“ Lord, what fools these mortals be! ”
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream (1601). copy citation
| Author | William Shakespeare |
|---|---|
| Source | A Midsummer Night's Dream |
| Topic | man folly |
| Date | 1601 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act III, Scene 2 |
| Note | Written between 1590 and 1597 Puck line |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1514/1514-h/1514-h.htm |
Context
“When thou wak'st, if she be by, Beg of her for remedy.
Enter Puck. PUCK. Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand, And the youth mistook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee. Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be!
OBERON. Stand aside. The noise they make
Will cause Demetrius to awake.
PUCK. Then will two at once woo one. That must needs be sport alone;” source
Enter Puck. PUCK. Captain of our fairy band, Helena is here at hand, And the youth mistook by me, Pleading for a lover's fee. Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be!
OBERON. Stand aside. The noise they make
Will cause Demetrius to awake.
PUCK. Then will two at once woo one. That must needs be sport alone;” source
Meaning and analysis
Kwize Master
The sprite Puck has been asked to use a magic potion to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. But Puck has it wrong and gives the potion to Lysander. This mistake creates a misunderstanding between the young couples, leading Puck to laugh at the love affairs of humans and mock their great stupidity.
useful
useless
