Key Quotations (Edexcel A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes

Key Quotations

Act 1

"The course of true love never did run smooth."

• Lysander reflects on the difficulties faced by lovers throughout history.
• This quote uses a metaphor to compare love to a turbulent journey, implying that true love always encounters obstacles. It sets the stage for the conflicts that will unfold in the play.
• Key themes: Love, conflict, fate.

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, / And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."

• Helena laments that love is not based on physical appearance but on inner qualities, which leads to irrational and unpredictable attractions.
• The quote uses personification and metaphor. Cupid, the god of love, is depicted as blind to signify love's irrational nature. This emphasises the theme of love's blindness and its ability to transcend physical appearance.
• Key themes: Love, irrationality, perception.

"I am, my lord, as well derived as he, / As well possessed. My love is more than his; / My fortunes every way as fairly ranked."

• Lysander argues that he is as worthy as Demetrius to marry Hermia.
• This quote highlights Lysander's sense of equality and justice. It underscores the theme of merit versus birth right, questioning societal norms and the true basis of worth.
• Key themes: Love, equality, societal norms.

"To you your father should be as a god."

• Theseus tells Hermia that she should obey her father's wishes as if he were a god.
• This quote uses a simile to compare a father's authority to divine power, emphasising the theme of parental control and obedience.
• Key themes: Authority, obedience, familial duty.

"Take comfort; he no more shall see my face; / Lysander and myself will fly this place."

• Hermia assures Lysander that they will escape together to be free from Athenian law.
• This quote shows Hermia's determination and bravery. It foreshadows the lovers' flight and the ensuing chaos in the forest.
• Key themes: Love, rebellion, freedom

Act 2

"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, / Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows."

• Oberon describes a magical place where Titania sleeps.
• This quote uses vivid imagery to create an enchanting and serene setting, highlighting the play's connection to nature and magic.
• Key themes: Nature, magic, enchantment.

"We cannot fight for love as men may do; / We should be wooed and were not made to woo."

• Helena expresses her frustration with the gender roles that prevent her from actively pursuing love.
• The quote uses antithesis to contrast men's active pursuit of love with women's passive role. It emphasises the theme of gender roles and the constraints they impose.
• Key themes: Gender roles, love, societal norms.

"I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, / The more you beat me, I will fawn on you."

• Helena declares her unwavering devotion to Demetrius, even if he mistreats her.
• This quote uses a metaphor to compare Helena to a loyal dog, highlighting her desperation and the power imbalance in her relationship with Demetrius.
• Key themes: Love, devotion, power imbalance.

"Churl, upon thy eyes I throw / All the power this charm doth owe."

• Oberon uses a magical potion to make Titania fall in love with the first creature she sees upon waking.
• This quote uses magic as a plot device to manipulate love and create conflict, emphasising the theme of supernatural intervention.
• Key themes: Magic, manipulation, love.

"What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?"

• Titania awakens under the influence of the love potion and immediately falls in love with Bottom.
• This quote uses irony as Titania, a fairy queen, falls in love with a transformed Bottom. It underscores the theme of love's irrationality and the comedic elements of the play.
• Key themes: Love, magic, comedy.

Act 3

"Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

• Puck comments on the absurdity of the lovers' behaviour under the influence of the love potion.
• This quote uses irony to highlight the folly of human actions and the chaotic nature of love. It reflects Puck's mischievous character and the play's comedic tone.
• Key themes: Foolishness, love, chaos.

"And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays."

• Bottom comments on the disconnect between reason and love.
• This quote uses personification to highlight the conflict between rationality and emotion, a central theme in the play.
• Key themes: Reason, love, conflict.

Act 4

"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was."

• Bottom tries to describe his fantastical experience in the fairy realm.
• This quote uses irony as Bottom, a simple weaver, reflects on a profound and surreal experience, emphasising the theme of dreams and reality.
• Key themes: Dreams, reality, transformation.

Act 5

"The lunatic, the lover, and the poet / Are of imagination all compact."

• Theseus reflects on the similarities between lunatics, lovers, and poets in their imaginative perceptions.
• This quote uses a metaphor to link creativity and madness, highlighting the power of imagination and its role in shaping reality.
• Key themes: Imagination, reality, perception.

"If we shadows have offended, / Think but this, and all is mended."

• Puck addresses the audience directly, asking for forgiveness if the play has caused any offence.
• This quote breaks the fourth wall and uses a direct appeal to the audience, emphasising the play's metatheatrical elements and the theme of illusion versus reality.
• Key themes: Metatheatre, illusion, reality.