William Shakespeare
Sleep in summer night
CHARACTERS
Theseus , Duke of Athens.
Aegean , father of Hermia.
Lysander, Demetrius , in love with Hermia.
Philostratus , manager of entertainment at the court of Theseus.
Pigwa , a carpenter.
Gentleman , carpenter.
The basis , weaver
Dudka , bellows repairer.
Snout , coppersmith.
Hungry , tailor.
Hippolyta , queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.
Hermia , in love with Lysander.
Elena , in love with Demetrius.
Oberon , king of fairies and elves.
Titania , queen of fairies and elves.
Peck, or Good Little Robin , little elf.
Sweet Pea, Cobweb, Moth, Mustard Seed , elves.
Fairies and elves, submissive to Oberon and Titania, retinue.
The scene is Athens and the forest nearby.
ACT I
SCENE 1
Athens, Palace of Theseus.
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostratus And retinue.
Theseus
Beautiful, our wedding hour is getting closer:
Four happy days - new month
They'll bring it to us. But oh, how the old man hesitates!
He stands in the way of my desires,
Like a stepmother or an old widow,
That young men's income is being eaten up.
Hippolyta
Four days of nights will quickly drown;
Four nights in dreams will disappear so quickly...
And the crescent moon is a bow made of silver,
Stretched in the sky, it will illuminate
The night of our wedding!
Theseus
Philostratus, go!
Stirred up all the youth in Athens
And awaken the spirit of fun.
Let the sadness remain for the funeral:
We don't need a pale guest at our feast.
Philostratus leaves.
Theseus
I got you with the sword, Hippolyta;
I achieved your love with threats,
Solemn, and fun, and magnificent!
Enter Aegean, Hermia, Lysander And Demetrius.
Aegean
Be happy, our glorious Duke Theseus!
Theseus
Thank you, Egey! What do you say?
Aegean
I am upset, with a complaint to you
To Hermia - yes, to my own daughter! -
Demetri, come! - My lord,
This is the one to whom I wanted to give my daughter. -
Lysander, come closer too! - My lord!
And this one bewitched her heart. -
You, you, Lysander! You wrote poetry to her,
I exchanged pledges of love with her,
Under her windows in the moonlight
I feignedly sang love a feigned song!
You used it to capture her heart,
Bracelets, hair rings, candy,
Flowers, trinkets, trinkets - everything,
What sweetness to inexperienced youth!
By deceit you stole her love,
You are the obedience due to your father,
Turned evil into stubbornness! - So if
In your presence, my lord, she will not give
Consent to Demetrius, I appeal
To the ancient Athenian law:
Since my daughter is mine, I can be completely with her
locate; and I decided: Demetrius
Or - as provided by law
In such cases - death immediately!
Theseus
Well, Hermia, beautiful maiden,
What do you say? Think it over carefully.
He created your beauty, and you
They cast a wax mold;
He has the right to leave it or break it.
Demetrius is a completely worthy person.
Hermia
My Lysander too.
Theseus
Yes, on my own;
But if your father is not for him,
That means he is more worthy.
Hermia
I wanted my father to look at mine
Theseus
No! Hurry up your eyes
We must obey his judgment.
Hermia
Forgive me, Your Grace, I beg you.
I don’t know where I found the courage,
And is it possible, without offending modesty,
I can speak so freely in front of everyone.
But I beg you, let me find out:
What's the worst that's coming to me?
When will I not marry Demetrius?
Theseus
What? Death! Or renunciation forever
From the company of men. That's why,
Oh Hermia, check yourself. Think:
You are young... Ask your soul,
When you go against your father's will:
Can you put on a nun's outfit?
To be forever imprisoned in a monastery,
Live your whole life as a barren nun
And is it sad to sing hymns to the cold moon?
A hundred times blessed is he who humbles his blood,
To complete the virgin path on earth;
But the rose, dissolving into incense,
Happier than the one on the innocent bush
Blooms, lives, dies - all alone!
Hermia
So I bloom, and live, and die
I want it sooner than my maiden rights
Give him power! His yoke
My soul does not want to submit.
Theseus
Think about it, Hermia! On the day of the new moon
(On the day that will connect me with my love
For an eternal commonwealth) must
You be ready: or die
For violating the father's will,
Or marry the one he chose,
Or give forever at the altar of Diana
Vow of celibacy and harsh life.
Demetrius
Soften, O Hermia! - And you, Lysander,
Give in to my undeniable rights.
Lysander
Demetrius, since your father loves you so much,
Give me your daughter and marry him yourself!
Aegean
Impudent mocker! Yes, father's love -
Behind him and with her is everything that I own.
But my daughter is mine, and all rights over her
I give it to Demetrius in full!
Lysander
But, sir, I am equal in birth with him
Yes, and wealth; I love more;
I am no lower in status
Rather even higher than Demetrius;
And most importantly - what exceeds everything -
I love Hermia the beautiful!
Why should I renounce my rights?
Demetrius - yes, I’ll tell him to his face -
He was in love with Elena, Nedar's daughter.
She was attracted to him. Tender Elena
He loves the fickle one madly,
Idolizes the empty man!
Theseus
Frankly, I've heard something about this
And I even thought about talking to him;
But, busy with the most important matters,
Forgot about that. - Come with me, Demetrius,
And you, Aegeus! Come with me, both of you
And we will find something to talk about! -
Well, Hermia, try to subdue
Your dreams according to your father's wishes,
Otherwise the Athenian law will betray you
(Which we cannot change)
To death or to eternal celibacy. -
Well, Hippolyta... What, my love?
Let's go... - Demetrius and Aegeus follow me.
I'll instruct you to arrange something
TO special day and I'll talk
About something that concerns both of you.
Aegean
We are always happy to fulfill our duty.
Theseus, Hippolyta, Aegean, Demetrius And retinue leaving.
Lysander
Well, my love? How pale are the cheeks!
How quickly the roses suddenly withered on them!
Hermia
Is it because there is no rain, which
It's easy to get out of the storm of my eyes.
Lysander
Alas! I've never heard before
And I didn’t read it - whether in history or in a fairy tale, -
May the path of true love be smooth.
But - or the difference in origin...
Hermia
Oh woe! The higher one should be captivated by the lower one!…
Lysander
Or the difference in years...
Hermia
O mockery!
Being too old for a young bride!
Lysander
Or the choice of loved ones and friends...
Hermia
But how can you love someone else's choice?
Lysander
And if the choice is good for everyone, it’s war,
Illness or death always threaten love
And they make it, like sound, instantaneous,
Like a shadow, fleeting and like a dream, short.
So lightning, flashing in the darkness of the night,
He will angrily tear open the heavens and the earth,
And before we exclaim: “Look!” -
She will already be swallowed up by the abyss of darkness -
Everything bright disappears so quickly.
Hermia
But if it's inevitable for lovers
Suffering is the law of fate,
So let us be patient in trials:
After all, this is an ordinary cross for love,
Suitable for her - dreams, longings, tears,
Desires, dreams - love's unhappy retinue!
Lysander
Yes, you're right... But, Hermia, listen:
I have an aunt. She's a widow
Rich, childless at that.
He lives about seven miles from here.
So: she loves me like a son!
There, Hermia, we can get married.
Cruel Athenian laws
They won't find us there. If you really love
You secretly leave the house tomorrow night.
In the forest, three miles from Athens, in the place
Where did I meet you and Elena (you came
Perform rituals on May morning, remember?),
I'll be waiting for you.
Hermia
Oh my Lysander!
I swear by the strongest bow of Cupid,
His best arrow, golden,
Venus doves with purity,
With the fire into which Dido threw herself,
When the Trojan raised his sails, -
With all that love binds the heavens,
The darkness of men's oaths, shamelessly broken
(In which it is impossible for women to catch up with them),
I swear: in the forest you indicated,
I'll be there tomorrow night, my dear!
Included Elena.
Lysander
You will keep your vow... But look - Elena!
Hermia
Hello! Where are you going, my beautiful friend?
Elena
Am I beautiful? Oh, don't joke in vain.
Your beauty captivates Demetrius,
Lucky girl! Your gaze shines upon him
Than the lark's song among the fields...
Be beauty a sticky disease -
I would get infected from you, my friend!
I would steal it from you
And the sparkle of eyes, and the tenderness of sweet speech...
Be my whole world - Demetrius soon
I would take it for myself; own everything else!
But teach me: what art
Demetria, have you taken possession of the feeling?
Hermia
I frown - he loves everything more and more.
Elena
Such power - if only my smile!
Hermia
I swear to him - the flame in him is only brighter!
Elena
Oh, if only I could soften him with entreaties!
