A Midsummer Night Dream
by
William Shakespeare

Background of the play & playwright , setting , plot and summary

Subject: Literature-in-English

Theme: Literature in English

Topic: A Midsummer Night Dream by William Shakespeare

Sub Topic: Plot Narration and Event in the novel

Date: dd/mm/yyyy

Class: S.S 2

Average Age: 15 years and above

Duration: 35 Minutes

No of Learners: 40

At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. narrate the BACKGROUND OF THE playwright.

William Shakespeare was born 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616, was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays,[e] 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.

Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.

Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy in his lifetime. However, in 1623, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, John Heminges and Henry Condell, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that included all but two of his plays.[13] Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

2. narrate the BACKGROUND OF THE PLAY.

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream", comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, written about 1595–96 and published in 1600 in a quarto edition from the author’s manuscript, in which there are some minor inconsistencies. The version published in the First Folio of 1623 was taken from a second quarto edition, with some reference to a promptbook. One of the “great” or “middle” comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with its multilayered examination of love and its vagaries, has long been one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays.

3. State the SETTINGS of the Play

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular and is widely performed.

4. List and explain the Characters in the play.

Main characters: Hermia, Lysander, Helena, Demetrius, Puck
Other characters: Theseus, Oberon, Titania, Bottom

Theseus — Duke of Athens
Hippolyta — Queen of the Amazons
Egeus — father of Hermia
Hermia — daughter of Egeus, in love with Lysander
Lysander — in love with Hermia
Demetrius — suitor to Hermia
Helena — in love with Demetrius
Philostrate — Master of the Revels
Peter Quince — a carpenter
Nick Bottom — a weaver
Francis Flute — a bellows-mender
Tom Snout — a tinker
Snug — a joiner
Robin Starveling — a tailor
Oberon — King of the Fairies
Titania — Queen of the Fairies
Robin "Puck" Goodfellow — a mischievous sprite with magical powers
Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth and Mustardseed — fairy servants to Titania
Indian changeling — a ward of Titania

Hermia

Hermia is a young woman from Athens
She is the daughter of a nobleman named Egeus
Hermia is in love with Lysander and refuses to marry her father’s choice, Demetrius
She is old friends with Helena:
She confides in Helena when she and Lysander decide to elope
She is defiant and rebellious:
She resists her father’s wishes for her to marry Demetrius because she does not love him
From the beginning of the play, the audience sees Hermia’s strong will and independence as she is determined to marry Lysander, despite the consequences:
She agrees to run away with Lysander to be with him
She openly speaks up in front of the Duke, declaring her love for Lysander
She threatens Helena and accuses her of stealing him
She is self-conscious about her short height and displays some vulnerability when Lysander rejects her for Helena
Hermia’s resilience is evident as she faces various challenges including the effects of magical spells and related misunderstandings:
Throughout all of this, her determination to be with Lysander persists, showing her unwavering love and commitment
She is a symbol of romantic rebellion, challenging social expectations and authority in the play

Lysander

Lysander is one of the four central romantic characters in the play:
He is in love with Hermia and plays a key role in the romantic conflict involving Hermia, Helena and Demetrius
Lysander goes against the wishes of Hermia’s father, Egeus, by pursuing a relationship with her when her father wants her to marry Demetrius
He is determined to marry Hermia and is willing to face the consequences of disobeying the law
Lysander is portrayed as a charming and persuasive lover, using his speeches to win Hermia’s affection:
He represents the chivalric, heroic suitor whose intentions are honourable and motivated by true love
Like other characters in the play, Lysander falls victim to Oberon and Puck’s magical interference:
He is accidentally enchanted and made to fall in love with Helena
By the end of the play, the magical effects are reversed and Lysander is once again in love with Hermia
Lysander’s persistence in pursuing Hermia against objections and barriers symbolises the theme of enduring love in the play

Helena

Helena, another of the four Athenian lovers, is a friend of Hermia’s and is in love with Demetrius:
It is implied that Helena and Demetrius were once involved but Demetrius abandoned Helena in favour of Hermia
Demetrius does not return her love and this becomes the focus of Helena’s story as she attempts to win his love
Helena is characterised by a deep sense of insecurity and low self-esteem:
She believes herself to be unattractive and struggles with feelings of inadequacy, especially in comparison to Hermia
Despite Demetrius’s rejection, Helena remains persistent in her pursuit of him:
She follows him into the woods, even when it is clear that he does not love her
Helen is willing to sacrifice her dignity and pride to win Demetrius’s love:
She betrays her friend, Hermia, by revealing their plan to elope in the hope that Demetrius will be grateful and return her love
Helena is also a victim of Oberon and Puck’s magical interference, which leads her to believe that Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius are mocking her:
This adds a layer of sympathy to her character.
By the end of the play, Demetrius returns Helena’s love and she achieves a resolution

