CliffsNotes on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

99 Pages·2000·1.236 MB·English

by  Karin Jacobson

586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page i
A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
By Karin Jacobson, Ph.D.
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 Pi

586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page i
A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
By Karin Jacobson, Ph.D.
IN THIS BOOK
■ Learn about the Life and Background of the Author
■ Preview an Introduction to the Play
■ Study a graphical Character Map
■ Explore themes and literary devices in the Critical Commentaries
■ Examine in-depth Character Analyses
■ Enhance your understanding of the work with Critical Essays
■ Reinforce what you learn with CliffsNotes Review
■ Find additional information to further your study in CliffsNotes
Resource Center and online at www.cliffsnotes.com
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 Pi
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page ii
About the Author Publisher’s Acknowledgments
Karin Jacobson received her Ph.D. in English Editorial
from Ohio State University and is currently an Project Editor: Tracy Barr
Assistant Professor of English and Composition Acquisitions Editor: Greg Tubach
at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Glossary Editors: The editors and staff at
Webster’s New World™ Dictionaries
Editorial Administrator: Michelle Hacker
Composition
Indexer: York Produnction Services, Inc.
Proofreader: York Produnction Services, Inc.
Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
CliffsNotesTMA Midsummer Night’s Dream Note:If you purchased this book without a cover, you should
Published by: be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as
"unsold and destroyed" to the publisher, and neither the
Wiley Publishing, Inc. author nor the publisher has received any payment for this
111 River Street "stripped book."
Hoboken, NJ 07030
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2001 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, NJ
Library of Congress Control Number: 00-107682
ISBN: 978-0-7645-8672-9
Printed in the United States of America
15 14 13 12 11 10 9
1O/RV/QY/QW/IN
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections
107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or
authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood
Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be
addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256,
317-572-3447, fax [phone], or e-mail [email protected]
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHOR HAVE USED
THEIR BEST EFFORTS IN PREPARING THIS BOOK. THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHOR MAKE NO REP-
RESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE
CONTENTS OF THIS BOOK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MER-
CHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES WHICH
EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS PARAGRAPH. NO WARRANTY MAY BE
CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES REPRESENTATIVES OR WRITTEN SALES MATERIALS. THE ACCU-
RACY AND COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN AND THE OPINIONS
STATED HEREIN ARE NOT GUARANTEED OR WARRANTED TO PRODUCE ANY PARTICULAR
RESULTS, AND THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR
EVERY INDIVIDUAL. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF
PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES. FULFILLMENT OF EACH COUPON OFFER
IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR.
Trademarks:Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, Cliffs, CliffsNotes, the CliffsNotes logo, CliffsAP, CliffsComplete,
CliffsTestPrep, CliffsQuickReview, CliffsNote-a-Day and all related logos and trade dress are registered trademarks or
trademarks of Wiley Publishing, Inc., in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are property of
their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer
Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].
Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be avail-
able in electronic books.
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 Pii C
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page iii
Table of Contents
Life and Background of the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Personal Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Education and Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Life in London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Shakespeare’s Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Introduction to the Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Sources and Allusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Performance History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Structure of the Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Theme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
The Elizabethan Theater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
A Brief Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
List of Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Character Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Critical Commentaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Act I, Scene 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Act I, Scene 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Act II, Scene 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Act II, Scene 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Act III, Scene 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
i CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 Piii
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page iv
iv
