Bad times at Athens.
The city of Athens
Athens was usually a bright, busy place. It was a city, lying at the edge of the deep blue sea. All around were many farms, where you could see sheep, goats, cattle and horses, and fields --sometimes green, sometimes yellow with crops in summer-- and orchards full of fruit trees.
Through the fields, between the farms, ran streams and small rivers where many kinds of fish usually lived, and green frogs hopped about in the long grass that grew along their banks.
On one side of the city was the large dark wood where Hermia and
Lysander were going to meet, and where Demetrius and Helena would probably go, too. It was full of dark old trees that made groaning noises when the wind moved them.
All kinds of small animals usually had their homes in the trees. Big, strong, fierce animals were sometimes seen moving about in the bushes below. The people of Athens also believed that other, stranger creatures lived in that dark wood, too. They looked like human beings, but they were not human.
Now you will have noticed that so far the word 'usually' has been used three times. It means 'most of the time, but not always'. And this time, the time when Hermia and Lysander were making their plans to run away, was one of those 'not always' times.
Nature gone wrong
At this time, the city of Athens was an unhappy place. The weather had been bad for weeks. It should have been sunny and warm; instead it was cloudy and cold. It rained a lot. Sometimes everything was covered in a thick fog, and you could not see where you were going.
The rain filled the streams and rivers so that they flooded. Water went everywhere. The fish were washed up on to the land, and died. The crops would not grow. The grass was bad and made the animals that ate it ill. Frogs jumped about in people's homes.
Nature, people thought, had gone all wrong, but they did not know why. They spent a lot of their time talking about it, and were sad.
A holiday
However, you have to be very sad indeed not to enjoy a wedding.
Very soon after Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Hermia's father,
Egeus had spoken to the Duke, everyone in Athens had forgotten
about the rain and cold and fog and water and the frogs. Everyone was talking to everyone else about the wedding.
All the citizens loved their Duke Theseus. They thought Hyppolita was very beautiful, and would make him a lovely wife. They were very happy. It was the happiest they had been for weeks.
One thing made them especially happy. The Duke's wedding day would be a holiday for everyone. There would be no work. There would be lots to eat and drink, all paid for by the Duke. And there would be many amusements to watch, or to take part in.
Something special for the Duke
In the evening of the same day when Hermia and Lysander had been making their plans to run away, a group of young men met in a small house in the poorer part of the city. They were not rich, and they were not clever. They were just simple working people. But they wanted to do something special for the Duke's wedding. So, they had come together to talk about what they might do.
'Is everyone here?' asked Peter Quince. It was his house they were in.
'Why don't you call the names out one by one, in a general sort of way,' said a tall, fat young man. His name was 'Bottom'. He was bigger than the others, and rather clumsy looking. He also had a strange way of talking.
'All right,' said Peter Quince, who always agreed with anyone who suggested anything to him.
He picked up a list. 'These are the names of people who are good at acting,' he said. 'They will put on a short play in front of the Duke and his lady, the Duchess Hypolitta, on their wedding day - in the evening.'
'Why don't you tell us what the play is about, first,' said Bottom. 'and then read the names of the actors after that.'
'Yes, all right,' said Peter Quince. 'Well, our play is called 'The Very Funny Play about the Sad Death of Pyramus and Thisby.''
'Oh, I have heard about that one,' said Bottom. 'Yes, that is a very good play. And it is a very funny one, too. Now, Peter Quince, why don't you call out the names of the actors.'
Bottom turned to the others in the room.'Come along, gentlemen,' he said. 'Sit down. Let's make ourselves comfortable.'
They all sat down, and waited for Peter Quince to tell them who would be the actors, and what parts they would play.