Comparing A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet

1166 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Comparison and differences between characters in Midsummer's Night Dream

Although many Shakespearean plays are very similar to one another, two stand out from the rest as sharing a great deal in common. Specific, solid parallels can be drawn between Shakespeare's plays "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Romeo and Juliet." The themes and characters are remarkably similar in many aspects. Firstly, both plays highlight the stereotypical young lovers - Hermia and Lysander in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Romeo and Juliet in "Romeo and Juliet." Secondly, both plays are very ambiguously categorized. By this I mean that each could have been a tragedy just as easily as a drama (with a few minor modifications). By definition, a tragic play is a play in which the main character has a fatal flaw that leads to his or her eventual downfall. A comedy, on the other hand, is a play that contains at least one humorous character as well as a successful, happy ending where the best possible resolution is achieved. When comparing these two plays, one realizes Shakespeare's repetition of character types as well as the versatility of his themes.

In "Romeo and Juliet", Juliet is young, "not yet fourteen", and she is beautiful, and Romeo's reaction after he sees her is,

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

I...

... middle of paper ...

...cal-Lyrical History." Forthcoming in the 1988 _Proceedings of the Patristic, Medieval and Renaissance Society, Villanova, Pennsylvania.

Lewis, Anthony. The Love Story in Shakespearean Comedy. University Press of Kentucky, Lexington: (c)1992

Parker, Barbara. A Precious Seeing, Love and Reason in Shakeswpeare's Plays. New York University Press, New York: (c)1987

Schanzer, Ernest. "A Midsummer-Night's Dream." 26-31 in Kenneth Muir, ed. _Shakespeare: The Comedies: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice- Hall, 1965.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. Cliff's Notes, Lincoln: (c)1995

Show More
Related

  • Government: Monarchy, Theocracy, And Republic

    394 Words  | 1 Pages

    Monarchy is a method where a single person oversees the government. This head of state reigns within bounds of a constitution but still creates a single entity with extreme power. Personal beliefs often override best practices.

    Read More

  • The Roman Republic Government: A More Just Government

    841 Words  | 2 Pages

    As Rome became independent from the Etruscan ruling, its government walked away from having a monarch and transformed into a Republic as a way to avoid the tyranny that many times comes with an absolute autocrat. Rigorous precautions were taken from the start in order to keep the power balanced. Moreover, the structure of the government was meant to be resilient to bad judgment. The structure of the Roman Republic with its government and law provided for a more just system.

    Read More

  • Sexual Harassment Case

    1290 Words  | 3 Pages

    The two types of sexual harassment recognized today are known as "quid pro quo" and "hostile environment". According to the EEOC guidelines, quid pro quo exists when "submission to or rejection of (unwelcome sexual) conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual". Hostile environment exists when unwelcome sexual conduct greatly disturbs an individual and interferes with the individual's job performance. Hostile environment also creates an intimidating workplace for all employees. (EEOC Compliance Manual)

    Read More

  • The Roman Senate In The Roman Republic

    1161 Words  | 3 Pages

    When one thinks of the Roman Republic one cannot help but think of the Roman Senate. The Senate was supposedly created by Romulus who was the mythical first king of Rome who may or may not have existed. (notes) At this point the Senate had very little power and was simply an advisory body of 300 senators. (notes) The senators were referred to as patres (fathers) and made up the patrician class. (notes) In 509 bc the last king of Rome was overthrown by the Senate. The Senate then took responsibility for defending Rome. Created the consuls to replace the kings. (notes) Saw themselves as the true representatives of the Roman people. (notes) Was seen as the representatives of the Roman people until the breakdown of the census. (notes) In 121 the Senate passed the senatus consultum ultitum. which means

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Romantic Love in A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest, and Twelfth Night

    1503 Words  | 4 Pages

    Schanzer, Ernest.  "_A Midsummer-Night's Dream."  26-31 in Kenneth Muir, ed. Shakespeare: The Comedies: A Collection of Critical Essays.  Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1965.

    Read More

  • Dreams in A Midsummer Night's Dream

    2238 Words  | 5 Pages

    Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Norton Shakespeare: Greenblatt, Stephen, editor. New York: W W Norton & Company, 1997.

    Read More

  • Envision Equality in John Dewey’s Creative Democracy and Jane Mansbridge’s Using Power/Fighting Power

    1168 Words  | 3 Pages

    “We have had the habit of thinking of democracy as a kind of political mechanism that will work as long faithful as citizens were reasonably in performing their duties” (Dewey 1939, 2).

    Read More

  • The Practice of Religion in Public Schools

    749 Words  | 2 Pages

    The “establishment” or “religion” clause of the First Amendment of the Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (Education Week, 2003, para. 2). It is from this clause that the idea of separation of church and state comes. It is also the basis for much of the debate regarding the practice of religion in public schools (Education Week, 2003). One of the big questions regarding the religion issue is where to draw the line between separation of church and state and religious freedom. The practice of religion in public schools can balance these two ends by allowing students to individually exercise their religious freedom, so long as they do not interfere with that of other students.

