A Midsummer Nights Dream | Page 3

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This etext was prepared by the PG Shakespeare Team, a team of about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
by William Shakespeare

Persons Represented.
THESEUS, Duke of Athens. ?EGEUS, Father to Hermia. ?LYSANDER, in love with Hermia. ?DEMETRIUS, in love with Hermia. ?PHILOSTRATE, Master of the Revels to Theseus. ?QUINCE, the Carpenter. ?SNUG, the Joiner. ?BOTTOM, the Weaver. ?FLUTE, the Bellows-mender. ?SNOUT, the Tinker. ?STARVELING, the Tailor.
HIPPOLYTA, Queen of the Amazons, bethrothed to Theseus. ?HERMIA, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander. ?HELENA, in love with Demetrius.
OBERON, King of the Fairies. ?TITANIA, Queen of the Fairies. ?PUCK, or ROBIN GOODFELLOW, a Fairy. ?PEASBLOSSOM, Fairy. ?COBWEB, Fairy. ?MOTH, Fairy. ?MUSTARDSEED, Fairy.
PYRAMUS, THISBE, WALL, MOONSHINE, LION } Characters in the Interlude performed by the Clowns.
Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta.

SCENE: Athens, and a wood not far from it.
ACT I.
SCENE I. Athens. A room in the Palace of THESEUS.
[Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants.]
THESEUS Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon; but, oh, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame or a dowager, Long withering out a young man's revenue.
HIPPOLYTA Four days will quickly steep themselves in nights; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities.
THESEUS Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals-- The pale companion is not for our pomp. --
[Exit PHILOSTRATE.]
Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.
[Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS.]
EGEUS Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!
THESEUS Thanks, good Egeus: what's the news with thee?
EGEUS Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia.-- Stand forth, Demetrius.--My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her:-- Stand forth, Lysander;--and, my gracious duke, This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child. Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchang'd love-tokens with my child: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice, verses of feigning love; And stol'n the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats,--messengers Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth;-- With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart; Turned her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness.--And, my gracious duke, Be it so she will not here before your grace Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,-- As she is mine I may dispose of her: Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death; according to our law Immediately provided in that case.
THESEUS What say you, Hermia? be advis'd, fair maid: To you your father should be as a god; One that compos'd your beauties: yea, and one To whom you are but as a form in wax, By him imprinted, and within his power To leave