Act 3, Scene 2

515 of 515 rows

SCENE II. Another part of the wood.

Enter OBERON

OBERON:

1
I wonder if Titania be awaked,
2
Then, what it was that next came in her eye,
3
Which she must dote on in extremity.

She must love to the highest degree.

Enter PUCK

OBERON:

4
Here comes my messenger.
5
How now, mad spirit!
6
What night-rule now about this haunted grove?

Night-rule: chaos or lack of order. This is part of the theme that in Shakespeare’s time, deviation from the prescribed social order creates disorder on the large and small scale. Haunted, in this case, means regularly visited rather than ghostly.

Enter a rabble of plebeians! Social disorder in Shakespeare's England
Enter a rabble of plebeians! Social disorder in Shakespeare's England

PUCK:

7
My mistress with a monster is in love.

PERFORMANCE TIP: What is Puck’s attitude when delivering this line? Is he horrified? Amused? Make a strong choice and play it! Look to the rest of the speech for clues.

8
Near to her close and consecrated bower,

Close in this case means hidden. A bower is a shady clearing in a garden or forest.

9
While she was in her dull and sleeping hour,

While she was asleep.

10
A crew of patches, rude mechanicals,

patches: simple (not smart) people; rude: unsophisticated; mechanicals: workers

11
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls,

They earn their livings in shops or booths (stalls.)

12
Were met together to rehearse a play
13
Intended for great Theseus' nuptial-day.

nuptial day wedding day

14
The shallowest thick-skin of that barren sort,

The one who played Pyramus who was the stupidest of them, sat in the bushes after finishing his scene to wait for his next cue.

15
Who Pyramus presented, in their sport
16
Forsook his scene and enter'd in a brake
17
When I did him at this advantage take,
18
An ass's nole I fixed on his head:

ass’s nole: donkey’s head

Scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Titania and Bottom
Scene from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Titania and Bottom
19
Anon his Thisbe must be answered,

Anon: Soon; mimic: An actor; fowler: a bird hunter; russet-pated choughs: an antiquated term for brown-headed jackdaws or crows; sever themselves: go in seperate directions Soon after, he had to go back on stage to answer Thisbe, so he went back on stage. When the other actors saw him, they ran away like a bunch of geese frightened by a gunshot.

20
And forth my mimic comes. When they him spy,
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As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye,
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Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
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Rising and cawing at the gun's report,
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Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky,
25
So, at his sight, away his fellows fly,
26
And, at our stamp, here o'er and o'er one falls,

In folk stories, Puck has can shake the ground by stomping (stamping) his foot. According to the Folger edition of the play: “his use of ‘our’ is puzzling. It has been suggested that ‘at our stamp’ is a misprint of ‘at a stump.’” This line can be interpreted as: When one of them heard my footsteps, he fell over (frightened) OR One of them fell over a tree stump (as he was running). Both fit the meter of the line, so either version can be used.

Robin Goodfellow, His Mad Pranks and Merry Jests
Robin Goodfellow, His Mad Pranks and Merry Jests
27
He murder cries and help from Athens calls.

He (the one who fell) yelled “murder” and called for help from Athens.

28
Their sense thus weak, lost with their fears

With their common sense weakened by the strength of their fear, they believed that inanimate objects were trying to harm them.

29
thus strong,
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Made senseless things begin to do them wrong,
31
For briers and thorns at their apparel snatch,

yielders: cowards Briars and thorns snagged their clothing, including sleeves and hats. Everything seems to be on the attack to a coward*

32
Some sleeves, some hats, from yielders all
33
things catch.
34
I led them on in this distracted fear,
35
And left sweet Pyramus translated there:

translated: transformed

36
When in that moment, so it came to pass,

At that moment, Titania woke up and fell in love with Bottom (with his donkey’s head)

37
Titania waked and straightway loved an ass.

OBERON:

