Foreword
Introduction
From the First Folio
To the Reader
Title page
To the great Variety of Readers
To the Memory of my belovd the Author
The Names of the Principall Actors
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Chapter 1
list of parts
THESEUS, Duke of Athens HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus EGEUS, an Athenian courtier, father to Hermia LYSANDER, in love with Hermia HERMIA, in love with Lysander, but ordered by her father to marry Demetrius DEMETRIUS, in love with Hermia, though once a suitor to Helena HELENA, in love with Demetrius Peter QUINCE, a carpenter and leader of an amateur dramatic group, who speaks the PROLOGUE to their play Nick BOTTOM, a weaver, who plays PYRAMUS in the amateur play Francis FLUTE, a bellows-mender, who plays THISBE in the amateur play SNUG, a joiner, who plays a LION in the amateur play Tom SNOUT, a tinker, who plays a WALL in the amateur play Robin STARVELING, a tailor, who plays MOONSHINE in the amateur play OBERON, King of Fairies TITANIA, Queen of Fairies ROBIN Goodfellow, also known as Puck, a sprite in the service of Oberon PEASEBLOSSOM COBWEB MOTH MUSTARDSEED PHILOSTRATE, an official in Theseus' court Other Attendants at the court of Theseus; other Fairies attendant upon Oberon
Act 1 [Scene 1] running scene 1
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, with others [Philostrate and attendants]
THESEUS Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in Another moon: but O, 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.
HIPPOLYTA Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights,
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.
THESEUS Go,Philostrate,
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments,
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth,
Turn melancholy forth to funerals:
The pale companion is not for our pomp.
[Exit Philostrate]
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 revelling.
Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius
EGEUS Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke.
THESEUS Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?
EGEUS Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia.