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that he falls in love Helena—but
Puck mistakenly gives the juice
to Lysander, who wakes and sees
Helena and falls in love with her.
As the artisans rehearse, Puck
changes the head of Bottom the
weaver for that of a donkey.
Bottom’s companions flee, but
Titania, sleeping nearby, awakes
and falls in love with him. As the
lovers appear, it is clear something
is awry, and Oberon tries to make
amends by applying the love juice
to Demetrius’s eyes. But when
Demetrius falls in love with Helena,
too, she thinks it is all a cruel joke.The boys and girls fight and run
through the forest before falling
asleep. As they sleep, Puck removes
the spell from Lysander’s eyes.
Oberon removes the spell from
Titania’s eyes, and she is appalled
when she wakes with Bottom in her
arms. Oberon commands Puck to
switch Bottom’s head back, and
Oberon and Titania are reconciled.
Theseus and Hippolyta, out
hunting with Egeus, come upon
the sleeping lovers. As the lovers
awake, Hermia pairs with Lysander
and Demetrius pairs with Helena.
Theseus ordains that they shall joinTHE LORD CHAMBERLAIN’S MAN
Act 3 Act 4 Act 5
him and Hippolyta in a three-way
wedding. The artisans finish their
rehearsal and all return to Athens.
After the wedding, the artisans
perform their play Pyramus and
Thisbe, about two parted lovers.
In the play, Thisbe sees a lion
and flees, dropping her mantle.
Pyramus finds the mantle and
stabs himself. Thisbe discovers
Pyramus’s body, so kills herself, too.
The Court can barely contain its
laughter, and as the play ends,
Theseus calls an end to the revels.
Puck leads a fairy procession
through the palace. ❯❯3.2
3.3 4.1 4.1
3.3 4.1 5.1
Oberon applies the
love potion to Demetrius’s
eyes. Demetrius falls in
love with Helena.
The lovers fall asleep
after a wild chase
through the forest.Oberon removes
the love potion
from Titania’s
eyes and
Puck restores
Bottom’s
rightful head.When the lovers awake in
their rightful pairings,
Theseus ordains a joint
wedding in Athens.Puck applies an
antidote to the
love potion to
Lysander’s eyes to
resolve the confusion.While hunting in the forest,
Theseus and Hippolyta come
across the sleeping lovers.At the wedding in
Athens, the artisans,
to much amusement,
perform the
story of Pyramus
and Thisbe.5.2
Puck and the
fairies bless
the palace.