38
This falls out better than I could devise.

falls out: happened or turned out

39
But hast thou yet latch'd the Athenian's eyes

latch’d: caught

40
With the love-juice, as I did bid thee do?

PUCK:

41
I took him sleeping,--that is finish'd too,--
42
And the Athenian woman by his side:
43
That, when he waked, of force she must be eyed.

of force: will have to; eyed: seen

Enter HERMIA and DEMETRIUS

OBERON:

44
Stand close: this is the same Athenian.

Stand close: Hide

PUCK:

45
This is the woman, but not this the man.

DEMETRIUS:

46
O, why rebuke you him that loves you so?
47
Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe.

HERMIA:

48
Now I but chide, but I should use thee worse,

chide - to scold

49
For thou, I fear, hast given me cause to curse,
50
If thou hast slain Lysander in his sleep,
51
Being o'er shoes in blood, plunge in the deep,
52
And kill me too.
53
The sun was not so true unto the day
54
As he to me: would he have stolen away

In this context, stolen away means “snuck away”.

55
From sleeping Hermia? I'll believe as soon
56
This whole earth may be bored and that the moon
57
May through the centre creep and so displease
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Her brother's noontide with Antipodes.
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It cannot be but thou hast murder'd him,
60
So should a murderer look, so dead, so grim.

DEMETRIUS:

61
So should the murder'd look, and so should I,
62
Pierced through the heart with your stern cruelty:
63
Yet you, the murderer, look as bright, as clear,
64
As yonder Venus in her glimmering sphere.

This reference is in regards to Venus, the goddess of love. In 1593, Shakespeare’s poem [Venus and Adonis] was published. (http://www.shakespeare-w.com/english/shakespeare/w_venus.html)

HERMIA:

65
What's this to my Lysander? where is he?
66
Ah, good Demetrius, wilt thou give him me?

DEMETRIUS:

67
I had rather give his carcass to my hounds.

HERMIA:

68
Out, dog! out, cur! thou drivest me past the bounds
69
Of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then?
70
Henceforth be never number'd among men!
71
O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake!
72
Durst thou have look'd upon him being awake,

durst - an archaic past tense of dare.

73
And hast thou kill'd him sleeping? O brave touch!
74
Could not a worm, an adder, do so much?

An [adder] is an Old English term for serpent. (https://www.livescience.com/54227-adder-facts.html)

75
An adder did it, for with doubler tongue
76
Than thine, thou serpent, never adder stung.

DEMETRIUS:

77
You spend your passion on a misprised mood:

In this context, misprised means mistaken.

78
I am not guilty of Lysander's blood,
79
Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell.

HERMIA:

80
I pray thee, tell me then that he is well.

DEMETRIUS:

81
An if I could, what should I get therefore?

HERMIA:

82
A privilege never to see me more.
83
And from thy hated presence part I so:
84
See me no more, whether he be dead or no.

Exit

DEMETRIUS:

85
There is no following her in this fierce vein:
86
Here therefore for a while I will remain.
87
So sorrow's heaviness doth heavier grow
88
For debt that bankrupt sleep doth sorrow owe:
89
Which now in some slight measure it will pay,
90
If for his tender here I make some stay.

Lies down and sleeps

OBERON:

91
What hast thou done? thou hast mistaken quite

PERFORMANCE TIP: What is Oberon’s attitude here? Is he angry? Disappointed? What would cause this feeling in such an alien and powerful creature?

92
And laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight:

you’ve put the potion on the eyes of someone who was in true love

93
Of thy misprision must perforce ensue

misprision: mistake; perforce: inevitably Your mistake has caused this guy’s true love for someone else to fail instead of making his false love turn to true love.

94
Some true love turn'd and not a false turn'd true.

PUCK:

95
Then fate o'er-rules, that, one man holding troth,

holding troth: keeping an oath Puck is blaming his mistake on fate and making the case that for every one person who keeps their oath, there are a miollion others who do not.

