How Does Shakespeare Use Metaphors In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Metaphors and Foreshadowing within A Midsummer Night’s Dream
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare the number of hidden suggestions are countless. Shakespeare uses metaphors and foreshadowing within imagery, in monologues to discretely hint to different characters as well as suggest events that have yet to happen. Shakespeare uses imagery in monologues to hide metaphors and foreshadows events about to happen as a way to express the story in different lights. In Titania’s monologue, on page thirty, I will delve into the different metaphors and foreshadowing expressed through imagery.
Titania explains the importance of not only the changeling, but of her relationship with Oberon. Firstly, we quickly see there is an argument being

held, but also that Titania is not ready to give up her past life. In line 122 she states, “The fairy land buys not the child of me”. By utilizing the word buys and child in context with each other, it is quickly noted that the child symbolizes Titania; while the fairy land represents Oberon. Giving the “child” to the “fairy land” would be equivalent to her giving up that portion of her life forever; something she is not ready to do. A few lines after she says, “And sat with me on Neptune’s yellow sands.” The sand is not only a symbol for Titania but all the women in the play. The sand has no control over where it goes or who it sees. Neptune represents power, therefore symbolizing the men of the play. The men assume power and control over the women leaving the implied “you” at the beginning of the line to represent the reader; whom she takes through her journey. Shakespeare wants to the reader to be able to connect with the story, he does this seemingly effortlessly by incorporating metaphors rather than being literal.
Secondly, the metaphors that are used, only utilize part of the perspective definitions, further encrypting Shakespeare’s text. The cryptic uses of the words makes the first read seem clear, but upon a closer reading the metaphors shine through. We learn this as he writes, “Marking th’embarkéd traders on the flood”. According to the Oxford Dictionary, flood is defined as “an overflowing or interruption of a great body of water overland not usually submerged.”(OED). Based off the definition we can assume the flood is meant as a metaphor for the entire play that unravels subsequently. Therefore, the embarkéd traders are symbolizing Helena, Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius. While there is not any literal water the word flood is used figuratively rather than literally as a way to represent the fight over love. In the following line, “When we have laughed to see the sails conceive”. Shakespeare continues foreshadowing with the word conceive. The Oxford Dictionary describes conceive as, “To form in mind or heart; to plan, devise, or formulate.” (OED). While sails is written as, “something that catches wind.”(OED). Shakespeare foreshadows Helena and Demetrius going into the woods to follow or find Lysander and Hermia before they leave. The plan took sail once Hermia told Helena about their old meeting spot, upon which Helena became jealous. The continuation of foreshadowing and metaphors continues throughout the next three lines. Shakespeare writes, “And grow big bellied with the wanton wind;” Wanton, as described in the footnotes, means amorous or playful. The wanton wind carries the news of Hermia and Lysander to Demetrius. Therefore big bellied is a metaphor for all the problems happening throughout the play, and the wind is what carries the problems to the different characters. The problems in the play revolve around Hermia and Lysander’s relationship, which means that in the next two lines she is referencing Hermia. Another connotation is that the wind is symbolic of Oberon because he becomes “playful” with Titania by the use of magic powder. The encrypted text can be more easily read when looking for metaphors specifically.
Shakespeare uses terms that force the reader to think about the deeper meaning.

In the lines, “Would imitate, and sail upon the land”, “to fetch me trifles, and return again”, and “As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.” According to the Oxford English Dictionary, trifle is an object of little value or importance (OED), while fetch is something similar to a dog. With that knowledge, Shakespeare relates the child, or Titania, as similar to dog or animal. Since Titania represents the child, she would be similar to a dog. The first two lines are foreshadowing Oberon taking control over Titania’s life with the use of magic. The word “imitate” would symbolize Titania imitating a dog under Oberon’s control. In the consecutive line, “fetch me trifles” continues to foreshadow Oberon in complete control over Titania. The trifles are of little importance which means that Oberon keeps Titania busy so she does not get in the way through the use of magic. Shakespeare continues the use of foreshadow by stating, “As from a voyage, rich with merchandise.” The voyage displays her time under the spell and all the awful activities she underwent throughout; such as having sex with a donkey. The merchandise Oberon receives, is in fact the changeling, whom Titania tries to protect the entire time. Shakespeare uses the word “rich” twice, both times to describe the child. The use of “rich” twice solidifies the knowledge of the child holding

