A Midsummer Night's Dream Read online

  120 marshal guide

  121 o'erlook read

  122 stories narrative/true history

  123 Wherefore why

  129 Good troth truly

  129 good sooth indeed

  132 lord possessor

  132 gentleness nobility/courtesy/kindness

  134 of by

  134 abused mistreated

  137 surfeit excess

  139 leave renounce

  140 those ... deceive i.e. the former heretics themselves 142 Of by

  143 address direct

  150 prey act of preying

  151 removed departed

  153 an if if

  154 of all loves for love's sake

  Act 3, Scene 1

  3.1 Clowns lower-class comic characters

  2 Pat punctually

  4 brake thicket

  4 tiring-house dressing room

  7 bully old mate, good fellow

  12 By'r lakin by our ladykin (i.e. the Virgin Mary)

  12 parlous perilous

  14 done i.e. said and done

  15 Write me write/write for me

  22 eight and six alternating lines of eight and six syllables (common meter for ballads) 25 afeard afraid

  26 it either the lion, or that the ladies will be afraid 29 fearful frightening

  29 wild-fowl i.e. wild beast (literally, bird) 35 defect malapropism for "effect"

  37 My ... yours by my life (literally, I would lay down my life for you) 38 pity ... life a bad thing, by my life/my life would be at risk 41 plainly may pun on "plane" (carpenter's tool)

  46 almanac calendar

  49 casement section of a window

  52 bush ... lantern the traditional props of the man in the moon 53 disfigure malapropism for "figure" (i.e. represent) 53 present represent

  60 rough-cast lime and gravel mixture used for plastering walls 65 rehearse recite

  68 hempen home-spuns those wearing homemade/rustic clothes 68 swagg'ring blustering

  69 cradle place of rest

  70 toward in preparation

  78 by and by shortly

  85 brisky juvenal lively young man

  85 eke also

  85 Jew desperate rhyme, or perhaps short for "juvenal" or "jewel" as a term of affection 88 Ninus founder of Nineveh

  89 part an actor's written part consisted solely of his lines and cues 93 were would be

  93 fair handsome

  96 round circular dance/circuitous route

  99 fire will-o'-the-wisp, a flame over marshy ground (caused by gas but popularly supposed to be a hobgoblin's trick) 102 knavery trick

  109 translated transformed

  114 ousel cock male blackbird

  116 throstle song thrush

  117 quill reed/pipe (i.e. voice)

  120 plain-song melodically simple

  122 dares ... nay is unable to deny the truth of the cuckoo's cry of "cuckold" (man with an unfaithful wife) 123 who ... bird adaptation of "do not set your wit against a fool's" (proverbial) 124 give ... lie accuse the bird of lying

  124 cuckoo i.e. "cuckold" never so ever so much 127 enthralled enslaved

  128 virtue's qualities'

  128 perforce of necessity

  134 gleek make a jest

  137 turn purposes

  139 wilt wish to

  140 rate worth, rank

  141 still always

  141 tend upon serve, wait upon

  141 state status as queen

  144 deep bottom of the sea

  146 grossness bodily form

  148 Peaseblossom flower of plants of the pea family; Pease also meant "something of very small value or importance"

  148 Moth pronounced "mote" (i.e. speck) so this sense may also be implied 155 eyes i.e. sight

  156 apricocks apricots

  156 dewberries type of blackberry

  158 humble-bees bumblebees

  159 night-tapers candles

  161 arise possible erectile connotations

  169 cry ... mercy beg your pardon

  172 desire ... acquaintance want to be better acquainted with you 173 if ... you cobwebs were used to stop bleeding

  176 Squash unripe pea pod

  177 Peascod pea pod (a traditional remedy for lovesickness, with play on "codpiece") 181 patience endurance (as mustard is eaten with beef) 184 made ... water since mustard is hot in the mouth 188 weeps i.e. causes dew

  189 enforced violated

  190 Tie ... tongue perhaps because Bottom is braying 3 in extremity to excess

  5 night-rule mischievous, disordered nighttime activity 5 haunted much frequented

