Lesson Plan on 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Love in its many forms is the most important theme in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The romantic encounters and subsequent confusions are the greatest cause of conflict in the play.

The play gives us variations on the theme of love – idyllic young love in the case of Hermia and Lysander; passionate and possessive love between Titania and Oberon; love lost and found again as with Helena and Demetrius; love as conquest as in the case of Theseus and Hippolyta. Shakespeare makes a point of infusing A Midsummer Night’s Dream with more than just a two-dimensional notion of romantic love – he shows us the darker side where we see love’s inconstancy, its violence, its possessiveness, and its illusory nature.

This lesson plan is designed specifically for Shakespeare's classic comedy. It lasts approximately 90 minutes (depending on the class size) and has activities for all types of learners. The photocopiable student sheet with the activities is included, as well as a separate sheet with the answers.