The Challange of Love in Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

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Four lovers each with his or her own challenge in love, Lysander and Hermia who love each other but may never be together, and Demetrius who loves Hermia and rejects Helena’s truthful devotion. Shakespeare’s writing style is the essence that brings forth the emotions within his works. Throughout a Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, commonplace literary devices are used to emphasize his style of writing. , Shakespeare depicts the theme of love’s difficulty, especially with the use of figurative language, such as metaphor and personification, to show that though complications arise in complex situations, the ability to overcome becomes the true meaning of love. wise In Act one, scene one, Theseus is forced to solve the problem between Hermia and her father, Egeus. Since Hermia is not interested in marrying the man her father had chosen as she was in love Lysander, her Father seeks the wise Theseus. Theseus, though in the midst of planning his wedding with Hippolyta, takes the time to discuss the issue. He then restricts Hermia’s choices to either a married life with Demetrius or death as a nun. Hermia, then aggravated by the lack of support, implies that she would much rather become a nun than marry Demetrius. Shakespeare’s writing style, in this act, creates personified aspects in the dialogues of characters for exaggeration. For example, when Theseus addressed Hermia’s issue for the first time, he asks her with metaphoric use of her blood relations and also refers to her potential life as a nun as a rose distilled. The exaggeration with metaphors is used to emphasize the potential effects on Hermia and the theme of love’s difficulty. Her fate’s exaggeration with metaphor’s like the jaws of darkness that would swal... ... middle of paper ... ... of love can be varied from the madman who remains in unrequited love to the lover, like Hermia, who not only falls in love but overcomes obstacles and depictions of false affection from Lysander. The poet in this becomes the metaphorical observer of the events who out of love, attempts to protect his love. Theseus, here, refers unintentionally to Oberon, Titania’s jealous and vengeful husband, who watches Titania fall in love with Bottom. Oberon becomes the poet who gazes upon an event and analyzes every instance for its meaning. All in all, Shakespeare’s writing depicts the complexities in situations regarding love; each scene of the play brings forth tension and obstacles for each lover, but the use of personification and metaphor, especially with Theseus’ extended metaphor, shows the theme of love’s difficulty to exemplify the ability to overcome obstacles.

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