PERFORMANCE TIP: What is Puck trying to do here? He’s in trouble with Oberon for making a mistake. How is he reacting to Oberon’s criticism?

96
A million fail, confounding oath on oath.

OBERON:

97
About the wood go swifter than the wind,
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And Helena of Athens look thou find:
99
All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer,

fancy-sick: love-sick; *cheer:** face

100
With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear:

In Shakespeare’s time, scientists and doctors believed that the body was ruled by the four humours (blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm). Each was connected to an element. Blood is connected to air, so sighing or exhaling is depleting the blood humour.

And There's the Humor of it:  Shakespeare and the Four Humors
And There's the Humor of it: Shakespeare and the Four Humors
101
By some illusion see thou bring her here:
102
I'll charm his eyes against she do appear.

PUCK:

103
I go, I go, look how I go,
104
Swifter than arrow from the Tartar's bow.

Tartar’s bow: (archaic spelling) a bow of the Tatar people. This bow is more powerful and more accurate than the English bow.

Exit

OBERON:

105
Flower of this purple dye,

PERFORMANCE TIP: Oberon is casting a spell here. How might that differ from dialogue or a regular monologue? Might this be set to music to set it apart from regular dialogue?

Op. 64, Act 2: "Flower of this Purple Dye"
Op. 64, Act 2: "Flower of this Purple Dye"
106
Hit with Cupid's archery,
107
Sink in apple of his eye.
108
When his love he doth espy,
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Let her shine as gloriously
110
As the Venus of the sky.
111
When thou wakest, if she be by,
112
Beg of her for remedy.

Re-enter PUCK

PUCK:

113
Captain of our fairy band,
114
Helena is here at hand,
115
And the youth, mistook by me,
116
Pleading for a lover's fee.
117
Shall we their fond pageant see?

fond pageant: silly scene or spectacle

118
Lord, what fools these mortals be!

OBERON:

119
Stand aside: the noise they make

*Stand aside:** hide

120
Will cause Demetrius to awake.

PUCK:

121
Then will two at once woo one,

Both of them will woo the same woman

122
That must needs be sport alone,

sport: entertainment

123
And those things do best please me
124
That befal preposterously.

Enter LYSANDER and HELENA

LYSANDER:

125
Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?
126
Scorn and derision never come in tears:
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Look, when I vow, I weep, and vows so born,
128
In their nativity all truth appears.
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How can these things in me seem scorn to you,
130
Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?

HELENA:

131
You do advance your cunning more and more.
132
When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!
133
These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?
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Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:
135
Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,
136
Will even weigh, and both as light as tales.

LYSANDER:

137
I had no judgment when to her I swore.

HELENA:

138
Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o'er.

LYSANDER:

139
Demetrius loves her, and he loves not you.

DEMETRIUS:

140
[Awaking] O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!

In Greek mythology, a [nymph] is a minor deity often depicted as nature personified or as a beautiful maiden. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymph)

141
To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?
142
Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show
143
Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow!
144
That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow,

In this passage, Demetrius compares Helena’s hand to the beauty of the snow-capped [Taurus mountains] in Turkey. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_Mountains)

145
Fann'd with the eastern wind, turns to a crow
146
When thou hold'st up thy hand: O, let me kiss
147
This princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!

HELENA:

148
O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
149
To set against me for your merriment:
150
If you we re civil and knew courtesy,
151
You would not do me thus much injury.
152
Can you not hate me, as I know you do,
153
But you must join in souls to mock me too?
154
If you were men, as men you are in show,
155
You would not use a gentle lady so,
156
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
157
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
158
You both are rivals, and love Hermia,
159
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
160
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
161
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
162
With your derision! none of noble sort
163
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
164
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.