Demetrius

Demetrius, a youthful suitor from Athens, seeks the hand of Hermia, with the support of her father, Egeus:
However, Hermia is not in love with him
He is shown to be fickle as he was previously linked romantically with Helena before he agreed to marry Hermia:
Arguably, Demetrius is the opposite of Lysander as his love interests shift and he is not motivated by true love but driven by the laws of the land
Demetrius rejects Helena, who is deeply in love with him:
Despite her persistence in pursuing him, he remains uninterested and is often cruel towards her
Demetrius also becomes a victim of magical manipulation by Oberon and Puck:
Oberon orders Puck to use a love potion, causing him to fall in love with Helena
Demetrius, under the spell, becomes a symbol of the irrational and unpredictable nature of love in the play
When Demetrius falls in love with Helena, she does not believe him, which adds to the comedy
By the end of the play, Demetrius and Helena become a couple

Puck

Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a mischievous and playful fairy who serves Oberon, the fairy king:
His antics contribute to the comedic and magical elements of the play
He carries out Oberon’s commands, including the application of the love potion to various characters:
His actions serve as a catalyst for the romantic chaos that ensues in the forest
Puck uses magic to manipulate the romantic relationships of the mortal characters, leading to humorous misunderstandings:
He mistakenly uses the love potion on Lysander rather than Demetrius, which results in confusion and chaos in the forest
His actions and mistakes drive the plot forward, creating the tangled web of love and confusion that defines the play:
He deliberately turns Bottom’s head into the head of a donkey
He accidentally applies the love potion on the wrong man initially
Puck’s magical spirit and mischievous nature contribute to the enchanted atmosphere of the play:
He is fun-loving but also capable of being cruel, which is evident when he transforms Bottom’s head
At the end of the play, Puck expresses remorse for his mistakes

Theseus

Theseus is the Duke of Athens, a figure of authority and leadership in the play:
He represents law and order in Athenian society
He initially upholds Egeus’s right to choose a husband for Hermia
He is engaged to Hippolyta and plans to marry her in four days
He is present at the start and at the end of the play:
He has no involvement in anything that happens in the forest
While he initially supports Egeus’s demands for Hermia to marry Demetrius, he later shows compassion and allows the lovers according to their own choices:
Theseus demonstrates wisdom and reason in his decisions

Oberon

Oberon is the king of the fairies
He is the mastermind behind the magical interventions that create chaos and confusion among the mortal characters in the play:
He uses Puck to apply a love potion on Demetrius and also Titania
His relationship with Titania, the Queen of the fairies, is marked by conflict and jealousy over the possession of a young boy:
This conflict begins the chaos and confusion in the rest of the play
Oberon plays a role in resolving conflict by ensuring that the lovers end up with their desired partners

Titania

Titania is Queen of the Fairies
She argues with Oberon, the King of the Fairies, over the possession of a young boy, which leads to tension and discord in the fairy world
Titania displays a protective and maternal side in her concern for the wellbeing of the young boy and her interactions with her attendants
She falls victim to Oberon’s magic when he uses a love potion that makes her fall in love with Bottom
Titania’s reconciliation with Oberon and the resolution of their conflict contributes to the overall harmony at the end of the play
She represents feminine power and strength, challenging traditional gender roles and emphasising the importance of balance between male and female characters

Bottom

Bottom is introduced as a weaver and a member of an amateur acting group who are preparing to perform a play at the Duke’s wedding
He is overconfident and boastful about his acting abilities, considering himself capable of performing every role; he provides comic relief in the play
Bottom is the victim of Puck’s mischief, resulting in his head being transformed into a donkey’s:
His transformation symbolises his absurdity and comic foolishness
His interactions with Titania, who falls in love with him due to magical interference, also contribute to the play’s comedy

4. Write Summary/Synopsis of Analysis of Act I.

Theseus and Hippolyta discuss their wedding.
Egeus visits the duke court with his daughter and two young men.
Lysander and Hermia plans to elope the next night.
Demeritrius and Helena followed the afterwards into the wood.
Quince and his five friends practice the play (the story of pyramus and This by).
The group meets at the forest.

i. Act I, Scene 1:

Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is getting married in four days. However, during the preparations for the wedding, a man called Egeus appears, bringing with him his daughter Hermia and two men, Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus wishes Hermia to marry Demetrius; however, she is in love with Lysander and refuses. Egeus wants the Duke to sort it all out. Egeus wants to evoke an ancient law which allows a father to either kill his daughter or put her in a nunnery for life for disobedience. The Duke upholds Egeus’ wishes, despite the fact that he thinks Lysander is a fine young man, and tells Hermia that she must marry Demetrius. Once again, she refuses and so the Duke advises her to think carefully about her options. He gives her until the day of his marriage to make a decision. Lysander and Hermia decide to run away from Athens that night and marry in secret. Hermia confides her plan to her friend Helena. However, Helena is deeply in love with Demetrius, despite the fact that he is not interested in her. They did have a relationship, but Demetrius is now in love with Hermia. To try to curry favour with him, she waits until Lysander and Hermia have run off and then tells Demetrius their plan.

i. Act I, Scene 2:

A group of tradesmen, Quince, Snug, Bottom, Snout and Starveling, meet at Quince’s house to organise the details of the play - ‘The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe’ - that they want to perform at the Duke’s wedding. The men decide who is going to play each character in the performance and agree to meet in the forest the next night to rehearse.

