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Key themes and symbolism of Shakespeare’s ”A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Meaning of the play, A midsummers night dream
Helenas relationship in a midsummer nights dream
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In act five, scene one, Theseus gives a speech to Hippolyta regarding the foolish dreams Helena, Lysander, Demetrius, and Hermia just had. Before this, Helena, Lysander, Demetrius and Hermia all wake up cloudy and confused about being anointed by the flower and falling in love with the wrong person. Lysander and Hermia recount their plan of escaping and the forest as well as Helena who chose to follow them into the forest. Egeus refuses to allow Lysander’s love for Hermia, but Theseus rules against Egeus allowing Lysander and Hermia and Demetrius and Helena to marry. Before the wedding Theseus talks to Hippolyta about the confusing stories of these dazed lovers. Theseus believes these people have overactive imaginations and dismisses what they say as foolish.
Hippolyta tells Theseus that what the lovers speak off is quite crazy. Theseus starts his oration saying: “More strange than true. I never may believe these antique fables, or these fairy toys (5.1.2-3). Theseus believes what they are saying is more strange than true; he cannot believe their foolish tales. Perhaps, Theseus dismisses the thoughts of people below him he views as unworthy of his time. Theseus elaborates on his opinions stating: “Lovers and madman have such seething brains, such shaping fantasies, that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends” (5.1.4-6). Theseus believes people in love and who are crazy have a vivid imagination. Theseus then says the fantasies these people make up are not understood by sane people. Through this, Theseus revels his condescending nature. Theseus refuses to believe people below him. Perhaps he sees people in love as weak and not mentally stable. This really brings into question if his love for Hippolyta is real. Theseus cont...
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...makes a metaphor exaggerating the vivid imagination and stupidity of these passionate people. Theseus revels his disrespect for those in touch with their emotional and creative sides.
In this passage, through Theseus’ oration much is revealed about him. Theseus’ views imagination as foolish almost juvenile. Theseus’ believes people with vivid imaginations are so foolish, even the smartest people, including himself can’t understand them. Theseus also is agonistic about the supernatural, refusing to accept the act of believing in the supernatural as a way to bring joy and be seen. Through Theseus’ harsh criticism of the poet, madman, and lover it revels his intense stoicism and masculinity complex. Theseus’ views that passion of the lover, creativity of the poet, and fear of the lunatic as unacceptable and feels to keep his masculinity intact this should be condoned.
All throughout Edith Hamilton’s rendition of Theseus’ story she displays example for all three parts of the characteristic from Theseus’ superior strength, the prime example from the story is when Theseus kills the sleeping Minotaur without any weapons and only his bare hands, an example of Theseus’ intelligence comes during his reign as the King of Athens, he’s described as a wise king who chose a more democratic rule to govern his people, and an example for Theseus’ courage lies in his selfless actions to volunteer himself as one of the sacrifices to enter the Labyrinth to face the Minotaur. Although Hamilton’s description of Theseus’ legacy speaks for itself, “Theseus was, of course, bravest of the brave as all heroes are, but unlike other heroes he was as compassionate as he was brave and a man of great intellect as well as bodily strength (Hamilton 166.)” Just in Hamilton’s quick summary of Theseus’ character is a testament that he doesn’t fit the role of an epic hero but he is the literal archetype which epic heroes strive to be. Theseus isn’t just superhumanly strong, like Hercules, or only incredibly courageous to the point it’d be stupid, like Perseus, Theseus is superior in strength, intelligence, and
When Lysander is speaking to Hermia in Act I, Scene I; he is both stating a truth about the mystery of love, as while as foreshadowing the upcoming trouble in the play. Egeus has made his demands that his daughter obey him and marry Demetrius. The tension between the father and the chosen lover of his daughter has set the conflict into motion. Demetrius has left with Theseus, Hippolyta and Egeus to discuss the wedding of the Duke of the Athens. The young lovers Lysander and Hermia are left on stage and he tells her in Lines 132-134: “For aught that I could ever read, Could ever hear by tale or history, The course of true love never did run smooth.” He speaks these words to comfort Hermia, but neither has any idea of the crazy night that will come in the
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare makes heavy use of hyperbole, the twisting of reality into something greater than what it actually is, in both the dialogue and the ridiculous, larger-than-life nature of the situations that occur to provide a basis for the conflict between reality and illusion, blurring the line that separates the two concepts.
