Quote explanation

1. Lysander to Hermia
Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth. . .
(Act 1, scene 1)
This quote connects to the theme of love prevailing despite hardships. In this
section of the scene, Lysander speaks these lines when trying to reassure Hermia.
He tells her that there have always been difficulties that came with true love that
challenged it. Hermia accepts this explanation and they decide to run away so that
they can be together

2. Helena These lines contain very beautiful language that Helena uses when she is lamenting
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. her love life. Helena also personifies Love in the last several lines of this excerpt
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so. by talking about how Cupid and love are somewhat blind since true love is not
He will not know what all but he do know. superficial.
And as he errs, doting on Hermias eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
(Act 1, scene 1)

3. Egeus This excerpt also contains very flowery language which is contrasted with the true
This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child; intent of Egeus in these lines. Egeus speaks about how Lysander has fallen in love
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, with Hermia and stolen her heart from her father. He seems to be lamenting until
And interchanged love-tokens with my child the end of the excerpt in which he states that her obedience is due to him. There is
Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, also contrast because at the end of Egeus full lines, he partitions Theseus to either
With feigning voice verses of feigning love, make Hermia wed or kill her.
And stolen the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers
Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth:
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart,
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,
To stubborn harshness
(Act 1, scene 1)

4. Quince Quinces lines misuse several words in context when he describes the play as a
Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and lamentable comedy.
most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.
(Act 1, scene 2)
5. Bottom This excerpt also uses very flowery and pretty language, most notably when
I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the Bottom is boasting about his skills and describing how he would be both a gentle
ladies out of their wits, they would have no more but fearsome lion.
discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my
voice so that I will roar you as gently as any
sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any
Nightingale.
(Act 1, scene 2)

1. Fairy This excerpt uses flowery language as well as several metaphors which the fairy
Thorough flood, thorough fire, uses to describe the queen and court life. Theres also a beautiful metaphor in the
I do wander everywhere, first couple lines in which the fairy says that she wanders everywhere swifter than
Swifter than the moon's sphere; the moon.
And I serve the fairy queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be:
In their gold coats spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In those freckles live their savours
(Act 2, scene 1)

2. Puck These lines connect to the overall theme of the play since they speak of the little
For Oberon is passing fell and wrath, Indian boy and mention the conflict brewing between Titania and Oberon. The
Because that she as her attendant hath Indian boy is important because the argument over who he belongs to is what
A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king; drives Oberon to anoint Titanias eyes with nectar, which sets up the plot for the
She never had so sweet a changeling; rest of the play in the fairyland scenes.
And jealous Oberon would have the child
Knight of his train, to trace the forest's wild;
But she perforce withholds the loved boy,
Crowns him with flowers and makes him all her joy:
And now they never meet in grove or green,
By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
But, they do square, that all their elves for fear
Creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.
(Act 2, scene 1)

3. Oberon to Puck Oberon describes the place where Titania is sleeping very beautifully and uses very
I pray thee, give it me. descriptive and flowery language.
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:

4. Lysander to Hermia Lysander uses flowery language to try and convince Hermia to let him lie beside
O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence! her. Hermia even admits this but ultimately refuses him.
Love takes the meaning in love's conference.
I mean, that my heart unto yours is knit
So that but one heart we can make of it;
Two bosoms interchained with an oath;
So then two bosoms and a single troth.
Then by your side no bed-room me deny;
For lying so, Hermia, I do not lie.
(Act 2, scene 2)

5. Oberon to Titania Oberon is using very flowery language to speak to Titania while she sleeps and he
What thou seest when thou dost wake, anoints her with the nectar. This is in direct contrast however with Oberons intent
Do it for thy true-love take, which is that he hopes her to fall in love with a beast.
Love and languish for his sake:
Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,
Pard, or boar with bristled hair,
In thy eye that shall appear
When thou wakest, it is thy dear:
Wake when some vile thing is near.
(Act 2, scene 2)

1. Quince In this line, the word bully is being used very differently than in accordance with
What sayest thou, bully Bottom? its modern meaning. We currently define bully as someone who does harm to
(Act 3, scene 1) others, often for pleasure or because they have the ability. In Shakespearean
society however, this word is used as a synonym of jolly.

