A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
By William Shakespeare
By William Shakespeare
CHARACTERS in order of appearance:
PUCK
PEASEBLOSSOM
COBWEB
MOTH
MUSTARDSEED
TITANIA
OBERON
BOTTOM
QUINCE
SNUG
FLUTE
SNOUT
STARVELING
Appearing as stuffed dummies on lawn chairs, the Nobility:
Egeus, the father, Hermia, his daughter, Demetrius, her betrothed, Lysander, her true love, Helena, her best friend who is in love with Demetrius
Cardboard cutouts:
Theseus & Hypolita, King Theseus and Queen Hippolyta
A doll: Changeling Child
(Enter from opposite sides PUCK and FAIRIES:
PUCK: How now, fairies! Whither wander thee?
PEASEBLOSSOM: Over hill and dale.
COBWEB: Through bush, through briar.
MOTH: Through flood, through fire.
MUSTARDSEED: We do wander everywhere.
FAIRIES: And we serve the fairy queen.
PUCK: And I the fairy king do serve.
PEASEBLOSSOM: You are that shrewd and knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow, are not you he?
PUCK: Thou speak'st aright. I am that merry wanderer of the night. Also known as Puck. (Motions fairies to follow him to Theseus and Hippolyta.) Stands Theseus, Hero of Crete, who the fearsome Minotaur slew. King Theseus, soon to be a groom. And Hippolyta the bride.
FAIRIES: A-a-a-w-w-w.
PUCK: (gesturing) And here the vexed father of lovely Hermia. She, Demetrius to wed but loves Lysander instead. (laughing)
And her friend the loyal Helena wants Demetrius to wed! (laughing) What say you fairies, some magic to stir? With this potion, when they awake, in love will they be with the first that they see. (laughing, they rearrange the four lovers)
(Sounds heard off-stage; exit FAIRIES with potion)
PUCK: Tis the warring Fairy King and Queen.
(Enter TITANIA from one side, OBERON from the other.)
OBERON: Ill met by moonlight, proud TITANIA.
TITANIA: What, jealous OBERON!
OBERON: Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg the little changeling boy for the fairy army.
TITANIA: Set your heart at rest, the fairy king buys not the child of me.
OBERON: Give me that boy and I will go with thee to the moonlight revels of Theseus' wedding day.
TITANIA: Not for thy fairy kingdom! Fairies, away!
OBERON: (loudly) Well, go thy way. to PUCK) Till I torment thee for insulting me. (They whisper. Puck nods gleefully.)
PUCK: I'll put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes. (Exit running)
(Re-enter PUCK)
OBERON: Have you the potion?
PUCK: Ay, here it is.
OBERON: Find Titania and into her eyes with the love-blind juice. Then fetch me come and wake her.
PUCK: Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do.
(Exit Oberon)
(Sounds off-stage)
PUCK: (looking) Tis the rehearsal for the King's wedding entertainment, a play to be performed by idiots. (moves to side of stage to watch)
(Enter BOTTOM, QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING)
BOTTOM: Are we all here?
QUINCE: Pat, pat, and here's a marvelous convenient place for our rehearsal.
BOTTOM: Peter Quince, there are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to KILL himself, which the ladies cannot abide.
STARVELING: I believe we must leave the killing out.
BOTTOM: Nay, just write me a speech to say we will do no HARM with our swords, and that Pyramus is not KILLED indeed. And it shalt explain that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver. This will put them out of fear.
SNOUT: Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
STARVELING: I fear itl
SNUG: Therefore another speech must tell he is NOT a lion.
BOTTOM: Lion must say, with his face seen through the lion's neck, 'Fair ladies, I would entreat you not to fear, not to tremble. I am no such thing as a lion. I am Snug the joiner.'
QUINCE: Then there is another thing. We must have a wall. For Pyramus and Thisbe did talk through the chink of a wall.
SNOUT: You can never bring a wall!
BOTTOM: Some person or another must represent Wall. Let him have some plaster about him and let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny Pyramus and Thisbe shall whisper.
QUINCE: Then all is well. Come, let us speak our parts.
BOTTOM: Thisbe, the flowers of odious savor sweet--
QUINCE: No, no, odors! Not ODIOUS!
BOTTOM: Thisbe, the flowers of ODORS savor sweet, so hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear. But hark! A voice. Stay thou but here awhile, And by and by I will appear. (exit)
(exit PUCK, laughing)
FLUTE: Must I speak now?
QUINCE: Ay!
