Theme Of Control In A Midsummer Night's Dream

The desire to control another person can be strong. Perhaps, controlling a friend, a family member, or a romantic partner might seem to make a situation easier. But everyone has a mind of their own, so is that possible? In the timeless comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Shakespeare makes the case that it is not possible to control another person’s actions. Hermia’s father Egeus is a prime example of this impossible task. At the beginning of the story, he is insistent that his daughter shall marry Demetrius, instead of her true love Lysander. In Act I of the play Egeus states, “Be it so she; will not here before your grace consent to marry Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens, as she is mine I may dispose of her: which shall be to this

However, his attempts to control Hermia ultimately fail, because she later runs off with Lysander. Another piece of evidence that makes it clear that her father cannot control her is that by the end of the play, she even ends up marrying her illicit lover Lysander. A second character that proves this claim is the King of Fairies, Oberon. He is a powerful, determined character who is known for achieving his objectives. Nevertheless, there are still instances where Oberon fails to control other beings. During the play, the King of Fairies commands the mischievous and energetic sprite, Puck, to use a magic love potion to manipulate the emotions of one of the Athenian lovers. However, Puck made the mistake of giving the potion to the wrong man, creating chaos