I was. I thought I was, and I
[explain] this dream. Methought I was—there thought I had—but a man would have to be a
is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and true fool to try and say what I thought I
methought I had—but man is but a patched had. My dream was so odd that no man's eyes
fool [Professional jesters wore multi-coloured have heard, or his ears have seen, or his hands
garments, giving the effect of patch work] if have tasted, or his tongue felt, or his heart
he will offer to say what methought I had. The described what it was like. I will get Peter
eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man Quince to write a ballad about this dream. It
hath not seen, man's hand is notable to taste, will be called "Bottom's Dream" because it's
his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report so complex that it has no bottom. And I'll sing
what my dream was. [Bottom has vague (but it for the duke at the end of the play. Or,
appropriate) recollections of a Bibilical text: better yet, to make it more pleasing, I'll sing it
‘Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard…the things when Thisbe dies.
which God hath prepared for them that love BOTTOM exits.
him’] I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad
[Ballads, sung to existing tunes, were the
sixteenth century equivalents of modern
newspapers] of this dream. It shall be called
"Bottom's Dream" because it hath no bottom
[a) is without foundation in reality; b) is
unfathomably profound]. And I will sing it in
the latter end of a play before the duke.
Peradventure [perhaps], to make it more
gracious [pleasing], I shall sing it at her
[Thisbe’s] death.

BOTTOM exits.

14