Act 5, Scene 1

HIPPOLYTA: 'Tis strange my Theseus, that theselovers speak of.

THESEUS: More strange than true: I never may believeThese antique fables, nor these fairy toys.Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,Such shaping fantasies, that apprehendMore than cool reason ever comprehends.The lunatic, the lover and the poetAre of imagination all compact:One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;And as imagination bodies forthThe forms of things unknown, the poet's penTurns them to shapes and gives to airy nothingA local habitation and a name.Such tricks hath strong imagination,That if it would but apprehend some joy,It comprehends some bringer of that joy;Or in the night, imagining some fear,How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

AO2: How does Theseus’ speech address the theme of imagination and reality?

What is his view on the lovers’ story?

HIPPOLYTA: 'Tis strange my Theseus, that theselovers speak of.

THESEUS: More strange than true: I never may believeThese antique fables, nor these fairy toys.Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,Such shaping fantasies, that apprehendMore than cool reason ever comprehends.The lunatic, the lover and the poetAre of imagination all compact:One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;And as imagination bodies forthThe forms of things unknown, the poet's penTurns them to shapes and gives to airy nothingA local habitation and a name.Such tricks hath strong imagination,That if it would but apprehend some joy,It comprehends some bringer of that joy;Or in the night, imagining some fear,How easy is a bush supposed a bear!

Irony – Theseus himself is a character from an ‘antique fable’

Is he dismissive of the fairies here?

Reason cannot comprehend fantasy

Link between lunacy, love, and poetry = imagination. The lunatic’s imagination causes him to hallucinate; the lover’s to see beauty where others do not; the poet’s (where ‘poet’ is all writers, including dramatists) to invent. He acknowledges the illogic of love and the power of imagination. Does he use it to dismiss the lovers’ tales and experiences?

Imagination belongs to the night; reason to the day

Is Theseus’ opinion on the power of imagination undermined by the fact that he himself is a figment of imagination? He is, after all, a character in a play, and is reliant on the imagination of the audience accepting him in his role.

HIPPOLYTA: But all the story of the night told over,And all their minds transfigured so together,More witnesseth than fancy's imagesAnd grows to something of great constancy;But, howsoever, strange and admirable.

THESEUS: Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.

Hippolyta points out that the lovers’ stories have something more than “fancy’s images” – something “strange and admirable” but constant. The audience know this to be true. What happened in the woods was more than “airy nothing”.

Her husband gives her no reply.

‘transfiguration’ – Christ’s transfiguration was when his divinity was revealed; this word implies the lovers have been improved by their experiences. Does ‘constancy’ suggest their love is now constant and true?

Enter LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HERMIA, and HELENA

Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of loveAccompany your hearts!

Theseus moves his attention to the happiness and joy of marriage. “Joy /joy!” is reminiscent of wedding bells.

“Say, what abridgement have you for this evening?/ What masque? what music? How shall we beguile/ The lazy time, if not with some delight?”

'The battle with the Centaurs, to be sungBy an Athenian eunuch to the harp.'

Inappropriate because:• theme of violence• presented by a eunuch• Theseus himself took part in this battle, disrupting a wedding feast

'The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals,Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.'

Inappropriate because:• theme of violence

'The thrice three Muses mourning for the deathOf Learning, late deceased in beggary.'

Inappropriate because:• theme of poverty and death• “mourning”

'A tedious brief scene of young PyramusAnd his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth.'

Pyramus and Thisbe seems ridiculous but actually fits the themes of the play – “how shall we find the concord of this discord?”

THESEUS: I will hear that play;For never anything can be amiss,When simpleness and duty tender it.Go, bring them in: and take your places, ladies.

Exit PHILOSTRATE

HIPPOLYTA: I love not to see wretchedness o'er chargedAnd duty in his service perishing.

THESEUS: Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing.

How does this affect our view of Theseus and Hippolyta?

Do they seem more united and ‘constant’?

Intentions matter most

She does not want to see the mechanicals humiliated

HIPPOLYTA: He says they can do nothing in this kind.

