Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate, with others. THESEUS
Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace. Four happy days bring in
Another moon. But, O, methinks how slow
This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires
Like to a stepdame or a dowager 5
Long withering out a young man’s revenue. | We meet Duke Theseus at his swanky palace in Athens and learn that he's going to marry Hippolyta (Queen of the Amazons) in four days, during the new moon. Our groom-to-be is in a VERY big hurry to enjoy his wedding night, but time is passing way too slowly for Theseus, who lashes out at the moon for being a slowpoke. |
HIPPOLYTA
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;
Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night 10
Of our solemnities. | Hippolyta is more reasonable. She assures Theseus that four days will go by in a jiffy and says that when the moon looks down on them on their wedding night, it's going to get an eyeful. |
THESEUS Go, Philostrate,
Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments.
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth.
Turn melancholy forth to funerals; 15
The pale companion is not for our pomp. Philostrate exits. Hippolyta, I wooed thee with my sword
And won thy love doing thee injuries,
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph, and with reveling. 20 | Theseus sends this guy, Philostrate, the Master of the Revels, to go out into the streets of Athens and get the youth of the city to party so that the time passes quickly. Then Theseus turns to Hippolyta and promises her that their wedding will be more joyful than the circumstances under which they got engaged. (As every mythology buff knows, Theseus is alluding to the fact that he captured Hippolyta when he conquered her people, the Amazons. We're guessing the wedding will be a much happier occasion.) |
Enter Egeus and his daughter Hermia, and Lysander
and Demetrius. EGEUS
Happy be Theseus, our renownèd duke! THESEUS
Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee? | An Athenian man named Egeus shows up and greets Theseus. Egeus has brought along his daughter Hermia and two guys named Lysander and Demetrius. |
EGEUS
Full of vexation come I, with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.—
Stand forth, Demetrius.—My noble lord, 25
This man hath my consent to marry her.—
Stand forth, Lysander.—And, my gracious duke,
This man hath bewitched the bosom of my child.—
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes
And interchanged love tokens with my child. 30
Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung
With feigning voice verses of feigning love
And stol’n the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats—messengers 35
Of strong prevailment in unhardened youth.
With cunning hast thou filched my daughter’s heart,
Turned her obedience (which is due to me)
To stubborn harshness.—And, my gracious duke,
Be it so she will not here before your Grace 40
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, according to our law 45
Immediately provided in that case. | Egeus is not a happy camper. He lodges a formal complaint to the Duke against his disobedient daughter, who refuses to marry Demetrius, the guy Egeus has chosen to be her husband. According to Egeus, Hermia's been "bewitch'd" by Lysander and refuses to marry Demetrius. (Hmm. Is it just us, or did Desdemona's dad use the same "this guy put a spell on my daughter" argument in Othello?) Egeus then cites the wrongs Lysander has committed: Lysander has presented Hermia with various love-tokens, serenaded her by moonlight, and even given her a lock of his hair. (Who does this guy think he is, Romeo?) Egeus points out that Hermia is his daughter and therefore his property. Athenian law dictates that Hermia has to marry the guy of his choice...or be put to death. |
THESEUS
What say you, Hermia? Be advised, fair maid.
To you, your father should be as a god,
One that composed your beauties, yea, and one
To whom you are but as a form in wax 50
By him imprinted, and within his power
To leave the figure or disfigure it.
Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. HERMIA
So is Lysander. THESEUS In himself he is, 55
But in this kind, wanting your father’s voice,
The other must be held the worthier. HERMIA
I would my father looked but with my eyes. THESEUS
Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. | Theseus puts on his Dr. Phil hat and tries to reason with Hermia, but she won't budge. She thinks Lysander is just as worthy as Demetrius, and doesn't want to let her dad choose her husband. |
HERMIA
I do entreat your Grace to pardon me. 60
I know not by what power I am made bold,
Nor how it may concern my modesty
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 65
If I refuse to wed Demetrius. | She asks the Duke, as politely as possible, what the worst-case scenario would be if she refuses to marry Demetrius. |
THESEUS
Either to die the death or to abjure
Forever the society of men.
Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,
Know of your youth, examine well your blood, 70
Whether (if you yield not to your father’s choice)
You can endure the livery of a nun,
For aye to be in shady cloister mewed,
To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. 75
Thrice-blessèd they that master so their blood
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage,
But earthlier happy is the rose distilled
Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn,
Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness. 80 | Theseus (who is also Athens's resident Judge Judy) says that if Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius, she has only two other options: 1) become a nun or 2) be put to death. Things aren't looking good for Hermia. Theseus adds that being a nun is not so great and suggests that Hermia just bite the bullet and marry Demetrius. |
HERMIA
So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
Ere I will yield my virgin patent up
Unto his Lordship whose unwishèd yoke
My soul consents not to give sovereignty. | Hermia says fine. She'll become a nun. She'd rather do that than than marry a guy she doesn't love. |
THESEUS
Take time to pause, and by the next new moon 85
(The sealing day betwixt my love and me
For everlasting bond of fellowship),
Upon that day either prepare to die
For disobedience to your father’s will,
Or else to wed Demetrius, as he would, 90
Or on Diana’s altar to protest
For aye austerity and single life. | Theseus tells her she should really reconsider and gives her four days to declare her own fate. In other words, Hermia has until Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding day to decide if she'll get married, become a nun, or be sent to the chopping block. |
DEMETRIUS
Relent, sweet Hermia, and, Lysander, yield
Thy crazèd title to my certain right. LYSANDER
You have her father’s love, Demetrius. 95
Let me have Hermia’s. Do you marry him. | Demetrius tries to get Hermia and Lysander to give in, but Lysander points out that since Hermia's dad loves Demetrius so much, maybe the two of them should get married. |
EGEUS
Scornful Lysander, true, he hath my love;
And what is mine my love shall render him.
And she is mine, and all my right of her
I do estate unto Demetrius. 100 LYSANDER, to Theseus
I am, my lord, as well derived as he,
As well possessed. My love is more than his;
My fortunes every way as fairly ranked
(If not with vantage) as Demetrius’;
And (which is more than all these boasts can be) 105
I am beloved of beauteous Hermia.
Why should not I then prosecute my right?
Demetrius, I’ll avouch it to his head,
Made love to Nedar’s daughter, Helena,
And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, 110
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
Upon this spotted and inconstant man. | Lysander defends his right to marry Hermia: he's equal to Demetrius in pedigree, better off financially, and besides, Hermia actually loves him. Furthermore, Lysander claims that Demetrius is known to have previously courted Hermia's friend, Helena, who still has a crush on Demetrius. |
THESEUS
I must confess that I have heard so much,
And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof;
But, being overfull of self-affairs, 115
My mind did lose it.—But, Demetrius, come,
And come, Egeus; you shall go with me.
I have some private schooling for you both.—
For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
To fit your fancies to your father’s will, 120
Or else the law of Athens yields you up
(Which by no means we may extenuate)
To death or to a vow of single life.—
Come, my Hippolyta. What cheer, my love?—
Demetrius and Egeus, go along. 125
I must employ you in some business
Against our nuptial and confer with you
Of something nearly that concerns yourselves. EGEUS
With duty and desire we follow you. | Theseus says he's heard about this and meant to have a talk with Demetrius about it. Theseus calls Egeus and Demetrius away with him so he can give them some advice. Before the men leave, Theseus advises Hermia to be a good girl and listen to her dad, or deal with Athenian law. |
All but Hermia and Lysander exit. LYSANDER
How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? 130
How chance the roses there do fade so fast? HERMIA
Belike for want of rain, which I could well
Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes. LYSANDER
Ay me! For aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history, 135
The course of true love never did run smooth.
But either it was different in blood— | Lysander and Hermia are left to discuss their bad luck. Hermia is ready to let some serious tears fly over the whole death/nun ultimatum, but Lysander tries to take everything in stride with his famous line, "the course of true love never did run smooth." |
HERMIA
O cross! Too high to be enthralled to low. LYSANDER
Or else misgraffèd in respect of years— HERMIA
O spite! Too old to be engaged to young. 140 LYSANDER
Or else it stood upon the choice of friends— HERMIA
O hell, to choose love by another’s eyes! LYSANDER
Or, if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it,
Making it momentany as a sound, 145
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream,
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and Earth,
And, ere a man hath power to say “Behold!”
The jaws of darkness do devour it up. 150
So quick bright things come to confusion. | They talk about the different ways true love can be foiled: because the lovers are from different social classes, because of an age difference, or because there's been a match made between parents and friends. And if someone actually gets to make a choice and marry someone for love, something horrible can happen, like a war or a plague, and put an end to it lickety-split. |
HERMIA
If then true lovers have been ever crossed,
It stands as an edict in destiny.
Then let us teach our trial patience
Because it is a customary cross, 155
As due to love as thoughts and dreams and sighs,
Wishes and tears, poor fancy’s followers. | It's Hermia's turn to play the optimist. She declares that they should be patient because they're destined to be together. |
LYSANDER
A good persuasion. Therefore, hear me, Hermia:
I have a widow aunt, a dowager
Of great revenue, and she hath no child. 160
From Athens is her house remote seven leagues,
And she respects me as her only son.
