A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Literary High Tea
Jointly reported by:
Ng Yi Phin Jr2Z(2)
Victoria Hwang Jr2S(4)
Tan Qi Xuan Sr1A
On Friday, 17th of June 2022, Kuen Cheng High School Library organized an event for all students: A Literary High Tea. Mr. Joshua Tan Chong Hui, English Teacher cum Assistant to the Head of Discipline Department was invited as the presenter, with Mr. Pang Chung Seong, our Assistant Admin Head of the Discipline Department as a facilitator. The book shared was a famous classic – “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare.
Joshua’s storytelling centered around the complicated relationships of four Athenians: Demetrius, Hermia, Lysander and Helena. At the beginning, we’re introduced to Hermia’s father, Egeus, who had promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to Demetrius, but she, who was in love with Lysander, refused to obey. Hermia was given three choices: to follow her father’s wishes, to be put to death by law, or to be forever alone. Hermia, furious at the unfairness, seeks to discuss with Lysander about running away to the woods. Helena, Demetrius’s former lover, hears of the elopement and tells Demetrius, follows behind him when he sets out to find the starstruck couple.
In the forest, Puck, a mischievous, trickster fairy, on Oberon, the king of fairies’ orders, obtains a flower once hit by Cupid’s arrow, and rubs the flower juice on the eyelids of Titania, the queen of fairies, Demetrius and Lysander. The magic of the flower is said to cause the sleeper to fall in love with whoever they first see upon waking. Due to the magic and an incredulous coincidence, both Demetrius and Lysander, who were initially pursuing after Hermia, fall madly in love with Helena, who assumes their confessions as hurtful insults. Hermia, who is appalled at Lysander’s sudden change of heart, grows furious with Helena and they fight, chasing after one another in the forest. The two men do the same, but Puck, still running interference, confuses the would-be combatants until they are hopelessly lost and exhausted.
When all four fall asleep from tiredness, Puck dispels the love potion in Lysander so he may remember his feelings for Hermia, and squeezes more of the juice in Demetrius’s eyelids, so that he may reciprocate Helena’s love. With that, the status quo is restored and the four youths are found safe and sound by Egeus the next morning.
(Photo 1: Notes on “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” ’s plot were provided)
During the discussion session, three questions were thrown to the participants, giving them a chance to mingle with others while thinking of the possible answers. There were particularly active students who answered the questions and gave reasonable answers, which enlightened everyone to view the story from different perspectives.
(Photo 2, 3: Discussion session)
After a thrilling story and everyone’s active participation, the activity came to an end. The story told by Mr. Joshua Tan greatly described how people tend to fall in love with those who appear beautiful to them. We would like to express a heartfelt gratitude to Mr. Joshua Tan for giving all the participants a chance to learn about the great work of literature.