Act 1, Scene 1 (Theseus)

Question 1

Athens. The palace of THESEUS.

(Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, and PHILOSTRATE, with others)

Answer 1

Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour

Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in

Another moon. But oh, methinks how slow

This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires,

Like to a stepdame or a dowager

Long withering out a young man’s revenue.

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

Go, Philostrate,

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments.

Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth.

(Exit PHILOSTRATE)

(on knees)

Hippolyta, I wooed 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 reveling.

Question 3

Enter EGEUS and his daughter HERMIA, and LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS

EGEUS

Happy be Theseus, our renownèd duke.

Answer 3

(exasperated)

Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee? ​

Question 4

EGEUS

Full of vexation come I with complaint

Against my child, my daughter Hermia.—

Stand forth, Demetrius.

……

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.

Answer 4

(cross to Hermia)

What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid:

To you your father should be as a god,

One that composed 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.

Question 5

HERMIA

So is Lysander.

Answer 5

( quickly responding, annoyed)

In himself he is;
But in this kind, wanting your father’s voice,
The other must be held the worthier.

Question 6

HERMIA

I would my father look’d but with my eyes.

Answer 6

Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.

Question 7

HERMIA

I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
I know not by what power I am made bold,
But I beseech your grace that I may know
The worst that may befall me in this case,
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

Answer 7

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 in shady cloister mew’d,
To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.

Question 8

HERMIA

So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
Ere I will my virgin patent up
Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke
My soul consents not to give sovereignty.

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

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

(to THESEUS) I am, my lord, as well derived as he,

As well possessed. My love is more than his.

And—which is more than all these boasts can be—

I am beloved 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.

Answer 9

I must confess that I have heard so much

And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof,

But being overfull of self-affairs,

My mind did lose it.—But, Demetrius, come.

And come, Egeus. You shall go with me.

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.

• (shift, hold arm straight out)*
• *Come, my Hippolyta:**

(she leaves)

what cheer, my love? (incredulously)

Demetrius and Egeus, go along:​ (annoyed)