ipl-logo

Examples Of Figurative Language In A Midsummer Night's Dream

594 Words3 Pages

Acting Company Written Analysis In a Midsummer Night’s Dream, a scene from Act 5 Scene 1 lines 234-379. In the scene, Thisbe arrives at a tomb they both know. However, Thisbe arrives early and is scared off by a lion. Pyramus, arriving late, spots a dropped mantle that is spotted with blood. The dropped mantle that is spotted in blood leads him to believe that a lion killed his lover. So, he stabs himself and dies in honor of Thisbe. Thisbe returns to the scene only to see Pyramus dead, so she kills herself as well. While it might just seem like a dramatic plot for reaction, however, Shakespeare is developing an idea about love and will. Shakespeare says that with true and strong love, both parties will go above and beyond for each other, they …show more content…

After Pyramus grieves over the “death of Thisbe and stabs himself, he states the lines, “Thus die I, thus, thus, thus. Now am I dead? Now am I fled; My soul is in the sky. Shakespeare, lines 316-319)”. The wording increases the impact of Pyramus’ decision to kill himself. Previously, Shakespeare wrote, “Which is—no, no—which was the fairest dame that lived, that loved, that liked, that looked with cheer? Come, tears, and confound! Out, sword, and wound (Shakespeare, lines 309-312).”.Such lines could spark the question, Did he really have to kill himself? The use of the hyperbole directly supports his idea because the soul leaving his body into the sky represents the distance Pryamus went for Thisbe. Is Pyramus’ soul really in the sky? Scientifically, no, souls do not exist, and it is most likely not in the sky. However, the soul in the sky example shows that he killed himself or put his soul in the sky for Thisbe. In comparison, this does the same as well. The way Shakespeare describes Pryamus’ body reveals much about Thisbe. Thisbe states, “Must cover thy sweet eyes. These lily lips, This cherry nose, These yellow cowslip cheeks are gone, are gone! Lovers, moan; His eyes were green as leeks. O Sisters Three, Come, come to me with hands as pale as milk. Lay them in gore, (Shakespeare, lines 346-356)”. Shakespeare utilizes diction to reveal Thisbe’s character. Instead of saying

Open Document