Duality In A Midsummer Night's Dream

In the world renowned play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, two couples’ love lives are tampered with in an ironic, comedic and lighthearted manner. Although many quarrels happen along the way, all of the star crossed lover’s dreams come true. The duality many of the characters possess helps to emphasize that love brings out the best, and the worst in everyone. As the soulmates Hermia and Lysander profess their love for each other in the beginning of this play, readers have a sense of the compassion and devote love they have for each other. As the play continues, Lysander (under the control of a spell), falls in love with Helena. The darker, crueler side of Lysander comes to light when he calls Hermia a “Vile Thing”(3.3.270).

At the beginning of the book, Lysander seems to show the false persona of a gentleman, but love uncovers his true ill-nature. Yet another set of lovers, Helena and Demetrius, also have many issues along the way. Helena has always had a burning passion towards Demetrius, but he had never felt the same way until under the spell of a love potion. Although Demetrius now wants nothing else but Helena’s love, his new found feelings cause Helena to no longer trust the man who she once told that she was his “spaniel”(2.1.210). Demetrius ironic change in opinion of Helena causes her to no longer believe that anyone could actually love her. In a way, her new opinions bring out the best in her. Helena is no longer dependant on a man, and is starting to become less of a slave to Demetrius. Oberon and Titania, the king and queen of the fairies, also have trouble with love. Oberon places a love potion on Titania, forcing her to fall in love with a workman named Bottom (whose head has been turned into that of an ass). At first Titania feels nothing but love towards Bottom, but once the spell is reversed, she realizes that her eyes “do loathe his visage”