payment page
Read and listen with a SparkNotes PLUS trial!
No Fear Translations
No Fear Audio
Already have an account? Log in
Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
Enter QUINCE the carpenter, and SNUG the joiner, and BOTTOM the weaver, and FLUTE the bellows-mender, and SNOUT the tinker, and STARVELING the tailor
|
Enter QUINCE the carpenter, and SNUG the joiner, and BOTTOM the weaver, and FLUTE the bellows-mender, and SNOUT the tinker, and STARVELING the tailor
|
|
QUINCE Is all our company here?
|
QUINCE Is all our company here?
|
|
BOTTOM You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.
|
BOTTOM You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.
|
|
QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding day at night.
|
QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding day at night.
|
|
BOTTOM First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.
|
BOTTOM First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.
|
|
QUINCE |
QUINCE |
|
BOTTOM A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry.—Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll.—Masters, spread yourselves.
|
BOTTOM A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry.—Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll.—Masters, spread yourselves.
|
|
QUINCE Answer as I call you.—Nick Bottom, the weaver?
|
QUINCE Answer as I call you.—Nick Bottom, the weaver?
|
|
BOTTOM Ready. Name what part I am for and proceed.
|
BOTTOM Ready. Name what part I am for and proceed.
|
|
QUINCE You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
|
QUINCE You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
|
|
BOTTOM tyrant?Medieval and Renaissance plays often featured tyrant characters—kings who gave long, ranting speeches. |
BOTTOM tyrant?Medieval and Renaissance plays often featured tyrant characters—kings who gave long, ranting speeches. |
|
QUINCE A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.
|
QUINCE A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.
|
|
BOTTOM That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms. I will condole in some measure.—To the rest.—Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all split.
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates.
And Phoebus' car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
This was lofty!—Now name the rest of the players.—This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more condoling.
|
BOTTOM That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms. I will condole in some measure.—To the rest.—Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all split.
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates.
And Phoebus' car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
This was lofty!—Now name the rest of the players.—This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more condoling.
|
|
QUINCE Francis Flute, the bellows-mender?
|
QUINCE Francis Flute, the bellows-mender?
|
|
FLUTE 15 Here, Peter Quince.
|
FLUTE Here, Peter Quince.
|
|
QUINCE Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.
|
QUINCE Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.
|
|
FLUTE What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?
|
FLUTE What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?
|
|
QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
|
QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
|
|
FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.
|
FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.
|
|
QUINCE |
QUINCE |
|
BOTTOM An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice: “Thisne, Thisne!”—“Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisbe dear and lady dear!”
|
BOTTOM An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice: “Thisne, Thisne!”—“Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisbe dear and lady dear!”
|
|
QUINCE No, no. You must play Pyramus.—And Flute, you Thisbe.
|
QUINCE No, no. You must play Pyramus.—And Flute, you Thisbe.
|
|
BOTTOM Well, proceed.
|
BOTTOM Well, proceed.
|
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, the tailor?
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, the tailor?
|
|
STARVELING 25 Here, Peter Quince.
|
STARVELING Here, Peter Quince.
|
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother.—Tom Snout, the tinker?
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother.—Tom Snout, the tinker?
|
|
SNOUT Here, Peter Quince.
|
SNOUT Here, Peter Quince.
|
|
QUINCE You, Pyramus' father.—Myself, Thisbe’s father.—Snug the joiner, you, the lion’s part.—And I hope here is a play fitted.
|
QUINCE You, Pyramus' father.—Myself, Thisbe’s father.—Snug the joiner, you, the lion’s part.—And I hope here is a play fitted.
|
|
SNUG Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
|
SNUG Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
|
|
QUINCE 30 You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
|
QUINCE You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
|
|
BOTTOM Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the duke say, “Let him roar again. Let him roar again.”
|
BOTTOM Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the duke say, “Let him roar again. Let him roar again.”
|
|
QUINCE An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek. And that were enough to hang us all.
|
QUINCE An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek. And that were enough to hang us all.
|
|
ALL That would hang us, every mother’s son.
|
ALL That would hang us, every mother’s son.
|
|
BOTTOM I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.
|
BOTTOM I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.
|
|
QUINCE |
QUINCE |
|
BOTTOM Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in?
|
BOTTOM Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in?
|
|
QUINCE Why, what you will.
|
QUINCE Why, what you will.
|
|
BOTTOM I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French crown-color beard, your perfect yellow.
|
BOTTOM I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French crown-color beard, your perfect yellow.
|
|
QUINCE Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced.—But masters, here are your parts. And I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.
|
QUINCE Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced.—But masters, here are your parts. And I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.
|
|
BOTTOM |
BOTTOM |
|
QUINCE At the duke’s oak we meet.
|
QUINCE At the duke’s oak we meet.
|
|
BOTTOM Enough. Hold, or cut bowstrings.
|
BOTTOM Enough. Hold, or cut bowstrings.
|
|
Exeunt
|
Exeunt
|
Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
Enter QUINCE the carpenter, and SNUG the joiner, and BOTTOM the weaver, and FLUTE the bellows-mender, and SNOUT the tinker, and STARVELING the tailor
|
Enter QUINCE the carpenter, and SNUG the joiner, and BOTTOM the weaver, and FLUTE the bellows-mender, and SNOUT the tinker, and STARVELING the tailor
|
|
QUINCE Is all our company here?
|
QUINCE Is all our company here?
|
|
BOTTOM You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.
|
BOTTOM You were best to call them generally, man by man, according to the scrip.
|
|
QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding day at night.
|
QUINCE Here is the scroll of every man’s name which is thought fit, through all Athens, to play in our interlude before the duke and the duchess, on his wedding day at night.