THESEUS: The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.Our sport shall be to take what they mistake:And what poor duty cannot do, noble respectTakes it in might, not merit.Where I have come, great clerks have purposedTo greet me with premeditated welcomes;Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,Make periods in the midst of sentences,Throttle their practised accent in their fearsAnd in conclusion dumbly have broke off,Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet,Out of this silence yet I pick'd a welcome;And in the modesty of fearful dutyI read as much as from the rattling tongueOf saucy and audacious eloquence.Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicityIn least speak most, to my capacity.

effort, not value

How is this generous attitude undermined by what follows?

Is it?

AO4: it was a common complaint of dramatists in Shakespeare’s time that some upper class members of the audience liked to show off by making loudly patronising and offensive comments about the performance that they were watching. Ben Jonson called them ‘fastidious impertinents’.

Theseus, Lysander, Demetrius, and even Hippolyta, make sarcastic comments throughout the play. Moonshine, in particular, seems to have his contribution ruined (Hippolyta: “I am aweary of this moon. Would he would change.”) and abandons his lines entirely (“All that I have to say is..”)

Bottom takes the chance to show his mettle and boldly steps out of role to address the comments, explaining- in as patronising a manner as their own- what the nobles should be appreciating.

N.B. Hermia and Helena do not interrupt.

Pyramus and Thisbe

Pyramus and Thisbe is a version of what might have happened to Hermia and Lysander. Is this why Hermia and Helena do not criticise it? Or is it simply that it would be impolite of them as women to join in with the men and Duchess?

AO3: Performance

For the humour of the play to be communicated, it must be acted ‘badly’. It is “a masterpiece of incompetence” (York notes).

Prologue: If we offend, it is with our good will.That you should think, we come not to offend,But with good will. To show our simple skill,That is the true beginning of our end.Consider then we come but in despite.We do not come as minding to contest you,Our true intent is. All for your delightWe are not here. That you should here repent you,The actors are at hand and by their showYou shall know all that you are like to know.

THESEUS: This fellow doth not stand upon points.

LYSANDER: He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knowsnot the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is notenough to speak, but to speak true.

Quince’s poor delivery of the prologue is indicated by the punctuation of his speech, which alters its meaning considerably.

This is sometimes performed as a consequence of severe stage fright, making the comments of the nobles even crueller.

Punctuation/ detail

Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show;But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.This man is Pyramus, if you would know;This beauteous lady Thisby is certain.This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth presentWall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder;And through Wall's chink, poor souls, they are contentTo whisper. At the which let no man wonder.This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn,Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know,By moonshine did these lovers think no scornTo meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo.This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,Did scare away, or rather did affright;And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain:Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade,He bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast;And Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest,Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twainAt large discourse, while here they do remain.

A ‘padded line’ – Quince lacks skill in verse so has to ‘pad out’ his lines to make them fit the metre

Ill-used alliteration

Quince’s verse is unable to contain the high emotions he wishes it to express. Is this a parody of some contemporary forms of drama which lacked the craft and skill of Shakespeare himself? Or was it just done for humour?

It certainly seems intended to show what happens when rhetorical devices and rhyme are used without skill or sensitivity.

Wall: In this same interlude it doth befallThat I, one Snout by name, present a wall;And such a wall, as I would have you think,That had in it a crannied hole or chink,Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby,Did whisper often very secretly.This loam, this rough-cast and this stone doth showThat I am that same wall; the truth is so:And this the cranny is, right and sinister,Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.

Weak rhymes

AO3: The presentation of ‘wall’ is often a source of great humour. His references (echoed by Pyramus) to ‘stone’ and ‘cranny’ can be interpreted quite lewdly, especially as the lovers attempt to communicate – and kiss! – ‘through’ him.

Pyramus: O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!O night, which ever art when day is not!O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,I fear my Thisby's promise is forgot!And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,That stand'st between her father's ground and mine!Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne!

Wall holds up his fingersThanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!But what see I? No Thisby do I see.O wicked wall, through whom I see no bliss!Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me!

