Manipulation In A Midsummer Night's Dream

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A Mid Summer Nights Dream contains ideas of love, desperation, manipulation, and mischief. Throughout the piece readers see a sense of each character as they are consumed by desperation for love, regardless of their relationship status. Readers examine the values of the fairies, as well as the lovers and how far each character will go to take hold of the love they believe is theirs. The ideas and values, love, desperation, and jealousy, the lovers portray in A Mid Summer Nights Dream each tie in together to create the idea that love is characterized by manipulation and instability.
The idea of love in this piece of literature is exceedingly important, throughout the entire story characters are fighting for love, or being forced to love. …show more content…

Helena acts in ways of love as she pursues Demetrius in an unhealthy way, yet Demetrius scorns her in all ways, regardless of her effort. “Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I do look on thee” (2. 1. 211-212). Demetrius acts as he hates Helena, he says she makes him sick. But through a series of mischief and manipulation, a love potion is used on Demetrius and Lysander, and in turn both men who once loved Hermia now are fighting for Helena’s love. The difficulty of love and the many hardships that are attached with it are acclaimed in this work of literature and is a key component in the idea of love that is portrayed. When others become involved and interested with the lovers lives is where the mischief present. The meddling fairy, Puck, and Oberon, the fairy King, are to blame for the manipulation occurring. Puck is a servant for Oberon, Puck says, “fear not, my lord, your servant shall do so” (2. 2. 268). Helena now believes both men are mocking, and deceiving her because of their new found love for her which was asserted by Puck in orders from Oberon. The hardships of love set in even more when Hermia enters the story once again and realizes she has been left in the woods by Lysander, and is ultimately left alone because of Lysander’s new found love for Helena. The lovers find themselves together once more and each of the men express …show more content…

Oberon says, “Do it for thy truelove take; Love and languish for his sake” (2.2.28-29). Helena says she will do anything to have Demetrius’ love, and Hermia suggests she would rather die than be married to someone rather than Lysander. They do not stop pursuing what they want, which worked for the characters in this particular piece of literature. Theseus speaks to the lovers, and the fellow Athenians present and says “For in the temple, by and by, with us. These couple shall eternally be knit (5.1.183-184). Each character found love in whom they intended to be in love with, because of the mischievous work of the fairies. However, Demetrius is under the love potion while he loves Helena, he is being manipulated. Regardless of the fact that Demetrius’s feeling for Helena are not sincere, there is a happiness that is surrounding each of the lovers that overpowers the scheme. In regards to Helena, Demetrius says, “Now I do wish it, love it, long for it, and will for evermore be true to it” (5.1.178-179). These mischievous actions led to happiness, but the values of the fairies are once again tested as they are aware of this happiness, yet know it is untrue. In retrospect, Oberon did say they are solely looking to mend the heartache of the Athenian lovers, and infer true

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