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

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can evaluate model paragraphs about the presentation of Oberon and Titania in Act 2, Scene 1 of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, and use my evaluation to develop my own writing.

      Key learning points

      1. Annotating a question about ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ ensures you focus on the right topic.
      2. Dramatic methods are the tools a playwright uses to create their work e.g. characterisation, setting, stage directions.
      3. When writing about the play, you should explore Shakespeare's dramatic methods.

      Keywords

      • Evaluate - to look at something carefully and make a judgement about it

      • Stage directions - text in a play script which gives information about how a scene should be staged, or how an actor should say a particular line

      • Dramatic methods - the tools a playwright uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices, stage directions

      • Malevolent - cruel, malicious, evil

      • Annotate - to add short notes to a piece of text with your own ideas and comments; a key skill in English

      Common misconception

      Analysis means zooming in to individual words and explaining what they mean.

      Exploring quotations is more than just looking at individual words and offering paraphrase or synonym. Your exploration of the quotation should develop your ideas about the question, and look at dramatic methods (more than just individual words).

      Teacher tip

      Consider how you will re-read and gather ideas during the practice task of learning cycle 1. It is crucial that this is a rich activity, or pupils will have nothing to write about for learning cycle 2. You could consider using a visualiser to model how students should re-read and annotate.

      Equipment

      You need access to a copy of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. However, the relevant extracts for this lesson can also be found in the additional materials.

      Content guidance

      Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

      Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

      Supervision

      Adult supervision recommended

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', there is a fight between Oberon and Titania. Titania speaks many more lines than Oberon. What could we infer about the relationship between the two?

      Oberon relies on Puck to speak for him.
      Correct answer: Titania is not scared of Oberon.
      Titania feels inferior to Oberon.
      Correct answer: Titania is more dominant.
      Titania is of a higher status than Oberon.

      Q2.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', after Titania leaves Oberon in the forest, what is the first thing he does?

      decides to put the love potion on Demetrius
      calls Titania proud and jealous
      states he will get Puck to steal the boy from Titania
      states he will make Bottom fall in love with her
      Correct answer: states he will get revenge on Titania because she continues to disobey him

      Q3.
      When considering 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', you should explore Shakespeare's dramatic methods. Which of the following are examples of dramatic methods?

      actors
      the Elizabethan audience
      Shakespeare's life
      Correct answer: language choices
      Correct answer: stage directions

      Q4.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon asks Titania, "Am I not thy...?".

      Correct Answer: lord

      Q5.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon asks Titania, "Am I not thy lord?". Titania replies, "Then I must be thy..."

      Correct Answer: lady, Lady

      Q6.
      When Oberon and Titania first appear on stage in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon calls Titania a "wanton". What does this word mean?

      a sworn enemy
      Correct answer: a rebellious woman
      a powerful queen
      a supernatural being
      a proud ruler

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why might we describe the character of Oberon as malevolent?

      he is a King
      he is supernatural
      he has a servant
      Correct answer: he plots revenge on Titania
      he asks Titania to give him a little boy

      Q2.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', what does Titania want to do as soon as she sees Oberon?

      convince him to stay
      Correct answer: leave
      cast a spell
      run away
      give him the boy

      Q3.
      When given a question about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', you should annotate it. What kinds of notes might you annotate it with?

      the plot of the play
      how an Elizabethan audience would answer the question
      Correct answer: the focus of the question
      facts about Shakespeare's life
      everything you know about the play

      Q4.
      In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon, just like Egeus, is in conflict with an important person in his life. What are other similarities between the two men?

      Correct answer: they both feel they are being disobeyed by women who should obey them
      they both use the supernatural to punish the person they are arguing with
      they both threaten to kill the person they are arguing with
      Correct answer: they both ask someone to support them punishing the person they are fighting
      they both dominate the dialogue when they talk to the person they are fighting

      Q5.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon says, "Give me that boy" and Titania replies, "Not for thy ..."

      Correct Answer: fairy kingdom

      Q6.
      In Act 2, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Titania says of Oberon, "I have his bed and company."

      Correct Answer: foresworn

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