The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
I can explain why some of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' takes place in a magical forest.
The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
I can explain why some of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' takes place in a magical forest.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Elizabethans believed that everyone had their place in society, a hierarchy they called The Great Chain of Being.
- To question or disrupt this hierarchy was a threat to society.
- The theatre was a place you could explore disorder because what was on stage wasn’t real life.
- It was even safer to explore disorder in a setting that wasn’t associated with law and order, a setting like a forest.
- Whilst much disorder takes place in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, order is restored at the end of the play.
Keywords
Hierarchy - a system whereby people or things are ranked, with some being higher than others.
Status quo - the accepted standards and rules by which a community lives.
Disorder - confusion, chaos.
Restore - to return something back to its original state.
The Great Chain of Being - a term used by Elizabethans which referred to a system of ranking which they believed was created by God.
Common misconception
Oberon and Puck deliberately try and create disorder between Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius.
Oberon orders Puck to put the magical potion on Demetrius so that he falls in love with Helena. Puck makes a genuine mistake by putting it on Lysander.
To help you plan your year 8 English lesson on: The significance of the magical forest in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 English lesson on: The significance of the magical forest 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.
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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.
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
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.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.
rule over the magical kingdom
running away from Athens to marry
following the woman he loves
following the man she loves
rehearsing a play
Q2.'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in 1605. As such, its first audiences were...
Q3.Elizabethan England, like Athens in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', was a patriarchal society. What is a patriarchal society?
Q4.In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the setting of Athens is presented as patriarchal. How?
Q5.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?
Q6.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".
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.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.
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
a society in which men hold the power