stories and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation; these are not written down, but told verbally

an indication or clue of a future event in a story

a person alive when Elizabeth I was on the throne (1558-1603); the first audiences of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ were Elizabethan

The character of Puck in Shakespeare’s ‘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 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 significance of the magical forest 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 nudity (including in historic content).

Physical activity and equipment requiring safe use

Risk assessment required - physical activity

Which words could describe the character of Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?

I make Oberon laugh with my practical jokes.

After pretending to be a chair, I disappear from under someone.

In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', we meet Puck for the first time. Match what he says about himself to its modern meaning.

mild physical harm, like drinks being spilled, or falling over

In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', a fairy and Puck exchange dialogue. They speak about all the practical jokes Puck plays. What are some of the things he does?

it was associated with Shakespearean plays

it was associated with fairies who completed housework

it was a general term for a mischievous fairy

One of the characters in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is called Puck. The word 'puck' had a known meanings for an Elizabethan audience. What were some of its associations?

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the character of Puck has a second name: Robin Goodfellow. This name was known to Elizabethans. What would they believe this character was like?

{{}} is the name for stories and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation; these are not written down, but told verbally.

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which characters are supernatural?

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who is Oberon's servant?

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what does Puck do to Bottom?

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who does Puck put the magical potion on?

he knows this will cause chaos and confusion

Oberon tells him to do it to punish Helena

Oberon tells him to use it on an Athenian man, but doesn't say which

he wants Hermia to experience love from Lysander and Demetrius, like Hermia does

he deliberately disobeys Oberon because he is angry with him

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Puck initially puts the love potion on Lysander. Why does he do this?

Puck gets a magic potion for his master, Oberon.

Puck puts the magic potion on Lysander (a mistake).

Puck transforms Bottom’s head into that of a donkey. 

Puck laughs about Titania falling in love with Bottom.

Puck, on Oberon’s orders, removes the magic potion from Lysander.

Starting with the first plot point, pout the storyline of Puck from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' into chronological order.

Starter Quiz

In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which characters are supernatural?