“O!” = melodrama

This must be hammed up in performance.

Cf. with Helena’s “O weary night!” in the last act.

THESEUS: The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again.

Pyramus: No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me'is Thisby's cue: she is to enter now, and I am tospy her through the wall. You shall see, it willfall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes.

Bottom shows courage here; he responds to the comments of the nobles rather than ignoring them.

Thisbe: O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,For parting my fair Pyramus and me!My cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones,Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.

Pyramus: I see a voice: now will I to the chink,To spy an I can hear my Thisby's face. Thisby!

Thisbe: My love thou art, my love I think.

Pyramus: Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover's grace;And, like Limander, am I trusty still.

Thisbe: And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.

Pyramus: Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true.Thisbe: As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you.

Pyramus: O kiss me through the hole of this vile wall!

Crude references (can be amplified in performance)

Garbled references to mythology: the correct couples are Leander and Hero; Cephalus and Procris

See also: crude use of stichomythia – cf. lovers’ earlier use

HIPPOLYTA: This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.

THESEUS: The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worstare no worse, if imagination amend them.

HIPPOLYTA: It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.

Link to earlier reference to ‘shadows’ and Puck’s use in the upcoming epilogue

Theme: imagination and acting

These comments highlight the need for the audience’s imagination, if theatre is to work.

Pyramus: Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright;For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,I trust to take of truest Thisby sight.But stay, O spite!But mark, poor knight,What dreadful dole is here!Eyes, do you see?How can it be?O dainty duck! O dear!Thy mantle good,What, stain'd with blood!Approach, ye Furies fell!O Fates, come, come,Cut thread and thrum;Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!

A typically over-blown performance from Bottom:

• over-use of “O!”• ill-used alliteration• the usual mix-ups

“Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man”- unexpected?

Pyramus: O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear:Which is--no, no--which was the fairest dameThat lived, that loved, that liked, that look'dwith cheer.Come, tears, confound;Out, sword, and woundThe pap of Pyramus;Ay, that left pap,Where heart doth hop:

Stabs himselfThus die I, thus, thus, thus.Now am I dead,Now am I fled;My soul is in the sky:Tongue, lose thy light;Moon take thy flight:

Exit MoonshineNow die, die, die, die, die.

Dies

Extravagant repetition

‘pap’ – usually used to refer to women

devoured

Thisbe: Asleep, my love?What, dead, my dove?O Pyramus, arise!Speak, speak. Quite dumb?Dead, dead? A tombMust cover thy sweet eyes.These My lips,This cherry nose,These yellow cowslip cheeks,Are gone, are gone:Lovers, make moan:His eyes were green as leeks.O Sisters Three,Come, come to me,With hands as pale as milk;Lay them in gore,Since you have shoreWith shears his thread of silk.Tongue, not a word:Come, trusty sword;Come, blade, my breast imbrue:

Stabs herselfAnd, farewell, friends;Thus Thisby ends:Adieu, adieu, adieu.

Dies

Shakespeare’s skill is obvious here: the short lines speed up the rhythm of the scene and emphasise the rhymes; the rhymes show the errors in language which undermine the emotion of the scene – however, remember the way this was acted in the film? Performance can change everything!

Ill-used alliteration

AO4: A remark in Edward Sharpham’s play The Fleire, from the 1600s, seems to refer to Shakespeare’s original production of this scene. When Thisbe came to kill herself, she was unable to find Pyramus’ sword and instead stabbed herself to death with the scabbard. Is this how Shakespeare directed it?

A danceWhat does this symbolise?

Theseus:The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.I fear we shall out-sleep the coming mornAs much as we this night have overwatch'd.This palpable-gross play hath well beguiledThe heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.A fortnight hold we this solemnity,In nightly revels and new jollity.

[Exeunt]

Is this a joke at the lovers’ expense or does he really believe the fairies are on their way? Either way, this comment gives the audience a sense of anticipation for the final scenes of the play.

