Act 3, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': order is restored in the forest
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how the disorder in the forest is resolved, and consider how happy the ending of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is.
Key learning points
- In Act 3, Scene 1, we see Puck’s ability to create disorder amongst the Rude Mechanicals.
- In Act 3, Scene 2, we see Puck use the same abilities to restore order amongst the Athenian nobles.
- Puck applies the antidote to Lysander, but not Demetrius.
- Oberon asks for, and gets, the little boy he wants from Titania.
- The resolution to the play is happy, but audiences might question the treatment of Titania and Demetrius.
Keywords
Resolution - ending
Comedy - a play designed to make you laugh, often involving misunderstandings and ending in marriage
Rude Mechanicals - the phrase Puck uses to describe the poor Athenian actors, referencing their day jobs as skilled manual labourers
Restore - to return something back to its original state
Antidote - remedy or cure against a drug
Common misconception
Titania, Lysander and Demetrius have the antidote applied to them.
So that the play can end in happy marriages between all four Athenian nobles, only Lysander has the antidote applied to him. Demetrius is still under the influence of the magical potion.
Teacher tip
Consider how you want to read the extract in LC1. There are 5 characters, and it is designed to be a frenetic scene in which all 4 Athenians are confused, with Puck leading them through the forest. Consider how long you think the reading will take, and what questions will aid understanding.
Equipment
You need access to a copy of Williams 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 discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why is Helena so unhappy at the beginning of the play?
Q2.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why are Oberon and Titania in conflict at the beginning of Act 2?
Q3.At the beginning of a 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', both Lysander and Demetrius love...
Q4.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', after having the magical potion applied to them, both Athenian men love...
Q5.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Puck create chaos amongst the Rude Mechanicals, the poor Athenian actors who are rehearsing the play in the forest?
Q6.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which of the following are orders that Oberon gives Puck?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.At the end of Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who does Demetrius love?
Q2.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Oberon get the little boy from Titania?
Q3.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who has the antidote to the magical potion applied to them?
Q4.Starting with the first, order these plot points from Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in chronological order.
Q5.At the end of Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', after Puck has applied the antidote to the magical potion to Lysander, he says "All shall be...".
Q6.At the end of Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon says he will get the boy from Titania, and then remove the magical potion from her eyes. Once he has done this "all things shall be..."
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Act 3, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': order is restored in the forest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: Act 3, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': order is restored in the forest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.