Hermia
The tougher I am, the more gentle he is with me!
Elena
The more tender I am, the harsher he is with me!
Hermia
His madness is not my fault.
Elena
Your beauty! Oh, be mine, wine!
Hermia
I won't meet him again: don't suffer.
We will leave this region forever!
While I lived here, not knowing love,
Athens seemed better to me than heaven...
And now - love! How good is she?
When is heaven free to make hell?
Lysander
Elena, friend, I will reveal everything to you:
Tomorrow night, as soon as he sees Phoebeus
Your silvery face in the river mirror,
The reeds are strewn with liquid pearls, -
In the hour that protects lovers' secrets,
We will leave the city gates with her.
Hermia
In the forest, where often, lying between flowers,
We shared girlish dreams,
My Lysander must meet me,
And we will leave our native city,
Looking for other friends, a different circle.
Farewell, my friend's childhood games!
Please pray for our fate,
And God send Demetrius to you. -
So remember the agreement, Lysander: until night
Our eyes must fast.
Lysander
Yes, my Hermia...
Hermia leaves.
Goodbye Elena!
Demetrius I wish you love.
(Leaves.)
Elena
How happy is one at the expense of the other!
In Athens I am equal in beauty with her...
So what? He is blind to my beauty:
Doesn't want to know what everyone knows.
He is in error, captivated by Hermia;
Me too, admiring him blindly.
Love is capable of forgiving the base
And turn vices into valor
And he chooses not with his eyes, but with his heart:
That's why they portray her as blind.
She with common sense difficult to reconcile.
Without eyes - and wings: a symbol of recklessness
Haste!... Her name is child;
After all, it’s easy to deceive her by joking.
And how the boys swear in the game,
So it’s easy for her and she doesn’t care about deception.
Until he was captured by Hermia,
Then he swore to me with a hail of vows of love;
But only Hermia breathed with heat -
The hail melted, and with it all the oaths in vain.
I’ll go and reveal their plans to him:
He's probably in the forest will go sometimes at night;
And if I receive gratitude,
I will pay dearly for this.
But in my melancholy and this is a lot -
The road to and from the forest with him!
(Leaves.)
SCENE 2
Athens. A room in a hut.
Enter Pigwa, Gentleman, The basis, Dudka, Snout And Hungry.
Pigwa
Is our entire company assembled?
The basis
You better do a roll call: call us all on the list.
Pigwa
Here is a list with the names of everyone who was found in the slightest degree suitable to present our interlude before the Duke and Duchess on the evening of their wedding day.
The basis
First of all, kind Peter Pigwa, tell us what the play is, then read the names of the actors - and you will get to the point!
Pigwa
Right! Our play is “A pitiful comedy and a very cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.”
The basis
An excellent little thing, I assure you, and very funny! Well, kind Peter Pigva, now call all the actors on the list. Citizens, line up!
Pigwa
Answer the call!... Nick Basis!
The basis
Eat! Name my role and continue the roll call.
Pigwa
You, Nick Basis, have been targeted for Pyramus.
The basis
What is Pyramus? Lover or Villain?
Pigwa
A lover who valiantly kills himself for love.
The basis
Yeah! This means that tears are required to play it properly. Well, if I take on this role, get your handkerchiefs ready, audience! I will raise a storm... I will lament to some extent... But, to tell the truth, my main calling is the role of villains. I would play a rare role of Hercules, or in general such a role that I would gnaw the earth and smash everything around into pieces!
There will be a roar
Strikes of fighters -
And the bolt will collapse
A cruel dungeon.
And Fib, the bright god,
Far and high
Evil fate will change
From your chariot!
What was it like? Great, huh? Well, call other actors. Here was the manner of Hercules, the character of a villain; lover - much more tear-jerking.
Pigwa
Francis Dudka, bellows repairman.
Dudka
Yes, Peter Pigva!
Pigwa
You must take on the role of Thisbe.
Dudka
Who will Thisbe be? Knight Errant?
Pigwa
No, this is the lady with whom Pyramus is in love.
Dudka
No, I honor you, don’t force me to play a woman: my beard is growing!
Pigwa
Does not mean anything; you can play in a mask and you will squeak in the thinnest voice.
The basis
A! If you can play in a mask, let me play Thisbe for you too: I can speak in a monstrously thin voice. “Yours, yours... Ah, Pyramus, my dear lover! I am your Thisbe dear, I am your dear lady!
Pigwa
No! No! You must play Pyramus, and you, Dudka, must play Thisbe.
The basis
Pigwa
Robin Hungry, tailor!
Hungry
Yes, Peter Pigva!
Pigwa
Runt, you will play Thisbe's mother. - Thomas Rylo, coppersmith!
Snout
Yes, Peter Pigva!
Pigwa
You are Pyramus' father. I will play Feasbin's father. - Gentleman, carpenter, you get the role of Leo. Well, I hope that the play is selling well here.
Gentleman
Have you rewritten the role of Leo? You will give it to me now, otherwise my memory is very slow for learning.
Pigwa
There’s nothing to learn here, and this is how you’ll play: you’ll just have to growl.
The basis
Let me play Leo for you too! I will roar so much that your heart will rejoice; I will growl so much that the Duke himself will definitely say: “Come on, let him growl some more, let him growl some more!”
Pigwa
Well, if you growl so terribly, you will probably frighten the duchess and all the ladies to death; they will also scream, and this will be enough to hang us all!
Yes, yes, they will outweigh every single one of them!
The basis
I agree with you, friends, that if we intimidate the ladies, they won’t come up with anything better than to hang us all up. But I will be able to change my voice so much that I will growl tenderly, like your little dove; I will roar to you that you are a nightingale!
Pigwa
You cannot play any role except Pyramus, because Pyramus is a handsome fellow, just like that a real man in the prime of life, a first-class man, well-bred, with manners, well, in a word, exactly like you... All you have to do is play Pyramus.
The basis
Okay, I agree, I'll take the role. What kind of beard should I play her with?
Pigwa
Yes, whichever one you want.
The basis
OK. I'll introduce him to you with a straw-colored beard. Or is it better in orange-brown? Or purple-red? Or maybe the color of the French crown - pure yellow?
Pigwa
Some French crowns have no hair at all, and you will have to play with a bare face... - Well, citizens, here are your roles, and I ask you, I beg you and I conjure you - to memorize them by tomorrow evening. And in the evening come to the palace forest, one mile from the city: there we will arrange a rehearsal in the moonlight. Otherwise, if we gather in the city, they will get wind of this and blurt out our idea. In the meantime, I'll make a list of the props we need for the play. And I ask you - do not let me down.
The basis
We'll definitely come. There it will be possible to rehearse, as they say, more unceremoniously, more freely. Try not to lose face! Until then, stay healthy!
Pigwa
Meeting at the Duke's oak tree.
The basis
OK. Even if you hang yourself, stay where you are.
They leave.
ACT II
SCENE 1
Forest near Athens.
Appear from different directions fairy And Pack.
Ah, fairy! Hello! Where is your path?
Over the hills, over the valleys,
Through the thorns, through the bushes,
Over the waters, through the flames
I wander here and there!
I fly faster than the moon,
I serve the fairy queen
Initial letters are her convoy.
Do you see the golden outfit?
The spots on it are burning:
Those are rubies, the color of the queen, -
All the flavor is hidden in them.
For initial letters I need a supply of dewdrops -
Put pearl earrings in each ear.
Farewell, foolish spirit! I'm flying forward.
The queen and the elves will come here.
My king will have fun here at night, -
Be careful that the queen doesn't meet him!
He is furious with her, angry - fear!
Because of the child that she has as pages
(Kidnapped from the Indian Sultan).
She pampers and dresses up the boy,
And Oberon the jealous wants to take
Him for yourself, so that you can wander with him in the forests.
The queen sees all the joy in him,
Doesn't give back! Since then, only above the stream,
In a clearing illuminated by the light of stars
They will come together - instantly for squabbles,
So much so that the elves all run away in fear,
They climb into an acorn and tremble all night!
Yes, you... I’m not mistaken, perhaps:
Habits, appearance... are you a Good Little Robin?
The one who scares the village needlewomen,
He breaks and spoils the handles of the mills,
It prevents you from churning the butter on the sly,
It skims the cream off the milk,
That prevents the yeast from fermenting in the mash,
Sometimes he leads travelers in a ravine at night;
But if someone calls him friend -
It helps and brings happiness into the house.
Well, yes, I am Good Little Robin,
Cheerful spirit, naughty night tramp.
I serve in Oberon's jesters...
