Why do Theseus and Hippolyta spend so much time talking about dogs when they enter in Act 4, scene 1? This is an exercise in close reading of a part in order to understand more fully the whole. First, briefly paraphrase the exchange between the two characters, from “Go, one of you, find out the Forester” to “Judge when you hear” (4.1.107-131). (Feel free to consult your text for this.) Second, note what qualities Theseus and Hippolyta admire in the barking of the dogs. In noting these qualities, pay close attention to the metaphors or similes that they use to interpret the sounds. Finally, what motifs in the play as a whole does this particular speech pick up and vary?
