William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

3968 Words8 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Forced love in A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

In the following essay I am aiming to show how Lysander's claim that

'the course of true love never did run smooth' is supported by other

events in the play.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" was written by William Shakespeare. No one

knows the exact date it was written but we know it was between 1589

and 1595. He combines romance with comedy to produce this popular

story.

When he was writing the play superstition about nature and spirits

played an important part in people's lives, therefore Shakespeare

included these ideas in his play. It was believed that fairies lived

in a kingdom of their own and came into people's houses where they

then interfered with the household. The fairies play a major part in

the play where we see a particular character trying to help out the

couples, but end up making the situation worse.

The play is about love and relationships. The different couples never

seem to encounter love running smoothly and are or have gone through

problems when in love. Shakespeare shows us what love can make you do

but at the end we have a traditional 'fairy tale' ending where the

audience eventually see the couples re-united and harmony restored.

Love is the main theme and is portrayed by Shakespeare as a kind of

'madness'. Nowadays love is classed as a good thing, but in the play

'love and reason keep little company together'.

The themes and events are very contemporary and this is what keeps the

play popular today.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" opens with two romantic conflicts. The

first part of the scene features the two characters Theseus and

Hippolyta. Th...

... middle of paper ...

...ies and involves them in the play.

I hope to have shown how Lysander's claim that 'true love never did

run smooth' is supported by other events and I think it is clear that

love can make people do many irrational things when it doesn't run

smoothly. Theseus and Hippolyta show us that love can run smoothly in

the end but each relationship has its problem. Hermia, Lysander,

Demetrius and Helena all reflect the idea of love not running smoothly

and show what being in love can make you do. The play remains popular

today due to the contemporary relevance of so many of the themes which

Shakespeare included and he presents the idea that love is

unpredictable and can cause great confusion. Love is something that

cannot be explained but only experienced and Shakespeare leaves us to

develop our own idea of what love really is.

Show More
Related

  • Year 8 English Shakespeare Essay

    559 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare, an illustrious and eminent playwright from the Elizabethan Age (16th Century) and part owner of the Globe theatre wrote A Midsummer Night’s Dream in which he portrays the theme of love in many different ways. These include the paternal love seen in the troubled times for Egeus and his rebellious daughter Hermia, true Love displayed with the valiant acts of Lysander and Hermia and the destructive love present in the agonizing acts of Titania towards her desperate lover Oberon. Through the highs and lows of love, the first love we clasp is the paternal love from our family.

    Read More

  • Love: The Great Equalizer in Midsummer Night’s Dream

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare has a habit of creating complicated plots, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream is no exception. Three distinct worlds are presented within the play, and the story’s theme is most prevalent when they collide or mirror one another. Shakespeare’s allusions very intentionally cast light on these themes as he uses them to develop characters, settings, and comedy. The point of that development is the effective delivery of the theme that love renders us equals.

    Read More

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, by William Shakespeare the contrast between both setting and character are well explained throughout the play. This play is mostly about four young Athenians whose lives become a total disaster because of the fairies in the forest, strange situations in the city of Athens, Greece and mixtures of love potions. The main setting of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is in Athens, Greece. In Athens, the Duke Theseus plans his marriage with Hippolyta. In contrast, the forest is where all the drama happens between all the characters. The four main characters of this play are Hermia, Helena, Demetrius and Lysander.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Midsummer's Night Dream

    1541 Words  | 4 Pages

    Shakespeare’s literature exemplifies creativeness and powerful word use to create bodies of work with strong attributes that grab the reader’s attention. Midsummer’s night dream is an example of some of Shakespeare’s best work. The thesis of this essay is Hermia’s father, Esues wants his daughter to marry someone that he approves of and more importantly he wants someone for her that is respected by the rest of society to admire. This play has love, drama and characters that follow their hearts. Hermia is told she is not allowed to love or marry Lysander by her father. Her father Esues wants her to marry Demetrius. The setting of the play is taken in Athens. Athens is a place of order and royalty and a place where people are supposed to marry

    Read More

  • Midsummer Night's Dream And A Streetcar Named Desire

    317 Words  | 1 Pages

    Every action made in A Midsummer Night’s Dream revolves around the idea of love. It is a concept which few people can understand because of the extremity a person can go through to go after their love. “Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, such shaping fantasies that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends.” Lovers see the world in a way which everyday people cannot comprehend. The idea of love leads to them making irrational choices which may seem

    Read More

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Variations of Love

    907 Words  | 2 Pages

    Love is only as strong as the people who share it. In William Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, there are relationships from all different viewpoints of love. Four Athenian lovers are caught in a web of love for the wrong person, according to fellow peevish characters. Along the story line of the play, one will be introduced to additional characters that try to be helpful by committing acts they presume will benefit the young lovers, but these characters actually create plot-twists. Also, there are other characters that have the authority to change whatever they feel is necessary without thinking twice. Furthermore, throughout this humored play, Shakespeare portrays various forms of love through arranged marriages, forbidden love, magically tampered love, and unanticipated romances to show how there’s no right or wrong way to love someone.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Love In A Midsummer Night's Dream

    2713 Words  | 6 Pages

    “The course of true love never did run smooth” ~William Shakespeare. In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theseus and Hippolyta plan their wedding, which includes a play by the craftsman. While the other characters are trying to figure out their love for one another, the fairies interfere. Throughout the play the characters alternate lovers often. Although they bicker at one another, everyone finds their way to their true soul mate. The characters in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream are successful, after many trials and tribulations, in acquiring their desired relationships.

