A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
EnglishWilliam Shakespeare
Shakespeare's comedy of four lovers lost in an enchanted wood, a fairy king and queen at war, and a troupe of workmen rehearsing the worst play in Athens. 30 parts across three worlds that collide in the forest; Bottom, Puck and Helena carry it, and the smallest fairies have a line each.
Free, with every role voiced. Listen to the whole play first, then pick your part, and the app reads the others aloud while you rehearse your lines.
Roles
- Theseus (55 lines)
- Hippolyta (14 lines)
- Egeus (8 lines)
- Hermia (48 lines)
- Helena (39 lines)
- Lysander (52 lines)
- Demetrius (48 lines)
- Philostrate (7 lines)
- Quince (39 lines)
- Snug (2 lines)
- Bottom (49 lines)
- Flute (7 lines)
- Snout (7 lines)
- Starveling (4 lines)
- Oberon (35 lines)
- Titania (25 lines)
- Puck (34 lines)
- Fairy (4 lines)
- First Fairy (2 lines)
- Second Fairy (1 line)
- Chorus (2 lines)
- Peaseblossom (4 lines)
- Cobweb (4 lines)
- Moth (2 lines)
- Mustardseed (5 lines)
- Pyramus (13 lines)
- Thisbe (12 lines)
- Prologue (2 lines)
- Wall (2 lines)
- Lion (2 lines)
- Moonshine (3 lines)
- All (2 lines)
Preview
Enter Theseus, Hippolyta, Philostrate and Attendants.
THESEUS
Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour Draws on apace; four happy days bring in Another moon; but oh, methinks, how slow This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires, Like to a step-dame or a dowager, Long withering out a young man’s revenue.
HIPPOLYTA
Four days will quickly steep themselves in night; Four nights will quickly dream away the time; And then the moon, like to a silver bow New bent in heaven, shall behold the night Of our solemnities.
THESEUS
Go, Philostrate, Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments; Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth; Turn melancholy forth to funerals; The pale companion is not for our pomp.
[_Exit Philostrate._]
Theseus
Hippolyta, I woo’d thee with my sword, And won thy love doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.
Enter Egeus, Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius.
EGEUS
Happy be Theseus, our renownèd Duke!
THESEUS
Thanks, good Egeus. What’s the news with thee?
EGEUS
Full of vexation come I, with complaint Against my child, my daughter Hermia. Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her.
EGEUS
Stand forth, Lysander. And, my gracious Duke, This man hath bewitch’d the bosom of my child. Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchang’d love-tokens with my child. Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice, verses of feigning love; And stol’n the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gauds, conceits, Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats (messengers Of strong prevailment in unharden’d youth) With cunning hast thou filch’d my daughter’s heart, Turn’d her obedience (which is due to me) To stubborn harshness. And, my gracious Duke, Be it so she will not here before your grace Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: As she is mine I may dispose of her; Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death, according to our law Immediately provided in that case.
THESEUS
What say you, Hermia? Be advis’d, fair maid. To you your father should be as a god; One that compos’d your beauties, yea, and one To whom you are but as a form in wax By him imprinted, and within his power To leave the figure, or disfigure it. Demetrius is a worthy gentleman.
HERMIA
So is Lysander.
THESEUS
In himself he is. But in this kind, wanting your father’s voice, The other must be held the worthier.
HERMIA
I would my father look’d but with my eyes.
