Love In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

596 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Love and magic in the midsummers night dream

Lysander’s Point’s on Love
Rebellious, Hermia, and love all these describe Lysander In The Midsummer’s Night Dream by William Shakespeare. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about a big wedding for Theseus and Hippolyta. Theseus is the duke and he makes all the decisions that include following the Athens law. Egeus has a daughter named Hermia and he wants her to marry Demetrius. She loves Lysander and doesn’t want anything to do with Demetrius. At Theseus’ wedding, he is having a play after Pyramus and Thisbe. Lysander’s love is very passionate.
For example when he says “A good persuasion: therefore, hear me, Hermia. I have a widow aunt, a dowager, of great revenue, and she hath no child: From Athens is her house remote seven leagues;And she respects me as her only son. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee; And to that place the sharp Athenian law cannot pursue us,” (I:I:162). He is saying they will run away together to his aunt's house, and she won’t mind because she treats him like he is her own son. He is willing to run away with Hermia just to marry her because the Athens law won’t allow them too. He loves Hermia some much and he’s willing to go against her father’s wishes to be with her.
Another …show more content…

Puck accidently put the flower juice on Lysander's eyes, and it ended up falling in love with Helena. He left Hermia behind and he forgot that he loved her first. Lysander says “Lysander’s love, that would not let him bide, fair Helena, who more engilds the night than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. Why seekest thou me? Could not this make thee know the hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?” This means “I had to hurry to my love, beautiful Helena, who lights up the night better than all those fiery stars. Why are you looking for me? Didn’t you figure out that I left you because I hate you?” Lysander thinks he hates Hermia, because he has a love potion on him that is making him like

Show More
Related

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream: he Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    He sends his jester, Puck, to use a flower that, if its juice is dropped onto someone who’s sleeping’s eyes, will make the person fall madly in love with the first person they lie their eyes on. “Take thou some of it, and seek through this grove; A sweet Athenian lady is in love with a disdainful youth; anoint his eyes; but do it when the next thing he espies may be the lady. Thou shalt know the man by the Athenian garments he hath on. ”(64) Puck, following Oberon’s orders, finds Lysander and Hermia instead of Demetrius and Helena.

    Read More

  • What Are The Three Most Important Lines In A Midsummer Night

    2506 Words  | 6 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Lack of Rights in A Midsummer's Night Dream

    599 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hermia is contesting the law because she has two people pursuing her. One that her father has chosen for her to marry and another that has won her heart over. Hermia wants to marry Lysander the one that has won her heart, but since her father does not approve of him she is being forced to marry Demetrius.

    Read More

  • Love Lost - Female Submission in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1993 Words  | 4 Pages

    Our perception of Lysander and Hermia’s love develops in the following events: Hermia chooses to become a nun rather than submit to marrying the man her father has chosen for her; Lysander comforts Hermia and shares his plan to elope; They lose their way in the woods and negotiate sleeping arrangements; Lysander deserts Hermia to pursue Helena and to kill his rival, Demetrius.

    Read More

  • Love in A Midsummer Night's Dream

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    Is love controlled by human beings who love one another or is love controlled by a higher power? There are many people who believe that a higher power has control over love. An example of a higher power would be a cupid, a flying angel-type creature who is supposed to shoot arrows at people to make them fall in love. There are other people who reject the idea that a higher power controls love and that the people who experience love can control it. In the novel, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", by William Shakespeare, several examples of love's association with a higher power are presented. With the use of examples from the above novel, this essay will discuss the evidence that love is associated with a higher power. Examples like: Thesius arranging a marriage between himself and Hippolyta, Egeus choosing who Hermia should marry and the fairies who have the ability to control love in the Enchanted Forest.

    Read More

  • Implausible Love in Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1306 Words  | 3 Pages

    Love is chaotic and free, and because love is so powerful, we often do extreme and erratic things to capture it. The tradition of marriage, or mawage, is so firmly established in history that the gender roles common to marriage are often inescapable, no matter how strong love is, or how powerful a person is. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare uses imagery to portray the theme of gender roles and show how love has the spell-bounding power to either change or reinforce those roles.

    Read More

  • A Midsummer Night's Dream: Nature and Consequences of Infatuation

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    Demetrius is willing to go to any extent to have Hermia marry him, even allowing Hermia to be subject to a life of a nun or death, if she does not marry him. Demetrius? infatuation with Hermia brings out the tyrannical and possessive part of his character, as can be seen when he says ?and, Lysander, yield thy crazed title to my certain right?

