owns decide to write a prologue for the play they perform at the wedding feast. Why do they decide this? The play they are preparing for, Pyramus and Thisby, has a scene with a lion, and another where both Pyramus and Thisby kill themselves. The clowns say this will scare all the women in the audience. The purpose of the prologue is to explain that this is only a play and that no one should be frightened. 3.) Puck anoints Lysander’s eyes instead of Demetrius’ by mistake. Why did he make this mistake? [III. ii. 347-351] The only description Puck was given (by Oberon) was to anoint the eyes of an Athenian man. He was told he would know him by the garments he had on. Oberon didn’t realize there was more than one Athenian man in the forest at that time. Puck found Lysander before he saw Demetrius so he assumed Lysander was the one of whom Oberon spoke. …A simple mistake. 4.) This play is a comedy. However, today most of the jokes are not understood and therefore remain undetected by the majority of people. During the time of this play’s first performances, the subtle comic undertones were extremely humorous to the viewers/audience. So even though you might consider a Shakespearean play not very funny, by the standards of the 16th century, the comedies were a riot. Name three jokes or parts of the play that are meant to be funny (whether you laughed or not). i.) Although it is hard to understand from merely reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is evident that the whole presentation of the play Pyramus and Thisby is quite humorous. Certain things go wrong, such as the moon not being accessible to them and them having to have Robin play Moonshine by using a lantern. ii.) The whole ordeal of Bottom having an ass’ head. I imagine that must’ve been very funny to see on stage. Partly because of looks, and partly because a man had been made to look a fool by a fairy. (they were amused very easily ...
