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EGEUS -- Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, As she is mine, I may dispose of her: Which shall be either to this gentleman. Or to her death.
This tells me that Egeus is giving his consent for Demetrius to marry Hermia. Hermia has only the choice to marry Demetrius or to die. -
HERMIA -- In such a presence here to plead my thoughts; But I beseech your grace that I may know The worst that may befall me in this case, If I refuse to wed Demetrius.
When Hermia says this, it sets up the conflict for the entire play. Hermia does not want to marry Demetrius. -
LYSANDER -- Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head, Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,And won her soul
This quote tells me that Lysander has proven to be a better fit for Hemia because Demetrius made love to another women. -
LYSANDER -- There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; And to that place the sharp Athenian law Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me then, Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night; And in the wood, a league without the town, Where I did meet thee once w
This quote tells me that Hermia and Lysander and Hermia are going to run away into the forest and get married where the government cannot catch them. There ends up being a lot of magic in this forest. -
OBERON -- Give me that boy, and I will go with thee.
This quote by Oberon tells me that him and Titania are fighting over who gets to keep the little indian boy. This conflict will come back later in the play -
OBERON -- Fetch me that flower; the herb I shew'd thee once: The juice of it on sleeping eye-lids laid Will make or man or woman madly dote Upon the next live creature that it sees.
This quote tells me that Oberon is telling his servant, Puck, to go fetch a magic flower with droplets that you put on peoples eyelids when they are sleeping. When that person wakes up, he or she will fall in love with the first person they see. Oberon wants this flower because he wants to play a trick on Titiana. -
HELENA -- And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you
This tells me that Helena is obsessed with Demetrius and will do anything for his love even though Demetrius does not love Helena. -
OBERON -- With a disdainful youth: anoint his eyes; But do it when the next thing he espies May be the lady: thou shalt know the man By the Athenian garments he hath on. Effect it with some care, that he may prove More fond on her than she upon her love:
This quote tells me that Oberon sees how badly Demetrius treated Helena, so he told Puck to use some of the magic flower on Demetrius so he would fall in love with Helena. -
PUCK -- This is he, my master said, Despised the Athenian maid; And here the maiden, sleeping sound, On the dank and dirty ground. Pretty soul! she durst not lie Near this lack-love, this kill-courtesy. Churl, upon thy eyes I throw All the power this char
This quote tells me a major part of the story: Puck uses the magic flower on the wrong person. He mistakedly put the droplets on Lysander's eyelids instead of Demetrius. -
LYSANDER -- Content with Hermia! No; I do repent The tedious minutes I with her have spent. Not Hermia but Helena I love: Who will not change a raven for a dove? The will of man is by his reason sway'd; And reason says you are the worthier maid.
Lysander says this right after Helena woke him up, so he immediately falls in love with Helena. In this quote he is saying how he truly loves Helena instead of Hermia. -
QUINCE -- Bless thee, Bottom! bless thee! thou art translatated.
This quote by Quince tells me that the people notice that Bottom's head has been turned into a donkey and they are frightened by it. -
TITANIA -- Out of this wood do not desire to go: Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no. I am a spirit of no common rate; The summer still doth tend upon my state; And I do love thee: therefore, go with me
When Titania says this to Bottom, it tells me that she has woken up and the first person she saw was Bottom. The magic flower that was dropped on her eyelids caused her to fall in love with Bottom who has a donkeyhead. -
OBERON -- Flower of this purple dye, Hit with Cupid's archery, Sink in apple of his eye. When his love he doth espy, Let her shine as gloriously As the Venus of the sky. When thou wakest, if she be by, Beg of her for remedy.
Oberon says this as he is using the flower on Demetrius after he finds out that Puck put the love juice on the wrong person, Lysander. -
DEMETRIUS -- O Helena, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne? Crystal is muddy. O, how ripe in show Thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow! That pure congealed white, high Taurus snow, Fann'd with the easte
When Demetrius says this, I know that he has woken up and his first sight was Helena. Now, like Lysander, he is deep in love with Helena. This is ironic considering he wanted nothing to do with her earlier in the play. -
HELENA -- O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent To set against me for your merriment: If you we re civil and knew courtesy, You would not do me thus much injury. Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join in souls to mock me too? If you we
This quote tells me that Helena thinks that Lysander, Demetrius, and Hermia, are all playing a mean joke on here. She thinks that Demetrius and Lysander do not truly love her and they are just mocking her. -
OBERON --Then crush this herb into Lysander's eye; Whose liquor hath this virtuous property, To take from thence all error with his might, And make his eyeballs roll with wonted sight. When they next wake, all this derision Shall seem a dream and fruitles
When Oberon says this to Puck, I know that Oberon is mad and wants to make everything normal again, so he hands Puck an herb that he is supposed to crush into Lysander's eye. When they all awake, everyone will think it was just a dream. -
PUCK -- On the ground Sleep sound: I'll apply To your eye, Gentle lover, remedy. When thou wakest, Thou takest True delight In the sight Of thy former lady's eye
This quote tells me that Puck is using the herb on everyone after he lured them all to go to sleep. When they wake up everyone will be back to normal. -
OBERON -- But first I will release the fairy queen. Be as thou wast wont to be; See as thou wast wont to see: Dian's bud o'er Cupid's flower Hath such force and blessed power. Now, my Titania; wake you, my sweet queen.
This quote tells me that Oberon has lifted the love spell off Titainia and she now will fall back in love with Oberon. -
DEMETRIUS -- But by some power it is, -- my love to Hermia, Melted as the snow, seems to me now As the remembrance of an idle gaud Which in my childhood I did dote upon; And all the faith, the virtue of my heart, The object and the pleasure of mine eye, I
This quote tells me that even after Demetrius wakes up from the spell he is still in love with Helena instead of Hermia, so there is no conflict on who will get married to Hermia anymore. -
PHILOSTRATE -- No, my noble lord; It is not for you: I have heard it over, And it is nothing, nothing in the world; Unless you can find sport in their intents, Extremely stretch'd and conn'd with cruel pain,
When Philostrate says this she is informing Theseus that the play that was to be put on for his and Hypolyta wedding is downright terrible and should not be seen. Theseus wants to see it anyway, though.