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Year 8

The impact of the magical potion in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can evaluate how the magical potion is used by Oberon and Puck, and the impact it has on different characters in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

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Year 8

The impact of the magical potion in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can evaluate how the magical potion is used by Oberon and Puck, and the impact it has on different characters in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.

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Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The magical potion is used twice in Act 2, Scene 2.
  2. Oberon has malicious intentions; Puck is trying to carry out Oberon’s orders.
  3. Lysander falls in love with Helena, who believes Lysander is mocking her.
  4. Titania falls in love with Bottom, and makes him stay with her in the forest.
  5. When writing about ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, connect different moments of the play together.

Common misconception

Oberon knows Titania will fall in love with Bottom.

Oberon hopes Titania will fall in love with something "vile" but he doesn't know about Bottom, or his transformation, until Puck tells him the joke he has played.

Keywords

  • Malicious - deliberately cruel

  • Vile - horrible

  • Anoint - to apply or put something on someone

  • Mock - to make fun of

  • Consequence - result, outcome, effect

There are 7 short extracts to read in this lesson. Consider the strategies which will work best for each one, and the particular ideas you want to draw out from them. Consider if there are additional, or different questions, you want to add so that your pupils can engage with the language and ideas.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You need access to a copy of 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 upsetting content
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

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', and for the play's first Elizabethan audience, the idea of status is very important. Match each character or groups of characters to their status.
Correct Answer:Theseus,Duke of Athens

Duke of Athens

Correct Answer:Hermia, Helena, Demetrius and Lysander,noble people of Athens

noble people of Athens

Correct Answer:Bottom,a low status Athenian actor

a low status Athenian actor

Correct Answer:Oberon and Titania,monarchs in the fairy kingdom

monarchs in the fairy kingdom

Correct Answer:Puck,a supernatural servant

a supernatural servant

Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', many characters are unhappy in Acts 1 and 2. Match each character to their unhappiness.
Correct Answer:Egeus,his daughter won't obey him

his daughter won't obey him

Correct Answer:Hermia,faces severe punishment if she doesn't obey her father

faces severe punishment if she doesn't obey her father

Correct Answer:Helena,loves someone who doesn't love her back

loves someone who doesn't love her back

Correct Answer:Demetrius,loves someone who doesn't love him back

loves someone who doesn't love him back

Correct Answer:Lysander,isn't allowed to marry the person he wishes

isn't allowed to marry the person he wishes

Correct Answer:Oberon,isn't being given something that he wants

isn't being given something that he wants

Q3.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who or what transforms Bottom's head into that of a donkey?
the magical forest
the magical potion
Titania
Oberon
Correct answer: Puck
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how is Hermia presented as brave in Act 1?
She is prepared to marry Demetrius, even though she doesn't love him.
Correct answer: She disobeys her father, a powerful patriarch.
Correct answer: She is prepared to die for Lysander.
She marries Lysander without her father's knowledge.
She is determined to run away from Athens by herself.
Q5.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why does Oberon tell Puck to put the magical potion on Demetrius's eyes?
Oberon wants Demetrius to fall in love with someone humiliating.
Oberon wants Demetrius to fall in love with Titania.
Correct answer: Oberon wants Demetrius to return Helena's love.
Oberon wants Demetrius to fall in love with Hermia.
Correct answer: Oberon feels sorry for Helena and wants to help her.
Q6.
Across 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which characters have the magical love potion put on them?
Correct answer: Titania
Bottom
Helena
Hermia
Correct answer: Demetrius

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Act 2, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the magical potion is used twice. How is it used?
Puck uses it to transform Bottom.
Oberon uses it to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena.
Correct answer: Oberon uses it to make Titania fall in love with someone humiliating.
Correct answer: Puck uses it on Lysander, thinking he is Demetrius.
Puck uses it on Hermia, thinking she is Helena.
Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Helena react when Lysander says he is in love with her?
She says she loves him too.
She considers if she should return his love or not.
She boasts to Demetrius hoping it will make him jealous.
She tells Hermia immediately.
Correct answer: She feels he is mocking her.
Q3.
In Act 2, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Hermia feel when she wakes up and finds herself alone in the forest without Lysander?
determined to find her way back to Athens
Correct answer: determined to find him
angry at Puck
Correct answer: very frightened
detemined to win him back from Helena
Q4.
In Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Titania wakes up after being anointed with the magical potion in her sleep. She sees Bottom, and says, "What wakes me from my flowery bed?".
Correct Answer: angel
Q5.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon anoints Titania's eyes with the magical potion. As he does, he says "Wake when some thing is near".
Correct Answer: vile
Q6.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon anoints Titania's eyes with the magical potion. He wants her to "love and " for the creature she falls in love with.
Correct Answer: languish

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