|
|
BOTTOM First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.
|
BOTTOM First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow to a point.
|
|
QUINCE |
QUINCE |
|
BOTTOM A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry.—Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll.—Masters, spread yourselves.
|
BOTTOM A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry.—Now, good Peter Quince, call forth your actors by the scroll.—Masters, spread yourselves.
|
|
QUINCE Answer as I call you.—Nick Bottom, the weaver?
|
QUINCE Answer as I call you.—Nick Bottom, the weaver?
|
|
BOTTOM Ready. Name what part I am for and proceed.
|
BOTTOM Ready. Name what part I am for and proceed.
|
|
QUINCE You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
|
QUINCE You, Nick Bottom, are set down for Pyramus.
|
|
BOTTOM tyrant?Medieval and Renaissance plays often featured tyrant characters—kings who gave long, ranting speeches. |
BOTTOM tyrant?Medieval and Renaissance plays often featured tyrant characters—kings who gave long, ranting speeches. |
|
QUINCE A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.
|
QUINCE A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.
|
|
BOTTOM That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms. I will condole in some measure.—To the rest.—Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all split.
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates.
And Phoebus' car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
This was lofty!—Now name the rest of the players.—This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more condoling.
|
BOTTOM That will ask some tears in the true performing of it. If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will move storms. I will condole in some measure.—To the rest.—Yet my chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all split.
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates.
And Phoebus' car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
This was lofty!—Now name the rest of the players.—This is Ercles' vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more condoling.
|
|
QUINCE Francis Flute, the bellows-mender?
|
QUINCE Francis Flute, the bellows-mender?
|
|
FLUTE 15 Here, Peter Quince.
|
FLUTE Here, Peter Quince.
|
|
QUINCE Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.
|
QUINCE Flute, you must take Thisbe on you.
|
|
FLUTE What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?
|
FLUTE What is Thisbe? A wandering knight?
|
|
QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
|
QUINCE It is the lady that Pyramus must love.
|
|
FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.
|
FLUTE Nay, faith, let me not play a woman. I have a beard coming.
|
|
QUINCE |
QUINCE |
|
BOTTOM An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice: “Thisne, Thisne!”—“Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisbe dear and lady dear!”
|
BOTTOM An I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too! I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice: “Thisne, Thisne!”—“Ah, Pyramus, my lover dear, thy Thisbe dear and lady dear!”
|
|
QUINCE No, no. You must play Pyramus.—And Flute, you Thisbe.
|
QUINCE No, no. You must play Pyramus.—And Flute, you Thisbe.
|
|
BOTTOM Well, proceed.
|
BOTTOM Well, proceed.
|
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, the tailor?
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, the tailor?
|
|
STARVELING 25 Here, Peter Quince.
|
STARVELING Here, Peter Quince.
|
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother.—Tom Snout, the tinker?
|
QUINCE Robin Starveling, you must play Thisbe’s mother.—Tom Snout, the tinker?
|
|
SNOUT Here, Peter Quince.
|
SNOUT Here, Peter Quince.
|
|
QUINCE You, Pyramus' father.—Myself, Thisbe’s father.—Snug the joiner, you, the lion’s part.—And I hope here is a play fitted.
|
QUINCE You, Pyramus' father.—Myself, Thisbe’s father.—Snug the joiner, you, the lion’s part.—And I hope here is a play fitted.
|
|
SNUG Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
|
SNUG Have you the lion’s part written? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.
|
|
QUINCE 30 You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
|
QUINCE You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring.
|
|
BOTTOM Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the duke say, “Let him roar again. Let him roar again.”
|
BOTTOM Let me play the lion too. I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me. I will roar, that I will make the duke say, “Let him roar again. Let him roar again.”
|
|
QUINCE An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek. And that were enough to hang us all.
|
QUINCE An you should do it too terribly, you would fright the duchess and the ladies, that they would shriek. And that were enough to hang us all.
|
|
ALL That would hang us, every mother’s son.
|
ALL That would hang us, every mother’s son.
|
|
BOTTOM I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.
|
BOTTOM I grant you, friends, if you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion but to hang us. But I will aggravate my voice so that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove. I will roar you an ’twere any nightingale.
|
|
QUINCE |
QUINCE |
|
BOTTOM Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in?
|
BOTTOM Well, I will undertake it. What beard were I best to play it in?
|
|
QUINCE Why, what you will.
|
QUINCE Why, what you will.
|
|
BOTTOM I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French crown-color beard, your perfect yellow.
|
BOTTOM I will discharge it in either your straw-color beard, your orange-tawny beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French crown-color beard, your perfect yellow.
|
|
QUINCE Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced.—But masters, here are your parts. And I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.
|
QUINCE Some of your French crowns have no hair at all, and then you will play barefaced.—But masters, here are your parts. And I am to entreat you, request you, and desire you to con them by tomorrow night and meet me in the palace wood, a mile without the town, by moonlight. There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city we shall be dogged with company, and our devices known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties such as our play wants. I pray you, fail me not.
|
|
BOTTOM |
BOTTOM |
|
QUINCE At the duke’s oak we meet.
|
QUINCE At the duke’s oak we meet.
|
|
BOTTOM Enough. Hold, or cut bowstrings.
|
BOTTOM Enough. Hold, or cut bowstrings.
|
|
Exeunt
|
Exeunt
|
Test your knowledge
Take the Act 1, scene 2 Quick Quiz
Read the Summary
Read the Summary of Act 1, scene 2.
Shakespeare’s Life & Times
Dive into our comprehensive guide to ace your Shakespeare assignments
Did you know you can highlight text to take a note?
x