    Read More

  • William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

    1677 Words  | 4 Pages

    Shakespeare wrote his acclaimed comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream more than a thousand years after Apuleius’ Roman novel, The Golden Ass. Although separated by thousands of years and different in terms of plot and setting, these works share the common theme of a confused and vulnerable man finding direction by relying on a supernatural female. One of A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s many subplots is the story of Bottom, a comical figure determined to be taken seriously in his production of a Pyramus and Thisbe. As Bottom becomes caught up in a quarrel between the king and queen of the fairies, the commanders of the enchanted forest where Bottom and his players practice, the “shrewd and knavish sprite” Puck transforms his head into an ass’ s and leads him to be enthralled in a one night stand with the queen, Titania. (2.1.33) Apuleius’s protagonist Lucius endures a similar transformation, after his mistress’s slave girl accidentally bewitches him into a donkey, leaving him even without the ability to speak. Although Lucius’ transformation lasts longer and is more severe, he and Bottom both undergo similar experiences resulting from their animal forms. Lucius’ suffering ultimately leads him to salvation through devotion the cult of Isis, and Bottom’s affair with Titania grants him clarity and a glimpse into similar divine beauty. Ultimately, both asinine characters are saved through their surrender to the goddesses.

    Read More

  • The Theme of True Love in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

    742 Words  | 2 Pages

    The overriding theme of the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare deals with the nature of love. Though true love seems to be held up as an ideal, false love is mostly what we are shown. Underneath his frantic comedy, Shakespeare seems to be asking the questions all lovers ask in the midst of their confusion: How do we know when love is real? How can we trust ourselves that love is real when we are so easily swayed by passion and romantic conventions? Some readers may sense bitterness behind the comedy, but will probably also recognize the truth behind Shakespeare's satire. Often, love leads us down blind alleys and makes us do things we regret later. The lovers within the scene, especially the men, are made to seem rather shallow. They change the objects of their affections, all the time swearing eternal love to one or the other. In this scene Shakespeare presents the idea that both false love and true love can prevail..

    Read More

  • Love In A Midsummer Night's Dream And Macbeth

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the main conflict is between love and social relations. The play revolves around the magical power of love which transforms many lives. As a result of this, it gets the reader’s emotionally involved through ways of reminding us of love’s foolishness and capabilities, as well as violence often followed alongside of lust. This play shows passion’s conflict with reason. For example, the father presented in the play Egeus, represents tradition and reason while Hermia represents passion for love and freedom. Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius and accuses Lysander of “bewitching” Hermia with love charms and songs. This is one way love’s difficulties are presented in the play between father and daughter. Additionally, Helena recognizes love’s difficulties when Demetrius falls in love with her best friend Hermia. Helena argues that strong emotions such as love can make extremely unpleasant things beautiful. This is another way the play presents love’s difficulties between lovers and capricious emotions.

    Read More

  • Love, Lust and Infatuation in Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1461 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fairies, mortals, magic, love, and hate all intertwine to make A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare a very enchanting tale, that takes the reader on a truly dream-like adventure. The action takes place in Athens, Greece in ancient times, but has the atmosphere of a land of fantasy and illusion which could be anywhere. The mischievousness and the emotions exhibited by characters in the play, along with their attempts to double-cross destiny, not only make the tale entertaining, but also help solidify one of the play’s major themes; that true love and it’s cleverly disguised counterparts can drive beings to do seemingly irrational things.

    Read More

  • Love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    Love plays a very significant role in this Shakespearian comedy, as it is the driving force of the play: Hermia and Lysander’s forbidden love and their choice to flee Athens is what sets the plot into motion. Love is also what drives many of the characters, and through readers’ perspectives, their actions may seem strange, even comical to us: from Helena pursuing Demetrius and risking her reputation, to fairy queen Titania falling in love with Bottom. However, all these things are done out of love. In conclusion, A Midsummer Night’s Dream displays the blindness of love and how it greatly contradicts with reason.

    Read More

  • Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Power of Love

    1250 Words  | 3 Pages

    Love is a powerful emotion, capable of turning reasonable people into fools. Out of love, ridiculous emotions arise, like jealousy and desperation. Love can shield us from the truth, narrowing a perspective to solely what the lover wants to see. Though beautiful and inspiring when requited, a love unreturned can be devastating and maddening. In his play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare comically explores the flaws and suffering of lovers. Four young Athenians: Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia, and Helena, are confronted by love’s challenge, one that becomes increasingly difficult with the interference of the fairy world. Through specific word choice and word order, a struggle between lovers is revealed throughout the play. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare uses descriptive diction to emphasize the impact love has on reality and one’s own rationality, and how society’s desperate pursuit to find love can turn even strong individuals into fools.

    Read More

  • The Course of True Love Never Runs Smooth

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many complications that can be attributed to true love. These complications affect not only the lovers but also the nature around them. Some of these complications include jealousy and misjudgment. All of these obstacles support the fact that the course of true love never runs smooth. Although true love is treasured, there are definitely hindrances and impediments that come with it. In the case of the lovers in A Midsummer’s Night Dream, they all were granted the joys of true love, but also endured the complications that came as a price. Every one of them could testify that the course of true love never has and never will run smoothly.

    Read More

  • A Midsummer Night Dream Essay

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare successfully used two contrasting places to emphasize the meaning of the story. The meaning of the story is that the course of love never runs smooth, but you if you really love somebody you will find your way to them. Using contrasting places represents opposing forces or point of views, allows the reader to get a better idea of what the theme of the story is. In William Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream the two contrasting places used were the City of Athens and a enchanted Forest located on the outskirts of the city. In the City of Athens there are laws, organization, everything is governed well. In the Forest there are no laws, nothing is organized, or governed. The Forest stands chaos and the hardships of love in the story, and the city stands for laws and strict living. The Forest shows us what nature or self-government can offer compared to the harsh laws of living in this case Athens.

    Read More

More about William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

Open Document