Then I’ll neigh in front of a well-fed stallion,
Like a mare; I'm still fooling around:
Suddenly I’ll hide in a mug with a baked apple,
And as soon as the gossip gets ready to take a sip,
From there I hit her lips - hop! And breasts
I'll droop beer all over her.
Or the aunt who tells the story tearfully,
I'll appear as a three-legged chair in the corner:
Suddenly I slip out - bang! - aunt on the floor.
Well, cough, well, scream! Let's have fun!
Everyone dies bursting with laughter
And, holding their sides, the whole choir repeats,
Why haven't we laughed like that before...
But, fairy, away! Here is the king. Get out of here.
And here she is! Oh, that wouldn't be bad!
Enter from one side Oberon with my retinue, with another Titania with yours.
Oberon
Not in good hour I'm in the moonlight
I meet the arrogant Titania.
Titania
What, is it you, jealous Oberon? -
Fly, elves, away! I renounce
From society and Oberon's bed.
Since mid-summer we can't
Gather in the meadows, in the forest, near a noisy river,
At the stone-enclosed key,
On golden sand washed by the sea,
Driving in circles to the whistle and songs of the wind,
So that you don’t interfere with our games by shouting!
And the winds sang songs to us in vain.
In revenge they raised from the sea
Malicious fogs. Those are the rain
They fell to the ground. The rivers got angry
And they came out, proud, from the banks.
Since then the ox has pulled the yoke in vain,
In vain the plowman pours out his sweat: bread
They rot without growing antennae.
Empty paddocks in flooded fields,
The crows grew fat from carrion...
The mud has carried traces of fun games;
There are no paths in the green labyrinths:
Their trail is overgrown, and they can’t find it!
Mortals are more likely to ask for winter;
You can’t hear their songs at night...
And here is the moon, ruler of the waters,
Pale with anger, the air has washed all over
And she spread rheumatism everywhere.
All times are in confusion:
And the gray-headed frost falls
To a crimson rose in fresh arms;
But to the crown of icy winter
A fragrant wreath of summer buds
Attached in mockery. Spring and summer
Birthing autumn and winter
Change outfits, and can't
The world is amazed to discern the times!
But such disasters appeared
All because of our quarrels and disagreements:
We are their cause, we create them.
Oberon
It’s in your hands to change everything: why?
Titania will contradict Oberon?
After all, I ask for little: give it
You are a boy to be my page!
Titania
Stay calm:
I won’t trade you for your entire magical land!
After all, his mother was my priestess!
With her in the spicy air of the Indian nights
On the golden Neptune sands
We often sat, counting the ships.
Laughed with her, watching the sails
Pregnant women were blown by the wind...
She jokingly imitated them cutely
(She was heavy at that time
My favorite) and swam as if
Returning with some trifle
To me, as if from sailing with goods...
But my friend was mortal,
And this boy cost her her life.
Loving her, I will cherish the child;
Loving her, I will not give it up!
Oberon
How long will you stay here in the forest?
Titania
It must have been before the wedding of Theseus.
If you want to dance peacefully with us
And have fun under the moon - stay.
Oberon
Give me the child, I'll go with you!
Titania
Not for the magical land! - Follow me, elves!
If I don’t leave, we’ll quarrel forever.
Titania and her retinue leaving.
Oberon
Go! You won't leave the forest early
I will not take revenge for any insult. -
My dear Peck, come here! Do you remember"
How I listened to the siren's song by the sea,
Climbing up to the dolphin's ridge?
They were so sweet and harmonious
Those sounds that the rough ocean itself
He calmed down politely, listening to this song,
And the stars fell like crazy
From your heights to listen to the song...
Oberon
At that moment I saw (even though you didn’t see):
Between the cold moon and the earth
An armed Cupid was flying.
To the Vestal reigning in the West
He took aim and shot the arrow,
End of free trial.
The comedy in five acts was written in the mid-1590s. It is believed that Shakespeare wrote his work in honor of the Day of St. John the Baptist or for the wedding celebration of a famous aristocrat.
The play consists of several storylines, one way or another intertwined with each other. Theseus, Duke of Athens, prepares for his wedding to the Amazon queen Hippolyta. The celebrations should take place on a full moon night. A young girl named Hermia is in love with the young man Lysander, who also loves her. However, Demetrius is also courting Hermia. Aegeus, the girl's father, gives preference to the second suitor.
Since Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius, the father turns to the Duke of Athens, claiming that Lysander has bewitched her daughter. The Duke demands obedience to his father's will. Lysander and Hermia decided to flee the city. The girl shared her secret with her friend Elena. Since Helen was once the lover of Demetrius and still continues to love him, the insidious woman is driven by the desire to regain her favor ex-fiance. Elena reveals her friend's secret to Demetrius.
Meanwhile, preparations for the Duke's wedding continue. Several city masters decided to stage a comedy about Pyramus and Thisbe in honor of the newlyweds. The production is directed by carpenter Peter Pigva. The role of Thisbe will be played by bellows repairman Francis Dudka. Mother main character becomes tailor Robin Zamorysh. The carpenter Gentle will be a Leo. Weaver Nick Basis will be Pyramus, and his father will be played by coppersmith Tom Snout. The masters agree to meet in the forest the next day to rehearse the performance. In Shakespeare's time, women were not allowed on stage. That is why it might not seem strange to the audience that all the roles in the play are played by men alone.
Not far from Athens, a couple lives in the forest - Oberon, the elven leader, and his wife Queen Titania. The wife took the boy into custody. Oberon wants to take him away to make him a servant. Titania disagrees. As a result, the husband and wife quarreled. The husband wants to cast a love spell on the queen so that love will make her forget about adopted son.
For this, the king needs a special flower. Oberon accidentally witnesses a conversation between Demetrius and Helena. Hermia and Lysander agreed to meet in the forest, as the girl’s friend knew about. Helena led Demetrius to the same forest. Oberon sends the elf Puck to cast a spell on Demetrius. By mistake, Puck bewitched Lysander. The young man, who was sleeping peacefully, wakes up and falls in love with the first person he managed to see - Elena. He leaves Hermia and runs after new lover.
The city's craftsmen gathered in the forest to rehearse a play. Puck appeared nearby and bewitched the weaver. The Base grew a donkey's head. At the sight of such a metamorphosis, the other masters fled. Titania, who had already been bewitched by Puck, was sleeping not far from the rehearsal site. Waking up, the queen sees a weaver monster in front of her and falls in love with him.
Oberon is pleased with Puck's actions, but the elf's mistake had to be corrected. The king bewitched the sleeping Demetrius, who, after waking up, fell in love with Elena who was next to him. Having met, the friends begin to quarrel. Hermia accuses Helen of betrayal. Demetrius and Lysander now both love the same woman and challenge each other to a duel. Puck likes the confusion that he himself caused, but Oberon disenchantes Lysander. In addition, he freed his wife from the spell and returned the weaver to the Basis to his former appearance. Oberon has already managed to get his wife’s adopted son as a page and no longer wants to torment her.
Hippolyta, Theseus and Aegeus hunt in the forest and find 2 sleeping couples: Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helen. The awakened Lysander explains that he was forced to flee the city with his beloved so that she would not become the wife of his rival. Demetrius declares that Hermia is no longer interesting to him. He only loves Elena. The weaver also comes to his senses and goes to the city. The play ends with a cheerful wedding, at which Theseus and Hippolyta, Lysander and Hermia, and Demetrius and Helena were married.
Mere mortals
There are neither completely positive nor completely negative characters in the play. Mere mortals behave as people have behaved at all times: they love, they hate, they fight for their right to happiness, selfishly without thinking about this right for another person. During the course of the play, almost every character manifests himself both positively and negatively. negative side.
It is likely that the author did not want to divide his characters into 2 camps because he wanted to show their helplessness. All heroes, including Duke Theseus, were to appear as puppets. Shakespeare absolves his characters of responsibility for their actions. A person's destiny does not belong to him. It’s all because of evil fate, a predetermined path. Perhaps the author did not believe in the existence greek gods, however, he fully admitted that there is a force that determines our lives.
Forest gods
According to Greek tradition, forest gods in Shakespeare's play have anthropomorphic qualities. They are distinguished from people only by their power and supernatural abilities. Otherwise, the king, queen and elves are similar to ordinary Athenians. Oberon quarreled with his wife, like an ordinary mortal. Elf Puck loves pranks, like any boy on the streets of Athens. The gods are also capable of love, envy and intrigue each other.
Gods with human face
The author has no reverence for the supernatural creatures of the forest. He strives to portray them as comically as possible, to show their grumpiness, vanity and some stupidity. Gods, like people, are not divided into good and bad. Oberon, who started a real intrigue to take away his adopted son from his wife, nevertheless does not show cruelty and helps the lovers unite.
