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Age and build

The book is silent here, so we keep this plain and neutral.

Face and hair

marvellously hairy about the face

“methinks I am marvellous hairy about the face” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 7)

Dress

The book is silent here, so we keep this plain and neutral.

Voice and speech

speaks in a monstrous little voice when imitating Thisbe

“I’ll speak in a monstrous little voice; ‘Thisne, Thisne” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

uses formal address with 'Monsieur' and 'Master'

“I cry your worships mercy, heartily.—I beseech your worship’s name” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

Signature words

Monsieur

“Where’s Monsieur Cobweb” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 7)

good

“good Master Cobweb” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

I pray you

“I pray you, commend me to Mistress Squash, your mother” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

methinks

“Methinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

I desire you of more acquaintance

“I shall desire you of more acquaintance, good Master Cobweb” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

Gait and mannerisms

walks up and down singing to show he is not afraid

“I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

scratches his head when itchy

“if my hair do but tickle me, I must scratch” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 7)

Strengths

confident in his acting ability and ambitious for larger roles

“To the rest—yet my chief humour is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

resourceful in solving practical problems for the play

“Some man or other must present Wall. And let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

has a reasonable ear for music

“I have a reasonable good ear in music” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 7)

Flaws

presumptuous and eager to dominate all roles

“And I may hide my face, let me play Thisbe too” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

lacks self-awareness about his limitations as an actor

“I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

prone to malapropisms and confused language

“We will meet, and there we may rehearse most obscenely and courageously” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

Traits

boastful and self-assured

“A very good piece of work, I assure you, and a merry” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

practical and solution-oriented

“Not a whit; I have a device to make all well” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

courteous and respectful to the fairy attendants

“I cry your worships mercy, heartily.—I beseech your worship’s name” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

imaginative and prone to fanciful thinking

“I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 7)

Lines in their own words

“First, good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on; then read the names of the actors; and so grow to a point” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

“I will roar that I will make the Duke say ‘Let him roar again, let him roar again” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 2)

“I see their knavery. This is to make an ass of me, to fright me, if they could” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 5)

“Masters, I am to discourse wonders: but ask me not what; for if I tell you, I am not true Athenian” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 8)

“No, I assure you; the wall is down that parted their fathers” (A Midsummer Nights Dream, part 9)