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Shakespeare and his contemporaries had one extra pronoun, \"thou,\" which could be used in addressing a person who was one\'s equal or social inferior. \"You\" was obligatory if more than one person was addressed, so \"you\" is used when Puck addresses the audience:
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here,
(V, i, 414-15)
but it could also be used to indicate respect. Lysander and Hermia show their respect for each other by using \"you\":
LYS. Fair love, you faint with wandering in the wood;
.......
HER. Be it so, Lysander; find you out a bed,
For I upon this bank will rest my head.
(II, ii, 41ff)
Frequently, a person in power used \"thou\" to a child or a subordinate but was addressed \"you\" in return, as when Oberon speaks to Puck:
OBE. And look thou meet me ere the first cock crow.
PUCK Fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so.
(II, i, 267-68)
but if \"thou\" was used inappropriately it could cause grave offense. Oberon intended to offend Titania when he addressed her as \"thou\":
How canst thou thus, for shame, Titania,
(II, i, 74)
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