Why does Snug who plays the Lion in A Midsummer Night's Dream not want to proclaim his true identity?

Answer 1

Snug has no objection to revealing his identity, and he does so in the final performance of Pyramus and Thisbe. There are two factors which might make it appear that he is reluctant to do so in a performance of the play.

The first is Snug's line earlier in the play "Have you the lion's part written? If it be then give it me, for I am slow of study." Snug is not very confident about his ability as an actor. He doesn't think he can learn lines. Quince tells him not to worry, he doesn't have any lines, he just has to roar like a lion, and he can do that ad lib.

But later on, at the rehearsal, Bottom gets worried that the audience will be so thick that they will not be able to tell Snug from a real lion. This is ridiculous, but all of the workmen look up to Bottom, and so they are worried. Bottom's answer is to have a "prologue" which will explain to the audience that Snug is not a real lion. Guess who gets to deliver this speech? You got it, it's "slow of study" Snug.

So, the director might portray Snug as objecting to the prologue idea, or being really shy or reluctant to go on stage to deliver it. (See for example Clive Swift in the 1968 Peter Hall production, who is so shy he whispers and can barely be heard by the audience that he supposes to be terrified of him) But this is not because he doesn't want to reveal his name, it's because he doesn't think he can do the speech. In most productions, Snug is an endearing character because of his humility, and his successful delivery of his speech and the audience's appreciation of its kind if somewhat silly intentions allow his self-confidence to get a real boost.

Answer 2

Snug, the actor playing the Lion in A Midsummer Night's Dream, is nervous and lacks confidence in his acting abilities. He fears that revealing his true identity may make him more self-conscious and further hinder his performance. Additionally, he may worry about judgment from others if they were to know who he really is.