A Midsummer Night’s Dream Act 1 Scene 1

Today’s What can we determine is the main events in this play? Focus Questions Goals What can we determine is the main events in this play? How should we read a play out loud? What will happen next in the plot? Watch a trailer to identify main events in the play Read Act 1 Scene 1 aloud Predict what will happen next in the play

Trailer for MND https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGN8wJyJ_AY

Before you read… On a sheet of notebook paper… Why do young people in love sometimes experience conflicts with their parents? You can speak from experiences, from knowledge of others, or things that you’ve read or imagined.

Before you read… What is the best way to resolve a conflict? Use the 6 steps to “resolved” the conflict created between parents and young people in love. Take a look at background information a vocabulary. These things will help you as you read.

Reading a play Yes, yes… plays are meant to be EXPERIENCED So this is the best we can get (for now…) Reading is by volunteering (only for yourself) If we do not have enough volunteers for a day, you will read the required section independently and then will have a quiz at the end of the class period. As we a reading, it is expected that you “read with enthusiasm” I will assist you in understanding the general mood of a character for the scene, but I expect you to apply that to your tone of voice when reading the lines. Why? Well, if you volunteer to read, then you expressing a desire to “perform” the lines for the rest of the class. I don’t want you to overact- I just want you to read like you feel something. This helps YOU and your listeners get a better idea of what is happening in the play. Example: Juliet before taking a vial that will make her appear dead.  Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again. 2565 I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins,  […]What if this mixture do not work at all?  Shall I be married then to-morrow morning?  No, no: this shall forbid it: lie thou there.  [Laying down her dagger] 2575 What if it be a poison, which the friar  Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead,  [..]How if, when I am laid into the tomb,  I wake before the time that Romeo  Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point!  […]Alack, alack, is it not like that I,  So early waking, what with loathsome smells,  And shrieks like mandrakes' torn out of the earth,  That living mortals, hearing them, run mad:—  2600 […]O, look! methinks I see my cousin's ghost  Seeking out Romeo, that did spit his body  Upon a rapier's point: stay, Tybalt, stay!  Romeo, I come! this do I drink to thee.

Roll call Theseus Hippolyta Egeus Hermia Demetrius Lysander I will read Helena’s lines throughout the entire play. This will allow you to hear the lines from someone who immediately understand the lines they are speaking, which in turn leads towards clearer presentation of tone, mood, sarcasm, emotions, etc. This will help make some of the actions make more sense. HOWEVER, if you get lost, review on NO FEAR SHAKESPEARE online. Super helpful resource. DON’T use it as a replacement. Use it as an aid to guide your learning. The idea isn’t to drag you through Shakespeare, but to give you the tools to learn his work. P.S. we probably won’t finish Act 1 Scene 1 Today. Theseus Hippolyta Egeus Hermia Demetrius Lysander

Act 1 Scene 1 Summary:   In act 1 scene 1, Theseus, who is a Duke of Athens, is excited to be marrying Hippolyta in just four days. Egeus approaches Theseus with his daughter Hermia to ask for the duke's advice. Egeus has agreed to let Demetrius marry Hermia; however, Hermia is in love with Lysander, who is also interested in marrying her. The law states that she must follow her father's wishes, or he can have her killed. Theseus agrees that daughters should follow their fathers' wishes. Hermia begs Theseus to be reasonable; he agrees to give her until the day of his wedding to decide whether she will marry Demetrius or choose death. Lysander tries to beg Demetrius to back down. Lysander points out to Theseus and Egeus that Helena is in love with Demetrius and wants to marry him. Theseus agrees to talk privately to Egeus and Demetrius about this situation, and the three of them leave.      Once they are alone, Lysander and Hermia discuss their options. Lysander mentions that he has a widowed aunt who lives outside of Athens and would let them stay with her. Then they could get married because they would be outside the confines of Athenian law. They agree to meet in the woods tomorrow night and from there they will run away and get married.      Helena then bumps into Hermia and Lysander. Helena is jealous of Hermia’s beauty because Demetrius, whom she adores, wants to marry Hermia. Helena often makes remarks wishing she was more like Hermia so that Demetrius would like her. Hermia is annoyed by Helena's complaining when she has no interest in marrying Demetrius, so she decides to tell Helena about their secret plan. She confesses that she is planning to meet Lysander in the woods tomorrow night to run away with him and get married. Therefore, once she is gone, Helena will be free to marry Demetrius. They ask that Helena not reveal their plan to anyone, and the couple leaves. Helena decides that she will not keep their plan a secret. She will tell Demetrius of their plan, and then he will be grateful to her and maybe turn his love to her once he sees for himself that Hermia has chosen Lysander.