The impact of the magical potion in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can evaluate how the magical potion is used by Oberon and Puck, and the impact it has on different characters in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.
Key learning points
- The magical potion is used twice in Act 2, Scene 2.
- Oberon has malicious intentions; Puck is trying to carry out Oberon’s orders.
- Lysander falls in love with Helena, who believes Lysander is mocking her.
- Titania falls in love with Bottom, and makes him stay with her in the forest.
- When writing about ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, connect different moments of the play together.
Keywords
Malicious - deliberately cruel
Vile - horrible
Anoint - to apply or put something on someone
Mock - to make fun of
Consequence - result, outcome, effect
Common misconception
Oberon knows Titania will fall in love with Bottom.
Oberon hopes Titania will fall in love with something "vile" but he doesn't know about Bottom, or his transformation, until Puck tells him the joke he has played.
Teacher tip
There are 7 short extracts to read in this lesson. Consider the strategies which will work best for each one, and the particular ideas you want to draw out from them. Consider if there are additional, or different questions, you want to add so that your pupils can engage with the language and ideas.
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 upsetting content
Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
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 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', and for the play's first Elizabethan audience, the idea of status is very important. Match each character or groups of characters to their status.
Duke of Athens
noble people of Athens
a low status Athenian actor
monarchs in the fairy kingdom
a supernatural servant
Q2.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', many characters are unhappy in Acts 1 and 2. Match each character to their unhappiness.
his daughter won't obey him
faces severe punishment if she doesn't obey her father
loves someone who doesn't love her back
loves someone who doesn't love him back
isn't allowed to marry the person he wishes
isn't being given something that he wants
Q3.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', who or what transforms Bottom's head into that of a donkey?
Q4.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how is Hermia presented as brave in Act 1?
Q5.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', why does Oberon tell Puck to put the magical potion on Demetrius's eyes?
Q6.Across 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which characters have the magical love potion put on them?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In Act 2, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the magical potion is used twice. How is it used?
Q2.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Helena react when Lysander says he is in love with her?
Q3.In Act 2, Scene 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', how does Hermia feel when she wakes up and finds herself alone in the forest without Lysander?
Q4.In Act 3 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Titania wakes up after being anointed with the magical potion in her sleep. She sees Bottom, and says, "What wakes me from my flowery bed?".
Q5.In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon anoints Titania's eyes with the magical potion. As he does, he says "Wake when some thing is near".
Q6.In Act 2 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Oberon anoints Titania's eyes with the magical potion. He wants her to "love and " for the creature she falls in love with.
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: The impact of the magical potion in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 English lesson on: The impact of the magical potion in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 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.