Fatum is often present in Shakespeare's works. Evil fate did not allow Romeo and Juliet to unite. Despite all the tricks, cruel fate doomed the young Veronese to inevitable death.
main idea
The idea of the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" summary which will interest the future viewer or reader may be controversial, since the main purpose of this work is to entertain the public. One can only assume that Shakespeare chose as his idea the idea that human life- just a game. How exactly the game ends depends solely on the mood of the players.
Analysis of the work
When creating his play, the author set himself one single goal - to please the public. The work contains neither moral teachings nor deep philosophy. Viewers who are captivated by the plot do not always notice the lack of authenticity. The ruler of Athens could hardly be called a duke. Urban Greek artisans cannot wear typical english names.
However, Shakespeare's plans did not include authenticity, an excessive desire for which can make the work too boring. At the end of the play, Park, addressing the audience, asks them to imagine that everything they saw was just a dream. Presenting the play as a not entirely logical dream justifies unreliability and inaccuracy, because in dreams everything that was impossible in reality becomes possible.
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CHARACTERS
Theseus, Duke of Athens.
Aegeus, father of Hermia.
Lysander |
) lovers of Hermia.
Demetrius |
Philostratus, master of festivities at the court of Theseus.
Klin, carpenter.
Saw, carpenter.
Hank, weaver.
Duda, bellows repairman.
Snout, coppersmith.
Hungry tailor.
Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, bride of Theseus.
Hermia, daughter of Aegeus, in love with Lysander.
Helena, in love with Demetrius.
Oberon, king of the elves.
Titania, queen of the elves.
Puck, or Rogue Robin.
Bob |
Cobweb) elves.
Moth |
Mustard |
Elves and fairies from the retinue of Oberon and Titania.
Retinue of Theseus and Hippolyta.
Setting: Athens and nearby forest.
ACT ONE
PHENOMENON 1
Athens. Palace of Theseus.
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostratus and retinue.
Theseus
The hour of our wedding is near, Hippolyta:
Only four days until the new moon.
But old moon it takes so long to melt
And does not allow my wishes to come true,
Like a stepmother with a lifetime income,
Healing is to the detriment of his stepson.
Hippolyta
Four days will easily drown in the night,
Four nights of sleep will disappear easily,
And the new month, bending in the sky
He glances at his silvery bow
The night of our wedding.
Theseus
Philostratus, go,
Call the youth of Athens to fun,
Ignite a lively and ardent spirit of fun.
A despondent place is at a funeral;
We don't need this pale-faced guest.
Philostratus leaves.
I wooed you with my sword, Hippolyta,
I earned your love through cruelty;
But I will play the wedding in a different way,
Among the celebrations, and spectacles, and feasts.
Enter Aegeus, Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius.
Aegean
May our Duke Theseus be happy!
Theseus
Thank you, Egey. What did you come with?
Aegean
Full of indignation, I came with a complaint
To Hermia, to my own daughter.
Here, Demetri! This person
I, sir, have promised her as my husband.
Here, Lysander! And this man
He bewitched her soul, oh my Duke.
You, you, Lysander! You brought her poems,
Love pledges changed;
You are under her window, in the moonlight,
He languidly sang to her about languid love;
You captured her imagination
Giving now a lock of your hair, now a ring,
Flowers, gifts, memos, trinkets, -
Youth readily believes such ambassadors;
You stole my daughter's heart,
You turned your daughter's obedience
In obstinate stubbornness. Sovereign,
When she is here, before your eyes,
Demetrius will reject, I will come running
To the ancient custom of Athens:
She is mine, and I have all power over her.
That's why I'll give my daughter
I will condemn Demetrius to death,
As provided by law.
Theseus
What do you say, Hermia? Child, think:
Your Father is like God to you;
He is the one who created your beauty;
For him you are just a wax form,
Which he sculpted and is domineering
Either leave it like that or destroy it.
Demetrius is a very worthy person.
Hermia
The same goes for Lysander.
Theseus
On my own;
But here, since your father doesn't want him,
We recognize another as more worthy.
Hermia
Oh, if my father looked like me!
Theseus
No, you have to look through his eyes.
Hermia
May your lordship excuse me.
I don't know what gives me courage
And how my modesty allows me
In such presence, raise your voice;
But I ask: let me know
The worst thing that can happen to me
When I refuse my hand to Demetrius.
Theseus
Will you accept death or be forever
Excommunicated from the company of men.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy by William Shakespeare, written between 1594 and 1596. Presumably, the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was written by Shakespeare for the wedding of the English aristocrat and patron of the arts, Elizabeth Carey, who married on February 19, 1595, on this day "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was first performed in the theater. According to another version, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is timed to celebrate the day of St. John (a holiday similar to the day of Ivan Kupala in the Russian tradition ).
In 1826, 17-year-old German composer Felix Mendelssohn wrote music for a theatrical production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mendelssohn's score for A Midsummer Night's Dream was very popular in 19th-century productions, and it also left its mark on cinema, being the main theme song in the 1935 film A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" gained particular popularity, turning from a hymn to the fickleness of love for many into a hymn to marital fidelity.
Theseus is going to marry Hippolyta, and the wedding of Demetrius and Hermia is also being prepared, on which Hermia’s father insists. Hermia loves Lysander, together they decide to run away and tell Elena, who is in love with Demetrius, about this in the hope that Elena will be pleased by the escape of her rival for Demetrius’s heart. Elena, counting on Demetrius’ gratitude, tells him about the escape of his bride. As a result, all four - Hermia, Lysander, Helen and Demetrius - find themselves in the forest at a time when the king of fairies and elves Oberon decides to punish his wife Titania, who does not give him her Indian page. Oberon orders his servant Puck to smear the eyes of the sleeping Titania with magic juice, after she wakes up, she will love the first Living being, which will see and forget its Indian pet. There is magic juice in a flower that grew in the place where Cupid's arrow hit, bouncing off a chaste virgin.
Fairy
Or maybe you just look like him,
Or are you really Rogue Robin,
Evil spirit. Not you in the villages
Are you scaring girls? Do you grind the grains yourself?
Skim off the cream and spend hours on end
Don't you let the worker churn the butter?
Are you spoiling the yeast in your beer? You're fooling
Do you want to follow the night traveler?
And who calls you "dear Puck"
That's why you're happy to help in this way and that.
Tell me, is it you?
Fairy and Puck
Arthur Rackham - Fairy and Puck
Arthur Rackham - Fairy and Puck
Oberon
Is this meeting under the moon good?
Arrogant Titania?
Titania
What is this?
Jealous Oberon? Let's fly away, fairies!
I hate the sight of him and his bed.
Oberon and Titania
Joseph Noel Paton. Dispute between Oberon and Titania
Alfred Fredericks. Titania and Oberon
Arthur Rackham - Titania and Oberon
Arthur Rackham. Titania
Arthur Rackham - Titania
Amateur actors also come to the forest, deciding to perform the play “Pyramus and Thisbe” at the wedding of Theseus. One of them, the weaver Motok (in another translation - the Basis), turns out to be turned by Pak into a creature with a donkey's head. The weaver with the donkey's head is the first one Titania sees after waking up and falls in love with him.
Titania
Don’t try to leave this thicket.
You wouldn't find a way anyway.
I am a creature of the rarest of breeds.
It's summer in my domain all year round.
And I love you. Come, my friend.
Elves will come running to you for services,
So that you can look for pearls in the seas
And sing when you're dozing on the flowers.
This is how I will cleanse your mortal frame,
That you, like a spirit, will soar above the earth.
Titania and Base
Alfred Fredericks - Foundation
Alfred Fredericks - Titania and the Skein (Base)
Alfred Fredericks - Titania and the Base
Edwin Landseer. Titania and Base
John Anster Fitzgerald. Titania and Base
Joseph Noel Paton. Titania and Hank (Base)
Arthur Rackham - Titania and the Foundation
Oberon witnessed a conversation between Helen and Demetrius, who rejects the girl in love. Oberon orders Puck to pour magic juice into the eyes of the sleeping Demetrius so that Demetrius will fall in love with Helen. But Puck mistakenly pours juice into Lysander’s eyes and he falls in love with Helen, forgetting his love for Hermia. Correcting himself, Puck waters Demetri's eyes and he also falls in love with Elena. Helen, who did not have a single admirer, now finds two and decides that Demetrius, Lysander and Hermia want to play a cruel joke on her. Hermia is at a loss as to why Lysander has lost interest in her. Demetrius and Lysander leave to fight for Helen's heart.