CliffsNotes Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Act III, Scene 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Act IV, Scene 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Act IV, Scene 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Act V, Scene 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Commentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Character Analyses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Hermia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Helena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Bottom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Puck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Oberon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Theseus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Critical Essays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
“A Silver Bow, New Bent in Heaven”: Moon Imagery in
A Midsummer Night’s Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Imagining Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
A Tedious Brief Movie Review of Michael Hoffman’s
A Midsummer Night’s Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
CliffsNotes Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Identify the Quote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Essay Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
Practice Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 Pi C
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page v
v
Table of Contents
CliffsNotes Resource Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Films and Other Recordings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Essays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Send Us Your Favorite Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
CliffsNotes Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 P
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page vi
How to Use This Book
CliffsNotes A Midsummer Night’s Dream supplements the original work, giving
you background information about the author, an introduction to the novel, a graph-
ical character map, critical commentaries, expanded glossaries, and a comprehensive
index. CliffsNotes Review tests your comprehension of the original text and rein-
forces learning with questions and answers, practice projects, and more. For further
information on William Shakespear and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, check out the
CliffsNotes Resource Center.
CliffsNotes provides the following icons to highlight essential elements of
particular interest:
Reveals the underlying themes in the work.
Helps you to more easily relate to or discover the depth of a character.
Uncovers elements such as setting, atmosphere, mystery, passion,
violence, irony, symbolism, tragedy, foreshadowing, and satire.
Enables you to appreciate the nuances of words and phrases.
Don’t Miss Our Web Site
Discover classic literature as well as modern-day treasures by visiting the
CliffsNotes Web site at www.cliffsnotes.com. You can obtain a quick down-
load of a CliffsNotes title, purchase a title in print form, browse our catalog, or view
online samples.
You’ll also find interactive tools that are fun and informative, links to interest-
ing Web sites, tips, articles, and additional resources to help you, not only for
literature, but for test prep, finance, careers, computers, and Internet too. See you
atwww.cliffsnotes.com!
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 P i C
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page 1
LIFE AND
BACKGROUND
OF THE AUTHOR
Personal Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Education and Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Life in London . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Shakespeare’s Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
i CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 P1
586726 Book_9:586726 Book_9 10/27/11 10:35 AM Page 2
2
CliffsNotes Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Personal Background
William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon,
England, a small town of about 1,500 people northwest of London.
John Shakespeare, William’s father, made his living primarily as a tan-
ner and a glover but also traded wool and grain from time to time. John
Shakespeare also served (although not at one time) as the town ale taster
(inspector of bread and malt), a petty constable, city chamberlain, alder-
man, and high bailiff (like a mayor), the city’s highest public office.
Mary Arden, William Shakespeare’s mother, brought a long and impres-
sive family lineage to her marriage to John, one that traces itself back
to William the Conqueror. In the mid-1570s, John Shakespeare’s for-
tune began to decline mysteriously (some say it was because of his wife’s
Catholicism, although that claim is unsubstantiated), and it was largely
mortgages made on properties Mary brought to the marriage that
helped to sustain the family.
Education and Marriage
Shakespeare attended school in Stratford-upon-Avon. Although
there are no records to prove his enrollment, critics accept it with con-
siderable certainty. At school, Shakespeare would have studied reading
and writing (in English as well as in Latin) and Greek and Roman writ-
ers including Horace, Aesop, Ovid, Virgil, Seneca, and Plautus. The
extent to which he would have been familiar with the works of such
ancient classics is unknown, but studying Shakespeare’s plays and long
poems suggests he had at least a degree of knowledge about them in
their original forms, not merely translations.
In November 1582, at age 18, William Shakespeare married Anne
Hathaway, 26. Their first child, Susanna, was born the following May;
twins, Hamnet and Judith, followed in 1585. Little information is avail-
able regarding Shakespeare’s life from the time of the twins’ birth until
1592 when he received his first public recognition as an upcoming
young dramatist and actor in London. We know that at some point he
left his family in Stratford, but we know few specifics. Critics hold sev-
eral theories. One asserts that during the mysterious seven-year period
Shakespeare worked as an assistant master of a grammar school. Another
popular theory maintains Shakespeare worked as a butcher’s apprentice
during this time but ran away to London where he was received into
the theater. Another theory holds that during the seven-year period,
Shakespeare made a living as a deer poacher who was eventually sent
CliffN Sh k ’ AMid Ni h D 86726B k3 L A d 10/16/00 P2 C