1596

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

by William Shakespeare

DRAMATIS PERSONAE -

THESEUS, Duke of Athens

EGEUS, father to Hermia

LYSANDER, in love with Hermia

DEMETRIUS, in love with Hermia

PHILOSTRATE, Master of the Revels to Theseus

QUINCE, a carpenter

SNUG, a joiner

BOTTOM, a weaver

FLUTE, a bellows-mender

SNOUT, a tinker

STARVELING, a tailor -

HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, bethrothed to Theseus

HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander

HELENA, in love with Demetrius -

OBERON, King of the Fairies

TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies

PUCK, or ROBIN GOODFELLOW

PEASEBLOSSOM, fairy

COBWEB, fairy

MOTH, fairy

MUSTARDSEED, fairy -

PROLOGUE, PYRAMUS, THISBY, WALL, MOONSHINE, LION are presented by:

QUINCE, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, STARVELING, AND SNUG -

Other Fairies attending their King and Queen

Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta -

SCENE:

Athens and a wood near it

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Athens. The palace of THESEUS -

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and ATTENDANTS -

THESEUS. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour

Draws on apace; four happy days bring in

Another moon; but, O, methinks, how slow

This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires,

Like to a step-dame or a dowager,

Long withering out a young man's revenue.

HIPPOLYTA. Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;

Four nights will quickly dream away the time;

And then the moon, like to a silver bow

New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night

Of our solemnities.

THESEUS. Go, Philostrate,

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;

Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;

Turn melancholy forth to funerals;

The pale companion is not for our pomp. Exit PHILOSTRATE

Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,

And won thy love doing thee injuries;

But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling. -

Enter EGEUS, and his daughter HERMIA, LYSANDER,

and DEMETRIUS -

EGEUS. Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke!

THESEUS. Thanks, good Egeus; what's the news with thee?

EGEUS. Full of vexation come I, with complaint

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.

Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,

This man hath my consent to marry her.

Stand forth, Lysander. And, my gracious Duke,

This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child.

Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,

And interchang'd love-tokens with my child;

Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,

With feigning voice, verses of feigning love,

And stol'n the impression of her fantasy

With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,

Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats- messengers

Of strong prevailment in unhardened youth;

With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart;

Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,

To stubborn harshness. And, my gracious Duke,

Be it so she will not here before your Grace

Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens:

As she is mine I may dispose of her;

Which shall be either to this gentleman

Or to her death, according to our law

Immediately provided in that case.

THESEUS. What say you, Hermia? Be advis'd, fair maid.

To you your father should be as a god;

One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one

To whom you are but as a form in wax,

By him imprinted, and within his power

To leave the figure, or disfigure it.

Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.

HERMIA. So is Lysander.

THESEUS. In himself he is;