Act+V+Summary

Act Five, Scene One In the palace where Theseus and Hippolyta reside, the guests are waiting for some form of after dinner entertainment. Theseus has Philostrate read him a list of possible performances, and Theseus finally settles on 'A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus and his love Thisbe: very tragical mirth' as the play he wants to see performed. Philostrate tries to dissuade him, telling him that the actors are workingmen will no talent, but Theseus is adamant that he watch them perform. Quince delivers the prologue, a masterpiece of writing fraught with sentence fragments which serve to reverse the meaning of the actual phrases:

//If we offend, it is with our good will.// //That you should think: we come not to offend But with good will.// //To show our simple skill, That is the true beginning of our end.// //Consider then we come but in despite.// //We do not come as minding to content you, Our true intent is.// //All for your delight We are not here.// //That you should here repent you.// //The actors are at hand, and by their show.// //You shall know all that you are like to know.// (5.1.108-117)

The play is then performed, with numerous linguistic errors and incorrect references making it into a complete farce. Hippolyta condemns the play as being "silly" while Theseus defends it as being nothing more than imaginative. During the performance, Theseus, Lysander, Demetrius and Hippolyta add commentary which criticizes the action, and makes fun of the antics of the laymen. At the end of the play both Bottom and Flute get up from where they are lying, supposedly dead, and offer to perform an epilogue or a bergamask (a type of dance). Theseus quickly intervenes and tells them they need no epilogue, but rather should only perform the dance, which they do.

Act Five, Scene Two and Epilogue Puck enters with a broom and sweeps the stage. In a monologue he informs the audience that not even a mouse will disturb the lovers, and it can be inferred that he is protecting their bedchambers. Oberon and Titania arrive in order to bless the union of Theseus and Hippolyta. They perform a fairy dance and depart, leaving Puck alone on stage. Puck's epilogue begs forgiveness of the audience and says: //If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended:// //That you have but slumbered here, While these visions did appear;// (Epilogue, 1-4) Indicating that if someone did not like the play, then he or she should imagine that it was all a dream.