Reading Help A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM

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` 1596 `
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` A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM `
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` by William Shakespeare `
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` DRAMATIS PERSONAE `
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` 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 `
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` HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, bethrothed to Theseus `
` HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander `
` HELENA, in love with Demetrius `
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` OBERON, King of the Fairies `
` TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies `
` PUCK, or ROBIN GOODFELLOW `
` PEASEBLOSSOM, fairy `
` COBWEB, fairy `
` MOTH, fairy `
` MUSTARDSEED, fairy `
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` PROLOGUE, PYRAMUS, THISBY, WALL, MOONSHINE, LION are presented `
` by: `
` QUINCE, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, STARVELING, AND SNUG `
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` Other Fairies attending their King and Queen `
` Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta `
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` SCENE: `
` Athens and a wood near it `
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` ACT I. SCENE I. `
` Athens. The palace of THESEUS `
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` Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and ATTENDANTS `
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` 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. `
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` Enter EGEUS, and his daughter HERMIA, LYSANDER, `
` and DEMETRIUS `
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` 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; `
` But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, `
` The other must be held the worthier. `
` HERMIA. I would my father look'd but with my eyes. `
` THESEUS. Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. `
` HERMIA. I do entreat your Grace to pardon me. `
` I know not by what power I am made bold, `
` Nor how it may concern my modesty `
` In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; `
` But I beseech your Grace that I may know `
` The worst that may befall me in this case, `
` If I refuse to wed Demetrius. `
` THESEUS. Either to die the death, or to abjure `
` For ever the society of men. `
` Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, `
` Know of your youth, examine well your blood, `
` Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice, `
` You can endure the livery of a nun, `
` For aye to be shady cloister mew'd, `
` To live a barren sister all your life, `
` Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. `
` Thrice-blessed they that master so their blood `
` To undergo such maiden pilgrimage; `
` But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd `
` Than that which withering on the virgin thorn `
` Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness. `
` HERMIA. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, `
` Ere I will yield my virgin patent up `
` Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke `
` My soul consents not to give sovereignty. `
` THESEUS. Take time to pause; and by the next new moon- `
` The sealing-day betwixt my love and me `
` For everlasting bond of fellowship- `
` Upon that day either prepare to die `
` For disobedience to your father's will, `
` Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would, `
` Or on Diana's altar to protest `
` For aye austerity and single life. `
` DEMETRIUS. Relent, sweet Hermia; and, Lysander, yield `
` Thy crazed title to my certain right. `
` LYSANDER. You have her father's love, Demetrius; `
` Let me have Hermia's; do you marry him. `
` EGEUS. Scornful Lysander, true, he hath my love; `
` And what is mine my love shall render him; `
` And she is mine; and all my right of her `
` I do estate unto Demetrius. `
` LYSANDER. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, `
` As well possess'd; my love is more than his; `
` My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd, `
` If not with vantage, as Demetrius'; `
` And, which is more than all these boasts can be, `
` I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia. `
` Why should not I then prosecute my right? `
` Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head, `
` Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena, `
` And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, `
` Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, `
` Upon this spotted and inconstant man. `
` THESEUS. I must confess that I have heard so much, `
` And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; `
` But, being over-full of self-affairs, `
` My mind did lose it. But, Demetrius, come; `
` And come, Egeus; you shall go with me; `
` I have some private schooling for you both. `
` For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself `
` To fit your fancies to your father's will, `
` Or else the law of Athens yields you up- `
` Which by no means we may extenuate- `
` To death, or to a vow of single life. `
` Come, my Hippolyta; what cheer, my love? `
` Demetrius, and Egeus, go along; `
` I must employ you in some business `
` Against our nuptial, and confer with you `
` Of something nearly that concerns yourselves. `
` EGEUS. With duty and desire we follow you. `
` Exeunt all but LYSANDER and HERMIA `
` LYSANDER. How now, my love! Why is your cheek so pale? `
` How chance the roses there do fade so fast? `
` HERMIA. Belike for want of rain, which I could well `
` Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes. `
` LYSANDER. 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; `
` But either it was different in blood- `
` HERMIA. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low. `
` LYSANDER. Or else misgraffed in respect of years- `
` HERMIA. O spite! too old to be engag'd to young. `
` LYSANDER. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends- `
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