LYSANDER:

165
You are unkind, Demetrius, be not so,
166
For you love Hermia, this you know I know:
167
And here, with all good will, with all my heart,
168
In Hermia's love I yield you up my part,
169
And yours of Helena to me bequeath,

bequeath - to give or leave to one by will

170
Whom I do love and will do till my death.

HELENA:

171
Never did mockers waste more idle breath.

DEMETRIUS:

172
Lysander, keep thy Hermia, I will none:
173
If e'er I loved her, all that love is gone.
174
My heart to her but as guest-wise sojourn'd,

The phrase “guest-wise sojourn’d” refers to how a guest resides temporarily in a place, as he says his heart similarly only temporarily resided with Hermia before returning to Helena.

175
And now to Helen is it home return'd,
176
There to remain.

LYSANDER:

177
Helen, it is not so.

DEMETRIUS:

178
Disparage not the faith thou dost not know,
179
Lest, to thy peril, thou aby it dear.

aby - to suffer a penalty

180
Look, where thy love comes, yonder is thy dear.

Re-enter HERMIA

HERMIA:

181
Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,
182
The ear more quick of apprehension makes,
183
Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,
184
It pays the hearing double recompense.
185
Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found,
186
Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound
187
But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?

LYSANDER:

188
Why should he stay, whom love doth press to go?

HERMIA:

189
What love could press Lysander from my side?

LYSANDER:

190
Lysander's love, that would not let him bide,
191
Fair Helena, who more engilds the night

engilds - to make bright with light

192
Than all you fiery oes and eyes of light.

oes - this archaic word refers to an orb, circle or sphere, here referring to the stars.

193
Why seek'st thou me? could not this make thee know,
194
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?

HERMIA:

195
You speak not as you think: it cannot be.

HELENA:

196
Lo, she is one of this confederacy!

While many Americans have a certain image in mind when they think of the word “confederacy”, in this context it refers to an alliance or conspiracy.

197
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three
198
To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.

false sport - derision, mockery

199
Injurious Hermia! most ungrateful maid!
200
Have you conspired, have you with these contrived
201
To bait me with this foul derision?
202
Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
203
The sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent,
204
When we have chid the hasty-footed time

chid the hasty-footed time - scold the quickly-passing time

205
For parting us,--O, is it all forgot?
206
All school-days' friendship, childhood innocence?
207
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
208
Have with our needles created both one flower,
209
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,

sampler - a decorative piece of needlework

210
Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
211
As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,
212
Had been incorporate. So we grow together,

incorporate - to make one

213
Like to a double cherry, seeming parted,
214
But yet an union in partition,
215
Two lovely berries moulded on one stem,
216
So, with two seeming bodies, but one heart,
217
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,

This passage refers to the imagery of a coat of arms, a class distinction of English nobility. Here Helena says they were so close as to be of one lineage, one family, like sisters.

218
Due but to one and crowned with one crest.
219
And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

rent - rend, tear asunder

220
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
221
It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:
222
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
223
Though I alone do feel the injury.

HERMIA:

224
I am amazed at your passionate words.
225
I scorn you not: it seems that you scorn me.

HELENA:

226
Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn,
227
To follow me and praise my eyes and face?
228
And made your other love, Demetrius,
229
Who even but now did spurn me with his foot,
230
To call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare,
231
Precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this
232
To her he hates? and wherefore doth Lysander
233
Deny your love, so rich within his soul,
234
And tender me, forsooth, affection,

forsooth - indeed

235
But by your setting on, by your consent?
236
What thought I be not so in grace as you,
237
So hung upon with love, so fortunate,
238
But miserable most, to love unloved?
239
This you should pity rather than despise.

HERMIA:

240
I understand not what you mean by this.

HELENA:

241
Ay, do, persever, counterfeit sad looks,

persever - an obsolete form of persevere.

242
Make mouths upon me when I turn my back,
243
Wink each at other, hold the sweet jest up:
244
This sport, well carried, shall be chronicled.
245
If you have any pity, grace, or manners,
246
You would not make me such an argument.
247
But fare ye well: 'tis partly my own fault,
248
Which death or absence soon shall remedy.

