Act 1 Scene 1

Questions

1. Where does the play begin?
2. Whom is Duke Theseus going to marry?
3. When is Duke Theseus going to marry Hippolyta?
4. Whom does Theseus lash out at for being a slowpoke?
5. What does Hippolyta say to Theseus about the moon?
6. By Theseus' order, who gets the youth of the city to party?
7. Why does Philostrate get the youth of the city partying?
8. Who held the title of Master of the Revels in Shakespeare's day?
9. What was the Master of the Revels in charge of?
10. What did the Master of the Revels have authority to censor?
11. What does Theseus promise Hippolyta about their wedding?
12. When did Theseus capture Hippolyta?
13. Which Athenian man shows up and greets Theseus?
14. Who has come with Egeus to see Theseus?
15. Why isn't Egeus happy?
16. What does Egeus do when his daughter refuses to marry Demetrius?
17. Whom does Egeus claim has "bewitch'd" his daughter?
18. What wrongs does Egeus say that Lysander has committed?
19. Why does Egeus say that Hermia must follow his decision about whom she is to marry?
20. What does Athenian law dictate will happen to Hermia if she doesn't accept her father's choice for her husband?
21. How does Hermia respond when Theseus attempts to reason with her?
22. What does Theseus say are Hermia's two options if she refuses to marry Demetrius?
23. What does Theseus say about Hermia's two options?
24. What does Hermia say she would rather do than marry a guy she doesn't love?
25. How long does Theseus give Hermia to declare her own fate?
26. What does Lysander point out about Egeus loving Demetrius?
27. How does Lysander defend his right to marry Hermia?
28. What does Lysander claim that Demetrius has done previously?
29. How does Theseus respond to Lysander's claim about Demetrius previously courting Helena?
30. What does Theseus advise Hermia before going away with Egeus and Demetrius?
31. What does Lysander famously declare about the difficulties facing his relationship with Hermia when they are left alone?
32. Why does Hermia declare that she and Lysander should be patient?
33. Which relative does Lysander mention, who loves him like a son?
34. Why will Lysander and Hermia be able to get married at his aunt's home?
35. Where does Hermia agree to meet Lysander the following night?
36. Why is Helena a mess?
37. Who does Helena want to be more like?
38. Why does Helena want to be more like Hermia?
39. What does Hermia say about Demetrius falling in love with her?
40. Why does Hermia say that Demetrius won't be distracted by her anymore?
41. What does Helena try to understand when left alone?
42. What does Helena decide is the best thing to do?
43. Why does Helena decide to tell Demetrius that Hermia plans to elope with Lysander?

Answers

1. The play begins at the Duke Theseus' swanky palace in Athens.
2. Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons
3. They'll marry in four days' time, during the new moon.
4. Theseus lashes out at the moon.
5. He says the moon will "behold the night of solemnities."
6. Philostrate, the Master of the Revels
7. So time passes quickly
8. The royal court's official party planner was the Master of Revels in Shakespeare's day.
9. He hired entertainers and decided which plays could be performed on public stages in and around London.
10. He could censor plays that were offensive or didn't kiss up to the monarch enough.
11. It'll be more joyful than the circumstances under which they got engaged.
12. He captured her when he conquered her people, the Amazons.
13. Egeus greets Theseus.
14. His daughter, Hermia, and two guys named Lysander and Demetrius
15. His disobedient daughter refuses to marry Demetrius, the guy Egeus has chosen to be her husband.
16. He lodges a formal complaint to the Duke.
17. Lysander
18. He presented Hermia with various love-tokens, serenaded her by moonlight, and even given her a lock of his hair.
19. She's his daughter and therefore his property.
20. She'll be put to death.
21. She flat-out refuses to marry Demetrius.
22. She can become a celibate nun or be put to death.
23. Theseus says that being a nun isn't so great and that Hermia should bite the bullet and marry Demetrius.
24. Hermia says should would rather die a virgin.
25. Four days
26. He says that Egeus should marry Demetrius since he loves him so much.
27. He's equal to Demetrius in pedigree, better off financially, and Hermia actually loves him.
28. Lysander says that Demetrius courted Hermia's friend, Helena, who still has a crush on Demetrius.
29. He says he's heard about this and means to have a talk with Demetrius about it.
30. Theseus tells Hermia to be a good girl and listen to her dad, or else deal with Athenian law.
31. "The course of true love never did run smooth."
32. Hermia declares that they're destined to be together.
33. His rich, widowed aunt loves him like a son.
34. She lives outside the reach of Athenian law.
35. Hermia and Lysander agree to meet in the woods.
36. She loves Demetrius but he wants to marry Hermia.
37. Hermia
38. She'd be pretty, sweet-voiced, and good at making men fall in love with her.
39. She hasn't done much to inspire him; the more she frowns, curses, and hates him the more he loves her.
40. She's going to run off and get hitched to Lysander.
41. Helena tries to understand why Demetrius fell out of love with her.
42. Helena tattles to Demetrius about Hermia planning to elope with Lysander.
43. She reasons that she's got nothing to lose and thinks that maybe Demetrius will be so grateful that he'll change his mind and fall in love with her again.