A Midsummer Night's Dream (34 page)

19
apprehend
conceive

20
comprehends
incorporates

24
transfigured
changed, affected

25
More witnesseth
is more certain testimony

26
constancy
consistency, truth

27
admirable
wondrous, extraordinary

32
board
table

33
masques
courtly entertainments involving music, dancing, and elaborate costumes

35
after-supper
time after the evening meal

41
abridgement
pastime (to shorten the evening)

44
brief
summary

44
ripe
fully prepared

46
battle … Centaurs
probably derived from Ovid's
Metamorphoses
, which tells of the battle of the Centaurs and the Lapithae; some versions say that
Hercules
was present

50
riot … rage
another tale from Ovid's
Metamorphoses
in which Orpheus was torn apart by female followers of Bacchus (Roman god of wine)

52
device
show

54
thrice … beggary
possible reference to Spenser's poem “The Tears of the Muses”

56
critical
judgmental

57
sorting with
appropriate for

61
strange snow
a word may be missing here, e.g. “strange black snow”

62
concord
harmony

67
fitted
suitable, apt

76
toiled
exhausted, taxed

76
unbreathed
unpracticed, inexperienced

77
against
in preparation for

83
conned
learned

87
simpleness
unassuming simplicity

89
wretchedness o'er-charged
humble people overburdened

90
his service
its attempt to serve

92
kind
respect

94
take
accept, comprehend, value

95
noble respect
dignity and consideration that comes with nobility

96
in … merit
in terms of effort rather than actual value

97
clerks
scholars

100
Make periods
full stops/rhetorical pauses

101
accent
speech, intonation

104
picked
extracted, detected

105
modesty
propriety/shyness

105
fearful
frightened

109
capacity
understanding

110
addressed
ready

112
will
. Quince inadvertently inserts a full stop here and changes the meaning of the line

114
will
. another misplaced full stop

115
end
aim

116
despite
malice

117
We … you
correctly punctuated, this would read “we come—but in despite we do not come—as minding to content you”

118
is
. erroneous full stop

118
All
exclusively

118
delight
missing punctuation (e.g. full stop, semicolon)

119
here
. erroneous full stop

120
show
appearance/performance

121
like
likely

122
stand upon points
dwell on trivialities/insist on (correct) punctuation

123
rid
dispensed with/ridden

123
rough
untrained

124
stop
pulling-up (of a horse)/full stop

127
government
control

128
nothing
not

135
sunder
separate

140
scorn
shame, disdain

142
hight
is called

145
mantle
loose cloak

145
fall
let fall

147
tall
fine/brave

150
broached
pierced

153
twain
two/separated

158
interlude
short play

166
sinister
left

167
fearful
frightened

170
partition
wall/section of a scholarly book

173
grim-looked
grim-looking, forbidding

180
chink
plays on sense of “vagina/anus”

181
Jove
Roman supreme god

184
stones
plays on sense of “testicles”

185
sensible
capable of feeling

185
again
in response

189
pat
exactly

194
lime
probably pronounced “limb,” thus playing on sense of “penis”

194
hair
plays on “pubic hair”

196
an
if

197
thou … love
Thisbe misplaces the pause that should be after “love”

198
lover's grace
i.e. gracious lover

199
Limander
malapropism for “Leander,” lover of Hero

200
Helen
mistake for “Hero”

201
Shafalus to Procrus
mistakes for “Cephalus,” who was married to “Procris”

204
hole
plays on “arsehole”

206
'Tide
betide, i.e. come

209
mural
wall

211
walls … hear
derived from the proverb “walls have ears”

211
wilful
willing

214
in this kind
of this sort

214
shadows
images/reflections/actors

222
monstrous
frightening/enormous

224
rough
wild/cruel

226
fell
fierce

226
dam
mother

230
at
i.e. at playing

230
beast
puns on
best

231
a very fox
i.e. cunning

231
for
i.e. for all

232
goose … discretion
i.e. foolish

232
discretion
judgment/prudence

234
carries
i.e. literally, as prey

238
hornèd
i.e. crescent-shaped

239
horns … head
i.e. as a cuckold (men with unfaithful wives were said to grow horns)

240
no crescent
no growing moon (presumably because he is so thin)

248
in snuff
in need of blowing out/angry

251
in the wane
decreasing/lacking

251
reason
i.e. reasonable behavior

251
stay the time
wait for the moment, sit it out

265
moused
seized/shaken (refers to Thisbe's mantle)

274
dole
sorrow, grievous occurrence

280
Furies
three classical goddesses of vengeance

280
fell
fierce

281
Fates
three classical goddesses in control of human destiny (a thread which would be cut when death was due)

282
thrum
end of warp-thread on a weaving loom, i.e. everything

283
Quail
end, destroy

283
quell
overcome, ruin

284
passion
fit of grief

284
friend
lover

285
go near to
almost

286
Beshrew
curse

287
frame
create

288
deflowered
presumably a mistake for “devoured”

290
cheer
face/joy

293
pap
breast (usually a woman's)

300
Tongue
error for “eye”

303
die
one of a pair of dice

303
ace
one (single spot on a die)

307
ass
puns on
ace

311
passion
sorrow/suffering (resulting in death)

312
long one
i.e. fit of grief

314
mote
tiny particle

318
means
laments/intends

318
videlicet
“that is to say” (Latin)

331
Sisters Three
i.e. the Fates

335
shore
shorn, cut

336
thread of silk
i.e. life

339
imbrue
pierce

347
Bergomask dance
rustic dance, named after the people of Bergamo, Italy

347
between
i.e. performed by

355
iron tongue
clapper of a bell

355
told
counted, i.e. rung (puns on “tolled”)

358
overwatched
stayed up late

359
palpable-gross
obviously clumsy

359
beguiled
whiled away

360
heavy gait
slow/sleepy passage

361
solemnity
celebration

365
heavy
exhausted

366
fordone
worn out

367
wasted brands
burned logs

368
screech-owl
the barn owl's cry was thought to be a bad omen

373
sprite
spirit

376
triple Hecate
classical goddess of witchcraft and night, associated with the moon; often represented in triple form, she was known as Luna/Cynthia in heaven, Diana on earth, and Proserpina in the underworld

376
team
i.e. the creatures, probably dragons, pulling her chariot

379
frolic
frolicsome, merry

381
hallowed
blessed

382
behind
out from behind/behind

383
give glimmering light
probably a command to the fairies, who may have candles with them (perhaps carried on their heads to leave their hands free for dancing)

388
trippingly
skillfully, lightly

389
rehearse
recite

389
rote
heart

395
best bride-bed
i.e. that of Theseus and Hippolyta

397
issue
children

397
create
created

404
prodigious
ominous

407
consecrate
holy, blessed

408
gait
(own) course

409
several
individual

413
stay
delay

419
weak
deficient

419
idle
foolish/trifling

420
yielding but
meaningful than

421
Gentles
ladies and gentlemen

421
reprehend
reprove

422
mend
improve, put it right

425
serpent's tongue
i.e. audience hisses

429
Give … hands
i.e. applaud

430
restore amends
make amends in return