A night in the forest, a fairy king and queen, adolescent rebellion, magic potions, love triangles, a funny play about a tragedy, a plot that, rather than running smooth, runs amok? Of course, 'Twould be a guide for teaching Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Class members investigate the four plots, three themes, and the role of Puck using detailed study questions to help readers keep the confusing action straight.

Concepts

william shakespeare, comedy, a midsummer night's dream, dramatic irony, mythological characters

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Instructional Ideas

• Post a flow chart of who loves whom as the play progresses
• Divide the class into groups, assign each group a different central character, and have groups create a poster with an image of the character and their role in the play

Classroom Considerations

• Many film versions of the play, of varying quality, are available on the internet

Pros

• The 11-page guide also includes suggestions for activities and writing prompts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.10a RL.9-10.10b RL.11-12.10a RL.11-12.10b