LYSANDER:

249
Stay, gentle Helena, hear my excuse:
250
My love, my life my soul, fair Helena!

HELENA:

251
O excellent!

HERMIA:

252
Sweet, do not scorn her so.

DEMETRIUS:

253
If she cannot entreat, I can compel.

LYSANDER:

254
Thou canst compel no more than she entreat:
255
Thy threats have no more strength than her weak prayers.
256
Helen, I love thee, by my life, I do:
257
I swear by that which I will lose for thee,
258
To prove him false that says I love thee not.

DEMETRIUS:

259
I say I love thee more than he can do.

LYSANDER:

260
If thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too.

DEMETRIUS:

261
Quick, come!

HERMIA:

262
Lysander, whereto tends all this?

LYSANDER:

263
Away, you Ethiope!

Ethiope is a problematic reference to a person of Ethiopian or African descent or those with a “dark countenance”. Here Lysander insults Hermia by negatively referring to her complexion. For suggestions on how to dismantle anti-blackness in Shakespeare, check out this [field guide]. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kpq3nTAUVKwTrY_XLiH6aCr3agUMu-pSCe87fg8DYQM/mobilebasic)

DEMETRIUS:

264
No, no, he'll [ ]
265
Seem to break loose, take on as you would follow,
266
But yet come not: you are a tame man, go!

LYSANDER:

267
Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! vile thing, let loose,

In Shakespeare’s time, “hang off” meant “let go”. This line also demonstrates Shakespeare’s creativity with expressions and insults.

268
Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!

HERMIA:

269
Why are you grown so rude? what change is this?
270
Sweet love,--

LYSANDER:

271
Thy love! out, tawny Tartar, out!

Tawny Tartar is another negative reference to skin color. Tawny meaning brown and Tartar being a reference to a Turk. This reflects the racial prejudice that existed in Elizabethan times and persists to this day. For suggestions on how to dismantle anti-blackness in Shakespeare, check out this [field guide]. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kpq3nTAUVKwTrY_XLiH6aCr3agUMu-pSCe87fg8DYQM/mobilebasic)

272
Out, loathed medicine! hated potion, hence!

HERMIA:

273
Do you not jest?

HELENA:

274
Yes, sooth, and so do you.

LYSANDER:

275
Demetrius, I will keep my word with thee.

DEMETRIUS:

276
I would I had your bond, for I perceive
277
A weak bond holds you: I'll not trust your word.

LYSANDER:

278
What, should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?
279
Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so.

HERMIA:

280
What, can you do me greater harm than hate?
281
Hate me! wherefore? O me! what news, my love!
282
Am not I Hermia? are not you Lysander?
283
I am as fair now as I was erewhile.

erewhile is an archaic version of formerly

284
Since night you loved me, yet since night you left
285
me:
286
Why, then you left me--O, the gods forbid!--

In Shakespeare’s time, audiences were well acquainted with Greek mythology. Authors often used these references as a shortcut to instill ideas about character or theme. Here Hermia makes reference to the idea that the gods control their fates and couldn’t have possibly approved this sudden change of heart in Lysander.

287
In earnest, shall I say?

LYSANDER:

288
Ay, by my life,
289
And never did desire to see thee more.
290
Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt,
291
Be certain, nothing truer, 'tis no jest
292
That I do hate thee and love Helena.

HERMIA:

293
O me! you juggler! you canker-blossom!

Canker-blossom is a word most likely created by Shakespeare as this is its earliest documented use. This term means “one who destroys things”. Canker meaning cancer or to infect, and blossom in reference to the blooms of a flower.

294
You thief of love! what, have you come by night
295
And stolen my love's heart from him?

HELENA:

296
Fine, i'faith!
297
Have you no modesty, no maiden shame,
298
No touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear
299
Impatient answers from my gentle tongue?
300
Fie, fie! you counterfeit, you puppet, you!

