I hope Demetrius returns the love you give to him!
Exit
HELENA
How happy some o'er other some can be!
Some are so much happier than others!
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
In Athens, many think me as beautiful as Hermia,
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;
But what does that mean since Demetrius does not?
He will not know what all but he do know:
He does not accept what everyone else seems to agree on
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
And while he mistakenly obsesses over Hermia’s eyes
So I, admiring of his qualities:
So too I am mistaken in admiring him.
Things base and vile, folding no quantity,
Evil and disgusting qualities
Love can transpose to form and dignity:
Are transformed by love to fair and noble things.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
Love does not look with the same eyes others have, but with one’s mind:
And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:
This is why Cupid is painted as being blind
Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;
And why Love does not have good judgement.
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:
With wings and no eyes, Cupid is hasty
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
And so Love is like a child
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.
Making bad and reckless choices.
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
As playful boys jokingly lie,
So the boy Love is perjured every where:
So too does Love lie and break its promises:
For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,
Before Demetrius fell for Hermia’s beauty,
He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine;
He swore repeatedly to be true to me,
And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,
And then when Hermia’s presence came into his mind,
So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.
He weakened his vows to me.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight:
I will tell him of Hermia’s plan
Then to the wood will he to-morrow night
And tomorrow night he will go to the forest
Pursue her; and for this intelligence
And follow her. Perhaps, after telling him this,
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:
He will be grateful, and that will make it worthwhile,
But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
Although it will hurt me even more
To have his sight thither and back again.
To see him leave and then return again.
Exit
Athens. QUINCE'S house.
Enter QUINCE, SNUG, BOTTOM, FLUTE, SNOUT, and STARVELING
QUINCE
Is all our company here?
Is everyone here?
BOTTOM
You were best to call them generally, man by man,
It would be easier to take attendance individually
according to the scrip.
by a roll-call.
QUINCE
Here is the scroll of every man's name, which is
Here is the list of the actors
thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our
that all of Athens considers talented and are able to perform
interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his
in our skit for the duke and duchess
wedding-day at night.
at their wedding.
BOTTOM
First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats
Peter Quince, you should first explain what the play is about,
on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow
and then read the cast,
to a point.
for clarity’s sake.
QUINCE
Marry, our play is, The most lamentable comedy, and
Of course: we will perform “The Sad Comedy and
most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisby.
Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisby.”
BOTTOM
A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a
A very good play, I promise, and
merry. Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your
fun. Now, Peter Quince, call out
actors by the scroll. Masters, spread yourselves.
the actors. Everyone, spread out so you can hear.
QUINCE
Answer as I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.
Respond when I call you. Nick Bottom, the weaver.
BOTTOM
Ready. Name what part I am for, and proceed.
I’m here. Who am I playing?
QUINCE
You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
You will play Pyramus.
BOTTOM
What is Pyramus? a lover, or a tyrant?
And who is he? A lover, a villain?
QUINCE
A lover, that kills himself most gallant for love.
A lover who nobly kills himself for love.
BOTTOM
That will ask some tears in the true performing of
It sounds like I will have to cry in order to perform it well.
it: if I do it, let the audience look to their
If so, the audience should prepare themselves:
eyes; I will move storms, I will condole in some
I will cause storms and strongly emote my grief.
measure. To the rest: yet my chief humour is for a
Now continue– but you know I play
tyrant: I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to
the tyrant best. I would make a good Hercules, or any part
tear a cat in, to make all split.
where I could yell and shout angrily, listen:
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates;
And Phibbus' car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players.
How great was that! Now continue with the other actors–
This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant's vein; a lover is
so you know, that was Hercules as a tyrant. My lover part
more condoling.
will be much sadder.
QUINCE
Francis Flute, the bellows-mender.
Francis Flute, who repairs bellows.
FLUTE
Here, Peter Quince.
Here, Peter Quince.
QUINCE
Flute, you must take Thisby on you.
Flute, you will play Thisby.
FLUTE
What is Thisby? a wandering knight?
And who is Thisby? A knight on a quest?
QUINCE
It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
Thisby is the lady Pyramus loves.
FLUTE
Nay, faith, let me not play a woman; I have a beard coming.
No, please, do not make me play a woman. I have a beard coming in.
QUINCE
That's all one: you shall play it in a mask, and
That doesn’t matter – you will play it in a mask
you may speak as small as you will.
and you can make your voice high and disguised.
BOTTOM
An I may hide my face, let me play Thisby too, I'll
If Thisby requires a mask, let me play both!
speak in a monstrous little voice. 'Thisne,
I’ll speak in a little voice after playin
g Pyramus, saying,
Thisne;' 'Ah, Pyramus, lover dear! thy Thisby dear,
“Thisne! Thisne!” and then as Thisby, “Pyramus my love! I am here,
and lady dear!'
your dear lady!”
QUINCE
No, no; you must play Pyramus: and, Flute, you Thisby.
No – you will be Pyramus, and Flute will be Thisby.
BOTTOM
Well, proceed.
Fine, continue.
QUINCE
Robin Starveling, the tailor.
Robin Starveling, the tailor.
STARVELING
Here, Peter Quince.
Here, Peter Quince.
QUINCE
Robin Starveling, you must play Thisby's mother.
Robyn, you must be Thisby’s mother.
Tom Snout, the tinker.
Tom Snout, the repairman.
SNOUT
Here, Peter Quince.
Here, Peter Quince.
QUINCE
You, Pyramus' father: myself, Thisby's father:
You are Pyramus father, and I will play Thisby’s father.
Snug, the joiner; you, the lion's part: and, I
Snug the wood worker, you will be the lion, and
hope, here is a play fitted.