FLUTE: Most Radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, I'll meet thee, Pyramus at Ninny's tomb.
QUINCE: Ninus' tomb I But you do not speak that yet. And
Bottom, Bottom, you have missed your cue.
(Enter BOTTOM wearing donkey head.)
BOTTOM: If I were fair, Thisbe, I be thine.
QUINCE: O monstrous! O strange!
We are haunted. Pray, masters! Fly masters! Help!
(Exit QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING, running)
BOTTOM: Why do they run away? Did they see a fright? I know, I shall walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afeard. (sings)
TITANIA: What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
BOTTOM: (sings)
TITANIA: Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
BOTTOM: Not so.
TITANIA: Thou shalt remain here. I do love thee. Come, Fairies! And bring the child!
(Enter Fairies)
(Enter PUCK and OBERON, hiding, laughing)
PEASEBLOSSOM: Here!
COBWEB: And I.
MOTH: And I.
MUSTARDSEED: And I.
ALL: What wisht thee?
TITANIA: Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. Feed him with apricots and dewberries.
ALL: Yes, Queen.
TITANIA: (to Bottom) Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed.
BOTTOM: Oh, do scratch my head, oh fairy.
(Peaseblossom scratches him)
BOTTOM: I must to the barber. For methinks I am marvelous hairy about the face.
TITANIA: Wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love?
BOTTOM: I pray you, let none of your people stir me. I have an
exposition of sleep come upon me. (sleeps)
TITANIA: Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. Fairies be gone.
(Exit fairies)
TITANIA: O how I love thee I How I dote on thee.
(Both sleep)
(Emerge PUCK and OBERON)
OBERON: Seest thou this silly sight? (laughing) Oh, I begin to pity her. Puck, undo this enchantment of her eyes. That she may again love me. And the changeling child away and send him to my bower in fairy land. Then take this transformed scalp that back to Athens may he repair.
(PUCK blows love potion into Titania's eyes; leads child out)
OBERON: Now, my Titania! Wake you, my sweet queen!
TITANIA: My Oberon! What visions have I seenl Me thought I was enamour'd of a donkeyl
OBERON: There lies your love.
TITANIA: Oh, yuck!
OBERON: Music ho! Come, my queen, take hands with me as new in love are we. Now to the wedding of Theseus we'll be.
(Exit OBERON and TITANIA)
(PUCK takes head off Bottom & exits)
BOTTOM: I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of it. It shall be called Bottom's dream, because it hath no Bottom. And I will sing it in the play for the king's wedding. Or perhaps to make it more gracious, I shall sing it at his death. (Exit)
(Enter OBERON, TITANIA, PUCK, fairies)
OBERON: (laughing) Restore them to their true loves.
TITANIA: Robin Goodfellow, right them again.
PUCK: (blows potion & rearranges) Is this it? (laughs) No, like this. (rearranges) There. Ready for the king's wedding.
OBERON: Wedding, ho!
TITANIA: Fairies, ho!
PUCK: Palace, ho!
(Fairies exit; enter actors)
BOTTOM: First we shall explain our play. Second we shall perform our play. 1f we offend, it is with our good will.
QUINCE: Our true intent is. All for your delight.
SNUG: We are not here. That you should here repent you.
(FLUTE hides face)
SNOUT: (annoyed with Flute) The actors are at hand!
STARVELING: And by our show, you shall know all, that you are like to know. (scratches head, looking confused)
BOTTOM: (whispers) Who is next?
QUINCE: Gentles, perchance you wonder at our show. But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.
SNUG: This man is Pyramus (indicate Bottom), This beauteous lady Thisbe (Flute).
FLUTE: This man (Snout), with lime and rough-cast, doth present Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder.
SNOUT: By Moonshine (Starveling) did these lovers think no scorn to meet at Ninus' tomb, there to woo.
STARVELING: This grisly beast (Snug, Lion by name, the trusty Thisbe did scare away, or rather did afright.
BOTTOM: And as she fled, her mantle she did fall. Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.
QUINCE: Presenteth Moonshine (STARVELING). By moonshine did the lovers met.
SNUG: (elbows QUINCE, shaking head) Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall, And finds his trusty Thisbe's mantle slain.
FLUTE: Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast.
SNOUT: And Thisbe tarrying in mulberry shade, the dagger drew and died.
STARVELING: And now we shall at large discourse.
(All bow and exit)
(Enter BOTTOM/Pyramus, SNOUT/Wall, STARVELING/Moon)
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Oh, grim-look'd night. Oh night with hue so black.
