I Sc. II
Act III
Sc. I Sc. II
Act IV
Sc. I Sc. II
Act V
Sc. I
[Dramatis Personae
Theseus, Duke of Athens
Egeus, father to Hermia
Lysander,
Demetrius, in love with Hermia
Philostrate, Master of the Revels to Theseus
–––––
Quince, a carpenter, presenting Prologue
Bottom, a weaver, presenting Pyramus
Flute, a bellows-mender, presenting Thisby
Snout, a tinker, presenting Wall
Snug, a joiner, presenting Lion
Starveling, a tailor, presenting Moonshine
–––––
Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed 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,
Cobweb,
Moth,
Mustardseed, fairies
Other Fairies attending their King and Queen; Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta
Scene: Athens, and a wood near it]
ACT I
[Scene I]
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, [Philostrate,] with others.
The.
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.
Hip.
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.
The.
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 and Lysander and Demetrius.
Ege.
Happy be Theseus, our renowned Duke!
The.
Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee?
Ege.
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 faining voice verses of faining 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
