William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essays

William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream In the following essay I am aiming to show how Lysanders claim that the course of true love never did run smooth is supported by other events in the play. A Midsummer Nights Dream was written by William Shakespeare. No one knows the exact date it was written but we know it was between 1589 and 1595. He combines romance with comedy to produce this popular story. When he was writing the play superstition about nature and spirits played an important part in peoples lives, therefore Shakespeare included these ideas in his play. It was believed that fairies lived in a kingdom of their own and came into peoples houses where they then†¦show more content†¦Hippolyta is the queen of Amazons and Theseus is the duke of Athens. Because they are of a high class they talk in blank verse. This is a form of poetry that is rhythmic lines without a rhyme. Shakespeare uses this to emphasise their nobility. Theseus opens with the lines: Now fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour/ Draws on apace. From this we can see that they are getting married and therefore love is running smoothly for them. Their relationship signifies what all the other couples in the play want; to have overcome their problems. However they once had their own problems. I wooed thee with my sword. Here we begin to learn that Theseus went to war for Hippolytas love. Shakespeare doesnt go into detail about this event as he assumes we already know the myth. An Elizabethan audience would be more familiar with mythology as entertainment was limited and story telling was popular. We can see that problems can be overcome when love isnt running smoothly, but every relationship goes through its ups and downs. This is the first event, which shows the audience the type of irrational thing that love will make you do when in love. Later on in the story there is a link between what Theseus has already done and what Demetrius and Lysander threaten to do. I will loose for thee. Lysander states he is prepared to die for Helena and offers Demetrius a battle for her love. ThisShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeares A Midsummer Night’s Dream1973 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeares A Midsummer Night’s Dream The focus of this discussion will be upon the language and performance possibilities of this extract from the Dream[1], following brief consideration of the manner in which the extract relates to the rest of the play in terms of plot development and the reflection of certain of the play’s themes. 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Titania doesn’t want to give him up because she and the boy’s mother knewRead MoreEssay about William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream1283 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare, in his A Midsummer Night’s Dream, uses his characters to cast a sense of derision over the use of the imagination. â€Å"The lunatic, the lover and the poet† are thrown together all on one line, and it is implied that the latter two are as crazy as the first. (Midsummer Night’s Dream, V.1.7) Despite this seeming scorn for plays and their ilk, Shakespeare is implementing a strong irony. Characters who scorn the imagination are no moreRead MoreEssay about William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream 1648 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are so many references to the eyes in A Midsummer Nights Dream that one would expect there to be a solid and consistent reason for their appearance. However, this does not seem to be the case. Indeed, the images associated with the eyes are so varied, and shift so frequently, that it is practically impossible to define what it is they represent. This difficulty reflects the problem of distinguishing between what is real and whatRead MoreTrue Love in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream1928 Words   |  8 PagesTrue Love in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream I have been studying A Midsummer Night’s Dream and exploring how the characters within this play deal with love and the consequences resulting from falling in love. I will be answering the question asked by providing quotes and examples of Shakespeare’s technique in showing that ‘The course of true love never did run smooth’ as well as providing answers as to why Shakespeare made this the case in the play