Download Act 5 Scene 1 ()

Act 5, Scene 1
HIPPOLYTA: 'Tis strange my Theseus, that these
lovers speak of.
THESEUS: More strange than true: I never may believe
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
It comprehends some bringer of that joy;
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
AO2: How does
Theseus’ speech
address the theme of
imagination and
reality?
What is his view on
the lovers’ story?
HIPPOLYTA: 'Tis strange my Theseus, that these
lovers speak of.
Irony – Theseus himself is a
character from an ‘antique
fable’
THESEUS: More strange than true: I never may believe
Is he dismissive of the
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
fairies here?
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
Reason cannot comprehend fantasy
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
Link between lunacy, love, and
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
poetry = imagination. The lunatic’s
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
imagination causes him to
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:
hallucinate; the lover’s to see
The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven; beauty where others do not; the
poet’s (where ‘poet’ is all writers,
And as imagination bodies forth
including dramatists) to invent. He
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
acknowledges the illogic of love
A local habitation and a name.
and the power of imagination.
Such tricks hath strong imagination,
Does he use it to dismiss the
That if it would but apprehend some joy,
lovers’ tales and experiences?
It comprehends some bringer of that joy;
Or in the night, imagining some fear,
Imagination belongs to the night;
How easy is a bush supposed a bear!
reason to the day
Is Theseus’ opinion on the power of imagination undermined by the fact that
he himself is a figment of imagination? He is, after all, a character in a play,
and is reliant on the imagination of the audience accepting him in his role.
HIPPOLYTA: But all the story of the night told over,
And all their minds transfigured so together,
More witnesseth than fancy's images
And grows to something of great constancy;
But, howsoever, strange and admirable.
THESEUS: Here come the lovers, full of joy and mirth.
Enter LYSANDER, DEMETRIUS, HERMIA, and
HELENA
Joy, gentle friends! joy and fresh days of love
Accompany your hearts!
Theseus moves his attention to the
happiness and joy of marriage. “Joy
/joy!” is reminiscent of wedding
bells.
‘transfiguration’ – Christ’s
transfiguration was when his
divinity was revealed; this
word implies the lovers have
been improved by their
experiences. Does ‘constancy’
suggest their love is now
constant and true?
Hippolyta points out that the lovers’
stories have something more than
“fancy’s images” – something
“strange and admirable” but
constant. The audience know this to
be true. What happened in the
woods was more than “airy
nothing”.
Her husband gives her no reply.
“Say, what abridgement have you for this evening?/ What masque?
what music? How shall we beguile/ The lazy time, if not with some
delight?”
'The battle with the Centaurs, to be sung
By an Athenian eunuch to the harp.'
Inappropriate because:
• theme of violence
• presented by a eunuch
• Theseus himself took part in this
battle, disrupting a wedding feast
'The riot of the tipsy Bacchanals,
Tearing the Thracian singer in their rage.'
Inappropriate because:
• theme of violence
'The thrice three Muses mourning for the death
Of Learning, late deceased in beggary.'
Inappropriate because:
• theme of poverty and death
• “mourning”
'A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus
And his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth.'
Pyramus and Thisbe seems
ridiculous but actually fits the
themes of the play – “how shall
we find the concord of this
discord?”
THESEUS: I will hear that play;
For never anything can be amiss,
When simpleness and duty tender it.
Go, bring them in: and take your places, ladies.
Intentions matter
most
Exit PHILOSTRATE
HIPPOLYTA: I love not to see wretchedness o'er charged
And duty in his service perishing.
She does not want
to see the
mechanicals
humiliated
THESEUS: Why, gentle sweet, you shall see no such thing.
How does this affect our view
of Theseus and Hippolyta?
Do they seem more united
and ‘constant’?
HIPPOLYTA: He says they can do nothing in this kind.
THESEUS: The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.
Our sport shall be to take what they mistake:
And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect
Takes it in might, not merit.
effort, not value
Where I have come, great clerks have purposed
To greet me with premeditated welcomes;
Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,
Make periods in the midst of sentences,
Throttle their practised accent in their fears
And in conclusion dumbly have broke off,
Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet,
Out of this silence yet I pick'd a welcome;
And in the modesty of fearful duty
I read as much as from the rattling tongue
Of saucy and audacious eloquence.