There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;
And to that place the sharp Athenian law
Cannot pursue us. If thou lovest me, then 165
Steal forth thy father’s house tomorrow night,
And in the wood a league without the town
(Where I did meet thee once with Helena
To do observance to a morn of May),
There will I stay for thee. 170 | Lysander then pipes up that he has a rich, widowed aunt who lives outside of Athens and loves him like a son. They can run away to auntie's house and get hitched because she lives outside the reach of Athenian law. (How convenient.) |
HERMIA My good Lysander,
I swear to thee by Cupid’s strongest bow,
By his best arrow with the golden head,
By the simplicity of Venus’ doves,
By that which knitteth souls and prospers loves, 175
And by that fire which burned the Carthage queen
When the false Trojan under sail was seen,
By all the vows that ever men have broke
(In number more than ever women spoke),
In that same place thou hast appointed me, 180
Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. | Hermia agrees to meet Lysander in the woods tomorrow night. From there, they can run off and pull a Romeo and Juliet (as in elope, not commit a double-suicide). |
LYSANDER
Keep promise, love. Look, here comes Helena. Enter Helena. HERMIA
Godspeed, fair Helena. Whither away? HELENA
Call you me “fair”? That “fair” again unsay.
Demetrius loves your fair. O happy fair! 185
Your eyes are lodestars and your tongue’s sweet air
More tunable than lark to shepherd’s ear
When wheat is green, when hawthorn buds appear.
Sickness is catching. O, were favor so!
Yours would I catch, fair Hermia, ere I go. 190
My ear should catch your voice, my eye your eye;
My tongue should catch your tongue’s sweet
melody.
Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated,
The rest I’d give to be to you translated. 195
O, teach me how you look and with what art
You sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart! | Hermia's friend Helena then shows up. Helena's a mess because she loves Demetrius but Demetrius wants to marry Hermia. Helena says she wishes she could be more like Hermia—pretty, sweet-voiced, and good at making men fall in love with her. |
HERMIA
I frown upon him, yet he loves me still. HELENA
O, that your frowns would teach my smiles such
skill! 200 HERMIA
I give him curses, yet he gives me love. HELENA
O, that my prayers could such affection move! HERMIA
The more I hate, the more he follows me. | Hermia points out she hasn't done much to inspire Demetrius. The more she frowns, curses, and hates him, the more he loves her. Go figure. |
HELENA
The more I love, the more he hateth me. HERMIA
His folly, Helena, is no fault of mine. 205 HELENA
None but your beauty. Would that fault were mine! | Helena has done the opposite, and Demetrius won't give her the time of day. |
HERMIA
Take comfort: he no more shall see my face.
Lysander and myself will fly this place.
Before the time I did Lysander see
Seemed Athens as a paradise to me. 210
O, then, what graces in my love do dwell
That he hath turned a heaven unto a hell! | Hermia then tells Helena to relax—Demetrius won't be distracted by Hermia anymore because she and Lysander are running away. |
LYSANDER
Helen, to you our minds we will unfold.
Tomorrow night when Phoebe doth behold
Her silver visage in the wat’ry glass, 215
Decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass
(A time that lovers’ flights doth still conceal),
Through Athens’ gates have we devised to steal. HERMIA
And in the wood where often you and I
Upon faint primrose beds were wont to lie, 220
Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,
There my Lysander and myself shall meet
And thence from Athens turn away our eyes
To seek new friends and stranger companies.
Farewell, sweet playfellow. Pray thou for us, 225
And good luck grant thee thy Demetrius.—
Keep word, Lysander. We must starve our sight
From lovers’ food till morrow deep midnight. | The lovers explain their plan to Helena: Tomorrow night, they'll meet up in the woods and then run away to get married. Hermia even tells Helena where they're planning to meet—near a bed of primroses she and Helen used to lie on and share their secrets and fears. |
LYSANDER
I will, my Hermia. Hermia exits.
Helena, adieu. 230
As you on him, Demetrius dote on you!
Lysander exits. | The happy lovers exit after wishing Helena good luck with Demetrius. |
HELENA
How happy some o’er other some can be!
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know. 235
And, as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind; 240
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgment taste.
Wings, and no eyes, figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is Love said to be a child
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled. 245
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
So the boy Love is perjured everywhere.
For, ere Demetrius looked on Hermia’s eyne,
He hailed down oaths that he was only mine;
And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, 250
So he dissolved, and show’rs of oaths did melt.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight.
Then to the wood will he tomorrow night
Pursue her. And, for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense. 255
But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
To have his sight thither and back again. She exits. | Helena, now alone, feels sorry for herself for being in love with a guy who won't give her the time of day. She tries to understand why Demetrius fell out of love with her (and fell in love with Hermia). Finally, she decides the best thing to do is tattle to Demetrius that Hermia plans to elope with Lysander. She reasons that she's got nothing to lose and thinks that maybe Demetrius will be so grateful that he'll change his mind and fall in love with her again. (Does anyone else think this sounds like a terrible idea?) |