HERMIA:

301
Puppet? why so? ay, that way goes the game.
302
Now I perceive that she hath made compare
303
Between our statures, she hath urged her height,
304
And with her personage, her tall personage,

Personage refers to a person of distinction. Here she is noted for being tall.

305
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
306
And are you grown so high in his esteem,
307
Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
308
How low am I, thou painted maypole? speak,

A [maypole] is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals (often occuring mid-summer), around which a maypole dance often takes place. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maypole)

309
How low am I? I am not yet so low
310
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.

HELENA:

311
I pray you, though you mock me, gentlemen,
312
Let her not hurt me: I was never curst,
313
I have no gift at all in shrewishness,

shrewishness - ill-naturedness

314
I am a right maid for my cowardice:
315
Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think,
316
Because she is something lower than myself,
317
That I can match her.

HERMIA:

318
Lower! hark, again.

HELENA:

319
Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
320
I evermore did love you, Hermia,
321
Did ever keep your counsels, never wrong'd you,
322
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,
323
I told him of your stealth unto this wood.
324
He follow'd you, for love I follow'd him,
325
But he hath chid me hence and threaten'd me

chid - scold

326
To strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too:
327
And now, so you will let me quiet go,
328
To Athens will I bear my folly back
329
And follow you no further: let me go:
330
You see how simple and how fond I am.

HERMIA:

331
Why, get you gone: who is't that hinders you?

HELENA:

332
A foolish heart, that I leave here behind.

HERMIA:

333
What, with Lysander?

HELENA:

334
With Demetrius.

LYSANDER:

335
Be not afraid, she shall not harm thee, Helena.

DEMETRIUS:

336
No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.

HELENA:

337
O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd!
338
She was a vixen when she went to school,
339
And though she be but little, she is fierce.

One of Shakespeare’s most famous lines, it can be interepreted as an ode to Hermia’s strength and often finds welcome in [feminist circles]. Coming from Helena, Hermia interprets it as yet another insult to her height. (https://shakespearecomesalivesdsu2017.wordpress.com/group-one-cultural-topic/)

HERMIA:

340
Little' again! nothing but 'low' and 'little'!
341
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
342
Let me come to her.

LYSANDER:

343
Get you gone, you dwarf,
344
You minimus, of hindering knot-grass made,

Here, minimus in an obsolete form of the smallest size while hindering knot-grass refers to a common weed formerly thought to stunt growth.

345
You bead, you acorn.

DEMETRIUS:

346
You are too officious

The archaic form of officious refers to being too kind or obliging. Here he suggests that Lysander is too kind on the behalf of one who rejects his services.

347
In her behalf that scorns your services.
348
Let her alone: speak not of Helena,
349
Take not her part, for, if thou dost intend
350
Never so little show of love to her,
351
Thou shalt aby it.

aby - suffer a penalty

LYSANDER:

352
Now she holds me not,
353
Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right,
354
Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.

DEMETRIUS:

355
Follow! nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jole.

Often translated as “cheek by jowl”, this phrase refers to being side by side or in close proximity. It refers to one’s cheek being next to another’s jowl. Here Demetrius says he will not follow but will go equally, side by side.

Exeunt LYSANDER and DEMETRIUS

HERMIA:

356
You, mistress, all this coil is 'long of you:

The use of the word coil in the 16th century is exemplified in the famous quotation from Hamlet’s soliloquoy - “shuffle off this mortal coil” meaning to leave behind this mortal trouble or to die. Here the use of coil also refers to trouble. Hermia says that all of this trouble belongs to Hermia and is therefore her fault.

357
Nay, go not back.

HELENA:

358
I will not trust you, I,
359
Nor longer stay in your curst company.
360
Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray,
361
My legs are longer though, to run away.

Exit

HERMIA:

362
I am amazed, and know not what to say.

Exit

OBERON:

363
This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest,
364
Or else committ'st thy knaveries wilfully.

knaveries: mischief

PUCK:

365
Believe me, king of shadows, I mistook.
366
Did not you tell me I should know the man

Didn’t you tell me that I would know my target by his Athenian clothing?

