During the course of Shakespeare?s A Midsummer Night?s Dream, the rise of two leaders emerge. Theseus, the leader of Athens and of ?reality?, and Oberon, the leader of the fairies and of ?dreams?. Shakespeare makes it evident that these leaders are two of a completely different nature. As the play progresses it?s clear that Oberon is the better leader of the two.
When dealt with the pressures of being a leader of people, the most essential aspect of this duty is communication. In the play, usually done by speeches, each leader targets a different are of human physiology. In the line, ?I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows;
Quite overcanopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk roses, and with eglantine.
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight.
And there the snake throws her enameled skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in.
And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
And make her full of hateful fantasies,? (ActII, Sc2. 259-267)
Oberon stresses the use of emotion to understand what he is saying. On the other hand, Theseus accentuates the use of logic, best portrayed in this line, ?I never may believe these antique fables, nor these fairy toys...?(ActV, Sc1. 4-5)
Another necessary trait of a good leader is courage, in which Theseus has little of. Theseus possesses an ?if-then? complex. Oberon on the other hand reacts without consideration of consequence. This may seem like a weakness to most people, but in the heat of the moment there is no time for decision making but a good leader must act acutely.
...onnects his audience to the characters and although the play is written for the Elizabethan era, it remains pertinent by invoking the notion of human nature. He implements themes of love, anger, and impulsiveness and demonstrates the influence these emotions have on human behavior. It is evident that because human nature is constant, people have and will continue to be affected by these emotions.
In the classic poem and plays Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and The Odyssey by Homer, the main characters are leaders with differing successes. Julius Caesar gets killed by his own "friends", Oedipus gouges out his eyes, and Odysseus faced many setbacks, but managed to get home. All of these classical heroes had one thing in common. This was that they tried to lead by dominance. In Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and The Odyssey by Homer, all of
In Hamlet’s speech, Shakespeare’s efforts to target his Elizabethan audience develop the theme of the frailty of man. Shakespeare conveys this underlying theme of the play by subt...
... happy outcome, while Shakespeare is not. INSERT SECONDARY SOURCE HERE. The characters may be happy or unhappy as the play demands, and as writer Shakespeare shows no apparent preference for one outcome over the other. In a comedy such as A Midsummer Night's Dream the lovers indeed marry in the end, but in a tragedy they can just as easily die. Everything turns out the way Oberon wants it to. He has orchestrated everything, or so he thinks: "There shall the pairs of faithful lovers be / Wedded, with Theseus, all in jollity" (4.1.88-89). INSERT SECONDARY SOURCE HERE. But although Oberon is godlike and enjoys magical control over others, Shakespeare ultimately uses Oberon to ensure the play's resolution. If Oberon is a King, then Shakespeare is a God.
Oberon, King of the fairies, has the honor of delivering lines 32 through 52 (5.2) known as “The Song” (244n4) in Stephen Greenblatts publication in The Norton Shakespeare of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Although Oberon was not always given these lines, the speech that it forms is quite becoming of the character and fits his place, both in society and the story. This speech gives Oberon a chance to make amends for the mischief he has created, by blessing them and their marital beds. The song lulls the audience into a slight slumber like state where Puck will give the final speech stating that this was all a dream. The melodic tune of rhyming couplets does not flow as easily for Oberon as does prose, creating a general lack of figures of speech.
THE IMPORTANCE OF OBERON TO THE PLOT In the play, Oberon brings all the characters from different worlds into contact with each other. This results in the complications and collisions that occur between various characters throughout the play. The “Magic” has an effect on all the complications and collisions. Magic is misused and then used to correct situations.
Shakespeare, William. The Three-Text Hamlet. Eds. Paul Bertram and Bernice Kliman. New York: AMS Press, 1991.
...interactions toward their subjects, they do however both mean well. While Oberon is slightly more irrational he still fixes problems in the end allowing for a resolution to the comedy. Likewise, Theseus is not perfect either, he may be lacking passion and emotion when it is needed; however, he still shows sympathy for Hermia against the law and her father, and love for his wife. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” mixes two worlds, one of order and reason and the other of imagination or impulse. These worlds come together to bring happiness and love in the end, although when separated cause chaos and conflict.
(65) Philostrate: The play is only 10 words long but by 10 words it is too long
One may wonder exactly what it is that qualities a strong leader possesses. A strong leader is determined, and strong willed. They must be of good judgment, and without bias. They cannot easily be persuaded, and they are firm, yet at the same time, a good lead must also empathize with his subordinates, and have the best interest at heart for said subordinates, at all times. However, with that being said, a good leader cannot be afraid to discipline his subordinates when necessary. Unmistakably, being a leader is a very difficult feat – one which not everyone can accomplish. A leader must be an authority, a friend and a counsellor, all at once. They must be responsible, and always take into account the disadvantages of a situation. Not everyone is suitable to be a leader, whereas, just about anybody can be a good role model.
Shakespeare uses a variety of characters in his famous play, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, who effectively demonstrate family loyalty, one of the values relevant to our society. The play focuses on the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions of this young prince, Hamlet, seeking revenge for his father’s death. When Hamlet decides to act on the information the angered ghos...
Hamlet makes extensive use of the idea of theatrical performance; from revealing characters to not be what they seem - as they act to be - to Hamlet’s play The Mousetrap and his instruction of acting to the players. The extensive use of the stage in the stage directions, as well as numerous monologues and asides, have Hamlet itself acting as a literary device for the motif of theatrical performance.
The other major example of conflict with authority is also partly responsible for the friction that occurs in the play. This example occurs in the fairy world between Oberon and Titania. Oberon, as king of the fairies, is the supreme authority in the fairy world. Therefore, by disobeying him, Titania is defying her supreme authority. Her disobedience causes the conflict in nature that is apparen...
In William Shakespeare’s book, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, magic is a powerful and useful tool for the characters that have the capability to use it. Some of the characters abuse the power of magic, while others are more responsible in how they use it. Oberon is one the characters that abuses the power of magic. Oberon’s magic has an immense impact on the plot of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. More specifically, Oberon’s magic affects his own life, the lives of other characters, and all the characters in the story experience his magic differently. We will see that even the person who has power to use the magic can become surprised by it. Magic, the ultimate supernatural power, is often unpredictable and inexplicable.
Through the elements of technique portrayed in this essay, it is clear to see that Shakespeare is able to influence the reader through soliloquies, imagery, and dual understanding. This overall influence being both the communication of a deeper meaning, and a more complex understanding of the events and statements within Hamlet.