A Midsummer Night's Dream Research Paper

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare explores different versions of love. Theseus and Hippolyta are to be married as a result of her defeat in war, causing their love to be forced. Demetrius and Helena’s love is unrequited because he does not initially love her back. Titania and Oberon’s love is struggling because they often disagree. Titania and Bottom’s love is strictly physical and only exists because of the effects of Cupid’s potion. Because of these reasons, Lysander and Hermia are the only example of true love.

In the exposition of the play, Theseus, the king of Athens, is set to marry Hippolyta: “Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour draws on apace. Four happy days bring in another moon,” (1.1.1-3.7). Their marriage is

arranged because of political reasons. Theseus tells Hippolyta that he “wooed thee with my sword and won thy love by doing thee injuries,” (1.1.17-18.7). After capturing her through war, he arranges for them to be married, and promises her that things will change after their wedding. He continually expresses his excitement for their wedding day to come. However, their love is forced, and Hippolyta does not feel the same way. She tells Theseus that “four days will quickly steep themselves in night,” (1.1.7.7). She does not want to marry him, and does not love him. However, because of events that occur in the falling action, Hippolyta's feelings toward Theseus begin to change and grow. She sees that he is a just and fair leader: “Egeus, I will overbear your will, for in the temple by and by, with us, these couples shall eternally be knit,” (4.1.186-189.133). By spending time with him, she begins to know him better and becomes more comfortable around him. While watching the play Pyramus and Thisbe, she joins in on the joking and fun: “Indeed he hath played on this prologue like a child on a recorder- a sound, but not in government,” (5.1.129-131.151). As the play progresses, her feelings for Theseus develop, and by the conclusion, she learns to love and respect him. However, their love is not considered real. Despite the fact that she learns to love him, it is a forced love because she has no other option.
In the exposition, Helena is madly in love with Demetrius.

Her feelings are unrequited: “Teach me how you look and with what art you sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart!” (1.1.196-197.19). Because of the strength of her feelings, she is willing to divulge the information of her dear friend Hermia’s plan and put her happiness at risk in an attempt to get Demetrius to acknowledge her: “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight,” (1.1.252.23). She begs him to “be used as you use your dog,” (2.1.217.49) and wishes he would “spurn me, strike me, neglect me, lose me,” (2.1.212-213.49). She does not feel she is worthy of his love, so she settles for the little attention he gives her, despite it being hateful and rude. However, after Puck anoints Demetrius’ eyes with Cupid’s potion, his feelings toward her change. He falls deeply in love with her and expresses his admiration: “O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?” (3.2.140-141.93). At first, Helena believes he is making fun of her: “O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent to set against me for your merriment,” (3.2.148-149.93). After the lovers awake from their sleep, Helena believes Demetrius truly loves her: “And I have found Demetrius like a jewel, mine own and not mine own,” (4.1.199-200.135). Later that day, Demetrius and Helena are married. Although the play results in feelings of love and happiness between Demetrius and Helena, their love is not real. Demetrius only loves