How is this generous attitude
Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity
undermined by what follows?
In least speak most, to my capacity.
Is it?
AO4: it was a
common
complaint of
dramatists in
Shakespeare’s
time that some
upper class
members of the
audience liked to
show off by
making loudly
patronising and
offensive
comments about
the performance
that they were
watching. Ben
Jonson called
them ‘fastidious
impertinents’.
Theseus, Lysander, Demetrius,
and even Hippolyta, make
sarcastic comments
throughout the play.
Moonshine, in particular,
seems to have his
contribution ruined
(Hippolyta: “I am aweary of
this moon. Would he would
change.”) and abandons his
lines entirely (“All that I have
to say is..”)
Bottom takes the chance to
show his mettle and boldly
steps out of role to address
the comments, explaining- in
as patronising a manner as
their own- what the nobles
should be appreciating.
N.B. Hermia and Helena do
not interrupt.
Pyramus and
Thisbe
AO3: Performance
For the humour of the play to be communicated,
it must be acted ‘badly’. It is “a masterpiece of
incompetence” (York notes).
Pyramus and Thisbe is a
version of what might have
happened to Hermia and
Lysander. Is this why Hermia
and Helena do not criticise it?
Or is it simply that it would be
impolite of them as women to
join in with the men and
Duchess?
Prologue: If we offend, it is with our good will.
That you should think, we come not to offend,
But with good will. To show our simple skill,
That is the true beginning of our end.
Consider then we come but in despite.
We do not come as minding to contest you,
Our true intent is. All for your delight
We are not here. That you should here repent you,
The actors are at hand and by their show
You shall know all that you are like to know.
THESEUS: This fellow doth not stand upon points.
Quince’s poor delivery
of the prologue is
indicated by the
punctuation of his
speech, which alters its
meaning considerably.
This is sometimes
performed as a
consequence of severe
stage fright, making the
comments of the nobles
even crueller.
LYSANDER: He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knows
not the stop. A good moral, my lord: it is not
enough to speak, but to speak true.
Punctuation/
detail
Gentles, perchance you wonder at this show;
But wonder on, till truth make all things plain.
This man is Pyramus, if you would know;
This beauteous lady Thisby is certain.
This man, with lime and rough-cast, doth present
Wall, that vile Wall which did these lovers sunder;
And through Wall's chink, poor souls, they are content
To whisper. At the which let no man wonder.
This man, with lanthorn, dog, and bush of thorn,
Presenteth Moonshine; for, if you will know,
By moonshine did these lovers think no scorn
To meet at Ninus' tomb, there, there to woo.
This grisly beast, which Lion hight by name,
The trusty Thisby, coming first by night,
Did scare away, or rather did affright;
And, as she fled, her mantle she did fall,
Which Lion vile with bloody mouth did stain.
Anon comes Pyramus, sweet youth and tall,
And finds his trusty Thisby's mantle slain:
Whereat, with blade, with bloody blameful blade,
He bravely broach'd is boiling bloody breast;
And Thisby, tarrying in mulberry shade,
His dagger drew, and died. For all the rest,
Let Lion, Moonshine, Wall, and lovers twain
At large discourse, while here they do remain.
A ‘padded line’ – Quince lacks skill
in verse so has to ‘pad out’ his
lines to make them fit the metre
Ill-used alliteration
Quince’s verse is unable to contain
the high emotions he wishes it to
express. Is this a parody of some
contemporary forms of drama which
lacked the craft and skill of
Shakespeare himself? Or was it just
done for humour?
It certainly seems intended to show
what happens when rhetorical
devices and rhyme are used without
skill or sensitivity.
Wall:
In this same interlude it doth befall
That I, one Snout by name, present a wall;
And such a wall, as I would have you think,
That had in it a crannied hole or chink,
Through which the lovers, Pyramus and Thisby,
Did whisper often very secretly.
This loam, this rough-cast and this stone doth show
That I am that same wall; the truth is so:
And this the cranny is, right and sinister,
Through which the fearful lovers are to whisper.
Weak rhymes
AO3: The presentation of
‘wall’ is often a source of
great humour. His references
(echoed by Pyramus) to
‘stone’ and ‘cranny’ can be
interpreted quite lewdly,
especially as the lovers
attempt to communicate –
and kiss! – ‘through’ him.
