A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate, Lords, and HIPPOLYTA THESEUS | Hippolyta notes to Theseus that the story the four lovers have told them is strange, and Theseus suggests that's probably because it's fictional. He points out that lovers, poets, and madmen have something in common—they're all nuts. When people are in such highly emotional states (like artists or lovers), they can easily spin stories and mistake, say, the shape of a bush in the forest for a bear. |
HIPPOLYTA | Hippolyta's not so sure. Their stories all matched up, after all. Sure, it sounds crazy, but it's hard to argue when they all seem to have had the same experience. |
Enter Lovers: Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, and Helena. THESEUS LYSANDER More than to us | When the lovers enter, the Duke greets them by wishing them joy in the days ahead. Lysander returns the sentiment, saying that they all wish Theseus and Hippolyta joy in their daily lives—in their walks, at their meals, and, of course, in their bed. |
THESEUS PHILOSTRATE, coming forward Here, mighty Theseus. THESEUS PHILOSTRATE, giving Theseus a paper | Theseus wonders what entertainment they can have to wear away the three hours that still stand between him and his wedding night. He calls on Philostrate, who hands him a list of all the available entertainments for the evening. |
THESEUS | Theseus reads the list: They won't hear the Athenian eunuch singing of the battle with the Centaurs because he's already told that story to Hippolyta about his kinsman, Hercules. Nor will they hear how Orpheus, the Thracian singer, was torn to bits by the Bacchanals (followers of the riotous god Bacchus) in the middle of an orgiastic frenzy, since Theseus saw this play when he last conquered Thebes. Theseus doesn't want to hear the Muses mourn the death of Learning either, because it sounds like it requires some intellectual attention. He states that intellectualizing doesn't befit a wedding ceremony. Finally, the Duke comes to the title of the Mechanicals' play: A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus and his love Thisbe; very tragical mirth. Theseus delights how silly these opposites (tedious and brief; tragical and mirthful) seem, and wonders how it could all come together. |
PHILOSTRATE | Philostrate tries to convince Theseus that, though the play is ten words long, it's played so badly that it's ten words too much. The language is stupid, the actors are terrible, and worse, the tragic parts bring tears all right, but more from laughter than from sorrow. |
THESEUS PHILOSTRATE | Theseus asks Philostrate who will put on the play. Snobby Philostrate replies that it is to be performed by a group of Athenian workmen who have never labored their brains until now. Brain Snack: Shakespeare's dad, John, was a craftsman (a glove-maker, to be exact). |
THESEUS PHILOSTRATE No, my noble lord, THESEUS I will hear that play, Philostrate exits. | Theseus loves the sound of this play. He says he wants to hear it, and Philostrate can't sway him. Theseus thinks no play can be bad if it is done out of duty and love for him. |
HIPPOLYTA THESEUS HIPPOLYTA THESEUS | Hippolyta worries that they've stressed out Philostrate, and the play is bound to be terrible. Theseus soothes her: the worse the play, the kinder they'll be, and everyone will be better off for the lies and mutual deception. He honors the effort of commoners, even if it doesn't always pan out. He accepts their intentions graciously. |
Enter Philostrate. PHILOSTRATE THESEUS Let him approach. | Philostrate enters to present Quince, who will deliver the prologue. |
Enter the Prologue. PROLOGUE | Quince butchers the prologue to the play by reading it as one big run-on sentence. Quince tries to welcome the audience and ask their forgiveness for the humbleness of the play (as Shakespeare often did), but instead he introduces himself by telling the audience that the players offend with their goodwill. It only gets worse from there. |
THESEUS This fellow doth not stand upon points. 125 LYSANDER He hath rid his prologue like a rough colt; HIPPOLYTA Indeed he hath played on this prologue like THESEUS His speech was like a tangled chain—nothing | Theseus accepts Quince's fumbles in stride, saying the players don't stand on points (meaning punctuation, but also theatrical formalities). Lysander and Hippolyta also make some snarky comments about the lack of punctuation, but Theseus says that the prologue was like a tangled chain, messed up but not really broken. |
Enter Pyramus (Bottom), and Thisbe (Flute), and QUINCE, as Prologue | Next, Quince introduces all of the players and the part they're meant to play. He also explains why each player is there: the wall through which they talk, the moonshine by which they see, etc. Quince summarizes the play's action: Pyramus and Thisbe are two lovers who are kept apart, but they conference secretly through a hole in a wall and agree that by moonlight that they'll meet at Ninus's tomb. Thisbe arrives first, but is frightened off by a lion. In running away, she leaves behind her cape, and the lion bloodies it by tearing at it. Pyramus then shows up, a bit late, to find Thisbe's bloody cape. Pyramus is sure his lover is dead, so he draws his sword and kills himself. Thisbe then comes out of hiding in a mulberry bush and, finding her lover slain, pulls his sword out and kills herself too. Now that he has finished the prologue, Quince will let the players take over. |
