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A Midsummer's Night's Dream (5): Understanding the Ending

This worksheet will help the pupil to understand the ending of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

'A Midsummer's Night's Dream (5): Understanding the Ending' worksheet

Key stage:  KS 3

Curriculum topic:   Reading

Curriculum subtopic:   Set, Plot and Character Awareness

Difficulty level:  

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Worksheet Overview

QUESTION 1 of 10

This worksheet will help you understand the ending of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in more depth.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy. In Shakespeare's time comedy had a slightly different meaning to what it has today. Put simply, a Shakespearean Comedy had to have a happy ending.

 

Tick the four correct statements below that make A Midsummer Night's Dream have a happy ending.

The wedding of Hippolyta and Theseus is celebrated.

Bottom and Titania are married.

Titania and Oberon are reunited.

Hermia and Lysander are allowed to marry.

Helena and Demetrius are in love.

Puck and Peaseblossom marry.

At the end of the play Theseus explains that it is past midnight and nearly the time for fairies. The humans all go to bed, leaving Puck on the stage.

Puck explains what the fairy hour is:

 

PUCK:

Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon;

Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

All with weary task fordone.

Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night

That the graves all gaping wide,

Every one lets forth his sprite,

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,

 

Night scene of autumn forest in Thuringia, Germany - stock photo

 

What atmosphere does Puck's speech create?

happy and relaxed

disturbed and slightly sinister

Shakespeare created this tense, slightly frightening atmosphere through imagery in Puck's speech.

Read the speech again and then select from the list below the animals that are used to create an unsettling atmosphere.

  

night forest - stock photo

a lion

a wolf

a screech-owl

a cat

a bat

Does the atmosphere that Puck's speech creates suit a happy ending?

yes

no

Shakespeare changes the atmosphere again by bringing Titania and Oberon onto the stage. They make the atmosphere right for a happy ending.

Read how they do this:

 

 

[Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train]

 

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.

  

TITANIA:

First, rehearse your song by rote

To each word a warbling note:

Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we sing, and bless this place.

Song and dance

 

Oberon and Titania banish the fear created by Puck's speech. From the list below select the three things they create to do this.

light

feasting

singing

sleep

dancing

Oberon then casts a spell over the happy couples:

 

OBERON:

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.

 

Match the Shakespearean lines with the modern translation: 

Column A

Column B

Through this house each fairy stray. To the best ...
Bless their rooms and they will always sleep safel...
So shall all the couples three Ever true in lovin...
Their children will not be born with any blemishes...
And the blots of Nature's hand Shall not in their...
The fairies must go through the houses of the coup...
Every fairy take his gait; And each several chamb...
The couples will love each other for ever.

Finally Puck comes back onto the stage and apologises for upsetting the audience:

 

PUCK:

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,

 

Why do you think he does this?

to end the play on a happy note by reminding the audience that good will overpower bad

to remind the audience that there are bad spirits lurking and to ruin the happy ending

A Midsummer Night's Dream has a happy ending. What genre does this make the play?

 

Vector illustration of comedy and tragedy theater masks with a red ribbon. - stock vector

tragedy

romance

comedy

  • ANSWERS
  • Question 1

Tick the four correct statements below that make A Midsummer Night's Dream have a happy ending.

CORRECT ANSWER
The wedding of Hippolyta and Theseus is celebrated.
Titania and Oberon are reunited.
Hermia and Lysander are allowed to marry.
Helena and Demetrius are in love.
EDDIE SAYS
The reasons the play has a happy ending are because:
The wedding of Hippolyta and Theseus is celebrated, Titania and Oberon are reunited, Hermia and Lysander are allowed to marry and Helena and Demetrius are in love.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 2

At the end of the play Theseus explains that it is past midnight and nearly the time for fairies. The humans all go to bed, leaving Puck on the stage.

Puck explains what the fairy hour is:

 

PUCK:

Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon;

Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

All with weary task fordone.

Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the screech-owl, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night

That the graves all gaping wide,

Every one lets forth his sprite,

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,

 

Night scene of autumn forest in Thuringia, Germany - stock photo

 

What atmosphere does Puck's speech create?

CORRECT ANSWER
disturbed and slightly sinister
EDDIE SAYS
Puck's speech creates a disturbed and slightly sinister atmosphere.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 3

Shakespeare created this tense, slightly frightening atmosphere through imagery in Puck's speech.

Read the speech again and then select from the list below the animals that are used to create an unsettling atmosphere.

  

night forest - stock photo

CORRECT ANSWER
a lion
a wolf
a screech-owl
EDDIE SAYS
The animals used to create an unsettling atmosphere are: a lion, a wolf and a screech-owl.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 4

Does the atmosphere that Puck's speech creates suit a happy ending?

CORRECT ANSWER
no
EDDIE SAYS
No, Puck's speech does not suit a happy ending.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 5

Shakespeare changes the atmosphere again by bringing Titania and Oberon onto the stage. They make the atmosphere right for a happy ending.

Read how they do this:

 

 

[Enter OBERON and TITANIA with their train]

 

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.

  

TITANIA:

First, rehearse your song by rote

To each word a warbling note:

Hand in hand, with fairy grace,

Will we sing, and bless this place.

Song and dance

 

Oberon and Titania banish the fear created by Puck's speech. From the list below select the three things they create to do this.

CORRECT ANSWER
light
singing
dancing
EDDIE SAYS
Titania and Oberon create light, singing and dancing to create the right atmosphere for the happy ending.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 6

Oberon then casts a spell over the happy couples:

 

OBERON:

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.

 

Match the Shakespearean lines with the modern translation: 

CORRECT ANSWER

Column A

Column B

Through this house each fairy str...
The fairies must go through the h...
So shall all the couples three E...
The couples will love each other ...
And the blots of Nature's hand S...
Their children will not be born w...
Every fairy take his gait; And e...
Bless their rooms and they will a...
EDDIE SAYS
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. = The fairies must go through the houses of the couples and bless them to make sure they are always lucky.

So shall all the couples three Ever true in loving be; = The couples will love each other for ever.

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 Shall upon their children be. = Their children will not be born with any blemishes and will be perfect.

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. = Bless their rooms and they will always sleep safely.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 7

Finally Puck comes back onto the stage and apologises for upsetting the audience:

 

PUCK:

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,

 

Why do you think he does this?

CORRECT ANSWER
to end the play on a happy note by reminding the audience that good will overpower bad
EDDIE SAYS
Puck apologises to the audience at the end to end the play on a happy note by reminding the audience that good will overpower bad.
  • ANSWERS
  • Question 8

A Midsummer Night's Dream has a happy ending. What genre does this make the play?

 

Vector illustration of comedy and tragedy theater masks with a red ribbon. - stock vector

CORRECT ANSWER
comedy
EDDIE SAYS
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy.
---- OR ----

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