Alternative Ending For A Midsummer Night's Dream By Shakespeare

• Serena May, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2009

Act 4 Scene 1

At the end of Act 3 Scene 2, Puck comes to remove the potion from Lysander’s eyes, but by mistake applies the antidote to Demetrius’s eyes.

Line 146

LYSANDER:
My lord, though thou might think me inconstant
Reason has cleared my clouded eyes errant
My love for Hermia I do revoke
For her my heart sang, but now it does croak
And presently will only my heart sing
For Helen, my beauteous darling
Demetrius, take Hermia, your wife!
I bear thee no grudge henceforth to thy life
THESEUS:
The next course of action is clear to me
Let Hermia wed and be merry with thee, Demetrius!
DEMETRIUS:
Never has a man felt so wonderful!
Exuent Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus and all his train
HERMIA:
Lysander! Do stop this jest, I beg you!
In my heart I know thou loves me truly
LYSANDER:
If thou has doubts, be sure of this fact:
I love her and hate thee, to be exact
Do not waste thy breath, for I shall always
Forsake your company throughout these days
HERMIA:
Aye me! How could I have his lost favour?
Such grief as mine cannot be equalled
HELENA:
Why does thou speak such falsehoods about grief?
Art thou sole in losing love? Nay, not so!
And my person has suffered longer woe!
Are you without fiancée? Are you lone?
Again, nay! Fie, Hermia, you acorn!
I hate thee currently, thou art selfish
Hast thou no kindness, person so dwarfish?
Time hast no sympathy, now must I flee
I leave thee with a promise; to kill thee
Either by misery or weaponry!
Exuent Helena and Lysander following
DEMETRIUS:
Do not fear that hideous maid, my love
I shall keep peace like the ark and the dove
You shall be joyful in my company
Exit
HERMIA:
Aye, her promise will she always keep
For every moment of my life I weep
Cursed is that devilish Fate, whom I loathe
Why has it decided to destroy me?
Exit

Scene 5 Act 2

In Act 5 Scene 1 Demetrius and Hermia were wedded, and the mechanics’ play was performed.

Enter Helena
HELENA:
How I do hate Lysander, irksome man!
He pursues me, but with more speed I ran
I shall soon tell Egeus his foul plans
Almost carried out in the forest lands
Then he shall be removed from my side, dead!
Now I shall poison Hermia’s goblet
And she shalt know what true suffering is!
Pours poison into Hermia’s cup
Do I hear footsteps? Quick, I must flee hence!
Exit
Enter Demetrius
DEMETRIUS:
What is this I see? Thankfully a cup!
Thirst has overcome my dry tongue with lust
He drinks
Ah, what liquid is this! Methinks poison
That now makes my lips painfully frozen
I pray my death will come swiftly
He dies

Next, Lysander is hung for attempting to flee from Athens and Helena is killed by crazed Hermia, before Hermia commits suicide.