Arthur Rackham. Elena
Jones Simmons. Hermia and Lysander
Alfred Fredericks - Lysander and Hermia
Alfred Fredericks - Hermia
Alfred Fredericks. Demetri and Elena
Oberon orders Puck to remove the effect of the magic juice from Lysander, and he himself heals Titania, who has already given him the Indian boy. The weaver returns to his normal appearance and he and his comrades play at a triple wedding: Theseus marries Hippolyta, Lysander marries Hermia, and Demetrius marries his new love- Elena.
Oberon
(speaking)
Oh, Robin, hello! Do you see? Admire it.
I'm starting to feel sorry for the poor thing.
Now she was collecting at the edge of the forest
Flowers for this vile creature;
Oberon, Titania and Hank (Base)
Titania
My Oberon! Oh, what a fable!
I had a dream that I loved a donkey.
Oberon
Here he is, your gentle friend.
Oberon, Titania and Base
Alfred Fredericks - Titania, Oberon and Foundation
John Anster Fitzgerald - Oberon and Titania
William Blake. Oberon, Titania and Puck with dancing fairies
Alfred Fredericks - Theseus and Hippolyta
Now I’ll tell you about two film adaptations of Shakespeare’s comedy that I watched - 1935 and 1999.
The 1935 film A Midsummer Night's Dream was directed by Max Reinhardt and William Dieterli. This film has a wonderful fairytale atmosphere, especially Titania, played by Anita Louise. As musical arrangement Mendelssohn's music was used.
Stills from the film "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1935):
Oberon and Titania
Titania and Base
Hermia (played by Olivia de Havilland)
Elena (played by Jean Muir)
Of the modern adaptations of A Midsummer Night's Dream, I would like to note the 1999 film directed by Michael Hoffman, I like it even more than the 1935 film, despite some deviations from Shakespeare's original text - the action is transferred to the Italian town of Athens at the end of the 19th century, and Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena ride bicycles through the forest. If in the 1935 film the emphasis is shifted towards the fairy tale, then in the 1999 film the main thing is not the fabulousness, but the comic nature of what is happening, due to this the film is watched in one go. Plays Titania. Best Actress It’s impossible to find anyone for this role; Michelle Pfeiffer in the role of the queen of fairies and elves is simply magnificent.
Stills from the film "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1999):
Oberon and Titania
Titania and Base
Of the theatrical performances of the role of Titania, one cannot fail to mention Vivien Leigh; she first appeared on stage in the role of Titania in the play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on December 27, 1937.
Vivien Leigh as Titania
Current page: 1 (book has 3 pages in total) [available reading passage: 1 pages]
William Shakespeare
A dream in a summer night
Characters
Theseus, Duke of Athens.
Hey, Hermia's father.
Lysander, Demetrius, in love with Hermia.
Philostratus, manager of entertainment at the court of Theseus.
Pigva, a carpenter.
Gentleman, carpenter
The basis, weaver.
Dudka, bellows repairer.
Snout, coppersmith
Hungry, tailor.
Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, betrothed to Theseus.
Hermia, in love with Lysander.
Elena, in love with Demetrius.
Oberon, king of fairies and elves.
Titania, queen of fairies and elves.
Peck, or Good Little Robin, little elf.
Sweet pea, Cobweb, Butterfly, Mustard Seed, elves.
Fairies and elves obedient to Oberon and Titania, retinue.
The scene is Athens and the forest nearby.
Act I
Scene 1
Athens, Palace of Theseus.
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostratus And retinue
Theseus
Beautiful, our wedding hour is getting closer:
Four happy days - new month
They'll bring it to us. But oh, how the old man hesitates!
He stands in the way of my desires,
Like a stepmother or an old widow,
That young men's income is being eaten up.
Hippolyta
Four days of nights will quickly drown;
Four nights in dreams will disappear so quickly...
And the crescent moon is a bow made of silver,
Stretched in the sky, it will illuminate
The night of our wedding!
Theseus
Philostratus, go!
Stirred up all the youth in Athens
And awaken the spirit of fun.
Let the sadness remain for the funeral:
We don't need a pale guest at our feast.
Philostratus leaves.
Theseus
I got you with the sword, Hippolyta;
I achieved your love with threats,
But I will play the wedding in a different way:
Solemn, and fun, and magnificent!
Enter Aegeus, Hermia, Lysander And Demetrius.
Aegean
Be happy, our glorious Duke Theseus!
Theseus
Thank you, Egey! What do you say?
Aegean
I am upset, with a complaint to you
To Hermia - yes, to her own daughter! –
Demetri, come! - My lord,
This is the one to whom I wanted to give my daughter. –
Lysander, come closer too! - My lord!
And this one bewitched her heart. –
You, you, Lysander! You wrote poetry to her,
I exchanged pledges of love with her,
Under her windows in the moonlight
I feignedly sang love a feigned song!
You used it to capture her heart,
Bracelets, hair rings, candy,
Flowers, trinkets, trinkets - everything,
What sweetness to inexperienced youth!
By deceit you stole her love,
You are the obedience due to your father,
Turned evil into stubbornness! - So if
In your presence, my lord, she will not give
Consent to Demetrius, I appeal
To the ancient Athenian law:
Since my daughter is mine, I can be completely with her
locate; and I decided: Demetrius
Or - as provided by law
In such cases - death immediately!
Theseus
Well, Hermia, beautiful maiden,
What do you say? Think it over carefully.
You should consider your father as if you were a god:
He created your beauty, and you
They cast a wax mold;
He has the right to leave it or break it.
Demetrius is a completely worthy person.
Hermia
My Lysander too.
Theseus
Yes, on my own;
But if your father is not for him,
That means he is more worthy.
Hermia
How would I
I wanted my father to look at mine
With your eyes!
Theseus
No! Hurry up your eyes
We must obey his judgment.
Hermia
Forgive me, Your Grace, I beg you.
I don’t know where I found the courage,
And is it possible, without offending modesty,
I can speak so freely in front of everyone.
But I beg you, let me find out:
What's the worst that's coming to me?
When will I not marry Demetrius?
Theseus
What? Death! Or renunciation forever
From the company of men. That's why,
Oh Hermia, check yourself. Think:
You are young... Ask your soul,
When you go against your father's will:
Can you put on a nun's outfit?
To be forever imprisoned in a monastery,
Live your whole life as a barren nun
And is it sad to sing hymns to the cold moon?
A hundred times blessed is he who humbles his blood,
To complete the virgin path on earth;
But the rose, dissolving into incense,
Happier than the one on the innocent bush
Blooms, lives, dies - all alone!
Hermia
So I bloom, and live, and die
I want it sooner than my maiden rights
Give him power! His yoke
My soul does not want to submit.
Theseus
Think about it, Hermia! On the day of the new moon
(On the day that will connect me with my love
For an eternal commonwealth) must
You be ready: or die
For violating the father's will,
Or marry the one he chose,
Or give forever at the altar of Diana
Vow of celibacy and harsh life.
Demetrius
Soften, O Hermia! - And you, Lysander,
Give in to my undeniable rights.
Lysander
Demetrius, since your father loves you so much,
Give me your daughter and marry him yourself!
Aegean
Impudent mocker! Yes, father's love -
Behind him and with her is everything that I own.
But my daughter is mine, and all rights over her
I give it to Demetrius in full!
Lysander
But, sir, I am equal in birth with him
Yes, and wealth; I love more;
I am no lower in status
Rather even higher than Demetrius;
And most importantly - what exceeds everything -
I love Hermia the beautiful!
Why should I renounce my rights?
Demetrius - yes, I’ll tell him to his face -
He was in love with Elena, Nedar's daughter.
She was attracted to him. Tender Elena
He loves the fickle one madly,
Idolizes the empty man!
Theseus
Frankly, I've heard something about this
And I even thought about talking to him;
But, busy with the most important matters,
Forgot about that. - Come with me, Demetrius,
And you, Aegeus! Come with me, both of you
And we will find something to talk about! –
Well, Hermia, try to subdue
Your dreams according to your father's wishes,
Otherwise the Athenian law will betray you
(Which we cannot change)
To death or to eternal celibacy. –
Well, Hippolyta... What, my love?
Let's go... Demetrius and Aegeus follow me.
I'll instruct you to arrange something
For the solemn day and I will celebrate
About something that concerns both of you.
Aegean
We are always happy to fulfill our duty.
Theseus, Hippolyta, Aegean, Demetrius and the retinue leave.
Lysander
Well, my love? How pale are the cheeks!
How quickly the roses suddenly withered on them!
Hermia
Is it because there is no rain, which
It's easy to get out of the storm of my eyes.
