How Two Shakespearean Couples Resolve Conflict in Their Relationships in A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It

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How Two Shakespearean Couples Resolve Conflict in Their Relationships in A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It

In Shakespeare's comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It, the playwright deals with love, relationships, and how couples come to terms with their problems and resolve the conflicts within themselves and with those around them. Both of the plays point out that when individuals look within themselves and face the issues that are keeping them apart from the one they love, they can begin to heal the relationship. Helena and Demetrius from A Midsummer Night's Dream go to the forest to run away from their problems while Rosalind and Orlando from As You Like It are forced to flee to the forest because they are no longer welcomed in their homes. Both couples find the forest to be a place of refuge and are able to resolve their conflicts and come together in the end of their respective plays to be married.

Helena and Rosalind both are in love with a man that they cannot have until the conflict is resolved. Helena has been rejected by Demetrius, who now says he is in love with Hermia, Helena's best friend. Helena is devastated and asks Hermia to help her regain Demetrius' love and attention by teaching Helena how to be more like Hermia:

The rest I'll give to be to you translated.

O, teach me how you look, and with what art You sway the motion of Demetrius' heart.

(1.1.191-193)

Helena suffers from a low self-esteem and cannot accept Demetrius' rejection of her. Helena is described as the "ideal woman" of the time in that she is tall, blond, and fair skinned, whereas Hermia is shorter, dark haired, and olive-skinned. In spite of their appear...

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...ships. One lesson teaches us that we cannot take love for granted. It requires a lot of hard work, devotion, and a mutual understanding that things are rarely as they seem to be. We must be honest about our feelings and do what is best for ourselves. We learned from Helena and Demetrius that we cannot run from love or chase after it. We must be patient and when we are ready, it will come to us. We learned from Rosalind and Orlando that we must be willing to take risks and believe that both partners can bring something to the relationship. Shakespeare wrote about these things several hundred years ago, but they are still true today. His lessons are timeless and we all should read a little more Shakespeare and learn a few things about love and life.

Bibliography:

Shakespear, Wm. "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Shakespear, Wm. "As You Like It"

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