The Mechanicals and Comedy

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Mechanicals and Comedy

1

Analyse how Quince’s speech from Act 1 Scene 2 presents the Mechanicals as comic characters.

QUINCE to play in our interlude before the Duke and Duchess, on his wedding day at night. […] Marry our play is ‘The most lamentable comedy, and most cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.’

2

Analyse how Flute’s speech from Act 1 Scene 2 is used to create comedy.

FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman: I have a beard coming. [2]

3

Analyse how Quince and Bottom’s speech from Act 1 Scene 2 is used to create comedy.

BOTTOM And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too. I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice: ‘Thisne Thisne!’ – ‘Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear! thy Thisbe dear, and lady dear!’ QUINCE No, no, you must play Pyramus; and Flute, you Thisbe. BOTTOM Well, proceed. [2]

4

[3]

Analyse how Shakespeare uses the transformation of Bottom to create comedy on stage in this extract from Act 3 Scene 1.

QUINCE Pyramus, enter! Your cue is past; it is ‘never tire’. FLUTE O – ‘As true as truest horse that yet would never tire’. [Enter Bottom with the ass-head on] BOTTOM If I were fair, Thisbe, I were only thine. QUINCE O monstrous! O strange! We are haunted! Pray, masters! Fly, masters! Help!

[3]

5

Analyse how this extract from the Mechanicals’ play from Act 5 Scene 1 is used to create comedy. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

QUINCE If we offend, it is with our good will. That you should think, we come not to offend, But with good will. To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end. […] THESEUS This fellow doth not stand upon points. LYSANDER He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; he knows not the stop.

[4]

6

Compare how these extracts from Act 3 Scene 1 and Act 5 Scene 1 present Bottom. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

BOTTOM ‘Thisbe, the owers of odious savours sweet’ –QUINCE ‘Odorous’! ‘Odorous’! BOTTOM ‘Odorous savours sweet; So hath my breath, my dearest Thisbe dear. But hark, a voice! Stay thou but here awhile, And by and by, I will appear to thee’. [Exit] PUCK A stranger Pyramus than e’er played here!

BOTTOM Thy mantle good, [as Pyramus] What! Stain’d with blood? Approach, ye Furies fell! O Fates, come, come! Cut thread and thrum: Quail, crush, conclude, and quell. THESEUS This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad. HIPPOLYTA Beshrew my heart, but I pity the man. [6]