Midsummer Night's Dream Obstacles

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of Shakespeare’s famous plays, tells a tale of Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, and Helena who suffer from unrequited love. Throughout the story, the fairies interfere in an attempt to better the situation, but end up making unfortunate changes that the characters must overcome. Throughout the story, there are key elements that clearly differentiates Shakespeare’s writing style from that of others’. Two main elements that occur throughout the play are the use of puns and the young lovers struggling to overcome obstacles.

The use of puns is one prominent element in Shakespeare’s writing as it entertains the audience with references that can help better understand situations. In the play, the characters of working

Hermia and Lysander struggle dealing with forbidden love as Hermia is in an arranged marriage which Demetrius, so they plan to overcome this obstacle by running away. In the beginning of act 1, Lysander tries to consult with Hermia who is upset about her destiny and explains to her how,“The course of true love never did run smooth”(1.1.134). This ties to the element of Shakespeare’s writing by relating to the theme of how love does not always go the way it is planned. It allows the characters to decide their own destiny if they are given the chance to change it. Another example is when one of the lovers is jealous of another individual. Helena is jealous of Hermia in the play when she is confused on how Demetrius won’t to fall in love with her, but Hermia. In act 4, a mythical character, Oberon takes pity on her and attempts to make her wish come true. However, through a mistake his servant Puck makes, she feels insulted by Demetrius and Lysander who are under an enchantment by falling in love with her. On the quest of love, there needs to be heartbreak and hurt to keep a relationship. Helena deals with pain, but still manages to get what she wants in the end. What also relates to this theme is how people who love others at times seem unattractive or repellent, but over time, it is realized that the beauty behind it is an intense feeling that real love plays