  7 close private/secluded

  8 dull inactive

  9 patches clowns/fools

  9 rude mechanicals uneducated manual workers

  13 barren sort stupid group

  15 Forsook left

  15 scene performance space

  17 noll head

  19 mimic burlesque actor/performer

  20 fowler hunter

  21 russet-pated choughs reddish-brown jackdaws (with play on "chuff," rustic boor) 21 many in sort i.e. in a large flock

  22 report sound of firing

  23 Sever scatter

  23 sweep move swiftly across

  30 yielders those who yield to fear

  36 latched ensnared/wetted

  40 of force by necessity

  41 close concealed

  45 chide rebuke (you)

  45 use treat

  48 Being o'er shoes having waded

  50 true loyal

  53 whole solid, intact

  53 bored pierced through

  54 centre i.e. of the earth

  55 Her brother's i.e. the sun's

  55 th'Antipodes the people/places on the opposite side of the globe 57 dead deadly/murderous

  61 Venus bright planet; also Roman goddess of love

  61 sphere orbit/hollow surrounding sphere

  62 to got to do with

  65 cur dog

  67 numbered counted

  68 once once and for all

  69 Durst would you/did you dare

  69 a have

  70 brave touch fine/impudent deed

  71 worm snake

  72 doubler more divided/deceitful

  74 spend expend/waste

  74 passion powerful feelings

  74 misprised mood mistaken anger

  78 therefor for it

  82 vein mood

  84 So ... owe i.e. lack of sleep and sorrow combined are making me very tired 84 heavier harder to bear/sleepier

  85 For because of the

  87 his tender sleep's offer

  87 make some stay stay here awhile

  88 quite utterly

  90 misprision error

  92 one ... troth for each man who keeps his word/faith in love 93 confounding breaking

  93 on after

  95 look be sure

  96 fancy-sick lovesick

  96 cheer face

  97 sighs ... dear each sigh was thought to drain a drop of blood from the heart 98 illusion deception

  99 against in preparation for when

  101 Tartar's bow powerful bow from Central Asia

  104 apple pupil/center

  109 remedy relief, resolution

  113 fee payment

  114 fond pageant foolish spectacle

  119 alone unique/on its own

  121 preposterously perversely, out of the normal course of events 124 Look when whenever

  125 nativity i.e. through weeping

  127 badge outward sign (as worn on servants' livery), i.e. tears 128 advance show

  129 truth kills truth i.e. his vows to Hermia and to Helena invalidate one another 129 devilish-holy fray quarrel involving false and true vows 130 o'er up

  133 light as tales false as rumors/lies

  136 Demetrius ... you there may be a missing rhyme line for Helena hereafter 139 ripe i.e. full and red

  139 show appearance

  141
pure congealed white i.e. pale skin (considered to be especially beautiful) 141 Taurus mountain range in Turkey

  142 turns ... crow seems black in comparison (with Helena's white skin) 144 seal promise

  145 bent disposed

  146 set against be hostile to

  148 do ... injury insult me so much

  150 join in souls unite

  152 gentle noble/mild

  153 superpraise praise excessively

  153 parts qualities

  157 trim fine

  160 extort torture/wring

  169 will none i.e. want nothing to do with her 171 but ... sojourned stayed with her merely as a visitor 176 abide suffer for/pay for

  176 dear at great cost

  178 his its

  179 apprehension perception

  186 press urge

  187 bide remain

  188 engilds brightens with gold

  189 yon i.e. those over there

  189 oes spangles (i.e. stars)

  193 confed'racy alliance

  195 fashion contrive

  195 in spite to vex

  196 Injurious harmful, unjust

  198 bait persecute/torment

  199 counsel inmost thoughts/advice

  201 chid scolded

  204 artificial skilled in the arts of creation

  207 one key total harmony

  209 incorporate indivisible, one body

  210 Like similar

  213 heart may pun on "hart," a common heraldic device 214 first i.e. bodies (plays on sense of "dominant color on a shield") 214 coats coats of arms (which can appear twice on a shield though under one crest) 215 Due ... one a coat of arms is allocated to a specific individual 216 rent rend, tear

