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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)



Philostrate is

Answer Details
Philostrate is the Duke's entertainer. In the given extract from William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, Philostrate is addressed and instructed by the speaker to stir up the Athenian youth to merriment. This implies that Philostrate holds a position of responsibility in organizing and managing entertainment for the Duke and his court. As the Duke's entertainer, Philostrate would be in charge of arranging various forms of amusement, such as performances, festivities, and celebrations, to entertain and bring joy to the people in the Athenian court. It is important to note that in the play, Philostrate's role is primarily associated with organizing and overseeing the entertainment activities rather than being a clown, fairy king's cuckold, or a rival of Puck. Therefore, based on the context provided in the extract, Philostrate can be identified as the Duke's entertainer.