“O!” = melodrama
This must be hammed up in
performance.
Cf. with Helena’s “O weary night!”
in the last act.
Pyramus: O grim-look'd night! O night with hue so black!
O night, which ever art when day is not!
O night, O night! alack, alack, alack,
I fear my Thisby's promise is forgot!
And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall,
That stand'st between her father's ground and mine!
Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall,
Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne!
Wall holds up his fingers
Thanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!
But what see I? No Thisby do I see.
O wicked wall, through whom I see no bliss!
Cursed be thy stones for thus deceiving me!
THESEUS: The wall, methinks, being sensible, should curse again.
Pyramus: No, in truth, sir, he should not. 'Deceiving me'
is Thisby's cue: she is to enter now, and I am to
spy her through the wall. You shall see, it will
fall pat as I told you. Yonder she comes.
Thisbe: O wall, full often hast thou heard my moans,
For parting my fair Pyramus and me!
My cherry lips have often kiss'd thy stones,
Thy stones with lime and hair knit up in thee.
Pyramus: I see a voice: now will I to the chink,
To spy an I can hear my Thisby's face. Thisby!
Thisbe: My love thou art, my love I think.
Pyramus: Think what thou wilt, I am thy lover's grace;
And, like Limander, am I trusty still.
Thisbe: And I like Helen, till the Fates me kill.
Pyramus: Not Shafalus to Procrus was so true.
Thisbe: As Shafalus to Procrus, I to you.
Pyramus: O kiss me through the hole of this vile wall!
Bottom shows courage
here; he responds to the
comments of the nobles
rather than ignoring
them.
Crude references (can
be amplified in
performance)
See also: crude use of
stichomythia – cf.
lovers’ earlier use
Garbled references to
mythology: the correct
couples are Leander and
Hero; Cephalus and
Procris
HIPPOLYTA: This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.
THESEUS: The best in this kind are but shadows; and the worst
are no worse, if imagination amend them.
HIPPOLYTA: It must be your imagination then, and not theirs.
Theme: imagination and acting
These comments highlight the need for the
audience’s imagination, if theatre is to work.
Link to earlier reference to
‘shadows’ and Puck’s use
in the upcoming epilogue
Pyramus: Sweet Moon, I thank thee for thy sunny beams;
I thank thee, Moon, for shining now so bright;
For, by thy gracious, golden, glittering gleams,
I trust to take of truest Thisby sight.
But stay, O spite!
But mark, poor knight,
What dreadful dole is here!
Eyes, do you see?
How can it be?
O dainty duck! O dear!
Thy mantle good,
What, stain'd with blood!
Approach, ye Furies fell!
O Fates, come, come,
Cut thread and thrum;
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!
A typically over-blown performance from Bottom:
• over-use of “O!”
• ill-used alliteration
• the usual mix-ups
“Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man”
- unexpected?
Pyramus: O wherefore, Nature, didst thou lions frame?
Since lion vile hath here deflower'd my dear:
Which is--no, no--which was the fairest dame
That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd
devoured
with cheer.
Come, tears, confound;
Out, sword, and wound
The pap of Pyramus;
‘pap’ – usually
Ay, that left pap,
Where heart doth hop:
used to refer to
Stabs himself
Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
Now am I dead,
Now am I fled;
My soul is in the sky:
Tongue, lose thy light;
Moon take thy flight:
Exit Moonshine
Now die, die, die, die, die.
Dies
women
Extravagant repetition
Thisbe:
Shakespeare’s skill is obvious
Asleep, my love?
here: the short lines speed
What, dead, my dove?
up the rhythm of the scene
O Pyramus, arise!
Speak, speak. Quite dumb?
and emphasise the rhymes;
Dead, dead? A tomb
the rhymes show the errors
Must cover thy sweet eyes.
in language which undermine
These My lips,
the emotion of the scene –
This cherry nose,
These yellow cowslip cheeks, however, remember the way
Are gone, are gone:
this was acted in the film?
Lovers, make moan:
Performance can change
His eyes were green as leeks.
everything!