5. Write Summary/Synopsis of Analysis of Act II.

Act II of the Midsummer Night’s Dream primarily focuses on world of the fairies and the magical events in the forest outside near Athens.

i. Oberon’s Plan:

Oberon, the fairy king, and Puck, his mischievous servant, discussed the love triangle involving Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Dementrius. Oberon instructed Puck to fetch a special flower, which possessed the power to make someone fall in love with the first living creature they aid eyes upon after the potion was applied. Oberon’s intention had been to make Dementrius fall in love with Helena using this flower.

ii. Titania’s Affliction:

Meanwhile, Oberon and Titani had been embroiled in a dispute over a changeling boy. To divert Titaniais attention, Oberon had ordered Puck to use the same flower’s juice on her eyes. This has resulted in Titania falling deeply in love with something utterly absurd. As a consequence, Titania had fallen in love with Bottom, a member of a group of amateur actors.

Titania tells her fairies to sing her to sleep.
Lysander and Hermia sleep and puck mistakenly puts the juice on Lysander.
Helena finds Lysander and he falls in love with her.

iii. Puck’s Mistake:

In the darkened forest, Puck had accidentally applied the love portion to Lysander’s eyes instead of Dementrius’s. Consequently, when Lysander had awakened and see Helena, he had fallen in love with her, leaving Hermia heartbroken and bewildered.

iv. Comic Confusion:

This mix-up had led to comedic misunderstandings and quarrels among Hermia, Lysander, and Helena. Helena had been utterly baffled by Lysander’s sudden affections, believing it to be a cruel jest.

v. Bottom and the Actors:

Simultaneously, a group of amateur actors, including the not-so-smart Bottom, had come into the forest to practice a play they wanted to perform at the Dule’s wedding.

vi. Fairy Magic:

Oberon had intervened once more, employing his magic to notify Puck’s mistake. He had made Dementrius fall in love with Helena, just as he had originally intended.

6. Write Summary/Synopsis of Analysis of Act III.

Act III was a big moment in the play because it was when the magic flower created a lot of confusion, funny situations, and chaos among the characters.

i. The Lover’s confusion continues:

Act III pick up with the four young lovers, Hermia, Lusander, Helena, and Dementrius, still lost in the enchanted forest. Their romantic entanglement remain unresolved. Puck, Oberon’s mischievous fairy, continued to manipulate their affections using the love portions.

ii. Fairy royal dispute:

Meanwhile, Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, engaged in a dispute over a changeling boy. to settle this disagreement, Oberon instructed Puck to use the love portion on Titania, hoping to distract her and make her more amenable to his wishes.

iii. Amateur actor’s rehearsal:

In a comic subplot, a group of amateur actors, led by the boatsful Bottom, rehearsed a play they planned to perform at the Duke’s wedding. The actor’s interactions and humorous misunderstandings provided comic relief and entertainment.

iv. Magical mix-ups abound:

Throughout Act III, Puck’s magical intentions with the love portion created chaos and comedy. The lovers’ emotions and desires were whimsically altered as they chased and rejected one another in the forest, all while under Puck’s magical influence.

v. Bottom’s transformation:

Puck, Oberon’s mischievous servant, used magic to transform Buttom, a member of the amateur acting troupe, into a man with the head of a donkey. This transformation became a central element of the comedic subplot when Titania, under the influence of the love portion, fell in love with the donkey-headed man Buttom.

7. Write Summary/Synopsis of Analysis of Act IV and Act V.

After an afternoon of being pampered by Titania's fairies, Bottom falls asleep beside her. Oberon restores Titania's sight and wakes her (thank goodness). After expressing her dismay at the sight of Bottom, she reconciles with Oberon, and she ends up giving him the little Indian prince for his page. Bottom's ass head is removed, and he returns to the city to rejoin his friends as they prepare to perform their play. The lovers are woken by Theseus and Hippolyta's hunting party. Lysander sees Hermia and falls in love with her once again.

i. scene 1

Bottom orders the fairies around and sleeps in Titania's arm. Oberon releases Titania of the spell and they reconciled. Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus found the four young people in the wood. Bottom wakes and then sings a song about his dream.

i. scene 2

The five artisans worried about Bottom. Bottom shows up and urged them to get ready.

Act V: Happily reunited (Lysander with Hermia and Demetrius with Helena)

Happily reunited (Lysander with Hermia and Demetrius with Helena), they agree to share the Duke's wedding day. The play of 'Pyramus and Thisbe' is presented before the wedding guests. As the three couples retire to bed, Puck and the fairies return to bless the palace and its people.
Lord, what fools these mortals be!

8. Explain the Themes in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

key themes that could be explored in A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Love, Dreams, Order and disorder.