In the first part of the play Egeus has asked the Duke of Athens, Theseus, to rule in favor of his parental rights to have his daughter Hermia marry the suitor he has chosen, Demetrius, or for her to be punished. Lysander, who is desperately in love with Hermia, pleads with Egeus and Theseus for the maiden’s hand, but Theseus’, who obviously believes that women do not have a choice in the matter of their own marriage, sides with Egeus, and tells Hermia she must either consent to marrying Demetrius, be killed, or enter a nunnery. In order to escape from the tragic dilemma facing Hermia, Lysander devises a plan for him and his love to meet the next evening and run-off to Lysander’s aunt’s home and be wed, and Hermia agrees to the plan. It is at this point in the story that the plot becomes intriguing, as the reader becomes somewhat emotionally “attached’’ to the young lovers and sympathetic of their plight. However, when the couple enters the forest, en route to Lysander’s aunt’s, it is other mischievous characters that take the story into a whole new realm of humorous entertainment...
Suzanna Berne’s article “Where Nothing Says Everything” discusses the sequence of events that Berne encounters as she attempts to pay her respects to the 9/11 tragedy. From the elements within her writing, Berne demonstrates the significant meaning of the World Trade Center’s absence. It is from her personal experience and play on words that she is able to accurately express her thesis. Within her piece, Suzanna Berne comes to the conclusion that the impact of 9/11 on the American people forces them to unite in order to overcome the loss of the World Trade Center along with the people who went down with it.
All of Camus' writings may be viewed as a quest for meaningful values in a world of spiritual aridity and emptiness. He begins with man's despair, estrangement, fear, suffering and hopelessness in a world where is neither God nor the promise that He will come- the fundamental absurdity of existence- but ultimately affirms the power of man to achieve spiritual regeneration and the measure of salvation possible in an absurd universe. This radical repudiation of despair and nihilism is closely bound up with his concept of an artist. Camus conceives of art as a way of embracing a consciousness of the absurdity of man's existential plight. But art becomes a means of negating that absurdity because the artist reconstructs the reality, endowing it with unity, endurance and perfection. By taking elements from reality that confirms the absurd existence, an artist attempts to correct the world by words and redistribution. Thus the artist never provides a radical transformation of reality but a fundamental reinterpretation of what already exists. He provides a new angle of vision of perceiving reality. That is why, for Camus, an artist is a recreator of myth. He teaches humanity that contemporary man must abandon the old myths that have become otiose, though once defined his existence. The artist liberates man to live in his world by redefining both man and the condition in which he exists. In this regard, it is important to point out that, for Camus, the traditional opposition between art and philosophy is arbitrary. It is because they together become most effective to create the redefinition: the philosophy awakens the consciousness and the art, propelled by such a radical discovery, ...
Infatuation causes Helena to lose all sense of dignity, as can be seen when in the woods, she desperately pleads with Demetrius to ?but treat me as your spaniel?. Here, Helena also becomes irrational, obsessed with pursuing Demetrius, though it is obvious that Demetrius is fixated on winning Hermia?s hand in marriage. Helena?s infatuation also causes her to see things from a skewed perspective, for she falsely believes that when she divulges Hermia?s plans for eloping with Lysander, Demetrius? love for Helena will rekindle. As the audience, we know that the most probable course of action for Demetrius upon hearing such news is to pursue Lysander and Hermia, or to report them to Theseus or Egeus. Clearly, infatuation has clouded Helena?s ability to think clearly, and she sees things in her own idealistic way.
Theseus is a character of two extremes and contradictions. In one aspect, he is a negative person denying the usage of imagination, but on the other, he is a caring ruler who cares to make the people happy. He is proven to be a likeable character with flaws.
