Mid+Summers+Night+Dream+Act+4

media type="file" key="MSND @ 2.mp3" width="240" height="20" Podcast by: Jeremy Smith and Tom Norman The ballad of Bottom's dream.

Act IV, Scene 1 44. How has Bottom adjusted to the attention of Titania and her fairies?: Bottom feels right at home. He loves all the attention he is getting from Titania and all the fairies, he also is trying to take advantage of this oppurtunity as much as possible.

45. What is Oberon’s reaction to Titania’s infatuation with Bottom?: Oberon becomes jealous of Bottom and envies all the attention that Titania is giving Bottom instead of him. He wishes to undo the choices he made.

46. What sort of explanation will Oberon make to Titania’s question about what happened to her?: Oberon contomplaits blaiming the situation on the changeling boy but he ends up avoiding the qeustion all in all and deflects it by starting music and striking up a dance.

47. Why are Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, and the others out in the woods so early in the morning?: They are all out celebrating the rite of May.

48. What is Theseus’s first explanation of why the young people are asleep in the woods?: At first Theseus beleives that they awoke early to observe the rite of May and came there knowing Theseus and companies intent.

49. What explanation does Demetrius make? Why does he compare his love for Hermia to an illness?: He says that his love for Hermia was like a sickness in the way that it weighed him down and effected him. He says "My love for Hermia, melted as the snow..." as if the weight of the figurative snow has been lifted from his shoulders. He compares his love to his health in the way that his love for Hermia was a sickness and now that he loves Helena he is in full health.

50. What is Theseus’s decision concerning the four young people?: Theseus is all for the four young lovers new found love and is willing to let them all wed. He also concludes that all three couples will be wed on teh same day.

51. Why can’t the young people be sure whether they are awake or dreaming?: To them the past events seemed to be so sureal and unbeleivable that they come to the conclusion that it must have been a dream. Yet at the same time they all seem to have the same recollection of the past nights events so they are torn in concluding whether it was real or a dream.

52. Bottom believes he too has had a dream. How is he going to use that to entertain the Duke?: Bottom comes up with the idea that he could make a ballad called Bottoms Dream. The ballad will be about the past night that Bottom had been through even though he still beleives its a dream.

Act IV, Scene 2 53. What opinion do the other artisans now have of Bottom since they think he is lost?: Before they thought of Bottom as an overated actor. But now that he is gone they realize that they need him and feel bad also as if they took him for granted as surprisingly he is the best actor.

54. What do they most regret losing by not being able to perform the play?: Their biggest two regrets are not being able to play for the duke because of the money and also because of the fame.

55. Why must the artisans hurry to the Duke’s palace?: They must hurry because if they do not they will be late for their chance to get dressed and ready to put on the show for the Duke if they are selected. (which they are) **Extending the thought process.** a) The fourth act opens and ends with Bottom at center stage. What is your opinion of Bottom’s character? How might he be the antithesis, or opposite, of Theseus’s character?: Theseus and Bottom are two very contrasting character's in several diffrent ways. Bottom is not that intellegent and Theseus is the exact opposite. Theseus is very rich and powerful whereas Bottom has little money and is a mockery of the town. Theseus is very wise in his judgments and very fair in his descisions whereas Bottom can be the exact opposite, quick to judge and maybe un fair. Theseus' personality is also very diffrent from Bottoms as he is very proud and does not brag whereas Bottom loves to show off and prove that he is better than others. (even if he really isn't) ==== b) How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?: Most of the characters when they wake up blow the experience off as a dream and nothing more as they find it incredibly unbeleivable that the past nights exeperiences could be true. The character most changed was Demetrius. While Demetrius was asleep Puck anointed his eyes and over night he went from loving Hermia to loving Helena. ==== ==== c) In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation?: Shakespeare is trying to say that sometimes love can be so odd and unbeleivable that in some cases the things that people would do for others while there in love is unbeleivable. He is trying to say that love is so complex and can make people do such unbeleivable and unforgettable acts they could be considered surreal or a dream. ====