(a) Love:

is one of the main themes in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the playwright explores it through a range of characters. As the play is a Shakespearean comedy, love is presented as whimsical and humorous rather than serious and passionate.

i. The playwright explores the multifaceted nature of love: Different characters experience love in various forms, such as romantic, unrequited and enchanted.

ii. The play features different characters with different experiences of love:
● Hermia and Lysander represent true love.
● Helena experiences the pain of unrequited love.
● Oberon and Titania’s love is jealous and unstable.
● Several characters experience false love or a fleeting infatuation as a result of Oberon’s magical intervention.

iii. Love is influenced by magic in the form of Oberon’s love potion: The potion causes humorous and chaotic situations, highlighting the unpredictable nature of love.

iv. The play also challenges traditional norms of love and marriage: Hermia and Lysander reject parental expectations to pursue their love.

v. The play features multiple layers of love stories, creating parallel narratives: The intertwining plots emphasise the impact of love on different characters.

vi. The characters experience sudden shifts in their feelings, which emphasise the fickleness of love: Demetrius, for example, shifts from pursuing Hermia to falling in love with Helena.

vii. Ultimately, the play resolves its central conflicts through the power of love: The chaotic events have been fixed and the characters find happiness through love and marriage.

viii. The plawright uses the fairy world and Puck’s mischief to portray love as unpredictable and chaotic: The misapplied love potion creates confusion and highlights the irrational nature of love.

ix. The playwright infuses the theme of love with humour: The comedic elements arise from the romantic conflicts and dialogue between the characters.

x. The playwright presents contrasting love stories to explore different layers of love: He uses mismatched couples, fairy royalty and the Athenian court to showcase a variety of diverse relationships and their challenges.

xi. The magical interference of the fairy world emphasises the transformative, otherworldly aspects of love: Oberon and Puck’s actions create an enchanted atmosphere that underscores the magic nature of love and romantic relationships.

xii. The playwright also makes fun of societal expectations regarding love and marriage: The play challenges conventional ideas about arranged marriages and the influence of social status on romantic relationships.

xiii. The playwright uses poetic and romantic language to convey the emotional depth of love: The characters’ speeches and dialogue are rich in metaphor and imagery, enhancing the presentation of love in the play.

(b) Dreams:

Dreams are a key theme in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the idea of dreams is prevalent throughout the whole play, with many characters referencing dreams throughout the different acts.

i. The very title of the play suggests a dreamlike quality associated with the events that unfold: The setting is midsummer, a time associated with magic and fairies, which contributes to the dream-like atmosphere.

ii. The fairy world that Oberon, Titania and Puck live in adds a fantastical and dreamlike dimension to the play: The interactions in the fairy realm are marked by magical elements, which enhances the dreamlike quality.

iii. Puck’s actions, such as applying the potion to the wrong character and transforming Bottom’s head, contribute to the fantasy of the play.

iv. The intertwining love stories are often described using dream imagery: Characters reference dreams to explain the whimsical and irrational nature of love, highlighting the link between romantic emotions and the surreal quality of dreams.

v. Characters often use dreams as a form of escapism from their reality: For example, Hermia dreams of a serpent eating her heart, reflecting her fear of Lysander leaving her.

vi. The playwright uses dreamlike imagery and poetic language throughout the play: The use of metaphors, similes and vivid descriptions contributes to the dreamy atmosphere and enhances the overall sense of fantasy.

vii. The play concludes with a reference to waking from a dream: Puck’s closing lines acknowledge the dreamlike quality of the events and suggest that the audience should consider the play as a fleeting, fantastical experience.

viii. The play combines elements of reality and fantasy, creating a sense of magical realism: The coexistence of the ordinary world and the enchanted forest blurs the boundaries between dreams and reality.

ix. may have been trying to highlight the dreamlike quality of being in love, and the irrational behaviour of those who are in love is evident through the characters.

(c) Order and disorder:

The playwright explores the theme of order and disorder in the play through various dramatic elements, characters and the interplay between the human and fairy worlds. Order and disorder can also be linked to the rational and irrational and the need for balance.

i. The play begins in the ordered, civilised, structured city of Athens:
The city is a reflection of societal norms and expectations, where people must follow the rules imposed upon them.
The city contrasts the disorderly and magical forest.

ii. The fairy world, ruled by Oberon and Titania, introduces an element of disorder and unpredictability:
Puck’s involvement and the use of the love potion disrupt the natural order of events, leading to chaotic consequences.
Puck’s actions, such as transforming Bottom’s head, also contribute to the disorder and confusion.

iii. The play within the play, performed by the Mechanicals, is also marked by disorder and incompetence.

iv. The conflict between Oberon and Titania over the small child disrupts the natural order in the fairy realm: The power struggle between the fairy king and queen introduces disorder and conflict into their once harmonious relationship.

v. The use of magic disrupts the rational and logical order of human emotions:
Love becomes unpredictable and irrational.
The potion creates a reversal of love and hate as Lysander’s affections move from Hermia to Helena.

vi. The resolution of the play involves the restoration of order: The marriages of the four lovers and the reconciliation of Oberon and Titania signify a return to a harmonious state after the disorder and confusion.

vii. The play concludes with references to the morning and waking from a dream: This symbolises the return to reality and the restoration of order after the events of the night.

viii. The play explores the disruptive nature of love, as the romantic incidents challenge societal expectations and disrupt established norms: The love triangles and misdirected affections create disorder among the characters.

ix. The playwright may have used the contrasting settings to highlight the unpredictability of love and how it cannot be made to conform to societal expectations: While the scenes in the forest are filled with confusion and disorder, it is ultimately a transformative setting, helping the characters to reach a happy resolution.

Explain the Methods and Techniques use by the playwright

the methods and techniques used in A Midsummer Night’s Dream are: Form and structure, Motifs and symbolism.

