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the use of magic and fairies in a midsummer night's dream
the use of magic and fairies in a midsummer night's dream
the use of magic and fairies in a midsummer night's dream
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Fairies and Their Purpose
The fairies and the fairy realm have many responsibilities in this play. The most important of which is that they are the cause of much of the conflict and comedy within this story. They represent mischievousness and pleasantry which gives the play most of its emotion and feeling. They relate to humans because they make mistakes but differ in the fact that they do not understand the human world.
Robin is the most notable fairy in the play and is the servant of the fairy king, Oberon. Along with Oberon, Robin is the most comedic and protagonistic character in this play. He is responsible for the essential events that occur in the woods whether on purpose or just on accident. He recognizes himself as a protagonist. "Thou speakest aright. I am that merry wanderer of the night." He purposely turns Bottom into an ass just merely for his own enjoyment and to help Oberon receive the Indian boy. Oberon is Robin's driving force and reason for his actions. If Robin did not have the influence of Oberon and the orders from him he may not have been such a vital fairy in this play.
The fairy world shows us a lighter side of reality that today we do not see as often as we should. The fairy world is one of carefree enjoyment and fun times, unlike the human world which is wrought with death and destruction. The human world is one of horrible tragic events that occur all the time while in the fairy world one is known only to have a good time. The fairies are responsible for the comedic aspect of this play and without them it could not have been comedic. The fairies represent a realm of carefree and amazingly enjoyable freedom that the members of the human world want to have but cannot because of the structure and laws.
The fairies also show that their culture and society are not completely devoid of human qualities when Robin makes the mistake of placing the nectar on Lysander instead of Demetrius. The human actors in the play are a form of entertainment to their viewers in the human world, while the fairies are the entertainment of the woods and those who experience them. Humans are known for making mistakes all the time and the fact that Robin mistakes Lysander for Demetrius shows that he too suffers from error and is not infallible.
Fairy tales connect to our owns lives, dreams, anxieties, and help us to consider what we would do in their shoes. Many cultures have their own spin on common fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, with their own cultural flavor. We read those versions and know that we share something important and the hope for good to overcome evil.
There are several events in the play which at one point or the other take a tragic turn which constantly undercut back into the play by speeches. What is set out in the play is a festive mood where people were engaged in activities of ‘Maying’ where people get together to sing and dance in the woods, activities that led to the maids’ belief that the pursuit if true love can be scored only through divination dreams (Barber 18). The fairy’s existence is conceptualized from the act of fusing pageantry together with popular games in a menacing way bring out their actual image of a relaxed
They serve many purposes, as both demonstrated by Lurie’s article “What Fairy Tales Tell Us,” as well as what is investigated in this paper. Nevertheless, one must keep in mind how dated of many of these stories are; what some may view as having a deeper meaning, such as abuse, may also be reflecting the habits and occurrences of the time period, such as seen in “Hansel and Gretel.” That is not to say, however, that these stories are to be taken lightly. Ostensibly, romantic tales where true love is apparently the only motive may actually be harbouring important ethics and beliefs. This can be seen in the tale of Sleeping Beauty; criticized in modern times for being a feminist’s nightmare, the tale actually consists of genuine messages about the world. It takes insipid daily lessons and turns them into something magical, or, more eloquently, “the fairy tale survives because it presents experience in vivid symbolic form”
The movie is centered around the life of Ella, the daughter of an affluent Merchant. Ella is portrayed as a compassionate, carefree individual who befriends all the animals on her estate. However, her life is turned upside down after the passing of her mother, and the consequential, remarriage of her father. Ella does not only gain a step mother through marriage but also, two step sisters. After the sudden passing of her father, Ella is forced to take upon all the domestic responsibilities of the household, and is treated with servitude by her step-mother and her step-sisters. However, Ella does not protest their requests as her mother’s last words to always be kind and have courage echoes her ears. During one cold night, Ella sleeps next to the open stove and is covered in cinders while she serves breakfast to her step mother and step sisters. They mockingly name her Cinderella. Distressed with circumstances at home, Ella rides her horse deep into the forest, and meets the Kingdom’s next heir, but mistakes him for an apprentice learning a trade. The Prince is mesmerized by Ella and protests that the Kingdom Ball’s invitation be extended to “all the maidens of the land”, in hopes of meeting Ella. Despite her step mother’s disapproval, Ella goes to the Ball with the help of her fairy god mother and her animal friends. The Prince is taken aback by her beauty, but Ella must return back home just after midnight when the fairy god mother’s spell would wear off. In the hurry, Ella leaves back her glass slipper, which leads to a Kingdome wide search for Ella. Towards the end of the movie, Ella and the Prince are united and they live happily ever
Cinderella is about a beautiful young girl that is mistreated by her step family. They give her the worst chores, make her sleep in a very dirty room up in an attic, and even give her the name “Cinderella” because they say she is always playing in the cinders of the fire. Cinderella is different though because despite being mistreated, she is still very nice and warmhearted. She represents how you should act in a world full of hate. If you are nice to everyone despite their rudeness and hate you will be rewarded in the end. Since Cinderella was so nice to her step sisters throughout her whole life, when she wanted to go to the ball her fairy godmother granted her wish. Cinderella got to go to the ball and looked absolutely beautiful, beautiful enough to catch the attention of the prince. While at the ball she was still very nice to her stepsisters, giving them food and telling them how nice they looked. When the stepsisters got home from the ball that night, they explain how lovely the mysterious princess was and how they thought she was so beautiful, not knowing that the mysterious princess was Cinderella. Cinderella played it off like she knew nothing of the princess but agreed with them that she must have been very beautiful. The next day came around and the stepsisters returned to the ball the
The reasons why fairy tales embed into the social psyche is the simplistic and plot driven nature of the story. Even the smallest child instantly understands the characteristics and motifs of the story. It is set with simple characters with one characteristic for example the wicked stepmother is only every wicked. There are no further details as to how or why she became wicked. The actions of the character further enhance this singular characteristic. The primary drive of the story is the plot with repeated refrains in text and in character’s discourse but with a non-specific setting and period. Few fairy tales include fairies in them but are abound with fantastical creatures and events. The fantastical is still believable as it merely bends the laws of physics.