Oh night which ever art when day is not. Oh night, oh night, alack, alack, alack. I fear my Thisbe's promise is forgot. And thou, Oh Wall, oh sweet and lovely Wall, do standst between her father's ground and mine! Thou Wall, Oh wall, oh sweet and lovely Wall, show me thy chink to blink through with mine eye.
(Wall holds up fingers)
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Thanks, courteous wall.
(Enter FLUTE/Thisbe)
FLUTE/Thisbe: Oh Wall, my cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones.
BOTTOM/Pyramus: I see a voice!
I can hear my Thisbe's face!
FLUTE/Thisbe: My love thou art, my love I think.
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Meet me at Ninny's Tomb.
FLUTE/Thisbe: I come without delay!
(Exit Pyramus, Thisbe)
SNOUT/Wall: Thus have I, Wall, my part discharged; And, being done, thus Wall away doth go.
(Exit Wall)
(Enter SNUG/Lion)
SNUG/Lion: Tis only I, Snug the joiner. Ladies, fear not.
(Enter FLUTE/Thisbe)
FLUTE/Thisbe: This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love?
SNUG/Lion: Roar!!!
(Exit FLUTE/Thisbe, running, dropping mantle)
(SNUG/Lion mauls mantle, exit SNUG/Lion)
(Enter BOTTOM/Pyramus)
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Eyes, do you see? How can it be? Oh dainty duck! Oh dear! Thy mantle good, what, stain'd with blood? (Roar of lion off stage)· Thus die I. (Stabs himself) Now am I dead!
(Enter FLUTE/Thisbe)
FLUTE/Thisbe: Asleep, my love? What, dead, my dove?
(Picks up sword)
FLUTE/Thisbe: Come, trusty sword. (Stabs self) And, farewell, friends! (Dies)
(Enter PUCK, pinching STARVELING/Moon off stage)
PUCK: If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended,
(Enter other fairies, one by one)
OBERON: That you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear.
TITANIA: And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream.
All: So good night unto you all. Give us your hands, if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends.
PUCK
PEASEBLOSSOM
COBWEB
MOTH
MUSTARDSEED
TITANIA
OBERON
BOTTOM
QUINCE
SNUG
FLUTE
SNOUT
STARVELING
Appearing as stuffed dummies on lawn chairs, the Nobility:
Egeus, the father, Hermia, his daughter, Demetrius, her betrothed, Lysander, her true love, Helena, her best friend who is in love with Demetrius
Cardboard cutouts:
Theseus & Hypolita, King Theseus and Queen Hippolyta
A doll: Changeling Child
(Enter from opposite sides PUCK and FAIRIES:
PUCK: How now, fairies! Whither wander thee?
PEASEBLOSSOM: Over hill and dale.
COBWEB: Through bush, through briar.
MOTH: Through flood, through fire.
MUSTARDSEED: We do wander everywhere.
FAIRIES: And we serve the fairy queen.
PUCK: And I the fairy king do serve.
PEASEBLOSSOM: You are that shrewd and knavish sprite called Robin Goodfellow, are not you he?
PUCK: Thou speak'st aright. I am that merry wanderer of the night. Also known as Puck. (Motions fairies to follow him to Theseus and Hippolyta.) Stands Theseus, Hero of Crete, who the fearsome Minotaur slew. King Theseus, soon to be a groom. And Hippolyta the bride.
FAIRIES: A-a-a-w-w-w.
PUCK: (gesturing) And here the vexed father of lovely Hermia. She, Demetrius to wed but loves Lysander instead. (laughing)
And her friend the loyal Helena wants Demetrius to wed! (laughing) What say you fairies, some magic to stir? With this potion, when they awake, in love will they be with the first that they see. (laughing, they rearrange the four lovers)
(Sounds heard off-stage; exit FAIRIES with potion)
PUCK: Tis the warring Fairy King and Queen.
(Enter TITANIA from one side, OBERON from the other.)
OBERON: Ill met by moonlight, proud TITANIA.
TITANIA: What, jealous OBERON!
OBERON: Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do but beg the little changeling boy for the fairy army.
TITANIA: Set your heart at rest, the fairy king buys not the child of me.
OBERON: Give me that boy and I will go with thee to the moonlight revels of Theseus' wedding day.
TITANIA: Not for thy fairy kingdom! Fairies, away!
OBERON: (loudly) Well, go thy way. to PUCK) Till I torment thee for insulting me. (They whisper. Puck nods gleefully.)
