A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Students, choose one of the writing prompts below to reflect on. One extremely well-written paragraph (letter format prompt 1) which includes opening and concluding sentences and lots of details. What you write should include facts from the play and reflect upon what you know about the story so far.

1. Imagine that you live in Athens at the time this play occurs. Write a letter to Duke Theseus stating your opinion of the law that gives fathers the power of life and death over their children.

2. Write an advice to the lovelorn column in which you suggest solutions to the problems of Oberon and Titania or Helena and Demetrius.

3. Imagine you are Quince and write a journal entry describing your troupe’s rehearsal in the woods.

We begin Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (AMND)

AMND is also referred to as a play-within-a-play. This is a five act play in which four separate plots interweave, and the setting is set in ancient Athens and a wood nearby. Each plot involves a different group of characters: Theseus, the Duke of Athens and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons are preparing for their wedding day; two pairs of lovers who find themselves mismatched; a group of foolish townsmen who are preparing a play for the Duke’s wedding (play-within-a-play); and Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies.

What do you think the title of this blog post means?

In this play, a dispute between father and daughter has serious consequences.

Should parents have the right to control their children’s lives?

How should differences between parents and children be resolved?

What are you looking forward to as we read this play?

Do you believe in fairies? What is your favorite fairytale and why?

(four quality paragraphs)

Tinkerbell at the garden show at Epcot

What thou see’st when thou dost wake,

Do it for thy true love take.

Love and languish for his sake.

Be it lynx or cat or bear,

Leopard or boar with bristled hair,

In thy eye that shall appear

When thou wak’st, it is thy dear.

Wake when some vile thing is near. (2.2.32-40)

Students, please read and understand the meaning of Oberon’s lines. You are to create a poem, rap, or song based on these lines. You are not to use any of Shakespeare’s words, but rather rewrite this passage using modern language and stay true to the meaning of it. It should rhyme, can be humorous (not stupid), and be up to eight lines. It should have some rhythm to it and be written in the same format. Have fun!

Here’s my feeble attempt: (No copying)

What you see when you arise,

Will be your love before your eyes.

Be it mouse, or bat, or bunny,

Rat, or bear who loves his honey.

When you wake you’ll be in love,

It’ll be ugly not cute as a dove.

Also, I forgot to mention this week that I loved all your great ideas on the kinds of things you would put in a museum for teens if you were in charge of doing so. I thought it interesting how many of you are not fans of art museums, per se, but rather enjoy museums that are hands on, have interactives, and use music and technology to engage the audience.

By the way……gmail motion was Google’s April Fool’s 2011 joke. Many of you knew that so kudos to you. I thought all your motion ideas were very clever!

Students, please choose one creative prompt to write on. Be clever and imaginative, not silly. Remember to stay true to what you know of the storyline so far.

1. Imagine that you are Hermia and write a letter to your father explaining why you are running away with Lysander. (In letter format)

2. Imagine that you live in Athens at the time this play occurs. Write a letter to the Duke Theseus stating your opinion of the law that gives fathers the power of life and death over their children. (In letter format)

Many of us have been fascinated by the existence of fairies. Often, fairies are believed to be supernatural creatures in human form. They live in an imaginary place called fairyland and cause mischief in the mortal world through their magic. Many films and stories that you are familiar with, such as Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, and Cinderella, are about solitary fairies. There are very few stories about fairies that live together as a community in fairyland. These fairies are called trooping fairies and live in kingdoms where they spend a great deal of time dancing and singing. A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s fairyland is populated by trooping fairies.

Fairy tales are powerful stories that spark imagination. The ones we know tell a story about a fairy/witch who gets what he/she wants/needs through a magic spell. The traditional setting of a fairy tale is a dark forest. There is always a conflict of sorts which results in a happy ending.

Students, which fairy tale is your favorite and why?

Who is your favorite character and why?

What are you looking forward to in our reading of the play?

In case you have forgotten…….Beauty and the Beast, The Frog Prince, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Snow White are just a few fairy tales…….PLEASE do not just pick from the list I started……you probably have a favorite I didn’t mention.