  216 ancient long-standing

  216 asunder apart

  227 rare splendid/exceptional

  231 tender offer

  233 grace favor

  238 Persever persevere

  238 sad solemn

  239 mouths faces

  240 hold ... up maintain the joke

  241 carried conducted

  243 argument subject (for a joke)

  257 withdraw i.e. remove yourself from present company (for a duel) 259 whereto to what end

  260 Ethiope Ethiopian, i.e. dark-complexioned (in comparison with fair Helena) 262 take on as behave as if

  264 Hang off leave hold

  264 burr prickly seed head that sticks easily to clothing 264 let loose get off

  266 rude harsh, unkind, offensive

  268 Out exclamation of impatience ("get away!")

  268 tawny dark-skinned

  268 Tartar person from central Asia

  269 medicine i.e. poison

  271 sooth truly

  274 weak bond i.e. Hermia (plays on earlier sense of "oath") 280 erewhile before

  286 out of free from

  289 juggler trickster

  289 canker-blossom flower-destroying worm

  295 Impatient angry

  296 puppet false thing/small person

  299 urged insisted on/brought forward

  300 personage appearance

  304 painted made-up (with cosmetics)

  304 maypole i.e. tall, skinny person

  308 curst ill-tempered

  309 shrewishness scolding/bad temper

  310 right true/typical

  312 something lower somewhat shorter

  316 evermore always

  319 stealth stealing away

  321 chid me hence tried to drive me away with scolding 323 so if

  326 fond foolish

  332 part side

  333 keen sharp

  333 shrewd vicious

  337 suffer allow

  340 minimus tiny, insignificant being

  340 knot-grass type of creeping weed

  347 abide pay for

  351 cheek by jowl i.e. side by side

  352 coil turmoil

  352 'long on account

  357.1 Exit ... Hermia the Quarto text gives Hermia the exit line "I am amazed and know not what to say"; Folio's omission of this was probably a printer's error, but it might conceivably have been the purposeful cut of a weak line that converts a rhyming couplet to a triplet 365 sort fall out

  366 As in that

  366 jangling squabbling

  368 Hie hasten

  369 welkin sky

  370 drooping falling

  370 Acheron one of the four rivers of Hades (the classical underworld) 371 testy irritable

  372 As so that

  373 Like ... tongue sometimes imitate Lysander's voice 374 wrong insults

  375 rail rant

  378 batty bat-like

  379 herb i.e. the antidote

  380 liquor liquid, juice

  380 virtuous powerful

  381 his its

  382 wonted accustomed, former

  383 derision ridiculousness

  385 wend make their way

  386 league alliance, friendship

  386 date duration

  392 dragons supposedly pulling the chariot of night or the moon 392 cut cut through

  393 Aurora's harbinger the morning star, which can be seen before dawn 396 crossways crossroads, the unconsecrated burial place for suicides 396 floods "burial" place of those who had drowned (and whose bodies were unrecoverable) 400 aye eternity

  400 consort keep company

  402 morning's love either Aurora's lover, or Aurora, Roman goddess of the dawn (i.e. Oberon does not have to disappear before dawn like the other spirits) 402 made sport amused myself/made love to

  403 forester guardian of the forest

  405 Neptune Roman god of the sea

  412 Goblin Puck refers to himself

  415 drawn with sword drawn

  417 straight at once

  418 plainer flatter/more open

  424 recreant coward

  428 try test

  436 spite vexation, grievance

  438 Abide confront/endure

  438 wot know

  443 buy pay for

  445 constraineth compels

  449 Abate shorten

  478 Jack ... Jill "all shall be well and Jack shall have Jill" (proverbial) 479 Nought nothing

  480 man ... mare proverbial

  2 amiable lovable

  2 coy caress

  15 overflown flowed over, drenched

  18 neaf fist

  19 leave your courtesy stop bowing/put your hat back on 21 Cavalery cavalier (i.e. courtly gentleman)

  22 Cobweb apparently an error for Peaseblossom

  23 marvellous extremely

  27.1 rural music simple rustic music

  27 tongs simple metal musical instrument, struck to produce sound 27 bones pieces of bone clapped together between the fingers 29 peck quantity (quarter of a bushel) provender fodder (for animals) 30 bottle bundle

