A Midsummer Night's Dream Word Bear Meaning

The words an author chooses to include within their works completely dictate the way the plot is presented to the audience. Following the importance of word choice is the repetition of those words, as well as their developing meanings throughout the work. While working through Shakespeare’s, Midsummer Night’s Dream, there are many words that he chooses to use in repetition including the word bear, and its various forms, as well as other words and their various word forms. When choosing which words to focus on and determining the way their development contributes to the story, it is important to have a clear understanding of the words' origins as well as their definitions. The word bear can be dated back to the Old English term beran, meaning,

In this dialogue Shakespeare writes, “Are not you he That frights the maidens of the villagery, Skim milk, and sometimes labor in the quern And bootless make the breathless huswife churn, And sometime make the drink to bear no barm, Mislead night wanderers, laughing at their harm?” (Shakespeare, 2.1. 34-38). Within the context of these lines, one must determine the definition of barm which is, “the froth on fermenting malt liquor” (OED), once this definition is determined it is clear to see the bear, in this case, is alluding to the drink, or the milk that is being churned, stating that the drink will have no froth in it in order to mislead the people traveling through. The next instance of the word bear within a Midsummer Night’s Dream to be discussed appears during act two scene two, “How came her eyes so bright? Not with salt tears. If so, my eyes are oftener washed than hers. No, no, I am as ugly as a bear, For beasts that meet me run away for fear” (Shakespeare, 2.2.92-94). In this context, the word bear seems to be referring to an animal as there is a connection between the word bear and the word beast in the following line. The choice to have the character compare herself to a bear Shakespeare has a unique opportunity to display the wide variations of meaning that one word can hold as now readers have two completely different visuals to

Could not this make thee know The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so” (Shakespeare, 3.2.190), each occurs in act three scene two and again each time the word bear is used there is a completely different meaning connected to it. In the first line, the reference to the word bear is about wearing a badge to prove faith to someone, this is a more traditional use of the word bear, and it is what many people would think about once they see the word as it is the classic use. The second line holds a much deeper meaning when using the word bear, saying that it is the hate I hold for you that made me leave you, this line takes more time to read and comprehend because one must put the idea of actually holding something or wearing something behind them and realize that it can be feelings rather than objects that are attached to the speaker.
The final line to be discussed occur in act four scene one which states, “Egeus, I will overbear your will, for in the temple by and by, with us, These couples shall eternally be knit” (Shakespeare, 4.1.177-179). In this line overbear is used meaning, “overcome by emotional pressure or physical force” (OED). Comparing this new use of the word that has been identified and used throughout the entirety of the play there is a clear correlation to its original form however there is a clear