Lysander
Alas! I've never heard before
And I didn’t read it - whether in history or in a fairy tale -
May the path of true love be smooth.
But - or the difference in origin...
Hermia
Oh woe! The highest - to be captivated by the lower!..
Lysander
Or the difference in years...
Hermia
O mockery!
Being too old for a young bride!
Lysander
Or the choice of loved ones and friends...
Hermia
Oh flour!
But how can you love someone else's choice?
Lysander
And if the choice is good for everyone, it’s war,
Illness or death always threaten love
And they make it, like sound, instantaneous,
Like a shadow, fleeting and like a dream, short.
So lightning, flashing in the darkness of the night,
He will angrily tear open the heavens and the earth,
And before we exclaim: “Look!” –
She will already be swallowed up by the abyss of darkness -
Everything bright disappears so quickly.
Hermia
But if it's inevitable for lovers
Suffering is the law of fate,
So let us be patient in trials:
After all, this is an ordinary cross for love,
Suitable for her - dreams, longings, tears,
Desires, dreams - love's unhappy retinue!
Lysander
Yes, you're right... But, Hermia, listen:
I have an aunt. She's a widow
Rich, childless at that.
He lives about seven miles from here.
So: she loves me like a son!
There, Hermia, we can get married.
Cruel Athenian laws
They won't find us there. If you really love
You secretly leave the house tomorrow night.
In the forest, three miles from Athens, in the place
Where did I meet you and Elena (you came
Perform rituals on May morning, remember?),
I'll be waiting for you.
Hermia
Oh my Lysander!
I swear by the strongest bow of Cupid,
His best arrow, golden,
Venus doves with purity,
With the fire into which Dido threw herself,
When the Trojan raised his sails,
With all that love binds the heavens,
The darkness of men's oaths, shamelessly broken
(In which it is impossible for women to catch up with them),
I swear: in the forest you indicated,
I'll be there tomorrow night, my dear!
Included Elena.
Lysander
You will keep your vow... But look - Elena!
Hermia
Hello! Where are you going, my beautiful friend?
Elena
Am I beautiful? Oh, don't joke in vain.
Your beauty captivates Demetrius,
Lucky girl! Your gaze shines upon him
Brighter than the stars, your voice is dearer,
Than the lark's song among the fields...
Whether beauty is a sticky disease -
I would get infected from you, my friend!
I would steal it from you
And the sparkle of eyes, and the tenderness of sweet speech...
Be my whole world - Demetrius soon
I would take it for myself; own everything else!
But teach me: what art
Demetria, have you taken possession of the feeling?
Hermia
I frown - he loves me more and more.
Elena
Such power - if only for my smile!
Hermia
I swear to him - the flame in him is only brighter!
Elena
Oh, if only I could soften him with entreaties!
Hermia
The tougher I am, the more gentle he is with me!
Elena
The more tender I am, the harsher he is with me!
Hermia
His madness is not my fault.
Elena
Your beauty! Oh, be mine, wine!
Hermia
Lysander
Elena, friend, I will reveal everything to you:
Tomorrow night, as soon as he sees Phoebeus
Your silvery face in the river mirror,
Reeds strewn with liquid pearls, -
In the hour that protects lovers' secrets,
We will leave the city gates with her.
Hermia
In the forest, where often, lying between flowers,
We shared girlish dreams,
My Lysander must meet me,
And we will leave our native city,
Looking for other friends, a different circle.
Farewell, my friend's childhood games!
Please pray for our fate,
And God send Demetrius to you. –
So remember the agreement, Lysander: until night
Our eyes must fast.
Lysander
Yes, my Hermia...
Hermia leaves.
Goodbye Elena!
Demetrius I wish you love.
(Leaves.)
Elena
How happy is one at the expense of the other!
In Athens I am equal in beauty with her...
So what? He is blind to my beauty:
Doesn't want to know what everyone knows.
He is in error, captivated by Hermia;
Me too, admiring him blindly.
Love is capable of forgiving the base
And turn vices into valor
And he chooses not with his eyes, but with his heart:
That's why they portray her as blind.
It is difficult for her to reconcile with common sense.
Without eyes - and wings: a symbol of recklessness
Haste!.. Her name is child;
After all, it’s easy to deceive her by joking.
And how the boys swear in the game,
So it’s easy for her and she doesn’t care about deception.
Until he was captured by Hermia,
Then he swore to me with a hail of vows of love;
But only Hermia breathed with heat -
The hail melted, and with it all the oaths in vain.
I’ll go and reveal their plans to him:
He's probably in the forest will go at night sometimes;
And if I receive gratitude,
I will pay dearly for this.
But in my melancholy and this is a lot -
The road to and from the forest with him!
(Leaves.)
Scene 2
Athens. A room in a hut.
Enter Pigwa, Gentleman, The basis, Dudka, Snout And Hungry.
Pigwa
Is our entire company assembled?
The basis
You better do a roll call: call us all on the list.
Pigwa
Here is a list with the names of everyone who was found in the slightest degree suitable to present our interlude before the Duke and Duchess on the evening of their wedding day.
The basis
First of all, kind Peter Pigwa, tell us what the play is, then read the names of the actors - and you will get to the point!
Pigwa
Right! Our play is “A pitiful comedy and a very cruel death of Pyramus and Thisbe.”
The basis
An excellent little thing, I assure you, and very funny! Well, kind Peter Pigva, now call all the actors on the list. Citizens, line up!
Pigwa
Answer the call!.. Nick Basis!
The basis
Eat! Name my role and continue the roll call.
Pigwa
You, Nick Basis, have been targeted for Pyramus.
The basis
What is Pyramus? Lover or Villain?
Pigwa
A lover who valiantly kills himself for love.
The basis
Yeah! This means that tears are required to play it properly. Well, if I take on this role, get your handkerchiefs ready, audience! I will raise a storm... I will lament to some extent... But, to tell the truth, my main calling is the role of villains. I would play a rare role of Hercules, or in general such a role that I would gnaw the earth and smash everything around into pieces!
There will be a roar
Strikes of fighters -
And the bolt will collapse
A cruel dungeon.
And Fib, the bright god,
Far and high
Evil fate will change
From your chariot!
What was it like? Great, huh? Well, call other actors. Here was the manner of Hercules, the character of a villain; lover - much more tear-jerking.
Pigwa
Francis Dudka, bellows repairman.
Dudka
Yes, Peter Pigva!
Pigwa
You must take on the role of Thisbe.
Dudka
Who will Thisbe be? Knight Errant?
Pigwa
No, this is the lady with whom Pyramus is in love.
Dudka
No, I honor you, don’t force me to play a woman: my beard is growing!
Pigwa
Does not mean anything; you can play in a mask and you will squeak in the thinnest voice.
The basis
A! If you can play in a mask, let me play Thisbe for you too: I can speak in a monstrously thin voice. “Yours, yours... Ah, Pyramus, my dear lover! I am your Thisbe dear, I am your dear lady!
Pigwa
No! No! You must play Pyramus, and you, Dudka, must play Thisbe.
Pigwa
Robin Hungry, tailor!
Hungry
Yes, Peter Pigva!
Pigwa
Runt, you will play Thisbe's mother. - Thomas Rylo, coppersmith!
Snout
Yes, Peter Pigva!
Pigwa
You are the father of Pyramus. I will play Feasbin's father. - Gentleman, carpenter, you get the role of Leo. Well, I hope that the play is selling well here.
Gentleman
Have you rewritten the role of Leo? You will give it to me now, otherwise my memory is very slow for learning.
Pigwa
There’s nothing to learn here, and this is how you’ll play: you’ll just have to growl.
The basis
Let me play Leo for you too! I will roar so much that your heart will rejoice; I will growl so much that the Duke himself will definitely say: “Come on, let him growl some more, let him growl some more!”
Pigwa
Well, if you growl so terribly, you will probably frighten the duchess and all the ladies to death; they will also scream, and this will be enough to hang us all!
Yes, yes, they will outweigh every single one of them!
The basis
I agree with you, friends, that if we intimidate the ladies, they won’t come up with anything better than to hang us all up. But I will be able to change my voice so much that I will growl tenderly, like your little dove; I will roar to you that you are a nightingale!
Pigwa
You cannot play any role except Pyramus, because Pyramus is a handsome fellow, just such a real man in the prime of his years, a first-class man, well-bred, with manners, well, in a word, exactly like you... You only play Pyramus.
The basis
Okay, I agree, I'll take the role. What kind of beard should I play her with?
Pigwa
Yes, whichever one you want.
The basis
OK. I'll introduce him to you with a straw-colored beard. 1
A red beard was worn when playing the roles of villains and traitors, for example Judas. All the colors listed by the Base were very unsuitable for the role of Pyramus's tender lover.