Helena because of the potion that was placed over his eyes. The way he fell in love with her is not pure, thus their love flawed.
Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies, have been married for many years. In the rising action, Oberon and Titania quarrel over possession of a young Indian boy. Oberon wants the Indian boy to be one of his servants: “I do but beg a little changeling boy to be my henchman,” (2.1.123-124.43). Titania refuses to relent because the boy’s mother was a dear friend of hers: “But she, being mortal, of that boy did die, and for her sake do I rear up the boy,” (2.1.140-141.43). Oberon does not understand Titania’s emotional attachment to the boy, and as a result Titania has “forsworn his bed and company,” (2.1.64.39). Oberon creates an elaborate plan in order to get the boy, and in the process, interferes with Titania’s emotions by placing her under the spell of a love potion: “What thou seest when thou dost wake, do it for thy true love take,” (2.2.33-34.55). After Oberon takes possession of the Indian boy, he removes the potion from Titania’s eyes: “Be as thou wast wont to be. See as thou wast wont to see,” (4.1.72-73.125). Titania and Oberon resolve their issues and are once again happy: “Hand in hand, with fairy grace, will we sing and bless this place,” (5.1.416-417.171). Throughout many obstacles, their marriage prevails and the two remain together. At times the two are joyous together, however it does not appear there is much love left in their relationship. Their love is constantly a struggle, and the two fight often. They become very angry with each other and try to seek revenge. For these reasons, their love can no longer be considered true, and is now strained and dwindling.
In the climax, Titania becomes obsessed with Nick Bottom, despite being married to Oberon. As part of his plan to acquire the Indian boy, Oberon places a flower’s potion on Titania’s eyes that has the ability to make someone fall in love with the first person they see. After waking up, Titania immediately sees Bottom and becomes interested in him: “Mine ear is much enamored of thy note, so is mine eye enthralled to thy shape,” (3.1.140-141.77). Titania refuses to let Bottom leave the forest: “Out of this wood do not desire to go. Thou shalt remain whether thou wilt or no,” (3.1.154-155.79). She wishes to protect him and commands her fairies to “be kind and courteous to this gentleman,” (3.1.170.79). At first, Bottom is confused about Titania’s sudden interest, but he soon becomes comfortable with his new surroundings and starts conversing with the fairies: “Good Master Peaseblossom, I shall desire you of more acquaintance,” (3.1.194-195.81). Titania and Bottom’s relationship becomes passionate and physical: “Come sit thee down upon this flow’ry bed, while I thy amiable cheeks do coy,” (4.1.1-2.121). She is infatuated with him, but her feelings do not last. Once the potion is removed from her eyes, Titania quickly returns to her relationship with Oberon and cannot believe she ever admired Bottom: “My Oberon, what visions I have seen! Methought I was enamored of an ass,” (4.1.77-78.125). Titania and Bottom’s love is created due to the work of a potion. Their feelings for each other are intense and heated, but do not last. Their love is not real, it is strictly a physical infatuation that diminishes immediately after the potion is removed.
Hermia and Lysander are the only example of true love in this play.

Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius: “Stand forth, Demetrius. -My noble lord,- this man hath my consent to marry her,” (1.1.25-26.9). However, Hermia is deeply in love with Lysander: “Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes and interchanged love tokens with my child,” (1.1.29-30.9). Hermia betrays her father by refusing to marry Demetrius because she is loyal to Lysander. Theseus’ threat to Hermia to either “die the death, or to abjure forever the society of men,” (1.1.9.67-68.11) does not phase her feelings. To be able to be together, Hermia and Lysander are willing to run away and leave behind their friends and family: “There gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; and to that place the sharp Athenian law cannot pursue us,” (1.1.163-164.17). While in the forest, Lysander wants to sleep beside Hermia, but she expresses her discomfort with this. Lysander accepts her wishes and does not pressure her into anything: “O, take the sense, sweet, of my innocence!” (2.2.51.57). This is a sign of real love, that he is patient with her and does not force her to do something she is not ready for. In the climax, Lysander is placed under the magic potion and falls in love with Helena: “And yours of Helena to me bequeath, whom I do love and will do till my death,” (3.2.169-170.93). Hermia becomes upset and jealous that Lysander has left her: “What love could press Lysander from my side?” (3.2.189.95). The only reason

Lysander loves Helena is because of the potion. Once it is removed, he once again loves Hermia: “My lord, I shall reply amazedly, half sleep, half waking,” (4.1.152-153.131). Their love is able to prevail through this obstacle. Their love is real because they forgive each other immediately, instead of holding a grudge or trying to get revenge. They are faithful and respectful to each other and love each other deeply.
This play demonstrates multiple versions of love. Theseus and Hippolyta’s love is forced because he captures her through war. Hippolyta’s feelings for Theseus develop over time, but this does not change the nature of their love. Demetrius is not originally in love with Helena, and only begins to love her because of the powers of Cupid’s potion, so their love is unrequited. Titania and Oberon disagree about who gets possession of the Indian boy. They often fight and desire revenge, so their love is struggling. Titania and Bottom’s infatuation begins with the potion. Their love is purely physical and ends once the potion is remove. The only case of true love is between Lysander and Hermia, because they deeply care about each other without the work of the potion, and do not fight or seek revenge.