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All Site ContentMidsummer Night's DreamAct 1Scene 2
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"Obscenely"
Humor
Act 1,
Scene 2
Lines 88-98

An explanation of the humor in Bottom’s misuse of the word “obscenely” in Act 1, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Quince

and then you will play barefaced. – But masters, here are
your parts, and I am to entreat you, request you, and
desire you to con them by tomorrow night, and meet me
in the palace wood a mile without the town. By moonlight
There will we rehearse, for if we meet in the city
we shall be dogged with company and our devices
known. In the meantime I will draw a bill of properties
such as our play wants. I pray you fail me not.

Bottom

We will meet, and there we may rehearse most
obscenely and courageously. Take pains; be perfect.
Adieu.

Bottom means that they will rehearse "seemly" (properly), not "obscenely" (offensively).