Compare this to 1.i: “Pomp, triumph and revelling”.

In a reversal of Act 4 Scene 1, as Theseus and Hippolyta leave the stage, Oberon and Titania enter. Think again about the symmetry between these couples, even if they are not performed by the same actors.

Now the hungry lion roars,And the wolf behowls the moon;Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,All with weary task fordone.Now the wasted brands do glow,Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,Puts the wretch that lies in woeIn remembrance of a shroud.Now it is the time of nightThat the graves all gaping wide,Every one lets forth his sprite,In the church-way paths to glide:And we fairies, that do runBy the triple Hecate's team,From the presence of the sun,Following darkness like a dream,Now are frolic: not a mouseShall disturb this hallow'd house:I am sent with broom before,To sweep the dust behind the door.

Puck’s imagery is dark and ghostly, but will soon be set aside in favour of the reassuring, domestic imagery of fireplaces and beds. It does, however, remind us of the darkness and mystery of the fairy world (versus rational daylight).

Symbolises bringing of peace

Does this sum up the atmosphere of the play?

OBERON: Through the house give gathering light,By the dead and drowsy fire:Every elf and fairy spriteHop as light as bird from brier;And this ditty, after me,Sing, and dance it trippingly.

TITANIA: First, rehearse your song by roteTo each word a warbling note:Hand in hand, with fairy grace,Will we sing, and bless this place.

Song and dance

Oberon, Titania and Puck speak in tetrameter couplets, fitting their role of magical spirits.

The imagery is light and reflects the harmony and joy of the ending.

“Song and dance” both symbolise this unity, in the fairy and human worlds.

Now, until the break of day,Through this house each fairy stray.To the best bride-bed will we,Which by us shall blessed be;And the issue there createEver shall be fortunate.So shall all the couples threeEver true in loving be;And the blots of Nature's handShall not in their issue stand;Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,Nor mark prodigious, such as areDespised in nativity,Shall upon their children be.With this field-dew consecrate,Every fairy take his gait;And each several chamber bless,Through this palace, with sweet peace;And the owner of it blestEver shall in safety rest.Trip away; make no stay;Meet me all by break of day.

1. The children from the start of the play have become adults, and will have children of their own

2. These children will be blemish-free and perfect, being blessed by the fairies – compare this with ‘Queen Mab’ from Romeo and Juliet. These are “spirits of a different sort”.

If we shadows have offended,Think but this, and all is mended,That you have but slumber'd hereWhile these visions did appear.And this weak and idle theme,No more yielding but a dream,Gentles, do not reprehend:if you pardon, we will mend:And, as I am an honest Puck,If we have unearned luckNow to 'scape the serpent's tongue,We will make amends ere long;Else the Puck a liar call;So, good night unto you all.Give me your hands, if we be friends,And Robin shall restore amends.

The epilogue: “If we shadows have offended...”

Cf. earlier mentions – Puck brings them together here. They are ‘shadows’ as actors and as fairies.

AO2: What is the purpose of these references to sleep and dreams?

Hissing versus applause – accepted theatrical conventions for audience response

AO3: Read your handout on these final scenes. Do you agree with what is said?

If we shadows have offended,Think but this, and all is mended,That you have but slumber'd hereWhile these visions did appear.And this weak and idle theme,No more yielding but a dream,Gentles, do not reprehend:if you pardon, we will mend:And, as I am an honest Puck,If we have unearned luckNow to 'scape the serpent's tongue,We will make amends ere long;Else the Puck a liar call;So, good night unto you all.Give me your hands, if we be friends,And Robin shall restore amends.

The epilogue: “If we shadows have offended...”

AO2: Puck’s speech – directly aimed at the audience – removes the illusion of theatre and switches our attention from the events on stage to the relationship between play and audience. It invites us to decide how we will assess ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Is our experience of it as idle as a dream, or is it something more substantial?

AO4: In Peter Brook’s production, the house lights were turned on for the final speech and the actors took “give me your hands” as a cue to make their way out through the audience, shaking hands as they went.