Toba Beta once said: "“Justice could be as blind as love.” Shakespeare 's play A Midsummer Night 's Dream captures the blindness of both love and justice. Egeus, a respected nobleman in Athens, arranged for his daughter, Hermia, to marry nobleman Demetrius. Egeus tells his daughter that she must obey his wishes: If she does not, she can either choose to become a nun, or die. Hermia, much to her father 's dismay, is deeply in a mutual love with a different nobleman, Lysander. In addition, Hermia 's childhood best friend and Demetrius were in love prior to his sights turning towards Hermia. This crushed Helena, causing her to lose self-confidence, but still: she yearns for Demetrius 's love. Hermia and Lysander 's love, Egeus 's harsh rule, and Helena 's unrequited love for Demetrius causes the lovers to leave Athens. Various factors cause the lovers to run away together.
Hermia and Lysander 's love causes them to leave Athens. While Egeus is trying to convince Hermia to marry Demetrius; Lysander objects, saying, "I am, my lord, as well deriv 'd as he, / As well possess 'd: My love is more than his . . . I am beloved of beauteous Hermia" (1.1.99-104). Lysander compares himself to Demetrius, saying that he is equal to him in every way. Lysander then points out that he has something Demetrius will never have, Hermia 's love. He makes it clear that the couple will do anything to be together. After Egeus denounces his daughter 's chosen love, Hermia and Lysander,
Since the beginning of literature, authors have discussed many themes and life truths through their writing, and though they may be separated by centuries of cultural evolution, many of the characters created by these authors share a common theme. Likewise, the novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, the novella The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and the play A Midsummer’s Night Dream by William Shakespeare are very different stories, yet they also share a common theme. The three of the texts share the common theme of “When people ambitiously pursue their goals, they can be blinded from seeing the reality around them and make illogical decisions.” In the novel Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, the main character, Antonio, cannot
Lysander is young, handsome man who is in love with Hermia. A few of the characters from Midsummer’s Night Dream and the Odyssey are selfish. Demetrius is trying to steal Hermia from Lysander, whom he knows is alive and is probably planning ways to kill him. The suitors are trying to get Penelope to marry them but have no idea where Odysseus is and if he’s even
This over protective love shown by Egeus and the Law are both obstacles that result in the friendship and love between them not running
he had Puck drug them for his enjoyment and to help out Helena who he takes pity on. He takes pity on her because no one loves her, and because he feels bad about Demetrius brushing her off. Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, and Hermia have a crazy and complicated love square that gets even more complicated throughout the play. Being crazy in love is a major theme of A Midsummer Night’s dream by Shakespeare. This is shown by many characters throughout the play.
Despite being a terrible trait, selfishness is a prominent theme throughout “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Multiple characters in the story display examples of selfishness and self-centeredness. Egeus cares more about his own desires than his daughter’s happiness, Helena betrays her best friend for a man she likes and Puck fools mortals for his own amusement. We as readers get to see the outcomes of their selfish acts, which never result in beneficial outcomes. Here are some of the many ways selfishness is expressed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Throughout history, men have always dominated. They never let a woman rise to power or have the same rights. This sexism has been ingrained in society for thousands of years, so much so that it has defined some of the most famous works of literature, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This play was written during the Elizabethan Era, an era in which a woman had all the power imaginable (Queen Elizabeth), and yet, women were still severely discriminated against. Women had no say whatsoever in their society; they were not allowed to vote and they had very few legal rights (Papp, Joseph, Kirkland).
In our scene, lines 42-179 of Act One, Scene One, the characters who try to force love upon others are seen antagonistically, while Hermia and Lysander, who strive for true, naturally occurring love, are seen as protagonists whose love should be defended. The overlying message of the play is that love should not and cannot be forced. Theseus, Egeus, and Demetrius use their power, both as nobles and men, to try and force Hermia into marrying Demetrius. Egeus, in an attempt to bully Hermia into marrying Demetrius says, ‘‘‘She is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius’’’ (1.1.97-98). He sees his power as Hermia’s father as a way to force her into a marriage that will benefit him.
Theseus and Hippolyta wake up Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius because Hermia has to make her final decision. With the love juice on his eyelids still, Demetrius confesses that he no longer loves Hermia and wants Helena to be the love of his life. Theseus overrides Egeus’s wishes, and he says the three couples will have a triple wedding. After Theseus, Hippolyta, and Egeus leave, all of them are unclear what exactly happened. Helena even says, “And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,/mine own, and not mine own” (4.1.176-177).
Toba Beta once said: "“Justice could be as blind as love.” Shakespeare 's play A Midsummer Night 's Dream captures the blind bias of both love and justice. Egeus, a respected nobleman in Athens, arranged for his daughter, Hermia, to marry nobleman Demetrius. Egeus tells his daughter that she must obey his wishes: if she does not, she can either choose to become a nun, or die. Hermia, much to her father 's dismay, is deeply in a mutual love with a different nobleman, Lysander.
With many of the different scenes throughout the play, the theme of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is that love is difficult. In the play when Hermia 's father tries to tear Hermia and Lysander
Emotions are like an infection in the play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. An infection that spreads to the purest of characters and the most vile ones. Shakespeare writes beautiful and well-thought-out scenes about questioning people’s emotions and how irrational people can be the cause of chaos. Emotions run high throughout the play and envy, anger and devotion to love lead the characters to act irrationally and go against their better judgment. Jealousy is an amazing example to start off the chaos inflicted by this emotion.
Theseus and Hippolyta wake up Lysander, Hermia, Helena, and Demetrius because Hermia has to make her final decision. With the love juice on his eyelids still, Demetrius confesses that he no longer loves Hermia and wants Helena to be the love of his life. Theseus overrides Egeus’s wishes, and he says the three couples will have a triple wedding. After Theseus, Hippolyta, and Egeus leave, all of them are unclear what exactly happened. Helena even says, “And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,/mine own, and not mine own” (4.1.176-177).
Egeus is angry with his daughter so he goes to the king for a resolution. Egeus says to the king, "as she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be either to this gentlemen or to her death, according to our law immediately provided in that case." (********************) Egeus uses his power to try and threaten Hermia. However, Hermia chooses to betray her father. Hermia goes against her father's wishes and chooses to be with Lysander.
Leaving Hermia and Lysander to run away in the forest; Lysander then becomes a victim of misapplied magic and wakes up in love with Helena. The trouble comes when Hermia tells her plan to her friend, Helena. Helena loves Demetrius, so she tells him of Hermia and Lysander's idea to run away, and Demetrius follows them, this is where the fairies get involved. “Before the time I did Lysander see / Seem'd Athens as a paradise to me.
In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the female characters' desire to question the law of Athens and select their own husbands drives most of the conflict in the play. In a way, Hermia, Helena, and Titania are the protagonists of the play because each of their desires are being thwarted by the patriarchal structure of the society in which they live. The way the women try to overcome such hurdles does not sit well with the men. Accordingly, the men get on edge when their patriarchy is disrupted, so they make strict laws to try and keep the women under their control.