THESEUS I wonder if the lion be to speak. DEMETRIUS No wonder, my lord. One lion may when | Theseus wonders if the lion will speak and Demetrius says why not. If all of these asses can talk, one lion should be able to, too. |
Lion, Thisbe, Moonshine, and Prologue exit. SNOUT, as Wall | Snout introduces himself as a Wall, who will help the lovers talk to each other through a little gap. (To be help the audience, he points out all the parts of his costume that indicate he's a wall.) |
THESEUS Would you desire lime and hair to speak DEMETRIUS It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard THESEUS Pyramus draws near the wall. Silence. | In the audience, Theseus mentions he couldn't ask for a wall to speak better. Demetrius agrees this is the wittiest wall he's ever heard talk, especially because it's the only one. |
BOTTOM, as Pyramus | Bottom comes in as Pyramus, overacting as usual. He doesn't mess up his lines, but then, he doesn't need to since they're already so absurd. Example: "The night is very black, and is the time when it isn't day." As Pyramus, he asks the Wall to show him the little gap that he can speak through, and Snout holds up his fingers in an O shape to provide such a gap. Seeing no Thisbe beyond the gap, Pyramus curses the Wall. |
THESEUS The wall, methinks, being sensible, should BOTTOM No, in truth, sir, he should not. “Deceiving | Theseus comments that perhaps the wall should curse back, but Bottom breaks character and tells the Duke that no, it shouldn't. Really Thisbe has just missed her cue, but she'll be there soon. |
Enter Thisbe (Flute). FLUTE, as Thisbe | Sure enough, Thisbe comes up, lamenting that the wall separates her and Pyramus. |
BOTTOM, as Pyramus FLUTE, as Thisbe BOTTOM, as Pyramus FLUTE, as Thisbe BOTTOM, as Pyramus FLUTE, as Thisbe | Pyramus recites his lines, which are all messed up. For example, he "sees" a voice instead of hearing it, and the names Cephalus and Procris become Shafalus and Procrus. |
BOTTOM, as Pyramus FLUTE, as Thisbe | When Pyramus asks Thisbe to kiss him through the hole in the Wall, Thisbe replies, "I kiss the wall's hole, not your lips at all." (Yep, Shakespeare is cracking a dirty joke here. Come to think of it, it's a lot like Chaucer's joke in "The Miller's Tale," where Absolon thinks he's going to give Alisoun a juicy smack on the lips but accidentally kisses her bare bottom instead.) |
BOTTOM, as Pyramus FLUTE, as Thisbe | The lovers have agreed to meet at "Ninny's" tomb, which is supposed to be "Ninus's" tomb, and then they exit. |
SNOUT, as Wall THESEUS Now is the wall down between the two DEMETRIUS No remedy, my lord, when walls are so | The Wall then speaks up and excuses himself—his part is over. Theseus says it's too bad the lovers left. The wall's gone now. Demetrius says there's nothing to be done about it. Talking walls are like that. |
HIPPOLYTA This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard. THESEUS The best in this kind are but shadows, and HIPPOLYTA It must be your imagination, then, and not THESEUS If we imagine no worse of them than they of | Hippolyta dismisses it all as the silliest stuff she's ever heard, but Theseus chides her that even the best in theater is only a shadow of reality. The worst don't need to be any worse than that, if we only lend them a little imagination. If we imagine the players as they imagine themselves, they might come out as excellent actors after all. |
Enter Lion (Snug) and Moonshine (Starveling). SNUG, as Lion | Lion and Moonshine enter, and Lion explains that he doesn't mean to scare the ladies, who would be afraid of even a mouse. If the women are scared, they need only remember that he's actually Snug the joiner, not a real lion. |
THESEUS A very gentle beast, and of a good DEMETRIUS The very best at a beast, my lord, that e’er I LYSANDER This lion is a very fox for his valor. 245 THESEUS True, and a goose for his discretion. DEMETRIUS Not so, my lord, for his valor cannot carry THESEUS His discretion, I am sure, cannot carry his | Theseus commends him for being so thoughtful about the ladies, and the rest of the crowd heckles Lion. |
STARVELING, as Moonshine DEMETRIUS He should have worn the horns on his THESEUS He is no crescent, and his horns are invisible STARVELING, as Moonshine THESEUS This is the greatest error of all the rest; the 260 DEMETRIUS He dares not come there for the candle, HIPPOLYTA I am aweary of this moon. Would he would 265 THESEUS It appears by his small light of discretion that | Moonshine speaks up, saying that the lantern he carries is meant to be the crescent moon, and that he is the man in the moon. Theseus notes that this is the worst blunder yet; if this is the man in the moon, then he should be in the lantern. |
