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Diana and Moon
Context and Language Videos
Act 1,
Scene 1
Lines 7-11a

An explanation of the significance of Diana, goddess of the moon and hunting, in Act 1, Scene 1 of myshakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

myshakespeare/AMidsummerNight'sDream 1.1.11a/"Diana and Moon"

Hippolyta

Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;
Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities. 
Video Transcript: 

Athena

To Hippolyta, the waning moon resembles a silver bow bent back to fire an arrow.

Ralph

According to Greek mythology, the moon and the bow and arrow kind of go together, since Diana is the goddess of both the moon and hunting and is often pictured with a bow and arrow.

Athena

Once the new moon fully arrives in four days…

Hippolyta imagines that the face in the moon is that of the goddess Diana, who will be looking down on their wedding.