Act 1, Scene 1

"Ay me! For aught that I could ever read,

Could ever hear by tale or history,

The course of true love never did run smooth."
(Lysander, 135-138)

Check your understanding of the scene by attempting the quiz below before watching the Course Hero recap.

Act 1, Scene 1 Quiz

Course Hero Recap: Act 1, Scene 1

Click here to watch the entire scene performed by Shakespeare at Play

Act 1, Scene 1 Consider This… Questions

Consider This Questions Worksheet

Key Extracts

Egeus & Theseus Discuss Hermia

Hermia & Lysander's Exchange

Helena's Soliloquy

Listen to a reading of this soliloquy here

HERMIA’S DILEMMA

Close Reading

Use these slides to unpack some of the authorial choices made by Shakespeare. As you read through these slides, consider how the effects of the authorial choices help develop the themes of the text.

SKILL BUILDERS

Common Paragraph Mistakes

Fixing Claims

Feel free to build these responses into essay plans for further practice.

Director's Notebook

Imagine that you are directing a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and answer the following questions:

What would the set look like when the curtain first opens?
What would Hermia be doing whilst her father delivers his speech to Theseus?
What is Demetrius and Lysander doing during the exchange between Hermia and Theseus?
How would you convey the class differences of each character to the audience?
What choices would you make regarding Helena's soliloquy at the end of the scene?

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Act 1, Scene 2