Pranti Ahmed
Blue 4 Brit Lit
April 8 2015 A Midsummer Nights Dream Topic #1
Love is a timeless topic which Shakespeare explores in depth in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream “. Shakespeare utilizes the format of a play within a play to communicate the complexities of love. Love is a force that characters cannot control. The play includes scenes of lovers searching for fulfillment in the arms of characters who are unavailable. The magic love potion wreaks havoc between actual lovers and it is clear just how negatively it is portrayed. The entire play revolves around the difficulties of maintaining love and how foolish and insecure the pursuit of love can make us. It also touches on the fickleness of love, that love can be
…show more content…
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so” (1.1.226-228). Demetrius’s obsession for Hermia makes Helena feel ugly and unwanted. By the time the love potion going around causes both Lysander and Demetrius to fall in love with her, Helena is so used to the hate-filled words and full of insecurity she feels they’re playing a trick on her. Before the love potion she couldn’t even compare to Hermia in Demetrius’s eyes. She couldn 't bring herself to see why they would both be in love with her when she couldn 't even get one of them to love her before. She’s spent so long comparing herself to Hermia and trying to be like her she forgets her own self worth.
Demetrius’s love is a whole other negative portrayal of love. His love can mostly be seen as superficial. Up until meeting Hermia, Demetrius was betrothed to Helena and in love with her as well. “ Demetrius, I 'll avouch it to his head, Made love to Nedar 's daughter, Helena, And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes, Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, Upon this spotted and inconstant man. “(1.1.2) The way Shakespeare portrays Demetrius’s love vs Helenas love shows the difference in love between men and women. This may not always be the cause, and definitely goes both ways, but in this particular play it is how it’s portrayed. Helena’s love for Demetrius is never ending with her willing to do anything for him. Demetrius on the other hand only loved her until
True love’s path is paved with every step. Through the assistance of fanciful elements as well as characters Puck and Oberon, the true message of love in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is revealed. The four lovers know the direction in which their hearts are inclined to turn, but when the love potion is administered, the bounds of their rectangle are thrashed without knowledge or consent. The rapid shifts in affection between the play’s “four lovers” is representative of the idea that love isn’t a conscious choice, but a cruel game in which we are the figurines, being controlled by whomever the player may be, relating the characters’ karmic fates.
One of the aspects of love in the play; unrequited love, is when a person loves someone but that person is not loved back. This type of love is detected in Helena’s pursuit of Demetrius and in Demetrius’ pursuit of Hermia. The character of Helena is my favorite in William
Demetrius delivers this line in the forest after Helena has provided him with the information concerning Hermia and Lysander's plans to elope. Since Demetrius has taken what he wants from her and tells her to leave him alone. This shows that love can possess a cruel and abusive nature.
Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, and Helena were good friends with each other. However, because of their blind love, they had a quarrel caused by jealousy. For example Lysander and Demetrius, because they loved Hermia at the same time, just kept arguing with and insulting each other even though they were good friends before. Demetrius said, “Relent, sweet Hermia, and Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right.” But Lysander answered, “You have her father’s love, Demetrius. Let me have Hermia’s; do you marry him.” (1.1.91-94) Love was predominant over friendship, showing they were socially blinded by
Love is a theme which reoccurs through many of Shakespeare’s Plays. In ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, the theme ‘Love’ is presented from the very beginning in Act 1 Scene 1, through Shakespeare’s use of poetic language, structure and vivid imagery.
The love for Helena appeared out of nowhere. He did not develop the passion for her, it happened in one day. True love needs true passion, not passion from a potion. Love is not something that is material; it is felt from the heart, not a potion. Demetrius’ and Helena’s love is forged
When Demetrius becomes more infatuated with Hermia’s beauty and kicks Helena to the curb, her heart and self-confidence become pulverized. She thinks that she is no longer beautiful, compared to Hermia at least. “No, no, I am ugly as a bear,/ For beasts that meet me run away for fear” (2.2.100-101). If Demetrius is no longer enamored by her beauty, then she convinces herself that she has none. Also, since, in her eyes, Demetrius is some righteous, benevolent man, she believes that she is ineligible of anyone so perfect.
Hermia of course is in love with Lysander , and Lysander is in love with Hermia. But there is also, Demetrius who is also in love with Hermia and Helena who is in love with Demetrius. They have been through many obstacles, like in the Act 3 scene 2. After Puck put the love potion on Lysander and he fell in love with Helena, he has followed her around nonstop. As Helena goes to find Hermia, Lysander follows close behind. “Lys: Why should you think that I should woo in scorn? Hel: You do advance your cunning more and more.” This is Lysander and Helena talking to each other, Lysander saying why would I mock you if I love you and Helena saying you just get better and better at your jokes, but in a sarcastic way. This shows the relationship between Hermia and Helena in Shakespeare's a Midsummer’s Night Dream.