I think that is everyone.
SNUG
Have you the lion's part written? pray you, if it
Is the lion’s part finished? If so, please
be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
let me have it. It takes me a while to learn the lines.
QUINCE
You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
You can make it all up, because it is simply roaring.
BOTTOM
Let me play the lion too: I will roar, that I will
Then let me play the lion as well. I will roar
do any man's heart good to hear me; I will roar,
so forcefully and everyone will love it,
that I will make the duke say 'Let him roar again,
and the duke will ask for me to roar
let him roar again.'
again and again.
QUINCE
An you should do it too terribly, you would fright
Then you would be too ferocious, and scare
the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek;
the duchess and the women, and they would scream.
and that were enough to hang us all.
That would be enough to hang us all.
ALL
That would hang us, every mother's son.
They would hang every one of us!
BOTTOM
I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the
Granted, if I were to scare
ladies out of their wits, they would have no more
the women out of their minds, they would
discretion but to hang us: but I will aggravate my
surely hang us – but then I would change my
voice so that I will roar you as gently as any
voice so that my roar will be as gentle
sucking dove; I will roar you an 'twere any
as a dove, and when I roar you will think I was
nightingale.
a nightingale.
QUINCE
You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a
You will play only Pyramus since Pyramus
sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a
is a good lucking man, a noble man like one you would
summer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man:
find in the summer, a handsome and chivalrous man.
therefore you must needs play Pyramus.
You are the only one who can be such a man.
BOTTOM
Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best
Fine, I will do it. And how would you like my beard
to play it in?
to look for the part?
QUINCE
Why, what you will.
However you want.
BOTTOM
I will discharge it in either your straw-colour
I could wear a straw colored
beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain
beard, or an orange-red one, or a darker red
beard, or your French-crown-colour beard, your
beard, or one as yellow as the French coin called a crown.
perfect yellow.
QUINCE
Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and
Some French kings have no hair at all,
then you will play bare-faced. But, masters, here
so you would have to go without a beard. Anyway, here
are your parts: and I am to entreat you, request
is everyone’s part. I must beg and ask
you and desire you, to con them by to-morrow night;
you all to learn them by tomorrow night.
and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the
We will meet in the forest, about a mile
town, by moonlight; there will we rehearse, for if
from town, and rehearse by the moonlight. If
we meet in the city, we shall be dogged with
we were to meet in the city, people would discover us
company, and our devices known. In the meantime I
and the play, and ruin it. In the meantime,
will draw a bill of properties, such as our play
I will list everything we need for the play.
wants. I pray you, fail me not.
Please, do everything I ask.
BOTTOM
We will meet; and there we may rehearse most
We will meet and rehearse
obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect: adieu.
loudly and wonderfully. Work hard. Learn it perfectly. Goodbye.
QUINCE
At the duke's oak we meet.
In the forest by the palace we will meet.
BOTTOM
Enough; hold or cut bow-strings.
Ok, be there or do not meet us again.
Exeunt
A wood near Athens.
Enter, from opposite sides, a FAIRY, and PUCK
PUCK
How now, spirit! whither wander you?
Hello, spirit! Where are you going?
FAIRY
Over hill, over dale,
Over hill and valley
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
and through the bush and thorns,
Over park, over pale,
over parks and gardens
Thorough flood, thorough fire,
and through the water and the fire.
I do wander everywhere,
I go everywhere
Swifter than the moon's sphere;
faster than it takes the moon to rise and fall
And I serve the fairy queen,
In order to serve the queen of the fairies
To dew her orbs upon the green.
By watering the flowers with dew.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be:
The cowslip flowers guard her –
In their gold coats spots you see;
Do you see the spots in their golden petals?
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
Those are rubies, fairy gifts,
In those freckles live their savours:
And that is where their sweet smell comes from.
I must go seek some dewdrops here
I must find some dewdrops
And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear.
And hang one on each cowslip flower.
Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I'll be gone:
Goodbye, you bad fairy – I must leave
Our queen and all our elves come here anon.
Since the queen and the elves will be here soon.
PUCK
The
king doth keep his revels here to-night:
The king is having a party here tonight
Take heed the queen come not within his sight;
So be careful to keep the queen away –
For Oberon is passing fell and wrath,
King Oberon is very angry
Because that she as her attendant hath
Since Queen Titania took a new servant,
A lovely boy, stolen from an Indian king;
A beautiful human boy stolen from an Indian king.
She never had so sweet a changeling;
She had never stolen so sweet an orphan
And jealous Oberon would have the child
And so Oberon is jealous and desires the boy
Knight of his train, to trace the forests wild;
As his servant when he wanders the wild forests.
But she perforce withholds the loved boy,
The queen refuses to give him her boy
Crowns him with flowers and makes him all her joy:
And dotes on him, putting flowers in his hair.
And now they never meet in grove or green,
Now, they never meet together in the woods
By fountain clear, or spangled starlight sheen,
Or by a clear pond, or under the night sky,
But, they do square, that all their elves for fear
Except to argue so fiercely that their elves
Creep into acorn-cups and hide them there.
Hide in acorn shells from them.
FAIRY
Either I mistake your shape and making quite,
Either I am mistaken
Or else you are that shrewd and knavish sprite
Or you are that cunning prankster fairy
Call'd Robin Goodfellow: are not you he
Named Robin Goodfellow. Isn’t it you
That frights the maidens of the villagery;
Who scares the women in the village,
Skim milk, and sometimes labour in the quern
Who skims the cream off of the milk, and sometimes increase the work
And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;
Of the housewife who is trying to churn butter
And sometime make the drink to bear no barm;
By making it stay milk?
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 312