Starter quiz
- Shakespeare wrote different types of plays, and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a ______.
- 'comedy' ✓
- How does 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' end?
- with Oberon asking Titania for the little boy
- with Puck leading the Athenians "up and down" in the forest
- with Puck restoring order to the Athenians
- with a soliloquy from Oberon
- with an epilogue from Puck ✓
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- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is a Shakespearean comedy. What are common features of the endings of most Shakespearean comedies?
- multiple marriages ✓
- happy characters ✓
- conflict
- chaos and disorder
- apologetic epilogues
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- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in front of an Elizabethan audience. What were some common Elizabethan views and attitudes about the supernatural?
- that it was evil and connected to the devil ✓
- that it was imaginary
- that it was an enjoyable part of folklore ✓
- that they were ruled by supernatural forces
- that plays always included it
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- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was first performed in front of an Elizabethan audience. What were some common Elizabethan views and attitudes about hierarchy?
- that it was outdated
- that God was at the top of the hierarchy ✓
- that God created a hierarchy and it was their duty to keep to it ✓
- that the monarch was near the top of the hierarchy ✓
- that Elizabeth I created the hierarchy
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- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' includes the supernatural. How do we know Shakespeare was very interested in the supernatural?
- It is one of the genres of his plays.
- He includes supernatural characters, events and ideas in lots of his plays. ✓
- Puck or Robin Goodfellow appears in a number of his plays.
- He invented lots of Elizabethan folklore.
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Exit quiz
- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the character of Oberon's servant has two names: Puck and ______.
- 'Robin Goodfellow' ✓
- When writing an essay about 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', it is helpful to know some key terms. Match the key terms to their definitions.
- topic sentence⇔the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea ✓
- methods⇔the tools a writer uses to create their work e.g. language choices ✓
- context⇔key information about when a text was written ✓
- analysis⇔looking at a text closely and considering what it might mean ✓
- What advice would you give a pupil who was trying to master their use of topic sentences for an essay on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
- make sure you link to the question you have been asked ✓
- make sure you include quotations
- make sure you include analysis
- make sure you state the paragraph's main idea ✓
- make sure you include multiple ideas
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- What advice would you give a pupil who was trying to master their use of quotations in an essay on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
- use one quotation per paragraph
- zoom in on each word in the quotation to analyse it fully
- link different quotations from different parts of the play together ✓
- explore the methods Shakespeare uses in the quotation ✓
- use the same quotations for every essay
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- When exploring a quotation from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', you might identify a method Shakespeare uses. Which of the following count as dramatic methods?
- language choices ✓
- audience responses
- stage directions ✓
- the theatre
- acting
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- What advice would you give a pupil who was trying to master their analysis in an essay on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
- single word analysis of quotations is the strongest type of analysis
- including context can help develop analysis ✓
- exploring methods can help make strong analysis ✓
- using one quotation per paragraph makes for the most focused analysis
- linking quotations together can make for strong analysis ✓
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Topic sentences should link to the question.
- Include multiple quotations in each paragraph from across the play.
- Consider writer’s methods when analysing quotations.
- Include relevant context to develop your analysis.
Common misconception
You must analyse every quotation at word level.
Sometimes exploring individual words can be helpful, but more often than not it makes for shallow analysis which is not helpful in answering the question. Look at 'bigger' methods than single words.
Keywords
Topic sentence - the first sentence of a paragraph stating its main idea
Methods - the tools a writer uses to create their work; for example, characterisation, setting, language choices
Context - information about the time period of when a text was written; context can help us understand a text more deeply
Analysis - in English, this means looking at a text closely and considering what it might mean and why it was written in that way
Shakespearean comedy - a play designed to make you laugh, often including misunderstandings and ending in marriage
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