Form and structure

The form and structure of A Midsummer Night’s Dream demonstrate William Shakespeare’s mastery in crafting a multi-layered narrative. The play is a classic example of a Shakespearean comedy as it includes mishaps and confusion but, ultimately, has a romantic resolution.

● The play consists of three interconnected plots:
The romantic escapades of the young Athenians, the fairy world of Oberon and Titania and the amateur actors preparing and performing their play
These plots run concurrently, influencing one another, which adds depth to the narrative by exploring different facets of love and fantasy
● The play exhibits a symmetrical design with the events in Athens mirrored by those in the forest:
The romantic conflicts and resolutions in both settings echo each other
This symmetry emphasises the magical and transformative nature of the forest, where the characters’ normal boundaries are disrupted
● Shakespeare uses verse and prose to reveal the status and relationships of his characters in their speeches:
He uses rhymed verse for the Athenian lovers when they are speaking of their love
He uses blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter for noble characters, such as the Duke
He uses prose for lower status characters such as Bottom and the Mechanicals
It is worth noting that, when performing their play, the Mechanicals try to speak in rhymed verse to portray an elevated status but they do not succeed, adding to the comedic effect
This stylistic choice helps differentiate between the social classes
● The play has an episodic structure with distinct scenes, each contributing to the overall narrative but also capable of standing alone:
This episodic structure allows for the exploration of various comedic situations
● The play incorporates a play within a play framework:
The performance of the play by the Mechanicals, who are amateur actors, is a play embedded within a larger narrative
This structure serves both as a comedic interlude and a reflection on the themes of love and imagination

Motifs and symbolism

A motif is a recurring or repeated pattern that is a common literary device that helps establish a theme or mood, while a symbol might occur once to convey an idea or an emotion. Shakespeare uses a range of motifs and symbols in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

● A Midsummer Night’s Dream is built upon the idea of contrast and it is a central motif:
Nearly every character in the play has an opposite, creating a pattern of doubles
For example, Lysander is a chivalrous gentleman whereas Demetrius is cruel and unkind to Helena
● The three main groups of characters, drawn from various sources like Greek mythology and folklore, are intended to contrast:
For example, the fairies are graceful while the craftsmen are clumsy
● The motif of love as a transformative force also runs throughout the play:
Characters undergo changes in their emotions and relationships under the influence of love
● The interplay between dreams and reality is also a recurring motif:
Characters experience dreams and visions, and the boundaries between the dream world and reality blur
This is especially evident during the magical night in the forest
● The motif of nature is intertwined with the play’s themes, especially in the forest setting:
The forest becomes a world where the characters confront their true selves
This motif emphasises the connection between human emotions and nature
Animals such as “wolf” or “wild beasts” are often referred to, symbolising untamed or wild feelings
● The moon is a recurring motif, representing magic, love and mystery:
References to the moon’s influence on love, such as Oberon’s spell being cast at night, contribute to the play’s enchanting atmosphere
Nighttime settings enhance the dreamlike quality of the play
The play begins and ends with a reference to the moon, which emphasises the cyclical and timeless nature of love and the magical elements in the story
● Flowers are a recurring motif that symbolise love and enchantment:
The magical flower’s juice, the use of flowers in the spell and the weaving of flowers into Bottom’s hair are symbolic of love’s influence

Rationale:

Prerequisite/ Previous knowledge:

Storyings, songs, history etc.

Learning Resources:

Flash cards, an audio video youtube examples, Available useful objects.

Reference Materials:

1. Exam focus on Literature in English by J.O.J Nwachukwu et’al.
2. Standard literature in English vol.4 by Tony Duru
3. A Midsummer Night Dream by William Shakespeare<

Lesson Development:

