1. Describe the character of Puck.
Answer: Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, is a mischievous fairy and servant of Oberon, the fairy king, in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is playful, witty, and enjoys creating chaos. Puck causes confusion when he mistakenly uses a magical flower to make Lysander fall in love with Helena instead of Hermia. His pranks include transforming Bottom’s head into that of a donkey, which leads to the amusing love affair between Bottom and Titania. Despite his tricks, Puck is loyal to Oberon and helps set things right by the end of the play. His humor and charm make him an unforgettable character. At the play's conclusion, he asks the audience for forgiveness, adding a touch of sincerity to his playful nature.
2. Describe the enmity between Hermia and Helena.
Answer: Hermia and Helena were close friends since childhood, but their friendship has recently been strained by feelings of love and jealousy. Before the play begins, Helena was in love with Demetrius, and Hermia was in love with Lysander. However, things changed when Demetrius stopped loving Helena and started pursuing Hermia instead. This left Hermia with two suitors while Helena felt abandoned and unattractive.
At the start of the play, Helena openly expresses her jealousy of Hermia, saying, “Your eyes are like stars, and your voice is sweeter than a bird’s song.” As the play progresses, this jealousy turns into anger. In Act III, Lysander, under the influence of fairy magic, stops loving Hermia and starts chasing Helena. This sudden change makes Hermia furious and deeply upsets Helena.
Their emotions escalate, and they begin arguing and calling each other hurtful names. While Puck's magic worsens the conflict, the root of the problem is Demetrius. His changeable feelings caused the tension between the two friends.
3. Why does Puck turn Bottom into a donkey?
Answer: Oberon tells Puck to make sure Titania falls in love with a strange creature—the stranger, the better. Puck loves causing trouble and doesn't worry about what is right or wrong. When he sees Bottom and his group practicing their play, he spots a chance to mess with the humans and turn one of them into a ridiculous match for Titania.
4. Why do the Athenian Craftsmen decide to write a prologue?
Answer: In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Athenian craftsmen add a prologue to their play, 'The Death of Pyramus and Thisbe', to make it clear that the violent and dramatic parts aren’t real. They tell the audience not to be scared of the lion's roar or the supposed deaths of the characters, as it's all just acting. This is done to comfort the audience, especially the noblewomen, who might be sensitive to such intense scenes.
The prologue explains that the characters aren’t actually dying, and things like the sword and lion are just props. The craftsmen, knowing they are amateurs, directly address the audience to avoid any misunderstandings. Bottom, the weaver playing Pyramus, plays a big role in pushing for these changes, as he’s particularly worried about frightening the audience, especially the women.
5. What is Puck's final statement in the play?
Answer: In his speech, Puck apologizes to the audience and asks for their applause. He explains that if the play offended or upset anyone, they should think of it as nothing more than a harmless dream. The events and characters were like shadows—unreal and innocent, with no intention to cause harm.
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