Original: The kinder we, to give them thanks for nothing.
Modern: We’re being kind by thanking them even though they didn’t succeed.

Original: Our sport shall be to take what they mistake:
Modern: Our fun will be in accepting what they’ve messed up:

Original: And what poor duty cannot do, noble respect
Modern: And when humble effort falls short, generous understanding

Original: Takes it in might, not merit.
Modern: Values the intention behind it, not the quality of the performance.

Original: Where I have come, great clerks have purposed
Modern: Wherever I’ve traveled, learned scholars have planned

Original: To greet me with premeditated welcomes;
Modern: To welcome me with carefully rehearsed speeches;

Original: Where I have seen them shiver and look pale,
Modern: Where I’ve watched them tremble and go white,

Original: Make periods in the midst of sentences,
Modern: Stop in the middle of their sentences,

Original: Throttle their practised accent in their fears
Modern: Choke on their rehearsed words out of nervousness

Original: And in conclusion dumbly have broke off,
Modern: And finally just stop speaking altogether,

Original: Not paying me a welcome. Trust me, sweet,
Modern: Not managing to welcome me at all. Believe me, sweetheart,

Original: Out of this silence yet I pick’d a welcome;
Modern: Even from this silence I still found a welcome;

Original: And in the modesty of fearful duty
Modern: And in the humble nervousness of respectful service

Original: I read as much as from the rattling tongue
Modern: I understood as much as I would from the rapid talking

Original: Of saucy and audacious eloquence.
Modern: Of bold and overly confident speech.

Original: Love, therefore, and tongue-tied simplicity
Modern: Therefore, love and nervous speechlessness

Original: In least speak most, to my capacity.
Modern: Say the most by saying the least, as far as I can tell.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream follows multiple interconnected plots that unfold over the course of a single midsummer night in Athens and the nearby enchanted forest. The play opens with Duke Theseus of Athens preparing to marry Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. Meanwhile, Egeus brings his daughter Hermia before Theseus, demanding she marry Demetrius according to his wishes. Hermia refuses because she loves Lysander, and Theseus gives her until his wedding day to decide between marrying Demetrius, becoming a nun, or facing death. Hermia and Lysander plan to elope by meeting in the forest, and they confide in Hermia’s friend Helena, who is desperately in love with Demetrius despite his rejection of her.

In the forest, the fairy king Oberon and queen Titania are feuding over custody of a changeling boy. Oberon instructs his mischievous servant Puck to fetch a magical flower whose juice, when applied to sleeping eyes, makes the person fall in love with the first creature they see upon waking. Oberon plans to use this on Titania to humiliate her into giving up the boy, and he also orders Puck to help Helena by making Demetrius fall in love with her. However, Puck mistakenly applies the juice to Lysander’s eyes instead, causing him to fall in love with Helena when he awakens. Meanwhile, a group of Athenian craftsmen rehearsing a play in the forest becomes entangled in the magical chaos when Puck transforms their leader Bottom’s head into that of a donkey, and the enchanted Titania falls in love with him.

The romantic confusion deepens when Oberon discovers Puck’s error and applies the love juice to Demetrius’s eyes as well, causing both young men to pursue Helena, who believes they are mocking her. Hermia becomes confused and angry when Lysander rejects her for Helena. Oberon orders Puck to separate the four lovers and fix the situation. After obtaining the changeling boy from the distracted Titania, Oberon releases her from the spell and restores Bottom to his normal form. Puck leads the exhausted lovers through the forest until they fall asleep, then applies an antidote to Lysander’s eyes so he will love Hermia again upon waking. Theseus discovers the four lovers in the forest the next morning, and since Demetrius now truly loves Helena, the duke overrules Egeus and declares a triple wedding. The play concludes with the three couples’ wedding celebration, where the craftsmen perform their comically inept play, followed by the fairies blessing the palace and its inhabitants.