PUCK: I'll put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes. (Exit running)
(Re-enter PUCK)
OBERON: Have you the potion?
PUCK: Ay, here it is.
OBERON: Find Titania and into her eyes with the love-blind juice. Then fetch me come and wake her.
PUCK: Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do.
(Exit Oberon)
(Sounds off-stage)
PUCK: (looking) Tis the rehearsal for the King's wedding entertainment, a play to be performed by idiots. (moves to side of stage to watch)
(Enter BOTTOM, QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING)
BOTTOM: Are we all here?
QUINCE: Pat, pat, and here's a marvelous convenient place for our rehearsal.
BOTTOM: Peter Quince, there are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword to KILL himself, which the ladies cannot abide.
STARVELING: I believe we must leave the killing out.
BOTTOM: Nay, just write me a speech to say we will do no HARM with our swords, and that Pyramus is not KILLED indeed. And it shalt explain that I Pyramus am not Pyramus, but Bottom the weaver. This will put them out of fear.
SNOUT: Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion?
STARVELING: I fear itl
SNUG: Therefore another speech must tell he is NOT a lion.
BOTTOM: Lion must say, with his face seen through the lion's neck, 'Fair ladies, I would entreat you not to fear, not to tremble. I am no such thing as a lion. I am Snug the joiner.'
QUINCE: Then there is another thing. We must have a wall. For Pyramus and Thisbe did talk through the chink of a wall.
SNOUT: You can never bring a wall!
BOTTOM: Some person or another must represent Wall. Let him have some plaster about him and let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny Pyramus and Thisbe shall whisper.
QUINCE: Then all is well. Come, let us speak our parts.
BOTTOM: Thisbe, the flowers of odious savor sweet--
QUINCE: No, no, odors! Not ODIOUS!
BOTTOM: Thisbe, the flowers of ODORS savor sweet, so hath thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear. But hark! A voice. Stay thou but here awhile, And by and by I will appear. (exit)
(exit PUCK, laughing)
FLUTE: Must I speak now?
QUINCE: Ay!
FLUTE: Most Radiant Pyramus, most lily-white of hue, I'll meet thee, Pyramus at Ninny's tomb.
QUINCE: Ninus' tomb I But you do not speak that yet. And
Bottom, Bottom, you have missed your cue.
(Enter BOTTOM wearing donkey head.)
BOTTOM: If I were fair, Thisbe, I be thine.
QUINCE: O monstrous! O strange!
We are haunted. Pray, masters! Fly masters! Help!
(Exit QUINCE, SNUG, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING, running)
BOTTOM: Why do they run away? Did they see a fright? I know, I shall walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afeard. (sings)
TITANIA: What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?
BOTTOM: (sings)
TITANIA: Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful.
BOTTOM: Not so.
TITANIA: Thou shalt remain here. I do love thee. Come, Fairies! And bring the child!
(Enter Fairies)
(Enter PUCK and OBERON, hiding, laughing)
PEASEBLOSSOM: Here!
COBWEB: And I.
MOTH: And I.
MUSTARDSEED: And I.
ALL: What wisht thee?
TITANIA: Be kind and courteous to this gentleman. Feed him with apricots and dewberries.
ALL: Yes, Queen.
TITANIA: (to Bottom) Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed.
BOTTOM: Oh, do scratch my head, oh fairy.
(Peaseblossom scratches him)
BOTTOM: I must to the barber. For methinks I am marvelous hairy about the face.
TITANIA: Wilt thou hear some music, my sweet love?
BOTTOM: I pray you, let none of your people stir me. I have an
exposition of sleep come upon me. (sleeps)
TITANIA: Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms. Fairies be gone.
(Exit fairies)
TITANIA: O how I love thee I How I dote on thee.
(Both sleep)
(Emerge PUCK and OBERON)
OBERON: Seest thou this silly sight? (laughing) Oh, I begin to pity her. Puck, undo this enchantment of her eyes. That she may again love me. And the changeling child away and send him to my bower in fairy land. Then take this transformed scalp that back to Athens may he repair.
(PUCK blows love potion into Titania's eyes; leads child out)
OBERON: Now, my Titania! Wake you, my sweet queen!
TITANIA: My Oberon! What visions have I seenl Me thought I was enamour'd of a donkeyl
OBERON: There lies your love.
TITANIA: Oh, yuck!