367
By the Athenian garment be had on?
368
And so far blameless proves my enterprise,

I did exactly what you told me to do. I annointed and Athenian’s eyes.*

369
That I have 'nointed an Athenian's eyes,
370
And so far am I glad it so did sort

And I’m glad I did it! Their fighting is entertaining.

371
As this their jangling I esteem a sport.

OBERON:

372
Thou see'st these lovers seek a place to fight:
373
Hie therefore, Robin, overcast the night,
374
The starry welkin cover thou anon

welkin: the sky; anon: quickly or soon

375
With drooping fog as black as Acheron,

**Acharon:** one of the rivers of the underworld.

376
And lead these testy rivals so astray
377
As one come not within another's way.
378
Like to Lysander sometime frame thy tongue,

Imitate Lysander’s voice to egg on Demetrius

379
Then stir Demetrius up with bitter wrong,
380
And sometime rail thou like Demetrius,

Imitate Demetrius to egg on Lysander

381
And from each other look thou lead them thus,

Lead them away from each other until they’re so tired that they fall asleep.

382
Till o'er their brows death-counterfeiting sleep
383
With leaden legs and batty wings doth creep:
384
Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye,
385
Whose liquor hath this virtuous property,

liquor: juice; virtuous property: power

386
To take from thence all error with his might,
387
And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight.

*wonted sight:** normal vision

388
When they next wake, all this derision
389
Shall seem a dream and fruitless vision,
390
And back to Athens shall the lovers wend,
391
With league whose date till death shall never end.

United in an oath (marriage) until death do they part

392
Whiles I in this affair do thee employ,

While you’re doing that, I’ll go to Titania and ask her again for thr Indian boy.

393
I'll to my queen and beg her Indian boy,
394
And then I will her charmed eye release

And then I’ll break the spell that I cast on her so she won’t be in love with the monter. Then everything will be peaceful again.

395
From monster's view, and all things shall be peace.

PUCK:

396
My fairy lord, this must be done with haste,
397
For night's swift dragons cut the clouds full fast,

Night’s swift dragons is an allusion to Helios (god of the sun) and his dragon-drawn chariot.

398
And yonder shines Aurora's harbinger,

Aurora’s harbinger: the morning star (Venus)

399
At whose approach, ghosts, wandering here and there,

Ghosts have to return to their graves when the sun rises.

400
Troop home to churchyards: damned spirits all,
401
That in crossways and floods have burial,

The ghosts of people who killed themselves and therefor not given burial in sacred ground are already back in their graves so that they don’t have to see their shame in daylight

402
Already to their wormy beds are gone,
403
For fear lest day should look their shames upon,
404
They willfully themselves exile from light
405
And must for aye consort with black-brow'd night.

OBERON:

406
But we are spirits of another sort:

We’re not the same kind of spirits

407
I with the morning's love have oft made sport,
408
And, like a forester, the groves may tread,
409
Even till the eastern gate, all fiery-red,

eastern gate: place where the sun rises

410
Opening on Neptune with fair blessed beams,

Neptune is the god of the sea. In this case, the word means the ocean.

411
Turns into yellow gold his salt green streams.
412
But, notwithstanding, haste, make no delay:

Even so, hurry up! We might be able to do this before dawn

413
We may effect this business yet ere day.

Exit

PUCK:

414
Up and down, up and down,
415
I will lead them up and down:
416
I am fear'd in field and town:
417
Goblin, lead them up and down.

Goblin: in this case, it means hobgoblin. That is the kind of fairy that Puck is.