STAGE	TEACHER'S ACTIVITY	LEARNER'S ACTIVITY	LEARNING POINTS
STEP 1: PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE full class session (3 mins)	The teacher Introduces the lesson by asking questions based on previous knowledge from the novel, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronté 1. What is the Background of the Author? 2. What is the Plot summary of the novel? 3. Explain any three language and style use in the novel.	The students respond to the questions based on previous knowledge. 1. The author Emily Jane Blonte was born in 1818 in England she was the daughter of the curate of Haworth in west Yorkshire. Emily was the third eldest child of her father. She was in English novelist and poet who was best know for her English novel ‘’wuthering Heights’’ At the age of seventeen, Emily began her education at Roe Head Girls school but later left the school due to homesickness. Her sudden development of sickness resulting from tuber colossi cost her life in 1848. 2. Students give Summary/Synopsis of the novel "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronté. The book starts with lock woods story about the first time he goes to wuthering Heights, the Earn show’s house and sees Heath Cliff. He is renting Thrush cross Grange, The Linton’s old house now in Health Cliff possession, from Health Cliff. He gets sick from travelling there and when he returns, to his place he has to be taken care of Nellie is working at that house at this time and so she tell him. Mr and Mrs Earn show were these nice people with two kids Catherine 1 and Hindley, living at Wuthering Heights. It was a nice happily home and every thing was hunky lorry. Nellie knows all this because she grow –up there too. Mr Earn show goes to the moors in England. He come home with health Cliff who he saw just wandering the streets alone (although to could be possible Health Cliff was Mr Earn shows son with a mistress and he lies so he doesn’t get in trouble. They adopt Heath Cliff, Heath Cliff and Catherine 1 are like the same age so they play together all the time and are best friends. Hindley is always means to Heath Cliff. Like throwing rock at him and stuff. Heath Cliff swears he will get him back someday. Mr and Mrs Earn show die and Hindley is left to care for Catherine 1 and Heath Cliff He is all bummed out because his wife just died and he is stuck raising his own kid plus Catherine and Heath Cliff. He basically hands over his son, Hare ton, to Nellie. He starts drinking a lot. Heath cliff takes off for a while and makes some money doing something in the city (it is mostly likely through criminal actively or shady dealing Heath Cliff makes his money) Heath Cliff come back from the city with some money and starts in on his mission to make Hindley Miserable. Catherine 2 is all bummed out that Linton had to leave and sneaks to see him and send letter and stuff. He did finds out and is really pissed because he does’ want her to have anything to do with Heath Cliff or his house hold. topic mean while Isabella leaves Heath Cliff because he is so mean to her and she is afraid of him. While she is gone, she is gone she give birth to Linton their son. Labella eventually dies and send Linton to live with her brother Edgar and his daughter Catherine 2. He does not stay there long because Heath Cliff demands that Linton be move into his house. This is not because Heath Cliff loves his son, it is because he has the major power issues and just want what belong to him in his passion. Loneliness and Isolation: Blonte uses presents character who value loneliness and isolation as the only panacea to their psychic wounds (heart breaks) most of the character like heath cliff becomes a loner and monster because of his yearning and moving for Catherine’s death. Again, Mr Lockwood desire to rent Thus cross Grange just to cool his emotional anguish in solitary Zone. The destructiveness and Gevity of love: love and its destructive tendency is one of the fundamental and universal ideas explored in the novel. Evidently, Catherine and Heath cliffs passion for each other is the centrepiece of wuthering Heights, As romantic heroes their love transcends social norms and conventional morality, it is recorded in the novel that their love is strangely a sexual and goes beyond the convention of love among fornicator and adulterers conversely the destructive nature of their love is the rational behind Heath Cliffs endless moving of Catherine death Hindley for losing his lover is turned to cruelty drunkenness and depression till he die. below social and class distinction. The novel is an X-ray of social class identity and status as reflected in most character through their education, exposure and wealth. For example Catherine to maintain her quest for social recognition and relevance pretentiously marries Edger while her love is only built around Heath cliff. Again, these characters are socially structured to show their societal values and position in the fiction. Joseph Ellen, Zilla, Heath cliff e.t.c are portrayed as servants while Mr Lockwood Isabella, Hindley, Edgar etc with their household define a set of people from exalted social background. The Prevalence Of Disease Sickness And Death: The tragic intensity of the novel is heightened by the prevalence of disease and sickness which has resulted in serial premature deaths, for instance Mr and Mrs Earshot die out of fever infection of Catherine. Hindley wife die in a short time after delivering Hare ton. Isabella becomes sick and dies premature living her only son Linton. Catherine, after suffering from brain fever dies leaving alone Cathy among others. Heath cliff: He is an orphan whom Mr Earn show adopted and brought to live in wuthering Heights. He fail into a deep and unbreakable love with Earn shows daughter, Catherine. He become a vocation of hate after the death of Earn show. His resentful son, Hindley not only abuses him but treats him like a servant. His humiliation and misery cause him to spend most of his life trying to carry out a revenge against Hindley. Catherine Earnshaw: she is the daughter of Mr Earn show. She falls in love with the adopted son of her father, Heath cliff. Catherine’s desire for social relevance is the reason behind her marriage with Edgar Linton instead of Heath cliff. Their intense love for each other is much expressed in Catherine’s confession and claims that she is the same with Heath cliff. Their intense love for each other is much expressed in Catherine confession and claims that she is the same with Heath cliff (3) a. symbolism: the novel makes use of symbolism in many ways and instances. There is symbolism in the setting of the story in the climatic condition depicted in the character represented and in Sunday objective seen in the novel. The story setting is the country side where moors dominate the landscape. The moors where Catherine and Heath cliff love to play as an uncultivated upland represents the barrenness of their relationship. b. Narrative Technique: the novel make use of multiple narration. The main narrative are Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Nelly Dean the former being the primary narrator while the latter is the secondary narrative. Mr. Lockwood being and close the narrative, but Mrs. Nelly Dean narratives the better part of the story c. Use of contrast: Beginning with the two families and houses contrast saturates the novel. In term of characterization there is contrast between Heath cliff and Edgar, between Catherine and Isabella between Linton and Hare ton.	Reversing previous lesson

STEP 2: INTRODUCTION full class session (3 mins) Identification of prior ideas.	The teacher review/introduce what they are going to study today; Synopsis and plot overview in the play: “A Midsummer Night's Dream Summary” by William Shakespeare Thereafter, the teacher asks student to state the setting of the play to arouse their interests and refresh their memories.	The students listen attentively to the teacher. Thereafter, Students mention that the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular and is widely performed.	Introducing the topic for discussion.