LYSANDER Proceed, Moon. 270 DEMETRIUS Why, all these should be in the lanthorn, 275 | After plenty of snark from the other nobles, Lysander bids the moon to continue his speech. Starveling again says that he is the man in the moon, the thorn bush he has with him is his thorn bush, and the dog his dog. Demetrius remarks that all of those things should be in the lantern, too, since they are all in the moon. |
Enter Thisbe (Flute). FLUTE, as Thisbe SNUG, as Lion O! The Lion roars. Thisbe runs off, | Thisbe enters, Lion makes a little roar, and Thisbe runs off as the Lion chews on the cape she's left behind. |
DEMETRIUS Well roared, Lion. 280 THESEUS Well run, Thisbe. HIPPOLYTA Well shone, Moon. Truly, the Moon shines Lion worries the mantle. THESEUS Well moused, Lion. | The royals tease that the Lion has roared well, Thisbe has run well, and the Moon has shone extremely well. When the Lion shakes Thisbe's cape in his teeth, Theseus compliments him. He's shaken it just like a cat with a mouse. |
Enter Pyramus (Bottom). DEMETRIUS And then came Pyramus. 285 Lion exits. LYSANDER And so the lion vanished. BOTTOM, as Pyramus | Pyramus enters and thanks the sweet moon for its "sunny beams." He then delivers an overly dramatic monologue about finding Thisbe's bloody cape. |
THESEUS This passion, and the death of a dear friend, HIPPOLYTA Beshrew my heart but I pity the man. 305 | Theseus quips that if you took this emotion portrayed by Bottom and combined with your best friend dying, then you might begin to look sad. In other words, he's so far from seeming sad, it's, well...sad. The acting is so bad, Hippolyta pities him in spite of herself. |
BOTTOM, as Pyramus | Meanwhile, Pyramus is killing himself with much flourish. After delivering the brilliant line "Now die, die, die, die, die," Pyramus dies. |
DEMETRIUS No die, but an ace for him, for he is but LYSANDER Less than an ace, man, for he is dead, he is 325 THESEUS With the help of a surgeon he might yet HIPPOLYTA How chance Moonshine is gone before THESEUS She will find him by starlight. Enter Thisbe (Flute). Here she comes, and her passion ends the play. HIPPOLYTA Methinks she should not use a long one for DEMETRIUS A mote will turn the balance, which Pyramus, 335 LYSANDER She hath spied him already with those DEMETRIUS And thus she means, videlicet— 340 | The gallery of nobles offer more snarky play-by-play comments, then "Thisbe" comes in to end the play. |
FLUTE, as Thisbe | Thisbe laments Pyramus's death in a comically tragic style, mourning her lover's lily lips, cherry nose, and yellow cheeks. Finally, she takes Pyramus's sword and stabs herself, ending with a melodramatic "Adieu, adieu, adieu." |
THESEUS Moonshine and Lion are left to bury the 365 DEMETRIUS Ay, and Wall too. Bottom and Flute arise. BOTTOM No, I assure you, the wall is down that | Theseus and Demtrius note that Moonshine, Lion, and Wall are left to bury the dead. Bottom, who should be dead as Pyramus, sits up and assures them that the wall has been taken down and won't be able to help. Then he asks if they'd like to hear the play's epilogue, or see a dance. |
THESEUS No epilogue, I pray you. For your play needs Dance, and the players exit. The iron tongue of midnight hath told twelve. 380 They exit. | Theseus steps out of this quickly—really, no epilogue is necessary since everyone's dead and no one's to blame. He asks to see the dance instead, and so there's a dance (called the Bergormask). With the dance done, Theseus says the clock has struck midnight, and sends the lovers to bed, declaring it's "almost fairy time." He says the play has been great for helping to pass the hours till bedtime, and announces that the marriage celebrations will continue on for two more weeks. |
Enter Robin Goodfellow. ROBIN | Puck comes onto the stage with a broom. (In English folklore, Puck/Robin spends his time helping people with their household chores.)He talks about all the things that happen at night: lions and wolves come out; the walking dead wander from their graves into churchyards; and fairies frolic and make mischief. But Puck is here to make sure that no one, not even a mouse, will disturb this house. |
Enter Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of Fairies, OBERON TITANIA | The Fairy King and Queen (Oberon and Titania) enter, followed by their entourage. They "bless" the house by flying around and chanting a little rhyming verse while doing an aerial fairy dance. |
OBERON | Oberon orders all the fairies to flit through the house, and bless the master bed so that all the children that come of it will be fortunate and lucky. He promises that all three couples will be happy and remain in love. Furthermore, their babies won't be ugly and won't have any scars or defects. (Seriously.) |
All but Robin exit. ROBIN He exits. | Left alone on stage, Robin closes the play by addressing the audience, directly. He announces that if we don't like the play, the best way to remedy the situation is to pretend it's only been a dream. Instead of cursing the players for a bad play, the audience should forgive them. Finally, he asks for applause if the audience accepts his apologies. All can be certain that Robin will make amends before long (presumably, with the performance of another play). |