418
Here comes one.

Re-enter LYSANDER

LYSANDER:

419
Where art thou, proud Demetrius? speak thou now.

PUCK:

420
Here, villain, drawn and ready. Where art thou?

drawn: his sword is unsheathed

PERFORMANCE TIP: Puck is imitating Demetrius

LYSANDER:

421
I will be with thee straight.

*strait: straightaway, right away

PUCK:

422
Follow me, then,
423
To plainer ground.

plainer ground: flatter ground

Exit LYSANDER, as following the voice

Re-enter DEMETRIUS

DEMETRIUS:

424
Lysander! speak again:
425
Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled?
426
Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?

PUCK:

427
Thou coward, art thou bragging to the stars,

PERFORMANCE TIP: Puck is imitating Lysander

428
Telling the bushes that thou look'st for wars,
429
And wilt not come? Come, recreant, come, thou child,

recreant: coward

430
I'll whip thee with a rod: he is defiled

I’ll whip you with a rod like a child. You’re such a coward that it would be shameful for anyone to fight you like a man

431
That draws a sword on thee.

DEMETRIUS:

432
Yea, art thou there?

PUCK:

433
Follow my voice: we'll try no manhood here.

try no manhood: we won’t test our mannhoods (courage) here

Exeunt

Re-enter LYSANDER

LYSANDER:

434
He goes before me and still dares me on:
435
When I come where he calls, then he is gone.
436
The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I:
437
I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly,
438
That fallen am I in dark uneven way,
439
And here will rest me.

Lies down

LYSANDER:

440
Come, thou gentle day!
441
For if but once thou show me thy grey light,
442
I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite.

Sleeps

Re-enter PUCK and DEMETRIUS

PUCK:

443
Ho, ho, ho! Coward, why comest thou not?

DEMETRIUS:

444
Abide me, if thou darest, for well I wot

wot - know

445
Thou runn'st before me, shifting every place,
446
And darest not stand, nor look me in the face.
447
Where art thou now?

PUCK:

448
Come hither: I am here.

Come hither: come here

DEMETRIUS:

449
Nay, then, thou mock'st me. Thou shalt buy this dear,
450
If ever I thy face by daylight see:
451
Now, go thy way. Faintness constraineth me
452
To measure out my length on this cold bed.
453
By day's approach look to be visited.

Lies down and sleeps

Re-enter HELENA

HELENA:

454
O weary night, O long and tedious night,
455
Abate thy hour! Shine comforts from the east,

abate - decrease

456
That I may back to Athens by daylight,
457
From these that my poor company detest:
458
And sleep, that sometimes shuts up sorrow's eye,
459
Steal me awhile from mine own company.

Lies down and sleeps

PUCK:

460
Yet but three? Come one more,
461
Two of both kinds make up four.
462
Here she comes, curst and sad:

curst: cross or angry

463
Cupid is a knavish lad,

[Cupid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid#:~:text=In%20classical%20mythology%2C%20Cupid%20(Latin,His%20Greek%20counterpart%20is%20Eros.) is a jerk for making women crazy (with love).

464
Thus to make poor females mad.

Re-enter HERMIA

HERMIA:

465
Never so weary, never so in woe,
466
Bedabbled with the dew and torn with briers,

bedabbled - made wet by splashing

467
I can no further crawl, no further go,
468
My legs can keep no pace with my desires.
469
Here will I rest me till the break of day.
470
Heavens shield Lysander, if they mean a fray!

fray - scare

Lies down and sleeps

PUCK:

471
On the ground
472
Sleep sound:
473
I'll apply
474
To your eye,
475
Gentle lover, remedy.

Squeezing the juice on LYSANDER's eyes

PUCK:

476
When thou wakest,
477
Thou takest
478
True delight
479
In the sight
480
Of thy former lady's eye:
481
And the country proverb known,
482
That every man should take his own,
483
In your waking shall be shown:
484
Jack shall have Jill,

idiom: Every Jack has his Jill. It means that everyone will find a romantic partner

485
Nought shall go ill,

Everything will be fine

486
The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well.

This is problematic. Man is humanized, while his female romantic partner is referred to as a mare or female horse, implying ownership.

Exit