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A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Major Characters, Themes,

Symbols, and Setting

“The Course of true love never did run smooth.” (Act 1, Scene 1)

Theseus: The Duke of Athens

• Preparing to marry the Amazonian Queen Hippolyta

• He fell in love with Hippolyta when he conquered the Amazons

• He is a just, yet stern, ruler

Hippolyta: Former Queen of the Amazons

• Engaged to marry Theseus

• Something Cool! In DC Comics, she is the mother of Wonder Woman!

Hermia: Beautiful young maid of Athens

• In love with Lysander

• Willing to disobey her father to marry him

Egeus: Hermia’s father

• Demands that Hermia marry Demetrius

Lysander: Athenian youth in love with Hermia

• Persuades Hermia to elope with him against her father’s wishes

Demetrius: Athenian; also loves Hermia

• Was engaged to Helena before he met Hermia

Helena: Athenian maiden, loves Demetrius

• Friends with Hermia

Nick Bottom: the weaver

• One of the laborers

• Temporarily sports the head of a donkey

Titania: Queen of the Fairies

• Married to Oberon (King of the Fairies)

• Spirited and strong

Oberon: King of the Fairies

• Married to Titania (Queen of the Fairies)

Puck (Robin

Goodfellow):

Mischievous fairy

• Oberon’s Jester

Major Theme

• Love—how it makes you CRAZY!• Hippolyta is marrying Theseus, who took her prisoner during their battles

• Hermia will defy her father and the law to marry Lysander

• Titania loves Bottom who has the head of a donkey

Setting

• Ancient Athens

• The forest outside of Athens

Wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta

Star-crossed young lovers in the woods

Athenian workers planning a play

Quarrel between Oberon and Titania (Fairy Queen and King)

4 Different

Plots

Before we begin Act II…In your notebooks…1. Make a prediction about what will happen to the four young lovers: Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius.

-Who will end up together?

-Will Lysander and Hermia run away?

2. What options would your parents give you if you were going to marry someone they disapproved of? How would you handle this situation?

Prose, Rhymed Verse, Blank Verse

• Shakespeare used three forms of language in his plays:

1.prose

2.rhymed verse

3.blank verse

Prose

• Ordinary speech with no regular pattern of accentual rhythm