Theseus and Oberon are both compassionate and understanding towards the young lovers, Hermia and Lysander, and Helena and Demetrius. They are involved in a love triangle that encompasses matters of the law and love. Demetrius intends to marry Hermia, although, she shares a mutual love with Lysander; Helena loves Demetrius, although, he no longer loves her. Theseus, as the Duke of Athens, maintains the laws and standards of Athenian society. He acknowledges “the Ancient privilege of Athens” (I.1.41) that allows Egeus to “dispose of” (I.1.42) Hermia. This law permits Egeus to give his daughter to Demetrius or “to death, according to [the] law” (I.1.44). However, Theseus takes pity on Hermia and gives he...
Together with his colleagues at the University of Washington, Jeffrey R. Harris developed and published an article regarding the most appropriate means for disseminating evidence-based practices. The framework was geared towards spreading evidence-based practices that focus on health promotion. The authors argued that the basis for widespread adoption of evidence-based health promotion practices is mainly dependent on developing and evaluating effective dissemination approaches. Consequently, they created a practical framework based on existing literature on dissemination and their experiences in conducting such practices. The framework is commonly known as the Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC) framework, which was developed by the Prevention Research Center at the University of Washington and funded by the Center for Disease Control. CDC funded the development of this evidence-based health promotion framework to carry out research on community-based prevention and management of chronic diseases.
As the great Philosopher Nietzsche proclaims boys always resembles their father. Thus I have analyzed the similarities and the traces of parents on their off-springs. And literary creations of them seem to me that they are the mirrors of their real selves. As Oscar Wilde reveals in De Profundis: "Art is a symbol, because man is a symbol." (93) so art symbolizes man. And his art is the symbol of his personality just as Marius the Epicurian is the symbol of Walter Pater's. Consequently, art harbours not only readers and life but also the creators of them. In fiction, Words speak two times; one reveals plot, the other reveals author; whatever a literary men writes, he writes himself but nothing else...
In Canada, child protection is basically a responsibility of the provincial and territorial governments through various activities such as investigating child protection concerns. As part of their responsibilities to promote child protection, the provincial and territorial governments may place children or young under care. This involves placing them in varying living arrangements such as group home, foster home, independent living program, receiving homes, and relatives’ home. Placing children in foster care seems to be the most common way used by various governments in Canada to address child protection concerns. However, this type of care has had significant challenges in the recent past, particularly in light of children or young people who age out of foster care. These challenges are attributed to the lack of legislative and policy initiatives taken to address children who age out of foster care in Canada. As a result of lack of such provisions, these children end up having lack of further education as they are forced into adulthood. In some cases, children who age out of foster care in Canada get involved in criminal activities. As the number of children who age out foster care increases, Canadian government should enact appropriate measures, especially legislation and policy to promote the well-being of these children as they grow into adulthood.
Indeed, Phaedras? representation of male homoerotics aligns quite easily with that of the lyric poets. Theognis speaks often...
The relationship between Demetrius and Hermia is problematic, in that Demetrius is seeking the affections of Hermia, while she is in love with Lysander. However, Hermia’s father approves of Demetrius and tries to force her to marry him, but Hermia refuses because of her love for Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1.1.22-82). Lysander points out the flaw in the situation through this comment, “You have her father 's love, Demetrius –/Let me have Hermia 's. Do you marry him,” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1.1.93-94). The second flawed relationship is between Lysander and Helena, as a result of an enchantment put on Lysander that made him fall in love with Helena. Helena does not want the affections of Lysander, but rather the love of Demetrius, and believes that Lysander is taunting her. In addition, this relationship creates tensions because Hermia is in love with Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2.2.109-140). Both relationships are not desirable due to a lack of mutual admiration and the creation of non-peaceful and unsatisfying
For more than 60000 years, Aboriginal people have been lived with in the land called “Australia” with out invasion from outside world. However, from 1788 when European first came and settled on the land of Aboriginal as their new habitation which change the Aboriginal people life in many ways. The purpose of this report is to research and discuss about changing of Aboriginal people life after the arrival of the first fleet of European in 1788. This report will discuss the changing of the Aboriginal life from 1788 to 1901, which includes dispossession and protectionism. It will also highlight the struggle for right and freedom of Aboriginal people from 1901 to the present including Assimilation, Integration and Self-determination. In addition, it will identify role and achievement of Chatty Freeman and who influence Aboriginal’s culture to the forefront of society.