ANSWERS TO KEY QUESTIONS (ACT3 SCENE2)

Act 3 Scene 2

A) Puck thinks that Bottom is the most stupid, insensitive blockhead of the bunch. This is a rather extreme, scornful view. Bottom does speak some good sense into Titania in Act 3 Scene 2 lines 140-144 and exhibits enthusiasm and initiative in rehearsal which can be seen as endearing if not intelligent. Despite his drawbacks, it is almost certain that his character is more ‘alert’ than Starveling, Snout or Snug. Although he is self-opinionated, he does, at least, have an opinion. He may be dim but never dull.


B) Puck compares the craftsmen running away at the sight of Bottom to wild birds that are startled when they spy the huntsman / hear the sound of his gun. Like the birds that noisily scatter and frantically fly away, the craftsmen flee in noisy/fearful/wild panic and confusion. As well as being an extremely vivid image, it also suggests the simple foolishness of the craftsmen.


C) gleeful (at what has happened- he finds it funny)
Exultant (he was successful at his task)
Scornful (of the crude mechanicals)


D) She thinks that Demetrius has murdered him because:
i) She cannot believe that Lysander would have left her voluntarily
ii) Demetrius has a forbidding / joyless/ ‘deadly’ look


E) i) She begins in an imploring/ importunate/ solicitous/ entreating/ coaxing manner (line 63) but ends with a fierce/ impassioned denunciation of Demetrius. She scornfully rebukes/ attacks him for being a cowardly, underhand murderer, calling him a dog and a snake.
This change is due to Demetrius’ insensitive/ scornful/ provocative response (line 64) to her initial plea.

ii) Helena is right when, later in the scene, she calls Hermia ‘keen’ (sharp-tongued) and ‘fierce’. Hermia seems to be a volatile character with a temper.

iii) At the end of Act 2, Scene 2 (lines 151-156) when Hermia recounts her nightmare in which a serpent ate her heart while Lysander sat smiling. She might connect the snake with Demetrius who has broken her heart because he has (or so she thinks) murdered Lysander. Lysander’s previous attestation that he and Hermia’s hearts are knit together as one (Act 2 Scene 2 lines 53-54) may add ominous forces to her foreboding.


F) i) In an insinuating/ wheedling manner with the suggestion of sexual blackmail (ie: what would you give me in exchange if I assured you that Lysander was safe)

ii) She is indignant/ outraged/ shocked by his insinuation which she obviously finds offensive to her honor.


G) i) He is concerned where Puck is amused. He takes the mistake seriously whereas Puck regards it as relatively unimportant.

ii) He is shown to be benevolent and/ caring/ concerned/ protective.


H) Demetrius has just compared Hermia to Venus (Act 3 Scene 2 lines 60-61) which is ironic given his imminent (and dramatic) change of affection.


I) He is typically scornful and enjoys watching the mortals make fools of themselves with mischievous relish.


J) This depends partly on Oberon’s overall attitude to Puck’s mistake. If his tone was harsh/scolding/ reprimanding in lines 88-91 (‘What hast thou done?’) then he could have been more exasperated and irritated here by Puck’s lack of concern/ gloating coupled with the possibility of Lysander’s unwanted presence complicating matters.
If however, his reaction was more indulgent/ paternal, we could imagine him partly sharing in Puck’s amusement whilst still retaining a more concerned/responsible air.
A mixture of all three emotions is probable with the emphasis determined by the actor’s overall reading of Oberon’s character/ how the actor chooses to interpret Oberon’s character or how it is brought to life.


K) His mischievous nature.


L) Dramatic irony: the audience knows that the reverse is true—contrary to what he believes, the enchanted Lysander is now behaving irrationally whereas previously he was in his proper senses. The effect is comic.


M) i) There is dramatic contrast between Lysander’s bald statement and Demetrius suddenly waking to contradict him by lavishly professing his love for Helena. They are surprised, we are amused.
ii) See Stage 3, page 15


N) i) Compliments: goddess, nymph, perfect, divine, princess, seal of bliss
Comparisons: eyes clearer than crystal, lips like cherries, skin (hand0 whiter than the purest snow.

ii) shallow, clichéd, extravagant, artificial

iii) We should be amused by their antics—all the more so because they are taking themselves so seriously.


O) Indignant, offended, angry
She thinks the two gentlemen are making fun of her. She feels that it is cruel and ungentlemanly of them to mock at her misfortune.


P) Bewildered rather than hurt (not fierce, indignant or accusatory)


Q) Helena thinks that Hermia is part of the conspiracy to mock her i.e. she is in ‘cahoots’ with Demetrius and Lysander. She believes this because it seems that Hermia is feigning ignorance/ bewilderment/ confusion/ distress to give Lysander’s ‘performance’ credibility.


R) Descriptions: closed confidantes (shared counsel), promises of fidelity (sister’s vows), schoolfriends (schooldays’ friendship) and old/intimate friends (ancient love)

Comparisons: Like two skilled gods, they ‘created’ (embroidered) one flower as if they were one person. (Note the emphasis on unity: ‘one flower’, ‘one sampler’, ‘one cushion’, ‘one song’, ‘one key’, and the deliberate suggestion of the two women being in total harmony in the last two images). They are like two cherries on the same stem—they appear separate but are in fact joined.
Two bodies with one heart like two coat of arms joined together—as in the case of a man and woman after their marriage—so that the new shield carries both and yet has a single, unifying crest above the two sets of arms.
All Helena’s comparisons effectively stress the intimate and inseparable nature of their friendship.