The funniest part of this play seems to be when Puck, the trickster, keeps mixing up the people who he is assigned to put the love juice on. Even when he did put the love juice into the right people's eyes, they still fell in love with the wrong people sometimes. The first example of this mistake of Puck's is where he puts the love juice in Lysander's eyes, mistaking him for Demetrius. Oberon tells Puck to put the love juice in the eyes of an Athenian man, Demetrius, and to make sure that the first thing he sees after this is the woman whom he hates, but who loves him so much, Helena. Puck ends up finding Lysander and Hermia, lovers, sleeping on the forest floor. He puts the love juice in Lysander's eyes and leaves. Then along come Helena and Demetrius to this spot. They are still arguing and Demetrius leaves her with the sleeping Lysander and Hermia. Helena notices them there and tries to wake Lysander. Lysander wakes and the first thing he sees is Helena. "And run through fire for thy sweat sake. Transparent Helena! Nature shows art, That through thy bosom makes me see thy heart."(2.2.103). This is what Demetrius says to Helena when he sees her. He has fallen in love with her. This is where the comedy of this love mix up begins. Now Helena is confused and thinks that Lysander is playing a trick on her so she runs away. This is a most particularly funny part of the play and these mix ups with whom loves who seem to be the funniest pieces of the play.
The Revolt of the Evil Fairies is a story of intra-racial discrimination in a time where color was big in society, a crush that is unknown and un seen to be recognized, and jealousy that would end in destruction.
...n every fairy tales, the tragedy identifies their own unique character, and symbolizes the plot to overcome it. After overcoming the hard times, during the plot is solved, and then describes the happy ever after. In The Shining the happy ever after was when Wendy and Danny were able get into the snow car and flee together, while Jack was freezing and dying. Sometimes the happy ever after do not happen with a kiss. In Hazel and Gretel the characters were able to trick the witch and scape. So, the fairy tales the evil never dies, but is destroyed.
Fairies are beings that take a resemblance to humans. Usually, they are described as shorter versions of humans with extraordinary abilities. These abilities always seem to affect humans in many different ways. Whether this was for good or ill will depended on how the humans acted towards fairies and their customs. If someone, even accidentally,
There are many fairy tales that have been discussed in this class. The most interesting stories to me are Snow White by Brother Grimm and Ever After: A Cinderella Story directed by Andy Tennant based on Cinderella by Charles Perrault. There are many different versions of Snow White and Cinderella from numerous cultures. In every version, both stories are known as children bedtime stories. In addition, the purpose of both stories is to give a life lesson to the children about overcoming evil to attain happiness. At first, every fairy tale has to deal with evil that threatens the protagonist, but in the end, good must always win. In the same way, both of the fairy tales have a similar scenario of a character
While fairy tales are entertaining stories and can be used to educate children of the normal social manners of reality; however, it can be used to entertain and educate people of all ages. It can be used as a method of escaping the real world or to teach valuable life lessons than just the normal social mannerisms of society.
I am writing this paper because I was assigned to write it as a class project. Along the way I realized the importance of sharing the real meanings of all these stories. Stories are important because in the society we live in things are constantly changing. Fairytales change but the base of the story always remain the same no matter how many times it has been retold. It’s important to reveal the true meanings of these stories, even with its dark characteristics, because the world is dark .Children need to know that there are people that have told stories relatable to what they are going through. Fairytales help the development of children; it helps their maturity as they confront someone else’s tough situations, instilling hope of a more positive ou...
A person can take a story and look at it from many ways. Fairy tales represent the transformation of young people. Beauty is transformed into a young woman; she passes through the stages successfully and in turn is able to love. Every story teaches a lesson and in this case more than one lesson is taught. Not only is the lesson of sexuality and maturity taught, an even more important lesson is taught. Beauty and the Beast shows that true love comes from within the inside and if it is meant to be it will prevail.
Poins and Robin (and his master Oberon) take great pleasure in tormenting foolish humans through clever trickery, not out of malice but simple jocularity. Even Prince Hal, admiring Poins' skillful plan to dupe Falstaff, comments gleefully, "Now could thou and I rob the thieves and go merrily to London, it would be argument for a week, laughter for a month, and a good jest forever." [II.ii.93ff] Poins promises that the results will make them "As merry as crickets, my lad." [II.iv.90] He and Hal additionally torment Francis, seemingly unwitting of the distress their baiting causes the poor tapster. The fairy that Robin meets in the forest nails the Puck's purpose: he is a "shrewd and knavish sprite" whose goal is to "mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm." [II.i.33ff] And mislead them he does. On a whim, he gives the witless Bottom an ass's head, relating the news of Titania's humiliating infatuation to Oberon in mirthful terms. Although Robin feigns ignorance at mixing up Demetrius and Lysander, he enjoys the spectacle of the wandering, competitive lovers to no end: "Those things do best please me / That befal preposterously." [III.ii.120-21] He feels no shame for being the cause of so much agony. Oberon suspects him of deliberately engineering it: "This is thy negligence: still thou mistakest, / Or else committ'st thy knaveries willfully." Puck pleads innocence but appends: "And so far I am glad it so did sort / As this their jangling I esteem a sport." [III.ii.45ff]