    Read More

  • Sexual Harassment In The Workplace Essay

    1001 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sexual Harassment in the workplace is defined as “offensive or pervasive conduct in the workplace related to a person’s sex that negatively affects a reasonable person’s employment.”(aauw.org) Sexual Harassment violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because it is a form of sex discrimination. According to aauw.org, Title VII is “a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion, and it applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including federal, state, and local governments.” Victims of sexual harassment in the workplace may feel like there is nothing they can do about the situation....

    Read More

  • Sexual Harassment In The Workplace Essay

    1477 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, defines sexual harassment as a behavior of a sexual nature that affects an individual’s terms of employment or creates a hostile and intimidating work environment. According to the EEOC, it is “unlawful to harass a person, an applicant, or employee because of that person’s sex.” (Sexual Harassment) The term “sexual harassment” can be a bit misleading as other forms of work related harassment can take place that have nothing to do with ‘sex’ but do however, fall under the same umbrella. We will look to identify the different types of sexual harassment in the workplace, specifically, ‘Quid Pro Quo’ and what it’s like to work in a ‘Hostile Work Environment’. This paper will focus on the law, woman’s rights in the workplace, and discuss an example from the Supreme Court Case of: Meritor Savings Bank, FSB v. Vinson, 477 U.S. 57 (1986).

    Read More

  • Prayer in Public Schools

    1443 Words  | 3 Pages

    The United States has continued to be a country where religion plays a major role in the lives of American citizens. Depending on the type of school students attend, organized prayer is mandatory, allowed, or banned. In the United States, organized prayer in public schools is prohibited because it goes against the Constitution’s separation of church and state (Jinkins 123). The United States promises religious freedom, but is yet to define the degree and limitation of that liberty. However, American citizens have been debating for many years, whether organized prayer should be an option or obligation in public schools. Some people believe that organized prayer or religious classes would be a benefit to young people and should be allowed in American public schools. Others: however, see this as an affront to the First Amendment and believe that religion does not belong in the classroom, and should never be permitted under any circumstances.

    Read More

  • The Power of Magic in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1459 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington Square Press, 2004.

    Read More

  • Contrast in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

    1403 Words  | 3 Pages

    The concept of contrast plays an important role throughout Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare provides many examples of contrast signifying it as a motif. He groups the ideas of contrast together into those of some of the most important roles in the play. Helena is portrayed as tall and Hermia is short. Titania is a beautiful fairy who falls in love with Bottom, who is portrayed as graceless. Moreover, the main sets of characters even have differences. Fairies are graceful and magical creatures, yet tradesmen are clumsy and mortal. Additionally, the tradesmen are always overjoyed while the lovers are always serious with their emotions. Contrast layers throughout the whole play, as examples are shown in nearly every scene. Contrast becomes a constant, important motif to Shakespeare’s playwrite.

    Read More

  • Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    Normally before a person begins work, they will be subject to many different classes on sexual harassment, and other work related issues like how to work together. These classes may be put into a video format which outlines the different forms of sexual harassment. Unwelcomed advances may be seen by a person simply touching another person without permission or in a way that causes someone to become uncomfortable. This could mean anything as slight as a shoulder rub. Another form of harassment which is taught in the class is unwanted comments which may suggest sexual tones or desires through “jokes”. However, these jokes are not seen that way to the person who is being harassed. These forms of sexual harassment may come from a person in a position of power which would be labeled “Quid pro quo”. (Smolensky, 2003) Each example of sexual harassment is followed by the information that any form of sexual har...

    Read More

  • Sexual Harassment and Workplace Policies

    2020 Words  | 5 Pages

    In our society sexual harassment has been in the workplace for years. The use of sexual harassment in the workplace has been remembered best as a weapon used to keep women in their place which would cause them to forfeit promotions within their organizations. It was once believed that women were the only victims but the shift is now changing men are also reporting that they are also victims of sexual harassment on the job. In 1964 the Civil Rights Act was passed and employers began to recognize that they were liable for two types of sexual harassment. The first kind of harassment is Quid pro quo when a supervisor offers the employee sexual advances in order to get or keep a job, and also this harassment is used to determined if an individual will get a promotion. The second form of harassment is when supervisors or coworkers make working conditions hostile and unbearable. In both instances the legal ramification will cost an organization to suffer a financial loss in productivity, time, and money. Throughout this research my finding is that it's to the company's best interest to provide a clear policy on sexual harassment.

    Read More

More about Comparing A Midsummer Night's Dream and Romeo and Juliet

Open Document