The first way this can be seen is though her stating “Do not say so, Lysander, say not so. What though he love your Hermia? Lord, what though? Yet Hermia still loves you; then be content.” (Shakespeare 2.2 107-110) to Lysander. Here she starts to believe that she is being lied to, due to Lysander being in love with Hermia. This makes here have to deal with fake love from him being placed on her due to the mix-up by Puck. The second way this can be seen is through “Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born? When at your hands did I deserve this scorn? Is't not enough, is't not enough, young man, That I did never, no, nor never can, Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius' eye, But you must flout my insufficiency?” (Shakespeare 2.2 123-128) Here, she explains how she feels she does not deserve the mockery she believes he is playing on her. And how she feels she is a victim because she cannot get Demetrius to love her, no matter how hard she tries. The final reason she is a victim of love is though her statement “O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent To set against me for your merriment: If you were civil and knew courtesy, You would not do me thus much injury. Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join in souls to mock me too?” (Shakespeare 3.2 145-150) to Demetris. From here she is angry how she feels that everyone is mocking her, due to him having not shown her love before this. And how he is not the only one who is mocking her, but so has Lysander and, in her mind, Hermia though Demetrius loving
What is love? Love is a very powerful emotion! Love is something that can come at any time in your life. It can appear in any way, shape, or form. In the famous play “Midsummer Night's Dream,” by William Shakespeare, love is a major theme that affects many people and causes many challenges. In order for love to conquer these challenges one needs to stay true to their love, they may need the help of some magic, and must be persistent.
At one time, Demetrius loved Helena, and then he fell in love with someone else. Initially, Demetrius had given his love to Helena: “He hailed down oaths that he was only mine, / And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, / So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt” (MND 1.1.243-245). Helena loved Demetrius, and he promised to be with her forever. However once he met her friend, Hermia, Demetrius left Helena to chase after her friend. Helena’s jealousy of Demetrius’ love drives her to think about what he really wants. Helena believes that Hermia’s beauty is why Demetrius desires her. She tells Hermia, “Demetrius loves your fair”, and she goes further to say, “Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, / The rest I’d give to be to you translated” (MND 1.1.182, 190-191). Her jealousy of Demetrius’ love has turned into jealousy of Hermia’s beauty. Helena obsesses over having Demetrius back to the point that she continuously follows him around. Demetrius is tired of Helena chasing him: “Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?” (MND 2.1.199). Demetrius does not understand why she tries so hard to be with him when he does not even compliment her. Demetrius threatens Helena to leave him alone: “I’ll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, / And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts” (MND 2.1.227-228). At this point, he is beyond exhausted with Helena, and he will do anything to get away from her.
Helena and Hermia quarrel as Helena calls Hermia “something lower than [her]self” (III.ii.303), and Hermia threatening her as her “nails can reach unto thine eyes”. (III.ii.298). Afterwards, the men also pick fights with each other, “try[ing] whose right […] is most in Helena” (III.ii.336-7). In these two situations, the women, who are not under an enchantment, are perceived as foolish as the guys, who are under enchantment. This suggests that women who are in love are just naturally foolish and are willing to pick fights with other women for stealing their lovers in comparison to men who are much more calm and reasonable until they have been cast under a literal spell where they cannot help but act foolish and aggressive. Women are also seen as naturally emotional and hysterical when it comes to love. Helena begs Demetrius to “spurn me, strike me, neglect me” (II.i.205) and that she will still “fawn on you” (II.i.204). Helena is over the top with her love for Demetrius that she does not realize what she is saying which indicates how emotional women naturally are for the ones they love and that men are much more level-headed as Demetrius shuts her down, saying that she “impeach [her] modesty too much” (II.i.214). Lastly, the women in this play, specifically Hermia, are irrational and do not think consciously. For example, when Hermia exclaims to “kill me too” (III.i.49) to Demetrius when she thought he
Throughout history, many things have changed. Humans have completely altered the standards of living, and inventions such as electricity have even created separate realms of reality. However, one thing that has stood the test of time is love. Even from the start of time, humans have been seeking it, falling in and out of it, and creating art, stories, and plays about it. One play in particular is “Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare. In this play, Shakespeare articulates how love is either changing, unrequited, or true.
Love is such an abstract and intangible thing, yet it is something that everyone longs for. In Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the difficulty of love is explored through the obstacles that characters have to face while pursuing their loved ones. Those characters that are in love in the play were conflicted with troubles; however, the obstacles of love do not seem to stop them from being infatuated with each other. The concept of true love is examined throughout this play. By creating obstacles using authority and a higher power, Shakespeare examines the power of love. Through Hermia and Lysander’s loving words, it is reasonable to conclude that love conquers all if you believe in it.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a play about four Athenian lovers. Theseus listens to both Hermia and her father’s request and he tells her to bend to her father’s will or die due to the old Athenian law. Hermia and Lysander flee Athens, into the domain of the fairy kingdom. At this time, Oberon is in a fight with Titania. This fight is over a human child of Titania’s friend. Oberon tells Puck, one of his loyal servants, to get a flower hit by Cupid’s arrow, and drop the oil into Demetrius’s and Titania’s eyes. However, Puck drops the oil into Lysander’s eyes due to Oberon’s vague description, making him fall in love with Helena and despise Hermia. Titania falls in love Bottom, who has the head of an ass, after Oberon places the oil