    Read More

  • Love and Desire in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    816 Words  | 2 Pages

    From the beginning, Hermia defiantly denies her father’s attempts at an arranged marriage, in favor of her whirlwind romance with and marriage to Lysander. In her defense, she uses words of chastity and moral purity to claim her fidelity and love towards Lysander and inability to wed Demetrius “I know not by what power I am made bold / nor how it may concern my modesty” (pp). The concern, or befitting, of Hermia’s modesty, by not wedding Demetrius, is protecting the very essence of her womanhood from someone whom she feels isn’t worth of the ultimate consummation of love – marriage (and the subsequent sex). This is continued in her next dialogue, where Hermia states that she would rather die “quote” (pp) or become a nun than give up her virgin “privilege” “quote” (pp). Hermia’s claims of “privilege” and “sovereignty” validate her chastity and moral purity as something that should only be shared with Lysander, not Demetrius. However, the sovereignty of Hermia’s claims also fits in with Demetrius’ arguments regarding his rights to Hermia’s hand in marriage: “quote” (pp). Demetrius’ use of “sovereignty” and “right” turns the supposed “love” of Hermia and Demetrius’ arranged marriage into a legal contract, where Hermia is property and social placeholder instead of a loving companion.

    Read More

  • The Relationship Dynamics Of A Midsummer Night's Dream

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Midsummer Night’s Dream: The Power of Love

    1250 Words  | 3 Pages

    In response to Hermia’s defiance toward marrying Demetrius, Theseus offers Hermia three choices in the first scene: to obey her father’s will; to become a nun and forever stay an unwed virgin; to die. The extremity of these punishments presented by Theseus, and Hemia’s decision to accept these punishments rather than marry Demetrius, exaggerates how love can lead to irrational sacrifices. Shakespeare then compares a married woman to a plucked and distilled rose, and an unwed woman to a withering unplucked rose on a “virgin thorn.” This potent imagery contrasts the sweet smell of perfume to the harmful touch of a thorn. If Hermia continues to defy the desires of her father, she is sacrificing a happily married life in hopes of following he...

    Read More

  • Hermia from A Midsummer Night's Dream

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    Presented with many obstacles and complications to overcome, we know that Hermia is the protagonist in the play. She has relations with almost all the characters in the play. The first and most important relationship is her love, Lysander. From the very beginning we see that Hermia loves Lysander with all her heart and soul and he loved her the same. The only tragic flaw in their relationship was when Puck put the magic juice in Lysander's eyes and he fell in love with Helena. Hermia felt sad and rejected when that happened. But when Puck finally realized that he had made a mistake and corrected it, Hermia and Lysander were in their heavenly bliss of love once again.

    Read More

  • Love, Lust and Infatuation in Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1461 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Different Aspects Of Love Presented In A Midsummer Night's Dream

    2297 Words  | 5 Pages

    To her, my lord, was I betroth'd ere I saw Hermia: but, like in sickness, did I loathe this food; but, as in health, come to my natural taste, now I do wish it, love it, long for it, and will for evermore be true to It". Theseus decides to override Egeus's plans for Hermia to marry Demetrius and now will have all three of the weddings in Athens that day. They eventually all depart for Athens Theseus says, "Fair lovers, you are fortunately met: of this discourse we more will hear anon. Egeus, I will overbear your will; for in the temple by and by with us these couples shall eternally be knit: and, for the morning now is something worn, our purposed hunting shall be set aside.

    Read More

  • Love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

    1057 Words  | 3 Pages

    Love plays a very significant role in this Shakespearian comedy, as it is the driving force of the play: Hermia and Lysander’s forbidden love and their choice to flee Athens is what sets the plot into motion. Love is also what drives many of the characters, and through readers’ perspectives, their actions may seem strange, even comical to us: from Helena pursuing Demetrius and risking her reputation, to fairy queen Titania falling in love with Bottom. However, all these things are done out of love. In conclusion, A Midsummer Night’s Dream displays the blindness of love and how it greatly contradicts with reason.

    Read More

  • The Theme of Love in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    Demetrius, Helena, Lysander, and Hermia are the for young teens of the story. At the beginning of the play it is Lysander and Helena who are madly in love, and are planning to to escape from Athens to elope. Helena is in love with Demetrius, and Demetrius cared for Helena and liked her a lot but was not in love with her. As soon as Demetrius sees Hermia he immediately stops having any feelings for Helena whatsoever and is deeply in love with Hermia. Demetrius thought that he had fallen in love at first sight, but Helena was determined to show him differently. Demetrius: ³ Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit,/ For I am sick when I do look on thee.² Helena: ³And I am sick when I look not on you.² (Act II, sc. i, lines 218-220) This piece of dialogue shows how much Demetrius is now in love with Hermia from just seeing her, and how disgusted he feels when he looks upon Helena who he used to care about. Helena is simply just expressing how much she is love with Demetrius and how bad she feels that he is treating her in such a manner of hatred.

    Read More

More about Love In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'

Open Document