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Year 8

Analysing Puck's epilogue in Act 5 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can explore the language of Puck’s epilogue, linking it to other moments in the play.

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New
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Year 8

Analysing Puck's epilogue in Act 5 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can explore the language of Puck’s epilogue, linking it to other moments in the play.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ ends with an epilogue given by the character of Puck.
  2. Puck’s epilogue breaks the fourth wall and offers to make “amends” for any offence caused by the play.
  3. Puck’s characterisation in the epilogue could be considered different to his characterisation in the rest of the play.
  4. Perceptive analysis can involve making thoughtful connections between different moments in a text.

Common misconception

You should only analyse one quotation per paragraph.

Analysing multiple quotations, and exploring the connections between them, makes for the most powerful analysis.

Keywords

  • Epilogue - a speech or piece of writing that comes at the end of a text and makes a comment on what has happened in the story.

  • Breaking the fourth wall - when a character in a play speaks directly to the audience, acknowledging the audience exists.

  • Foreshadow - a hint or indication of what will happen later in the story.

  • Perceptive - thoughtful, noticing small details.

  • Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices, foreshadowing.

Consider the check for understanding slide in learning cycle 2. There is an example and non-example here. Consider how you might unpick these models to address misconceptions before pupils start writing. You may want to re-write the non-example to focus on a particular target for your class.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Who says the last lines of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
Oberon
Correct answer: Puck
Theseus
Titania
Bottom
Q2.
In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what are some of the things the fairy says Puck likes to do?
be a loyal servant to Oberon
Correct answer: make people lose their way
Correct answer: frighten young women
transform people into animals
disobey Oberon's orders
Q3.
In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what are some of the things Puck says to the fairy about how he makes Oberon "smile"?
Correct answer: transforming himself into animals and objects
saying epilogues
Correct answer: humiliating people
playing pranks on Titania
bringing Athenian nobles into the forest
Q4.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' ends with an said by the character of Puck in which he makes a comment on what has happened in the play, apologising for any offence it might have caused.
Correct Answer: epilogue
Q5.
What are some of the things Puck says in his epilogue at the end of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
that the Athenian nobles are foolish
Correct answer: that he will make up for any offence caused
that he found the chaos of the play funny
Correct answer: that he is sorry if the play caused offence
Correct answer: that we should think of the play as a dream
Q6.
In the epilogue at the end of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Puck speaks directly to the audience. What is this called?
breaking the wall
breaking the epilogue
Correct answer: breaking the fourth wall
breaking characterisation
breaking the conclusion

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What would be a powerful way to include quotations in a paragraph about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
use one quotation per paragraph
translate the quotations into modern English
include long quotations so you have a lot ot say about them
Correct answer: include multiple quotations per paragraph
Correct answer: link quotations from across the play together
Q2.
The character of Puck is central to 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Match the Acts and Scenes to his key plot points.
Correct Answer:Act 2, Scene 1,is established as both a trickster, and a loyal servant to Oberon

is established as both a trickster, and a loyal servant to Oberon

Correct Answer:Act 2, Scene 2,applies the magical potion to Lysander by accident

applies the magical potion to Lysander by accident

Correct Answer:Act 3, Scene 1,transforms Bottom's head into that of a donkey

transforms Bottom's head into that of a donkey

Correct Answer:Act 3, Scene 2,restores order to the Athenian nobles

restores order to the Athenian nobles

Correct Answer:Act 5, Scene 1,apologises if the play has caused any offence

apologises if the play has caused any offence

Q3.
In Puck's epilogue at the end of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Puck refers to himself as "Robin" but also " an puck"
Correct Answer: honest
Q4.
In Puck's epilogue at the end of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Puck says, "Give me your hands, we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends."
Correct Answer: if
Q5.
In his epilogue at the end of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Puck suggests that if the audience finds the play offensive, they can imagine that they have "but here" and that the play is a "dream."
Correct Answer: slumbered, slumber'd
Q6.
In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the fairy calls Puck "that shrewd and sprite Called Robin Goodfellow".
Correct Answer: knavish

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