New
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Year 8

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Act 2, Scene 1: Titania and Oberon’s conflict

I can explore the presentation of Titania and Oberon in Act 2, Scene 1 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

New
New
Year 8

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Act 2, Scene 1: Titania and Oberon’s conflict

I can explore the presentation of Titania and Oberon in Act 2, Scene 1 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Act 2 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ begins, like Act 1, with a conflict.
  2. Shakespeare uses dramatic methods to draw attention to the differences between the two conflicts.
  3. Dramatic methods are the tools a playwright uses to create their work e.g. characterisation, setting, stage directions.
  4. You should explore dramatic methods when annotating, discussing or writing about a text.

Keywords

  • Stage directions - text in a play script which gives information about how a scene should be staged, or how an actor should say a particular line

  • Train - in the context of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, it means followers, entourage, servants

  • Dramatic methods - the tools a playwright uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices, stage directions

  • Annotate - to add short notes to a piece of text with your own ideas and comments; a key skill in English

  • Equality - the state of being of the same status as someone else, with the same rights

Common misconception

You can't compare one scene to another. You must focus on one at a time.

A play is not a sequence of unconnected scenes and characters. They all work together to present and explore particular ideas. You should compare characters and scenes in order to understand a play, its characters and ideas more deeply.

There are two moments during which pupils can perform in this lesson. Consider space, pairings, timings and your own position in the classroom to make sure it truly adds something to the lesson and understanding of the play.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. However, the extracts needed for this lesson can be found in the lesson slides.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who is Titania?
Theseus's wife
the woman Demetrius wants to marry
Hermia's mother
Correct answer: Queen of the Fairies
Puck's master
Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who is Oberon?
Correct answer: Puck's master
Correct answer: King of the Fairies
one of the poor Athenian actors
the man Egeus wants Hermia to marry
Duke of Athens
Q3.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why are Titania and Oberon in conflict?
Oberon wants Titania to marry Demetrius.
Titania is angry Oberon made her fall in love with Bottom.
Titania wants the magical potion from Oberon.
Correct answer: Titania won't give Oberon a little boy he wants.
Titania won't give Oberon Puck, his servant back.
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what does Oberon do when Titania refuses to give him the little boy he wants?
He puts a sleeping potion on her.
He makes Bottom fall in love with her.
He turns her head into that of a donkey.
Correct answer: He puts a love potion on her.
He makes Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with her.
Q5.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a play. Which of the following are features of plays?
Correct answer: dialogue
stanzas
Correct answer: stage directions
the supernatural
Correct answer: scenes
Q6.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the setting changes. How does the setting change?
from a magical forest to Athens
from Titania's kingdom, to Oberon's
the setting doesn't change - the characters are on the same stage
Correct answer: from Athens to a magical forest
from Theseus's court, to Egeus's house

6 Questions

Q1.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what do the stage directions state Oberon and Titania have with them when they first appear on stage?
jewels and other rich items
a range of love potions
the Athenian lovers
Correct answer: a train of loyal followers
the Athenian actors
Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what are some of the similarities between Titania and Hermia?
they both fall in love with Bottom
they both live in the magical forest
Correct answer: they are both in conflict with a powerful man
they are both monarchs
they are both in conflict with their partner
Q3.
are important to many play scripts. They are text in a play script which gives information about how a scene should be staged, or how an actor should say a particular line.
Correct Answer: stage directions
Q4.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon says to Titania, "I do but a little changeling boy/ To be my henchman".
Correct Answer: beg
Q5.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', after Titania leaves Oberon without giving him what he wants, he says "Thou shalt not from this grove [forest]/Till I thee for this injury."
Correct Answer: torment
Q6.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', when Oberon and Titania first enter, the stage directions read, "Enter Oberon the King of the Fairies, with his , and Titania [...] with hers."
Correct Answer: train