STEP 3: DEVELOPMENT Group Work (2 mins)	The teacher guides the learners to form four groups and asks them to choose their leaders and secretaries.	Learners choose their group leaders and secretaries.	Inculcating leadership skills, competitive spirit, cooperation, teamwork and a sense of responsibility among learners.

STEP 4: EXPLORATION 3 mins Mode: Individual	The teacher presents to the class the instructional resources and leads the students to air their views on them. Thereafter, Teacher asks probing questions that lead students to: explain the BACKGROUND OF THE Playwright	The students explain the BACKGROUND OF THE Playwright. William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor of the Renaissance era. He was an important member of the King’s Men theatrical company from roughly 1594 onward. Known throughout the world, Shakespeare’s works—at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems—capture the range of human emotion and conflict and have been celebrated for more than 400 years. Details about his personal life are limited, though some believe he was born and died on the same day, April 23, 52 years apart. Plays written by William Shakespeare include, "A Midsummer Night Dream", "The Hamlet", "Romeo and Juliet", The Merchant of Venice" etcetera.	Background of the playwright. A Midsummer Night Dream by William Shakespeare

STEP 5: DISCUSSION 5 mins. Mode: Group	The teacher guides the learners to explain the BACKGROUND OF THE PLAY.	The students quickly explain the BACKGROUND OF THE PLAY. "A Midsummer Night’s Dream", comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, written about 1595–96 and published in 1600 in a quarto edition from the author’s manuscript, in which there are some minor inconsistencies. The version published in the First Folio of 1623 was taken from a second quarto edition, with some reference to a promptbook. One of the “great” or “middle” comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with its multilayered examination of love and its vagaries, has long been one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays.	The background of the play ‘’A Midsummer Night’s Dream’’.

STEP 6: APPLICATION 4 mins Mode: Group	The Teacher guides the students to narrate Act-By-Act Plot Summary of the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream"	The students expected answer. Act I: i. We are introduced to the Duke, Theseus and his betrothed, Hippolyta, who are preparing for their wedding in a few days. ii. Egeus, a nobleman, complains to the Duke about his daughter, Hermia, who refuses to marry Demetrius. iii. Hermia decides to elope with her love, Lysander, and they agree to meet at the forest. iv. Another character, Helena, is in love with Demetrius but he is pursuing Hermia. v. Helena tells Demetrius that Hermia is planning to elope and he goes to the forest to find the couple; Helena follows him. vi. Meanwhile, a group of tradesmen are rehearsing for the play they will perform at the Duke’s wedding. Act II: i. In the forest, the fairy king argues with his queen Titania over a little Indian boy who Titania is caring for. ii. Angry, Oberon orders Puck to find a magical flower that makes a person fall in love with the first thing they see when they wake up. iii. Oberon places the juice from the flower on Titania’s eyes while she sleeps in her bower. iv. Oberon witnesses Demetrius's anger towards Helena and decides to make him fall in love with her. v. Puck obeys Oberon's orders but mistakes Lysander for Demetrius, accidentally putting the magical plant on his eyes as he sleeps. vi. Lysander wakes up and falls in love with Helena, abandoning Hermia. Act III: i. The group of actors are rehearsing and Puck transforms Nick Bottom’s head into a donkey’s head: The other actors run away and Bottom chases them. ii. He ends up where Titania is sleeping and when she wakes, she falls in love with Bottom as a result of the enchanted flower. iii. Oberon realises that Puck has put the potion on the wrong man and makes Puck find Demetrius to put the potion on Demetrius's eyes. iv. Demetrius wakes up and falls in love with Helena but Helena thinks he is also making fun of her. v. Hermia threatens Helena while Demetrius and Lysander agree to duel. vi. Oberon tells Puck to prevent the duel and to lift the spell on Lysander while he goes to help Titania. vii. Eventually, all four lovers tire and fall asleep. viii. Puck lifts the spell on Lysander so that he will wake up in love with Hermia again. Act IV: i. Oberon removes the spell from Titania so that she is no longer in love with Bottom: He asks Puck to transform Bottom’s head back to normal so that, when he wakes, he can return to Athens with the other four lovers. ii. Morning arrives and the sleeping four are woken by Theseus and his group. iii. They do not remember anything of the previous night and Demetrius confesses his love for Helena. iv. The Duke overrides Egeus’s wishes and announces that the couples may be with whoever they wish. v. Bottom wakes up and thinks that he dreamt everything that happened to him during the night: He does not tell anyone about what he experienced as he is too busy preparing for the performance. Act V: i. Theseus and Hippolyta talk about what the four lovers, Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia, told them. ii. The four lovers enter and they all then watch the play performed by Bottom and his peers. iii. After the play, they all go to bed and Oberon and Titania enter and bless the couples. Epilogue: Puck addresses the audience and asks them to remember the play as a dream. He wishes the audience a good night and asks them to applaud.	Being able to summarize the play ‘‘A Midsummer Night's Dream: Plot Summary’’

