A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Class 1: Introduction to A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Pre-Reading Improvisations

Student level: remedial and higher

Divide your students into groups of three or four. Present each group with one of the scenes below. (It is not necessary that each group has a unique prompt. The improvisational format will enable different interpretations.)

Give each group about fifteen minutes to share ideas. They need not write down lines or try to memorize lines. Also, students should be encouraged to speak in their natural voices rather than affecting a Shakespearean tone. Have each group perform their improvisation before the class. (Allot some time for nervous giggling!)

  • Improvisation 1

    Scene: A father and daughter argue over whom she has chosen for marriage.

    Characters: Father, daughter, boyfriend 1, and boyfriend 2.

    Improv: A daughter returns home from summer vacation and announces she is going to marry her new boyfriend. The father, however, has made elaborate arrangements for her to marry a man the family has known for years. They argue about who is the better choice, why, and who should decide. The boyfriend and other man both try to defend their worthiness.

  • Improvisation 2

    Scene: An elopement.

    Characters: A bride-to-be, a groom-to-be, a female best friend, and a jilted boyfriend.

    Improv: Two young lovers decide to go against the girl’s family wishes and elope. The bride-to-be does not realize that her best friend is in love with her fiancé. She tells the best friend her plans to elope. The best friend tells the other man, who is also in love with the bride. What happens?

  • Improvisation 3

    Scene: Magic and revenge.

    Characters: A magical king, a magical queen, a magical servant, and an animal character.

    Improv: A magical king and queen argue over a child. The king decides to make his wife fall in love with the first thing she sees, in hopes of humiliating her.

Discussion Questions for Background Material

Life of Shakespeare (1564-1616)

A play in Shakespeare’s day was not considered a “preservable” art form. The playwright concerned himself with the popularity of the performance, not on strict adherence to the text.

1. Does it surprise you that Shakespeare’s plays were more about popularity than reverence? How might it change your approach to A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

Possible responses: Yes, it will help to view the play as a popular work, like a modern movie. No, it is still intimidating. If the latter, assure students that you will later we speaking about accessibility and clarity to help them appreciate the work.

2. Shakespeare’s theater company did not attempt to be historically correct in costuming. Today, some theater companies like to set his plays in places as diverse as Vietnam and Hollywood. A Midsummer Night’s Dream has even been set in twenty-first century Greece, complete with cell phones and bug spray. Other Shakespeare companies are “purists” and try to re-create the look of the plays as closely as possible to what Shakespeare’s portrayal might have been.

What do you think are the strengths and weakness of both styles of staging?

Possible responses: The strengths of using diverse staging may include the ability to attract new audiences. The main weakness of diverse staging is that a production becomes so removed from the original story line that it is impossible to maintain "trueness" to the author's work. The main strength of a traditional representation is that the viewer gets a feel for the era and the play as may have been intended by the author. The weakness of a traditional representation is that the production becomes too distanced from the modern era to attract new audiences. Situations in the play may also be too archaic to be easily identified.

Homework: Writing Prompts for Pre-Reading

1. If your father told you that you had only three choices (marry his choice of mate whom you did not love, die, or go to a convent or monastery for the rest of your life), which would you choose and why?

Possible responses: Answers will vary depending on students’ preferences, cultural background, and religious views.

2. Would you ever consider eloping if your parents objected to the person whom you wanted to marry? Why or why not?

Possible responses: Answers will vary depending on students’ preferences, cultural background, and religious views.

3. Has a friend ever been in love with someone you were dating? What did he or she do? How was the situation resolved?

Possible responses: Answers will vary.