S) Hurt and betrayed.

T) She probably means that she has only herself to blame because she is such an easy target (i.e.: she invites ridicule). She may also be referring to the fact that she betrayed Hermia and told Demetrius of her plan to elope with Lysander. Hence, she is responsible for all subsequent proceedings. Even if Helena does not have a sense of this ironic retribution, the audience does.


U) Ethiope, cat, burr, vile thing, serpent (by inference), tawny Tartar, loathed med’cine, hated potion, dwarf, minimus, hindering knotgrass, bead, acorn.
Most of the insults refer to either her darker complexion or her small stature.


V) It suggests that Hermia is clinging tenaciously to Lysander whilst he is trying to brush her off—it is an amusing almost farcical situation. The comparison implies that Lysander finds Hermia an unwelcome and irritating hindrance/ nuisance/ pest—she is ‘cramping his style’ and spoiling his chances of success in wooing Helena.


W) Hermia dreamt that a serpent ate her heart away whilst Lysander


X) It is not just Hermia but Lysander who is bewithed/deluded by Puck’s love juice.


Y) She enquires falteringly whether or not Lysander is serious in line 281 (In earnest, shall I say?) and immediately confirms her worst fears (Ay, by my life). When she replies, ‘O me!’ (line 286) she is sure Lysander is serious.


Z) i) Helena could be referring to Hermia’s putative (alleged) part in the ‘conspiracy’ to mock her. She might be accusing Hermia of perfidious (deceitful) play-acting i.e. she is the ‘puppet’ of the two men who are pulling her strings according to her designated role in their plot to ridicule her.

ii) ‘Because she is something lower than myself…’ (line 307)
‘And though she be but little…’ (line 310)
They could be played as intentional—this would give the conversation a ‘catty’ flavor with Helena giving as good as she gets. Hence, instead of being timorous/ timid/ naïve/ guileless in her comments, they are intentionally barbed/ cutting (this could be made particularly apparent in lines such as: ‘…I was never curst; / I have no gift at all in shrewishness;’ where the ‘I’ could be ironically emphasized and the invidious (unpleasant) comparison made evident.
Helena’s present hostility/ backbiting/ snide innuendo would then form an amusing contrast to her previous heart-rending depiction of their close friendship. (Act 3 Scene 2 lines 199-220)
On the other hand, if Helena were to be played as a totally innocent/guileless, the effect would be equally amusing. Watching her grow more frightened/tense as she intentionally made Hermia more angry by her innocent / inadvertent remarks would highlight the pantomine-like nature of the situation and add a farcical element.


a) timidly/ timorously/ imploringly
They reveal her more ‘feminine’, timid, gentle, sensitive nature (It is possible, of course, to regard Helena in a less sympathetic light and view her as insipid (bland), cringing, cowardly, …)


b) i) The way she ‘turns’ on Demetrius (Act 3 Scene 2 lines 65-81)
ii) Her fierce verbal attack on Helena ‘You juggler, you canker blossom…’ (line 286)
iii) Her attempted physical ‘assault’ on Helena at the end of the scene (act 3 Scene 2 line 345)


c) Probably stern/ reprimanding, maybe annoyed/ angry, definitely serious/ authoritative.


d) (b)


e) i) Evil, ‘dammed’, restless spirits of the night (see Puck’s previous description of them (Act 3 Scene 2 lines 388-394) and later (Act 5 Scene 1 lines 371-374) who leave their graves and haunt the night.
ii) Oberon, Puck and other fairies are good/benevolent spirits who are kind to mortals and in harmony with nature. Shakespeare does not want us to confuse them with malevolent ghosts of demons.


f) An open discussion is called for here. Students might like to discuss how the scene could have been played in Shakespeare’s time (as a daytime performance with limited scenery and props) and how it could be played in a modern theatre (sound effects to echo voices, noise made chaos in the forest takes place etc.) The most difficult part of is to convey a sense of ‘ordered confusion’ as opposed to chaotic disarrangement i.e: the action (chaos) needs to be highly structured in order to avoid awkward/ accidental/ unnecessary distraction.

g) He could be sympathetic (shaking his head and ‘tutting’ sorrowfully) or he could be gleefully gloating at the foolish mortals’ ‘fond pageant’. Probably the former is more apposite (appropriate) given the woebegone, bedraggled nature of Hermia and Helena.


h) They have both been subject to delusions.
They have both been driven to distraction.
They have both been engaged in a mad/ frenzied flight.
They have both been frightened / confused.
They are both made weary/ exhausted from their flight.
They are both torn with briers/ thorns.


i) Her love of and loyalty to Lysander despite his infidelity.


j) A sense of silent rest/ relief/ reconciliation/ restoration of order/ harmony is established in contrast to the noisy/ hectic/ feverish confusion of the rest of the scene.