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Fate In A Midsummer Night's Dream

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In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia's love triangle with Lysander and Demetrius is a complex interplay of both fate and agency. Throughout the play, Hermia demonstrates a strong sense of agency in shaping her own romantic fate, while also being subject to the whims of fate and the supernatural forces at play.

One example of Hermia's agency is her defiance of her father's wishes for her to marry Demetrius. In Act 1, Scene 1, she says, "I do entreat your grace to pardon me. / I know not by what power I am made bold" (1.1.55-56). This quote shows that Hermia is willing to stand up for herself and take control of her own fate, even when it means going against societal expectations.

However, despite her agency, Hermia is also subject to the whims of fate and the supernatural. In Act 2, Scene 1, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and uses a love potion to make Lysander fall in love with Helena. This quote from Puck illustrates the supernatural intervention in Hermia's love triangle: "I'll put a girdle round about the earth / In forty minutes" (2.1.175-176). This unexpected turn of events complicates Hermia's romantic relationships and shows the extent to which she is subject to external forces. …show more content…

In Act 3, Scene 2, Hermia says, "So we grew together, / Like to a double cherry, seeming parted, / But yet an union in partition" (3.2.208-210). This quote shows the strength of Hermia's love for Lysander, even when they are temporarily separated by the chaos of the play's

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