English 105A: More Review Questions
From UCSB English Department Knowledge Base
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TA: Geoffrey McNeil
English 105A: Early Shakespeare
Fall 2002
[edit] Questions:
What is Shakespeare saying about love at first sight? RW
Why does Shakespeare rely upon accident and magic to get the pairs of lovers together?TS
Is there a connection between Puck placing the love juice in the eyes or could he have placed it anywhere? EL
Does the concept of women in MND differ from how women are portrayed in TS or R2? SJ
Why does Egeus refuse to allow his daughter Hermia to marry the man she loves? MD
What does Bottom’s character represent to the fairies – why do they fawn over him? ET
Is Bottom the embodiment of human foolishness to the fairies or is he merely the butt of a magical joke? MH
What are some of the qualities that draw Hermia away from Demetrius? Why doesn’t she love him? PP
Why does Shakespeare set the play in Athens? JA
Why do the woods serve as the setting for the conflict resolution and maturation of the characters? RC
Why does Theseus side with Egeus over Hermia? LJ
What are the differences between Lysander and Demetrius? AM
Shakespeare wrote MND just after Romeo & Juliet – how are they similar/different? KM
Why would Helena want to tell Demetrius that Hermia is planning to run away? LW
Could Bottom be a commentary on actors and acting and ego? Shakespeare was an actor too. DJ
Why are the mechanicals so concerned about the authenticity of their play? RH
How are gender roles reversed/confused in this play? How is this different/similar to the gendering in R2 & TS? RH
What problem is the play trying to solve? NS
Is Theseus’ marriage not true love because it lacks the complications of the other lovers? KD
What is the significance of Shakespeare mingling plays within plays, reality vs. imagination, the breaking of 4th wall? MA
To what degree and why are Lysander and Demetrius alike / different? TO
How is the structure of MND similar/different from TS? VS
What is the purpose of the 5th Act of the play? JM
How are Theseus and Hippolyta like Petruchio and Kate? MH
Are any of the relationships based on real love or only on magic? AL
Women in MND seem to possess strength of character, yet they betray each other for their men – why? SH
How does Bottom represent the struggle between authority and imagination? SH
Why is Egeus so intent on forcing Hermia’s marriage? RL
Are the lovers in MND truly in love or is it merely obsession like Romeo & Juliet? Why isn’t love stronger than magic? AG
How do Theseus and Bottom compare as authority figures? BS
How do the “amateurs” (Mechanicals) complicate the notion of show and performance? How are they different from the professionals that show up in TS? JS
The mechanicals are desperately afraid of being executed for poor performance – why would Shakespeare suggest this, especially when his ruling class is essentially imaginary? MS
Why does Puck pick Bottom to humiliate Titania? JE
If the play is a dream, as Puck asks us to believe, how do we take it? CD
Why does Bottom not question his situation? RE
What is an “audience” in this play? Watching and seeing are integral notions – how does the play complicate these ideas? CF
Does love overcome authority here or is it integrated within it? SS