STEP 7: EVALUATION Mode: Entire Class 5 mins	The teacher asks the students the following questions: i. What is the background of the playwright. ii. What is summary of Act 2? iii. What is the Summary of the play?	The students expected answers (i) William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor of the Renaissance era. He was an important member of the King’s Men theatrical company from roughly 1594 onward. Known throughout the world, Shakespeare’s works—at least 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and 2 narrative poems—capture the range of human emotion and conflict and have been celebrated for more than 400 years. Details about his personal life are limited, though some believe he was born and died on the same day, April 23, 52 years apart. Plays written by William Shakespeare include, "A Midsummer Night Dream", "The Hamlet", "Romeo and Juliet", The Merchant of Venice" etcetera. (ii) The summary of Act 2 The scene shifts to the woods outside Athens. Fairies live in the woods and are ruled by King Oberon and Queen Titania. Two fairy servants, one of the queen’s and Puck (also known as Robin Goodfellow) who serves the king, are discussing the huge argument between Oberon and Titania. Oberon is jealous about the queen’s new attendant who is a changeling boy. Oberon wants him for himself, but Titania will not let him go. In revenge, Oberon tells Puck to pick a flower called love-in-idleness and squeeze its juice onto Titania’s eyelids while she is asleep. When Titania wakes, she will fall in love with the first thing she sees – whatever that may be! Puck flies off to do his king’s bidding and Oberon then spots Demetrius and Helena in the wood. Helena is trying to persuade Demetrius to take her back and he is being very cruel to her, saying that she makes him sick. Oberon feels sorry for Helena and decides to intervene. He instructs Puck to also put the flower juice on a man wearing ‘Athenian garments’, but only when he is sure that the next thing he will see is the ‘sweet Athenian lady (iii) The Summary of the play? This story takes place in Athens, Greece ‐ where everything is going wrong. The play starts in the court room of Duke Theseus. A man named Egeus is having trouble with his daughter so he brings her to the duke for help. Egeus’s daughter, Hermia doesn’t want to marry Demetrius ‐ the man her father has promised to her. Instead, Hermia wants to marry the Poet Lysander. Duke Theseus reminds Hermia that the law allows fathers to make their daughters do anything. He tells her that her only other choice is to become a nun and never marry anyone. Because the duke gives them little choice, Lysander and Hermia decide to run away form Athens. They run into the woods to make plans. While they are in the woods, they run into Helena. Helena is Hermia’s best friend. She is sad because she loves Demetrius. Hermia wishes Demetrius would love Helena back ‐ then Hermia could marry Lysander and their problem would be solved! The fairies that live in the woods are also having problems. Oberon, the king of fairies, is angry at his queen, Titania. She is taking care of a little human boy and Oberon is jealous. He wants to take the boy to be his servant. Titania won’t let him so Oberon decides to play a trick on her. He asks his helper, Puck, to find a magical flower. The flower’s juices are supposed to make someone fall in love with the first thing they see. Oberon wants Puck to use the flower on Titania. As night begins to fall, the lovers from Athens are all lost in the woods. Lysander and Hermia are still trying to run away. Demetrius chases them while Helena follows, begging him to love her back. Demetrius is mean to Helena and swears he will never love her. Oberon sees this and feels sorry for Helena. He decides to help her by using the magic flower on Demetrius too. In another part of the woods, a group of workers, or mechanicals, are practicing a play to perform for Duke Theseus on his wedding day. They are very funny and silly characters. Nick Bottom is the loudest and funniest of them all. He is also very bossy and wants to play all the play’s parts. Puck sees Nick Bottom and thinks it would be funny to make Queen Titania fall in love with him. While Titania is sleeping, Puck drops the magic juices into her eyes. Then Puck make the joke even funnier by turning Nick Bottom’s head into a donkey head. All of the mechanicals are scared when they see Nick Bottom with a donkey head. They run away screaming and wake up Titania. She instantly falls in love with Nick Bottom. On his way back to King Oberon, Puck finds Lysander and Hermia sleeping. Puck thinks that Lysander is the man who needs the love drops. He is wrong! Puck accidentally makes Lysander fall in love with Helena. Helena is very confused, and Hermia is very mad. She thinks her best friend has stolen her boyfriend. Puck tries to fix things by putting the drops into Demetrius’s eyes. Now Demetrius loves Helena too! Helena is angry and thinks the men are teasing her. Hermia tries to fight Helena. Oberon is mad at Puck for making so many mistakes. He makes Puck stay up all night and fix the mess. When the lovers wake up in the morning, Lysander loves Hermia and Demetrius loves Helena. Everyone is happy and they go back to Athens to tell Egeus and Duke Theseus. Everything is better in the fairy kingdom too. Oberon reverses the spell on Titania and Nick Bottom. Oberon and Titania stop fighting and Puck apologizes for all of his mistakes	Asking the learners questions to assess the achievement of the set objectives.

ASSIGNMENT	The teacher gives learners take home. 1. Defne the word “Motifs and symbolism”, "Form and structure". ii. Mention some of the major events in the play. iii. Summarize the Plot. iv. Mention some of the themes in the play and analyze them.	The learners copy the assignment	Better understanding of the novel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

CONCLUSION 2 mins	The teachers wrap up from the learners' contribution on A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare.	The students listen to the teacher and copy down notes.	Consolidating and harmonizing scientific concepts.

A Midsummer Night Dream by William Shakespeare