Act IV Questions

1. How does Theseus's current decision regarding Hermia and Lysander contradict his earlier statement?
In the beginning, Theseus told Hermia that if she did not do as her father wished and marry Demetrius, she would be forced to live forever at a nunnery, or face death. After hearing Lysander and Demetrius's stories and seeing that Demetrius truly did not love Hermia anymore, having eyes only for Helena, Theseus decided that their story was legitimate and decided that the couples could be married to their respective lovers with him and Hippolyta on their wedding day. Theseus probably thought, "Why hold love apart?", him himself having captured the woman he fell in love with so that they could be together forever.
2. How do most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking? Which character is changed permanently by the dream experience?
Most of the dreamers respond to the dream experience upon waking up similarily. They all believe that they have just had a dream in which everything they had previously went through when the love-juice was involved was just a wild and exciting dream. Demetrius is the only charcater who was permanently changed by the dream experience- he loved Hermia, but thanks to the love-juice, he now loves Helena forevermore.
3. In this act, several characters look back at prior infatuations with disbelief. What do you think Shakespeare is saying about love and infatuation?
I believe that Shakespeare is trying to demonstrate for the audience/reader how love functions. There is no 'way' of love and it is impossible to understand. It is something that will always be one of the biggest and unsolved mysteries of mankind. In this play, Shakespeare demonstrates that love can change at a blink of an eye with no reason at all expect that the infatuation of the person had changed.
4. The fourth act opens and ends with Bottom at center stage. What is your opinion of Bottom's character? How might he be antithesis, or opposite, of Theseus's character?
Bottom is a character you love to hate. The audience/reader loves to see and read his arrogance and confidence, but hates his arrogance and confidence all the same. Bottom is antithesis of Theseus's character because he always puts himself first and he believes that he is on level with the gods. Also, tells everyone that he is the best actor of the actors assembled, though it is true, he should not need to advertise it, and in doing so, he is also percieved as conceited. The difference with Theseus is that he knows he is a god and doesn't need to advertise it to evveryone.
5. Should the rude mechanicals putting on the play be happy that Nick Bottom has returned or not?
The rude mechanicals putting on the play should not be overjoyed that Bottom has returned. This is because Bottom is cocky and lets everyone know how good he is at everything and eventually it gets old and tiring. Also, Bottom may be the best of the actors assembled to put the play on, however, he is overly dramatic and seems very asinine and if the actors want to win the competition they should keep Bottom out of it.