  31 fellow equal

  32 vent'rous adventurous, daring

  35 stir wake

  36 exposition of malapropism for "disposition to"

  38 all ways away gone in all directions

  39 woodbine bindweed, which entwines itself with honeysuckle

  41 Enrings encircles

  45 dotage infatuation

  47 favours love tokens (perhaps flowers)

  51 sometime formerly

  52 orient from the east/lustrous

  53 flowerets small flowers

  63 swain rustic

  64 other others

  65 repair make their way

  66 accidents events

  71 Dian's bud i.e. Oberon's corrective herb, linked to Diana, Roman goddess of chastity 81 these five i.e. Bottom and the lovers

  82 charmeth brings about by magic

  82.1 Music, still the "rural music" may still have been playing or perhaps this is a cue for "still" (i.e. gentle) music; Oberon's Silence awhile may cue the suspension of the former before Sound, music! cues the latter 87 solemnly ceremoniously

  88 triumphantly with great celebration

/>   92 attend listen

  94 sad solemn

  95 Trip move swiftly

  101.1 his i.e. Theseus'

  103 observation observance (of May morning rites)

  104 vaward vanguard (i.e. foremost part)

  106 Uncouple release (pairs of dogs for the hunt)

  111 Cadmus founder of Thebes

  112 bayed pursued with dogs

  113 hounds of Sparta dogs famed for their skill

  114 chiding i.e. barking

  118 kind breed

  119 So flewed with the same large cheek folds

  119 sanded sandy-colored

  121 dewlapped with loose folds of skin hanging at the neck 121 Thessalian from Thessaly, an ancient region of northeastern Greece 122 matched in mouth united in barking (i.e. harmonious) 123 tuneable melodious

  124 hallowed to had "halloo" (a cry of encouragement) shouted to it 124 cheered urged on

  126 soft wait a moment

  130 of at

  133 in grace of to honor

  133 solemnity ceremony

  138 Saint Valentine 14 February, the day on which birds were thought to choose their mates 139 couple pair off

  144 jealousy suspicion

  157 defeated frustrated/deprived

  163 fancy love/infatuation

  167 idle gaud worthless trinket

  179 overbear overrule

  180 by and by soon

  182 for since

  182 something worn somewhat spent

  183 purposed intended

  185 in with

  185 solemnity ceremony

  187 undistinguishable unrecognizable

  189 parted divided/unfocused

  193 Mine ... own i.e. because found, of uncertain ownership 201 by on

  204 God's God save

  205 hence away from here

  205 rare unique/marvelous

  206 wit understanding

  207 go about endeavor

  210 patched i.e. wearing a fool's multicolored costume 211 The ... was garbled version of a famous passage about what the Geneva Bible calls "the bottom of God's secrets" (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) 215 bottom foundation/(is) unfathomable

  216 Peradventure perhaps

  217 her presumably Thisbe's

  Act 4, Scene 2

  4.2 Location: Athens

  3 transported carried off/transformed

  5 forward ahead

  7 discharge perform

  8 wit intellect

  10 person appearance, bearing

  11 paramour malapropism for "paragon"

  13 naught i.e. wickedness, shame (with possible vaginal connotations) 16 we ... men i.e. our fortunes would have been made 17 sixpence a day i.e. as a reward from the duke (a considerable sum, half a day's wage) 18 scaped escaped, avoided

  19 An if

  22 hearts fine friends

  27 fell out happened

  29 of from

  30 strings i.e. with which to attach the beards 31 pumps light shoes

  31 presently at once

  33 preferred recommended

  34 pare trim

  Act 5, Scene 1

  5.1 his i.e. Theseus'

  1 that that which

  3 antic bizarre/grotesque, with pun on "antique," antiquated, which is the Quarto spelling 3 fairy toys foolish stories about fairies

  5 shaping creative

  5 apprehend grasp (intellectually)

  8 compact composed

  10 frantic mad, frenzied

  11 Helen's Helen of Troy's

  11 brow of Egypt dark-skinned complexion (thought unattractive) 14 bodies forth gives shape to

  19 apprehend conceive

  20 comprehends incorporates

  24 transfigured changed, affected