2. Bottom to Quince In this excerpt, Bottom describes the play as a comedy and then right after, speaks
There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and about Pyramus killing himself. This contrasts the same as describing the play as a
Thisby that will never please. First, Pyramus must lamentable comedy
draw a sword to kill himself; which the ladies
cannot abide. How answer you that?
(Act 3, scene 1)

3. Bottom Shakespeare uses some very nice language there. These lines are also ridiculous
Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must because they want Snug to announce that he is playing the lion but that he is not a
be seen through the lion's neck: and he himself lion and to make sure that the audience is aware that he is a man
must speak through, saying thus, or to the same
defect,--'Ladies,'--or 'Fair-ladies--I would wish
You,'--or 'I would request you,'--or 'I would
entreat you,--not to fear, not to tremble: my life
for yours. If you think I come hither as a lion, it
were pity of my life: no I am no such thing; I am a
man as other men are;' and there indeed let him name
his name, and tell them plainly he is Snug the joiner.
(Act 3, scene 1)

4. Puck Puck uses some very nice descriptive language here. One literary tool used is
What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here, alliteration in the line hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here
So near the cradle of the fairy queen?
What, a play toward! I'll be an auditor;
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.
(Act 3, scene 1)

5. Puck This connects to the major theme of the play of the fairies being smarter and wiser
Lord, what fools these mortals be! than the humans, watching over them, and deciding their fates. Its also ironic
(Act 3, scene 2) since Puck is calling the mechanicals fools yet Oberon, Titania, and Puck can all
be just as foolish and ridiculous as the mechanicals.

1. Bottom Bottom uses very flowery language here and uses quite a bit of comedy and irony
I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what in his lines, especially when he notes that he will have a ballad written about his
dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about texpound this dream. Methought I dream and name it Bottoms Dream because it has no bottom.
wasthere is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and methought I hadbut
man is but a patched fool if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of
man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, mans hand is not able to taste,
his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was. I will get Peter
Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It shall be called Bottoms Dream,
because it hath no bottom.
(Act 4, scene 1)

2. TITANIA to Bottom Titania uses very flowery language her to describe her love as she was forced into
Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed, false devotion to him. It is also comedic since she is subtly describing Bottoms
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy, unpleasing features as he has an ass head while she speaks about how beautiful
And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head, she finds him.
And kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy.
(Act 4, scene 1)

3. Oberon Oberon uses descriptive language here after he seems to regret what hes done to
Then, my queen, in silence sad, Titania. One notable metaphor is the comparison of their speed and the moon.
Trip we after the night's shade:
We the globe can compass soon,
Swifter than the wandering moon.
(Act 4, scene 1)

4. Hippolyta Hippolyta uses very flowery language her in addition to her use of several
I was with Hercules and Cadmus once, metaphors and examples of personification in describing the environment and
When in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear sounds of nature.
With hounds of Sparta: never did I hear
Such gallant chiding: for, besides the groves,
The skies, the fountains, every region near
Seem'd all one mutual cry: I never heard
So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.
(Act 4, scene 1)

5. Demetrius to Theseus Demetrius also uses flowery language here but to describe why he doesnt love
My love to Hermia, Hermia anymore and how Helena was also who hed been meant to end up with.
Melted as the snow, seems to me now This is comedic since he has no idea that it was not his choice to love Helena, it
As the remembrance of an idle gaud was him being compelled by magic. He also uses several metaphors comparing his
Which in my childhood I did dote upon; love to Hermia to melting snow and a sickness that consumed him.
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia:
But, like in sickness, did I loathe this food;
But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
And will for evermore be true to it.
(Act 4, scene 1)

1. Puck These lines end the play. They are very flowery and connect to the theme of all of
If we shadows have offended, this madness simply being a dream in our reality just as Theseus, Egeus,
Think but this, and all is mended: Hippolyta, and the lovers believed it was a dream.
That you have but slumbered here,
While 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.
(Act 5, epilogue)
2.Theseus to Hippolyta Theseus uses very descriptive and flowery language here while he compares lovers
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, and madmen. He also uses literary tools such as metaphor to describe imagination
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend and the the poets occupation
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are 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 forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
(Act 5, scene 1)

3. Theseus These lines are characterized by misuse of words in context and in general. They
'A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus use many contradictory phrases such as tedious brief. Theseus also uses
And his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth.' contradictory phrases for example shall we find the concord of this discord
Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!
That is, hot ice and wondrous strange snow.
How shall we find the concord of this discord?
(Act 5, scene 1)

4. Theseus Theseus insults the prologue and compares his speech to a tangled and mangled
His speech, was like a tangled chain; nothing chain.
impaired, but all disordered. Who is next?
(Act 5, scene 1)

5. Hippolyta Hippolyta uses pretty language to point out a main theme of the play which is the
No wonder, my lord: one lion may, when many asses do. foolishness of most men.
(Act 5, scene 1)