Or is it better in orange-brown? Or purple-red? Or maybe the color of the French crown - pure yellow?
Pigwa
Some French crowns have no hair at all 2
A play on words: the “French crown” (coin) is bare, there cannot be hair on it, but the “French crown”, corona Veneris (med.), is a consequence of the “French disease”, often leading to hair loss.
And you will have to play with a bare face... - Well, citizens, here are your roles, and I ask you, beg you and conjure you - to memorize them by tomorrow evening. And in the evening come to the palace forest, one mile from the city: there we will arrange a rehearsal in the moonlight. Otherwise, if we gather in the city, they will get wind of this and blurt out our idea. In the meantime, I'll make a list of the props we need for the play. And I ask you - do not let me down.
The basis
We'll definitely come. There it will be possible to rehearse, as they say, more unceremoniously, more freely. Try not to lose face! Until then, stay healthy!
Pigwa
Meeting at the Duke's oak tree.
The basis
OK. Even if you hang yourself, stay where you are.
They leave.
Act II
Scene 1
Forest near Athens.
Appear from different directions fairy And Pack.
Ah, fairy! Hello! Where is your path?
Over the hills, over the valleys,
Through the thorns, through the bushes,
Over the waters, through the flames
I wander here and there!
I fly faster than the moon,
I serve the fairy queen
I sprinkle the circle in the grass with dew.
The initial letters are her convoy.
Do you see the golden outfit?
The spots on it are burning:
Those are rubies, the color of the queen, -
All the flavor is hidden in them.
For initial letters I need a supply of dewdrops -
Put pearl earrings in each ear.
Farewell, foolish spirit! I'm flying forward.
The queen and the elves will come here.
My king will have fun here at night, -
Be careful that the queen doesn't meet him!
He is furious with her, angry - fear!
Because of the child that she has as pages
(Kidnapped from the Indian Sultan).
She pampers and dresses up the boy,
And Oberon the jealous wants to take
Him for yourself, so that you can wander with him in the forests.
The queen sees all the joy in him,
Doesn't give back! Since then, only above the stream,
In a clearing illuminated by the light of stars
They will come together - instantly for squabbles,
So much so that the elves all run away in fear,
They climb into an acorn and tremble all night!
Yes, you... I’m not mistaken, perhaps:
Habits, appearance... are you Good Little Robin?
The one who scares the village needlewomen,
He breaks and spoils the handles of the mills,
It prevents you from churning the butter on the sly,
It skims the cream off the milk,
That prevents the yeast from fermenting in the mash,
Sometimes he leads travelers in a ravine at night;
But if someone calls him friend -
It helps and brings happiness into the house.
Are you Peck?
Well, yes, I am Good Little Robin,
Cheerful spirit, naughty night tramp.
I serve in Oberon's jesters...
Then I’ll neigh in front of a well-fed stallion,
Like a mare; I'm still fooling around:
Suddenly I’ll hide in a mug with a baked apple,
And as soon as the gossip gets ready to take a sip,
From there I hit her lips - hop! And breasts
I'll droop beer all over her.
Or the aunt who tells the story tearfully,
I'll appear as a three-legged chair in the corner:
Suddenly I slip out - bang! - aunt on the floor.
Well, cough, well, scream! Let's have fun!
Everyone dies bursting with laughter
And, holding their sides, the whole choir repeats,
Why haven't we laughed like that before...
But, fairy, away! Here is the king. Get out of here.
And here she is! Oh, that wouldn't be bad!
Enter from one side Oberon with his retinue, on the other Titania with yours.
Oberon
It's not a good hour when I'm in the moonlight
I meet the arrogant Titania.
Titania
What, is it you, jealous Oberon? –
Fly, elves, away! I renounce
From society and Oberon's bed.
Oberon
Wait, you wretch! Am I not your husband?
Titania
So, I am your wife! But I know,
How did you secretly leave the magical land
And in the form of Corin on the pipe
Played all day and sang poems of love
Phillide is tender. Why are you here?
Then came from distant India,
What about your daring mistress,
In buskins, an Amazon, now a wife
Theseus takes, and you want to lay them down
And give happiness and joy?
Oberon
Shame, shame, Titania! Is it for you?
Should I be blamed for Hippolyta?
I know your love for Theseus!
Aren't you him in the twinkling of a starry night?
Took her away from poor Perigenes?
Was it not for you that he mercilessly abandoned
Egmea, Ariadne, Antiope?
Titania
All the fabrications of your jealousy!
Since mid-summer we can't
Gather in the meadows, in the forest, near a noisy river,
At the stone-enclosed key,
On golden sand washed by the sea,
Driving in circles to the whistle and songs of the wind,
So that you don’t interfere with our games by shouting!
And the winds sang songs to us in vain.
In revenge they raised from the sea
Malicious fogs. Those are the rain
They fell to the ground. The rivers got angry
And they came out, proud, from the banks.
Since then the ox has pulled the yoke in vain,
In vain the plowman pours out his sweat: bread
They rot without growing antennae.
Empty paddocks in flooded fields,
The crows grew fat from carrion...
The mud has carried traces of fun games;
There are no paths in the green labyrinths:
Their trail is overgrown, and they can’t find it!
Mortals are more likely to ask for winter;
You can’t hear their songs at night...
And here is the moon, ruler of the waters,
Pale with anger, the air has washed all over
And she spread rheumatism everywhere.
All times are in confusion:
And the gray-headed frost falls
To a crimson rose in fresh arms;
But to the crown of icy winter
A fragrant wreath of summer buds
Attached in mockery. Spring and summer
Birthing autumn and winter
Change outfits, and can't
The world is amazed to discern the times!
But such disasters appeared
All because of our quarrels and disagreements:
We are their cause, we create them.
Oberon
It’s in your hands to change everything: why?
Titania will contradict Oberon?
After all, I ask for little: give it
You are a boy to be my page!
Titania
Stay calm:
I won’t trade you for your entire magical land!
After all, his mother was my priestess!
With her in the spicy air of the Indian nights
On the golden Neptune sands
We often sat, counting the ships.
Laughed with her, watching the sails
Pregnant women were blown by the wind...
She jokingly imitated them cutely
(She was heavy at that time
My favorite) and swam as if
Returning with some trifle
To me, as if from sailing with goods...
But my friend was mortal,
And this boy cost her her life.
Loving her, I will cherish the child;
Loving her, I will not give it up!
Oberon
Titania
It must have been before the wedding of Theseus.
If you want to dance peacefully with us
And have fun under the moon - stay.
If not, go ahead and I’ll go further away.
Oberon
Give me the child, I'll go with you!
Titania
Not for the magical land! - Follow me, elves!
If I don’t leave, we’ll quarrel forever.
Titania and her retinue leave.
Oberon
Go! You won't leave the forest early
I will not take revenge for any insult. –
My dear Peck, come here! Do you remember,
How I listened to the siren's song by the sea,
Climbing up to the dolphin's ridge?
They were so sweet and harmonious
Those sounds that the rough ocean itself
He calmed down politely, listening to this song,
And the stars fell like crazy
From your heights to listen to the song...
Oberon
At that moment I saw (even though you didn’t see):
Between the cold moon and the earth
An armed Cupid was flying.
To the Vestal reigning in the West
He took aim and shot the arrow,
That he could pierce thousands of hearts!
But the fiery arrow suddenly went out
In the moisture of the innocent moon's rays,
And the royal priestess left
In virginal thought, alien to love.
But I saw where the arrow fell:
In the West there is a small flower;
From white it turned scarlet from the wound!
"Love in idleness 3
“Love in Idleness” is an old English folk name for the flower “pansy”." his name is.
Find him! You know how it grows...
And if the juice of this flower
We will lubricate the eyelids of the sleeping man, when he wakes up,
He is the first living creature
What he sees, he will fall madly in love.
Find a flower and come back soon
Than Leviathan can swim a mile.
I'm ready to fly around the entire globe
In half an hour.
(Disappears.)
Oberon
Having obtained this juice,
I will find Titania sleeping,
I'll sprinkle magic liquid into her eyes,
And the first one she looks at
Waking up, be it a lion, a bear, or a wolf,
Or a bull, or a busy monkey, -
She will rush after him with her soul,
And before I remove the spell from her
(What can I do with other grass)
She will give me the boy herself!
But who is coming here? I'm invisible
I can eavesdrop on mortal conversations.
Included Demetrius; Elena follows him.
Demetrius
Elena
You attracted me, cruel magnet,
Although you are not pulling iron, but your heart,
Which is truer in love than steel.
