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Year 8

The patriarchal world of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can explore how the patriarchy is presented in William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, focusing on the openings of Act 1 and Act 2.

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Year 8

The patriarchal world of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

I can explore how the patriarchy is presented in William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, focusing on the openings of Act 1 and Act 2.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Athens is a patriarchal society.
  2. Egeus has the right to kill his daughter.
  3. Act 1 and Act 2 both begin with a conflict.
  4. It could be argued that Titania is presented as Oberon's equal.
  5. Oberon has to use a magical love potion on Titania in order to get what he wants.

Keywords

  • Patriarchy - a society in which men hold the power; the laws and structure of that society prevent women from having power

  • Quotation - words from a text

  • Analysis - in English, this means looking at a text closely and considering what it might mean and why it was written in that way

  • Conflict - a serious argument

  • Dialogue - in a play, these are the words that the characters say

Common misconception

Titania seems to have some power, but Hermia has none.

Hermia defies her father by saying that she will marry Lysander, and refusing to marry Demetrius. She is also willing to leave her father, and the place she was born rather than obey her father.


To help you plan your year 8 english lesson on: The patriarchal world of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Consider how you want to read, engage and enjoy the sections from the text. Would acting out, or watching a clip bring the two conflicts to life?
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Teacher tip
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Equipment

You need access to a copy of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. However, the relevant extracts for this lesson are found within the lesson slides.

content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of sexual violence
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision required

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why is Egeus angry at the start of the play?
Theseus won't let his daughter marry Demetrius
He can't find the magical love potion he needs
Correct answer: His daughter wants to marry Lysander
His daughter wants to marry Theseus
His daughter is in love with Demetrius
Q2.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what does the magical love potion do?
makes you fall in love with your true love
makes you fall in love with yourself
makes you fall in love with an animal
Correct answer: makes you fall in love with the next person you see after you wake up
makes you fall out of love with your partner
Q3.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who does Titania fall in love with when under the influence of the magical love potion?
Theseus
Oberon
Demetrius
Lysander
Correct answer: Bottom
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', there is lots of conflict throughout the play. Match the pairs of characters with their conflict.
Correct Answer:Egeus and Hermia,argue about who Hermia should marry
tick

argue about who Hermia should marry

Correct Answer:Titania and Oberon,argue about who gets to be in charge of a little boy
tick

argue about who gets to be in charge of a little boy

Correct Answer:Demetrius and Helena,argue at the beginning of the play because one doesn't love the other
tick

argue at the beginning of the play because one doesn't love the other

Correct Answer:Helena and Hermia,argue over which man loves them and why
tick

argue over which man loves them and why

Q5.
Starting with the first plot point, track Titania's storyline in chronological order through the play, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
1 - Titania refuses to give Oberon the little boy she looks after to be his servant.
2 - Oberon plots revenge on Titania.
3 - Oberon puts a magical love potion on Titania's eyes as she sleeps.
4 - Titania wakes up and falls in love with Bottom, who has the head of a donkey.
5 - Titania dotes on Bottom.
6 - Oberon gets the little boy from Titania.
7 - Oberon removes the magical love potion and he and Titania make up.
Q6.
Starting with the first plot point, order the events of Act 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in chronological order.
1 - Egeus complains to Theseus that his daughter wants to marry Lysander.
2 - Egeus asks Theseus if he can kills his daughter if she doesn't obey him.
3 - Theseus advises Hermia to marry Demetrius, or she will be killed.
4 - Lysander and Hermia decide to run away from Athens.
5 - Hermia and Lysander tell Helena that they are going to run away.
6 - Helena decides to tell Demetrius about Hermia and Lysander's plan.
7 - Helena decides to follow Demetrius as he pursues Hermia.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
In Act 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Hermia is told she will be punished if she doesn't obey her father. What punishments could she face?
Correct answer: having to marry Demetrius
having to marry Lysander
Correct answer: having to become a nun
Correct answer: being killed
having to marry Theseus
Q2.
In what ways are the openings of Acts 1 and 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' similar?
both see an angry father demand something of their daughter
both include supernatural elements
both are set in the magical forest
both are set in Athens
Correct answer: both start with conflict
Q3.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Titania respond when Oberon asks her to give him the little boy she looks after?
She says no and creates a plan to punish him for his request.
She says no and asks Puck to help protect her.
She says she will if he gives her his fairy kingdom.
Correct answer: She says yes, but only after he makes her fall in love with Bottom.
She says yes, but then wants the boy back when she falls in love with Bottom.
Q4.
In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Athens is presented as a society, a society in which men hold the power and the laws and structure of the society prevent women from having power.
Correct Answer: patriarchal
Q5.
In Act 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Theseus tells Hermia that "To you, your father should be as a..."
Correct Answer: god
Q6.
In Act 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Egeus says of Hermia, "As she is , I may dispose of her".
Correct Answer: mine