importance.
Titania uses the broad term “she”, as a way to represent the way her life would die should she give into Oberon’s request for the changeling. Not only does Titania use “she” but also the child as a metaphor for herself. On line 135 she says, “But she, being mortal, of that boy did die; and for sake do I rear up her boy, And for her sake I will not part with him.” (30). While mortal is defined as “one who is destined to die” (OED); Shakespeare uses the word as a bridge between Oberon and Titania. The use of death brings sympathy for Titania which allows for the reader to recognize that Titania deserves the changeling. The repetition of “And for her sake…” begs the question of is it really for the mother or is it for Titania? As I previously stated, the child is a metaphor for Titania therefore she rears up the boy for herself. Because of the fear of “dying” and losing her past Titania finds that the only way to convince Oberon is to say that it’s her duty based off her close relationship with his mother.
Titania uses the boy and the mother simultaneously as a metaphor for herself. The thought of giving the boy up gives her the fear of dying. In the line 135 she states, “But she, being mortal, of that boy did die;” She is afraid that if she gives up the boy, she will lose her past therefore dying. Contrarily, in the perspective of Titania as a representation of the boy, would lose all sense of his true background, therefore “dying”. As a symbol for the mother, Titania wants to be a motherly figure by assuming the position of the child’s mother. The thought of Titania representing not only the child but also the mother is a strange concept due to the fact that she would become both the parent and the child. As a result of this, she continues by saying, “And for her sake do I rear up her boy, And for her sake I will not part with him.” These last two lines are especially important due to the fact that she cannot mentally part with the child because she embodies not only his mother, but also the child himself. When Titania says, “And for her sake” twice, she needs to reassure herself that her reasons for the child are not purely selfish like Oberon’s are. Shakespeare repeats these four words as a way to show the importance, which is to emphasize “she”.
Despite my claims and evidence, many scholars might disagree. They might say that Shakespeare was not in fact foreshadowing or using metaphors rather plainly explaining the relationship between Titania and the changeling’s mother. In line 123 Titania says, “His mother was a vot’ress of my order.”(30). Shakespeare clearly wrote “his mother” as an indicator that, she was actually talking about the mother and not herself. Throughout the lines that follow, Shakespeare details a lot of imagery without specific names, only pronouns. That is until line 129 which states, “And grow big- bellied with the wanton wind;” (30). While there is not any specific names, it is clear that Titania details a pregnancy. “Big- bellied” is one of many terms used to describe a pregnancy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. In relation to line 129, a line following that says, “Following- her womb then rich with my young squire.” The quote just furthers the evidence that Shakespeare was not in fact writing with metaphors or foreshadowing. “Her womb” and “my young squire” insinuate the point that the woman was pregnant and does not at all symbolize Titania. Finally, the strongest piece of evidence against my thesis states, “But she, being mortal, of that boy did die.” Shakespeare specifically uses the word “mortal” to eliminate any question over whom he is describing, the mother. In conclusion, the monologue details Titania’s relationship to the changeling’s mother, and contains no foreshadowing or metaphors.
Shakespeare uses imagery in monologues to hide metaphors and foreshadows events as a way to express the story in different lights. Titania’s monologue on page thirty hides metaphors for not only herself but Oberon as well as foreshadowing events that affect characters in the real world. Shakespeare uses the changeling and his mother as a metaphor for Titania as well as the other women, while simultaneously representing Oberon in positions of power. Through the use of foreshadowing and close reading, the entire story is told in the first act as well as this particular monologue.