Lecture Notes: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Act I Scene I (Discussion, Symbols, and Rhetoric)

This set covers key people, stakes, time symbolism, allusions (Dido/Aeneas), rhetorical devices (simile, metaphor, personification, allusion), themes of ownership vs. love, elopement plans, and classroom logistics from the Act I Scene I notes.

What play and act/scene are these notes about?

Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act I, Scene I.

Which characters are central in the discussion of Act I Scene I?

Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, Theseus, Hippolyta, and Egeus.

What does Egeus demand regarding Hermia's marriage?

That Hermia marry Demetrius and that Theseus enforce this; otherwise Hermia faces harsh options under Athens' law.

What are Hermia's three possible outcomes if she refuses to marry Demetrius?

Marry Demetrius, become a nun, or die.

What plan do Hermia and Lysander announce to defy Athens' restrictions?

They will elope and marry in the forest away from Athens.

Who loves Demetrius and what is her situation?

Helena loves Demetrius, but Demetrius does not initially love Helena back.

What plan do the lovers discuss to avoid Athens' law?

Escape to the forest and marry there, meeting in secret.

Which rhetorical device is used in Theseus's line about Hermia's father being 'as a god'?

Simile.

What is the 'Ancient privilege of Athens' referenced in the dialogue?

The traditional right of the father to determine his daughter's marriage under Athens law.

How does Lysander's defense invoke 'ancient custom' versus 'love'?

He argues that true love should be allowed to prevail beyond rigid custom, citing Hermia and Demetrius as a test of such constraints.

What time-related motif is highlighted in the opening dialogue and what symbol is used?

Time is marked by the moon; references include four days and another moon, linking time to the lunar cycle.

Which ancient work is alluded to with the Carthage/Dido reference?

Virgil's Aeneid (Dido's death on the funeral pyre after Aeneas leaves Carthage).

What does the phrase 'the rose distilled' signify in Theseus's speech?

A metaphor suggesting that married life (the distilled rose) is preferable to the life of a nun.

What major rhetorical devices are identified in the notes?

Simile, metaphor, allusion (illusion), and personification.

What famous line does Lysander quote about love's difficulties?

The course of true love never did run smooth.

What plan do Lysander and Hermia propose about meeting to marry?

Meet in a forest at night to marry away from Athens.

What is Helena's contemplated strategy to win Demetrius back?

She considers telling Demetrius that Hermia loves Lysander and plans to elope, hoping Demetrius will pursue Hermia again.

What is the literary technique called when the moon (Phoebe) and other elements are spoken of as if they were people?

Personification (and explicit allusion when Phoebe, the moon goddess, is named).

What is the distinction between ownership and love as discussed in the notes?

Ownership/obedience implies possession and control, whereas true love involves mutual consent and freedom rather than ownership.

What classroom logistics are mentioned for after class and the next session?

After speaking in class, students must sign their names; for the next class, read Act I Scene II and Act II Scene I and II.

What reading assignment is given for the next class?

Act I Scene II, Act II Scene I, and Act II Scene II of A Midsummer Night's Dream.