Stop attracting - I won’t reach out.
Demetrius
Was I being nice to you?
Did I entice you? I said directly
Whatever I don’t love, I won’t love you.
Elena
But I love you more and more.
After all, I am your dog: hit harder -
I will only wag my tail in response.
Well, treat me like a little dog:
Kick, hit, drive me;
Allow me only one thing, unworthy
(Could I ask for anything less?) –
So that you tolerate me like a dog.
Demetrius
Do not tempt my hatred.
I feel sick when I see you.
Elena
And I'm sick when I don't see you.
Demetrius
You're putting your modesty at risk
Leaving the city and giving myself
Free for those who don't love you:
You trust the temptations of the night
And the evil suggestions of these deserted places
The treasure of your innocence.
Elena
Demetrius
I'll run away and hide in the thicket of the forest,
I will throw you to the beasts to be eaten.
Elena
Oh! The most fierce beast is kinder! Well,
Run. Let all fairy tales change:
Let Daphne chase after Apollo,
The dove follows the griffin, the doe follows the tiger,
Aimless pursuit, if courage
She runs, and timidity chases after her!
Demetrius
Enough, I don't want to listen anymore!
Let me go! And if you run after me,
I will hurt you in the forest!
Elena
Oh, you've been hurting me for a long time
Everywhere - in the temple, in the city and in the field.
Shame on you! You have insulted all the women in me.
It's not right for us to fight for love:
They beg us, your job is to beg.
I won't be left behind. Hell can be heaven
If we die by the hand of our beloved.
Demetrius And Elena leaving.
Oberon
Good journey, nymph! Blowjob night - and you will
You run away, he chases you!
Appears Pack.
Hello my wanderer! What, did you find a flower?
Yes, here it is!
Oberon
ABOUT! Give it quickly!
There is a hill in the forest: wild cumin grows there,
The violet blooms next to the letter,
And honeysuckle has its fragrant canopy
Intertwined with fragrant muscat rose;
There, tired of the fun game,
The queen likes to relax sometimes;
From the shiny skin shed by a snake -
For the fairy there is a blanket there on the bed.
There I will let the magic juice into her eyes,
So that Titania would be captivated by strange nonsense.
But take some: wandering through the forest here
Beauty, into an arrogant rake
In love. Lubricate his eyes
But try so that our handsome man
He saw her and opened his lids a little.
Look: he is wearing Athenian clothes.
Yes, do it, make sure
He fell in love with her more instantly.
Get back before the rooster crows.
Do not be afraid, the faithful spirit will fulfill everything.
They leave.
Scene 2
Another part of the forest.
Included Titania with his retinue.
Titania
Make a circle now and sing a song!
Then for a third of a minute - everything from here:
Who is to kill worms in muscat roses,
Who – to get mice bats wings
For elves to wear cloaks, who drive owls,
That they hoot all night, marveling at us.
Now you lull me to sleep
Then go: I want to sleep.
First Elf
(singing)
In the motley spots of the copperhead
And prickly hedgehogs,
Away, away from the queen,
Snakes, worms and snakes!
Sweet-voiced nightingale,
Merge a song with our song!
Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye!
The intrigues, the spells of the enemy,
Don't disturb bright dreams.
Sleep, queen, rest.
Good night, bye, bye!
First Elf
Don't you dare do anything bad
Long-legged spiders!
All snails, get out of here!
Get lost, black bugs!
Sweet-voiced nightingale,
Merge a song with our song!
Bye, bye... etc.
Second Elf
Everything is calm... Now we’re flying.
One - remain a sentry!
Elves disappear . Titania falls asleep. Appears Oberon.
Oberon
(squeezing the flower onto Titania's eyes)
What will you see when you wake up?
You will be passionate about it with all your heart.
Let love oppress you:
Be it a wolf, a bear, or a cat,
Or a hog with stiff bristles -
For your loving gaze
He will become just nicer.
When he comes, wake up quickly!
(Disappears.)
Enter Lysander And Hermia.
Lysander
My love! Are you tired of wandering
But I admit that I have lost my way.
Don't you want to lie down and wait,
So that new day dispelled all worries?
Hermia
Well, then find yourself a shelter;
And I’ll lie down here on the mossy slope.
Lysander
I will also lie down on the same moss:
There is one heart in us, even if there is one bed!
Hermia
No, no, my Lysander! I love you!
But lie back, I pray for it!
Lysander
My friend, understand the innocence of my words,
Love will help you understand them.
I wanted to say that love is wonderful
Merged our two hearts tightly into one
And she bound them both with an oath,
That loyalty alone lives in them to the grave.
Don't refuse me a place nearby:
Believe me, I am incapable of lying.
Hermia
You play with words skillfully;
But how sad it would be for my pride,
When would I allow a lie in you!
But respect and love you still
You will prove to me when you move further:
For a boy and a girl, human shame
Doesn't allow such closeness...
Lie down further. Sleep peacefully, without worries;
And only with life let love pass.
Lysander
Hermia
I wish the same for you, dear!
They fall asleep.
Included Pack.
I walked right through the forest:
There was no one there
So that I can check it on it
I am the flower's magic juice.
Night... Silence... Shh! Who's there?
Isn't it him himself?
This is him, no doubt:
He is dressed in Athenian style.
There's a girl here too
Sleeps sweetly on a damp bed.
Oh, poor thing! So tender...
And she didn’t dare lie down
Closer to the heartless?
O villain! Well, just wait!
(Squeezes the juice of the flower onto Lysander’s eyes.)
Enslaved by the power of enchantment,
Let him barely wake up
He will lose sleep from love.
I'm flying: Oberon is waiting!
(Disappears.)
Included Demetrius, runs after him Elena.
Elena
Oh wait! Kill me, kill me!
Demetrius
I say: get out of my sight quickly!
Elena
Will you leave me alone? Have mercy!
Demetrius
Leave me, or else... Let me go! Go away!
(Runs away.)
Elena
No forces! I'm exhausted in the chase.
The more requests, the less I achieve.
Oh, happiness to her, wherever she is,
What the beauty of the stars is given to her eyes!
And why are those stars so shiny?
Not from salty tears: I cry more often!
No, I’m ugly, disgusting, like a bear!
The beast is afraid to look at me.
So how can I marvel at Demetrius?
Why is he, like an animal, trying to get away from me?
Like a mirror, you lying glass,
Could I be equal to her?
But what is it? Lysander? He lies here!
But is he dead or sleeping? No blood: not killed.
Wake up, O Lysander, my friend! What's wrong with you?
Lysander
(waking up)
I will throw myself into the flames with delight for you,
Transparent Elena! I see
How your soul shines through in beauty.
Where is Demetri? Here's the name for
Who will die by my sword!
Elena
No, no, Lysander, you don't say that.
Let him love her; but understand:
She loves you - that's enough!
Lysander
Enough? No! It's hard and painful for me
Why did I spend time with her voluntarily?
I don’t love Hermia, I love Elena.
I took the dove as a replacement for the crow.
After all, the mind has the will in subordination,
And he said: you are superior without comparison!
It’s not time for the fruits to ripen:
I was still young in years,
But my mind has matured to the core
And now he has become the leader of my desires.
I read in your eyes at this moment
A story of love in the most beautiful of books.
Elena
Why am I doomed to torment?
What did you do to deserve these insults?
Or is it not enough for you, or is it not enough for you,
That I don’t see affection from him,
Why did you laugh at me shamelessly?
No, it’s hardly possible to do worse!
You should be ashamed of this bad joke:
It's a mockery to suddenly court me!
Farewell! But I must tell you
What more chivalry was waiting to be found in you.
Oh Gods! To be rejected by one
To be rudely ridiculed by others!
(Runs away.)
Lysander
A! She didn't see Hermia!
Sleep, Hermia! I don't need you anymore.
Yes, it disgusts us
Excess in delicacy or satiety.
So the heresy later outrages those
Whoever she deceived was like a grave sin.
You were such my heresy:
Let everyone curse you, I am the strongest!
I will give all my strength to the power of Elena:
To love her, to serve her without betrayal.
(Runs away.)
Hermia
(waking up)
My Lysander, help! I'll come soon,
Rip the creeping snake off your chest!..
ABOUT horrible dream!.. I am trembling with fear.
I dreamed that a terrible snake
It was gnawing at my heart. It was hard, stuffy,
And you looked with an indifferent smile.
Lysander! How! No? Gone? O my husband!..
Doesn't he hear? Answer me, dear friend,
In the name of all love! What is this?
I faint from fear. No answer?
So, does that mean I should go looking?
To find him is to find your death!
(Runs away.)
Attention! This is an introductory fragment of the book.
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