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Year 8

The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can explain why some of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' takes place in a magical forest.

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Year 8

The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can explain why some of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' takes place in a magical forest.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Elizabethans believed that everyone had their place in society, a hierarchy they called The Great Chain of Being.
  2. To question or disrupt this hierarchy was a threat to society.
  3. The theatre was a place you could explore disorder because what was on stage wasn’t real life.
  4. It was even safer to explore disorder in a setting that wasn’t associated with law and order, a setting like a forest.
  5. Whilst much disorder takes place in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, order is restored at the end of the play.

Keywords

  • Hierarchy - a system whereby people or things are ranked, with some being higher than others.

  • Status quo - the accepted standards and rules by which a community lives.

  • Disorder - confusion, chaos.

  • Restore - to return something back to its original state.

  • The Great Chain of Being - a term used by Elizabethans which referred to a system of ranking which they believed was created by God.

Common misconception

Oberon and Puck deliberately try and create disorder between Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius.

Oberon orders Puck to put the magical potion on Demetrius so that he falls in love with Helena. Puck makes a genuine mistake by putting it on Lysander.

Consider if your pupils have read other plays, particularly Shakespearean, in which there has been a purposeful choice or change of setting. For example, the island in 'The Tempest'. This might deepen and enrich their understanding of the dramatic function of the magical forest.
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 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).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', many of the characters are in a magical forest. Match each character, or sets of characters, to the reason they are in the magical forest.
Correct Answer:Oberon and Titania,rule over the magical kingdom

rule over the magical kingdom

Correct Answer:Lysander and Hermia,running away from Athens to marry

running away from Athens to marry

Correct Answer:Demetrius ,following the woman he loves

following the woman he loves

Correct Answer:Helena,following the man she loves

following the man she loves

Correct Answer:Bottom,rehearsing a play

rehearsing a play

Q2.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in 1605. As such, its first audiences were...
Athenians
Shakespeareans
Jacobeans
Correct answer: Elizabethans
Victorians
Q3.
Elizabethan England, like Athens in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', was a patriarchal society. What is a patriarchal society?
a society ruled by the supernatural
a society ruled by women
Correct answer: a society in which women's access to power is limited
a society ruled by nobles
Correct answer: a society ruled by men
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the setting of Athens is presented as patriarchal. How?
Correct answer: The play opens with men holding power over women.
Correct answer: Egeus and Theseus dominate the dialogue with Hermia.
Demetrius is able to follow Lysander into the forest, unlike Helena.
Correct answer: As her father, Egeus is able to do what he wishes with Hermia.
As a woman, Hermia is able to say who she wants to marry.
Q5.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the magical forest is a place of chaos and confusion. What are some examples of chaos and confusion that occur there?
Titania and Oberon rule over the fairy kingdom.
Correct answer: Titania falls in love with Bottom.
The Athenian nobles marry each other without their parents' consent.
Egeus demands Hermia obey him.
Correct answer: Puck mistakenly puts the magical potion on Lysander.
Q6.
In Act 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Lysander and Hermia run away to escape being punished by what Lysander calls "the Athenian law".
Correct Answer: sharp

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Shakespeare wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' for an Elizabethan audience. As such, the play explores ideas that were important to Elizabethans. Match the key ideas and concepts to their meanings.
Correct Answer:hierarchy,a system whereby people or things are ranked

a system whereby people or things are ranked

Correct Answer:status quo,the accepted standards and rules by which a community lives

the accepted standards and rules by which a community lives

Correct Answer:The Great Chain of Being,a system of ranking which Elizabethans believed was created by God

a system of ranking which Elizabethans believed was created by God

Correct Answer:patriarchy,a society in which men hold the power

a society in which men hold the power

Q2.
A pupil said of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "The forest is purely a place of disorder and chaos." How would you correct them?
Athens is just as full of disorder and chaos.
Titania follows all of Bottom's orders.
Correct answer: Oberon and Puck make sure to restore the status quo.
The magical potion is only ever used to help others.
Correct answer: The forest has a hierarchy (monarchs) so it is not complete chaos.
Q3.
A pupil said of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "The forest is just as ordered as Athens." How would you correct them?
Correct answer: The forest is a place where unexpected transformations happen, unlike in Athens.
The forest has no hierarchy, unlike Athens.
Correct answer: The forest sees low and high status characters in relationships, unlike Athens.
Correct answer: There are no strict laws in the forest, unlike in Athens.
Theseus rules over the forest, just as he does Athens.
Q4.
Elizabethans believed in a system of ranking called The Great Chain of Being. Starting with the most important, rank each section of society according Elizabethan ideas of importance.
1 - God
2 - angels
3 - monarchs
4 - Church
5 - noble people
6 - people
7 - animals
Q5.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', in what ways would the action in the forest disrupt Elizabethan ideas of the status quo?
Oberon and Puck restore order at the end of Act 4.
Hermia and Helena have a fight despite being friends.
Correct answer: Two characters are trying to marry without a parent's consent.
The poor Athenian actors practice their play in the forest.
Correct answer: A high status character is in love with a low status character.
Q6.
is a term that was used by Elizabethans to refer to a system of ranking, a system which Elizabethans believed was created by God.
Correct Answer: The Great Chain of Being, Great Chain of Being, Chain of being

Additional material

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