a system whereby people or things are ranked, with some being higher than others.

the accepted standards and rules by which a community lives.

to return something back to its original state.

a term used by Elizabethans which referred to a system of ranking which they believed was created by God.

The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

English

The plot of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Understanding the genre of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

The patriarchal world of William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

The presentation of Egeus in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Act 2, Scene 1: Titania and Oberon’s conflict

Model paragraphs about Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

The character of Puck in Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

The character of Oberon in Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Exploring the character of Puck in Acts 2 and 3 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Including context when writing about Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

The impact of the magical potion in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

How is Puck presented in Act 2, Scene 2 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’?

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’: Puck - obedient servant or irreverent joker?

Act 3 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’: disorder in the forest

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': How is Puck presented in Act 3, Scene 2?

Act 3, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': order is restored in the forest

How is Puck presented in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': Puck's epilogue in Act 5

Analysing Puck's epilogue in Act 5 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Exploring key themes in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': love, power, disorder

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’: Shakespeare and the supernatural

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': powerful topic sentences about Puck

Creating an argument about the character of Puck in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Introductions to essays about Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Analytical paragraphs: Puck and the supernatural in ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Conclusions to essays: Puck and the supernatural in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': reviewing and refining an essay about Puck

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', pupils learn about marriage conventions within Shakespeare's patriarchal society. In 'Macbeth: Lady Macbeth as a Machiavellian Villain', pupils explore the ways in which this female character subverts the expectations of women in her day and question whether modern and contemporary audiences are likely to sympathise with her. 

In 'The Tempest', pupils explore the ways in which Ariel and Caliban, as 'outsiders', might be perceived by modern and contemporary audiences. In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', pupils use context to develop their understanding of marriage rituals and attitudes to magic in the play. 

In this unit, pupils read and explore Shakespeare's comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. They focus on the character Puck and the theme of the supernatural, and analyse their role and importance at different points in the play. Finally, they plan and write an essay about Puck and the supernatural.

'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Depiction or discussion of distress or humiliation e.g. bullying.

Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

a system whereby people or things are ranked

the accepted standards and rules by which a community lives

a system of ranking which Elizabethans believed was created by God

Shakespeare wrote 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' for an Elizabethan audience. As such, the play explores ideas that were important to Elizabethans. Match the key ideas and concepts to their meanings.

Athens is just as full of disorder and chaos.

Oberon and Puck make sure to restore the status quo.

The magical potion is only ever used to help others.

The forest has a hierarchy (monarchs) so it is not complete chaos.

A pupil said of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "The forest is purely a place of disorder and chaos." How would you correct them?

The forest is a place where unexpected transformations happen, unlike in Athens.

The forest has no hierarchy, unlike Athens.

The forest sees low and high status characters in relationships, unlike Athens.

There are no strict laws in the forest, unlike in Athens.

Theseus rules over the forest, just as he does Athens.

A pupil said of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "The forest is just as ordered as Athens." How would you correct them?

Elizabethans believed in a system of ranking called The Great Chain of Being. Starting with the most important, rank each section of society according Elizabethan ideas of importance.

Oberon and Puck restore order at the end of Act 4.

Hermia and Helena have a fight despite being friends.

Two characters are trying to marry without a parent's consent.

The poor Athenian actors practice their play in the forest.

A high status character is in love with a low status character.

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', in what ways would the action in the forest disrupt Elizabethan ideas of the status quo?

{{ }} is a term that was used by Elizabethans to refer to a system of ranking, a system which Elizabethans believed was created by God. 

In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', many of the characters are in a magical forest. Match each character, or sets of characters, to the reason they are in the magical forest.

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in 1605. As such, its first audiences were...

a society in which women's access to power is limited

Elizabethan England, like Athens in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', was a patriarchal society. What is a patriarchal society?

The play opens with men holding power over women.

Egeus and Theseus dominate the dialogue with Hermia.

Demetrius is able to follow Lysander into the forest, unlike Helena.

As her father, Egeus is able to do what he wishes with Hermia.

As a woman, Hermia is able to say who she wants to marry.

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the setting of Athens is presented as patriarchal. How?

Titania and Oberon rule over the fairy kingdom.

The Athenian nobles marry each other without their parents' consent.

Puck mistakenly puts the magical potion on Lysander.

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the magical forest is a place of chaos and confusion. What are some examples of chaos and confusion that occur there?

In Act 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Lysander and Hermia run away to escape being punished by what Lysander calls "the {{ }} Athenian law".

The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Lesson outcome

Content guidance