A Midsummer Nights Dream

Script
Act 1 Scene 1
THESEUS: Our wedding day is almost here, my beautiful Hippolyta. Well be getting
married in four days, on the day of the new moon. But it seems to me that the days
are passing too slowly!
HIPPOLYTA: No, youll see, four days will quickly turn into four nights, and finally,
the moon will look down on our wedding celebration.
THESEUS: Go, Philostrate, get the young people of Athens ready to celebrate and
have a good time. We dont want sadness at our festivities.
PHILOSTRATE exits. Enter EGEUS.
EGEUS: Long live Theseus, our famous and respected duke!
THESEUS: Thanks, good Egeus. Whats new with you?
EGEUS: Im here to complain about my daughter Hermia.Step forward,
Demetrius. My lord, this man, Demetrius, has my permission to marry her.Step
forward, Lysander.But this other man, Lysander, has cast a magic spell over my
childs heart. And, my gracious duke, if she wont agree to marry Demetrius right
now, I ask you to let me exercise the right that all fathers have in Athens. Since she
belongs to me, I can do what I want with heras the law says: I can either make her
marry Demetriusor have her killed.
HIPPOLYTA: What say you, Hermia? Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
HERMIA: So is Lysander.
THESEUS: Youre right, Lysanders admirable too. But since your father doesnt
want him to marry you, you have to consider Demetrius to be the better man.
HERMIA: Your grace, please forgive me. But please, tell me the worst thing that
could happen to me if I refuse to marry Demetrius.
THESEUS: Either to die...(Hermia reacts with horror) or swear youll never see
another man again.
HIPPOLYTA: Think carefully, Hermia. By the time of our wedding, you must give us
your choice.
DEMETRIUS: Forget about it, Lysander!
LYSANDER: Demetrius, let me have Hermia. Since her father likes you so much,
you should marry him!
(Demetrius goes to fight with Lysander attendants hold him back)
LYSANDER: (to THESEUS) My lord, Im just as noble and rich as he is. I love Hermia
more than he does, and she loves me back. So why couldnt I marry her? I know
that Demetrius courted another girl, Helena, and he loves her!

DEMETRIUS: I do not!
THESEUS: Demetrius, come with me. Come, Egeus. And you, Hermia, should obey
your father, because otherwise the law says that you must die or become a nun,
and theres nothing I can do about that.
(Exit Theseus and Hippolyta with Attendants and Egeus. Demetrius follows,
watching Lysander and Hermia suspiciously as he goes).
LYSANDER: You look so pale, my love.
HERMIA: Its not fair! What hell, to have your love life determined by someone
else!
LYSANDER: Listen, Hermia, I have a rich aunt who lives far away from here. She
would surely welcome us and help us get married. So heres the plan. If you love
me, sneak out of your fathers house tomorrow night and meet me in the forest
outside the town.
HERMIA: Oh, Lysander, I swear Ill be there tomorrow.
LYSANDER: Ill wait for you there.
(enter HELENA)
HERMIA: Oh hello, my beautiful friend!
HELENA: (Crossly) Beautiful? Youre calling me beautiful? Demetrius doesnt think
Im beautiful, though, does he?
HERMIA: Why are so mad at me? Its not my fault!
HELENA: But its you he loves! What do you have that I dont?
HERMIA: I dont know! The more I turn him down, the more he follows me!
HELENA: And the more I like him, the more he hates me!
HERMIA: Its not my fault he acts like that, Helena.
HELENA: Thats true, its your beautys fault. I wish I had a fault like that!
HERMIA: Dont worry. He wont see my face ever again. Lysander and I are running
away from here.
LYSANDER: Helena, well tell you about our secret plan. Tomorrow night, we will
meet in the woods and sneak out of Athens to get married.
HERMIA: Goodbye, old friend. Pray for us, and I hope you win over Demetrius!
LYSANDER: Goodbye, Helena. I hope Demetrius comes to love you as much as you
love him!
LYSANDER and HERMIA exits.

HELENA: Its not fair! Everybody says Im just as pretty as Hermia. But why did
Demetrius choose her?! I know... Im going to tell Demetrius about their little plan.
And then maybe hell like me! ....well, even if he doesnt, itll make me feel better!