OBERON: Music ho! Come, my queen, take hands with me as new in love are we. Now to the wedding of Theseus we'll be.
(Exit OBERON and TITANIA)
(PUCK takes head off Bottom & exits)
BOTTOM: I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of it. It shall be called Bottom's dream, because it hath no Bottom. And I will sing it in the play for the king's wedding. Or perhaps to make it more gracious, I shall sing it at his death. (Exit)
(Enter OBERON, TITANIA, PUCK, fairies)
OBERON: (laughing) Restore them to their true loves.
TITANIA: Robin Goodfellow, right them again.
PUCK: (blows potion & rearranges) Is this it? (laughs) No, like this. (rearranges) There. Ready for the king's wedding.
OBERON: Wedding, ho!
TITANIA: Fairies, ho!
PUCK: Palace, ho!
(Fairies exit; enter actors)
BOTTOM: First we shall explain our play. Second we shall perform our play. 1f we offend, it is with our good will.
QUINCE: Our true intent is. All for your delight.
SNUG: We are not here. That you should here repent you.
(FLUTE hides face)
SNOUT: (annoyed with Flute) The actors are at hand!
STARVELING: And by our show, you shall know all, that you are like to know. (scratches head, looking confused)
BOTTOM: (whispers) Who is next?
QUINCE: Gentles, perchance you wonder at our show. But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.
SNUG: This man is Pyramus (indicate Bottom), This beauteous lady Thisbe (Flute).
FLUTE: This man (Snout), with lime and rough-cast, doth present Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder.
SNOUT: By Moonshine (Starveling) did these lovers think no scorn to meet at Ninus' tomb, there to woo.
STARVELING: This grisly beast (Snug, Lion by name, the trusty Thisbe did scare away, or rather did afright.
BOTTOM: And as she fled, her mantle she did fall. Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.
QUINCE: Presenteth Moonshine (STARVELING). By moonshine did the lovers met.
SNUG: (elbows QUINCE, shaking head) Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall, And finds his trusty Thisbe's mantle slain.
FLUTE: Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade, He bravely broached his boiling bloody breast.
SNOUT: And Thisbe tarrying in mulberry shade, the dagger drew and died.
STARVELING: And now we shall at large discourse.
(All bow and exit)
(Enter BOTTOM/Pyramus, SNOUT/Wall, STARVELING/Moon)
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Oh, grim-look'd night. Oh night with hue so black.
Oh night which ever art when day is not. Oh night, oh night, alack, alack, alack. I fear my Thisbe's promise is forgot. And thou, Oh Wall, oh sweet and lovely Wall, do standst between her father's ground and mine! Thou Wall, Oh wall, oh sweet and lovely Wall, show me thy chink to blink through with mine eye.
(Wall holds up fingers)
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Thanks, courteous wall.
(Enter FLUTE/Thisbe)
FLUTE/Thisbe: Oh Wall, my cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones.
BOTTOM/Pyramus: I see a voice!
I can hear my Thisbe's face!
FLUTE/Thisbe: My love thou art, my love I think.
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Meet me at Ninny's Tomb.
FLUTE/Thisbe: I come without delay!
(Exit Pyramus, Thisbe)
SNOUT/Wall: Thus have I, Wall, my part discharged; And, being done, thus Wall away doth go.
(Exit Wall)
(Enter SNUG/Lion)
SNUG/Lion: Tis only I, Snug the joiner. Ladies, fear not.
(Enter FLUTE/Thisbe)
FLUTE/Thisbe: This is old Ninny's tomb. Where is my love?
SNUG/Lion: Roar!!!
(Exit FLUTE/Thisbe, running, dropping mantle)
(SNUG/Lion mauls mantle, exit SNUG/Lion)
(Enter BOTTOM/Pyramus)
BOTTOM/Pyramus: Eyes, do you see? How can it be? Oh dainty duck! Oh dear! Thy mantle good, what, stain'd with blood? (Roar of lion off stage)· Thus die I. (Stabs himself) Now am I dead!
(Enter FLUTE/Thisbe)
FLUTE/Thisbe: Asleep, my love? What, dead, my dove?
(Picks up sword)
FLUTE/Thisbe: Come, trusty sword. (Stabs self) And, farewell, friends! (Dies)
(Enter PUCK, pinching STARVELING/Moon off stage)
PUCK: If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended,
(Enter other fairies, one by one)
OBERON: That you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear.
TITANIA: And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream.
All: So good night unto you all. Give us your hands, if we be friends, and Robin shall restore amends.