O Sisters Three,
Come, come to me,
Ill-used alliteration
With hands as pale as milk;
Lay them in gore,
AO4: A remark in Edward
Since you have shore
Sharpham’s play The Fleire,
With shears his thread of silk.
from the 1600s, seems to refer
Tongue, not a word:
to Shakespeare’s original
Come, trusty sword;
Come, blade, my breast imbrue: production of this scene. When
Stabs herself
And, farewell, friends;
Thus Thisby ends:
Adieu, adieu, adieu.
Dies
Thisbe came to kill herself, she
was unable to find Pyramus’
sword and instead stabbed
herself to death with the
scabbard. Is this how
Shakespeare directed it?
A dance
What does this symbolise?
Theseus:
The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve:
Lovers, to bed; 'tis almost fairy time.
I fear we shall out-sleep the coming morn
As much as we this night have overwatch'd.
This palpable-gross play hath well beguiled
The heavy gait of night. Sweet friends, to bed.
A fortnight hold we this solemnity,
In nightly revels and new jollity.
[Exeunt]
Is this a joke at the lovers’
expense or does he really
believe the fairies are on their
way? Either way, this
comment gives the audience a
sense of anticipation for the
final scenes of the play.
Compare this to 1.i:
“Pomp, triumph and
revelling”.
In a reversal of Act 4 Scene 1, as Theseus and Hippolyta leave the stage,
Oberon and Titania enter. Think again about the symmetry between these
couples, even if they are not performed by the same actors.
Now the hungry lion roars,
Puck’s imagery is dark and ghostly, but
And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,
will soon be set aside in favour of the
All with weary task fordone.
reassuring, domestic imagery of
Now the wasted brands do glow,
fireplaces and beds. It does, however,
Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud, remind us of the darkness and mystery of
Puts the wretch that lies in woe
the fairy world (versus rational daylight).
In remembrance of a shroud.
Now it is the time of night
That the graves all gaping wide,
Does this sum up the
Every one lets forth his sprite,
atmosphere of the play?
In the church-way paths to glide:
And we fairies, that do run
By the triple Hecate's team,
From the presence of the sun,
Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolic: not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent with broom before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.
Symbolises bringing of
peace
Oberon, Titania and Puck
speak in tetrameter
couplets, fitting their role
of magical spirits.
OBERON: Through the house give gathering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire:
Every elf and fairy sprite
Hop as light as bird from brier;
And this ditty, after me,
Sing, and dance it trippingly.
The imagery is light and reflects
the harmony and joy of the
TITANIA: First, rehearse your song by rote
ending.
To each word a warbling note:
Hand in hand, with fairy grace,
“Song and dance” both
Will we sing, and bless this place.
symbolise this unity, in the fairy
and human worlds.
Song and dance
Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate.
So shall all the couples three
Ever true in loving be;
And the blots of Nature's hand
Shall not in their issue stand;
Never mole, hare lip, nor scar,
Nor mark prodigious, such as are
Despised in nativity,
Shall upon their children be.
With this field-dew consecrate,
Every fairy take his gait;
And each several chamber bless,
Through this palace, with sweet peace;
And the owner of it blest
Ever shall in safety rest.
Trip away; make no stay;
Meet me all by break of day.
1. The children from the start of
the play have become adults, and
will have children of their own
2. These children will be blemishfree and perfect, being blessed by
the fairies – compare this with
‘Queen Mab’ from Romeo and
Juliet. These are “spirits of a
different sort”.
The epilogue: “If we shadows have
offended...”
Cf. earlier mentions – Puck
brings them together here.
They are ‘shadows’ as actors
and as fairies.
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
AO2: What is the purpose
No more yielding but a dream,
of these references to
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
sleep and dreams?
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
Hissing versus applause
We will make amends ere long;
– accepted theatrical
Else the Puck a liar call;
conventions for
So, good night unto you all.
audience response
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
AO3: Read your
handout on these
final scenes. Do
you agree with
what is said?
The epilogue: “If we shadows have
offended...”
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
AO2: Puck’s speech – directly aimed at the
audience – removes the illusion of theatre and
switches our attention from the events on stage
to the relationship between play and audience.
It invites us to decide how we will assess ‘A
Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Is our experience of
it as idle as a dream, or is it something more
substantial?
AO4: In Peter Brook’s production, the house lights
were turned on for the final speech and the actors
took “give me your hands” as a cue to make their
way out through the audience, shaking hands as
they went.