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  • Title: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Suzanne Westfall
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-465-3

    Copyright Suzanne Westfall. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Suzanne Westfall
    Not Peer Reviewed

    A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quarto 1, 1600)

    A Midsommer nightes dreame.
    Her. With halfe that wish, the wishers eyes be prest.
    Enter Pucke.
    Puck. Through the forrest haue I gone:
    720But Athenian found I none,
    On whose eyes I might approue
    This flowers force in stirring loue.
    Night and silence. Who is heere?
    Weedes of Athens he doth weare:
    725This is hee (my master saide)
    Despised the Athenian maide:
    And here the maiden, sleeping sound,
    On the danke and dirty ground.
    Pretty sowle, she durst not lye,
    730Neere this lack-loue, this kil-curtesie
    Churle, vpon thy eyes I throwe
    All the power this charme doth owe:
    When thou wak'st, let loue forbidde
    Sleepe, his seat, on thy eye lidde.
    735So awake, when I am gon:
    For I must now to Oberon. Exit.
    Enter Demetrius and Helena running.
    Hel. Stay; though thou kill mee, sweete Demetrius.
    De. I charge thee hence, and doe not haunt mee thus.
    740Hele. O, wilt thou darkling leaue me? doe not so.
    De. Stay, on thy perill: I alone will goe.
    Hel. O, I am out of breath, in this fond chase,
    The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace.
    745Happie is Hermia, wheresoere she lies:
    For she hath blessed, and attractiue eyes.
    How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt teares.
    If so, my eyes are oftner washt then hers.
    No, no: I am as vgly as a Beare:
    750For beastes that meete mee, runne away, for feare.
    Therefore, no maruaile, though Demetrius
    Doe, as a monster, fly my presence, thus.
    What