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Year 8

Act 3, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': order is restored in the forest

I can explain how the disorder in the forest is resolved, and consider how happy the ending of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is.

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Year 8

Act 3, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': order is restored in the forest

I can explain how the disorder in the forest is resolved, and consider how happy the ending of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. In Act 3, Scene 1, we see Puck’s ability to create disorder amongst the Rude Mechanicals.
  2. In Act 3, Scene 2, we see Puck use the same abilities to restore order amongst the Athenian nobles.
  3. Puck applies the antidote to Lysander, but not Demetrius.
  4. Oberon asks for, and gets, the little boy he wants from Titania.
  5. The resolution to the play is happy, but audiences might question the treatment of Titania and Demetrius.

Common misconception

Titania, Lysander and Demetrius have the antidote applied to them.

So that the play can end in happy marriages between all four Athenian nobles, only Lysander has the antidote applied to him. Demetrius is still under the influence of the magical potion.

Keywords

  • Resolution - ending

  • Comedy - a play designed to make you laugh, often involving misunderstandings and ending in marriage

  • Rude Mechanicals - the phrase Puck uses to describe the poor Athenian actors, referencing their day jobs as skilled manual labourers

  • Restore - to return something back to its original state

  • Antidote - remedy or cure against a drug

Consider how you want to read the extract in LC1. There are 5 characters, and it is designed to be a frenetic scene in which all 4 Athenians are confused, with Puck leading them through the forest. Consider how long you think the reading will take, and what questions will aid understanding.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • 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.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why is Helena so unhappy at the beginning of the play?
Her father won't let her marry the man she wants.
Her friend, Hermia, is running away from Athens.
Lysander doesn't love her.
Correct answer: Demetrius doesn't love her.
Theseus doesn't love her.
Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why are Oberon and Titania in conflict at the beginning of Act 2?
Oberon is in love with Hermia.
Titania wants Puck to be her servant.
They disagree about how to use the magical potion.
Correct answer: Titania refuses to give Oberon a little boy he wants.
Oberon refuses to give Oberon a little boy she wants.
Q3.
At the beginning of a 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', both Lysander and Demetrius love...
Correct Answer: Hermia
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', after having the magical potion applied to them, both Athenian men love...
Correct Answer: Helena
Q5.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Puck create chaos amongst the Rude Mechanicals, the poor Athenian actors who are rehearsing the play in the forest?
He applies the magical potion to Bottom.
Correct answer: He transforms Bottom's head that of a donkey.
Correct answer: He transforms himself into different things to scare them.
He brings them before Titania, Queen of the forest.
He transforms himself into disappearing chairs so they fall down.
Q6.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which of the following are orders that Oberon gives Puck?
to transform Bottom into a ridiculous creature
to put the magical potion on Titania
Correct answer: to put the magical potion on Demetrius
Correct answer: to bring Helena to him
Correct answer: to find the magical potion for him

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
At the end of Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who does Demetrius love?
Titania
Hermia
Correct answer: Helena
Bottom
Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Oberon get the little boy from Titania?
He asks for him when Titania is preoccupied with loving Demetrius.
He steals him from her when she is sleeping.
She gives him to him because she's humiliated that she fell in love with Bottom.
Correct answer: He asks for him when Titania is preoccupied with loving Bottom.
He orders Puck to get him for him.
Q3.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who has the antidote to the magical potion applied to them?
Correct answer: Lysander
Demetrius
Helena
Hermia
Correct answer: Titania
Q4.
Starting with the first, order these plot points from Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in chronological order.
1 - Oberon blames Puck for the chaos that has been created amongst the Athenians.
2 - Puck defends himself saying he didn't mean to create chaos.
3 - Oberon orders Puck to restore order amongst the Athenians.
4 - Oberon says he will ask Titania for the little boy.
5 - Puck leads the four Athenians to the edge of the forest.
6 - The four Athenians falls asleep in the forest.
7 - Puck applies the antidote to Lysander.
Q5.
At the end of Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', after Puck has applied the antidote to the magical potion to Lysander, he says "All shall be...".
Correct Answer: well
Q6.
At the end of Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon says he will get the boy from Titania, and then remove the magical potion from her eyes. Once he has done this "all things shall be..."
Correct Answer: peace

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