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Year 8 - English

'A Midsummer Night's Dream': Shakespeare and the supernatural

'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore Shakespeare's comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. They focus on the character Puck and the theme of the supernatural, and analyse their role and importance at different points in the play. Finally, they plan and write an essay about Puck and the supernatural.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explore how the supernatural is presented in a number of Shakespeare's plays and use this exploration to explain why the character of Puck is a comic figure.

Key Notes

  • Shakespeare explored the supernatural in many of his plays.
  • Sometimes Shakespeare presents the supernatural as clearly evil.
  • In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the character of Puck is presented in an ambiguous way.
  • Despite this ambiguous presentation, Puck is central to making 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' a comedy.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • supernatural: things that can't be explained by the laws of nature
  • folklore: stories and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation; these are not written down, but told verbally
  • ambiguous: open to interpretation
  • Shakespearean comedy: a play designed to make you laugh, often involving misunderstandings and ending in marriage
  • 'Macbeth': a play written by Shakespeare which includes the supernatural; it is a tragedy with a sad, violent ending

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • You should only ever consider one Shakespearean play at a time. Comparing plays and characters is irrelevant and confusing.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Shakespeare explored the supernatural in many of his plays. Sometimes Shakespeare presents the supernatural as clearly evil.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'supernatural'

things that can't be explained by the laws of nature.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: You should only ever consider one Shakespearean play at a time. Comparing plays and characters is irrelevant and confusing. Correction: Comparing characters can be an excellent way to deepen your understanding of Shakespeare as a writer, and to understand the significance of how a particular character has been created.

More Lessons In This Unit

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