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WAEC SSCE - Literature In English - 2022 (Objective)

Question 1 Report

William Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Read the extract below and answer the following questions

Go, Philostrate,
Sir up the Athenian youth to merriments;
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
Turn melancholy forth to funerals:
The pale companion is not our pomp

Hippolyta, I wooed 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 reveling ( Act 1, Scene One, Lines 12-20)



Who is the speaker?

Answer Details
The speaker in the given extract from William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream is Theseus. Theseus, the Duke of Athens, is addressing Philostrate, instructing him to rouse the Athenian youth to engage in merriment and festivities. Theseus is the authoritative figure in the play and holds a position of power as the ruler of Athens. In this particular scene, he is making plans for the upcoming wedding celebration with Hippolyta, whom he addresses in the later part of the extract. As the Duke and central character, Theseus takes charge of organizing and directing the events in the play, including the entertainment and festivities associated with the wedding. Therefore, based on the context provided, Theseus is the speaker in the given lines.