Key Quotes & Themes – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Twenty vocabulary-style flashcards summarizing significant quotations and their thematic meanings from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Lysander’s remark (Act 1, Scene 1) that love is always beset by obstacles and difficulties.

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.”

Helena’s reflection (Act 1, Scene 1) that love is irrational and ignores outward appearance.

“I am your spaniel.”

Helena’s plea to Demetrius (Act 2, Scene 1) showing her unrequited, self-degrading devotion.

“Like to a double cherry, seeming parted.”

Helena’s image (Act 3, Scene 2) for her once-inseparable friendship and love with Hermia.

“Reason and love keep little company together nowadays.”

Bottom’s comic insight (Act 3, Scene 1) into the foolish, illogical nature of love.

“O hell! to choose love by another’s eye.”

Hermia’s protest (Act 1, Scene 1) against her father choosing a husband for her.

“Though she be but little, she is fierce.”

Helena’s acknowledgement (Act 3, Scene 2) of Hermia’s strength despite her size.

“I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight.”

Helena’s decision (Act 1, Scene 1) to betray Hermia in hopes of winning Demetrius.

“I give him curses, yet he gives me love.”

Hermia’s rejection (Act 1, Scene 1) of Demetrius, showing her strong will.

“We cannot fight for love, as men may do.”

Helena’s lament (Act 2, Scene 1) on women’s societal limits, even as she defies them.

“I’ll put a girdle round about the earth in forty minutes.”

Puck’s boast (Act 2, Scene 1) illustrating the fairies’ vast magical power.

“The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid…”

Oberon’s description (Act 2, Scene 1) of the love potion that fuels the plot’s chaos.

“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”

Puck’s remark (Act 3, Scene 2) on human folly under the sway of magic and love.

“Methought I was enamoured of an ass.”

Titania’s awakening (Act 4, Scene 1) to the absurdity of her potion-induced love for Bottom.

“Up and down, up and down, I will lead them up and down.”

Puck’s chant (Act 3, Scene 2) illustrating his mischievous use of magic to confuse the lovers.

“Night and silence.—Who is here?”

Puck’s line (Act 3, Scene 2) highlighting the secrecy and mystery of the nighttime setting.

“Over hill, over dale…”

A fairy’s song (Act 2, Scene 1) describing nocturnal roaming that creates a magical night world.

“Now it is the time of night that the graves all gaping wide…”

Puck’s speech (Act 5, Scene 1) evoking the eerie, supernatural qualities associated with night.

“The moon, like to a silver bow…”

Hippolyta’s image (Act 1, Scene 1) linking the moonlit night to romance and celebration.

“This is thy negligence: still thou mistak’st.”

Oberon’s rebuke to Puck (Act 3, Scene 2) for nighttime magical blunders that cause confusion.